The Salvation Army and the Vicksburg community are saying goodbye to a community leader and one of the city’s more influential people for the past five years.

Salvation Army Capt. Srikant Bhatnagar and his wife, Indrani, who oversaw the Salvation Army program in Vicksburg for five years, are leaving for Washington, D.C. Their last day here is June 19.

The Bhatnagars came to Vicksburg from New Orleans in June 2011, just as the waters from the spring 2011 Mississippi flood began receding and replaced Herb and JoAnn Frazier as the local program’s directors

Since then, “Capt. B,” as he is best-known in the community, has been very involved with the city, holding a special summer soccer program for local youth and worked on other programs that helped the community like the Angel Tree program to help both children and the elderly.

“We appreciate the time Capt. B spent with us, and naturally, we hate to see him go, but we understand they move after a period of time,” Danny Jones, Salvation Army Board chairman, said in April after the Bhatnagars transfer was announced.

“I’ve enjoyed working with him. He’s done a lot of good things in the community and we will be welcoming the new person who comes to serve in his place.”

Michele Connelly, the director of United Way of West Central Mississippi, said Bhatnagar was a great inspiration for her.

“He was always involved in the community and was always interested in working with children and giving them every opportunity to be successful.

“He was good leader and thought outside the box when it came to programs, and was always looking to help the community. He was a wonderful person and he’ll be missed,” she said.

“We will miss him, his leadership and his dedication to the children and to the community,” said volunteer Trudy Jones. “We wish him well, and we look forward to our new leaders. He was an energetic person and his heart was with the youth. He could work with youth and he always felt he could change things.”

Despite his public exposure, Capt. B was a very humble man who was quick to credit others with the success of Salvation Army programs. He took an even humbler approach to his transfer to Washington.

“The Lord calls us, we’ve got to do what we’ve got to do,” he said. “God called us to set up here for a time, (and) we’ve finished our time. God knows better what the next assignment is for us.”

We want to express our sincere thanks to the Bhatnagars for everything they have done to make our community better and wish them all the success in the world at their new station.