Bhopal:Sunday, December 7, 2008:On the second day of 3rd Sudarshan Chakra Corps Commanders Reunion of Indian Army at Bhopal, senior serving army men and ex-servicemen gave the message of environmental conservation by taking part in ‘Walk For Fun’ this morning. On the occasion the jawans of 3 E.M.E. Centre flew Asia’s biggest hot air balloon in the premises of Sudarshan Chakra Natural Park, Sports and Training Complex which has been developed amidst a green valley in Sultania Infantry area.
The corps has established itself as an important centre of training of adventure activities. Here training of commandeering and flight of hot air balloon is imparted. An exhibition was also organised on the occasion in which important appliances needed for hot air balloon were displayed.
It may be mentioned that the Asian record of 17-hour non-stop flight of hot air balloon has been set by the jawans of E.M.E. Centre. The record-setting flight had started at 5 pm on March 1, 2006 and ended at 10.30 am on March 2, 2006 during which the hot air balloon had covered 325 kilometre distance from Jaipur to Shivpuri. The jawans of Indian Army have also achieved the feat of flying hot air balloon up to the height of 25 thousand feet with oxygen.
Apart from the ‘Walk For Fun’ other programmes to create awareness about environmental conservation were also held on the occasion of Sudarshan Chakra Corps Commanders Reunion.
Those who participated in various programmes along with their wives included Lt. Gen (Retd) K.M. Seth, PVSM, AVSM, who is also Ex-Governor of Chhattisgarh, Lt. General (Retd) G.L. Bakshi, PVSM, Lt. Gen. (Retd) Chandra Shekhar, PVSM, AVSM, Lt./ Gen. (Retd) P.P.S. Bhandari, PVSM, AVSM Lt. Gen. (Retd), Aditya Singh, AVSM **, ADC and the present Corps Commander Lt. Gen. A.S. Lamba, AVSM.
A large number of Army officers including Brigadier R.K Sharma took part in various adventure activities on the occasion.