Strengthening Communications Across Nepal

By Lance Corporal Sujan Tamang, Nepal Signal Troop

British Gurkhas Nepal (BGN) conducted Exercise PASCHIM SIGNAL KHUKURI to ensure the operational effectiveness of Communications and Information Systems (CIS) across the 19 Area Welfare Centres (AWCs) in Nepal. Operated by the Gurkha Welfare Trust, the AWCs provide essential medical and welfare support to Gurkha veterans and their families, making reliable communications a critical enabler of their work.

The exercise team comprised Staff Sergeant Tek Bahadur Rana, Corporal Surya Gurung, Lance Corporal Tirtha Tamang and Lance Corporal Sujan Tamang. They were supported by two civilian staff from the MT Department at Headquarters British Gurkhas Nepal (HQ BGN): Mr Mohan Tamang and Mr Jit Bahadur Majhi.

Deploying to AWCs in Lamjung, Gorkha, Tanahun, Chitwan and Bheri, the team delivered a comprehensive programme of CIS activity, including fault diagnosis, annual inspections and routine maintenance. They also provided refresher training to AWC staff on basic radio operation and correct voice procedure. These skills are vital for maintaining effective communication during emergencies such as natural disasters or civil unrest.

For me, this was a valuable first experience conducting High Frequency (HF) radio maintenance across multiple sites. It significantly deepened my understanding of the HF systems used by HQ BGN to maintain communication across Nepal.