New Delhi, January 25
Nineteen top Army officers, including Northern Army Commander Lt Gen Ranbir Singh, have been awarded the Param Vishisht Seva Medal, an official said on Saturday.
Six Shaurya Chakras have also been awarded for gallantry, he said.
A total of 151 Sena Medals, and eight Yudh Seva Medals also have been announced on the occasion of Republic Day, the official added. PTI
New Delhi, January 25
The President has approved award of 409 Gallantry and other Defence decorations to armed forces personnel and others on the eve of 71st Republic Day celebrations. These include nine Shaurya Chakras, the third highest peace-time gallantry award.
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Of the nine, six have been conferred on Army personnel, while three are from Central police organisations under the Ministry of Home Affairs.
Shaurya Chakra for 6 Army personnel
The two Indian Air Force pilots, Squadron Leader Ninad Anil Mandavgane and Squadron Leader Siddharth Vashisht, who went down in an Mi-17 helicopter crash on February 27, have been awarded Vayu Medal (Gallantry). Their helicopter was hit by own missile while India and Pakistan were locked in an air duel. On August 14, Vir Chakra was announced for Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman.
Vayu Sena Medals have been announced for Wing Commander Amit Ranjan, Squadron Leaders Rahul Basoya, Pankaj Bhujade, BKN Reddy and Shashank Singh, all part of the airstrike team on February 26. Four persons have been awarded Bar to Sena Medals (Gallantry).
A Bar denotes a second award of same type to an official. The President also approved 107 Sena Medals (Gallantry), five Nao Sena Medals (Gallantry) and four Vayu Sena Medals (Gallantry).
Also awarded are 28 Param Vishisht Seva Medals, four Uttam Yudh Seva Medals, 53 Ati Vishisht Seva Medals, 10 Yudh Seva Medals, 123 Vishisht Seva Medals, four Bar to Sena Medals (Devotion to Duty), 36 Sena Medals (Devotion to Duty), eight Nao Sena Medals (Devotion to Duty), one Bar to Vayu Sena Medal (Devotion to Duty) and 13 Vayu Sena Medals (Devotion to Duty). — TNS
A worker paints the road-divider line on the the Rajpath, which is all-set for the Republic Day Parade, in New Delhi on Saturday, January 25, 2020. PTI
New Delhi, January 26
India’s rising military might, rich cultural diversity and socio-economic progress will be on full display during the 71st Republic Day celebrations at the Rajpath—the city’s centrepiece boulevard—on Sunday.
Brazilian President Jair Messias Bolsonaro will be the chief guest at the 90-minute celebrations marking the anniversary of the day when India was declared a republic in 1950.
Anti-satellite weapon Shakthi, Army’s battle tank Bhishma, infantry combat vehicles and newly inducted Chinook and Apache helicopters of the Indian Air Force will be part of the grand military parade.
The national capital has been brought under a massive ground-to-air security cover, with thousands of police and paramilitary personnel keeping a hawk-eye vigil.
Twenty-two tableaux – 16 from States and Union Territories and six from various ministries and departments – depicting the nation’s rich cultural heritage and economic progress will also roll down the Rajpath.
School children will convey age-old message of yoga and spiritual values through dance and music during the parade, the defence ministry said.
The Republic Day Parade ceremony will commence with Prime Minister Narendra Modi visiting the National War Memorial near the India Gate. He will lead the nation in paying tributes to the martyrs by laying a wreath.
This is for the first time that the prime minister will pay homage to martyrs at the National War memorial instead of Amar Jawan Jyoti.
Thereafter, the prime minister and other dignitaries will head to the saluting dais at Rajpath to witness the parade.
As per tradition, the national flag will be unfurled followed by the National Anthem with a booming 21-gun salute.
The parade will commence with President Ram Nath Kovind taking the salute. The parade will be commanded by Parade Commander Lt General Asit Mistry, General Officer Commanding, Delhi Area. Major General Alok Kacker, Chief of Staff of Delhi Area, will be the second-in-command.
The first contingent in the uniform of the erstwhile Gwalior Lancers will be 61 Cavalry. The 61 Cavalry is the only active serving horse cavalry regiment in the world. It was raised on August 1, 1953 with the amalgamation of six state forces’ cavalry units.
The Indian Army will be represented by a mounted column of 61 Cavalry, eight mechanised columns, six marching contingents and fly-past by Rudra and Dhruv Advanced Light helicopters of the army aviation wing.
Indigenously-developed Main Battle Tank of the Indian Army, T-90 Bhishma tank, infantry combat vehicle Ballway Machine Pikate, K-9 Vajra and Dhanush guns, transportable satellite terminal and Akash weapon system will be the main attraction in the mechanised columns.
The other marching contingents of the Army will include the Parachute regiment, the Grenadiers regiment, the Sikh Light Infantry regiment, the Kumaon regiment and the Corps of Signals.
The Naval contingent will comprise of 144 young sailors led by Lieutenant Jitin Malkat. It will be followed by the Naval Tableau titled ‘Indian Navy – Silent, Strong, and Swift’.
The Air Force contingent, comprising of 144 air warriors, will be led by Flight Lt Shrikant Sharma. The Air Force tableau showcases scaled down models of the Rafale aircraft, the Tejas aircraft, the Light Combat helicopter, the Akash missiles system and the Astra missiles.
One of the main highlights will be the marching contingent of DRDO that will showcase Anti-Satellite Weapons (ASAT) – Mission Shakti.
