JAI
HIND
19. S. SERA
SONAM M V C
Whole of India salutes it gratitude to Colonel Sonam Wangchuk, who on the dent of his indomitable courage and steely determination carved the initial turnaround of military events by the first operational success in OP VIJAY, noticeably on the most difficult high altitude on a dominating pass at Chorbatla in Western Ladakh.
Sonam Wangchuk is a legendary hero of two domains: Military professionalism and Buddhist ethics. He has registered a golden chapter in the military history for India, wherein the Chorbatla operation was glaringly a critical success and set the trend for shaping the final outcome of OP VIJAY in Kargil conflict.
The Chorbatla is strategically important mountain pass on the Line of Control in Western Ladakh. The terrain in this area is high altitude, tough and rugged mountains with steep gradients with associated problems of acclimatization even for skilled high altitude mountaineers. These 18,000 feet heights are glacial, rocky with 80 degrees gradients around the peaks where the day’s temperature is 6 degree Celsius and ice walls form in the night hours: the environmental conditions are a test even for survival.
The intelligence on Pakistani activities and the numbers was scanty. The enemy was well armed and pitched on the 18000 feet height. Approximately 135 men had pitched tents close to the LoC to provide support and there were about 2000 to 3000 Pakistanis reinforcements 6 to 7 km beyond the Line of Control. Enemy had well prepared defense works and was on dominating ground, the firing from loopholes of the defense work was precise and intense.
On 30 May 1999, Major Sonam Wangchuk was leading a column of Ladakh Scouts as a part of ongoing operation in Operation Vijay in the Batalik sector. Ladakh Scouts was one of the first units to be deployed in action in OP VIJAY. The column was tasked to occupy ridgeline on the line of control in a glaciated area at a height of about 5500 meters. This was essential from military point of view so as to pre-empt its occupation by the enemy and thwart any subsequent infiltration. While moving towards the line of control the enemy ambushed the column by firing from a vintage position. In the process one NCO of the Ladakh Scouts was killed. Despite losing a fellow soldier, they moved forward to the enemy position climbing 80 degree steep gradient at this daunting high altitude terrain. The firing continued for almost half an hour and the dilemma of the even the martyrdom of the soldier did not deter them to attempt difficult route from a flank to enemy’s location. It is a tribute to Sonam Wangchuk that he held his column together and boldly raided enemy position. His column achieved a rare feat of delivering a terrible blow to the enemy by eliminating and evacuating Chorbatla Top from the enemy possession. These daring men kept their cool even in horrific danger and devastating fire, crawled to the top and wrested the high ridge from the Pakistanis troops.
In the fog of the war, the communication had failed denying the possibility for calling for Artillery fire support in the crucial moments. There was no back up or the reserves available to execute the contingency plans. At this critical time, it started snowing, complicating the move by negotiating ice wall, compounded by incessant heavy firing, three hours of move during such tough conditions was testing to the limit to scale the cliff.
It is the saga of heroic zeal and steely determination in the most inhabitable high altitude and arctic weather conditions. Sonam Wangchuk with his column conducted a daring counter ambush on the enemy position from a flank killing two enemy soldiers. The column also recovered one heavy machine gun and one universal machine gun along with ammunition and control stores. Thereafter, the officer cleared the access up to the line of control of all enemy intrusion at great risk to his life.
Wangchuk scripted the first operational success which contributed into the victory in the Kargil War. The blend of bravery, valour and gallantry leadership of Wangchuk with disregard to personal safety but with steely resolve was distinct. Wangchuk on reaching near the cliff commandeered his soldiers to withhold the fire till they were in the effective fire zone of his weapons. Four intruders were killed in the gun battle. The retrieved bodies of the intruders confirmed them to be Pakistan army regulars and glaringly smashed the fraud and deniability of their nefarious propaganda. His glaring act snapped a critical intrusion from the enemy and successfully foiled a major infiltration attempt and designs for occupation of dominating ridgeline in this area. The survival instinct and the military excellence shaped the battle field to the advantage of Indian Army thereafter. The history and the learning of mountain warfare, would be incomplete without the deep study and tribute to the contribution of Sonam Wanghchuk in this act.
He belongs to the realm of legends in Indian military, social and human capabilities of Indians. Colonel Sonam Wangchuk, the name itself, currently is synonymous with unadultered courage and exemplary leadership. Gen Mullick, Chief of the Army Staff praised the stellar role in the resounding victory against well entrenched and advantageously positioned enemy in the difficult terrain and hostile weather conditions. Noticeably, the incredible bravery won him an instant commendation from the Chief of the Army Staff, the first in the ongoing war which later fructified into award of Mahavir Chakra. Sonam Wangchuk had displayed exceptional bravery and gallantry of the highest order in the presence of enemy fire and in extreme conditions in the glaciated area and was awarded Mahavir Chakra by the nation. Unit citation was bestowed on Ladakh Scouts for displaying exclusive blend of military skills in the Batalik sector during OP VIJAY. The saga of exemplary valour and grit in the face of enemy was a glowing contribution of Col. Sonam Wangchuk. He is a man of substance wherein mission take precedence and military act despite the daunting condition could not stop a resolute and a determined commander on the ground.
He is a balanced and fine mix of two extreme personality spectrums: humble and compassion anchored on Buddhist ethics and military bravery & courage against enemy in the battlefield. He brought rare military laurels to Indian Army, Ladakh Scouts and Assam Regiment. He is an icon of patriotism, nationalistic core beliefs and passion in the Army. He is ecologied by Indian Army and revered by the Ladakhi people. He is a true practicing Buddhist. His reverence for Dalai Lama is deep. It is indeed touching that he sought Dalai Lama’s blessings before the war when Dalai Lama had visited Leh. He is true representative of the best of Ladakhi culture and deep rooted Buddhist values through his modesty and humane nature. Simplicity, humbleness and clarity of mind are his natural forte. Wangchuk is athletic, physically fit and a keen sportsman. His professional dependability and credibility is of exceptional order. He is a rare blend of courage and bravery with superb mix and balanced with humbleness and ethical values.
His parent Unit i.e. 4 th Battalion Assam Regiment is deeply proud that during his tenure with Ladakh Scouts, he brought laurels to the Indian Army. He has always been adored by his soldiers for his military skills and physical fitness. On commission from Officers Training Academy Chennai, he joined his unit in counter insurgency operations in Ukhrul in North East India and thereafter contributed significantly in the military operations against LTTE in OP PAWAN. He was singularly nominated for instructional tenure in Indian Military Academy, Dehradun and has been icon of military bravery and values to the cadets. Born in 1964 at Sankar in Ladakh area. Had his initial schooling at Solan and Dharmashala and Yol (Himachal Pradesh) and thereafter in Modern School and graduation from Sri Venkateshwara College, (Delhi) . In fact, one of his relative, Colonel Wangdus was his inspiration for joining the India Army. He was commissioned into 4 th battalion of Assam Regiment from Officer Training Academy, Chennai.
