She who gave birth she who tugged him harder, she who will face life harder than death. Lets not forget the efforts this otherwise ordinary woman-the nameless hero.
good night sleep well..
jai hind
Gen V.K.Singh Retired
A Soldier who hanged up his boots today after 42 years of service of the Nation.
Online Application for Indian Navy
Our Navy is inviting unmarried male candidates to join the Indian Naval Academy, Kerala under 10 + 2 cadet (B Tech) Entry Scheme.
MARCOS celebrates its Silver Jubilee
The first batch of The Indian Marine Special Force (IMSF) passed out on 14 Feb 1987. It was later renamed as the Marine Commando Force (MCF) in 1991.
Officer like qualities for Army - "Do you have it in you ?"
PLANNING AND ORGANISING
SOCIAL ADAPTABILITY
SOCIAL EFFECTIVENESS
Capt Amol Kalia and his 13 gallant men
"Cowards die many times before their deaths. The valiant never taste of death but once."
True Face of Indian Paid Media
Dear Editors of HT,TOI,Indian Express,The Hindu,NDTV,CNN-IBN Something to think about..!! Shame on Indian Media? Really what a shame...
Battle of Longewala
"Jhund main to kutte aate hain ..
Sher to akela hi chalta hai.."
Wednesday, August 8, 2012
good night sleep well..
She who gave birth she who tugged him harder, she who will face life harder than death. Lets not forget the efforts this otherwise ordinary woman-the nameless hero.
good night sleep well..
jai hind
to be an army wife
the green that he wears is now not his ,
but mine too.
i may not be going on fields like him,
i may not be wearing the medals
across my chest,
i may not be holding the gun,
but i have my own battles to fight.
his putting on the uniform,
the thoughts of "him" leaving,
the sight of his vehicle's dimming lights.
the thoughts of rearing up the children
all by myself
while he is gone.
the thoughts of battlefields,
the thoughts of dangerzone.
and most importantly,
the thought of his safety,
are now part of my life.
Loving an officer can be easy
but living his way of life like your own
is challenging .. !!
give it a try
as the ladies if you can be a weakness for him
then you can also be
His STRENGTH !!
take care.
--- shruti
Tharki Pawar's Partymen Invites Sunny Leon
Nothing can be more shameful when a 'Porn Star' takes the seat of a Mentor for kids and youths.
Guess we have forgotten our heroic Inspirations which our nations has delivered.
will these politicians ask their children and loved ones to become like her?
good going INDIA !!
It is YOU who belong to this LAND
When the Earth in your Bones returns to the Ground,
perhaps then you will remember that this Land does not belong to YOU.
It is YOU who belong to this LAND !!!!
Jai Hind
MP, Uttarakhand floods
The Indian Air Force in coordination with civil administration is facilitating the smooth evacuation of stranded pilgrims from Harshil and Uttarkashi in Uttarakhand.
Ten army columns are involved in rescue operations in Uttarkashi-Gangotri area. Army is providing succour in the form of medical aid, hot food and other assistance to stranded pilgrims.
Two army aviation helicopters are operating in coordination with civil administration.
Two Indian Air Force Advance Light Helicopters (ALH) and one IAF Mi-17 have already been deployed in Harshil/Uttarkashi and one more Mi-17 chopper is being added to augment the rescue and relief efforts.
‘Subedar Vijay Kumar, Army’s gift to Nation’
‘Subedar Vijay Kumar, Army’s gift to Nation’
London Olympics silver medal winning shooter Vijay Kumar was on Wednesday accorded a reception befitting a triumphant soldier.
Around 300 Armymen from the Dogra Regiment and Rajasthan Rifles held placards and banners — flashing slogans like ‘Welcome Vijay, Army’s pride,’ ‘Mission Olympics Wing welcomes Vijay,’ ‘Congratulations for the stupendous performance’ and ‘Subedar Vijay Kumar, Army’s gift to Nation’ — in honour of the champion shooter.
125 crore population has only four medals
time to do some soul searching people...time to look at what are our priorities as a Nation as a society And trust me medals at Olympics is not one of them...its “Roti kapda n makan”..we think that "kheloge kudoge to banoge ganwar"..instead of making our kids enjoy their childhood n explore there talents, we burden them with tons of books...so when you aim to become an engineer or doc or teacher, don’t just wake up one fine morning every four yrs. n expect our sportsperson to start winning at Olympics...it just doesn’t happen that way...
so stop belittling our gallant sportsmen who are fighting at d biggest stage...instead lets support them in whatever they are achieving for the time being coz even reaching there takes a hell lot...coz u know...YUDDH ME JAI BOLNE WALON KA BHI MAHATVA HAI...
Jai Hind
Thursday, July 5, 2012
FEAR OF MOSSAD
syed ali shah piglani Smells conspiracy behind wooing Israeli tourists
Syed Ali Shah piglani :: Monday said that the ‘visit of Director Tourism Kashmir to Israel’ is part of a conspiracy to bring in Israeli intelligence agency Mossad to Kashmir.
“Through it, they want to bring Mossad agents here to fulfill their plans,” he said.
The remarks of Geelani come in the backdrop of Jammu and Kashmir Tourism Department’s plan to send a delegation to Israeli capital Tel Aviv for wooing tourists to Kashmir.
We are keen that maximum number of tourists from Israel should visit Kashmir. That is why we are visiting the country and we would do a road show in Tel Aviv....
India and Israel have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to boost their bilateral ties in the tourism sector, with Israel opening a tourism office in Mumbai and increasing the number of El Al flights to India.
The pact was signed between Indian and Israeli tourism ministers Sunday, Xinhua reported.
The agreement aims to increase tourism to and from Israel, India by half in the next three years, it was announced here during a press conference of Israeli Tourism Minister Stas Misezhnikov and his Indian counterpart Minister Subodh Kant Sahai.
With over 40,000 Indian visitors coming to Israel per year, and equal number of Israeli citizens travelling to India, both the ministers said that they saw an opportunity to expand the tourism market between the two countries.
To double the number, Israel will open a new tourism office in Mumbai and will construct 200,000 new hotel rooms as well as increase the number of El Al flights, the Israeli air carrier, from three times a week to one per day.
"We are also looking into opening new El Al destinations, such as Kolkata and New Delhi, and to convince other air carriers to open more routes between our countries," Misezhnikov said
Grenadier Yogender Singh Yadav
18 Grenadiers
Param Vir Chakra
Grenadier Yogender Singh Yadav was part of the Ghatak Platoon that captured three Bunkers on Tiger Hill Top on the night of 03-04 July 1999. The approach was a vertical cliff face, snowbound at 16,500 feet. Grenadier Yogender Singh Yadav, volunteering to lead the assault, was climbing the cliff face and fixing the ropes for further assault on the feature. On reaching half way up, an enemy bunker opened up machine gun and rocket fire. His Platoon Commander and two others fell to the heavy volume of automatic fire. Realising the enormity of the situation, he continued to scale the sheer cliff face alone through a volley of fire. Inspite of having been hit by three bullets in his groin and shoulder, displaying superhuman strength and resolve, he climbed the remaining 60 feet, all by himself and reached the top. With rare grit and courage, he crawled up to the bunker critically injured and lobbed a grenade killing four Pakistani soldiers and neutralising enemy fire.
This act was directly instrumental in facilitating the rest of the Platoon in climbing up the cliff face. Grievously injured, but with reckless disregard to personal safety, Grenadier Yogender Singh Yadav now charged on to the second bunker and neutralised it with two of his colleagues in an extremely fierce hand to hand combat, killing three Pakistani soldiers.
This extraordinarily gallant act motivated the rest of the Platoon which quickly traversed the treacherous terrain and braving hostile fire, charged onto the enemy to capture Tiger Hill Top, a vital objective. Throughout this operation, from scaling the sheer vertical cliff face by rope for destruction of two Pakistani bunkers in succession, Grenadier Yogender Singh Yadav displayed indomitable spirit, determination and action beyond the call of the duty.
For displaying the most conspicuous courage and spirit of self-sacrifice, Grenadier Yogender Yadav has been awarded Param Vir Chakra.
freedom my friend, isn't free
let us not let their sacrifice go in vain..
To those who stood for the call of duty..
Accept our gratitude.
Jai Hind!!
do you know him ??
SHARE THIS LET EVRY1 KNOW ABOUT HIS SACRIFICE
BRAVE NSG officer who lost his vision in one eye after suffering splinter injuries during the Mumbai terror attacks...
Captain Amitendra Kumar Singh was one of the first National Security Guard commandos who took on the terrorists in Mumbai.
This was a soldiers sacrifice.
Just to make sure nothing comes above his feet,
He swore to mom he would be home.
But that was not something he kept whole.
He fights with arms in suite,
He fights to know this is his due.
The truth is he fights to plead his crew.
He learns the way of life,
To keep to hold on tight.
