Tripura Chief Minister Biplab Kumar Deb received the ‘Swarnim Vijay Varsh’ flame at a ceremonial function organised by the Red Shield Artillery Brigade here on Saturday.
The ‘Swarnim Vijay Mashaal’, which symbolises India’s victory over Pakistan in the 1971 war of liberation of Bangladesh, reached Tripura on Friday. Olympian Dipa Karmakar, and a host of dignitaries and military officials, attended commemorative programmes held in the vicinity of the Agartala Military Station.
The ceremonial function held at an auditorium commenced with the handing over of the victory flame to Chief Minister Deb. Major General Navin Sachdeva, General Officer Commanding of the 57 Mountain Division, and Brigadier Nilesh Chowdhary, Commander of the 57 Mountain Artillery Brigade, were present.
The Chief Minister felicitated Army veterans at the function. He also felicitated Vincent Ekka, son of Lance Naik Albert Ekka, one of the 1971 war martyrs who was posthumously awarded the Param Vir Chakra.
Mr. Deb paid respect to the brave soldiers who laid down their lives in the war.
In the morning, Tripura Governor Satyadeo Narain Arya paid tribute to the Swarnim Vijay Varsh flame at the Elbert Ekka War Memorial. He interacted with retired officers and soldiers of the Army who fought in the 1971 war.
The flame, which is being taken to various States on the occasion of ‘Swarnim Vijay Varsh’, will be briefly given to the Border Security Force to mainly hold a salutation programme at the Agartala Integrated Check Post on Sunday. It will then be given back to the 57 Mountain Artillery Brigade.
