The Eastern Command of the Indian Army organised a boat race on the Teesta-Mahananda Link Canal at Gajoldoba on Sunday in commemoration of the 75th Independence Day.

Gajoldoba is around 25km from here.

The event was conducted in the Teesta-Mahananda corridor through which the army had launched operations to capture Hilli, Rangpur and Bogra, thereby facilitating the liberation of Bangladesh in 1971.

The boat race witnessed participation by 18 teams from the army, air force, central armed police forces and the National Cadet Corps (NCC).

Hundreds of people gathered along the canal’s banks to witness the boat race that started from Gajoldoba near the Teesta Barrage. Soldiers of the Kripan division of the army performed martial arts also.

Along with common people, former army personnel, senior officials of the state administration and the forest and irrigation departments of Bengal and Sikkim were present at the event.

Maj. Gen. Ritu Raj Raina, the Chief of Staff of Trishakti Corps, appreciated the camaraderie and sportsmanship displayed by the participants. He said the event was a befitting tribute to all those who sacrificed their lives in the struggle for independence and also reflected the synergy among the defence forces, the central armed police forces and the civil administration.

As a part of the celebration of 75 years of India’s independence which is being named as “Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav,” the armed forces have been conducting various events across the country. Teams of the army have scaled 75 mountain passes. Among these, teams of Trishakti Corps, which has its headquarters at Sukna, on the outskirts of Siliguri, scaled eight such passes and on Sunday, they unfurled the Tricolour in all these passes.