By Our Correspondent
NEW DELHI/BHUBANESWAR: The Authorities and Staffs of KIIT deemed to be University run , KIMS, which houses Odisha’s one 500 bedded COVID-19 hospitals led by its founder and Lok Sabha MP Dr Achyuta Samanta were on Sunday delighted after a chopper of Indian Air Force showered petals as a thanking gesture from the nation to all the Covid warriors. The chopper showered petals on the front lawn of KIIT Campus near blood bank between 09:45 am to 10:30 am.
The hospitals had also put up a ‘thank you’ note for the armed forces for this gesture. KIMS Hospital founder Achyuta Samanta thanked the IAF for showing gratitude to all those serving. Samanta also thanked the frontline warriors.
“The helicopters carried out petal shower on Police War Memorial at 9 am followed by Delhi hospitals involved in providing relief to patients of Covid-19 between 10-10.30 a.m.,” the Air Force said in a statement.Flower petals were also showered on Ashwini Hospital in Cuttack.
Raksha Mantri Rajnath Singh has appreciated efforts of the Armed Forces today for carrying out hundreds of activities at various locations across the country on ground, in water and air to Salute the Corona warriors who have been steadfastly fighting to stop the spread of the virus.
He said, “The Armed Forces today organised several activities to express gratitude to the Corona Warriors who are battling against the pandemic. These frontline warriors are doing commendable work in strengthening the morale of all those involved in India’s fight against COVID-19.”
Referring to the fly pasts and showering of petals by helicopters of IAF, Navy and Coast Guard on hospitals, he said they saluted the nation’s resolve and unity in overcoming the challenges posed by COVID19 under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Rajnath Singh thanked the Armed Forces for their special initiatives through several performances to express gratitude towards medical professionals, police and other frontline warriors and added that the entire nation stood united in these challenging times.
These Corona warriors, including doctors, nurses, hygiene and sanitation staff, police personnel, media and several others engaged in maintenance of essential services and supplies have steadfastly contributed to the national effort to prevent spread of COVID19. These Warriors are risking their lives every day to ensure that basic amenities such as electricity and water are delivered to everyone, streets are clean, basic food items are available, no patient is returned untreated, law & order is maintained and those Indians stranded abroad are brought back and cared for.
Armed Forces paid rich tributes to India’s Corona Warriors today in a unique military way. From Srinagar to Thiruvananthapuram and Dibrugarh to Kachchh, the Army carried out various activities like laying wreath at the Police Memorials, honouring and felicitating health professions and emergency supply operatives. Visits to hospitals were carried out over hundreds of towns in all states from the local Army formations all over the Nation in small and big numbers by Army teams along with military bands which played patriotic tunes as a tribute to the Nation’s frontline warriors against Corona.
Delhi, Kolkata, Chennai, Bengaluru, Bhopal, Agra, Amritsar, Belgaum, Ranikhet Pithoragarh among many metropolis, big and small townships saw the Army, Navy and Indian Air Force (IAF) and Coast Guard (ICG) visiting hospitals and paying tributes. The activities started with laying wreaths at the local police memorials, an event which is truly unprecedented and brings the forces closer to their uniformed brethren. Whole Country and all countrymen enjoyed this rich salute and poured wishes and love to the Armed Forces over social media.
The Armed Forces also organised multiple other events like fly past by fighter and transport aircrafts of the Indian Air Force (IAF) throughout the length and breadth of the country. The helicopters of IAF, Indian Navy and Coast Guard (ICG) showered flower petals on the hospitals treating COVID patients. Army and IAF bands visited COVID hospitals and played tunes in an expression of gratitude to the Corona Warriors.
Fighter aircraft formations, comprising of the Sukhoi-30 MKI, MiG-29 and Jaguar fly past over Rajpath and orbited over Delhi visible to the residents from their roof tops. In addition, C 130J Hercules transport aircraft also flew over NCR region.
The Navy and ICG ships formed formations near shores at select locations. Ships will be illuminated tonight at 25 locations covering the entire coastline of the country including the remote sites and far flung island territories of Andaman & Nicobar Islands, Lakshadweep and Minicoy islands.