Mission Shakti, India’s first Anti-Satellite mission, was a major breakthrough in demonstrating the nation’s capability to bring down hostile satellites.
Sixteen tableaux from various states and union territories will depict the geographical and rich cultural diversity of the country.
Various far-reaching reforms of the government, including ‘Start-up India’, and ‘Jal Jeevan Mission’ will be showcased in six tableaux from different ministries and departments.
For the first time, a contingent of women bikers of CRPF will perform daredevil stunts. The contingent will be led by Inspector Seema Nag who will be seen saluting while standing atop a moving motorcycle.
The grand finale and the most keenly awaited segment of the parade, the Fly Past will comprise of the ‘Trishul’ formation by three advanced light helicopters.
It is for the first time that a ‘tri-service formation’ is taking part in the Republic Day Parade.
It will be followed by the ‘Vic’ formation of Chinook helicopters, used for airlifting diverse loads to remote locations.
Apache helicopters, Dornier aircraft, C-130J Super Hercules aircraft, an Airborne Early Warning and Control System aircraft and the ‘Globe’ formation comprising three C-17 Globemasters are also expected to enthral the people.
Five Jaguar Deep penetration strike aircraft and five MiG-29 upgrade air superiority fighters in ‘Arrowhead’ formation will also display their aerial manoeuvre.
The parade will culminate with a fleet of Sukhoi-30 MKI jets splitting the sky with a breathtaking ‘Vertical Charlie’ aerobatic manoeuvre. — PTI
Tribune News Service
Chandigarh, January 25
Squadron Leader Siddharth Vashisht, one of the pilots of the ill-fated Mi-17 helicopter that crashed at Budgam near Srinagar in February last year during heightened Indo-Pak tensions following IAF strike on terror camps at Balakot in Pakistan Occupied Kashmir, has been decorated with the Vayu Sena Medal for gallantry. He belonged to Chandigarh, where his parents are residing for the last about two years.
While the other pilot, Sqn Ldr Ninad Mandavgane, who belonged to Nashik, has also been awarded the Vayu Sena Medal, the other four aircrew, who were travelling in the helicopter at the time of the incident, have been mentioned-in-dispatches for gallantry, an IAF spokesperson said.
“Though nothing can bring back my son, I am happy that his services have been recognised,” said Siddharth’s father Jagdish Kasal, who had served in the Army before joining Punjab National Bank as an officer.
They were serving with 154 Helicopter Unit based at Srinagar and had been airborne for about 10 minutes when the incident took place.
The air combat in which Wg Cdr Abhinandan shot down a Pakistani F-16 had taken place around the same time. A large number of IAF fighter aircraft were airborne and air defence were on high alert and there was significant air activity across the LoC.
The crash was later attributed to “friendly fire”, having been shot down by the IAF’s own surface to air missile that was launched in what is called the “fog of war”. A court of inquiry instituted to investigate the incident has held two officers blameworthy for the lapse and subsequent proceedings are underway.
The Chief of the Air Staff, Air Chief Marshal RKS Bhadauria, was recently quoted in the media saying that the incident was a big mistake on part of the Air Force and appropriate remedial measures would be taken.
A fourth generation officer commissioned in 2010, Sqn Ldr Vashisht, who was 31-years old at the time of the incident, left behind his wife, Aarti, also a Squadron Leader, and a three-year old son Angad, besides his parents and three sisters. He was the youngest of four siblings. Aarti was also posted at Srinagar at that time.
On Republic Day last year, he had also received a commendation for his services.
Siddharth had studied at Shivalik Public School in Sector 41 and thereafter at DAV College, Sector 10, before opting to join the forces. He was adventurous and fond of outdoor life, and was keen to be a flier.
Vishav Bharti
Tribune News Service
Chandigarh, January 25
A chunk of 36 acres, a nine-acre farm, a plot measuring one kanal in Panchkula, a couple of showrooms…and after that Jagdish Lal Ahuja stopped keeping a count of the properties he sold over the past two decades to sustain langar to feed the hungry. On Saturday, he was conferred the Padma Shri for his selfless service.
For 20 years now, Ahuja’s langar outside the PGI here and later at the Government Medical College and Hospital (GMCH), Sector 32, would feed nearly 2,500 people a day. The langar, which still continues, was started outside the PGI in January 2000 when Ahuja himself was hospitalised there for the treatment of cancer.
Ahuja, popular as ‘Langar Baba’ often says no one knows better than him what it means to go to bed without food. His story goes back to the Partition, when a 12-year-old Ahuja migrated from Peshawar and stayed at Mansa railway station for weeks. “I have seen such poverty when I was not even sure of getting two square meals. But I never got down to begging. I would survive by selling chanas,” he recalls.
From Mansa, he shifted to Patiala where he would sell candies and bananas in buses. Later, he moved to Kansal on the outskirts of Chandigarh in 1956 where he started selling bananas at the new High Court’s construction site. Ahuja says he was a fun-loving man like any other person.
“It was my son’s birthday and we were having a party. That day, I somehow felt really bad that while we are having a feast, so many people go to bed hungry. So, we made rotis and served to the poor. I then decided to organise a langar everyday,” he recalls.
He soon started distributing bananas among people. On January 21, 2000, he organised a langar outside the PGI. The response was low on the Day 1, but by the fifth day, people started coming, he tells. “For many years, we kept serving daal, roti, chawal and halwa to around 2,000 people daily.” This continued without a day’s break, but it came at a cost.
