Army Chief General Upendra Dwivedi on Saturday met some old colleagues during his tour to the border areas in Jammu and Kashmir's Poonch. Officials said that the Army Chief visited the forward areas in Poonch. During this time, the COAS met the soldiers deployed at the border and learned about their preparations.
General Dwivedi appreciated the good morale and vigilance of the soldiers. During the tour, General Dwivedi reached Kamsar village of Poonch and met retired Subedar (Honorary Captain) Parvez Ahmed of 18 Jammu and Kashmir Rifles. This meeting was special because both served together in the Army.
Subedar Parvez Ahmed was in the same unit when General Dwivedi was the commanding officer of the Battalion between 2002 and 2005. Subedar Parvez Ahmed joined the Army in March 1991 and retired after 25 years of service in March 2019. During the service, he worked in different areas and also trained soldiers in training institutions several times.
Subedar Parvez Ahmed remained connected to society even after retiring from the Army. They helped soldiers locally during Operation Sindoor. They cooperated in delivering essential goods and sharing local information. They did it all in difficult situations. Considering his contribution, the Army Chief honoured him with the 'Veteran Achiever Award'. His family members, veterans and people around were also present at the occasion. During this time, other veterans and locals in the area, including women and children, met the Army Chief.
The conversation was casual and informal. In border areas like Tail, where the military and the common people are very close, the tour suggests that the military and the military connection remain even after service is over, officials said. General Dwivedi attended the top-level security review meeting on Jammu and Kashmir, chaired by Union Home Minister Amit Shah in Jammu.