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Explained: Different pattern, better material — what’s new in the Indian Army’s new combat uniform

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Since 1949, January 15 has been celebrated as Army Day every year, to mark the day General KM Cariappa, who later became Field Marshal, took over as the first Indian Commander-in-Chief of the Indian Army from Gen F R Roy Bucher.

During the celebrations on Saturday, which also included a parade and an address by Army Chief Gen M M Naravane, the new combat uniform for the Indian Army was unveiled.

The new uniform will be made available in a phased manner to the nearly 12 lakh personnel of the Indian Army.

Why does an Army’s uniform matter?
Uniforms are one of the most distinctive identifying features for any military force. The uniform not only differentiates civilians from military personnel, and between personnel of different militaries, it also engenders togetherness, conformity, and discipline among the personnel.

The new uniform was unveiled with the soldiers of the elite parachute regiment marching on Army Day.

How is the new uniform different from the Army’s old uniform?
The main changes in the new uniform, compared to the old one that has been in use since 2008, are with regard to the camouflage pattern, design, and the use of a new material.

While the new unique camouflage pattern retains the combination of the same colours — olive green and earthen shades — the pattern is digital now. It has been designed keeping in mind the many kinds of operational conditions that the soldiers function in, from deserts to high-altitude areas, jungles and plains.

How is the fabric used in the new uniform different?
This is the other important change in the uniform. The fabric for the new material makes it lighter, sturdier, more breathable, and more suitable for the different terrains that soldiers are posted in.

The cotton-to-polyester ratio is 70:30, making it quicker to dry, more comfortable to wear in humid and hot conditions, and lightweight.

According to the Army, it is an ergonomically designed, operationally effective, new-generation camouflage combat uniform. The fabric is 15 per cent lighter, and has 23 per cent more strength against tearing, against the current uniform.

The ergonomic features allow for long-hour use and comfort, and micro features are inbuilt for the use of the wearer in field conditions.

What about the components and the style of the uniform?
The new uniform, unlike the old one, has a combat T-shirt underneath and a shirt over it. Also, unlike the older uniform, the shirt will not be tucked in.

The “jacket”, as the shirt is called, has angular top pockets, lower pockets with vertical openings, knife pleats at the back, a pocket on the left sleeve, a pen holder on the left forearm, and improved-quality buttons.

The trousers will be adjustable at the waist with elastic and buttons, and has a double layer at the groin.

For the caps, the girth will be adjustable, and the logo of the Army will be of better quality than earlier.

For the first time, a modified version of the uniform has been developed keeping in mind the specific requirements of lady officers and troops of the Army.

Who designed the uniform, and who chose it for the Army?
The design process, although finalised by Army Chief Gen Naravane, was initiated before Gen Naravane took over in January 2020. However, once a few designs were shortlisted, the choice was ultimately a collective decision of the Army Commanders.

Designed by a team of 12 people at the National Institute of Fashion Technology (NIFT), which included seven professors, three students, and two alumni, the uniform was created through a consultative process with the Army, keeping in mind the “4Cs” — comfort, climate, camouflage, and confidentiality.

The fabric was selected out of five options curated specifically for the Army by NIFT, and the finalised pattern was one of the 17 options that were specially designed.

Domain-specific experts for fabric, camouflage patterns, and designs were engaged, and prototypes were prepared through a continuous consultative process.

Will the uniform be available in markets around the country?
While all militaries update their uniforms with time, one of the factors that led to this change was the easy availability of the Army’s current combat pattern cloth across the country. Soldiers could get the cloth and simply have the uniform stitched.

To control random proliferation, the new uniform will come in over a dozen pre-stitched standard sizes. The uniforms will be barcoded and QR coded to maintain their uniqueness, and will be available only through the ordnance chain or military canteens.

The Army will issue tenders for private and public companies to manufacture the uniforms, and the uniforms will be issued to personnel in a phased manner.

Are all uniforms of the Army changing?
No. It must be noted that only the combat uniform has been changed. The Army has several uniforms, including the olive greens, as it is called, for peace area postings, and ceremonial uniforms.

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Broke Swiggy guy walks 3 km to deliver food, Social media helps him find better job. Heartwarming story is viral

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Social media can be a wondrous place at times. While on most days, its ugly face is on display, on days like today, it sets examples of the power of kindness. In a social media post, a LinkedIn user shared how a delivery executive, in need of money and a better job, bagged one after the users on the platform came together to help the person out.

Priyanshi Chandel, Marketing Manager at tech company Flash, shared an incident about a Swiggy delivery agent who had come to deliver food at her residence. When she asked the late and out-of-breath delivery person, identified by her as Sahil Singh, about what happened, he told her that he had no transport and had to walk 3 km to deliver the order.

He also said that he was out of money and had nothing left to pay his landlord too. Singh told her that he was not looking for money from her but requested her to help him bag a job. He said that he had a degree in Electrical and Communication Engineering, and had worked with Byju’s and Ninjacart before. He had to move back to Jammu during the pandemic.

“I have not eaten for a week, just drinking water and tea to get by. I am not asking for anything, please if you can find me a job, I used to make 25k before, I am 30 years old, my parents are getting old and I can’t keep asking for money from them (sic),” Chandel quoted saying.

She also shared his marksheets and contact number for people to help. His details shared show that he is a 2018 BTech graduate from Mewar University, and completed his schooling from the Jammu and Kashmir state board.

After she shared the details, the comments section was filled with people who stepped up to help. While someone recharged his Yulu account so that he did not have to walk around to deliver food, someone offered a place to stay. Many offered to help him with his applications, while some offered jobs too.

Chandel, later on put an update on the post, and said that he received a job.

However, so far it is unclear what job he has received.

