President Pranab Mukherjee confers President's Standard on Armoured Corps Centre

AHMEDNAGAR: President and Supreme Commander of Armed Forces Pranab Mukherjee today conferred the prestigious President's Standard on the Armoured Corps Centre and School, urging the training institute to strive for professionalism in years ahead.

The President also released a Special Day Cover during the ceremony.

The presentation is acknowledgment of the meritorious service rendered by the selected units over the years.

The Armoured Corps Centre and School (ACC&S), which is known as Mecca of Black Berets and commanded by Major General Praveen Dixit, was honoured in recognition of "commendable service" rendered as a flagship mechanised warfare institution, providing world-class training to men behind the machines.

Speaking on the occasion, the President said: "Any nation draws its strength from all elements of national power and the capabilities of its armed forces are a major source of national power. Although we are a peace-loving nation, we will use all instruments of national power in order to protect our sovereignty and national integrity."

He added: "I am confident that the Centre and School will continue to strive for excellence with professional zeal and serve the nation in years to come."

Mukherjee expressed confidence that India's brave soldiers will rise to the occasion, as they have done in the past, to meet the challenges and emerge victorious.

"Our armed forces exemplified by the brave men standing tall before us today epitomise grit and determination in fulfilling their responsibilities by upholding the highest standards of service above self," the Supreme Commander said.

ACC&S has a glorious past and rich tradition of providing superior training to officers, junior commissioned officers and other ranks of Indian Army as well as foreign countries, he said.

The heroes who had fought historical victorious tank battles at Zoji La Pass, Khem Karan, Asal Uttar, Chawinda, etc were trained at ACC&S, the President pointed out.

Mukherjee made it a point to impress upon the audience the criticality of training in warfare.

Stating that it is the men behind the machines that matter most, Mukherjee said: "It was proved time and again in all wars by India, and the superior training of our tank men enabled them to destroy our enemy in their sophisticated tanks."

Acknowledging the "untiring and relentless" hard work of staff at ACC&S, he spoke of the institute as a 'centre of excellence' in imparting quality training to the Indian Army.

Maharashtra minister Ram Shinde and Chief of Army Staff General Bipin Rawat were present at the event.