Profiles in Heroism: Archive

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Jagan
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Post by Jagan »

Pandillapalli Srinivasa Rao , DyCF, Kirti Chakra


-----------------------------------------------
My son tried to reform Veerappan'
SAMSON RAJ

http://sagongs.ipbhost.com/uploads/post ... 732143.jpg

M y son could have killed Veerappan two decades ago, but he tried to reform him instead," `Veeramata' Jayalakshmi, the mother of Pandillapalli Srinivasa Rao who was beheaded by the sandalwood smuggler back in 1991, claims today. "Dasara is being celebrated all over the country for victory of good over evil. It is my Dasara too because the Mahishasura in the form of Veerappan has perished," she says.

Finally, the most-wanted person in two States, Veerappan, was killed and his death had an impact in Rajahmundry too. Srinivas was a deputy conservator of forest like any other in the State, but was killed by the brigand near Gopinadham village in Karnataka, his native village. The mother says her son actually captured Veerappan in 1986 and that was the last time the infamous killer was ever caught. "But, he managed to escape using his influence."

Srinivas belonged to the 1979 IFS batch of the Karnataka cadre and was posted as the deputy conservator of forest in the Chamaraja Nagara region in 1981. It is believed that he may have discovered Veerappan on at least three occasions during combing operations and was arrested once in 1986.

"My son tried to reform Veerappan. In fact, the villagers stopped co-operating with Veerappan because my son was successful in reforming them by providing them employment in the forest. That really irked Veerappan and he hatched a plot," says the mother. He invited the forest warden claiming he wanted to surrender personally to him. When Srinivas went to him unarmed, he was beheaded. Srinivas was awarded the Keerthi Chakra posthumously in 1992 for that.

"Veerappan did the same thing that Brutus did to Julius Caesar. He pretended to be a good friend and then conspired to kill him," said Pandillapalli Anantha Rao, the father. "I am happy Veerappan was killed by a government official. I am proud that November 10, the day on which my son was assassinated is observed as Foresters Memorial Day all over India."
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Post by Shishir »

Vijay Krishna More (Unit ?) - Op Rakshak

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The funeral of Vijay Krishna More on Oct 7, a 27-year-old soldier with the Indian Army, who was killed in Leh, was attended by hundreds of people. Vijay, the only earning member of the family, is survived by his parents, two brothers and a five-month pregnant wife. Vijay was scheduled to return home on Oct 20.

“He had called on Oct 3, a Sunday. But our fate changed just two days after that,” says his weeping father, Krishna More. In the last one week, the More residence at Sambhaji Nagar has seen a stream of visitors coming to offer condolences. The line of visitors includes relatives, friends, famous personalities and strangers who just want to share the grief of the family and pay tributes to Thane’s hero.

“Last week, Balasaheb Thackeray was here after his rally in Thane. He spoke to Vijay’s wife and asked us to contact him whenever we needed anything. It feels nice to see so many coming forward to support us,” says Sanjay, Vijay’s elder brother.

The incident may have left the Mores in mourning but they say they are very proud of Vijay. “We are told that he was loading ammunition when the bullet hit him in his head. Although, we do not know the details, this is what we think has happened. We are waiting for an official update from the army along with his belongings that will be sent to us soon,” says Krishna More.

Even as Vijay More’s parents mourn the loss of their son, their younger son Sachin More is preparing to enroll in the army. The Mores originally hail from Devghar in Khed. Almost every family in Devghar has one member serving in the armed forces. Vijay’s grandfather Nana More was in the British Army, while his father worked with the supplies division of the Indian Military.

“Vijay studied in Devghar till Class 4 and then joined Maharashtra Vidyalaya in Thane. He always wanted to join the army like his grandfather and father. After SSC, he enrolled himself in the army. He had been in the army for nine years,” says Nirmala More, Vijay’s mother.

When asked if his brother’s death had changed his mind about joining the armed forces, Sachin says, “The incident has only strengthened my determination. I am proud of my brother and I also want to serve the nation.” When the same question was put to his mother, she says, “Anything for the nation.”
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Post by Adi »

http://www.hindu.com/2004/10/27/stories ... 361200.htm
Maj. K. Rao of the 27 Madras Regiment was patrolling with his men near Sajik Tampak in Chandel, when the remote controlled bomb was detonated.

The seriously injured officer was airlifted to the Army hospital at Leimakhong, where his legs were amputated.
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Post by A Sharma »

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Post by JaiS »

Martyrs of Rezang La remembered

The Army today remembered its 114 martyrs who fought to their last bullet in icy Himalayan heights 42 years ago in the 1962 war.

The bravehearts from the 13th Battalion of the Kumaon Regiment, led by their Commander Major Shaitan Singh, had fought to the last man. Though heavily outnumbered and outgunned, they reused to abandon their positions at Rezang La in Chushul sector on November 18, 1962.

Shaitan Singh was decorated with the country's highest bravery award Param Vir Chakra.

To commemorate the sacrifice made by the Ahirs of 13th Battalion, `Rezang La Shaurya Diwas' was celebrated at Rewari, Haryana, where a memorial has been built by the local people with the help of the Army.

The ceremony, attended by Army's Vice Chief Lt Gen Shantonu Chaudhry among others, included a wreath-laying ceremony and a Guard of Honour.

