Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal today finalized the arrangements for the inauguration of world’s first institution of its kind ‘Mai Bhago Armed Forces Preparatory Institute’, to impart specialized training exclusively to the female aspirants across the state to join Armed forces as officers. .Giving final touches to the arrangements for this mega event to be presided over by the Union Defence Minister Mr. Manohar Parikkar, who would dedicate this premier institute to the nation on July 25th, the Chief Minister was apprised by the senior officers that nearly 1500 ex-servicemen from PESCO, 1000 girl NCC cadets, 200 students from the Sainik School Kapurthala, 350 trainees from C-PYTE besides the officers from the top brass of the Armed Forces and decorated Army personnel have already confirmed their participation in the function.
Meanwhile, the Chief Minister asked the Punjab Ex-Servicemen Corporation (PESCO) and the Directorate of Sainik Welfare to elicit the participation of ex-Servicemen and the retired defence personnel in this mega event. Mr. Badal said it would be a red letter day in the history of Indian Armed Forces in General and for the state in particular when this state of the art institute to train our daughters for joining defence services as their promising career would be inaugurated. Exuding confidence that he has taken this novel initiative to establish this prestigious institute after the superb success of Maharaja Ranjit Singh Armed Forces Preparatory Institute at Mohali for the boys, Mr. Badal said that these institutes were his dream projects to restore the pristine glory of gallantry services rendered by the Punjabis in the armed forces, which had gradually faded away with the passage of time.
Prominent amongst others who were present on the occasion included Cabinet Ministers Mr. Madan Mohan Mittal and Dr. Daljit Singh Cheema, former Minister Mrs. Satwant Kaur Sandhu, former MLAs Mr. Didar Singh Bhatti and Jathedar Ujagar Singh Badali, District Akali Dal President Mr. Jagdeep Singh Cheema, Special Principal Secretary to Chief Minister Mr. KJS Cheema, Director Information & Public Relations Mr. Rahul Tewari, Director Defence Service Welfare Brigadier JS Arora, Director General C-PYTE Major General (Retd.) Rajesh Kumar Bawa, Director Cultural Affairs Mr. Navjot Randhawa, Deputy Commissioner Ropar Ms. Tanu Kashyap, Deputy Commissioner Fatehgarh Sahib Mr. Sangha, Deputy Commissioner SAS Nagar Mr. TPS Sidhu, IG Patiala Range Mr. Paramjeet Singh Gill, SSP SAS Nagar Mr. Gurpreet Singh Bhullar and Chairman-cum-Managing Director PESCO Lieutenant General Kuldeep Singh.