Indian Army organises fair in Leh

Indian Army personnel organised a fair on Saturday in Leh. Ladakh, with an objective to showcase weapons and security equipment to the locals.

The Army mela that has been organised is basically to reach out to the people. You know it is their army, the people of Ladakh particularly. We want to reach out to the people and tell them that we love the people of Ladakh and we really want to salute them. It is for them that this army has been raised and it is a people's army in that sense. I would like to convey my message to the people of Ladakh that they must come forward and join it," said Lieutenant General Ravi Dastana, General Officer Commanding-in-chief, and 14 Corps, Ladakh.

Whatever we have seen today, we really feel proud that the soldiers of the Indian Army work so hard to ensure the security of the people. Women and children of all age groups have come here to visit this fair and learn about the Indian army. There is so much enthusiasm among the people," said Rigzin Spalbar, Chief Executive Councillor, Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development, Leh.

The main purpose of the exhibition was to create awareness about the working of defence forces among the general population and the various career opportunities provided by the armed forces (army).

The Indian Army is the world's second largest standing army with about 1.1 million soldiers in active service and thousands in reserve troops.