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The indefatigable fauji who gets veterans their dues

Comprising long-retired officers, JCOs and jawans from the Army, Navy and Air Force, the group meets weekly to assist fellow veterans who have been unable to find help through official channels.

3 min readChandigarhDec 30, 2025 10:31 AM IST

Among the volunteers are Col D Nain, Col Manmohan Singh, Capt Gurmeet Singh, Capt R S Bhatti, Capt Makhan Singh, Subedar Jaswant, Chief Petty Officer Parkash Singh, Sergeant Rashpal Singh, Master Warrant Officers Joginder Singh and S N Ojha, along with a civilian volunteer, Om Parkash.

Every Friday, in the car park opposite the Mohali CSD canteen, a small group of ex-servicemen gathers to hear complaints from veterans, widows and next of kin. This makeshift open-air office is the Ex-Servicemen Grievances Cell, led by its president Lt Col SS Sohi (retd), and it has quietly been doing this work for nearly 25 years.

Comprising long-retired officers, JCOs and jawans from the Army, Navy and Air Force, the group meets weekly to assist fellow veterans who have been unable to find help through official channels.

The NGO is a rare example of tri-service cooperation focused entirely on veterans’ welfare. Among the volunteers are Col D Nain, Col Manmohan Singh, Capt Gurmeet Singh, Capt R S Bhatti, Capt Makhan Singh, Subedar Jaswant, Chief Petty Officer Parkash Singh, Sergeant Rashpal Singh, Master Warrant Officers Joginder Singh and S N Ojha, along with a civilian volunteer, Om Parkash.

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Over the years, the volunteers have operated from park benches near whichever location the Mohali CSD canteen has functioned from. The present site is the third in the last 22 years. On several occasions, they have run into trouble with officials managing the canteens and the Zila Sainik Board, and have been denied entry or seating inside the premises. They have continued regardless.

“We have helped around 500 ex-servicemen and veterans so far to secure their pensionary dues. We have also managed to get several rules changed that were detrimental to veterans,” says Lt Col Sohi, who founded the NGO. “The record offices of the three services and service headquarters have supported us in this work.”

A veteran of the Bihar Regiment, Lt Col Sohi says the NGO charges only Rs 20 for documentation from those who approach them for help.

“Many officials think we are troublesome and unnecessarily persistent,” he says. “But we assist veterans and their families who get no help from officials, or who are unable to pursue their cases due to poor health. We do not mind being called names as long as veterans get what is rightfully theirs.”

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