Armed Forces Flag Day commemorates sacrifices made by Indian soldiers: Know how to contribute to help the veteran community

Why India observes Armed Forces Flag Day Since 1949, 7 December is observed as Armed Forces Flag Day to honour soldiers who laid their lives for the country, as well as, men and women in uniform, who are fighting to safeguard India’s border. The day is significant as it reminds the nation of its obligation to look after the veterans, disabled soldiers, war widows and dependents of those who have sacrificed their lives for the safety, honour and integrity of the country. For the welfare of veterans, disabled soldiers, war widows and dependents of those who have sacrificed their lives in the line of duty and also for the rehabilitation of the Ex-Servicemen (ESM) community, the Armed forces Flag Day Fund (AFFDF) has been constituted by the government. “There are more than 30 lakh ESM Including 6.5 lakh widows and around 60,000 ESM are added every year due to early superannuation. Contributions received from prospective donors of AFFDF are utilised to provide basic sustenance needs of the ESM community through a medium of welfare schemes,” a Ministry of Defence release said. Seeking contributions to the aforesaid mentioned fund, the release said, “The aim of the campaign to generate awareness about the ‘Armed Forces Flag Day Fund’ and encourage people to contribute generously. Several cashless payment methods have been setup and made available. You can send your contributions via PayTM number ‘8800462175’ and UPI code: armedforcesflagdayfund@sbi – To contribute using Credit/Debit Card or Net Banking log on to ksb.gov.in/armed-forces-flag-day-fund.htm.” Manohar Lal Khattar extends greetings to people on eve of Armed Forces Flag Day Haryana chief minister Manohar Lal Khattar extended greetings to people of the state on the eve of the Armed Forces Flag Day on Thursday. Exhorting people to come out with voluntary donations for the Flag Day Fund to mark the occasion on 7 December, Khattar said the money would be utilised for the rehabilitation of families of soldiers martyred in wars, serving soldiers and ex-servicemen and welfare of their dependents. [caption id=“attachment_3081838” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] File image of India Gate in New Delhi Delhi. PTI[/caption] He said the Armed Forces Flag Day is observed to recall and show respect to the supreme sacrifices made by soldiers for the sake of the country. “It is an important occasion to express our gratitude to the martyrs and show solidarity with the armed forces,” he said in a message. “We cannot pay back the kind of sacrifices and services rendered by our soldiers, but by giving them respect and providing them with better facilities, we can do our duty,” Khattar said. Tamil Nadu governor, chief minister appeal for liberal contribution to Flag Day fund Tamil Nadu governor Banwarilal Purohit and Chief Minister K Palaniswami Thursday appealed to the people of the state to make ’liberal’ contributions to the Armed Forces Flag Day Fund. In a message on the eve of Flag Day being observed Friday, Purohit said it was an occasion for remembering with pride the valiant soldiers in the Army, Navy and Air Force. “This is an occasion to remind ourselves of the selfless services of our Armed Forces personnel in protecting our country’s territory from the enemies and intruders,” he said. It was also an opportunity to take the history of our great nation to the younger generation in order to nurture patriotism and inspire them to join the armed forces, Purohit said noting that Tamil Nadu had always been a topper in per capita contribution to the Flag Day Fund. Palaniswami, in his message, highlighted the role played by the defence personnel in guarding the country and assistance extended to the civilian population at times of natural disasters. He also appealed for generous contributions by the people of the state to “express their patriotism”. UGC asks universities to observe 7 December as Armed Forces Flag Day The University Grants Commission (UGC) has directed varsities across the country to observe 7 December as the Armed Forces Flag Day to commemorate the “supreme sacrifices” made by the country’s soldiers during conflicts. In a letter sent to the heads of such institutions, the commission asked them to acknowledge the “supreme sacrifices made by our valiant Armed Forces personnel for protecting the sovereignty and territorial integrity of our country and securing our lives against the threats of insurgency and terrorism” and against natural calamities. The commission also directed the varsities to organise functions or hold talks in the colleges or institutes to generate awareness on the issue among the students. With inputs from PTI