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Post by Harsh »

Old soldier never died, soul lives on at Indian army outpost

Wed Nov 17, 2:18 AM ET South Asia - AFP

NATHU LA, India (AFP) - Sepoy Harbhajan Singh of the 23rd Punjab Regiment reported back for duty this week at this Indo-Chinese border outpost, 26 years after he died.

Accompanied by luggage, the departed soul is taking a holiday back home courtesy of a first class train ticket paid for by the Indian army's 17th Mountain Division.

"It is an annual trip that Baba (saint) makes and now he has returned," said an army captain on Wednesday.

Today an honorary captain after several posthumous promotions, the Sikh soldier drowned in a stream in 1968 while accompanying a mule column along the border in the Himalayan mountain state of Sikkim.

Years later, a regimental officer claimed that Singh appeared to him, revealing where his body was buried under snow. The army built a memorial on the spot and today proudly maintains the shrine visited by thousands of pilgrims each summer.

However, it could be the last year for the spiritual homecoming as Singh was due to retire from the army in 2005.

"Already there is a crowd of devotees at his temple here," following Monday's ceremonial resumption of duty, said the army captain who identified himself only as Rathore.

"Baba's return is special for soldiers and civilians alike," he explained at the 14,500-foot (4,400-metre) high Nathu La pass where India and China fought a bloody battle in 1962.

The army even sends a soldier to escort the Baba on furlough. A military vehicle also ferries the spirit from his post to the railway station, Rathore added.

The escort stands beside an empty berth in a reserved carriage all the way from distant northern India.

"Both civilians and troops believe that it is his spirit that has ensured a ceasefire between Indian and Chinese forces here," another officer said.

Singh is also credited with healing powers and revered as a saint by soldiers and locals alike at the chilly outpost of Nathu La, one of six Indian-held passes in the northeastern state.

The Mountain Division worships the soldier and continues to pay his monthly wages of 2,500 rupees (50 dollars) to his parents in the northern town of Kapurthala.

In the modest officer's mess near the shrine, a stuffed chair is reserved for the dead man, while living colleagues have to make do with plastic chairs.

A reversed gun mounted on cement stands as his memorial outside the temple maintained by a team of junior commissioned officers.

India and China exchanged artillery fire at Nathu La in August 1967, five years after the border war which gave the Indian army a bloody nose. The big guns have since fallen silent.
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Post by enqyoobOLD »

Slightly different kind of heroism - but the sense that its up to oneself to go help - not wait for government etc. - is obviously ingrained in these heroes.

www.rediff.com
The heroes of a Punjab village

Onkar Singh in Harsa-Mansar | December 15, 2004 23:45 IST

Though the army, police and nongovernmental agencies did lend a hand in removing the dead bodies and taking the injured to the hospitals, the real heroes of the Harsa-Mansar accident -- which involved the Jammu Tawi-Ahmedabad Express and Jallandhar-Pathankot Diesel Multiple Unit passenger train -- were the villagers of Harsa-Mansar itself.

Subedar Tilaj Raj of the 13th Sikh Regiment was going to have his lunch on Tuesday when he heard a loud bang. "When I came out I saw bogies of two trains had been thrown off the rails and people were screaming for help. I and some of my neighbours immediately rushed out to help the victims," he told rediff.com
Also Read



Saviour village gets reward

Gatekeeper may have saved lives

'Human failure caused tragedy'

Punjab train mishap toll 38

Site of accident




His house is located barely a hundred metres from the accident site.

More then 150 former and serving army jawans live in the vicinity.

Subedar (retd) Kuldeep, who tills his lands to earn a living, and others also rushed out.

"When we reached the place Punjab police was nowhere in the picture," he said. "Youngsters from our village volunteered to take the injured to the hospital on their tractors and other modes of transport. We stopped the cars and other vehicle on the national highway and forced them to shift the injured to the hospital. The army jawans and officers from nearby units were pressed into service with gas cutters to pull out the dead bodies and the injured."

The village women made tea and food for the volunteers.

P C Sharma, who runs a stationary shop on the Jalandhar-Pathankot highway in Harsa-Mansar, claimed that the government was underplaying the toll. "They say that the number of dead is 38, but I can tell you that more then two hundred people have died in the accident," he said.

K K Sharma, 55, lay injured in the Mukerian Civil Hospital. Sharma, a businessman who deals in computers, could have caught an earlier train from Bhagala station and reached his destination without any problem. "I felt too lazy to run a couple of paces to catch the Sealdah Express. I had barely got into the local DMU when the accident took place. I was thrown off my seat and now I have cracks in both the shoulders," Sharma told rediff.com

Five-year-old Komal does not know she has lost her mother and her brother. Pala Ram, her father, had gone to the hospital to get their bodies while her uncle was attending to her. "Since yesterday she has eaten little and is waiting for her mother and brother to return so that she can go home and play," said one of her relatives. Komal and her family were going to their home in Pathankot when the tragedy struck.

Jaspal Singh, the assistant driver of the Jammu Tawi-Ahmedabad Express, was taken to Ludhiana for treatment but he could not be saved. He passed away on Wednesday morning. Harjinder Singh the other driver, is undergoing treatment.
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Another Heor

Post by karan »

Didn't see it was posted anywhere.

http://www.tribuneindia.com/2004/20041004/edit.htm#6

Undaunted by disability
Ex-soldier completes ‘Mission Marsimik La’
by Lt Gen Vijay Oberoi (retd)

AT 3 pm on September 12, 2004, history was made when Navin Gulia, a young man with a 90 per cent paralysed body and 100 per cent medical disability, did the impossible, by driving non-stop from Delhi to the highest motorable pass in the world, Marsimik La, in the mighty Ladakh range. Unfortunately, most of the media missed covering it, largely on account of lack of information.

