Personalities like Lt Gen Sinha an inspiration to govt: Rajnath Singh

New Delhi, Jan 7 (PTI) As the nation is moving forward with a "clear and firm policy" on issues related to its sovereignty, personalities such as Lt Gen S K Sinha, who had served as a distinguished officer in the Indian Army, are an "inspiration to the government", Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said.

A video message by him was played during an event held at the Manekshaw Centre at Delhi Cantonment on Wednesday to mark the birth centenary of Lt Gen Sinha, who had risen to serve as the Vice Chief of Army Staff during his illustrious military career and later also as the governor of Jammu and Kashmir as well as of Assam. He also served as the ambassador to Nepal.

Besides being a military leader, he was also an author.

Singh, in his video address, paid glowing tributes to Lt Gen Srinivas Kumar Sinha, commending his unwavering loyalty and dedication towards the nation.

Lt Gen Sinha was a great soldier, diplomat and executive head of a state who always placed the nation above everything else, the defence minister said.

Hailing from Patna in Bihar, Lt Gen Sinha was born in 1926.

Singh mentioned the time when Lt Gen Sinha had represented the country in challenging circumstances on the Burma front during the Second World War and in 1947, when he played a crucial role in coordinating the first airlift of the Indian Army to Srinagar during the advancement of the Pakistan-backed forces towards Kashmir, the defence ministry said in a statement.

"As the nation is moving forward with a clear and firm policy on issues related to its sovereignty, personalities such as late Lt Gen Srinivas Kumar Sinha are an inspiration to the government," he said.

Also commending Lt Gen Sinha's professionalism and outstanding performance at both Indian and British Staff Colleges, Singh described him as a "brave officer of exceptional intellect".

He appreciated Lt Gen Sinha for striving to provide the Indian Army with modern thinking and institutional strength during his appointments as director of Military Intelligence, Adjutant General and in various command positions, the statement said.

"His contributions continued after his retirement. As India's ambassador to Nepal, he strengthened our relations. As the governor of Assam and Jammu and Kashmir, he worked for security and development," Singh added, urging people to learn from Lt Gen Sinha's ideals if India aspires to become a secure, self-reliant and prosperous nation.

In his address, Chief of Defence Staff Gen Anil Chauhan described Lt Gen Sinha as a soldier-statesman, scholar warrior and a man of character.

Urging the armed forces' personnel to draw lessons from the officer's tenures in both civil and military space, the CDS said, "The senior leadership must build a culture where professional military education, debate and integrity are valued as gallantry." "The middle-level officers must invest in their minds as fiercely as they train their body. The young officers and other ranks must train hard, value discipline; but cultivate reflection; lead with firmness, but also with empathy; and remember that courage lies not only in battle, but in moral clarity," he said.

The veterans and media must help "safeguard the credibility of the armed forces" by celebrating not only victories in war but also "professional restraint, ethics and quiet efforts towards nation building during peace", the CDS added.

In the increasingly complex warfare, spanning cyber, space, information and cognitive domains, Gen Chauhan underscored the importance of "soldier-scholars" who can think and analyse.

He called upon soldiers to strive and successfully combine Lt Gen Sinha's courage in uniform, his curiosity of mind and his constant upholding of the Constitution. Only then, the Indian soldier will not only protect the border and the people but will also help shape India's destiny, the CDS said.

Three former chiefs of the Army -- Gen N C Vij, Gen Deepak Kapoor and Gen Dalbir Singh -- were also present on the occasion, along with Vice Chief of the Army Staff, Lt Gen P P Singh. Around 300 serving and retired personnel as well as family members of Lt Gen Sinha attended the function, the ministry said. PTI KND KSS KSS