Daredevilry,sky jumps flavour of the day

The first signal units,31st and 32nd Divisional Signal Companies,were raised on February 15,1911 at Fatehgarh and this year the Corps of Signals has entered 100 years of its journey,achieving significant milestones in fields of strategic,tactical and operational communications. Putting forth an enthralling display of daredevilry and team spirit were various groups comprising both officers and men.

The special showcase kicked off with presentations on martial arts such as Kalariyapattu,where an eight-member team performed battle acts using daggers,swords,spears and flexible swords. That was followed by a Taekwondo display that saw the Signals team break burning tiles and the like.

What truly got the massive crowd applauding,However,was the sky diving event. A team of six sky divers,led by Lt Col Satyendra Verma,jumped from a height of 10,000 ft from two hovering Chetak helicopters. Keeping pace with the high-adrenaline action was a 30-minute show by the motorcycle riders,more popularly known as the dare devils.

The team consists of volunteer Dispatch Riders (DR) and on Sunday afternoon,the 31-member team showcased acrobats as well as tricks and stunts all astride their thundering motorcycles. Captain Rahul Saini led the dare devils as they displayed high levels of precision and timing during the course of the event. Another highlight of the well-attended show was the silent drill. Formed in the Corps of Signals,the team is first of its kind in the Indian Army. The main attraction was that it was performed with perfect coordination and synchronisation,but without any word of command.

Given the boisterous nature of the Army drills,where commands by the leader can be heard from far away,the silent drill took most by surprise. The event was attended Lt Gen S R Ghosh,AVSM,SM,GOC-in-C,Western Command,Lt Gen MS Bhuttar,VSM,Chief of Staff,Western Command,Maj Gen TK Das,VSM as well as senior serving and retired officers with their families.