Some days are not glare
But no one really cared
His years to pay are set,
With a signature he wrote once then.
Defending what hes got
He knows his time has jot.
His country feels his grief,
But no one like his family pleads.
To come to hold and see,
This Soldier who fell on both knees.
A mother left behind,
To tear to cry,
To know his son was a hero
Who will remain in mind.
A man who gave his all
While hunger days would fall.
A man who wore his suite
For everyone who knew.
For I can tell the truth
This pain no one will lose,
This was no ordinary fight,
This was a soldiers sacrifice.
Army closer to getting attack helicopters, as India eyes China threat
Defence Minister A K Antony today directed that the Indian Army deploy extra man power in the North East as fast as possible. He asked the Army to prepare to induct more attack helicopters into the force. The Defence Minister was reviewing the modernisation of the Indian Army.
Modernisation of the Indian Army has been in sharp focus since the letter of the former chief, General V K Singh, to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh was leaked to the media. General Singh's letter had pointed to severe deficiencies in equipment and systems.
Sources said that Mr Antony, reviewing the Army's modernisation programme, also asked the Army to step-up on the infrastructure development in the North East. Besides this, the Minister also reviewed the process of acquisition of artillery guns and asked the Army to reform its acquisition process.
Mr Antony also reviewed new measures taken to increase and improve ammunition storage systems in the North East. Besides this, he also asked the Army to prioritise and focus on critical areas to plug existing gaps. The meeting was attended by senior officials of the Ministry of Defence including the Defence Secretary Sashikant Sharma and Secretary Defence Production Shekhar Agarwal.
share this if you respect his sacrifice
Director General of Jammu and Kashmir police K. Rajendra lays a wreath on the coffin of Constable Dalbir Singh during a funeral service in Srinagar on July 3, 2012.
Suspected POKRI militants shot and killed two policemen on duty in Pulwama and Kulgam...
another cop was Mukhtar Ahmad Bhat of Dialgam (Anantnag),
please do not like this post there are many other ways to show your support you can comment N share but please avoid whatever you did in previous post.....
Rare Pic of Soldiers praying before the final assault on Tiger Hill
The Winning Spirits Seeking divine help:
By recapturing Tiger Hill the soldiers won more than the case of Scotch promised by Gen. Malik
In shell-battered Dras, it was time for celebration on July 4. On that Sunday morning the Indian soldiers had recaptured Tiger Hill after a fierce battle with the intruders. In operation bunkers the officers shook hands, hugged one another and rang up the Corps Command in Srinagar and Army Headquarters in New Delhi to convey the good news.
The smiles turned into guffaws 24 hours later, when they were told that the Pakistani Television had denied the very existence of Tiger Hill. At this rate, said an officer, Pakistan would say that there was no Kargil, Dras, Batalik and Turtuk once the infiltrators were routed. "It is like saying that after the 1971 war East Pakistan never existed," quipped another.
The capture of the highest peak in the sector has been crucial to the army's plans ever since Tololing was snatched in June. Tiger Hill has been the subject of discussion in the mess of the 56 Brigade, headquartered at Dras. When Tololing was captured, army chief General V.P. Malik presented a bottle of Scotch to Brigadier Amar Aul, commanding officer of the brigade, and promised a case of Scotch for the brigade when they captured Tiger Hill.
The sheer height of the Hill provided the best observation point for the infiltrators; from there they could scan the 56 Brigade headquarters and the Srinagar-Leh National Highway, and relay the information to Pakistani soldiers across the border.
Further, Tiger Hill leads on to Mushko Valley where the infiltrators have occupied not only the peaks but also the lower reaches and parts of the valley itself. Since Mushko is closer to the Line of Control, Pakistan has been keeping the infiltration points well supplied. Control of Tiger Hill will give India the vantage observation point to attack Pakistani positions in Mushko and surrounding peaks.
Key conquest: The Tiger Hill as seen from Dras
As the cover fire bottled the infiltrators up in their bunkers, the 18 Grenadiers, the second battalion of Naga Regiment and the eighth battalion of Sikh Regiment completed the work of setting up base camps half way up the mountain. The assault team had 200 men from the three elite units, backed up by their colleagues who looked after signals, rearguard, supplies and ammunition thread. Each raider had 10 men behind him.
Such was the determination of the advance party that most of the Grenadiers abandoned their rations to carry extra fire power. Some of them did not eat for the full 36 hours of the operation. Their first meal was the dates left behind by the intruders!
While the Alpha, Charlie and Ghatak companies of the 18 Grenadiers attacked the rear, the Nagas were on the left flank, and the Sikhs on the right. The assault began at 5.15 p.m. on July 3 with Bofors guns booming. By 7 p.m. three rocket launchers joined the action. Thirty minutes later, shells from across the LOC pounded the road to the foothills of Tiger Hill and the soldiers rushed to safety. They were back to their positions soon with one more rocket launcher.
Meanwhile, the Grenadiers had moved up towards their target. There was little resistance on the way, as the sky show confined the infiltrators to the safety of their bunks. By 4 a.m. the soldiers confronted the infiltrators at the hill top; 10 intruders were killed while 2 escaped. Five soldiers also lost their lives in the fight.
By 6.50 a.m. on July 4 three shell bursts announced that Tiger Hill top had been captured. Within 24 hours Gen. V.P. Malik had given instant battlefield honour to the Grenadiers, making them the second regiment after Rajputana Rifles to get this honour in the Kargil battle.
The achievement has not made the soldiers complacent. At the time of reporting they were gearing up for the battles ahead. And to down the very special Scotch from the chief!
‘Mascots of Peace’ flagged off from Pattan
29 Rashtriya Rifles under the aegis of Headquarters 10 Sector Rashtriya Rifles / Kilo Force has organized a tour for the Sarpanchs, Panchs and elders from Pattan Tehsil. The tour aptly titled “Mascots of Peace” will be visiting Kullu, Manali and Dharamshala in Himachal Pradesh over duration of 11 days.
In a colourful and well attended Flagging Off Ceremony, Minster of Agriculture Ghulam Hassan Mir and Brig AK Tyagi, Commander 10 Sector Rashtriya Rifles, flagged off the group of 25 citizens from Govt Degree College ground at Pattan. Speaking with the locals, Col Prashant Pande, Commanding Officer 29 Rashtriya Rifles, informed that the members of the tour will also interact with Noble prize recipient, Dalai Lama, during their stay in Dharamshala.
"A number of visits to historical places and places of tourist interest have been planned in the itinerary including an exposure to adventure sports in Manali. The tour has fructified as a result of requests from the locals during their Awami Mulaqat with senior officers of Army to provide an opportunity to elder citizens also to visit outside the state," a statement said.
Earlier during the day, the Agriculture Minister appreciated the efforts of Army during his address to the gathering and exhorted the tour members to carry the message of peace on behalf of the people of valley to those outside the state. Present among the other dignitaries during the ceremony were Tehsildar Pattan and Principal Degree College Pattan.
Thursday, June 7, 2012
do something good for your nation
Bhula Ke Gum Sare Sar Utha Ke Jiyo,
Udaasi Me Kya Rakha Hai Muskura Ke Jiyo,
Apne Liye Na Sahi watan ke Liye dard bhula ke Jiyo..!!
Arise countrymen ...
Its a new day .. do something good for your Nation.
Have a great day
Jai Hind
Indian Navy Is Calling You
INDIAN NAVY....Calling you
INVITES APPLICATIONS FROM UNMARRIED MALE CANDIDATES FOR ENROLLMENT
AS SAILORS FOR SENIOR SECONDARY RECRUITS (SSR)-01/2013 BATCH
Date of Commencement of Manual/Online Application : 25-05-2012
Last Date Of Online Submission of Application: 15-06-2012
Last Date Of Receipt of Manual/ Online Application at Naval Head Quarters : 22-06-2012
Eligibility Criteria:--
Date Of Birth : Candidates should have been born between 01 Feb 1992 to 31 Jan1996 (Both
dates inclusive).
Gender:MALE
Basic Qualification : Qualified in 10+2/ equivalent examination with Maths &
Physics and at least one of these subjects;Chemistry/Biology/Computer science.
Navy Website Notification : http://nausena-bharti.nic.in/forthcomingSailor.php
Advertisement in English : http://nausena-bharti.nic.in/pdf/SSR/AdvEng.pdf
10+2 B.Tech Cadet Entry Permanent Commission
INDIAN NAVY
INVITES APPLICATION FOR
Entry Type: 10+2 B.Tech Cadet Entry Permanent Commission
Eligibility Criteria:--
Date Of Birth: born between 02 Jul 1993 & 01 Jan 1996 (both dates inclusive).
Gender:MALE
Educational Qualification. Passed Senior Secondary Examination (10+2 Pattern) or its equivalent from University/Board with at least 70 % aggregate marks in Physics, Chemistry and Mathematics (PCM) and at least 50% marks in English (either in Class X or Class XII).