Nine years ago, Navin Gulia, all of 31 years now, had severely injured his neck and spine while clearing an obstacle in a competition at the Indian Military Academy, where he was in the final term as a gentleman cadet.

It was a severe blow to this young man of just about 22 years when the doctors opined that he would be paralysed for life and would be confined to a wheelchair.

Undaunted, this young man refused to be beaten by this calamity and fought it tooth and nail. It took him two years of fighting his disability and taming it, and then he was out of hospital, but in a wheelchair.

Navin not only worked hard at becoming physically independent, but also did his postgraduation in computers in the first class, taught computers for two years, and taught mathematics for three years (which he had honed while lying on his hospital bed).

Early last year we co-opted him in the folds of the War Wounded Foundation, which rehabilitates disabled officers and jawans. The Foundation, of which I am the President, has taken upon itself the task of converting our disabled soldiers into “soldier entrepreneurs’, with the help of corporate India.

We already have a number of achievers who have done the Foundation proud, and we hope to have many more in the coming months and years. Our aim is to dot the countryside of our nation with success stories of the war wounded providing them employment in small outlets and agencies, in the rural areas of our country. In the words of Navin, being part of the War Wounded Foundation gives him 100 per cent satisfaction.

Adventure activities lure young Navin for he thinks physical disability is no handicap as long as you do not feel disabled in any way. He first created a modification kit for driving a car and after extensive tests obtained a driving licence from the Transport Commissioner of Mumbai.

Thereafter, there was no stopping him. He notched up over two lakh kilometres driving experience in the Himalayas - in Uttranchal, Himachal and Ladakh. He drove up to the Khardung La (pass) in Ladakh, then the highest motorable pass in the world. He also practised flying powered hang-gliders.

Then there was a new challenge, as the Army’s Border Roads Organisation (BRO) had made Marsimik La motorable, at the imposing height of 18, 632 feet above sea level — 332 feet higher than the base camp of Mount Everest. He has now tamed even this formidable pass.

Navin’s adventure started at the India Gate in New Delhi, where, after paying homage to the martyrs of the armed forces, he commenced his “Mission to Marsimik La” at 3 am on September 10, 2004. The time selected was deliberate for he wanted the maximum day light hours at the beginning of his adventurous journey.

Earlier, on September 9, I had flagged him off ceremonially, first from the imposing India Gate and thereafter from the Army Public School (APS) in Delhi cantonment. The APS was selected, as Navin was an old student of the school.

The War Wounded Foundation organised the functions for bidding young Navin a memorable farewell. He received support from the corporate sector too. The car in which he travelled, a Tata Safari, was given by Tata Motors; Apollo Tyres provided new wheels; and Indian Oil Corporation provided fuel. Kapil Dev, an ambassador of the Foundation, took time out to meet Navin and encourage him in his adventurous quest.

With a navigator, a mechanic, a cameraman from the media and one assistant, he took off with confidence and a strong resolve to achieve his difficult goal. His journey was much tougher than what he had thought it would be, and although he took longer to traverse the distance, he displayed no hesitation at any time, but pressed on relentlessly.

From Manali onwards, he was under the protective umbrella of the Army, which provided him all logistics and administrative support. They even provided him an escort, which followed him right till his goal. The escort was also of considerable help in arranging assistance when needed and for keeping us at the Foundation informed of his progress.

Exactly 60 hours from his start, he touched the base and was atop the formidable Marsimik La, at the rarefied height of 18,632 feet above sea level. The journey had taken him over 1,200 km of varied and difficult terrain, including the last 800 km through the treacherous but beautiful Himalayas, and across seven high altitude passes of Ladakh.

Navin’s face had lit up with satisfaction on the achievement of his goal. He had got down from the car and sitting in the wheelchair he touched the stony terrain of Marsimik La — to savour his accomplishment perhaps.

His tremendous achievement will act as a beacon and will undoubtedly spur on all physically challenged individuals to emulate his example, and not let their physical handicaps prevent them from leading a full life.

The writer, himself a war disabled, is a former Vice Chief of Army Staff and President of the War Wounded Foundation.
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Another Loss...When will it stop!!!!

Post by karan »

Here is the link

http://ind.jagran.com/newssite/city...eid=6&lpageno=1

Ode to all Soldiers who have laid down their life for this nation

Chaah naahin maiin surbala key gehanon main guntha jauun,
Chaah naahin premi maala main bindh pyari koh lalchaun,

Chaah naahin samraton key shaav per he haari daala jaaun,
Chaah naahin devon key sarr per chadhun bhagya per itraaun,

Mujhe tod lenna banmaali uss paath per denna tum feink,
Matrabhumi per sheesh chadhane jis paath jaate veer aniek...