Ahuja sold a number of properties, including farmlands, showrooms and residential plots. “I had bought them for thousands or lakhs, but they went for crores. He gave and I gave further.” Ahuja tells his inspiration comes from Nanak, “Takadi Nanak di tera-tera tole, you remember?”
Today, various organisations organise langars outside hospitals.
But will his children continue the tradition? “I am selling what was supposed to be passed on to them. So let’s not discuss them,” he says.
In his mid-eighties, Ahuja is not keeping well these days and all that he wonders is: “I am a guest of a few days now. Can the government do something to continue this langar when I won’t be around?”
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1. IC-41530K MAJ GEN MANDIP SINGH, VSM, ARTY 22. IC-65572P COL ARINDAM BARDHAN, 5 GR, 9 RR |
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| 1. IC-40693L MAJ GEN SUNANDA KUMAR PANIGRAHI, ARTY (RETD) 2. IC-40925Y MAJ GEN AMITABH JOSHI, INT 3. IC-41722F MAJ GEN SANJAY SHARMA, ARTY (RETD) 4. IC-41881Y MAJ GEN RAKESH KAPOOR, AOC 5. IC-42755Y MAJ GEN PAWAN KUMAR SAINI, MECH INF 6. IC-42781A MAJ GEN ULHAS VEERAPPA TALUR, AAD 7. IC-44132N MAJ GEN SURESH CHANDRA TANDI, AOC 8. IC-44239H MAJ GEN PREET MOHINDERA SINGH, ASC 9. IC-45365F MAJ GEN PRAVESH PURI, ARMD 10. IC-45641Y MAJ GEN RAJENDRA SACHDEV, INF 11. IC-47079Y MAJ GEN SANJAY SETHI, AOC 12. DR-10339F MAJ GEN NANDA KISHORE SAHOO, ARMY DENTAL CORPS 13. IC-44513P BRIG RAMESH BALAN, SIGS 14. IC-44611P BRIG RAJINDER PAL SINGH, ARTY 15. IC-45688K BRIG SALIL SHARMA, ARMD (RETD) 16. IC-46051M BRIG RAJAGOPALA CHELLAMANI SRIKANTH, AAD 17. IC-47035F BRIG PRAVIN SHINDE, MARATHA LI (RETD) 18. IC-47046N BRIG SHAILENDRA MALIK, EME 19. IC-47057A BRIG MUKESH AGGARWAL, ARTY 20. IC-47580L BRIG AJEY SETHI, ARTY 21. IC-48183Y BRIG RAJESH SACHDEV, SIKH LI 22. IC-49471X BRIG MANISH KUMAR, AAD 23. IC-49807M BRIG RAJEEV OHRI, SIGS 24. IC-49868K BRIG AJAY DUA, ARMD 25. IC-49905M BRIG LAKHBINDER SINGH LIDDER, SM, JAK RIF 26. IC-49925A BRIG AMIT SINGH SOHAL, ENGRS 27. IC-50046Y BRIG RAMANKUTTY PREM RAJ, MECH INF 28. IC-50744F BRIG SANDEEP S SHARDA, DOGRA 29. IC-50765X BRIG GIRISH KALIA, MADRAS 30. IC-50781P BRIG RAJESH SETHI, SM, JAT 31. IC-51277F BRIG ZUBIN BHATNAGAR, MARATHA LI 32. MR-05746A BRIG RAJAT PRAKASH, AMC 33. MR-05316W BRIG SUSHIL KUMAR JHA, AMC 34. MR-05551P BRIG APPALLA VENKATA RAMESH, AMC 35. MR-05795H BRIG ATUL KUMAR SOOD, AMC 36. IC-50714K COL GAURAV KAUSHAL, ENGRS 37. IC-51607P COL SUDEEP SINGH, AOC 38. IC-52526F COL RAKESH CHAND KATOCH, SIKH LI 39. IC-52554N COL SYED TAQUI ABBAS RIZVI, ASC 40. IC-52724M COL ANUJ KALIA, ARMD 41. IC-53404K COL ASAD SHEIKH, ASC 42. IC-53511L COL MUNESH CHANDRA TAMANG, ASSAM 43. IC-53652A COL ARVIND KUMAR DIMRI, MADRAS 44. IC-53926A COL AMANDEEP MALHI, PUNJAB 45. IC-54098M COL SUBRAHMANYAN RAMAKRISHNA, MADRAS 46. IC-54119X COL DHANURJIWAN JYOTI RANADE, SIGS 47. IC-54600W COL AKHIL KUMAR SINGH, EME 48. IC-54808Y COL ARUN KUMAR RAI, SM, ARMD 49. IC-57418F COL AKSHAY CHANDRAN, 11 GR 50. IC-59626P COL DHEERAJ KUMAR SINGH, 3 KUMAON 51. IC-59753K COL RANJIT SINGH SANDHU, ARTY, 17 PARA FD REGT 52. IC-60148H COL PUNAR PREET SINGH MANN, 20 GUARDS 53. IC-61246P COL ANTERPREET SINGH, 107 ENGR REGT 54. IC-61415L COL AJAY KUMAR, JAK RIF 55. IC-61716P COL JAI VIJAY SINGH RAWAT, 12 GARH RIF 56. IC-61830M COL NISHIT MURAT SINGH THAKUR, SIKH, 36 ASSAM RIFLES 57. IC-62453N COL SUMIT SHARMA, 122 ENGR REGT 58. IC-62552A COL DEBASHIS NATH, 8 BIHAR 59. IC-65236H COL BHUPINDER