JAMMU, NOVEMBER 3: BJP State Vice President and former minister Sham Lal Sharma on Wednesday demanded that the Srinagar Airport should be renamed after the ‘Saviour of Kashmir’ Major Somnath Sharma (Param Vir Chakra).
He was speaking during an event to commemorate 74th death anniversary of Major Somnath Sharma, who was awarded the first Param Vir Chakra, here at Bhalwal Raipur Domana Vidhan Sabha on behalf of Shri Kailak Jyotish and Vedic Sansthan Trust.
Mayor Jammu Chandra Mohan Gupta, Lieutenant General Rakesh Sharma (retired), Director Agriculture Jammu KK Sharma, Director Central Sanskrit University Professor Madan Mohan Jha, Sarpanch Rajdev, Gharota police station in-charge Khayatimaan Khajuria and others were also present.
Sham Lal said that Kashmir is with India today because of the martyrdom of Major Somnath Sharma. He said, “ Major Somnath was born on January 31, 1923 in Himachal. He was the company-commander of the Delta Company of the 4th Battalion of the Kumaon Regiment of the Indian Army.
In the Indo-Pak conflict of October-November 1947, the martyr Major, with his valor, saved the enemy’s sixes. Major Sharma attained martyrdom on November 3, 1947. The Government of India posthumously awarded him the Param Vir Chakra. He was the first military officer to receive the Param Vir Chakra. This immortal glorification of his valor must go to the people, so that the coming generations also compete to do something for the country and become a hero like Major Somnath Sharma.”
Mayor Jammu Municipal Corporation Chander Mohan Gupta said that we have dedicated the Fourth Tawi Bridge to Major Somnath Sharma. He said that Chairman of the trust, Mahant Rohit Shastri, is working to connect the society and the youth should learn from his contribution.
Lt Gen.Rakesh Sharma (Retd) said that the last words of Major Somnath to his soldiers were, “The enemy is only fifty yards away from us. Our count is very less. We are facing a fierce gunfight. Still, I will not give even an inch and will stand till my last bullet and last soldier.Jai Hind”. Mahant Rohit Shastri, chairman of the trust, said that there was a demand to declare January 31 as a holiday on the birth anniversary of Major Somnath and also put up a statue in the temple city of Jammu.
Retired army officers were also honored in the programme including Honorary Captain Dalip Singh, Sanjeev Kumar, Parshottam Das, Chuni Lal, Subhash Chandra, Joginder Singh, Brahm Chand, Prakash, Thodo Ram, Sanjeev Kumar Sharma, Chuni Lal, Bhima Ram, Som Dutt, Dayaram, Pritam Singh. Rakesh Gandotra, Dr. Vishwa Gupta, Prabodh Sharma, President Awardee Sanjeev Sharma, Vicky Khajuria, Satpal Sharma, Sargam Gandotra, Rohit Seth, Ashu Panch, Uttam Chand Sharma and others were also present.