:( :cry:
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Post by AmanC »

Brig Sucha Singh, Vir Chakra, Military Cross, passed away on
December 25 in Command Hospital Chandimandir. He won the MC in WW-II while fighting with the 4/15 Punjabis (now with Pak). He won the VrC during 1947-48 ops with 2 Para.
He also commanded2 Para and 1 Para and took the surrender of Portugese garrison in Goa while commanding 1 Para. He commanded 51 Parachute Brigade and Sugar Sector. He retired as Director Infantry in the late 60s.
Incidentally, Dec 25 was also his birthday.
I had the honour of meeting this gallant soldier on more then one occassion. May he rest in peace.
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Post by Rishi »

Something i read somewhere: (written by Navin Kumar. navin if you are on BR, please delurk)

**********************************

@Capt Sajjan Singh Malik (kirti chakra ) 03/02/2005 21:34
lemme start this with some i knew very closely ,

malik bhayia as i called him was one hell of a guy and was from a regiment that is one of the toughest to get into .. the 10 parachute regiment (Special Forces) ..

a kind of guy who rode down on his bullet from udhampur (J&K) to belgaum for his commando training

.. the youngest officer to recieve the "balidaan" (the coveted badge of special forces ) ...

He always bragged about his "kills" .. his fav song - "jaane kya hoga from kaante" ... his motto - "live life king size"

he died last year in july (not before he killed 3 terrorists )and was awarded the kirti chakra this year on 26 jan parade ...

... at last i quote malik bhayia on his regiment "WE ARE THE BEST, SO WHATS THE BIG DEAL ?"
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Post by Rishi »

From Jagan's WoI site:

All of you have heard of Gaurav Chibber? Here he is during Kargil Ops.

Image

Read the 2nd last post here
Ramanujan

Post by Ramanujan »

Rishi,

I dont get it. What happened to Gaurav Chibber? Was he killed in a crash? I am sorry if this is common knowledge on the forum.
Its a very sad post.
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Post by Jagan »

Ramanujan wrote:Rishi,

I dont get it. What happened to Gaurav Chibber? Was he killed in a crash? I am sorry if this is common knowledge on the forum.
Its a very sad post.
His MiG-29 was lost in an accident on 6 August 99, killing him. The cause of accident was spatial disorientation in bad weather according to the report.

On 15th August, the announcement of his Vayu Sena Medal (Posthumous) was made.
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Post by Rishi »

From http://dcubed.blogspot.com/2005/03/for-soldier.html

Dilip D'Souza's blog:
March 9, 2005

For a soldier

You may know that I won the recent Outlook/Picador nonfiction competition. (Which is why I posted my Distraction Alley a few days ago). The essay that won was about a Major in Kashmir. It should be in the next issue of Outlook.

There was a small award function in Delhi last week. I read a little bit from the essay, and also spoke for a few minutes. This is what I said.

***

This essay came out of a trip I made almost by chance. I went in search of a man I knew I wouldn't find, yet I came back with the feeling I had found him, and in some strange way found myself too. Major Abhimanyu Sikka of the 22nd Rashtriya Rifles died in a blast in Kashmir in 2001, and it means a lot to me that his family is here with us today.

Abhimanyu was an unusual man for many reasons, and gives us things to think about. For one thing, he was the grand-nephew of Phizo, whom you might call the grand-daddy of what we so easily refer to as separatism, or insurgency, in the Northeast. Phizo's grand-nephew joined the Indian Army and served in Kashmir, battling more separatists with courage and distinction. Think of that.

But more than that, Abhimanyu also saw his job as reaching out to the local civilian population. Not just for information, necessary as that is, and as other officers I know do. But also to get to know them and win their hearts, which he knew was key to winning our war there. And he did this so well that he was known by all as Boba, Kashmiri for "mother". Think of it -- a tough soldier, and he's called "mother".

To me, Abhimanyu says things about patriotism -- about how it is embodied in reaching out to your fellow human, in the caring qualities we all remember our mothers for. This idea of patriotism, this reaching out to your fellow human, is the only way it makes any sense to me. I'm intrigued enough by it that I want to go searching for it some more.

Sure, there are the conventional ways to consider patriotism: the words like glory, and motherland, and valour. But Boba, he shows me another way. He shows me what my country can be. He takes me places I haven't dared dream about.

I wish I had known you, Abhimanyu. But I am honoured I do.
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Post by A Sharma »

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Re: Profiles in Heroism: Archive

Post by shek »

Shishir wrote:Major Lalson Varghese (14 RR)

HYDERABAD April 28, 2003 Family, friends, colleagues and common folk bid a tearful farewell to Major Lalson Varghese of the Indian Army in Hyderabad on Monday afternoon.

Suspected Jaish-e-Mohammed terrorists killed the 29-year-old major in an ambush during the counter-insurgency Operation Rakshak at Sumblar village in the Bandipora region of the Kashmir valley on April 24.

The funeral was held with full military honours, with Home Minister T Devender Goud representing the state government. The coffin was brought to the New Life Assembly of God Church where the funeral service was conducted. The body was then interred at the Garrison cemetery at Trimulgherry. Thomas Varghese, a retired army officer, said, "A soldier has died for his country and I am proud to be his father." Lalson's brothers, Reverend Valson Varghese and Sabu Varghese, his mother Aleyamma, and wife Nisha fought back their tears as they bid him goodbye.

A resident of Ramakrishnapuram in the Secunderabad Cantonment, Maj Varghese did his schooling at the Ajmer Military School and passed out of the National Defence Academy in 1995. He was commissioned into the 42nd Regiment of the Indian Army after passing out of the Indian Military Academy, Dehradun, in June 1996.

He was on deputation to the 14th Rashtriya Rifles at the time of the Kargil war.

