Pune, June 23 ( UNI) Union Minister for Roads and Highways Nitin Gadkari said that along with expressing respect for soldiers who are ready to sacrifice their everything for the country, it is necessary to have service towards them and put it into action on occasions.
Gadkari was speaking at the 'Nation First' programme organised by the Marathi Journalists' Association to express gratitude to the soldiers who suffered disabilities while performing their duty of defending the country.
On the occasion, the soldiers of the Indian Army and the Border Security Force who suffered disabilities while performing their duty were honored by Gadkari with medals and the national flag. Similarly, editors and journalists who have done remarkable work in the field of journalism with the interest of society in mind were also honored at the event.
The event was attended by Symbiosis Education Institute founder SB Majumdar, Higher and Technical Education Minister Chandrakant Patil, Tarun Bharat Belgaum Consulting Editor Kiran Thakur, Lokmat News Group Group Editor Vijay Baviskar, Pudhari Pune edition resident editor Sunil Mali, Punyanagari director Bhavesh Shingote, Rashtriya Marathi Morcha founder Anand Rekhi, Lokmanya Multipurpose Cooperative Society manager Sushil Jadhav and Marathi Journalists Association state president Kiran Joshi and other dignitaries.
The soldiers who are ready to sacrifice everything for the country need no sympathy but cooperation from the society. It is our duty as citizens to be grateful to the soldiers, Gadkari said.
Gadkari praised the programme organized by the Marathi Journalists Association to express gratitude to the soldiers and appealed to other organisations to organise such programmes.
'Nation First' is not just a slogan. It is a vision. It is a resolution. The concept of Nation First is not limited to defence only. Everyone needs to think about whether their every action is in the interest of the country or not. Nation First is the duty of every citizen, said Mujumdar.
Colonel Vasant Ballewar, Dean of Queen Mary Technical Institute, which develops technology to make the lives of disabled soldiers easier, briefly introduced the proud achievements of the felicitated soldiers. He emphasised that Punekars have immense love for soldiers.
Journalists need to be socially conscious. Therefore, Kiran Joshi, in his introduction, said that Marathi Journalists' Association, as an organisation of journalists, is giving priority to social activities on a large scale along with implementing welfare schemes for journalists.
UNI SP RN