The nation owes a gratitude to his heroic action as we are now sitting back of Line of control in Chorbatla. His bravery gave Indian Army that it desperately needed on the mountain tops and provide domination of the Pakistan side of the Line of control.
He is pride in the patriotic galleries of Modern School, Sri Venkateshwara College, Officers training Academy and is the source of inspiration and motivation for entire Indian Army. He would always remain a legendary icon for Ladakh people, Indian Army, Assam and Ladakh Regiments and would be the source of inspiration and motivation for generations to come.
BY LT GEN GURMIT SINGH
COL R V SUBRAMANAIAM
MY REGIMENT TAGRA RAHO
Nov 63-May 64
I was a skinny bony visible cadet when I got into OTA, Pune as an Emergency Commissioned Officer for Training at Officers Training Academy in Nov 1963.Front rolls and rolls of all sorts greeted me with others as we got down from the truck on arrival. I was oblivious of what was in store for me and whether I was at the right place. GC “AMROK KAHAN HAI??” Kept me guessing where the Guava Tree was and my innocence paid me for more front rolls????? After rigorous training, representing Academy in Cricket and sports getting the Academy Blue, 9months passed by and got commissioned (though not by choice) into Assam Regiment. Only the wet canteen manager knew about the accoutrements of the Regiment????? So, in the right spirit I took it on the stride.
May 64-May 65
Many anecdotes enroute to Regimental Centre comes to my mind but refrain
from expressing it excepting one on the train where I lost my cool on two Subedars of Madras Regiment ridiculing the Assam Regiment. They were stunned by my behaviour of my spirit thinking that I was from their caste and creed I would waiver. I was most happy when they apologised.
At the Guwahati Bus stand I met Srivastava and together we reached Happy Valley ARC. The aura and scenic beauty of the hills and seeing the simplicity of the locals coupled with the welcome in the Officers Mess and aura of the Centre raised my spirits and the feeling that I was lucky to join the RHINOs instead of my initial choices.
Stay in the Centre, I must confess, brought unto me a strong base of Rhino spirit de core and unflinching loyalty to the troops which in the years ahead paid me well. The initial rhagade pate of sleeping in the lines, “leepying” the barrack floor in early cold morning in Shillong feeling of oneness with the troops made me feel very proud to say within myself “I should not be a let-down instead be a pillar of strength to my men—-which remained till I retired.
With Bob Snaize as the Training Battalion CO and NM Pradhan as the Trg Adjt it was memorable (today as I write, not then) for 42 YOs standing in attention in front of Trg CO’s office and being pounced on with all the savoury language because of one or two culprit YOs doing something wrong. Days passed, nights passed with training, route marches,BPET,Firing and many other activities that one felt so sleepy during dinner nights(Monday to Friday) .Invariably one would leave hungry as Papa Balwant Singh would finish his dinner before even the first Course would come to our seat!!!!!!
The Comdt Brig Sailo a man of few words but stringent to the Core who ensured our initiation in Training, Administration and imbibing stronger bonding with Troops. If I have achieved whatever I deserved in my service it was because of my short initial tenure in the Centre.
April 65—Aug 67
A year and quarter of life in Centre passed and off I joined 4Assam in Lohit Valley. The CO, Lt Col Gurbax Singh a Fatherly Figure who had served in all the three services was imbibed with reputed sense of humour welcomed me” Oh My god so many Madarasis in Assam Regiment and that too in my Battalion?? On Maj CE Raghavan’s posting in he mistook his name Conjeevaram Ekambaram Raghavan as three officers ???Consequently it was clarified by then Maj Shivpuri and Maj Ramanan.
A YO is always on his toes and in FOUR this was to the FORE!!!!A month or so in Hayuliang and then off self-contained on Pack 08 I was marched off to DICHU facing the Chinaman across. A very professional and tough time which I felt was my foundation for tougher times to come. Its here I read the pamphlet on Patrolling which I learnt later that the Patrolling format/Pamphlet was initiated by Late Maj SP Nag ——yet never brought to light in the Indian Army?????
“Damn fellow RV come back immediately and go for Weapons Course” so came the orders from Gaonburra and thanks to the communication hazard I had to continuously march for 5 days after picking up my baggage for the Course. With no precourse nor any guidance went to do PWO.65 Indo-Pak Conflict kept us wondering if the Course would be completed. Consequently, our mind was geared up to go to war rather than do the Course. We went nowhere and did the course half-heartedly. After the Bns tenure in 2 Inf Div. we came to Varanasi for a peace tenure. Training, long route marches, visits of VIPS, op area exercises etc kept us on our toes all the time. With Lt Col Ranbir (later became Maj Gen) as 2 i/c we youngsters Subba,Bagati,NP Sud,Preetpal Singh,Hukku to name a few were more often than not were caught on the wrong foot and yet he swore on us when it came to talking to the CO or any visiting senior officers. Lt. Col Gurbax, the most lovable grand old man was posted out and in came a stern rigidly strict no nonsense CO Lt. Col Sandhu.
Sep 67-Aug 71
I got posted to 13 Assam Rifles where in four years besides gaining knowledge of work in para military forces, it enhanced my knowledge on locals coming into our Regiment in particular their habits, culture. Spirit de corps, language etc etc. On Patrols of two months or more in Assam Rifles saw us moving with porters—-more females then males????We talk of maternity and delivery system but what do I see an awesome birth delivery behind a bush and off with load to the next destination after night halt with a proud smile”Pu Dapra”(All is well). Commanding a Company in Assam Rifles was a learning in itself and paved into me tons of maturity in handling various situations of civil and military nature.
