President Pranab Mukherjee hosts high tea for 1965 war veterans

NEW DELHI: President Pranab Mukherjee today hosted a high tea for 1965 war veterans in the Rashtrapati Bhavan complex as the country celebrated the golden jubilee of the war with Pakistan.

Amid protests by a section of ex-servicemen over the issue of OROP, some veterans attended the event along with their family members.

Mukherjee personally felicitated Rasoolan Biwi, wife of Company Quartermaster Havildar Abdul Hamid, a Param Vir Chakra awardee, Zarine Mahir, daughter of late Lt Col A B Tarapore and wife of Ashoka Award recipient fireman Chaman Lal.

The President also interacted with the veterans at the cultural auditorium in the Presidential estate.

Mukherjee had last week visited 'Shauryanjali', an exhibition being held on Rajpath commemorating the golden jubilee of the 1965 Indo-Pak war.

"A heart-warming exhibition showcasing the grit and valour of the Indian soldier.I salute the brave martyrs of Indian Armed Forces who sacrificed their present for our today. Every Indian should be proud to walk through this exhibition glorifying our victory in the 1965 war. My compliments to the team for organizing this at such a grand scale," he had written in the Visitor's Book.