Chandigarh: The Chandigarh Citizens Foundation (CCF) organised a special screening of the documentary, “Operation Maa“ at Tagore Theatre, Chandigarh, bringing together senior serving and retired Armed Forces officers, veterans, members of civil society, students, NCC cadets and others. The event also witnessed extensive participation of serving soldiers of the Indian Army’s Western Command.Those in attendance included Lt Gen Pushpendra Singh, Army Commander, Western Command, as the chief guest, and Lt Gen Harjeet Singh Sahi as the guest of honour. General V P Malik, former Chief of the Army Staff and President, Chandigarh Citizens Foundation, was also present. The event highlighted an important yet lesser-known dimension of the Indian Army’s efforts in Jammu & Kashmir.The 47-minute documentary, directed by Tanuj Bhatia, presents the story of “Operation Maa”, an initiative associated with the Army’s counter-radicalisation efforts in Kashmir. The initiative was led by Lt Gen K J S Dhillon (Retd), popularly known as “Tiny Dhillon,” during his tenure as Corps Commander of the Srinagar-based 15 Corps. It highlights an approach centred on reaching out to families — particularly mothers — and giving local youth caught in the cycle of radicalisation and militancy an opportunity to return to the mainstream.The screening underscored that counter-radicalisation is not merely a security challenge, but also requires empathy, communication, community engagement and restoration of trust. The documentary offered the audience an insight into the human dimension of military operations and the efforts made to save young lives, wherever possible.The programme commenced with remarks by Lt Gen K J Singh (Retd), former Army Commander, who placed the subject of the documentary in the larger perspective of national security, counter-radicalisation and the challenges faced by the Armed Forces in Jammu & Kashmir.Lt Gen K J S Dhillon (Retd) spoke about the conception and implementation of Operation Maa and the Army’s efforts to persuade local youth to return to the mainstream. The interaction provided valuable insights into the operational as well as the deeply human dimensions of the initiative.About Chandigarh Citizens FoundationThe Chandigarh Citizens Foundation (CCF) is a citizen-led platform committed to contributing towards the development and well-being of the Chandigarh Region through civic engagement, informed dialogue and community-oriented initiatives.
