The hair-raising feats of military horse riders and amateur 4×4 off-roaders set the heart pounding on the final day of the Military Carnival that awed audiences in the run-up to the much awaited 3rd Military Literature Festival (MLF), set to commence in the city December 13 onwards.The three day annual gala Military Literature Festival would facilitate panoramic view of the diverse martial and cultural ethos of our gallant defence forces besides providing a forum for liberal and inclusive expression of literary thought, views and reflections on issues of both national and regional significance.MLF, the joint initiative of the Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh and Punjab Governor VP Singh Badnore in collaboration with Western Command has steadily earned brand presence in the region by successfully promoting core military ethos of camaraderie, valour, leadership and integrity amongst youngsters. Over 65,000 visitors witnessed the Fest last year registering whopping 500 percent increase in attendance.Scintillating rider-horse coordination during the Equitation Tattoo set the pulse racing at the fully packed arena here at Rajendra Park Grounds. The demonstration of adept horsemanship skills by Army, Punjab Armed Police (PAP) and young riders of Western Command Equestrian Node evoked palpable excitement in the stands, with joint army contingent led by Naib Subedar Kamal Singh getting standing ovation as they immaculately marched past after saluting the Chief Guest.Aditya Chahal guided his remount horse Fargo and Farooq in the Trick Jumping mesmerising with his poise, boldness and flamboyance in negotiating seemingly dangerous obstacles. In the six-bar show jumping, cynosure of all eyes were Suhani Jamwal, the youngest and only female rider who maneuvered her horse, displaying absolute grace and agility while clearing all fences garnering boisterous cheer and applause.Carnival Finale also enthralled spectators with daredevil acts of amateur 4×4 jeep and bike off-roaders who mesmerised with their obstacle tackling skills in negotiating articulation and slush pits, excel breaker and small man made ditches at the specially curated two and a half acre course .
Riding the world acclaimed Polaris, Force Gurkha, Thars, MM 550 to Gypsies and Boleros, the young drivers exhibited courage, power, patience and resilience embodying the spirit of the defence forces. The events held today with assistance from Army Adventure Cell are aimed at showcasing Army's off-roading expertise with a greater goal to attract youth towards Defence Forces.Also evoking a sense of awe and pride, especially amongst youngsters, was the Weapons Display at the Carnival, exhibiting the artillery, armoured and engineering marvels of Indian Armed Forces ranging from Automatic Grenade Launcher, INSAS Rifle, besides the bridge laying Pantoon Mushtwa Supernova and Anti Aircraft L 70 Guns.Underlining the pace of technological advancement and defence preparedness of our forces against any chemical or biological attack were a host of equipment, including DRDO make Integrated Field Shelter and Inland Protection Equipment.In another attrcation, expert canines from various Army Dog units including the Remount Veterinary Corps Centre and College, Meerut and the NSG enthralled audiences during the Dog Show. The scintillating synchronization between the Master and trained dogs captivated the audiences especially the youngsters who at times were seen bursting with amazement.The sheer agility and precision of Army dogs while negotiating various hurdles, jumps and walls as directed by their holders evoked huge appreciation from the huge crowd.The moment when the leader dog presented a bouquet with his salute to the Chief Guest evoked all round aplause and praise.Tracker, Mine Detection, Explosive Detection, Guard, Infantry Patrol, and the Avalance Rescue and Rescue Dogs made up the several types of dogs involved in the show.Chief of Staff Western Command Lt. Gen. Gurpal Singh Sangha was the Chief Guest during the closing ceremony who attended the horse and dog show alongwith Lt. General T S Shergill (Retd.) PVSM.Describing MLF as yet another product of Captain Amarinder Singh's visionary leadership, Lt. General Sangha expressed confidence such events would create the much-needed awareness about the rich legacy of our defence forces.Besides several retired Army officials, the show was also attended by Major General Raj Purohit from Army Service Corps Western Command, along with ADGP crime Gurpreet Deo, SSP Traffic Chandigarh Shashank Anand, SSP Law & Order Nilambri Jagdale, Additional Secretary Forest Moonesh Kumar and Colonel Rusnil Chahal.