One of the most debated things of the ongoing year, it has to be said, has been the revocation of the Article 370, among the most hotly argued subjects anywhere, wherever discussions on international affairs, geopolitical occurrences, and politics are a common topic.
The revocation of the Article 370 in J&K has meant that now any commoner from anywhere in the country can open shop, run businesses, and importantly buy pieces of land in a region that’s about as beautiful, lusciously good-looking as it is controversial, often submerged in crises.
But to say the above are the only aftermaths of the revocation of the Article 370 would be a bit of an understatement. The truth is certainly bigger and brighter. Think of it from the standpoint of the defense forces of India, the world’s largest democracy?
It appears that one of the biggest plusses of the revocation of the Article 370 has been the J&K youths. Well, as it turns out, as many as 575 J&K youths have joined the famous Indian Army, the nation’s first line of defense in a stuttering move that is making national headlines in the country.
So how did this happen and what exactly transpired?
For starters, it’s worthwhile to remember that the J&K youths were inducted into the Jammu and Kashmir Light Infantry Regiment of the Indian Army, which happens to be among the biggest armies of the world.
The passing out ceremony, which took place recently, occurred at the Bana Singh Parade Ground at Srinagar, the capital city of J&K.
On the prestigious occasion, it was important to cover the reaction of some bright young lads who have enlisted themselves for the grand service of the nation. India Today covered some interesting perspectives. Here are some of those:
“My father was in the Army. I was inspired to join the forces as I was impressed with his uniform. There is a lot of discipline in the Army with which I was also impressed. The Army prepares you both physically and mentally,” one of the cadets, Yaseer Ahmed Mir, told the media.
Communication channels, including mobile phones, landlines and the Internet, are yet to be fully restored across the valley after the central government clamped restrictions in the run-up to the abrogation of Article 370.
“We are happy to have completed the training successfully. Now, we only look forward to work with our regiment with full dedication and sincerity,” another cadet said.
The said ceremony was attended by several parents who came all over from Jammu and Kashmir as also from Ladakh. The young soldiers, who happen to excel in varied fields of the craft, were felicitated on the occasion.
In addition to the above, there were several awards that were presented to the J&K youths on the occasion.
Recruit Sawan Kumar received the Sher-e-Kashmir Sword of Honour and Triveni Singh Medal for being adjudged ‘Overall Best Recruit’ and Recruit Pankaj Kumar bagged the Chewang Rinchen Medal for being ‘Best in Firing’.
At the end of the day, 575 youngsters joining a huge line of defense indeed is a huge achievement for the country. Isn’t it?