One of my most vivid memory was to singly accompany a Minster with his entrouge to Wakching village for a talk with senior leaders of Insurgents. My task was to shoot at sight self-styled Brigadier Nagamlu who was responsible for recruiting and training of NLF.All was set when the insurgents came for the meeting and just when I was to shoot The Minister got a call to give orders to me to refrain from shooting which was almost a death toll to me but as luck would have it Self Styled Nagamlu vanished with his gang in spite of an inf bn surrounding the outgoing routes from the village. On return to base the irony and disappointment for me was when a message came from the Govt of India and COAS for my failure to complete the task given to me. A story in itself
Sep 71-Apr 74
Days passed Years passed and back to the Shiny Fourth round about 1Sep 71 at Kapurthala. Life remained busy more so as an Adjutant and then unto our OP Area for the Indo Pak conflict of which is written in Vol 3 Of Regimental History. Suffice to say the war experience to me was a dream come true. Gave me a sense of confidence and courage. My eternal gratitude to All JCOs and All Ranks of CHARLIE COMPANY who stood undeterred and bold during the attack and after. Coming in just after one day of the war of Late Col NS Surrey (later Brig) as CO is what the Bn required and what a GEM of a Co during and after the War. An epitome of humane being to whom every officer was ‘Bacchu” and could do no wrong and so was it with JCOs and All Ranks. He was Godfather to all. If whatever I have achieved under him has been the hallmark of my career
April 74-Sep 76
After completion JC Course got posted to the Centre under Brig NS Surrey as the Comdt for a little over a year. Serving as his Adjutant was a relationship of a father and son not only for me but to all other officers who served under him in that period. Life in the Centre was like one family who worked earnestly with a spirit de corps of oneness coupled with celebrations. Without naming, every officer who served under Brig Surrey will vouchsafe this period in totality. Then came the period of “KHUBLEI” Col AS Malhi which was just Khublei.Khublei through and through. Yet the Team continued working spiritedly to ensure the Colour Presentation in 76 went par Excellence.7 Bns received the Colours from President of India Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed. All said and done Col Malhi though showed sternness outwardly he did have soft heart when required to be. Mangthale to ARC came in Sep76 to a new Raised 24 Inf Bde under which 7Assam was being raised.
Sep76-Jan 79
After about 12 years of Regimental life coming out of it and getting into Staff is an experience in itself and so it was for me more so when it is new raising. It was a period of hard work and being positive in approach which made me most wanted by the Co. The Goburra 7 Assam and second in command 7Assam ensured “ yeh hogaya yar kuch karo damn fellow!” or the cat whisker CO 4 Mahar”RV Cdr ka mood kaisa hai yar.Tell him I am coming or RV you are a gem yaar this has happened see that the Cdr does not get to know about it” How could I not say when the Cdr is dazed seeing Co 4 Mahar’s jeep whilst being reversed going down the slope !!!Being the DQ “Subu sort it out “so says the Cdr.To add to all this we had a phane khan BM(God Bless His Soul )and a very dear friend of mine who was late by 2to3 days after Annual Leave rings up from Comd HQ”RV yaar I am speaking from Army Cdrs office tell the Cdr I will be there by evening. Tuh samalne yaar” Being Sam’s own Shubhi could do no wrong.
During the stint in the Bde I had the opportunity to be in Aizawl where it gave me immense pleasure to meet Rhinos hailing from Mizoram It was time for Au Revoire from Bde to move back to the Bn.
Jan 79-Jun 82
Unto Faizabad under Col Ramanan {later Brigadier}. What more could I ask for then getting back to the Bn and under a Co with whom I have served so closely in my subaltern and Captain days. A man of high integrity who would call spade a spade and would leave no stone unturned towards attaining success and appreciation of his Bn. Further he was a Rock of Gibraltar when it came to defend those who served under him. Strong headed but most affectionate. A workaholic at the sametime has been a Godfather to many officers appearing for Staff College. His passion for the Regiment can be seen from his tireless effort with Rhino Veterans and Faujirhino. A man to be admired and saluted.
It was time for Bn to move to field area and at short notice I was O i/c Advance Party and moved to Poonch.The tenure was extremely operational oriented and as such deployment needed officers in all the forward areas. As soon the Bn organised itself I went to one of the forward posts. During this period the GB got posted and KK Subba took over. In the course of this period I was approved for Command and was posted to 2 Assam. With heavy heart I had to leave the Bn.
Jun 82-May 88
Reported 2 Assam commanded by Late Col JS Antal (later Brigadier) at Chand mandir. For unforeseen reasons to take over command took sometime which enabled me to know the officers, Jcos and men mode of ethos vis a vis to that of Formidable Fourth. Fortunately, on taking over command we moved to High Altitude Field Area (which was the second coldest inhabited area in the world) due to which quite a few senior Company Commanders due to category/due for posting moved out. Few who came along Maj Ahlawat, Late Maj Jasjit Singh ,Maj Pramod Kumar(later Col),Col KS Thapa(went to command 5Assam) went on posting ..and as luck would have it I was left with Maj J.S. Rajkumar, Maj B.S Sandhu,(later Brig)Maj Om Pawar(later Col) and a young Team of daredevil officers with less than 3years of service consisting of Maj S. Chawla, Maj Benz Jacob,(later Col)Maj CS Unni,(later Col),Capt N.Lama(later Col) , Capt Rakesh Hura{later Col)Capt. Vinayak Bhat(later Col),Capt Kesar(later Lt.Col ),Capt Suresh(later Maj but left Service being SS Offr) RMOs Capt Natraj and later Capt Arunachalam(both became Colonel later) to support me. What more could a CO ask for. Narrating a little over 5 ½ of Command would be blowing one’s trumpet .It is suffice to say that each of these youngsters and the seniors brought laurel and glory to the Bn with a stamp of historical successes like scaling the unscaled Nun Peak by Capt Lama, Capt Vinayak Bhat,Sub Dahling Anal and Nb Sub Ramthang, occupying forward posts at 18000ft to 20000ft and above in winter which had never happened before ,presentations at Div./Corps level being given by youngsters of 3 to 5years,establishing Trishul Ice Craft and Tactical Training School for teams/units going to Siachen for the first time, going on patrols of which Patrol Vicky Chan as desired by Corps Cdr led by self(first time a co was specially selected)and sent to assess an alternate route for operations and administration as well as to locate areas where Calcium/sulphur rocks existence and bring back rock stones of these species Capt Kesar who accompanied me with 10 Ors will have a story to tell of this Patrol. In lighter vein the patrol was a disguise for the Corps Cdr to write his Book on Zanskar Valley .which we came to know later No of patrols and operational tasks under hazardous conditions was more often than not given to Second to None and many other accomplishments which can be seen in the Bn’s record.
A point of interest The Bn improved a accommodation where Pandit Nehru spent his honeymoon whilst visiting Amarnath cave. Whilst I was away Rahul Gandhi was keen to stay in this Den which was not permitted due to security reasons though he did visit.