The youngest of three brothers, Lalson got married just seven months ago. He celebrated his birthday with the family on March 13 and left for Kashmir three days later. He called up his wife on April 23 and told her of his plans of returning in September for their first wedding anniversary. But he was killed the next day. The body was brought back from Kashmir on April 26.

According to the army, Maj Varghese was an outstanding officer and served in several posts. He also won many sports medals, and excelled in several disciplines. He also loved painting.

Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu recalled in a statement that Maj Varghese had earned a promotion by displaying exemplary courage during the Kargil war. He had done the state and the country proud, he said.

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Lalson sir was a good man and an even better soldier. I knew him personally, we were school types. He did his initial education at The Army School Secunderabad before moving on to Military School, Ajmer. He was an awesome man of God which made him a better soldier!! He always helped his senior and junior subalterns when they came to him for help through constant prayers. Faith in God and moral uprightness wer his virtues. He was commissioned into the 42nd Armoured Regt and was damn proud of being an armoured corps officer. He served with the 9th JAT during cross attachment and was actively involved in ops. He used to tell me that Infantry life was good, but Armoured was better still!! A real "josh" type officer, will never forget him. One of the biggest motivating factors in my life. Ironically, it was his elder brother who conducted the funeral ceremony at the New Life Assemblies Of God Church, Secunderabad.
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Post by Anoop »

From South Asia Intelligence Review at satp.org
A Prime Minister Speaks: Finally, a Clear Voice on Terror
K.P.S. Gill



Few in India have recognized or even understood the enormous effort and sacrifice that has gone into the preservation of the 'symbols and gestures' of Constitutional Democracy. It is useful, in this context, to recall a small example of a 'routine' operation during the recent Assembly elections in Jharkhand, Chattisgarh and Bihar - areas widely afflicted by Naxalite violence. A contingent of the Punjab Police (PP) was deployed in Chattisgarh for 22 days on polling duties, with a large proportion of these in the Bastar area, including four of the areas worst affected by Naxalite violence: Jagdalpur, Kanker, Bijapur and Dantewada. One party of 50 PP personnel, accompanied by one local policeman, started from Bijapur to go through forests to reach a place called Sundra, to prepare a helipad so that electoral officials and materials could be brought in. This short journey was to be completed in two stages, with an overnight stop at Sagmeta. They moved from Bijapur at 07:00, and by 10:00, they were in the thick of the forest. They were greeted by as many as 19 landmine blasts, coupled with heavy firing. The commandos retaliated and used area weapons - 2-inch mortars, GF rifles (grenade launchers), Light Machine Guns and ALRs. They found that all the existing forest trails were mined, so they marched cross country, cutting a path through the forest and reached Sagmeta, just 15 kilometres from Bijapur, at 17:00, completing the journey in over 10 hours. At Sagmeta, from 23:00 to 05:00 the next morning, there was a pitched battle between the police party and the Naxalites who were surrounding them from all sides. They then received information that the route to Sundra was heavily mined. The party consequently stayed on at Sagmeta for another day. Firing on the party started again at 2200 and continued till 0500 the next morning. A helicopter was eventually pressed into service, and lifted one party - about half a platoon - who secured the ground at Sundra. The remaining policemen were then airlifted to create and secure the helipad. They came under heavy fire from the Naxalites through the night at Sundra as well. For those who have not faced fire, it is difficult to understand the enormous courage and character that it would have taken this small contingent, as they confronted a faceless enemy, although unused to the terrain, being in the area for the first time. It is a tribute to their ruggedness, their training and their experience in fighting terrorism in Punjab that, despite the fact that they took casualties, they managed to set up the polling station, and polling did take place. What they saw was often horrifying, as people with mutilated limbs lined up to cast their votes. These were the victims of Naxalite 'justice', their limbs cut off - often by their own relatives on Naxalite orders - on the mere suspicion of being 'informers'. After polling was over, the party returned, once again under heavy fire throughout the night. While details of this expedition are available to me, it was far from unique, and other parties in Kanker and other districts were also subject to organised attacks - though this was the most vicious. All Forces deployed for election duties in the area suffered casualties, and 32 SF personnel lost their lives during the elections in Chattisgarh and Jharkhand.
You make us all proud to be Indian.
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Post by Adi »

http://www.dailyexcelsior.com/web1/05apr20/news.htm#7

Capt Mathew awarded Shaurya Chakra for Rajouri encounter
NEW DELHI, Apr 19: President A P J Abdul Kalam today presented gallantry and distinguished service awards to 63 servicemen in a simple and poignant ceremony in the glittering Ashoka Hall of the Rashtrapati Bhawan here.

The ceremony, the second installment of the Republic Day-2005 awards investiture, was made yet more memorable by Dr Kalam shaking off protocol to walk down from the dais to present the honours to the next-of-kin of those awarded posthumously. :)

The singular honour also came the way of Shaurya Chakra Awardee Capt Perikalamkattil Abraham Mathew, seriously incapacitated in anti-insurgency operations in Jammu and Kashmir. Capt Mathew, who sustained serious head injuries in an encounter with terrorists in Rajouri district, is only able to walk with great difficulty.

The President awarded 14 Param Vishisht Seva Medals (PVSMs), three Kirti Chakras (two posthumous), one Uttam Yudh Seva Medal (UYSM), one Bar to the Ati Vishisht Seva Medal (AVSM), 25 AVSMs and 19 Shaurya Chakras (12 posthumous).

