Around 4,200 veterans from the Indian Army, Navy and Air Force attended the 10th Defence Forces Veterans Day celebrations at Air Force Station Pune on Wednesday, where senior army officials highlighted the growing role of veterans in military operations and the expansion of welfare initiatives such as Project NAMAN.
The day is observed annually to honour Field Marshal K M Cariappa, the first Commander-in-Chief of the Indian Army, who retired on January 14, 1953. A wreath-laying ceremony was held to pay tribute to soldiers who laid down their lives in the service of the nation.
Addressing the gathering, Lieutenant General Dhiraj Seth, General Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Southern Command, said veterans had played an active role during Operation Sindoor, assisting the Army and extending logistical and operational support.
“During Operation Sindoor, our veterans actively assisted the Army and provided every possible facility,” Lt Gen Seth said.
Highlighting welfare measures, he said Project NAMAN was launched to provide a single-window solution for veterans’ issues related to SPARSH (System for Pension Administration Raksha), documentation and other services.
“These centres function through Common Service Centres and are linked to banking and digital services. By January 2026, the 100th NAMAN centre has been established. Our aim is to have around 200 NAMAN centres operational across the country by January 2027,” he said.
{{/usCountry}}“These centres function through Common Service Centres and are linked to banking and digital services. By January 2026, the 100th NAMAN centre has been established. Our aim is to have around 200 NAMAN centres operational across the country by January 2027,” he said.
{{/usCountry}}Maharashtra Minister for Higher and Technical Education Chandrakant Patil attended the event as chief guest. Other senior officials present included Vice Admiral Anil Jaggi, Commandant, National Defence Academy; Air Vice Marshal Gurjot Singh Bhullar, Senior Officer-in-Charge Administration, South Western Air Command; and Air Commodore Satbir Singh Rai, Air Officer Commanding, Air Force Station Pune.