All this happened which for me as a CO was unimaginable because of the spirited Officers, JCOs and Jawans who left no stone unturned for the fame Second to None achieved. Even after the tenure we were recalled under garb of Operational Exercise to this place againn our return to peace station YOL we were joined by Lt. Col SY Kulkarni, Maj SR Das (later Col) and YO Manuraj Singh who later commanded the Bn and few others. Yet once more I had to dine out/dine in same officers!!!
The amusing part to this Command tenure was I would dine out all these daredevil officers on their postings and dine them in on completion of their staff postings!!!! I would still be there!! I must humbly confess my pride that almost all those who served under me attained the rank of Col and above and so also at the level of JCOs and Ors record promotions were attained.
May 88- NOV 90
Finally, much to my surprise the posting came as MA to Lt-Gen SK Pillai, DCOAS{P&S} cum COR. Having done the Interviewing Officer’s Course, I always felt I would be posted to a Selection Board. Moreover, MA postings are personal selection and I never had served nor met Gen Pillai and hence the surprise. To add to it posting to Army Headquarter for raising a most coveted organisation (DCOAS P&S) in years to come was a dream for me. All said and done I am grateful to Late Gen Pillai who gave me the insight of functioning of Army Headquarter and of the Regiment. Being a workaholic and an amazing human being Gen Pillai would be last to leave from South Block and often it would be nightmares when the security at South Block would suspiciously ask me and say “General Saheb aur apko bahut kam hota hoga Saheb kion Ki baki sab tuh 5 bajae chalae jatae hain!!”
Having established DCOAS P&S Gen Pillai took over 10 Corps and I accompanied him as his MS along with Sukhbir Gill who was his ADC a gem of an youngster who could get anything done and always on his toe to ask”Ab Kya karna Sir or Sir maen woh karke ata hun” for the General or Mrs Pillai(humane to the core and simplicity was her inheritance}” ) who would ask for nothing
. To narrate an incidence there was a pickle competion for the station ladies and she was requested to judge and for this she had to taste all the pickles laid out. At the end Mrs Pillai being a British Lady was red all over gobbling away glasses of water with discomfort all over.
Once as Corp Cdr, in the evening he would use his Maruti car to go to the office in civvies. At the entrance of the Corps Hq he was stopped and not allowed to go inside being Corps Cdr orders. Sukhbir just passed by as he was going to the office when he noticed the Gen sitting cool. As ADC Sukhbir gave a dressing down to the guard is when the Gen stopped and told Sukhbir that the guard was carrying out orders and it was not his fault. The Golden Jubilee of the Regiment was to be organised and the Gen was in a quandary as none of the serving Regimental Brigadiers were available to be posted as Commandant ARC. Time was running short and the COR’s anxiety knew no bounds. To add to it Brig Shivpuri (then the Comdt) had received his posting orders. One evening whilst in the office with me discussing about the ensuing GJ he went into deep thought and after few minutes he said “Suby how will it be If I send you? I will also talk to Chandra “This was followed with deliberation. Took me by jolt but orders are orders to be obeyed. Later part of the same evening the Gen in his slow and deliberate manner rang Chandra at Delhi which made her numb with anxiety as if something serious had happened to me and almost broke down till he let out about me going to the Centre. The scare having gone and Gen having a hearty laugh Chandra blurted “Gen only one request tells Suby to give me a cook??” Another hearty laugh and thanked Chandra.
Nov 90-Jan 92
Back again to the Centre was like coming back home but this time with a onerous task. My utmost gratitude to Brig Shivpuri for leaving behind Centre in a high state of excellence which eased my challenge to organise the Golden Jubilee. My indebted gratitude to all the officers including Records, MO and QM and to 1Assam under Col SP Marwha at Umroi for the unstinted support. My apologies for not naming each officer lest I miss out someone. Col GD Raj Dy Comdt, Col Bk Gandhi, Trg Bn Cdr were the bedrock leaders to achieve the most talked about Golden Jubilee Celebration. The Adjutant, Maj Kumar tirelessly held my hand with patience and coolness for which I am ever thankful. I reiterate that every Officer contributed to their might so much so that the Comdt had very little to do Maybe sometime later one of the officer’s present will give a vivid account of the Golden Jubilee of the hallmark of the celebration. Which needs penning is on the Regimental Dinner. All efforts were made to get one of the Five Star Hotel from Kolkata to cater or one of the leading caterers but it went all in vain due to the enormous cost. Good old Cook Prem was not in his usual fit state due to illness. COR struck with an idea and asked Chandra if the ladies could take up the challenge and sure enough the ladies took it up and produced the most talked about gourmet bringing kudos from the Chief of Army Staff and all the invitees of something never heard of. The cook house was a scene of giggles, howlers “mere chamach kidder Hai, mere donga Kahan Gaya, Prem garam masala Kahan Hai……. Papa Pande was so gracious to call Chandra and all the ladies not only to thank but gave money to purchase gifts to each lady.
Our Regiment has gone a long way to rise up to as the best Regiment of the Indian Army and this was proved in the Golden Jubilee. Au revoire to the Centre and to the Rhinos Den came to me after Brig Antal took over the Centre as I got my last leg posting to Bangalore
Jan 92-Oct 94
As Col A TNKK&GOA being the last leg did not deter my work. It was a pleasure to work under Brig SS Grewal, later became AG and then retired. With his support I could establish ASHA for the Differently Abled Children with Chandra taking care for ten years after my retirement.
31 OCTOBER (AN) AU REVOIRE TO THE ARMY BUT TO MY REGIMENT IT IS ALWAYS KADAM BADAE JA RHINO BOYS WILL SHINE TONIGHT EVEN IF BADLU RAM KA ZAMEEN NICHE HAI HALULEIH.