Date of Commencement of Online Application: 25-05-2012
Last Date Of Online Submission of Application: 18-06-2012
Last Date Of Receipt of Online Application at Naval HeadQuarters : 18-06-2012
Indian Navy Notification Link : http://www.nausena-bharti.nic.in/forthcomingOfficer.php
Advertisement : http://www.nausena-bharti.nic.in/pdf/10+2/AdvEnglish.pdf
Indo-Russian Fifth Generation Fighter Aircraft (FGFA)
Already on the anvil for the army, IAF, navy and coast guard are the following:
The IAF is inducting 139 Russian Mi-17 V-5 medium lift helicopters, for an estimated $2.4 billion. The workhorse Mi-17, which transports 26 soldiers in combat gear, or four tonnes of supplies to high altitude posts, has been in IAF service for decades, but the new-model V-5 is a vastly superior machine, with new engines, rotor blades and avionics. An IAF order for 80 Mi-17s is already being delivered, which is likely to be followed by an order for 59 more.
Rode the six hundred.
Half a league onward,
All in the valley of Death
Rode the six hundred.
'Forward, the Light Brigade!
Charge for the guns' he said:
Into the valley of Death
Rode the six hundred.
'Forward, the Light Brigade!'
Was there a man dismay'd?
Not tho' the soldiers knew
Some one had blunder'd:
Theirs not to make reply,
Theirs not to reason why,
Theirs but to do and die:
Into the valley of Death
Rode the six hundred.
Cannon to right of them,
Cannon to left of them,
Cannon in front of them
Volley'd and thunder'd;
Storm'd at with shot and shell,
Boldly they rode and well,
Into the jaws of Death,
Into the mouth of Hell
Rode the six hundred.
Flash'd all their sabres bare,
Flash'd as they turned in air
Sabring the gunners there,
Charging an army while
All the world wonder'd:
Plunged in the battery-smoke
Right thro' the line they broke;
Cossack and Russian
Reel'd from the sabre-stroke
Shatter'd and sunder'd.
Then they rode back, but not
Not the six hundred.
Cannon to right of them,
Cannon to left of them,
Cannon behind them
Volley'd and thunder'd;
Storm'd at with shot and shell,
While horse and hero fell,
They that had fought so well
Came thro' the jaws of Death,
Back from the mouth of Hell,
All that was left of them,
Left of six hundred.
When can their glory fade?
O the wild charge they made!
All the world wonder'd.
Honour the charge they made!
Honour the Light Brigade,
Noble six hundred!
—Alfred, Lord Tennyson
Citation of Colonel Lalit Rai VrC, commanding officer of 1/11 Gorkha Rifles during Kargil 1999
 |
| Jai maha kali....Aayo Gorkhali |
Operation Vijay happened in Kargil, while I was busy combating militants elsewhere in the same state. This was somewhere in the first week of May 2001. By the time the actual fighting developed, it was almost the end of May and by now the people had realised that the Pakistani Army was fully involved and it wasn't just some militants. The 1/11 Gorkha Rifles had the privilege of being the first battalion to be rushed in for 'Operation Vijay'. At that point of time, my 'Colonel Of The Regiment' contacted me. He said, "The previous Commanding Officer of 1/11 GR has taken premature retirement and gone, the battalion is presently in the thick of battle," and asked, "Would you like to take over the fight and do something about it?" Lieutenant General J B S Yadava, AVSM, VrC, VSM, who is presently the Deputy Chief Of Army Staff, was also my commanding officer in the 7/11 Gorkha Rifles when I was a young officer. I was his Adjutant and I had really learnt a lot from this veteran and Vir Chakra award winner of the 1971 Indo-Pak War. He probably had faith in me and was banking on me to do something for the battalion in that difficult hour.
I didn't hesitate and I said, "Definitely." But he also added, "I know it is unfair on my part to ask you to take up this tough assignment, especially when the Officers, Junior Commissioned Officers and the troops are new to you."
Remember, I was coming back to the Regiment after serving with the Rashtriya Rifles. Even the terrain was absolutely new to me, the information about the enemy at that point of time was not adequate; things were not all that clear. I wasn't exactly in a very enviable situation. I had however convinced myself that I would take a chance. I was anyway combating uncertainty day and night. Earlier, I had this huge guesthouse to myself in the Doda district and every night I used to sleep in a different room, as we used to be under rocket and machine-gun attacks regularly. In fact, when days passed by without some firing or some incident, I used to feel that something was missing! All that of course changed later, as they never even dared to venture anywhere near us. We had successfully managed to dominate our area of responsibility fully, after months of relentless & successful operations against militant groups.
Once I accepted the offer to command the 1/11 Gorkha Rifles, they moved me by helicopter within 48 hours and dropped me bang in the middle of the battle-zone. Many operations were going on in full swing at various places in the front. The moment I landed at the base, there was heavy shelling by the enemy artillery and my reception party ran helter-skelter for cover. My reception was now complete with the enemy also chipping in with their artillery shelling. All of us, of course had to dive for cover, this gave me an indication of the difficult times that lay ahead of us. In a month's time through vigorous effort, I improved and consolidated my battalions posture against the enemy. I got to know the boys, visited every piquet and reconnoitred the complete area of responsibility. By June-end I had learnt a lot about the enemy and his capabilities and was now adequately prepared, given the situation.
In the Batalik sector where my battalion was now located, the terrain was really tough and unforgiving, compounded with the most inhospitable weather. After due deliberation and reconnaissance everyone, right up to the highest commander, had more or less assessed that if the formidable and dominating enemy position at Khalubar was to be captured, the complete area would become more or less untenable by the enemy. But the problem was that Khalubar was located at an altitude of 17,500 feet above sea level, with the enemy sitting well entrenched, with lethal and sophisticated weapons in a dominating position, it was also located deep in the heart of the enemy defences. This implied that the attacker would be under enemy fire right from the word go. The attack would also have to be made uphill under accurate and intense enemy fire. The next logical question was who is going to capture it and how? When I volunteered for this seemingly impossible task, people thought I had gone bonkers!
I led my battalion to battle from the front, into one of the fiercest battles of 'Operation Vijay'. As a commanding officer you are expected to be sufficiently forward with the troops, but not actually lead the assault like I did. The main role of the Commanding Officer is to plan and coordinate well and provide good leadership at all times. Being new I really had no choice but to lead physically from the front on that fateful day of July 1999. It took us 14 hours of extremely torturous and dangerous marching with heavy loads of arms, ammunition, winter clothing, and other special equipment for negotiating the steep snow covered slopes, rations, etc. to reach the objective. Throughout the move we came under heavy enemy small arms fire and artillery shelling. The intensity and the accuracy of the enemy's fire grew even as we laboriously plodded our way up through snow and sharp jagged rocks at steep inclines. The prevalent temperature at this time was about minus 29 degrees Celsius. A real marrow chilling temperature, which numbs your whole body and deadens the senses.
We had started the attack with a few hundred people. We had closed in to about 600 yards of the enemy position, when the firing became very intense and effective and it seemed impossible to proceed further against this curtain of lead and fire from the tracer bullets. You could see the bullets and rockets hurtling towards us with fearsome intensity and sound. My heart still shudders when I remember the heart wrenching screams and cries of my boys who fell under this wilting fire from the enemy's heavy machine gun as also from his air defence gun. The sight of my boys battered, torn and ripped apart by machine gun fire, bleeding profusely, still haunts me, and I often wake up sweating and gasping for air from such nightmares. It was a real test for me, egging the boys on, towards almost certain death, from effective and intensive enemy fire. To close in with the enemy and finish him off before he finished us off.
At this point of time I focused myself totally to the immediate task ahead of me - to capture the objective and nothing else. All thought of the family and home was totally blocked out, to rule out even one percent chance of any weakening in my resolve. We pushed ahead despite heavy casualties with approximately 30 to 40 soldiers whom I could muster. The others were either injured or pinned down by heavy enemy fire. Maximum casualties were being caused by fire coming from Khalubar Top while the other was from a flank, which, we later named 'Bunker Area'. I decided to capture the top, with the 40 men I could muster, and sent Captain Manoj Pandey to capture and silence Bunker Area with approximately 30 men. We charged up towards the enemy position, chopping enemy heads en-route, and succeeded in capturing the top. When I took a quick head count on top, there were only eight of us left, who were fit enough to fight.
