Retired but not tired : Army Chief honored 5 retired officers with ‘Veteran Achievers Award’

Indian Army Chief General Upendra Dwivedi honored 5  army veterans with the ‘Veteran Achievers Award’ at a function in Bhopal, the capital city of Madhya Pradesh. These are the soldiers who did not get tired even after spending years serving in the army. From protecting the environment to protecting people’s health and supporting the poor and needy is the goal of their life. They are : Brigadier Ramnarayan Vinayak, Colonel K P Singh, Colonel Vaibhav Prakash Tripathi, Naik Anil Verma and Lance Dafadar Pradeep Kalaskar.

Brig. Ramnarayan Vinayak:
Brig. Ramnarayan Vinayak (Retd.) has made significant contributions in the field of ex-servicemen welfare. He has provided employment to more than 300 ex-servicemen through the DGR sponsored security agency as well as the Madhya Pradesh State Government. He also ensured benefits for Veer Naris including access to healthcare services and restoration of liberal family pension. This had a positive impact on the lives and economic stability of Veer Naris.

Col. Vaibhav Prakash Tripathi:
Col. Vaibhav Prakash Tripathi ( Retd.), Vice President of Madhya Pradesh Ex-Servicemen League, has a notable association with the ‘Ojas Shikshan Evam Prashikshan Sansthan’ in Betul. This institute, established and managed entirely by ex-servicemen, provides quality education and training to students from remote and deprived areas. By preparing youth aspiring to join the defence forces, the organisation renders commendable service to the nation.

Naik Anil Verma:
While struggling to find a safe hostel for his daughter, retired Naik Anil Verma  got the idea to do something for tribal girl students. He converted his ancestral house in Bilaspur (Madhya Pradesh)  into a safe and well-equipped hostel for tribal girls. Not only this, he also established a school for underprivileged and tribal children in 2017. This school got recognition from the Madhya Pradesh Education Board within two years. Despite the initial average academic background of the students, the school has consistently achieved remarkable results, with more than 97% of the students passing the board exams.

Lance Dafadar Pradeep Kalaskar:
Dafadar Pradeep Kalaskar (Retd), assists ex-servicemen and their families in pension and financial matters, raising funds for those suffering from serious and long-term diseases. His selflessness came to light when he suffered 40% burns while saving two women and three children from an LPG fire. He is a passionate environmentalist and was honoured with the title of ‘Vrikshamitra'( friends of trees) by the Chhindwara district administration for planting over 1,000 saplings.