Pune, August 8: In a gesture reflecting the strong bonds of camaraderie and lifelong commitment within the Bombay Sappers fraternity, Major Rahul visited Colonel Srivastava (Retd) at the Army Institute of Cardio-Thoracic Sciences (AICTS), Pune, and conveyed the heartfelt wishes and prayers of the entire Sapper family for his speedy recovery.
Colonel Srivastava, a veteran of the Bombay Sappers, is currently undergoing medical care at AICTS. According to the information shared by the fraternity, he is expected to be discharged shortly. Doctors are scheduled to review his condition after four weeks, following which a decision regarding the proposed open-heart surgery is expected to be taken.
During the visit, Major Rahul conveyed the collective support of serving personnel and veterans of the Bombay Sappers, underscoring that the relationship forged through military service continues long after an officer or soldier hangs up the uniform.
The gesture reflects the deeply rooted regimental ethos of the Indian Army, where veterans continue to remain an integral part of their regimental families. Such bonds extend beyond professional military service and are sustained through personal interaction, welfare initiatives and support during difficult periods.
For the Bombay Sappers, formally associated with the Bombay Engineer Group and Centre, this sense of fraternity has been nurtured across generations of officers and soldiers. The formation carries a distinguished military heritage and has contributed extensively to the Indian Army’s combat engineering capabilities and operations.
Veteran welfare remains an important part of the broader regimental system. Maintaining contact with retired personnel and their families, particularly during periods of illness or personal difficulty, reinforces the sense of belonging that remains one of the defining characteristics of military life.
Major Rahul’s visit highlighted this enduring connection between serving personnel and veterans. By personally conveying the wishes of the Bombay Sappers fraternity, the interaction demonstrated that retirement does not diminish the bonds created through years of shared service, sacrifice and regimental identity.
The fraternity expressed its prayers for Colonel Srivastava’s recovery as he continues his treatment and awaits further medical assessment. The gesture once again reflected the enduring spirit captured by the regimental sentiment: “Once a Bombay Sapper, Always a Bombay Sapper.”