It was literally an uphill task, almost like a scene straight out of Charge of the Light Brigade! The gradients we had to negotiate were between 75° and 80°! It was snowing and extremely cold. The rock that we were climbing was of the jagged variety that chops you to the quick if you make one false move! To top this worst-case scenario possible, there was that enemy fire coming on us right from the top! The enemy could see our every move from the top! But my Gorkha boys really proved their worth in gold and were unstoppable, I have to doff my hat to my boys! Where normal guys would have had a tough time even walking in those altitudes, my boys sprinted! They charged up and when we were at close quarters with the enemy, my boys did what they had been dying to do for so long, they removed their khukris and started chopping enemy heads. As we charged up, I could see the heads rolling down. When the Pakistanis saw that - they couldn't hold themselves any longer. They just got up and started running away. It was a sight to behold! 5 foot tall Gorkhas jumping up and chopping off the heads of these strapping, 6 foot tall Pathans, who were fleeing in sheer terror.
So like I mentioned earlier, we were just eight of us, bang in the middle of an enemy position. It became imperative that we hold on to it. It was equally critical for the enemy to push us out because we were not only dominating their replenishment route i.e. for additional arms and ammunition, rations and things like that, but we were also cutting off their route of retreat. So they launched counter attack after counter attack and there I was, with eight chaps holding on resolutely and repulsing attack after attack. It was almost an impossible task. The enemy would muster up about a platoon (about 30 to 40 troops) and start creeping up slowly and attack us! And with just eight guys, you can imagine just how thin my defence was! Any direction of attack would have only met with one or two rifle fire, however I had all eight guys facing every counter attack. And that was only possible because on a parallel mountain spur, a few kilometres away, I had my troops holding defences against the enemy. So the company commander, whose company was on the other mountain spur, was watching our desperate stand through a pair of binoculars and he became my eyes from that side. He would tell me, "Sir, there are now 40 chaps to your left coming at you through the big boulder…" and we would shoot those guys down. And I'm pretty sure that the Pakistanis haven't yet figured out as to how we managed to know their exact route up. I'm sure they must have thought that we were almost a company atop this position.
Quite a few of us were already injured; I had got a bullet in my leg and splinters in my calf and had begun to bleed profusely. Towards the end, a situation arose where I had only two bullets left with me in my rifle - and that rifle belonged to my dead radio operator. In my hurry and concern for my boys and the task, I had literally taken off in my full uniform and I had even forgotten to remove my red collar dogs. I realized my folly much, much later…when I was in the thick of battle. So when I found out that I was down to the last two bullets, I made a quick resolve, one bullet for myself when it comes to that. As for the other one, I decided to take one Pakistani chap with me before I went. My boys were also quite tensed up, when they all realised that our moment of reckoning was finally staring us in the eye. I mean, when you realize that your death is arriving within a few minutes time, it becomes that much more agonising and difficult. On the other hand when you don't know, and death comes to you suddenly, it is okay and is probably a part of life. But here it was approaching us in another few minutes….so I quickly bid a mental goodbye to everyone I held dear to me. I was suddenly woken up from my reverie by the crackle of my radio set. It was my officer from the other mountain position, with a frantic message, "Sir, I can see about 35 Pakistanis moving up for another counter attack…" I thought to myself, "Boy! This is it; the moment has finally come to say adieu!"
My boys also looked at me for some reaction, I could feel the palpable tension in the air. I have always believed: a dash of humour can really relieve a lot of tension in your life. I had to alleviate their tension quickly and firm their resolve to fight to the end. The Pakistanis - were cursing and using the choicest of abuses even as they advanced, I gave it back to them in equal measure, with all the Punjabi that I knew. I turned to my boys and said, "Dushman tumhare Commanding Officer Saab ko gaali de rahe hain aur tum log chup-chaap baithe ho?!" (The enemy is hurling abuses towards your Commanding Officer and you boys are just sitting quietly?). Now the funny thing is that a Gorkha Johnny doesn't know how to give gaalis (abuses), and as far as discipline and obedience goes, he is unmatchable. So they looked at each other and I could read the look in their eyes, it said, "Saab ne hukum diya hai toh gaali dena hi padega." (Our Sir has given us an order and thus we will have to give abuses). They looked around and wondered, who could perform this difficult task, and finally nominated one amongst them to give the gaalis. He got up and bellowed seriously, "Pakistani kutta, tum idhar aayega toh tumhara mundi kaat degaa!" (Pakistani dog, if you come here we will cut your mundi!). I turned around and told him, "The Pakistanis will surely die…but they will die laughing that Gyan Bahadur can't even give proper gaalis!" They all broke into laughter and that kind of revved them up and got their josh back up again…and they all said, "Abo tah kukri nikalera taeslai thik paarchhu." (We will take out our khukris now and sort him out and fight).\
I radioed the Artillery Officer attached with us, located on the other mountain spur of 'Kukarthang' and asked him whether he knew where I was, and he replied in the affirmative. I then asked him to use me as a reference and give me several rounds of rapid-fire support. He was shocked! He tentatively wondered whether I really wanted him to direct our own artillery fire, approximately 100-odd rounds on my head. We are talking about the Bofors round with its devastating effect - its such a powerful gun! I had to take a chance; I preferred to die there by own gunfire, rather than get captured by the enemy. And by now, even the enemy knew that our ammunition was running low…and as the seconds ticked by, the enemy crept closer and closer 40 yards…35 yards…25 yards…and…I yelled at him and said that I didn't have the time and to just do what he was told! He did and I could hear the deadly whistling screech of the shells (usually the fore bearers of death) coming at us, from the gun position several kilometres behind us. My boys and I took shelter in the cracks of the huge boulders and the 100-odd rounds thundered and crashed all around us with a beautiful but deadly blast of shrapnel and flame. The temperatures suddenly rose due to the burning cordite and for a few seconds, we were engulfed in comfortable warmth, in otherwise the prevalent freezing cold. We could literally see the Pakistanis who were advancing in the open, being blown to smithereens right in front of us. They didn't know what had hit them. Several times they tried to close in for the kill, since we had no ammunition left, but with the help of our accurate and prompt artillery gunners we sent them reeling back with heavy casualties.
We held on to the position for 36 hours without a wink of sleep or a drop of water to drink. We had not eaten a morsel of food for over 48 hours and were weak because of hunger and the freezing cold. After 36 hours or so, we shifted our position slightly away, as a deceptive measure. Meanwhile my second-in-command moved up with the reinforcements and we finally consolidated our position. Khalubar finally was ours. Victory gained after such great sacrifice of my brave boys was perhaps the sweetest thing for me, and nothing, repeat nothing, can ever better that. As correctly assessed by all of us, once Khalubar fell, the Pakistanis ran from all the adjoining areas! We subsequently routed them from 11 formidable positions and we quickly pushed them across the Line of Control. The Gorkhas had created such terror and dread in the minds of the Pakistanis that when one of the Prisoners of War (POWs) was captured; his first request was to see a Gorkha soldier. I asked one of my boys to go to him and pull out his Khukri, the moment he saw the Pakistani. It was a funny sight - a huge Pathan cringing in sheer dread when confronted with one of the world's most renowned fighting machines - The Gorkha Soldier. The nation's highest gallantry award, the Param Vir Chakra was awarded posthumously to young Captain Manoj Pandey…for his valour and supreme sacrifice in the battle of Khalubar. For its sterling performance, the battalion was awarded a unit citation. We also earned the title of 'The Bravest of the Brave' for having won a Param Vir Chakra and an Ashok Chakra. For individual acts of bravery we won a bagful of gallantry awards. The President also awarded me the Vir Chakra for inspirational leadership and conspicuous bravery of a very high order.
 |
| Colonel Lalit Roy along with Officers & Jawans of the 1/11 Gorkha Rifles with captured weapons of the Pakistan Army. |
Battle of Longewala
"Jhund main to kutte aate hain .. Sher to akela hi chalta hai.."
Hats off to Major Kuldip Singh Chandpuri (Brigadier (retired) Maha Vir Chakra)
FYI: Border Movies was Based on Battle of Longewala... Sunny Deol played the role of Major Kuldip Singh Chandpuri
Share... if you care ,,
Jai Hind
Where are we heading ??
Beginning with the Gandhi-Quattrocchi partnership, more attention was given to procurement and spending than analyzing defense needs. With notable exceptions like Dr. Abdul Kalam and the late Raja Ramanna (a nuclear physicists), there was little discussion about defense policy much less strategy or doctrine. Politicians and bureaucrats couldn’t care less about military strategy or defense needs as long as opportunities existed for kickbacks in defense procurements. This factor should be kept in mind as we look at the outrage expressed by politicians over General V.K. Singh’s revelation that he was offered a large bribe to approve substandard army vehicles.
We need a change, headed by strong willed leaders, supported by system.. And the Time IN NOW...!!
Major Vivek Gupta
There was pride in her salute and sorrow in her eyes as Capt Jayshree Gupta bid a final farewell to her slain husband Maj Vivek Gupta, the hero of the first major victory achieved by the Indian forces in Kargil. Maj Gupta and six others from his team captured the Pt 4950 peak at Tuloling before they gave their supreme sacrifice in fierce combat in Kargil War.
