President to visit Leh on August 21

NEW DELHI: President Ramnath Kovind will undertake a day-long tour of the border city, Leh, to present the Presidential colours to the Infantry Division under the 14th Corps posted at Jammu and Kashmir on August 21. This will be the newly elected President's first domestic visit.

Interestingly, he has chosen to visit Leh when there is a border stand-off going on between India -and China on the Doklam issue. The President's Colours is one of the greatest honours bestowed on the defence forces in recognition of exceptional services rendered to the nation, both during war and in peace.

Sources informed that the President will address the troops as well as the Ladakh Scouts and Guides. His visit may draw attention because the area of Leh has both the Line Of Actual control with China and the Line of Control with Pakistan.

The President, the supreme commander of our armed forces, will reach Leh in the morning and return to the Capital on the same evening. The last Presidential visit to Leh was by Pratibhaa Patil after flash floods played havoc, causing death and destruction, in 2010.

Kovind was scheduled to visit Leh in connection with a religious function earlier in June but had to cancel that visit as his name was announced by the NDA for the Presidential polls. However, he had visited Srinagar, the summer capital of the State, in July to mobilise MLAs' support for his election.

To strengthen its positions in the strategically significant Ladakh sector, which has borders with both of India's hostile neighbours Pakistan and China, the Army will set up a military base at Ladakh.

A Division or a Brigade may come up at Leh in the form of a military base under the command of the 14 Corps, which is headquartered at Leh, and will go a long way in meeting various requirements of the Army including strengthening infrastructure and positions along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) with China in eastern Ladakh and border with Pakistan including the Siachen Glacier.