SINGH, 2 NAGA 60. IC-54986F LT COL PALLAV BORA, AAD 61. IC-56487L LT COL ROHIT RASAILY, ARTY 62. IC-58192N LT COL HARSHVARDHAN SATRE, ARTY 63. IC-62914M LT COL VARUN BAJPAI, JAK LI 64. IC-63434P LT COL BINIT KUMAR, PUNJAB 65. IC-70272X MAJ HARENDER SINGH RAUTELA, ENGRS 66. SS-43490M MAJ TASHI THAPLIYAL, SIGS 67. SS-43770A MAJ ANOOP MISHRA, ENGRS 68. SS-44301K MAJ ABDUL HAMEED, MARATHA LI 69. TA-42747A MAJ PRAVEEN KUMAR, 102 (TA) PUNJAB 70. JC-450928N SUB MAJ RANJEET SINGH SHEKHAWAT, GRENADIERS 71. JC-635217A SUB JITU RAI, SM, 11 GR 72. JC-471869A SUB NEERAJ CHOPRA, RAJ RIF 73. JC(NYA)16025396H NB SUB OM PRAKASH MITHARVAL, RAJ RIF 74. JC-283858W NB SUB JINSON JOHNSON, ARTY 75. JC-354624Y NB SUB GAURAV SOLANKI, ENGRS 76. JC-571742M NB SUB AMIT, MAHAR |
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MENTION-IN-DESPATCHES |
| IC-67499A LT COL RAHUL NARANG, ARMY AVN, 2062 UH FLT |
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OPERATION RAKSHAK 2. IC-72064F MAJ ASHUTOSH PANT, 6 BIHAR |
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1 JC235059H RIS MAJ & HONY LT KULDIP SINGH ARMOURED CORPS 2 JC244704N RIS MAJ & HONY LT BHOOP SINGH 9 JC273380W SUB MAJ & HONY LT AMARJEET SINGH 35 JC301360F SUB MAJ & HONY LT BHEEMAPPA GULABAJI 42 JC274971K SUB MAJ & HONY LT SURESH SHARMA ENGINEER CORPS 43 JC309680L SUB MAJ & HONY LT K SRINIVASA VARMA BENGAL ENGINEER GROUP 50 JC339043K SUB MAJ & HONY LT BHUPAL SINGH BOMBAY ENGINEER GROUP 59 JC351512N SUB MAJ & HONY LT AMRIK SINGH 77 JC378203P SUB MAJ & HONY LT ANIRUDHA PANDEY
THE PARACHUTE REGIMENT 97 JC413208P SUB MAJ & HONY LT DILBAG SINGH THE MECHANISED INFANTRY REGIMENT 102 JC420915F SUB MAJ & HONY LT MANNAN PERUMAL P THE PUNJAB REGIMENT 106 JC430668M SUB MAJ & HONY LT ASHOK KUMAR THE MADRAS REGIMENT 112 JC440047F SUB MAJ & HONY LT CHIDAMBARAM D THE GRENADIERS 118 JC450742K SUB MAJ & HONY LT LAKHA SINGH THE MARATHA LIGHT INFANTRY 124 JC459495H SUB MAJ & HONY LT BHOSALE ANIL VITHAL THE RAJPUTANA RIFLES 131 JC470227Y SUB MAJ & HONY LT CHANDRA SHEKHAR THE RAJPUT REGIMENT 139 JC480140L SUB MAJ & HONY LT PRATAP SINGH BHATI THE JAT REGIMENT 146 JC490431Y SUB MAJ & HONY LT BHANWAR SINGH BHATI THE SIKH REGIMENT 153 JC499586P SUB MAJ & HONY LT JAIMAL SINGH THE SIKH LIGHT INFANTRY 161 JC509742K SUB MAJ & HONY LT SANT SINGH THE DOGRA REGIMENT 164 JC521182P SUB MAJ & HONY LT BHARAT BHUSHAN THE GARHWAL RIFLES 172 JC530969L SUB MAJ & HONY LT ANIL KUMAR V THE KUMAON REGIMENT 178 JC540397H SUB MAJ & HONY LT BHOOPAL SINGH THE ASSAM REGIMENT 183 JC549681A SUB MAJ & HONY LT HEMANTA KUMAR DAS THE BIHAR REGIMENT 189 JC560213A SUB MAJ & HONY LT LAPSA MAJHI THE MAHAR REGIMENT 193 JC569981H SUB MAJ & HONY LT INDER KUMAR ABBOT THE JAMMU AND KASHMIR RIFLES 198 JC581091P SUB MAJ & HONY LT DALJIT SINGH THE LADAKH SCOUTS 205 JC588650W SUB & HONY LT TSETAN PALJOR THE NAGA REGIMENT 206 JC590305F SUB & HONY LT P S SHELSHUNG ANAL THE JAMMU AND KASHMIR LIGHT INFANTRY 207 JC593609K SUB MAJ & HONY LT BALWAN SINGH 1 GORKHA RIFLES 217 JC602725W SUB MAJ & HONY LT MANI KUMAR PUN 3 GORKHA RIFLES 218 JC607838H SUB MAJ & HONY LT DHAN BAHADUR SHRESTHA 4 GORKHA RIFLES 221 JC612853F SUB MAJ & HONY LT ANIL KUMAR SHRESTHA 5 GORKHA RIFLES 225 JC617001W SUB MAJ & HONY LT BHUPENDRA KUMAR MANI TRIPATHI, RT 8 GORKHA RIFLES 228 JC623811P SUB MAJ & HONY LT JIT BAHADUR PUN 9 GORKHA RIFLES 230 JC629949A SUB MAJ & HONY LT MAN BAHADUR CHHETRY, SC 11 GORKHA RIFLES 233 JC634636L SUB MAJ & HONY LT DHARMENDRA SINGH BASNET 235 JC665795K SUB MAJ & HONY LT ANIL KUMAR