Dharwad: Delivering a talk on ‘Job opportunities in the Indian defence’ , the former Wing Commander of the Indian Air Force, C.S. Havaldar, called upon the youth to utilise the opportunities to join defence forces and serve the country. The talk was organized by the Yuvajana Mantap of the Karnatak Vidyavardhaka Sangha at Hiremallur PU Science College in Dharwad on Friday.

“While the country boasts about having a rich human resource, the need of the hour is to convert this into an asset”, Havaldar said.

He also said that although the youth comprised 65 per cent of the Indian population, the number of those who join the defence forces was low. Of them, the percentage from Karnataka was even less, he said and attributed it to the lack of a Karnataka regiment in the forces.

Referring to the issue of India relying too much on other countries for its arms and ammunition, he said that indigenous production would save a lot of money for the country.

Inaugurating the special talk, social thinker Nagaraj Pattanashetti regretted over parents not encouraging their wards to join defence forces.