Kathmandu: President Dr. Ram Baran Yadav graced the special function organized today at the military pavilion at Tundikhel by the Nepal Army to mark the Mahashivaratri festival and the Army Day.
On the occasion, President Yadav garlanded the memorial of army heroes there and received salute offered in honor of the president.
President Yadav observed the parade displayed by the army to mark the day by riding a special vehicle of the Nepal Army. President Yadav is the supreme commander of the Nepal Army.
In the function, President Yadav presented letters of appreciation to the commanders of the Srinath Battalion, Kalibox Battalion, Barda Bahadur Battalion and Sabuj Gan and Purano Gorakhnath Gan (battalion) completing 50 years of establishment.
The president also released ‘Sipahi’, a souvenir of the Nepal Army Public Relations Directorate and awarded those winners of free fall and guest sports events.
Nepal Army has been celebrating the army day since 2047 BS. The army had displayed parades and feu de joie, march pass, military drill and air formation and band display.
Exhibition of military weapons and equipment was also organised.
Gymnastic, Tae Kwan Do and other drills were also exhibited.
On the occasion, Chief of Army Staff (CoAS) Gaurav Shumsher JB Rana presented the banner of CoAS to Indradhwoj Battalion winning in the professional competitions on the day.
Present at the function were Vice President Parmanand Jha, PM Dr. Baburam Bhattarai, Chief Justice Khilraj Regmi, DPM duo Bijay Kumar Gachchhadar and Narayankaji Shrestha, ministers, high ranking officials of the Government of Nepal, chiefs of security bodies and heads of diplomatic missions in Nepal, distinguished personalities as well as former army chiefs of Indian army, General Shankar Roychowdhury, General Sunith Francis Rodrigues and General Deepak Kapoor who had been honored with honorary general of Nepal Army in the past.
A large number of people had thronged the Tundikhel but complained they could not view it easily. For security reasons, they were barred from viewing it from near the Tundikhel fence as in the past. RSS