40 Kashipur Schoolchildren Celebrate Raksha Bandhan With Army Personnel at Hempur RTS & D

Forty schoolchildren and five teachers from Ek Onkar Global Academy, Kashipur, celebrated Raksha Bandhan with Indian Army personnel at RTS & D, Hempur, in a programme that brought a classroom community directly into a military setting. The gathering combined the traditional festival with a civil-military outreach interaction, giving the children a chance to meet soldiers, tie rakhis and spend time inside an Army establishment.

The event centred on the customary Raksha Bandhan ritual, during which the children tied rakhis on the wrists of soldiers. The gesture, rooted in affection and respect, also carried a broader meaning in the military context, reflecting gratitude toward those in uniform who safeguard the country and often remain away from their own families while on duty.

For the young visitors, the celebration offered an experience beyond textbooks and school events. The interaction allowed them to see military life at close range and engage personally with Army personnel in an environment they would not ordinarily encounter.

The Commandant of RTS & D, Hempur, joined the celebrations and interacted with the children and their teachers, adding to the warmth of the occasion. After the rakhi ceremony, gifts were presented to the students and the gathering continued over high tea, creating more time for conversation between the visitors and Army personnel.

With 40 children and five teachers taking part, the celebration became more than a festival observance. It also functioned as a meaningful outreach effort, bringing civilians, especially young students, into direct contact with the Armed Forces and the community around a military installation.

Raksha Bandhan traditionally symbolises a bond of protection, responsibility and affection. When observed with soldiers, the festival takes on an additional layer of significance, acknowledging the service and sacrifice of those who defend the nation while remaining separated from their families during deployments and postings.

Such interactions can also bring a sense of family and community into the cantonment environment. For Army personnel stationed at Hempur, the presence of schoolchildren and teachers turned a ceremonial occasion into a personal exchange that connected the military establishment with the civilian world around it.

The celebration at Hempur illustrated how festivals can serve as a bridge between soldiers and citizens, particularly children who may otherwise have limited opportunity to meet members of the Armed Forces directly. It also gave students a clearer sense of the responsibilities and sacrifices associated with military service.

The involvement of teachers from Ek Onkar Global Academy added an educational dimension to the visit. Experiences outside the classroom often leave a strong impression on students, especially when they are able to interact personally with people serving in institutions they may have only read about before.

From tying rakhis to exchanging gifts and sharing high tea, the event remained focused on human connection rather than formality. The sight of children tying rakhis on soldiers’ wrists captured the central spirit of the celebration: a relationship of trust, gratitude and affection between the Armed Forces and the next generation.

For the students from Ek Onkar Global Academy, the visit to RTS & D, Hempur, became more than a Raksha Bandhan programme. It offered first-hand contact with soldiers, a glimpse into military life and a memorable encounter shaped by respect, national pride and warmth.

The occasion also reflected the Indian Army’s wider practice of maintaining close engagement with civilian communities around its establishments, using such personal interactions to strengthen the relationship between the military and society.