War veterans honoured

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Mayor K Chandrika inaugurated the two-day 40th anniversary observance of the 1971 Indo-Pak War here on Thursday. The programme was organised by the Kerala State Ex-Services League at the VJT Hall.  Air Marshal J Chauhan, Senior Air Staff officer, Southern Air Command, honoured the war veterans and gallantry award winners at the function.  The only surviving Maha Vir Chakra winner from the state, Captain Thomas Philippose, was honoured at the function.  The Vir Chakra winners felicitated at the function are: Hon. Captain V Bhaskaran, M A Wilson, A B Jesudasan, M V Gopalakrishnan, Hon Captain Ramaswamy Chettiyar, Lt. Colonel (retd) N C Nair, Chellathai (mother of late Captain Jerry Premraj), Sudha (wife of late Jayaprakash) and Geetha Gopakumar (wife of late Major Gopakumar).  The family members of six Kargil war heroes were honoured at the function. Three Sena Medal winners, three soldiers who were left handicapped after the 71 war and Subedar Sukumaran, who was severely injured in the Sri Lanka operation, were also honoured at the function.  Air Marshal (Retd) Narayana Menon, Major General (Retd) M N K Nair, Colonel K V Mohan, Coast Guard former DG Prabhakaran Paleri, Sainik Welfare Department director K K Govindan Nair and Air Commodore (Retd) S Nair offered felicitations. Ex-Services League president Varghese Kappil presided over the function. General secretary K V Vasudevan welcomed the gathering and district president Ramachandran Nair proposed a vote of thanks.     On Friday a mass rally will be taken out at 3 p.m. from the Manaveeyam Road, Vellayambalam, to Chandrasekharan Nair Stadium where the valedictory meeting will be held. Panchayat and Social Welfare Minister M K Muneer will inaugurate the meeting at 4 p.m.