TAGRA RAHO
Photographs WILL BE DISPALYED SOON
CHANDRA SUBRAMANIAM VETERAN COUPLE
Mani on Shishu
Dear Mani, We wish to compliment 💐you for an Excellent narration of career of Lt Col Shishupal in the ASSAM Regt highlighting great leadership qualities and professional competence.1.Had the proud privilege of serving with 3 ASSAM under Lt Col Shishupal CO during Indo Pak War 71.2. While serving with YO Wing, Belgaum as Instructor Cl ‘C’ received forthwith posting to 3 Assam along with Three Assam Regt Offrs. 3. Was the only offr who joined the Bn in thick of War( 11 Dec 71).Was received by Capt Malkiat Singh QM who briefed me about deployment of Bn at Sabuna Distributary. 4. After last light, he guided me from Adm Area to the Bn HQ through comn trench & was welcomed by MMG firing and intermittent across the border. 5.Lt Col Shishupal,CO was pleasantly surprised with my reporting during War.On the same night, was promoted as Major and later asked to take over the duties of Adjt from Maj BP Barthwal. 6. Indeed ! it was unique experience for me to serve under Lt Col Shishupal and learnt a lot which helped me during later yrs of service. 7.The CO, Lt Col Shishupal always remained calm,cool and unperturbed under most trying & challenging conditions. 8.The CO had got prepared very exhaustive SOPs on all aspects( Ops,Trg, Adm, Accts etc) laying down responsibilities of various appointments. 9.Lt Col Shishupal, CO was innovative and full of humor. 10. In order to motivate, inspire, imbibe Regtl Spirit and enhance the image of the Bn, the CO Lt Col Shishupal had got a “Pledge Card” issued to all ranks.During Arr and Dep Parade ,JCOs & OR were required to rpt the Pledge and were required to carry “the said Card” in their Pocket at all times. 11.After Cease Fire, it was
really painful for the CO & all rks to organize Burial/ Cremation after retrieving mortal remains of Brave Offrs and Rhinos who had sacrificed their lives fighting gallantly. 12. During my tenure as Adjt with the Bn, spared no efforts to live up to the expectations of the CO. 13. Memories of my association with Lion Hearted Lt Col Shishupal,CO and Phantom Third are still vivid.14. After unique and memorable experience with Phantom Third, was posted to 1 Assam in Mar 72. TAGRA RAHO.Col RK Jadhav
Lt Col Shishupal was one of our greatest Rhino, located at Shillong. He was always prepared to help ARC. He was a link between his generation and my generation.
When he passed away, I was the commandant at ARC. He was given final farewell from ARC, befitting his outstanding contribution to the Assam Regt.
He was a legend of our Regt.
As usual Col Mani with his wonderful narrative brings back fond memories of times gone by . Immediately after the war my Dad took special permission to visit The third and Uncle Sishu,and learnt of the battle at Fazilka.Even tho it is so long ago I was in school then,I remember my dad very sad and heartbroken because he truly believed that Uncle Sishu should have got a Maha Vir chakra for his role in that battle .Sad but the story of many a brave soldier
COL SHISHUPAL RANPAL DEFENDER OF FAZILAKA
8. Lt Col Shishupal Ranpal (3 Assam)
An alumni of king George’s School, Jhelum (undivided India), 4th course, 1949 batch Lt Col Shishupal Ranpal was also an alumni of Defence Services Staff College, Wellington (1964 batch). An officer and gentleman of the old school, Shishu, as he was fondly called by his peers was a lethal combination of professionalism, gentlemanliness laced with a subtle sense of humour. He stuck to his battalion 3 Assam and commanded his troops from section to the battalion level as a true professional Rhino. On one hand he was like a boy next door to his troops but commanded with an iron hand wearing velvet gloves while loved by his officers, JCOs and men alike as they related to him like someone their own. He was a Boxing Blue of IMA and as also a swimming champion from KG Jhelum days. It was Lt Col Shishupal Ranpal who Christened 3 Assam’s nickname as Phantom Third during his command from 1968 to 1972. The Battle of Fazilka that was fought by the Phantom Third with grit and determination under his command. The set back and loss of territory was not because of the command of the Commanding Officer or the fighting power of his men, it was because of the higher ups policy of having the battalion occupy a Ditch cum Bundh frontage of 16.5 km with 18 vulnerable bridges while three of his rifle companies were deployed in a covering position head of the main defences. Lt Col Shishupal Ranpal’s innovative ideas and cool professionalism stood like a rock even in the face of a disastrous deployment policy. One of the most meticulous professionals, he had a unique flare for writing crisp notes and presentation and was known to lace it with a wry sense of humour. Post retirement, his love for the boys manifested by providing employment to large section of Regiment’s veterans in Meghalaya Home Guards and later in his own Security Agency, which now his eldest son Venu has taken it across pan India. He rode to the sunset earlier than many of us would have liked but even till the end, I know personally that foremost in his mind was welfare of his family, friends and above all the people of the North East.
9. Lt Col Amrik Singh Malhi (4 Assam & commanded 5 Assam)
No Infantry Officer would be worth his name and rank if he doesn’t remember with awe and gratefulness his first commanding officer. Whatever be the equation, the first commanding officer will always hold a warm corner in the heart of an Infantry officer (exceptions do not prove the rule). So is the equation I have with Lt Col AS Malhi who was the first commanding officer of my life as in an infantry officer. From 10th Course JSW, Lt Col Malhi was a thoroughbred old school officer and a gentleman. Flamboyant to the core he lived his life and commanded his troops as a generous and benevolent feudal lord albeit with grace and style. One fine summer evening in Hyderabad as a newly commissioned second lieutenant, I knocked at his residence to call on him. He welcomed me, ushered me into his elegant drawing room and seated me in a sofa. He walked up to his bar in the drawing room and poured dimple scotch and soda in a two beautiful crystal glasses chilling it with generous cubes of ice from the crystal ice pale. We clinked our glasses and drank in a manner that I felt at ease with him and completely forgot the almost tyrant screaming CO the same morning. I observed that he was always in foul mood in the mornings up to around 11 am as he would scream at anyone who happened to be in front of him, however, come lunch time and he would be his jovial self. Evenings, he would be almost like a second lieutenant’s pal as he would talk, drink and joke with us youngsters. Years later, when I asked his about his foul moods in the morning he explained to me with a smile that it was a put on anger. He told me that he deliberately flared up with anyone who appeared in front of him during the morning hours as that was the time for everyone to be in his action station. As such if anyone was hanging around the office complex then the person was not at the appointed place of duty. The conduct of Lt Col AS Malhi as a diehard commanding officer during the Battle of Chamb has been chronicled in the Regimental history books. He was daring and a quick decision maker and knew the battle field as the back of his hand as such he was able to intricately monitor the situation and conduct the battle to the battalion’s best advantage. A legend in his own right Lt Col AS Malhi will always be remembered by the history as the man who stood and fought the might of the enemy’s armoured thrust into his temporarily held form bas battalion position in Chamb.