The Kirti Chakra winners were Wing Commander Sudhir Kumar Sharma of the Indian Air Force, who took his Cheetah helicopter well above its flying ceiling of 23,000 feet to rescue a group of injured mountaineers off Mt Kamet in Ladakh.

Nonchalantly disregarding the adverse conditions — deteriorating weather, severe turbulence, jet stream winds exceeding 120 kmph and a low margin of power — wing Cdr Sharma located a small unprepared, sloping and exposed ridge to land on his mission of mercy. The intrepid aviator repeated his feat twice to save all the three climbers from certain death, and in the process, also managed to set a world record.

Among the other two recepients — both awarded posthumously — were Lt Kanavdeep Singh (10 Sikh), who led his platoon to the rescue of an ambushed patrol party but were pinned by a fire from another group of terrorists in an inaccessible position. The officer, who had managed to kill one hostile, ignored his considerable injuries to crawl over to and operate the rocket launcher to kill one more and injure the third terrorist, before succumbing. His mother, Rajbir Kaur, came to receive the award.

Lt Dheerendra Singh Atri, of the Army Service Corps but posted to 3 Rajput, was leading a search party through dense jungle in Kupwara district of JK when concealed terrorists fired at them. Sparing no thought to his safety, Lt Atri ferociously charged the attackers, killing two of them and putting them in disarray.

Seriously wounded in the ensuing firefight but determined to protect his men from harm, he managed to kill one more terrorist before he succumbed. However, his gallantry inspired his men to kill five more, eliminating the whole group. His father, Brig T S Atri — a serving officer — received the award on his behalf. The winners of the PVSM include the Strategic Forces Command chief Air Marshal Ajit Bhavnani, the Air Officers Commanding-in-Chief (AOC-in-C) of the IAF’s South-Western Air Command and Training Command Air Marshal S K Jain and Air Marshal Subhash Bhojwani respectively, the Deputy Chief of Army Staff Lt Gen Mohinder Puri, Chief of Staff of the Army’s Western Command Lt Gen P K Grover, Air Defence Artillery DG Lt Gen C S Chima, Defence Intelligence Agency (DIA) Chief Lt Gen Avtar Singh, Navy’s Chief of Personnel Vice Admiral Venkat Bharathan, Army Dental Corps DG Lt Gen R C Dhir and former Army Service Corps DG Lt Gen (Retd) Jagdish Chander.

Former Engineer-in-Chief of the Army, Lt Gen (retd) Mathew Mammen — who played a key role in setting up the fence across the Line of Control (LoC) and DG, manpower Lt Gen Rana Sudhir Kumar Kapur, involved in implementation of the recommendations of the A V Singh Committee on cadre reforms in the armed forces, have also been conferred the PVSM.

The General Officer Commanding-in-Chief (GOC-in-C) of the frontline Northern Command Lt Gen Hari Prasad was awarded the UYSM, while former ‘Gajraj’ (IV) Corps GOC Lt Gen Anup Singh Jamwal — tipped to take over command of the new corps coming up in the Jammu area — was awarded a bar to his AVSM.

The prominent winners of the AVSM included ‘Chetak’ (X) Corps Commander Lt Gen O P Nandrajog, XXI Corps Commander Lt Gen Harcharanjit Singh Panag, Nagrota (XVI) Corps GOC Lt Gen Sudhir Sharma, recently-appointed military adviser to the UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan, Lt Gen R K Mehta, former Delhi Area GOC Lt Gen Mathew Thomas, now heading the XXXIII corps in the North-East, Southern Naval Command’s Chief of Staff Rear Admiral Rustam Faramroze Contractor and Former Commandant of the Army’s elite counter-insurgency and Jungle Warfare School, Brig (retd) B K Ponwar, who is now in charge of training police personnel in Naxalite-affected states.

Also conferred the AVSM was India’s sole medal winner in the Athens Olympics, Maj (now Lt Gol) Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore, who won the silver in the double-trap shooting event. (UNI)
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Post by Anoop »

Kancha,

Always a pleasure to welcome a soldier to the forum. Thank you for all that you do everyday in the defence of our country.

If you have only perused the discussion forums on BR, you may have missed the heroic stories on the Indian Army site on the main page. Having said that, there is always room to include more.
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Post by vinodv »

Kancha,

Here's the link to the Indian Army History page. If you navigate around the site, you can also find links to the Naval and Air Force histories as well.

Army History Page

And since you mentioned saragarhi, here's the link to that page.

DEFENDING SARAGARHI, 12 SEPTEMBER 1897

Welcome to the forum. May we know which unit you are serving in?

Please feel free to contibute to expanding the above sections with your posts here.