T G ARMY SERVICE CORPS(ANIMAL TRANSPORT) 239 JC681194H RIS MAJ & HONY LT HAYAT SINGH 248 JC697167H SUB MAJ & HONY LT ASHFAK AHAMAD 261 JC725581A SUB MAJ & HONY LT DURGA RAM SAU CORPS OF ELECTRONICS AND MECHANICAL ENGINEERS 270 JC766581P SUB MAJ & HONY LT ABDUL SAHAB UDDIN LASKAR 294 JC804155N SUB MAJ & HONY LT DEVENDRA SINGH 298 JC797493A RIS MAJ & HONY LT HARI RAM 299 JC811243M SUB MAJ & HONY LT AMRIK SINGH 303 JC819530L SUB MAJ & HONY LT PURUSHOTHAMAN P 305 JC829490H SUB MAJ & HONY LT SHYAMAL KANTI DHAR 306 JC842968N SUB & HONY LT KRISHNA KUMAR TERRITORIAL ARMY |
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1 JC235077L RIS VIJENDER SINGH ARMOURED CORPS 2 JC244204W RIS MAJ BALBIR SINGH 36 JC273552A SUB MAJ AJAY KUMAR 151 JC301166M SUB MAJ AJITH KUMAR PG 180 JC275014L SUB MAJ JOGINDER SINGH ENGINEER CORPS 184 JC308809F SUB MAJ BIJEN KUMAR SINGHA BENGAL ENGINEER GROUP 210 JC331734F SUB MAJ ABHAY KUMAR ANAND BOMBAY ENGINEER GROUP 268 JC350665L SUB MAJ ANIL KUMAR SINGH 322 JC379229W SUB MAJ AHASAN AHAMAD
THE PARACHUTE REGIMENT 404 JC413300N SUB MAJ HARLAL SINGH,SM THE MECHANISED INFANTRY REGIMENT 422 JC421110W SUB MAJ AJAY KUMAR THE PUNJAB REGIMENT 441 JC429687L SUB MAJ HARPINDER SINGH THE MADRAS REGIMENT 474 JC440207W SUB MAJ D SHEIK HUSSAIN THE GRENADIERS 496 JC451051K SUB MAJ LAL CHAND THE MARATHA LIGHT INFANTRY 517 JC459789W SUB MAJ BHOSALE VITTHAL TUKARAM THE RAJPUTANA RIFLES 539 JC470539P SUB MAJ AJIT SINGH CHOUHAN THE RAJPUT REGIMENT 563 JC480419K SUB MAJ ABHE RAM THE JAT REGIMENT 596 JC489936H SUB MAJ BHAGAT SINGH THE SIKH REGIMENT 630 JC499699X SUB MAJ BALWINDER SINGH THE SIKH LIGHT INFANTRY 659 JC509428W SUB MAJ GURBAX SINGH THE DOGRA REGIMENT 676 JC521301A SUB MAJ ANIL KUMAR THE GARHWAL RIFLES 707 JC530160X SUB MAJ ARJUN SINGH THE KUMAON REGIMENT 736 JC540384L SUB MAJ BHARAT SINGH THE ASSAM REGIMENT 764 JC549787M SUB MAJ AMALESH CHANDRA NATH THE BIHAR REGIMENT 786 JC560214H SUB MAJ ANANDA KUMAR SARANGI THE MAHAR REGIMENT 803 JC570371H SUB MAJ GOAPL LAL JAT THE JAMMU AND KASHMIR RIFLES 831 JC220856W SUB MAJ AMBU NATH MISHRA RT THE LADAKH SCOUTS 875 JC588463X SUB MAJ DEVI SINGH THE NAGA REGIMENT 883 JC590194P SUB MAJ KT KOLENSON ANAL THE JAMMU AND KASHMIR LIGHT INFANTRY 889 JC593720N SUB MAJ ANGREZ SINGH, BM 1 GORKHA RIFLES 928 JC602729M SUB MAJ BIR BAHADUR GURUNG 3 GORKHA RIFLES 932 JC607769X SUB MAJ DHAN BAHADUR THAPA 4 GORKHA RIFLES 941 JC612705W SUB MAJ HOM BAHADUR GURUNG 5 GORKHA RIFLES 948 JC617912M SUB MAJ GESH BAHADUR RANA 8 GORKHA RIFLES 957 JC623757M SUB MAJ RAJ BAHADUR RANA 9 GORKHA RIFLES 965 JC629925W SUB MAJ LAL BAHADUR CHHETRI 11 GORKHA RIFLES 981 JC634710F SUB MAJ KHADGA BAHADUR RAI 991 JC666048L SUB MAJ ANAND PRAKASH ARMY SERVICE CORPS(ANIMAL TRANSPORT) 1015 JC681263N RIS MAJ OM PRAKASH 1047 JC698473K SUB MAJ ANANDI KUMAR DUBEY 1102 JC729077X SUB MAJ ALOK KUMAR DAS CORPS OF ELECTRONICS AND MECHANICAL ENGINEERS 1138 JC762235F SUB MAJ ANAND KUMAR TIWARI 1237 JC804230M SUB MAJ GAJENDRA SINGH 1252 JC797664F RIS MAJ AJIT KUMAR JHA 1256 JC811309X SUB MAJ BRAJENDRA BAHADUR SINGH 1272 JC819453F SUB MAJ GOBIND KUMAR TIWARI ARMY PHYSICAL TRAINING CORPS 1281 JC829473H SUB MAJ DAULAT RAM 1284 JC841547Y SUB MAJ JAIBIR SINGH TERRITORIAL ARMY |
Having taken the salute from Col Joginder Singh Dhillon, Commandant, Bengal Engineer Group and Centre on 25 November 1949 at the Centre Parade Ground, Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru specifically asked for him to command the First Republic Day Parade to be held in Delhi.
