Garhwal Post Bureau
Dehradun, 7 Oct: Welham Boys’ School, Dehradun, will host the Tenth Edition of its Military History Seminar – A Welham Initiative, on 9 and 10 October. The two-day seminar will bring together senior military leaders, distinguished veterans, scholars, members of the media and civil society, and over 350 students from 33 schools across India, for an intensive engagement with India’s military history and the lessons it holds for the present and the future.
The Opening Ceremony will be graced by Gen Anil Chauhan (Retd), former Chief of Defence Staff and Director of the Vivekananda International Foundation (VIF), as the Chief Guest. The ceremony will feature an address by the Chief Guest and by Darshan Singh, Chairman Emeritus, Welham Boys’ School.
The Closing Ceremony will be presided over by Lt Gen Ajai Kumar Singh (Retd). The ceremony will include an address by the Chief Guest and by Lt Gen Ravin Khosla (Retd), Chairman, Welham Boys’ School, bringing the two-day seminar to its close.
The 10th Edition, themed “The Western Sector — ’71 War”, will examine the geography, strategic objectives and military planning that shaped operations on India’s Western Front. Day 1 will focus on operations in Jammu and Kashmir, Punjab and Rajasthan, while also honouring the courage and sacrifice of heroes such as 2/Lt Arun Khetarpal, PVC (Posthumous), and Flying Officer Nirmal Jit Singh Sekhon, PVC (Posthumous), alongside the valour displayed at sea. The day will include syndicates on the Battles of Chamb, Basantar and Longewala, and will conclude with a Fireside Chat moderated by Shreya Dhoundial, Executive Editor, Times Network, centred on the book ‘General’s Jottings Rearmed’, authored by Lt Gen (Dr) KJ Singh (Retd).
Day 2 will cover Indian Air Force, Naval and Para operations, with syndicates exploring the Chachro Raid, Operation Trident, Operation Falcon and Air Force operations. The day will also feature the inauguration of the Art Exhibition and a Display of Military Weapons, before delegates come together for the concluding session, “Lessons and Learning for the Future,” followed by the Closing Ceremony.
The Military History Seminar – A Welham Initiative was conceived by Darshan Singh, Chairman Emeritus, Welham Boys’ School, as a platform through which young Indians could engage meaningfully with the country’s military history and understand the circumstances, decisions, courage and sacrifice that have shaped it. Since its inception, the seminar has grown into a distinctive national-level school initiative, bringing together students from across India with veterans and experts who have lived, studied and documented the nation’s military history. The tenth edition marks a significant milestone in that journey, reaffirming Welham Boys’ School’s commitment to nurturing historical awareness, leadership and responsible citizenship. By placing the experience of those who have shaped India’s military history alongside the questions and perspectives of those who will shape its future, the seminar seeks not merely to remember the past, but to draw from it lessons that remain relevant to the India of tomorrow.
