K.A.Viswanathan
With the recitation of “Sarva Dharma” prayer followed by the singing of the full five stanzas of Indian National Anthem by 72 Shanmukhananda music school students , the 72nd independence day celebration was held at the Shanmukhananda hall , Mumbai on August 15.
The highlights of the programme includeed honouring of six war widows and mother of a martyr from Maharashtra and also felicitating the first and only woman Commando trainer . These seven are the wives and mother of the army soldiers who had laid down their lives in the year 2017 while fighting for the nation. Each one of them were presented with a cheque of Rs. Two lakhs in addition to mementos worth Rs. 50,000/- by the Sabha who are jointly organizing this event along with the Indian Army. Brigadier Medical Pradeep Kumar Hasija of M & G area and Col. Neelam Chhabra presented the awards.
Dr. Seema Rao, also known as “India's Wonder Woman” and India’s first and the only Commando trainer who has trained more than 15,000 commandos from every elite Indian force including NSG Black Cats, Air force GARUD, ITBP, BSF, Navy MARCOS marine commandos besides training 15 state and city police force for nearly two decades with out receiving any compensation was presented with Sri Shanmukha Shaurya Ratna award along with a gold coated medallion, a gold polished bronze lamp and a citation. She is a pioneer in “close quarter battle” and the “art of fighting in tight proximity”. Rao is a 7th degree Black belt in military martial arts and one of a handful of instructors in the world authorised to teach Bruce Lee’s art of Jeet Kune Do. She is a Ph.d in Martial science and MD in Medicine, MBA in crisis Management from UK.
“The Sabha has been in the forefront of manifesting the gratitude to armed forces this manner “said Dr. V. Shankar, president of the Sabha. In 2017, the Sabha had honoured 25 wounded soldiers and six wives of soldiers who laid down their lives in the year 2016, he said. The honouring the war widows is the small beginning . One human life is heavier than earth. The civilian society should care for the war heros family. We are doing our bit and others should follow.=, Shankar said.
Some of the widows said they would send their children to the Army despite the grief they suffered. One widow Poonam Bhandane , who is doing her final year B.A. said she is planning to join the Army after her graduation.
In her felicitation reply Seema Rao said “Our jawans give their life to ensure peace and well being of our citizens, so I also wanted to do something for my country’s forces”. Today I ended up training thousands of commandos in close quarter battles along with my husband Major Deepak Rao and daughter Dr. Komal Rao , she said
