Mumbai, Aug 15 (IANS): Marking the 73rd Independence Day, the Shanmukhananda Sabha in Mumbai felicitated seven war widows and parents of Sqd Leader Ninad Mandavgane, who was killed in a chopper crash in February, here on Thursday.

Each of the war widows were presented Rs 250,000 cash solatium and articles of daily use worth Rs 50,000 by Lt Gen S.K. Prashar, General Officer Commanding, Maharashtra, Gujarat and Goa, and his wife Mamta Prashar.

Maj P.S. Arya, Additional Commissioner of Income-Tax (Mumbai), who received the Shourya Chakra Award in 2018 from the President, was conferred the Shanmukhananda Sabha's Shourya Ratna Award for 2019.

Major Arya is the only officer to have battled and killed terrorists in J&K despite being employed with the IT Department of the army.

Earlier, Brig Praveen Shinde hoisted the national flag, 73 students of the Sangeetha Vidyalaya sang the national anthem and SIES High School students rendered a 'sarva dharma' prayer.

Sabha chief V. Shankar said the organisation had always been at the forefront in celebrating the valour and sacrifices of armed forces. Last year, it honoured several wounded soldiers and widows of six soldiers who sacrificed their lives for the country in 2017.

"The society must care for the war heroes' families and we are doing our bit," Shankar said. Jyoti Jagdale, a war widow, said she wanted her daughter to join the army.