10. Brig Prakash Shivpuri (4 Assam, Raised & Commanded 7 Assam)
Commissioned into 4 Assam in 1964 as also raised 7 Assam with great success in 1976-77, Brig Shivpuri is a definition of a true professional officer combined with down to earth simplicity. His shuttle sense of humour laced with piercing witty one liners towards selective target audience was entertaining as well as fearful. Never missed PT and games parade in his life and by doing so ensured that nobody dared miss these parades too; Brig Shivpuri was liked and loved by all ranks. One of the easiest senior officers to serve with that when he was the CO 7 Assam, we the youngsters used to look forward to his returning back from leave. Standard Operating Procedures for War & Peace written by Brig Shivpuri during his command of 7 Assam is the bedrock of Operations, Training & Administration for an infantry battalion. He commanded ARC from 1987 to 89 as a true professional and put the ARC team back on a winning streak in football, hockey and boxing, basketball beating the formidable 58 GTC. It was Brig Shivpuri who initiated the ARC Gymnastic team that won many Army and National trophies.
HE WAS THE FIRST DIG OF MEGHALAYA HOME GUARDS
COL BHIM SINGH SHEKAWAT
THE JOURNEY OF COL BS SHEKHWAT .
- Brief – Family . Born on 4th Jan 1951 at Jhunjhunu in Rajasthan, Bheem always nurtured to join the olive green as a small child. Opportunity struck finally when he was selected to join NDA in 1968. After 4years of training from NDA/IMA he was commissioned into the Assam Regiment on 24th Dec 1972. He married Anuradha Singh who was born on 1st Apr 1955. They are begetted with a son Abhinav Singh who was born on 10th Apr 1984. He is married to Neha and the apple of their eye is Ishanavi Singh (Grand Child) The son is a Global manager, South East Asia, Tata Communications and is based out of Hongkong. Col Bheem has three bases viz. Kota, Jaipur and Thane. (No seperate invitation needed for visit).
- Regimental Service
- a) Joined 6 Assam at Binnaguri in January 1973 and moved with the battalion to Jammu in March 1975. The GB was Col BS Bhalla.
- b) Reported to ARC in June 1979 and continued till February 1981. Brig VS Bajwa was the Comdt, Col Das, DyComdt and Col Sandhu as Training Officer. Raised Kharasom Company at ARC.
- c) Was posted to 10 Assam in March 1981 on raising at Shillong under Col. MS Jamwal. Post DSSC and Staff reverted to 10 Assam at Alwar in 1984. Col. SK Sharma was in command.
- d) Joined 5 RR at Ranikhet on raising as 2IC in November 1990. Col. P Saha from Kumaon Regiment was the CO.
- e) Finally was back to saddle the GB’s chair at BG at Rajouri in July 1992. Commanded the battalion in Jutogh therafter. The innings as GB 10 Assam was from November 1992 to July 1995.
- STAFF and ERE
- a) Served as ADC , to Maj Gen N Ramachandran at Aizawl from April 1977 to January 1979.
- b) Graduated from DSSC 39 in December 1983. Col Talwar and Col Madan were coursemates. Col Krishanpal was the DS.
- c) Served as DQ at HQ 74 Inf Bde from November 1987 to February 1990.
- s) Posted as Instr Class A, College of Combat from July 1995 to October 1998.
- e) Proceeded on study leave from October 1998 to October 2000.
- f) Posted as Commander NCC Group Headquarters at Mangalore from October 2000 to October 2002.
- g) Moved as Director DSSC HQ EC from January 2003 to 2005.
- h) Quote ” I will be failing in my duty if I don’t thank all the Rhinos, seniors for their guidance and juniors for their unstinting support through out my career. I am specially thankful to Gen JR Mukherjee for indulging me, when I requested him for hometown posting to Kota in 1987, in Grade II Staff appointment.”
Unquote – Col BS Shekhawat.
PS: I have requested Col Shekhawat to share any interesting anecdotes which I am sure he will in due course. These are jottings from our Whats App conversations. Coots.
COL K K SUBBA
*COL K K Subba Tiger of both 4 & 8 ASSAM
- Born on 11 Jan 1942
- Commissioned on 10 May 1964
- Spouse. Mala Subba
- Unit commissioned into , units served and areas of service with period / duration.
4 ASSAM
1964 – 1966-Lohitpur Division, NEFA
1966 – 1968-Banaras
1968 – 1970-OTS, Madras
1970 -Khrew, Srinagar-Back to 4 ASSAM
1971 – 1974-Kapurthala (Indo Pak war Attari, Amritsar)
1975 – 1978-ARC, Shillong
1979 – 1980-Faizabad- Back to 4 ASSAM
1981 – 1983-Commanded 4 ASSAM in Poonch, J&K
1983 – 1986-GSO 1, ARC
1986 – 1989-Commanded 8 ASSAM-Cooch Behar, Tripura
and Beas
1990 – 1992-Adm Comdt, Delhi
1992 – 1994-Adm Comdt, Siliguri
31 Jan 1994-Retd from Army- Delhi
- Name of all Regimental COs served under :
(a)Lt Col Gurbax Singh
(b)Lt Col GS Sandhu
(c)Lt Col Ranbir Singh
(d)Lt Col NS Surrey
(e)Lt Col SS Rana
(f)Lt Col SK Sharma
(g)Lt Col V Ramanan
- Appointments held( staff / instructional / foreign assignment ).
(a) Instructor in OTA
(b) GSO 1, ARC
- War(s) / IS Duties
(a)1965 – Indo Pak war in NEFA
(b)1971 – Indo Pak War in Attari, Amritsar
(c)1988 – CI Ops in Tripura with 8 ASSAM
7.Family details:
(a)Mala Subba-Spouse
(b)Kalpana McIntosh-Daughter
(c)Kavita Bhandari-Daughter
(d)Lt Col Pankaj Subba-Son
- Self picture of YO days and a latest picture with spouse. Below .
- Hobbies / preferred sports / extra curricular activities and achievements thereof.
