The fourth Lt Cdr Firdaus Mogal Memorial Lecture was organized under the joint auspices of Navsari Management Association, Sayaji Vaibhav Library and Narendra Hiralal Parekh Gyandham, Navsari on the eve of Independence Day, August 14, 2018 at J. N. Tata Memorial Centre, Navsari. Awarded the Shaurya Chakra posthumously in 2012, Mogal (pictured) lost his life saving six of his colleagues from drowning in 2010.
In his audiovisual presentation on Param Vir Chakra, the highest award for military gallantry conferred since Independence, Harshal Pushkarna, editor of Safari magazine, referred to 21 Indian armed forces personnel including Lt Col Adi Burjorji Tarapore, the legendary tank commander of the Poona Horse Regiment who won the award posthumously for his heroic deeds in the 1965 Indo-Pakistan War. The speaker was presented a citation and a copy of the book Valiant Parsis in War and Peace authored by researcher and writer Marzban Giara who too was honored with a shawl on the occasion.
Pushkarna recommended, "Give respect to our services personnel. Write a 50 paise postcard in Hindi to a jawan (soldier). Send a hand prepared greeting card and/or rakhi.” We remember our freedom fighters. We need to also remember our services personnel, our true heroes who protect our boundaries. Organizing such programs will spread awareness and motivate our youths to serve our defence forces. There is a shortage of 9,000 officers and 45,000 non commissioned officers in our armed forces. In the past mothers narrated stories of bravery and courage to their children. We need to rekindle our spirit of patriotism and encourage our youths. MARZBAN GIARA
marzbang@gmail.com