Call the Indian Military ‘Armed Forces,’ Not ‘Defence Forces’: Air Marshal Bhushan Gokhale (Retd.)

35 Veer Naris of Martyr Soldiers Honoured on the Diamond Jubilee of 13th Battalion, The Mahar Regiment

Pune: “On the journey from the body to the divine, the nation comes first. It is said that those who sacrifice their lives for the country attain heaven. We salute such soldiers. Society and the armed forces are not separate; they are two sides of the same coin. Society energizes everyone and always stands firmly behind the military. No matter our internal differences, when the nation faces a crisis, all citizens unite. War may not be necessary, but preparedness for war is essential. That ensures no one dares to look at us with hostility. Call us the ‘Armed Forces,’ not merely the ‘Defence Forces,’” said Bhushan Gokhale (Retd.).

He was speaking at a felicitation ceremony organized by Shrimant Dagdusheth Halwai Sarvajanik Ganpati Trust and Suvarnayug Tarun Mandal on the occasion of the Diamond Jubilee of the 13th Battalion of The Mahar Regiment. The event honoured 35 Veer Naris (war widows) of martyred soldiers and was held at Lady Ramabai Hall of S.P. College.

Among those present were Major General Binoy Poonen (Retd.), Commanding Officer of 13 Mahar Regiment Colonel Sanjit Phugat, senior editor Arun Khore, Subedar Major (Honorary Captain) Bapu Polke, Lieutenant Colonel Narendra Pathak, Trust President Sunil Rasane, Treasurer Mahesh Suryawanshi, Joint Secretary Amol Kedari, Festival Head Akshay Godse, and Mandal President Prakash Chavan, along with other office-bearers and citizens.

A total of 35 Veer Naris and Veer Matas from the battalion were honoured with ₹25,000 each, a traditional saree set, and a memento as a mark of respect.
Arun Khore noted that The Mahar Regiment has made a significant contribution to the Indian Army. He recalled that in 1941, the British Government had formed a Defence Advisory Council in which B. R. Ambedkar played an important role and took several progressive decisions. He added that if humanity evolves, the need for war would diminish.

Major General Binoy Poonen (Retd.) stated that society understands the importance of caring for its armed forces. “Without sacrifice, victory is not possible. It is a matter of pride that the wives of soldiers who laid down their lives are being honoured today,” he said.

Colonel Sanjit Phugat emphasized that the ceremony was not just about honouring Veer Naris but also about conveying a strong message — that the families of martyrs are not alone, and society stands firmly with them.
Sunil Rasane said that the Trust always feels honoured to organize programs related to the armed forces. “While we serve society, you serve the nation as soldiers. These two forms of service must come together,” he remarked.
Mahesh Suryawanshi informed that the initiative has been conducted by the Trust since 2011.

Initially, 60 Veer Naris from 6 Maratha Battalion were honoured. In 2017, during the Trust’s 125th anniversary year, 125 Veer Naris were felicitated. During India’s 75th year of Independence (Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav), 75 Veer Naris were honoured. In every program, each Veer Nari has been presented with ₹25,000, a saree set, and a memento in recognition of the invaluable contribution of Indian soldiers and their families.