Thanks.
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Post by kancha »

hey guys,
thanx for the welcome. what i meant to convey was that if this thread intends to archive (if i may put it that way) the deeds of individuals who rose to the challenge and in some cases made the supreme sacrifice.
vinod, i went through the links, but again the "profiles in courage" section of the army history page documents the exploits of four young officers. i am sure one can do better than that with the better part of our post independence era full of such examples by many more bravehearts. after all, the fact that the indian armed forces have risen to every challenge is but a tribute to the countless individuals who made it happen.
by the way, i am serving in an infantry unit presently in the valley. this being the first time i have seen the place, all i can say is that i wholeheartedly agree with firdaus who said " if there is a paradise on earth, it is this". the beauty of the place is to be seen to be believed, the countless fauji convoys notwithstanding.
regards
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Post by shek »

Kancha sir i know it wouldnt be appropriate to give out info to which unit u belong to etc but it will be nice if you could tell us your Academy Course No and if you are a nanga, dhakka or jhatka!, if you know what i mean! :wink: :D

There is a thread dedicated completely to issues pertaining to the Academies and info regarding entry into the Armed Forces in the "Military Issues & History Forum" titled "Indian Armed Forces Academies". Your thoughts and contributions would really really be worth it.
Looking forward to hearing from you soon...
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Post by kancha »

shek,
i m a nanga99. how 'bout u.
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Post by shek »

kancha wrote:shek,
i m a nanga99. how 'bout u.
Sir, nice to hear from you. I'm the son of a dhakka(55) , bro of a nanga(102/D) and God willing soon i'll complete the list of academies in the family by becoming a jhatka. attending ssb this may, course starting in Oct. why dont u post in the Indian Armed Forces Acdemies thread?, btw which sqn?
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Post by Manne »

Can someone please enlighten me on this nanga, dhakka, jhatka business? Sounds interesting. :)
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Post by shek »

Manne, i'm sure Kancha sir would enlighten you on this... :wink:
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Post by Rishi »

shek wrote:Manne, i'm sure Kancha sir would enlighten you on this... :wink:
Nanga=NDA ?

Dhakka=Direct Entry? (IMA)

Jhatka=SSC (OTA?)

Jest gessin...
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Post by shek »

Rishi wrote:
shek wrote:Manne, i'm sure Kancha sir would enlighten you on this... :wink:
Nanga=NDA ?

Dhakka=Direct Entry? (IMA)

Jhatka=SSC (OTA?)

Jest gessin...
Rishi, sahi jawab!!
buddy wats latest on your SSB??? u wer supposed to go, right?
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Post by Rishi »

shek wrote: Rishi, sahi jawab!!
buddy wats latest on your SSB??? u wer supposed to go, right?
Not for a few months. Do post your May expernece once you are done with it. What happened to that Prashant guy? His was in March, right?
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Post by kancha »

hi guys,
chhutti over , gotta go back to the paltan. will b eback in a few months
regards
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Post by shek »

Kancha sir all the best. it would be real nice if we could get it touch. mail me.
Rishi, that guys name is Pradeep. he didnt get recommended during the board conference. he said he wud keep tryin. i'll certainly get u details once i'm thru with ssb.
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Post by SaiK »

http://www.defenceindia.com/11-apr-2k5/news14.html
The Tamil Brahmin who recorded the horror of Jallianwala Bagh massacre
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Surely belongs here

Post by Prem G »

Got this e-mail yesterday at my home id, it was not a forward or a bulk e-mail. Has anyone else received this. I don't know if this e-mail was just to make people aware of Major Mitra, or to solicit help in any way.
Dear sir,
I would like to introduce you to a young man , Major Gopal Mitra, SC of 15 Mahar from Siliguri , in Nov 2000 Major Gopal , lost his eye sight in a blast while fighting the terrorist in Kupwara, with over sixty stitches on face, one eye removed and only 5% vision in other eye , Gopal was now visually impaired but end of the year he decided to fight back this time Mumbai was his destination , he Got in Tiss on merit , stood second in Mumbai University in first year and passed with distinction and a trophy one for the best field work training in TISS.Further, London School Of Economics has given him admission to do FURTHER STUDIES.
I attended his convocation last week in midst of a long applaud from his fellow students and teachers at TISS
Mumbai should be proud of this Hero .
Gopal 's mobile is 9820896708
Gopal;s positive view talks volumes about his courage he loves Mumbai , moves around all the time .
GOPAL IS DELIGHT TO TALK TO AS HE IS FULL OF HUMOUR AND POSITIVE VIBRATIONS

Geeta Kapadia
www.nawang.com
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Post by rahul_r »

I don't know if this is the same Major Mitra in the article above, but a major with the same name was shown on bbc a long time back when one of their correspondents accompanied his team to ambust a bunch of militants one night. Although no militants were intercepted this guy was very gutsy, very young too! Very inspiring story to say the least.
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Post by Gerard »

Dr S Subramaniam
"I still remember the bombings. It started at 4 in the morning. And I was the only doctor for the Gorkha regiment. Like in every war, there was heavy casualty every day, and it was my first experience on a war front. I had to attend to countless wounded British soldiers and Gurkhas."

"There was no hospital, not even a tent where I could treat the wounded. I had to work under trees, in the most harrowing of conditions. Imagine, it was under a tree that I treated countless wounded soldiers. It was a terrific experience for me. We had 50 stretcher-bearers under one doctor and it was our responsibility to send them to pick up the injured and the dead."

"In no time, I found to my horror that all of them had deserted the camp. In fact, when I saw a group of stretcher-bearers running away, I pointed my revolver at them, and shouted, 'I will shoot you if you run away'. Still, they ran away. I was left all alone to attend the injured. After the stretcher bearers left, I used to walk to where the injured were lying, and treat them."

There were 16 British officers with Dr Subramaniam in the unit and only six survived the war. The unit also lost thousands of Gurkhas. "I still cannot forget the face of a major who said 'Good morning' to me as we moved to the front. Not even four hours had passed since then that his dead body was brought to me. War is not a pleasant experience and it will not give you any memory that you would like to cherish."

