By Our Staff Reporter
Dehradun, 8 May: Lt Col BM Thapa (Retd), Senior Vice President, DESL, has reported that Colonel Bhagwan Singh Chhetri (Retd) breathed his last at the age of 88 years on 6 May, 2023, at the Military Hospital. “With his passing away, we have lost an iconic leader, social worker and a Gentleman,” stated Col Thapa.
Col Bhagwan Singh Chhetri was born in 1935 in Dehradun and, as a young boy, was involved with School co-curricular activities like scouts and guides and took pride in helping people as a scout guide during the Tapkeshwar Mela.
After getting enrolled in the Indian Army in 1954 and, thereafter, through his hard work and dedication, was commissioned at the Indian Military Academy in June 1959 in the Third Gorkha Rifles. With his sheer determination and sincerity, he passed the prestigious Staff College Course at Wellington in 1972 and was posted at various staff and instructional appointments. The officer superannuated from the Indian Army in 1991.
After retirment, Col Chhetri rendered considerable social service to the public as President of the Gorkhali Sudhar Sabha (GSS). He was GSS President for three tenures over ten years. During his tenure, the maximum number of students got scholarships and financial aid, which helped them to shape their careers. Many of them remember him for his timely help.
Col Chhetri also rendered valuable service through the Dehradun Ex-Servicemen League (DESL) in the welfare of ex-servicemen and widows for more than three decades by helping them in matters of their entitlement pension, medical and canteen-related issues. He remained the General Secretary and Vice President of DESL for nearly three decades.
His wife, Lakshmi Chhetri, who was also a social worker, passed away in 2002. His only son, Colonel Sundeep Chhetri has served the Indian Army for over 32 years. His elder daughter Seema is married to a master mariner, Capt Rakesh Rawat, who is settled in Singapore, and the second daughter, Sapna, is married to Vivek Sheel, who is GM in ONGC. Col Chhetri’s family members have been rendering services in the defence forces for more than three generations, which makes everyone proud of them.
All ranks of Doon Valley Ex-Servicemen and GSS fraternity have conveyed their heartfelt condolences and prayed to the Almighty to give the bereaved family strength and courage to bear this irreparable loss.
