Chandigarh, June 13 - Haryana Chief Minister, Mr. Manohar Lal has congratulated the young military officers of the state who have joined the Indian Army after passing out parade from Indian Military Academy, Dehradun today.

In a message issued here today, the Chief Minister said that the spirit of nationalism and patriotism is still present among the youth of Haryana. He said that it is a matter of pride that every tenth soldier in our armed forces is from a geographically small state of Haryana, which represents less than two percent of the country's population.

He said that the history of the Indian Military Academy has been glorious and the grand event of the passing out parade is known across the world. This year the parade was organized while maintaining social distancing norms due to COVID-19. Nevertheless, the ceremony was a memorable moment for parents of cadets and the cadets, who passed out this year.

The Chief Minister said that the Haryana Government has also constituted a separate Sainik & Ardh Sainik Welfare Department for ensuring the welfare of serving, ex-servicemen and their families.