(a)Golf
(b)Sketching
- Present occupation
Retired and sleeping
- Place settled
3046,
Sector B4,
Vasant Kunj
New Delhi- 110070
Amol lawate
- Interesting anecdotes will be sent separately
Tagra raho sir.. his son pankaj subba also joined 4 assam.. recently left army.. my coursemate👍🏻
WEB SITE EDITORS ARE ALLOWED TO DO A BIT OF BOASTING ABOUT THEIR ACHIEVEMENTS. IN 1964 SUBBA JOINED US AT NEFA AND TILL 1978 WE WERE TOGETHER AS SUBALTERNS AND MAJORS . HE GOT MARRIED TO MALA [LATER I LEARNT HE ELOPED WITH HER AS PER THEIR CUSTOMS ] AND LANDED IN MY HOUSE AT VARANASI. ME AND MY WIFE LITERALLY RAN A FREE TRANSIT CAMP WITH JOY AND PLEASURE . MALA IS THE YOUNGER SISTER OF MY COURSE MATE SILVER MEDALIST OF OUR NCC COURSE. TIME MOVED AND WE BOTH GREW GITA SITA AND JAMBA IN ONE END AND KALPI KAVITA AND PANKAJ IN OTHER END. WE BOTH WERE IN THICK SOUPS TOGETHER AND LUCK WOULD HAVE IT PRAKSH SHIVPURI AND PREM PURI RETRIVED ME OUT OF TROUBLE . I GOT PROMOTED ON 15 OCT 78 AND ASSUMED COMMAND OF 4 ASSAM AND WENT TO SHILLONG ON THE LAST WEEK OF OCT 78 FOR A BIENNIAL CONF. I REQUESTED SUBBA TO JOIN ME AND HE WAS QUITE RELUCTANT AS HE HAD RECONCILED TO A NO COMMAND LIFE. HE GAVE IN AND MOVED TO FAIZABAD. I HAD TO PULL MY STRINGS . RODNEY WAS MY 2 IC AND WAS DUE TO MOVE OUT . SUBBA AS A COMPANY COMMANDER AND 2IC WAS PUSHED HARD AND WAS PROJECTED TO THE HIEARCHY AS AN OUTSTANDING OFFICER . A BATTLE HERO WHO WALKED INTO THE MINE FILED TO CARRY NK SHARMA WHO HAD LOST A LEG. ONCE I WENT ON A MONTH’S LEAVE AND THE GOC ASKED ME AS TO HOW I CAN BE ABSENT FOR A SUCH A LONG TIME. I TOLD HIM SIR I HAVE A 2IC WHO IS MORE COMPETENT THAN ME.
IT WAS IN JAN 81 ONE NIGHT GEN RANBIR WHO WAS IN MS CALLED ME AT NIGHT 0100 HRS AND TOLD ME
“RAMANAN TUNE KIYA KIYA SUBBA HAS MADE IT ” . TELL HIM TO GET READY AND MOVE TO SENIOR COMMAND TO MORROW.AT NIGHT 0130 HRS ME AND MY WIFE PICKED UP THE SCOOTER AND WENT AND KNOCKED IN SUBBA’S HOUSE . MALA OPENED THE DOOR AND WAS SURPRISED TO SEE BOTH OF US. I TOLD HER CONGRATULATIONS AND GAVE A RHINO HUG TO SUBBA AND CONVEYED THE GOOD NEWS . IT WAS COFFEE AT MIDNIGHT FOR CELEBRATION . GOD WAS SO KIND THAT SUBBA TOOK OVER FROM ME ON 1 MAY 1981 . PROUD RAMANAN . SUBBA IN TURN HONOURED ME IN A HEART TOUCHING MANNER AT POONCH . [SOMETIME LATER.] I GOT HIM INTO GOLF WHICH HE LEARNT AND PLAYED A LOT AND WAS THE SECRETARY OF THE DSOI GOLF COURSE. [ HE MADE LOT OF MONEY TOO !!!]
CAPT D C SUD
Capt DC SUD
DOB 12 JAN 1944
DOC JUNE 1966
Spouse – MONIE SUD.(DEIGRATIA GATPHOH. KHASI from SHILLONG)
Commissioned into 4 ASSAM.
Served in 4 ASSAM, ARC & 31 Sub Area.
Left Army in March 1974 to join the Indian Forest Service. Retires as Principal Chief Conservator of Forests, Rajasthan and Head of the Forest Force. In addition :-
Was Secy Environment in the State Govt,
Principal & Head of Research in Forest Institute Burnihat under Govt of India, FRI.
Finally retd on 31 Jan 2004.
Have a son and a daughter. Son is married and I have an 18 year old grandson.
Anecdotes.
1. Col Gurbax was my first CO when I joined 4 ASSAM in 1966 at Dingbong (then NE).
A thoroughbred Rhino and a fatherly fig. He had special corner for me as I belonged to Chandigarh and lived closed to his house. While at Benaras when all officers had gone for outing, he and I were alone on the dining table sitting at the opposite ends of the table. I had, by then, not availed a single day’s leave and he knew it. He told me that I am going for 1 month leave. I was surprised and shocked. Next day Adjt gave me hell as to how you directly approached CO for leave and I was detailed for temp duty to bde HQ for a month. Finding me during lunch, CO asked me how come you have not gone where as the train leaves at 6 am. I had no answer and simply had tears in my eyes. Next day I was in train! for home. The adjt, coy commander, and 2iC all rose to Maj Gen and one also became Lt Gen. I was always reminded of the incident while in the unit. Perhaps, Col Gurbux was the wittiest CO I ever had. Used to see him in Chandigarh while on leave or after joining IFS and spend the evening listening to his stories over rum with hot water. He was very fond of brandy with hot water and chess.
After his wife’s demise he was all alone. His married daughter would send him both the meals from her home not very far. I always cherish his witty talks. Some of his life’s events I really did not know earlier only you narrated. Thanks dear.
2. Ours was a big batch of nearly 400 that passed out from OTS and I was in a minuscule minority being rhino regt. We had only one DS from regt and knew nothing abt regt at all. At Delhi rly station lot of us congregated for going to all directions. Lot of CMP guys were there. We were all in uniforms guess what, when an MP will salute, we all salutes back. It was so hilarious. Of course in all seriousness. The coal fed rail engine made the journey hell with coal dust in our eyes. Those days there were no AC coaches. Somehow we reached Guwahati and I was picked up and taken to LOB camp. Capt Subba, and Maj Ramanan were there to join the paltan after leave of course. Brahmaputra looked like an ocean because of rain and flooding and crossing it was a scary proposition. From one ton to 3 ton to elephant back crossing Degaru, it was just mesmerizing. The elephant ride in turbulent rivulet was funny as it started swimming with us on board. Capt Subba narrated how once when Col Gurbux the CO was crossing on elephant back the elephant turned back mid way on seeing a female elephant coming from apposite end. So that fear was there in me. By the time we reached unit around evening at unit in Dingbong, was asked by co to join the volleyball. My god, I was in full uniform. How to play and to make matters worse I was no good at volleyball. When the ball came to me I hit it with full force narrowly missing CO.
3. While at Varanasi, I was detailed for Commando course. The pre course started in all seriousness under my immediate senior Gen Hukku. OMG he made my life hell with his training. I think I always bore a grudge that being SS officer, the NDA guy must bugger me up fully. I feel my precourse was tougher than the actual course. Thanks to Capt IJ Sharma another Rhino doing JC or what not he informally introduced me to some DS of my course and lo all hell broke for loose for me. I was ticked off, bullied and what not by that officer introduced by IJ. Though I never met and served with him anywhere.
