Chennai: Many of us are neither much aware of the origins of our armed forces nor do we know much about the valiant deeds of our unsung soldiers who have sacrificed their lives for the nation. To bridge the gap of the fading military history among people’s collective consciousness, the Colours of Glory Foundation promotes awareness by conducting exhibitions and seminars that hail the bravery of the soldiers.
It also organises battle reenactments, popularising literature and art with a military theme, promoting military tourism and commemorating the war heroes.
Speaking to News Today, founder, Captain D P Ramachandran (72), a war veteran, said he started it in August 2016. “No one knows much about our military history or the contribution made by the Indian Army during the wars. I wanted to start a platform that could create awareness about them. The events we conduct are generally targeted at students.”
Capt Ramachandran pitched his idea to his friends from the armed forces and then hired a web designer to create a website. Three veteran officers, one each from the Army, Navy and the Air Force, and also a historian, S Muthiah, joined him to form the board of trustees.
They garnered support from many corporate organisations, military veterans from all over India and several foundations.
“C P Ramaswami Aiyar Foundation gave their art gallery for free to host our exhibition,” said Ramachandran.
“We organised seminars, documentaries and also displayed models of military vehicles,” he said.
The Alliance Française of Madras has also hosted the events. They even organised a re-enactment of Battle of Adyar, performed by the NCC Cadets at the Adyar estuary.
Last year, it held a military tattoo at MCC Higher Secondary School which staged an equestrian show, aero-modeling and a military band symphony.
The foundation offers life or annual membership package for individuals and corporates. “The members get regular e-mail updates on our upcoming events,” explained Ramachandran. “More than anything else, they derive the satisfaction of being part of a unique initiative.”
Ramachandran loved reading war books from his schooldays, a passion which eventually led him to join the Indian Army in 1967. In the 1971 Indo-Pak War, he commanded a squadron of tanks. He left the Army in 1977 and entered the corporate world.
“Being in the Army, you get pushed to limits you thought you could never achieve. You learn discipline. You build self-confidence. You also become optimistic,” he smiled.
He added, “Working in the corporate sector, I was able to better manage people by the values I learned in the Army.”
For details, visit www.coloursofglory.org