You can touch the Bofors
Mona
Nishche kar apni jeet karon – the motto was loud and clear. Day 2 of the Military Carnival wowed visitors with the display of might. Right from Bofors to T90 along and Light Weight Assault Boat - Indian Army Weapons Display garnered much attention. The beauty was that soldiers not were only willing to share details but also extend a helping hand as curious onlookers climbed atop an Infantry Combat Vehicle to get a better look and, of course, get clicked.
Bofors guns drew the visitors. Willing to share its might, the Army personnel happily showed how this gun is loaded amidst applause. “Ghaint hai,” was heard more than once around the gun that won us the Kargil war. Bofors was positioned below the Tiger Hills during the war. The gun takes four broad categories of ammunitions – to make a smoke screen, to light up the area, spread a mine field and cause high explosion.
Curious onlookers made enquiries not only about the prized Bofors but equally about machine guns and missile launchers. As group after group stopped to watch the weapons, tireless men in the uniform shared specifics.
Standing next to the Bofors was Russian Howitzer, a potent field gun. MID Stream SEC and End Stream SEC stood next to each other – the two all- terrain vehicles that help make a bridge anywhere in need with built-in anchor, boards and cables.
T 90 General Data Tank was another mighty presence. Rather new entry in our Forces, it was so popular with the viewers that they had put up a small staircase for people to have a closer look at its features. While it is capable of fording; one up is 14 tonnes Infantry Combat Vehicle Tech Data ICV BMP –II/IIK that can function on dessert, land, hills or even in water.
Any war might use chemical or biological warfare so there is whole set of CBRN protective gears (chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear defense) as is Raksha - Light Weight Assault Boat that can be dissembled and packed in two cases to be carried.
Among viewers are NCC cadets happy to get up and close and personnel with Army men – a profession they want to take up. Vintage car display, equitation marches and competitions kept the audience engaged. The Carnival that’s part of Military Literature Festival concludes on Saturday.
On at Rajendra Park.
mona@tribunemail.com