The Parade was held on 26 January 1950 at the Irwin Stadium, Delhi, and was duly commanded by then Brig Dhillon. The Parade had contingents from Army, Navy, Air Force and the Police and it was one of the finest spectacles of the Independent India staged in Delhi during that period. Brig Dhillon later commanded two infantry brigades and also served as director of technical development and director of weapons and equipment at army headquarters before being promoted to Major General. As Major General, he was selected to attend a course at Imperial Defence College in the United Kingdom, and returned to a posting at the National Defence College and was later given command of a division in August 1960. JS Dhillon was Deputy Chief of General Staff at Army headquarters when he was promoted to GOC, XI corps in Punjab.
“The posting would be the culmination of everything that had gone into the making of this exceptional soldier. When on the morning of September 6, 1965, war with Pakistan broke out, with the XI Corps launching a massive retaliatory attack across the border in Punjab on several fronts at 4 am, the aim was to teach Pakistan a lesson for its unprovoked attack on India in the Chhamb sector a few days earlier“
Indeed a great general, we owe him so much..
Lt Gen Joginder Singh Dhillon,
Padma Bhushan (1914-2003)
Last salute to the Lion of 1965
The death of Lieutenant General Joginder (Jogi) Singh Dhillon on 20
November 2003 at the age of 89 received no coverage in the Indian
papers, although it was his inspiring generalship that helped smash
the superior Pakistani armour, poised to head for the Beas bridge and then onto Delhi, in the opening days of the 1965 India-Pakistan war.
Such milestones seem of lesser consequence to our press than the
extensive coverage given to dubious public figures.What Jogi Dhillon brought to his command as lieutenant general
commanding XI Corps in the 1965 war, was a military service of many
firsts. He stood first in 1933 in the all India entrance examination
to the Indian Military Academy, then won both the coveted gold medal
and the Sword of Honour before joining the Bengal Sappers on February 1, 1936.
Graduating in 1939 with honours from Roorkee s Thomson Civil
Engineering College, he was soon sent overseas for the first four
years of World War II. He saw active service in Iraq, Iran and Burma and, after a stint in the Staff College, Quetta, was again sent to command a field company in Malaya (1945-46), then onto Sourabaya, where he commanded 2 Field Company, before returning home.
From 1946 to 1947 he was staff officer in the E-in-C s Office Army HQ,then went to Quetta as garrison engineer, before taking over as GSO1 in the E-in-C s Branch from October 1947 to February 1948 in the rank of lieutenant colonel.
At this critical juncture in the life of the Bengal Sappers, Jogi
Dhillon was handpicked to take charge of its regimental centre at
Roorkee. The centre’s crisis arose from the fact that since the Indian
Army’s Corps of Engineers had centres in Bangalore, Roorkee and
Kirkee, under the terms of Parition the centres in Bangalore and
Kirkee would remain in India, while the Roorkee centre’s assets would go to Pakistan.
So Bengal Sappers was one of the formations that bore the brunt of the division of the Indian Army. In the division on a two-third, one-third basis the majority assets in the Roorkee centre’s case went to Pakistan’s Engineers Centre at Sialkot, including plant and equipment, and even furniture, carpets, curtains, books, silver, crockery, cutlery and typewriters and one-third of the regimental fund.
In the two years after taking command in February 1948 of what was left of the centre, Dhillon turned the challenge of resurrecting it into a personal triumph that left everyone breathless. Combining
organisational skill with drive, determination and steel, he
rehabilitated the centre, streamlined its training and administration and integrated it into an efficient and war-worthy team.
A change of profound importance introduced at the centre which thenewly independent nation’s army as a whole eventually adopted was that whilst hitherto several messes for the other ranks had cooked food in each unit for a particular caste, Colonel Dhillon decisively ended this outdated practice. He decreed a single integrated mess would serve food to all men and not their caste.
Another thing, according to a retired Sappers officer, Colonel Chanan Singh Dhillon, the dynamic commandant did was demolish the wall that separated the centre’s gurudwara and Hindu temple and build a platform instead, so that gatherings of both denominations could jointly celebrate their special days.
When Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru visited the centre in 1949 he was so impressed by what he saw that he extended Jogi Dhillon the singular honour of selecting him to command India’s first Republic Day parade in 1950.
After command of the Bengal Sappers, Dhillon commanded two infantry brigades in succession before his appointment, in 1956, as director of technical development in Army HQ. He then served as director, weapons and equipment, before being promoted to major general in December 1957.
He was chief of staff, Western Command, at the time of his selection to attend a course at the Imperial Defence College in the United Kingdom, from where he returned to an appointment in the National Defence College, before assuming command of a division in August 1960.