Respect.
Jai Hind.
A SOLDIER'S PLEA TO HIS COUNTRYMEN/WOMEN
DO YOU KNOW WHO I AM?
I'M YOUR...
SON
BROTHER
HUSBAND FATHER
UNCLE
NEPHEW
GRANDSON
BOYFRIEND
COUSIN BEST FRIEND
FIANCE
NEIGHBOR AREN'T YOU PROUD?
ARE YOU STILL THERE?
DID I DO SOMETHING WRONG?
DID I MAKE YOU ANGRY?
AREN'T YOU MISSING ME?
BECAUSE I MISS YOU. I NEED YOU TO SUPPORT ME.
TO BE BEHIND ME.
I NEED YOU TO TELL ME THAT YOU'LL BE WAITING FOR ME.
WHY?
YOU'RE WHAT I AM FIGHTING FOR.
I WANT TO COME HOME TO SMILING FACES. BUT IF I DON'T...
I NEED TO KNOW
THAT YOU LOVE ME
AND THAT YOU'LL MISS ME. I DO MY JOB.
I DON'T ASK FOR MUCH.
SOME PEOPLE HATE ME.
BUT I DON'T COMPLAIN.
ALL I WANT IS FOR YOU TO SAY,
"I'M PROUD OF YOU." "I REMEMBER."
I AM LUCKY AND GRATEFUL TO HAVE YOU IN MY LIFE.
I LOVE YOU.
I MISS YOU.
I'LL BE HOME SOON. "REMEMBER ME" EACH AND EVERY SOLDIER NEEDS YOUR SUPPORT... PLEASE
DON'T LET THEM DOWN. THANK YOU — AT SOMEWHERE IN THE REMOTE MOUNTAINS OF KASHMIR.
BY - AN OFFICER SERVING IN RR
Gunje Kahi Par Shankh.. and Waqt aa gaya hain..
गुजे कही पर शंख , कही पे अजान है
बाइबल है,ग्रंथ शाहब है, गीता का ज्ञान है.
दुनिया मे कही और ये मंजर नही नशीब,
दिखाओ जमाने को ये हिंदुस्तान है|
वक्त आ गया है अब दुनिया को,साफ़ साफ़ कहना होगा.
देश प्रेम की धबल धार मैं,हर मन को वहना होगा.
जिसे तिरंगा लगे पराया, मेरा देश छोड जाये.
हिन्दुस्तान में हिन्दुस्तानी बनकर ही रहना होगा|
Shaheed Hav-Major Yashvir Singh Tomar
"Sahib, gyarah ja rahe hain aur gyarah jeet kar hee lautenge”.And he charged an enemy bunker and threw 18 grenades. He was found dead later, rifle in hand.
Shaheed Hav-Major Yashvir Singh Tomar
No Tears: Yashvir's father says his grandsons too will serve the Indian army
HAV-MAJOR YASHVIR SINGH TOMAR, 39
2 Rajputana Rifles
The Tomar Way
Mission: Recapture Tololing
In Sirsili they do not weep, even silently, for their dead. They smile instead. It is not easy, but in this Rajput village in Baghpat, Uttar Pradesh, where pride and honour comes before death and defeat, Girwar Singh Tomar, is following tradition. He's completed the last rites of his eldest son, Havaldar Major Yashvir Singh Tomar. The youngest, Harbir of 2 Jat Regiment, was there in the high passes. All that the senior Tomar, smiling wanly, and said, "Tradition does not allow our menfolk to come back defeated from the battlefront. They must do or die."
Such are the ways of the Tomars. On June 12,1999 there were 11 of them from Charlie company of 90 men whose mission was to capture Tololing Top, a crucial, well-defended peak. Lt Praveen Tomar, 23, the youngest of them, remembers what a sombre Yashvir had said: "Sahib, gyarah ja rahe hain aur gyarah jeet kar hee lautenge (Sir, 11 Tomars are going; 11 will return only after victory)." It was a brutal night and a third of the company was dead and injured. At 2:30 a.m. with desperation setting in, Yashvir collected all the grenades of his men and charged the deadly bunker holding up victory. He got there and tossed 18 grenades and silenced the bunker. When they found Yashvir he lay still, shot in the head and chest, grenade in one hand, assault rifle in the other. Tololing Top had fallen. It is one of the most daring actions of the war. Tomars of Charlie company found victory and returned -- only they were one short.
''When you go home, tell them of us and say, for your tomorrow, we gave our today."
Respect.
Jai Hind
True Face of Indian Paid Media
Something to think about..!!
Shame on Indian Media? Really what a shame...
This news swept across all the news channels 'Sanjay Dutt relieved by court'. 'Sirf Munna not a bhai' '13 saal ka vanvaas khatam' 'although found guilty for possession of armory, Sanjay can breath sigh of relief as all the TADA charges against him are withdrawn' Then many personalities like Salman Khan said 'He is a good person. We knew he will come out clean'. Mr Big B said "Dutt's family and our family have relations for years he's a good kid. He is like elder brother to Abhishek". His sister Priya Dutt said "we can sleep well tonight. It's a great relief"
In other news, Parliament was mad at Indian team for performing bad; Greg Chappell said something; Shah Rukh Khan replaces Amitabh in KBC and other such stuff. But most of the emphasis was given on Sanjay Dutt's "phoenix like" comeback from the ashes of terrorist charges.
Surfing through the channels, one news on BBC startled me. It read "Hisbul Mujahidin's most wanted terrorist 'Sohel Faisal' killed in A nantnag , India .. Indian Major leading the operation lost his life in the process. Four others are injured.
It was past midnight , I started visiting the stupid Indian channels, but Sanjay Dutt was still ruling. They were telling how Sanjay pleaded to the court saying 'I'm the sole bread earner for my family', 'I have a daughter who is studying in US' and so on. Then they showed how Sanjay was not wearing his lucky blue shirt while he was hearing the verdict and also how he went to every temple and prayed for the last few months. A suspect in Mumbai bomb blasts, convicted under armory act...was being transformed into a hero.
Sure Sanjay Dutt has a daughter; Sure he did not do any terrorist activity. Possessing an AK47 is considered too elementary in terrorist community and also one who possesses an AK47 has a right to possess a pistol so that again is not such a big crime; Sure Sanjay Dutt went to all the temples;
Sure he did a lot of Gandhigiri but then.......... ..
Major Manish H Pitambare got the information from his sources about the terrorists' whereabouts. Wasting no time he attacked the camp, killed Hisbul Mujahidin's supremo and in the process lost his life to the bullets fired from an AK47. He is survived by a wife and daughter (just like Sanjay Dutt) who's only 18 months old.
Major Manish never said 'I have a daughter' before he took the decision to attack the terrorists in the darkest of nights. He never thought about having a family and he being the bread earner.
No news channel covered this since they were too busy hyping a former drug addict, a suspect who's linked to bomb blasts which killed hundreds. Their aim was to show how he defied the TADA charges and they were so successful that his conviction in possession of armory had no meaning. They also concluded that his parents in heaven must be happy and proud of him.
Parents of Major Manish are still living and they have to live rest of their lives without their beloved son. His daughter won't ever see her daddy again.
please forward this message around so that the media knows which news to give importance, as it is a shame for us since this Army Major's death news was given by a foreign TV channel!!!
If you believe in it, don't feel shy in forwarding it..
Jai Hind!
India's 1000+ military helicopter shopping list
# 15 American CH-47 Chinook heavy lift helicopters
# 22 medium attack Boeing's AH-64 Apache.
# 159 Dhruv Mark III utility helicopters, There is an estimated need for more than 350 Dhruvs for the Army, IAF, coast guard and paramilitary forces.
# The Navy is buying an additional 50 light, twin-engine helicopters, most probably from AgustaWestland. , the navy is procuring another 91 medium, multi-role helicopters to replace its vintage Sea King fleet, which flies from larger frigates and destroyers.
# HAL’s Light Combat Helicopter, 179 are on order (IAF 65; army 114).
# The military's other bulk requirement is for 384 light utility helicopters, or LUH's, to replace the army and IAF's obsolescent Cheetahs and Chetaks, This has been divided into two streams: 197 LuHs are being bought off-the-shelf through a global tender; and 187 LuHs are being developed and built in India by HAL.
'Chinki' will get you 5-years in jail
'Chinki' will get you 5-years in jail..
Watch your tongue before you call anyone from North-East a 'Chinki' else you could land up behind bars for the next five years. Here is a word of caution for all those who pass a racial slur against the people from North East.
In an attempt to prevent racial discrimination against people from the North East, the Ministry of Home Affairs has directed all the states and Union Territories to book anyone found guilty of atrocity against people from the region, reports said.
The offenders will be booked under the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act. Under the law, an accused can end up spending five years in jail and he could be denied anticipatory bail as well.
