Puri

Army Chief Upendra Dwivedi on Saturday offered prayers at the Jagannath Temple, seeking blessings for the well-being of Indian Army personnel and their families.

Speaking to reporters, General Dwivedi said he felt “fortunate” to receive the blessings of Lord Jagannath and expressed confidence that the Army would continue to perform strongly.

Accompanied by his wife Sunita Dwivedi, he described the visit as spiritually enriching, highlighting the temple’s sanctity and centuries-old traditions. He also expressed a desire to visit the shrine annually.

The Army chief spent about an hour at the temple, where he was received by district officials and escorted to the premises.

The visit is part of his three-day tour of Odisha. Earlier, he met Governor Hari Babu Kambhampati at Lok Bhavan.

Later in the day, he is scheduled to travel to Gopalpur to review training infrastructure at the Army Air Defence College, interact with personnel and veterans, and witness a live firing demonstration at the field range.

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He is expected to return to New Delhi on March 29.