His next job was as deputy chief of the general staff at Army HQ, then promotion to lieutenant general and posting as GOC, XI Corps in Punjab.
The posting would be the culmination of everything that had gone into the making of this exceptional soldier. When on the morning of September 6, 1965, war with Pakistan broke out, with the XI Corps launching a massive retaliatory attack across the border in Punjab on several fronts at 4 am, the aim was to teach Pakistan a lesson for its unprovoked attack on India in the Chhamb sector a few days earlier.
It is not possible to describe this 17-day war here but the decisive
tank battle of Assal Uttar, near Khem Karan, on September 10 does bear telling. Indian units hid their Sherman tanks 500 metres apart in a U-shaped formation in tall and unharvested sugarcane fields, and snared the enemy’s vastly superior Patton tanks into this ambush, annihilating them to the last tank and deciding the outcome of the war.
The destruction of Pakistan’s armoured pride and the casualties it
suffered, including an artillery brigadier and many other senior
officers killed or surrendered, destroyed the enemy’s morale. At Assal Uttar, 97 enemy tanks of which 72 were Pattons and 25 Chafees and Shermans were destroyed, damaged or captured intact, of which 28 Pattons were in perfect running condition.
Facing the very modern M-48 Pattons were India’s old and inferior
Centurions and Shermans outgunned, outdistanced and far fewer in number. And yet Indian losses at Khem Karan were only 32 tanks.
There are countless other such telling statistics but the fact that
stands out is when Pakistan’s chief of army general staff and air
chief met their president on September 19 and requested him to
negotiate a ceasefire with the Indians, Pakistan’s defeat was
acknowledged at the highest levels.
A few days after the cessation of hostilities, Frank Moraes (he was
then editor-in-chief of The Indian Express), spent a weekend in the
Lahore sector, calling first on Lt General Dhillon at his wartime
corps HQ at Raiyya, and then visiting some places that had already
become household words like the Ichhogil Canal, Dograi, Khem Karan.
Moraes described our visit in The Soldier’s Spirit in his paper of
November 1, 1965, and also his meeting with Jogi Dhillon: I was
fortunate to spend some time with Lt General J.S. Dhillon, the corps commander in this sector, and to note and understand how greatly the spirit of all, from jawans to divisional commanders, depends on the calibre of the corps commander. Jogi Dhillon is an enthusiastic, intelligent soldier with a physical vigour, drive and combativeness which enable him to be extraordinarily mobile over his wide command and an inspiring presence and example to his officers and men.
In recognition of his role in the 1965 war, the President of India
invested Dhillon with the Padma Bhushan in August 1966 and appointed him GOC-in-C Central Command, from where he retired on August 4, 1970.
When the army bade farewell to its distinguished comrade in Delhi on November 21, 2003, six generals acted as pallbearers and the COAS, General N.C. Vij, flew in for the funeral from Hyderabad. This reaffirmed that the Indian Army stands steadfast on some of its finest traditions.
On a more personal note, Jogi Dhillon was married for 62 years to
Minnie, who survives him, and to whom he was as devoted as she to him.He is also survived by his three daughters, Kiran, Komal and Kamal: an architect, airline executive and head of her own consultancy firm each as individualistic as their indomitable parents
MORE DETAILS OF THE BENGAL SAPPER LION
Lieutenant General Joginder Singh Dhillon (1914–2003) was the first post independence Sapper Army Commander (Central Army) and was a decorated and celebrated Indian and Sikh military war hero. Lt Gen Dhillon was the first Army Officer to be awarded the ‘Padma Bhushan’ on 24 November 1965, for his role in the 1965[1] Indo-Pak War, where he was the General Officer Commanding Corps (XI corps). The official citation given for the award was as follows:
“In this Sector, the enemy launched repeated counter-attacks and the conduct of day to day operations called for great tenacity, strong determination and robust mind. Lieutenant General Dhillon displayed all these qualities in abundance and the success achieved by his Corps was to a great extent due to the personality of the General officer.”
He was commissioned into Bengal Engineer Group in 1936, after receiving the Sword of Honour and Gold Medal at the Indian Military Academy in 1935, and standing first in the all-India entrance examination to the Indian Military Academy in 1933. Graduating in 1939 with honours from Roorkee s Thomson Civil Engineering College (now IIT Roorkee), he was soon sent overseas for the first four years of World War II. He saw active service in Iraq, Iran and Burma and, after a stint in the Staff College, Quetta, was again sent to command a field company in Malaya (1945–46), then onto Sourabaya, where he commanded 2 Field Company, before returning home. From 1946 to 1947 he was staff officer in the E-in-C s Office Army HQ, then went to Quetta as garrison engineer, before taking over as GSO1 in the E-in-C s Branch from October 1947 to February 1948 in the rank of Lieutenant Colonel
The Bengal Sappers was one of the formations that bore the brunt of the division of the Indian Army during partition. Since the Indian Army’s Corps of Engineers had centres in Bangalore, Roorkee and Kirkee, under the terms of Parition the centres in Bangalore and Kirkee would remain in India, while the Roorkee centre’s assets would go to Pakistan. In the division on a two-third, one-third basis the majority assets in the Roorkee centre’s case went to Pakistan’s Engineers Centre at Sialkot, including plant and equipment and more than half its personnel, and one-third of the regimental fund
The onus of resurrecting the Bengal Sappers fell to Colonel JS Dhillon, who was the first commandant of the Bengal Sappers after India’s independence. With minimal resources and limited personnel, Col Dhillon reorganized and rejuvenated the Bengal Sappers into the leading engineering group of the Army.
