President ignores protocol for widows

New Delhi, May 7: In an extraordinary gesture, President Pratibha Patil, who is also the supreme commander of the armed forces, on Wednesday broke protocol to console the widows of the martyrs who laid down their lives in battling terrorism.

After the formal military investiture at the Ashoka Hall of Rashtrapati Bhavan, the President, in a moving gesture, consoled some of the widows who broke down after receiving the awards for the daredevil feats of their husbands.

Ms Patil called the widows for a separate meeting to give them a pep talk about the brave exploits of their husbands during which a number of women came to tears.

Earlier also, the country’s first woman President broke protocol to walk up to the next of kin of the martyred armed forces personnel to present them the gallantry awards. (PTI)