The MHA letter says that apart from the victim, anyone, who knows that such a comment has been passed can lodge a complaint. The police are empowered under the Act to arrest the offender without any warrant and launch an investigation. However, if police fail to act on a complaint, a 'serious view' should be taken against the officer or in-charge of the police station, who could be imprisoned for not be less than six months and may be extended to a year.
Saturday, June 2, 2012
Memoirs & Answers from the EWT !!!
Memoirs & Answers from the EWT !!!
--Capt S Shyam Saseethar
Having completed 5 years of my Life in the Indian Army, (3 yrs in the National Defence Academy and 1 year in the Indian Military Academy) one question which was always fired at me, be it from my seniors in NDA, my civilian friends at school, or even my parents at home and surprisingly my fellow comrades (course mates) within the organization as well was…Shyam why have you joined the Army?? Only I knew deep in my heart that I had no REAL answer, to this one.
Well for a young teenager who was a nerd in his school days the so called “Mr Book Worm” – the question did not come as a surprise at all. After scoring an aggregate of 93% plus in PCM in 10+2, who on earth would choose to join the Army…???
But as destiny would have it, I did make that choice and there I was, a fat dark kid from the south in the beautiful lush green fields of NDA with its splendid silence and awesome natural beauty.
Seldom did I realize then that, it would be in these very fields I would roll and roll endlessly for hours and that the so called heavenly silence of NDA would be shattered by screaming abuses of my Over study and of course the CSM of my sqn- The Hunter Sqn ! They say NDA has a total of 14 sqns where cadets are trained, the 15th one – the Hunter did not fit into that definition. Here Hunters were born, not trained. Here rules as applicable to cadets or Humans ceased to exist. So those 3 yrs went by, and I had the honour of passing out as the Quarter Master Sergeant of my sqn, leaner and smarter. But to my surprise, even in those three years I found no answer to that question..!
The days in IMA were equally adventurous but far more easier for me , and before I realized about it, the day had come when I crossed the < Antim Padh >> and was a commissioned officer in the worlds third largest Army. Corps of Engineers was what I asked for, and Bombay Sappers-107 Shatrujeet was what I got.
And so my days as a youngster in the regiment began and went on. Each day taught me new lessons and with every passing day I became a better individual professionally.
It so happened that on a short leave back home (( Youngsters don’t get vacations )) I had a chance encounter with my old schoolmate, Arun Kumar, now an MBA graduate working for shell, earning Rs 150000 a month as a chief purchasing manager. This lad asks me …. Shyam why are you in the Army? Why have you joined? I thought to myself, Oh My God… Not that question again. I don’t have a damn clue to it. But of course I had my SSB type standard answer to such questions. So like a well trained Ex NDA, I almost convinced Arun into quitting his job and join the Army. Only I knew that I still didn’t have the answer to that question to convince myself. And so my life as a soldier’s soldier went on as usual.
In the month of Apr 2010, we had a 90 day long exercise with troops in the dry barren landscape of Rajasthan. With temperatures soaring as high as 55 degree Celsius during the day, and dropping unbelievably during night, it was nothing short of Hell- at least for me - an individual used to certain luxuries.
I was so perturbed by the Heat and the ravaging sandstorms which would sometimes send the tents in which we stayed flying high, that I actually began to count DLTGH (Days Left to Go Home). The last time I had done that was during my NDA days. The situation was just getting worse from bad, and our tasks and responsibility only had an exponential increase. It was during these difficult times, that I was made an MOG cdr of an independent Det and asked to provide close Support to my affiliated Bde. For the first time, as an officer, I found myself as the senior most individual with a particular goal and limited resources to achieve it . It is impossible to pen down the experiences an individual gains by such (much needed) responsibilities. As we went about fulfilling our tasks, I began to notice something that had eluded me all through out my life.
I noticed the power of Human Endurance, the power of Interpersonal Relationship, the power of Patriotism, the power of Love.
During one of the exercises, we remained cut off from the main body for almost three whole days with only emergency ration of 24 hours and limited water available for our survival. It was a huge situation (Not Problem) to which I had to come out with an answer. And we achieved exactly that, as a cohesive team with – > attitude. I could proudly say that on that day, I had my first taste of professional Job satisfaction.
As the exercise went on, we passed through vast barren fields with a hut or two in between, with very few people mostly kids and women, staying in them.
But what came as a surprise to me was the feeling of respect and awe the locals had for the Army in general and for us in particular. No matter what be the time, No matter what be the temperature, whether or not there was a sandstorm or not did not matter at all, these people- Men, women and kids of all ages, they waived to us, cheered us, and made us go on, when none of us had any logical reason to do so.
The kids were the most active of all; they would run along us, provide us with Lassi and curd and always smile. Some of them did not wear any slippers, yet they would walk across the burning sand just to come to us and say – “Namaste Fauji Bhai”. It was after experiencing these extremely emotional and passionate expression of unconditional love and loyalty for the country and towards us , It struck me, that the answer I was in search of all these years have finally been found.
I found the answer to my question in the eyes of the Kid- Arjun Rathore, who saluted all of us at mid-noon and ran with cold water, a few broken biscuits and a can of home made Lassi.
“Fauji bhai—Fauji bhai, Piyo sharmao math piyo, ye aap ke liye khaas ghar se banaya hoon” – the whole world froze and stood still as these words penetrated my heart like sharp arrows. For now I knew why I had joined the Army. Now I knew that the feeling of pride and honour, I felt, I experienced that day was something the best of the multi National Companies anywhere in the world could never ever give to me. I was finally cleared of all my apprehensions about our war capabilities. I finally realized that if 11 yr old Arjun has such feelings and love and josh, who on earth could dare win over us, in a country with at least 10 million more Arjuns.
In the end, I fell in love, I can say, with the heat, the sand, the barren fields, the wonderful land of Rajastan for only I know that behind these are hidden the invincible fabric of Freedom and Liberty, Love and Patriotism, the actual PUNCH of our great nation which would knock out the greatest of greatest Armies that exist today.
Jai Hind
--Capt S Shyam Saseethar
Having completed 5 years of my Life in the Indian Army, (3 yrs in the National Defence Academy and 1 year in the Indian Military Academy) one question which was always fired at me, be it from my seniors in NDA, my civilian friends at school, or even my parents at home and surprisingly my fellow comrades (course mates) within the organization as well was…Shyam why have you joined the Army?? Only I knew deep in my heart that I had no REAL answer, to this one.
Well for a young teenager who was a nerd in his school days the so called “Mr Book Worm” – the question did not come as a surprise at all. After scoring an aggregate of 93% plus in PCM in 10+2, who on earth would choose to join the Army…???
But as destiny would have it, I did make that choice and there I was, a fat dark kid from the south in the beautiful lush green fields of NDA with its splendid silence and awesome natural beauty.
Seldom did I realize then that, it would be in these very fields I would roll and roll endlessly for hours and that the so called heavenly silence of NDA would be shattered by screaming abuses of my Over study and of course the CSM of my sqn- The Hunter Sqn ! They say NDA has a total of 14 sqns where cadets are trained, the 15th one – the Hunter did not fit into that definition. Here Hunters were born, not trained. Here rules as applicable to cadets or Humans ceased to exist. So those 3 yrs went by, and I had the honour of passing out as the Quarter Master Sergeant of my sqn, leaner and smarter. But to my surprise, even in those three years I found no answer to that question..!
The days in IMA were equally adventurous but far more easier for me , and before I realized about it, the day had come when I crossed the < Antim Padh >> and was a commissioned officer in the worlds third largest Army. Corps of Engineers was what I asked for, and Bombay Sappers-107 Shatrujeet was what I got.
And so my days as a youngster in the regiment began and went on. Each day taught me new lessons and with every passing day I became a better individual professionally.
It so happened that on a short leave back home (( Youngsters don’t get vacations )) I had a chance encounter with my old schoolmate, Arun Kumar, now an MBA graduate working for shell, earning Rs 150000 a month as a chief purchasing manager. This lad asks me …. Shyam why are you in the Army? Why have you joined? I thought to myself, Oh My God… Not that question again. I don’t have a damn clue to it. But of course I had my SSB type standard answer to such questions. So like a well trained Ex NDA, I almost convinced Arun into quitting his job and join the Army. Only I knew that I still didn’t have the answer to that question to convince myself. And so my life as a soldier’s soldier went on as usual.
In the month of Apr 2010, we had a 90 day long exercise with troops in the dry barren landscape of Rajasthan. With temperatures soaring as high as 55 degree Celsius during the day, and dropping unbelievably during night, it was nothing short of Hell- at least for me - an individual used to certain luxuries.
