Ex-serviceman Punjab CM salutes India Post

Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh here on Thursday got nostalgic about his initial years of life in the army and receiving a letter while on duty that brought both tear and smile.

The Chief Minister thanked India Post Office for its services. Wednesday was the National Post Day.

"Nothing can beat the feeling of receiving a letter from home while in the army! It used to be driving force during my army days & these letters brought both tear & smile," Singh, 77, tweeted.

Posting a black and white picture of his days in the army, he said: "I salute @IndiaPostOffice for their services to the nation & thank them for the memories."

The two-time Chief Minister, a scion of the erstwhile Patiala royal family, is also a military historian. Singh had served in the second battalion of the Sikh Regiment between 1963 and 1969.

Though he left army for a short period in between, to look after the family responsibilities, his love for the army brought him back when the India-Pakistan war broke out in 1965, an army officer close to him told .

His father Lt. General Maharaja Yadavinder Singh served the regiment in 1935 and was Colonel of the 2/11 Royal Sikhs from 1938 to 1950, and of the 2 Sikhs between 1950 and 1971.

Singh's grandfather Major General Maharaja Bhupinder Singh was Colonel of the 15th Ludhiana Sikhs during 1918-1922 and then of the 2/11 Royal Sikhs in 1922-1938.

His book, 'Honour and Fidelity: India's Military Contribution to the Great War 1914-1918', talks about the contribution of Indian soldiers, presented a silver memento a replica of a Sikh regiment soldier in full battle attire to the battalion, which will be displayed at the Officers Mess.

( With inputs from IANS )