Union Minister General (Dr) Vijay Kumar Singh (Retd.), known as General VK Singh, is a man of all seasons. This has been proved not once but several times, most recently in the rescue operation of 41 workers trapped inside the collapsed Silkyara tunnel in Uttarakhand’s Uttarkashi.
The Union Minister, along with Uttarakhand CM Pushkar Singh Dhami, welcomed the rescued workers with garlands and embraced them outside the tunnel in which they were trapped for 17 days. He has been at the tunnel site supervising the rescue efforts for several days.
— General Vijay Kumar Singh (@Gen_VKSingh) November 28, 2023
On 23rd November, General Singh arrived at the tunnel site to review the operation and has been overseeing the efforts ever since. General Singh was coordinating responses, and overseeing the complex operations, where multiple teams were at work day and night.
The former Chief of Army Staff (COAS) had earlier visited the tunnel site on 16th November.
उत्तराखंड के उत्तरकाशी में सिलक्यांरा टनल में फंसे मजदूरों के राहत व बचाव कार्य का निरीक्षण करने घटना स्थल पर पहुंचा। व्यक्तिगत तौर पर वहां की दुश्वारियों की जाँच करते हुए प्रदेश के सचिव समेत तमाम आला अधिकारियों से चल रहे राहत व बचाव कार्य की समीक्षा करते हुए तत्काल प्रभाव से… pic.twitter.com/8nQsWWI66E
— General Vijay Kumar Singh (@Gen_VKSingh) November 16, 2023
His efforts were noticed by PM Modi too, who during his telephonic conversation with the rescued workers, mentioned that General VK Singh’s Army training was of great use during the rescue operation.
General VK Singh has helmed many such challenging rescue operations in recent times. His tactical experience in the forces combined with his assuring presence as a union minister has given the much-needed impetus to such operations.
Last year, General VK Singh led the evacuation drive from Poland under Operation Ganga to bring back Indian nationals who were rescued from war-torn Ukraine. The Indian government rescued nearly 22,500 Indian nationals from Ukraine, mostly young students.
A video shared by the minister on his X handle showed the Indian nationals chanting “Vande Mataram” as he addressed them.
218 and 219 passengers respectively in 2 flights head back to Delhi from Poland under Operation Ganga. Students appreciated the gesture made by the Indian Government under the leadership of @narendramodi Ji to get them back home, safely. #General_In_Poland #OperationGanga pic.twitter.com/B3jfatcHS1
— General Vijay Kumar Singh (@Gen_VKSingh) March 1, 2022
In 2015, General VK Singh, who was then the Minister of State for External Affairs, successfully oversaw the completion of the evacuation mission in Yemen from Djibouti rescuing 5,500 Indians and 1000 foreign nationals under Operation Raahat.
The minister received a hero’s welcome when he landed in the national capital. Speaking to the media, General Singh said that the operation faced several challenges amid airstrikes and ground attacks across Yemen.
The former COAS’s experience once again proved his mettle in a battlefield situation where facilitated the rescue of thousands of people.
In 2016, 300 Indians stranded in violence-hit South Sudan were rescued by the Indian government under Operation Sankat Mochan. Again, General VK Singh rose to the occasion and the same was widely appreciated by the citizens for his relentless efforts in service of the nation like that of a soldier.
A Silent Gaurdian.. A watchful protector@Gen_VKSingh is the real life Batman <3 #OperationSankatMochan pic.twitter.com/v6fhygxaTf
— Anurag saxena (@saaxenanurag) July 15, 2016
The rescue efforts mentioned above earned India praise worldwide. The retired General in 2018 visited Iraq to bring back the mortal remains of the 39 Indians who were killed in Mosul by ISIS.
General (Dr.) Vijay Kumar Singh (Retd.) was previously the Union Minister of State for External Affairs.
He also held independent charge of the Ministry of Development of the North-eastern Region, Ministry of Planning and Statistics and Ministry of Overseas Indian Affairs.
General Singh has been the Member of Parliament (Lok Sabha) representing the Ghaziabad constituency (Uttar Pradesh) since 2014. He served as the 24th chief of staff in the Indian Army (2010-12).