I was so perturbed by the Heat and the ravaging sandstorms which would sometimes send the tents in which we stayed flying high, that I actually began to count DLTGH (Days Left to Go Home). The last time I had done that was during my NDA days. The situation was just getting worse from bad, and our tasks and responsibility only had an exponential increase. It was during these difficult times, that I was made an MOG cdr of an independent Det and asked to provide close Support to my affiliated Bde. For the first time, as an officer, I found myself as the senior most individual with a particular goal and limited resources to achieve it . It is impossible to pen down the experiences an individual gains by such (much needed) responsibilities. As we went about fulfilling our tasks, I began to notice something that had eluded me all through out my life.
I noticed the power of Human Endurance, the power of Interpersonal Relationship, the power of Patriotism, the power of Love.
During one of the exercises, we remained cut off from the main body for almost three whole days with only emergency ration of 24 hours and limited water available for our survival. It was a huge situation (Not Problem) to which I had to come out with an answer. And we achieved exactly that, as a cohesive team with – > attitude. I could proudly say that on that day, I had my first taste of professional Job satisfaction.
As the exercise went on, we passed through vast barren fields with a hut or two in between, with very few people mostly kids and women, staying in them.
But what came as a surprise to me was the feeling of respect and awe the locals had for the Army in general and for us in particular. No matter what be the time, No matter what be the temperature, whether or not there was a sandstorm or not did not matter at all, these people- Men, women and kids of all ages, they waived to us, cheered us, and made us go on, when none of us had any logical reason to do so.
The kids were the most active of all; they would run along us, provide us with Lassi and curd and always smile. Some of them did not wear any slippers, yet they would walk across the burning sand just to come to us and say – “Namaste Fauji Bhai”. It was after experiencing these extremely emotional and passionate expression of unconditional love and loyalty for the country and towards us , It struck me, that the answer I was in search of all these years have finally been found.
I found the answer to my question in the eyes of the Kid- Arjun Rathore, who saluted all of us at mid-noon and ran with cold water, a few broken biscuits and a can of home made Lassi.
“Fauji bhai—Fauji bhai, Piyo sharmao math piyo, ye aap ke liye khaas ghar se banaya hoon” – the whole world froze and stood still as these words penetrated my heart like sharp arrows. For now I knew why I had joined the Army. Now I knew that the feeling of pride and honour, I felt, I experienced that day was something the best of the multi National Companies anywhere in the world could never ever give to me. I was finally cleared of all my apprehensions about our war capabilities. I finally realized that if 11 yr old Arjun has such feelings and love and josh, who on earth could dare win over us, in a country with at least 10 million more Arjuns.
In the end, I fell in love, I can say, with the heat, the sand, the barren fields, the wonderful land of Rajastan for only I know that behind these are hidden the invincible fabric of Freedom and Liberty, Love and Patriotism, the actual PUNCH of our great nation which would knock out the greatest of greatest Armies that exist today.
Jai Hind
Meet General Bikram Singh
General Bikram Singh PVSM, UYSM, AVSM, SM, VSM, ADC assumes charge as the Chief of Army Staff on May 31, 2012. It is no coincidence that the 25th General to lead the world's second largest army is indeed one of its most decorated serving soldiers today.
Commissioned on March 31, 1972, into the Sikh Light Infantry, SIKHLI, Regiment, his four-decade career in the uniform so far has been a continuing saga of 'aspiring for excellence.' His colleagues remember him as one of the bright cadets at the Indian Military Academy, where he held the appointment of Battalion Cadet Adjutant.
An astute military tactician and an ardent student of military strategy and operational art till date, he was awarded the J&K Rifles Gold Medal for 'Tactics and Leadership' and the 'Shriganesh Trophy' at the IMA.
The affable general -- better known as 'Bikki' to his friends -- began displaying his steely resolve and grit very early in his army career. At the Infantry School during his Young Officer's Course, he topped the course and was adjudged the 'Best Young Officer' and also awarded the prestigious 'Commando Dagger' for being the best commando along with 'Best in Tactics' trophy. These awards remain the most coveted dream of every aspiring young officer.
It was during his tenure as an instructor at the Commando Wing at the Infantry School that General Bikram Singh would find his life partner. Then, a young captain, he saw and briefly met his future wife-to-be, Surjeet Kaur -- popularly known as 'Bubbles' in army circles -- at a family wedding.
He saw her, liked her and proposed to her. "It indeed was love at first sight," reminisces the general. Respecting custom and tradition, he sought the assistance of his sister and other family members who set up the match before his return to the Commando School after his leave.
"Within a week, things were arranged and we got engaged. However, I was not happy with the marriage being fixed after six months. So, I called her up from Belgaum and told her to be prepared for marriage within a month. Of course, this required convincing parents and family members on both sides." True to his words, marriage done, Mrs Bubbles joined him at the Commando Wing of the Infantry School within the stated time-frame.
For the newly-wedded lady, it was an altogether new experience to be in a way of life that she had no prior association with. "During various demonstrations that used to be organised for the public, I ensured that Bubbles was present to see and appreciate our commando skills and techniques."
He needn't have done any more, for Mrs Bubbles was more than just smitten by this young, handsome officer and his honest display of affection, albeit only commando-like.
"Bikki's friends ensured that for nearly a month-and-half I didn't have to cook any meal after I joined him. Either we were invited to a friend's house or they would send us meals at home," says Mrs Bubbles.
Her tryst with army life began on a note of bon homie and she has stood steadfast to the core values of the camaraderie that is the mainstay of life in the armed forces, the army in particular. Today, Mrs Bubbles has an equally important role to play alongside General Bikram Singh, as President AWWA (Army Wives Welfare Association), in the days and years ahead.
The environs of South Block beckoned General Bikram Singh on several occasions. After the 'Higher Command Course', he served his first tenure in the Military Operations (MO) Directorate. The tenure, as a director, coincided with the Kargil [ Images ] war and the bright officer was singled out to brief the media on the daily progress of the conflict.
Later, he was also made responsible for writing the official version of the war history. These were major responsibilities, which he fulfilled commendably.
He went on to serve four more important tenures at Army HQ which included one additional tenure in the MO Directorate as the Deputy Director General, thereafter, two tenures in the Perspective Planning Directorate, initially as the Deputy Director General of Perspective Planning (Strategy) and later, as the head of the army's 'Think Tank' as the Additional Director General (the appointment now has since been upgraded to the post of Director General).
He would later return to Army HQ as a lieutenant general to serve as the Director General Staff Duties (DGSD) that facilitates the overall functioning of various branches of army headquarters and serves as an interface with other government agencies besides looking at the Indian Army's training teams abroad and UN peacekeeping operations.
In between 'Staff' roles, General Bikram Singh went on to command several other operational field formations. These include command of a Rashtriya Rifles Sector in South Kashmir, an Infantry Division in Jammu and Kashmir and the prestigious 15 Corps at Srinagar
His tenure later as Army Commander Eastern Command was also marked by significant improvements in both the conventional and sub-conventional war-fighting arenas.
In addition to the timely raisings of various field formations and infrastructure development, the internal security canvas in all the militancy-inflicted states has shown a marked improvement.
The general ensured that all counter-terrorism operations were synergised, people friendly, and launched on hard intelligence to obviate inconvenience to the locals. All actions of his troops, he demanded, must contribute to the groundswell for peace.
As a Brigadier, he was selected to attend the US Army War College, Pennsylvania, where besides excelling in academics he also won the International Toastmaster's award in public speaking.
His international forays with peace-keeping missions include two assignments with the United Nations in Central America (ONUCA and ONUSAL) and as the Deputy Force Commander and GOC of Eastern Division in the Democratic Republic of Congo. His division comprised contingents from 18 different countries including a brigade each from India and Pakistan, and battalions and companies from China, Bangladesh, Nepal, Uruguay, South Africa Morocco, Senegal, Benin, and Tunisia amongst other countries.
During his tenure in Congo, his division was instrumental in bring peace to the strife-torn eastern region and creating conditions for the consolidation of peace process.
Colleagues also remember him for being a 'soldier's soldier' for spending time and sweat with his troops on the ground.
A shade of this was visible during the September 2011 earthquake in Sikkim when he visited all affected forward posts and even awarded commendation medals to soldiers and officers for exceptional service on the spot.
Gifted with a razor-sharp memory for details, General Bikram Singh is known to often surprise old friends -- even those he has not met in decades -- with references to their family members and memories of time spent together.
He studied at the Punjab Public School, Nabha. An avid sportsman, his favourite games in school were cricket, athletics and hockey. Singing and painting were his other talents that also fetched him awards in school. "Classical songs and ghazals are my favourites," he reveals. "Jagjit Singh, Ghulam Ali and Pankaj Udhas are his favourites," adds Mrs Bubbles.
General Bikram Singh was nearly destined to be a doctor as most of his teachers believed he would. He was an exceptional student of zoology and biology and always scored very high marks in these subjects. But the wars of 1962 and 1965 were to have a profound impact on his young mind to motivate him to join the National Defence Aacdemy in 1968.
