Panvel: For soldiers guarding India’s borders, Diwali often means celebrating far away from home and family. Bringing a touch of festive warmth to these personnel, the Panvel branch of Bharat Vikas Parishad (BVP) is once again sending traditional Diwali faral to troops stationed at remote military bases.

Launched in 2020, the ‘Sainikaho Tumchya Sathi’ initiative seeks to express gratitude and solidarity with soldiers serving in challenging conditions. Funded through public contributions, the campaign sends boxes containing Maharashtrian festive delicacies such as ladoos, chivda, chakli, shev and shankarpale, accompanied by greeting cards carrying Diwali wishes.

The initiative has grown from distributing 14,000 ladoos in its first year to sending 16,000 faral boxes in 2025. The gifts have reached military camps and border locations, including Bhuj, Bikaner, Barmer, Jammu and Kashmir, Leh, Siachen, Guwahati and Tawang.

For Diwali 2026, Bharat Vikas Parishad targets 18,000 festive boxes for troops stationed at remote posts, weighing approximately 14 tonnes in total.

“By last weekend, we had already dispatched 15,000 boxes, and the remaining 3,000 will be sent by next week,” said Jyoti Kanitkar, project head.

Explaining the motivation behind the campaign, Kanitkar said, “This initiative was launched in 2020 to express our respect, affection and deep gratitude to the soldiers who protect India’s borders and its citizens day and night, braving all odds and risking their lives in the service of the nation.”

Sustained by community participation, the initiative has become a heartfelt annual gesture of appreciation. Each box carries more than festive treats: it reminds soldiers that even while serving far from home, they remain in the thoughts and hearts of fellow Indians.