PATNA: The long history of courage, valour and sacrifices of the Bihar Regiment of Indian Army hogged the limelight at the recently-held 6th Bihar Times Conclave in Patna as Lieutenant General Abhay Krishna (Retd), reintroduced the audience to the rich legacy of bravery, sacrifices and gallantry of the Bihar Regiment. Delivering the keynote address on "Contribution of Bihar Regiment in our National Frontier Protection & Potential of Our Ex-Servicemen Community for Nation building," he recalled key moments when soldiers from Bihar made the country proud of their chivalry. Britishers had recognised Bihar's soldiers for their loyalty and courage, and they had earned a reputation for being among the best soldiers in the British Indian Army, said Gen Krishna. Highlighting its achievements, post-independence, Gen Krishna said that the Bihar Regiment is one of the most decorated infantry regiments, which has been awarded, with three Ashok Chakras, three Maha Vir Chakras and 13 Kirti Chakras, 16 Vir Chakras besides numerous other gallantry and distinguished service awards in independent India. Among the heroic contributions of the Bihar Regiment in the recent past is the face- off of Indian and Chinese troops in Galwan when 20 soldiers lost their lives while defending India against Chinese troops. Lieutenant General Abhay Krishna (Retd) also brought to focus the value of ex- servicemen in nation-building. He highlighted their disciplined, experienced, and trained nature as a tremendous resource for nation-building initiatives. "Ex-servicemen are a large reservoir and resource of disciplined, experienced and trained human capital that can be effectively utilised for nation building projects," he said. He pointed out that the contribution of ex-servicemen to civilian life - both in enriching the cultural fabric and strengthening the rural economy” has largely been underappreciated or say ignored. Yet, this is only a small fraction of what they can contribute. Lt General Krishna (retd) advocated for a more focused approach to employable training and vocational skills development for these veterans, enabling them to contribute meaningfully in various sectors and domains. Moreover, he sees significant potential in utilising this disciplined workforce to bridge gaps between the government, NGOs, and corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiatives, thus improving both the quality and impact of developmental efforts at the grassroots level. "If organised and deployed effectively, ex-servicemen could play a crucial role in national economic growth, especially within agriculture and industry, " he said. Lt General Krishna's(retd) educational journey began at St. Xavier's High School in Patna, followed by his two years in Science College and later he joined the National Defence Academy and finally completed his training at Indian Military Academy in Dehradun when in June 1980 he got commissioned into Rajputana Rifles Regiment. He served in Indian Army for nearly 40 years. His career is marked by significant leadership roles, showcasing his immense professional competence and vast operational experience. He has served along India's northern borders at the Line of Actual Control (LAC) besides as also has had several tenures in North East. He has a rare distinction of having commanded three Army Commands -the South Western, Eastern and Central Army Commands. He is conferred with eight awards including five Presidential awards with a gallantry award too. He was also the Colonel of the Rajputana Rifles Regiment and has also played a key role in the Republic Day Parade of 2015 as its Second-in-Command. His leadership of the Eastern Command, which oversees a major portion of the Sino- India border, came during a time of intense Doklam military face-off between India and China in 2017 which was aggressively and successfully handled.