The medical fraternity's loss has been the Indian Army's gain. When asked whether he ever regrets the choice made, General Bikram Singh says, "If I were ever to be born again, I would only join the Indian Army" -- words that would be echoed by only a highly motivated soldier, and that which would also inspire a generation of youth who aspire to be one like him.
Congrats General…
MARCOS celebrate 25 Glorious years
MARCOS celebrate 25 Glorious years .
the Indian Marine Special Force (IMSF) and the first batch passed out on 14 Feb 1987. It was later renamed as the Marine Commando Force (MCF) in 1991. The force has acquired a reputation for its tough professionalism over two decades it has been in existence. The MARCOS is one of the most decorated forces of the Indian Navy. The valiant efforts of its cadres during Operation Pawan (Sri Lanka), Operation Cactus (Maldives), Operation Muffet (Somalia), Operation Rakshak (J&K), Operation Black Tornado (26/11 attacks) and ongoing anti piracy operations in Gulf of Aden have earned the force one Maha Vir Chakra, two Vir Chakras, eleven Shaurya Chakras, forty one Nau Sena Medals (Gallantry), two Nau Sena Medals bar and one Sena Medal.
the Indian Marine Special Force (IMSF) and the first batch passed out on 14 Feb 1987. It was later renamed as the Marine Commando Force (MCF) in 1991. The force has acquired a reputation for its tough professionalism over two decades it has been in existence. The MARCOS is one of the most decorated forces of the Indian Navy. The valiant efforts of its cadres during Operation Pawan (Sri Lanka), Operation Cactus (Maldives), Operation Muffet (Somalia), Operation Rakshak (J&K), Operation Black Tornado (26/11 attacks) and ongoing anti piracy operations in Gulf of Aden have earned the force one Maha Vir Chakra, two Vir Chakras, eleven Shaurya Chakras, forty one Nau Sena Medals (Gallantry), two Nau Sena Medals bar and one Sena Medal.
Speech of 25th COAS Gen Bikram Singh
Will continue to carry on duty faithfully and in most fulfilling manner
Want to assure you that army will diligently keep doing its duty
Indian Army is an accountable army
When you drive a car, you look at the windscreen not at the rearview mirror
Better to leave behind what happened in the past
Let's put our best foot forward, aim should be to become an apolitical force
All these cases will be dealt with due strictness
Indian army has given its view on AFSPA to the govt; let the govt now comment on it
There is nothing that will be brushed under the carpet. We will probe everything as and when necessary
Don't want to comment on my worthy predecessor's comments yesterday
I begin my tenure today. Let me see what the problems are. Will take stock accordingly
My endeavor is to ensure that the army is ready and worthy of its opponent and is able to undertake any role it undertakes
Best Wishes
I would still give my life to keep us all free
I served my country I heeded their call
I was still just a boy when I signed on the line
I did not see the adventure that soon would be mine
After my training I got on a plane
I arrived at my unit fresh faced & sane
This young little boy grew up so fast
Putting aside the pain of the past
Then came the day the adventure had come
On with my flak jacket and take up my gun
To patrol the streets of Belfast fair city
Where the abuse was rife but the girls were pretty
For all of my career I gave them my best
I am proud to have served and have medals on my chest
But now I am older and wiser and lost a little zest
So now is the time for my well earned rest
But a soldiers spirit is forever in my heart
Also the love of my country will never depart
So if ever my country should call upon me
I would still give my life to keep us all free…
Jai Hind
Why General V K Singh should join politics
To give an example, more than two decades ago, General S F Rodrigues as the army chief (1990-93) had sacked two lieutenant general ranking officers for 'moral turpitude'.
It was also in the decade of 1990s and a mere remark by the general that 'good governance is as much business of the armed forces as well' had the media braying for his blood.
The infamous episode when General K S Thimaya, a soldier's soldier, was humiliated is old hat now! Even our only Field Marshal Sam Manekshaw was pilloried for a light hearted remark that if he had been in Pakistan Army they would have won the Bangladesh war! His enhanced pension hung fire for close to 10 years! Even in death, this illustrious son of India, was ignored and given less than his due honour!
Is there a pattern in these happenings? One seems to be that whenever a weak political leadership is at the helm of affairs, it is paranoid about the army and strains every nerve to cut it down to size.
Second and more fundamental trend is that the media and intellectuals deny the democratic right and space to the armed forces that it is willing to give to other government functionaries.
For instance, nobody questions the home secretary if he talks of internal security or the foreign secretary if he talks on foreign policy. But when a service chief makes a statement on defence and security issues, all hell breaks loose!
This aversion to seeing soldiers take on any political leadership role is deep rooted in the Indian psyche. I recall my own father being horrified if I commented on any 'political issue'. Though as a citizen I have the same rights. Yet a retired soldier is expected to 'fade away'.
While in other democracies, retired distinguished generals routinely take up political careers. Not just World War II war hero like Dwight Eisenhower became US President, but closer to time, General Collin Powell became the Secretary of State!
In the leadership vacuum faced by India today, will General V K Singh after retirement take up a political role is a million dollar question!
The plus side for the general is his clean image. Despite some carping critics, he has carried out two very major reforms in the army. The one deals with the abolition of the 'sahayak' (orderly) system in peace stations.
The second deals with the harmonisation of rations for jawans and officers. Both these were long standing grievances of the rank and file in the army. With these necessary reforms, he has brought the army in line with the egalitarian ethos of our democracy. In the din over the date of birth issue, these major steps have gone un-noticed.
The general's plain speak on the lack of war preparedness of the army, again, unfortunately got mired in the controversy over the 'leak' of this letter. General Singh has done his job by alerting the political leadership to the dangers of keeping the army starved of modern equipment. That it has helped our enemies is wrong criticism, for any expert in the field knows very well that our enemies must be well aware of our shortcomings!
You do not need spies to find out that the Indian infantry is equipped with outdated weapons; our display of the outmoded weaponry takes place every January 26 on Rajpath in full view of the world!
Two things go in favour of General Singh. Despite immense pressure and dirty tricks, he stood his ground, unlike Generals Thimmaya or Rodrigues. This has actually raised the morale of the armed forces as they found their chief standing up to injustice. The loss of credibility of the political and bureaucratic elite has been the result.
Unfortunately many veterans and some motivated commentators have been hurling half truths to dent his image. Once retired, the general will be freer to speak his mind.
But if the recent happenings are any guide then it is to be expected that some agencies of the government may go on an overdrive to find some dirt to stick on the soon to be ex-chief.
General Singh seems to have so far shown keen awareness of this reality.
One issue that is crying for the general's attention is factual denial of voting rights to the soldiers and their families. Even our much vaunted Election Commission has been amiss on this issue. While it goes to great length to make sure that people living in the remotest parts have chance to vote, the soldiers serving on the border or their families who follow them all over the country, are routinely denied this basic democratic right.
The situation is similar for other uniformed forces like the CRPF, BSF etc. Even in the midst of Second World War, the British ensured that soldiers on the Burma front had a chance to vote.
One of the cardinal reasons that the politicians are cold to the problem of men in uniform is that they are seldom able to vote and are nobody's vote-bank. In our election agenda driven nation, that has had a distorting effect on policies. One wishes that the general takes up this cause in right earnest.
It is time that he forgets about his academic pursuits and instead joins politics to provide much needed leadership to the country starving for it. The political scene, both on the ruling and opposition side has never been so dismal in last 60 years.
There is a terrible dearth of leaders of stature and capability. Instead of leaders what we have (with very few exceptions) are dynasties and petty caste leaders. Political parties have began to resemble family business concerns, this is surely not democracy.
We have never had retired service chiefs succeed in politics. Will General Singh break this glass ceiling?
An Article by Col Dr Anil Athale.
I sat alone preparing for the battle ahead
But my mind took me to the memories instead .
And then sinking in the deep seas of past
I realized sadly , I'd moved on so fast.
Those good old days , how well I remember,
That scorching sun of June, that freezing December .
Those moments which brought me laughter and tears ,
Seems like a few hours , but it's actually in years .
Those roadside games I used to play,
Those exciting and dull school day
Those pranks with neighbours with friends of mine ,
They were all my partners in the crime .
That joy ride on back , my Pa would give ,
With me all around his dreams would live .
And that food , my mother would make,
Her care so pressing , my pains she would take.
That girl in the 'pink' , who commanded my heart ,
The kiss she gave ,when our ways did part.
Now the memories pain ,they hurt like scar ,
But , I can't return , I have come too far .
I became a soldier , a warrior for my land,
Left all , picked up the gun in my hand.
Pledged to sacrifice my life and my death ,
To guard the frontiers , till the last breath .
I realize now I'd moved on so fast,
I owe a lot to the present and the past .
'Leave the past' I said , build the future instead ,
As I sat alone , preparing for the battle ahead .....