"As the only doctor, I saw only blood, pain and death in the war. I do not know how I survived all that. I was in the front for more than a year, and it felt like ages to me at that time."
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Major Sikka's river

Post by parikh »

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Post by Vasu »

Forgotten hero: Assal Uttar’s Abdul Hamid, PVC
In an unkempt one-acre compound, a worn, green cloth covers a modest grave. Crumbling bricks try to peg down the cloth as the wind blows in, scattering leaves all around.

At Assal Uttar (Befitting Reply), only a dull plaque records the heroics of Param Vir Chakra Abdul Hamid. A Company Quarter Master Havildar in 4 Grenadiers, he single-handedly stood up to Pakistani tanks in India’s most famous win during the 1965 war.

Today, only the leaves keep him company. Very few come this way to read the plaque which immortalises his brave deeds in Hindi, English, Punjabi and Urdu. The room of the caretaker is locked, the boundary wall doesn’t look too strong. There’s very little here to suggest that this memorial for one of the country’s greatest heroes was erected as late as 1994.

‘‘The only time this place gets some visitors is on his death anniversary every September 10,’’ says 70-year-old Kashmir Singh, a resident of Cheema village just a stone’s throw away from the memorial.

The lone caretaker deputed by Army authorities for the upkeep of the memorial is seldom present, says Singh. ‘‘But I keep an eye on the grave,’’ he says.

Hamid’s story is folklore in the surrounding villages, but that’s not because of this memorial—it’s because of people like Kashmir Singh who survived the war.

‘‘The way the Pakistan army came in, we thought they would capture us all. But then they made a mistake. They mistook Amarkot, a town two kms from here, for Bhikhiwind and took the main road to advance towards Amritsar. On the way, Hamid halted their assault and gave them the Assal Uttar,’’ he says.

Fauja Singh recalls how Hamid blew up the Patton tank leading the Pakistani charge. ‘‘He killed the Pakistani commander, and blew up several tanks before being felled by enemy bullets.’’

A year later, Hamid was awarded the Param Vir Chakra posthumously. The remembrance stone at the grave records his bravery and the gratitude of the the adjacent villages of Bhura Kuhna, Cheema, Ansal, Bhura Kareempur, Amarkot and Valtoha. But sadly, the memorial doesn’t reflect it.
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Post by A Sharma »

link

Not many in this town have heard of its 118 heroes

Memorial to Shaitan Singh & his men’s last stand at Rezang La gathers dust

REWARI (HARYANA), JUNE 8: Great battles in India are for the history books and memorials, once erected with great fanfare, are left to gather dust. At least, this is what you get to see in this Haryana town where very few seem to know what happened to its Ahir soldiers at Rezang La.

Rare in military history. That’s how official records continue to describe the battle of Rezang La in Chushul, Ladakh, on November 18, 1962. It was the last stand of 13 Kumaon’s Charlie Company: of its 118 men, 114 died defending the frontier against waves of Chinese attacks.



Major Shaitan Singh, who fought till the very end, was awarded the Param Vir Chakra posthumously. Others with him were honoured with four Vir Chakras, four Sena Medals.

But here in Rewari, not many seem to know even about the existence of the memorial. To them, Rewari is home only to the National Cadet Corps. Most people here will tell you that this town has nothing to do with the Army. Not even when you remind them that every November 18, the Rezang La Shaurya Samiti conducts a ceremony to remember its heroes.

The memorial compound, located near the dusty tributary of NH-8 that bisects Rewari, is locked. There’s no sign of the chowkidar. The central structure is crowned by a finger holding the Sudarshan Chakra—the Ahirs maintain they are descendants of Krishna. But wild grass threatens the plaque, dedicated to the memory of the men who died at Chushul.

The Chinese, who embarked on a two-pronged attack to secure Chushul, struck after overrunning all Indian posts north of it.

Without any warning, 13 Kumaon’s three companies—Major Shaitan Singh’s Charlie company was at Rezang La—came under heavy artillery fire. Magar Hill was manned by A and B companies, both artillery positions.

Major Singh held a 2-km frontline with 118 men. But there was no artillery cover or mine protection to stop the huge Chinese advance.

The spot’s remoteness from Gurung Hill and Magar Hill also precluded the possibility of assistance. From the very beginning, Singh’s mission was doomed to failure.

With an advancing Chinese MMG unit mowing down Singh’s soldiers by the tens, one of his men, Naik Sahi Ram, managed to drop more than a hundred Chinese soldiers who had grouped to overrun the platoon. But when Singh embarked on a recovery operation, he was felled by a sniping MMG attack that tore a hole in his back. Compelling his rescuers to abandon him and flee, the injured Major froze to death during the night.

But their brave stand had turned the tide. The 114 Brigade, commanded by Brig TN Raina (who later became Army chief), never faced the expected next attack. The ceasefire came on November 21, 1962. For the 114 Ahir soldiers killed at Rezang La, the Chinese Army lost more than 1,000 troops
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contact info on Brigadier Surinder

Post by yamirb »

This is a great link and thank you all for sharing your informations with us. i believe these stories must be told to bigger audience. i am planing to make a documantry on kargil for the same reason. for that i am looking for contact information of Brigadier Surinder Singh the Commanding Officer of 121 Brigade at Kargi 1999 anyone can help me in that?

you can email me at yamirb@gmail.com
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