“In the two years after taking command in February 1948 of what was left of the centre, Dhillon turned the challenge of resurrecting it into a personal triumph that left everyone breathless. Combining organisational skill with drive, determination and steel, he rehabilitated the centre, streamlined its training and administration and integrated it into an efficient and war-worthy team“
“A change of profound importance introduced at the centre which the newly independent nation s army as a whole eventually adopted was that whilst hitherto several messes for the other ranks had cooked food in each unit for a particular caste, Colonel Dhillon decisively ended this outdated practice. He decreed a single integrated mess would serve food to all men and not their caste.“
When Prime Minister Jawarharlal Nehru visited the regimental center at Roorkee in 1949, he was so impressed by the Bengal Sappers that he specifically asked for Col JS Dhillon to command India’s first Republic Day parade
Lt Gen J.S. Dhillon was the Commander of XI Corps which was responsible for the Punjab sector during the 1965 Indo-Pak War. He is credited in producing and conducting the battle plan that destroyed or captured over 100 superior Pakistani battle tanks, turning a potentially dangerous defeat into an amazing victory, as the Pakistani tanks were poised to head for the Beas Bridge and then on to Delhi.
“The decisive tank battle of Assal Uttar, near Khem Karan, on September 10 does bear telling. Indian units hid their Sherman tanks 500 metres apart in a U-shaped formation in tall and unharvested sugarcane fields, and snared the enemy s vastly superior Patton tanks into this ambush, annihilating them to the last tank and deciding the outcome of the war.
The destruction of Pakistan s armoured pride and the casualties it suffered, including an artillery brigadier and many other senior officers killed or surrendered, destroyed the enemy s morale. At Assal Uttar, 97 enemy tanks of which 72 were Pattons and 25 Chafees and Shermans were destroyed, damaged or captured intact, of which 28 Pattons were in perfect running condition.
Facing the very modern M-48 Pattons were India s old and inferior Centurions and Shermans outgunned, outdistanced and far fewer in number. And yet Indian losses at Khem Karan were only 32 tanks“
Frank Moraes, the editor in chief of the Indian Express, who spent time on the frontlines, wrote: “I was fortunate to spend some time with Lt General J.S. Dhillon, the corps commander in this sector, and to note and understand how greatly the spirit of all, from jawans to divisional commanders, depends on the calibre of the corps commander. Jogi Dhillon is an enthusiastic, intelligent soldier with a physical vigour, drive and combativeness which enable him to be extraordinarily mobile over his wide command and an inspiring presence and example to his officers and men.“
Lt. Gen Dhillon was awarded the Padma Bhushan for his role in the 1965 war and was promoted to Army Commander of the Central Command, from where he retired on August 4, 1970.
Lt Gen JS Dhillon’s counterpart Pakistani Generals who fought against him in the 1965 war, on hearing of his death in 2003, paid warm tribute to him as a great general and warrior.
Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh advised British actor Laurence Fox to gain knowledge of military history.
Tribune Web Desk
Chandigarh, January 24
Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh advised British actor Laurence Fox to gain knowledge of military history, after the actor said a scene from his film ‘1917’ was forcing diversity on viewers with its depiction of a Sikh soldier on Friday.
The Captain termed Fox’s remarks as “bunkum” (rubbish).
The actor’s remarks have triggered an outrage among Indians and Sikhs in the UK, as well as military historians.
In conversation with The Indian Express, he told the Indian troops, which arrived in Europe in 1914, played an important role in preventing a military disaster.
“This is an actor. What does he know about war history? He is talking bunkum and should read history,” said the Punjab Chief Minister.
Further, the Punjab Chief Minister said two divisions went from India–the Third Lahore Division, and the Seventh Meerut Division.
He said that his regiment was part of the Jalandhar Brigade, which comprised the 129th Baluchis, 47 Sikhs and 15 Sikhs.
He further said that the Indian troops had been in contact with the Germans up North.
“We fought a delaying action right up to the Ypres line. We very much fought alongside the British,” Amarinder told Indian Express.
Further, The Indian Express reported that Squadron Leader Rana Chhina, a military historian with United Services Institute in Delhi, said that it was good that the movie had shown the presence of an Indian soldier, albeit briefly.
Fox had said that ‘forcing diversity on people’ is ‘institutionally racist’ after saying that the inclusion of Nabhaan Rizwan portraying Sepoy Jondalar was not in keeping with the film’s surroundings.
He, however, apologised to the Sikh community later, saying that he was being clumsy in expressing himself over the matter.
Laurence wrote: “Fellow humans who are #Sikhs. I am as moved by the sacrifices your relatives made as I am by the loss of all those who die in war, whatever creed or colour. Please accept my apology for being clumsy in the way I have expressed myself over this matter in recent days.”
LAURENCE FOX✔@LozzaFox
Fellow humans who are #SikhsI am as moved by the sacrifices your relatives made as I am by the loss of all those who die in war, whatever creed or colour.
Please accept my apology for being clumsy in the way I have expressed myself over this matter in recent days.
L
ATI VISHISHT SEVA MEDAL
SHAURYA CHAKRA
BAR TO YUDH SEVA MEDAL
BAR TO SENA MEDAL (GALLANTRY)
VISHISHT SEVA MEDAL