2023 has so far been a year of job losses, an eventual outcome of the pandemic and increased hiring by tech companies. For instance, the SSC MTS 2023 recruitment exam that took place in Uttar Pradesh in May saw over 55 lakh applications for Group D jobs. Numerous candidates who applied for positions such as peon, watchman, gardener had educational backgrounds like BTech, MBA, and Master’s degrees.

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ICAI releases book “Compendium of MSME Policies and Incentive Schemes in Goa”

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Panaji: The Goa Branch of WIRC of ICAI is proud to release a first of its kind
publication i.e. “Compendium of MSME Policies and Incentive Schemes in
Goa”. The booklet is released and published under the aegis of
Institute of Chartered Accountants of India, a statutory body formed
by an Act of Parliament.

The book was released at the hands of Chief Minister of Goa Dr Pramod
Sawant, on 27th June i.e. World MSME Day. The CM praised the Goa ICAI
team for this collaborative effort of compiling schemes available to
MSMEs in Goa. He said that this book will go a long way in educating
the business in Goa about various incentives, and it will also help to
become a go-to ready-reckoner for anyone wishing to setup a business
in Goa. This will certainly go a long way ahead in improving Ease of
Doing Business in Goa and thus will attract investments to Goa.

The Chairman of the Goa Branch of WIRC of ICAI CA Gaurav Kenkre
expressed his thankfulness of the Chief Minister for his encouraging
words and support. “This book is the first such publication in Goa and
we are very happy to dedicate this book to the betterment of the
business eco-system in Goa. We believe this is just the start and as
we roll out further editions, not only will we widen the scope and
ambit of the book, but we will also include all updates to the
policies therein”.

The Goa ICAI thanked the various officials of Industries Department,
Information Technology Department and EDC Ltd for their support and
cooperation in releasing this book. The book has been authored by Goan
CAs namely CA Vaibhav Pai Fondekar and CA Vinayak Dhumatkar from
Margao, CA Vishwanath Bhobe from Mapusa. Others present at the event
were Vice Chairman Goa Branch CA Thomas Andrade, WICASA Chairman CA
Milind Shirodkar and Secretary CA Vaibhav Bale.

Earlier in the day, Goa Branch of WIRC of ICAI along with Goa Chamber
of Commerce and Industry, Goa State Industry Association and EDC Ltd,
had organized a free virtual webinar where speakers explained various
State as well as Central schemes and incentives for MSMEs. The Goa
branch of WIRC of ICAI plans to work closely with MSMEs in the state
to empower them to grow leaps and bounds. To further facilitate MSMEs,
Goa ICAI has proposed an MoU to be signed with the Goa Government, in
relation to skilling up of MSMEs and startups in Goa.

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GOA’S FIRST LUXURY BEACH RESORT FELICITATED ON GOA STATEHOOD DAY

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On the occasion of the 35th Goa Statehood Day, Taj Fort Aguada Resort & Spa was felicitated for its outstanding contribution to the economic and social development of the tourism sector in the state at a celebratory event organized by the Department of Information & Publicity at Raj Bhavan, Dona Paula. Taj, India’s Strongest Brand across sectors, is the hallmark of Indian hospitality from the Indian Hotels Company (IHCL) with a legacy spanning over 118 years.

The key accomplishments of the resort recognized include: active involvement with the state authorities to achieve benchmark standards for tourism in Goa; establishing transformative growth over the years leading to greater profitability and market leadership; nurturing a culture of responsibility and care towards the planet with sustainable tourism practices; inclusive and collaborative approach towards helping improve the quality of life and giving back to the local communities.

Speaking on the occasion, Mr. Vincent Ramos, Senior Vice President – IHCL, Goa said, “We are honoured and humbled to have played a role in being of service to the state. IHCL has always been synonymous with Goa since its inception with the introduction of Taj Fort Aguada Resort & Spa and will continue to contribute towards the development of the tourism industry in the state. Under the recently announced Ahvaan 2025 – IHCL’s three-pronged strategy to grow profitably in the coming years, the local communities will share in the benefits of our presence with maximized local employment and new avenues for potential business opportunities.”

Mr. Vincent Ramos, Senior VP – IHCL, Goa receiving the honorary certificate at the hands of Mr. Shripad Naik, Union Minister of State for Tourism

Taj Fort Aguada Resort & Spa was the first luxury beach resort in the country to open its doors in 1974, to welcome the world to India’s sunshine state. It was the host hotel for the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in 1983. Thus, IHCL became a pioneer in establishing Goa as a leisure destination on the international tourism map. With a footprint of 21 unique destinations and over 1500 rooms across a wide spectrum of brands, IHCL continues to define the changing landscape of tourism in Goa as the largest hospitality operator and leader in the tourism sector.

About The Indian Hotels Company Limited (IHCL)

The Indian Hotels Company Limited (IHCL) and its subsidiaries bring together a group of brands and businesses that offer a fusion of warm Indian hospitality and world-class service. These include Taj – the hallmark of iconic hospitality, SeleQtions, a named collection of hotels, Vivanta, sophisticated upscale hotels and Ginger, which is revolutionising the lean luxe segment.

Incorporated by the founder of the Tata Group, Jamsetji Tata, the Company opened its first hotel – The Taj Mahal Palace, in Bombay in 1903. IHCL has a portfolio of 200 hotels including 42 under development globally across 4 continents, 12 countries and in over 100 locations. The Indian Hotels Company Limited (IHCL) is South Asia’s largest hospitality company by market capitalization. It is primarily listed on the BSE and NSE.

Please visit: www.ihcltata.com; www.tajhotels.com; www.seleqtionshotels.com; www.vivantahotels.com; www.gingerhotels.com

For more information, please contact: doris.dsouza@tajhotels.com

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