Deora hands over 10 more Iridium phones to Army

NEW DELHI, July 7: Two days after The Indian Express took the initiative to give our jawans on the frontline a chance to call home by handing over 10 Iridium phones to Army HQ, the Shaheed Parivar Suraksha Nidhi followed suit today with 10 more satellite phones.

Former MP Murli Deora, co-chairman of the Shaheed Parivar Suraksha Nidhi — set up by the Bhartiya Vidya Bhawan — handed over the phones this morning to Lt Gen Prakash Gokarn, Signals Officer-in-Chief of the Army. These phones are for the specific use of jawans in the Kargil sector.

According to Deora, the Bangalore-based BPL group had contributed for the purchase of the fresh lot of Iridium phones on behalf of the Shaheed Parivar Suraksha Nidhi. The Nidhi then decided to donate them to the Army after taking note of the gesture by The Indian Express.

During the handing over ceremony at Army HQ, Deora said: “We want to give a chance to our brave soldiers to be in touch with their loved ones back home.” He also promised to arrange for 36 more Iridium phones very soon.