4. I had a good grading in weapons course (AX or AY). I don’t remember now. l was posted to ARC as WTO. After a month GD Raj from 6 th also joined and the pair painted Shillong pink. I had the advantage that I bought a scooter there and was very mobile. Datar from 6th followed suit. The Commandant, 101 Area officers all were in know of our nefarious activities. Got punished many a times. Well those were the days!
Tagra Raho
COL SANTRAM
MY JOURNEY IN ASSAM REGIMENT
IC34147H Col Sant Ram
Born on 09 Nov 1953 at Village Jaula Kalan in District Patiala, Punjab.
Married to Surjit kaur on 19/nov/1981. Brig and Mrs V Ramananalong with Sita, Geeta and Jambu had been kind to have grace the occasion.
Passed out from IMA on 15 Dec 1976, commissioned to 4 ASSAM along ith Brig J S Bawa (7 Assam), Col M B Saxena( 5 assam) and Lt Col B N Gurung (I Assam). I was lucky to get the Assam Regiment as per my choice. Maj T K Bhagati, Maj A K Hukku and Capt M S Kauchar were posted as instructors at IMAduring my training period at IMA.
I had joined IMA through NCC entry. I was selected through SSB but my NCC certificate was not passed. Brig S S Chaudhary was the Deputy Director General at NCC Directorate Chandigarh. He ordered a special board of offrs to conduct the exam for me and was then issued a ‘C’ certificate. That was my first interaction with and impression of The ASSAM regiment on me and have been
grateful to Brig S S Chaudhary since then. When I met him at Chandigarh while being CO 5 Assam in 1995 he remembered the incident.
Reported in ARC in 1st week of Jan 1977 for Pre YO’s training along with Jasbir Bawa, M B Saxena and B N Gurung. In Mar 1977 M D Kutty and N C Rout also joined us at ARC. During the Pre Course at ARC interacted with great Rhinos, Col A S Malhi was the commandant ARC, Maj P Saharia the Dy Commandant, Maj J S Raj Kumar the trg Major, Capt Biren Borgohain the Adjt, Maj M S Sharawat the Depot Coy Cdrand other officers posted at ARC at that time were Maj KKSubha, Capt Dev Nath who
was my Coy Cdr there, Capt V K Sharma, Capt Omesh Madan, Capt Chhotu Ram, Capt Ram Chander and Capt W A Dongue. During this stay at ARC in Apr 1977, Col S K Sharma, CO 4 Assam along with CaptPromit Roy andCapt P K Vij visited the center on their way to Delhi. Unit was located at Gachham in Arunachal Pradesh. On the recommendation of CO 4 ASSAM, I was granted 10 days leave for visit to 4ASAAM; I reached 4 ASAAM by hitch hiking through the Cvy from Missamari and had a wonderful stay with the unit in Gachham. Capt A K J Nair theadjt and Capt L C Tanmuli received me as my orderly and also as Barman in the Officers Mess. He robbed me of my IdentityCard and all the cash I had which was returned to me next day on signing a Bar Chit for 12 Bottles of Rum with a caution to take care of the Identity Card. It is during this time I met Maj B K Khullar, Maj N P Sud, Maj Y P Singh, Capt John Zama, Capt AKJ Nair, Capt Promit Roy, Cap P K Vij and Capt L C Tamuli and that short stay with the unit made me feel proud to be part of 4 ASAAM and the feeling continued through out the service and now as a Veteran.
On Completion of YOcourse, I joined the unit at Faizabad in Dec 1977 , Col S K Sharma was the CO. I was posted as 2IC A coy. Maj P N Srivastava was the OC A Coy who has been very kind and trained me well to be a good Company Commander. I attended BSW course at MHOW from Aug to Dec 1978 and during this periodCol S K Sharma was relieved by Lt Col (Brig) V Ramanan as CO 4 ASAAM. I met the new CO on return from BSW course in Dec 1978 and continued as 2IC A Coy. In 1st week of Jan 1979, I was granted 60 days AL and on return from leave ,during interview with the CO, was told that Capt P K Vijthe adjt is Under posting as Instructor at NDA, I was the next senior available in the Unit, Capt C R K Singh being busy with the Command football team, I was placed understudy to Capt (Brig) P K Vij to learn the job of Adjt and I was appointed Unit Adjt on Posting out of Capt (Brig) P K Vij to NDA. Being Adjutant to Brig V Ramanan as CO 4 ASSAM has been the turning point in my
Military career and life . I owe my gratitude to Brig V Ramanan Sir for his motivation and guidance to me throughout my life and it continues till date and will ever remain. It is his guidance , Persuasion and monitoring that helped me in Passing Staff College exam and successful completion of the course at DSSC Wellington, which culminated in my commanding Two Battalions in active operational areas- 5 ASSAM (from Jun 1995 to Feb 1998) at Uri ( J&K) on LC and 4 ASSAM in O P Vijay and O P Meghdoot in Siachen Glacier( NG) (From May 1999 to Nov 2000).
In Mar 1981 unit moved to Poonch(J&K) for its field tenure, I was promoted as actng Maj and shifted as Coy Cdr. I was detailed by Brig v Ramanan as Bn Umpire with Maj Gen L S Rawatas chief Empire for an Exercise in Punjab where offensive/Defensive ops were planned and conducted in DCB and Canal Xg warfare. It was again a great opportunity given to me for learning and I indeed benefited from their exposure on ground. The trgexercise continued over a month and during this period Lt Col K K Subba assumed to command 4 ASSAM and Lt Col(Brig) V Ramanan was posted to HQ West Comd at Shimla. I attended the JC course at MHOW from Apr to Jun1983 and during this periodlt Col R K Shahi who came on Inter-Regiment transfer from 6 SIKH had assumed the command of 4 ASAAM at Poonch. I was posted out as GSO-3(INT) to HQ 20 Inf DIV at Binaguri in Nov 1983.
During my this tenure with the Unit ieFaizabad to Poonch, I served with the following officers AT Faizabad Col S K Sharma, Maj R L Darkim, May T K Bagati, Maj K K Subha, Maj I J Sharma, May P N Srivastava, Maj A K Hukku, Maj S P Thappa, Maj Z S Zuala, Maj R V Subrananiam, Maj Bala Subramaniam, Maj B S Gurung, Capt S Gosh, Capt S P Marwah, Capt T S Dhillon, Capt P K Vij, CaptPromit Roy,Capt AKJ Nair, Capt CRK Singh and Capt N R john Sampath , after me Capt (Lt Gen) Gurmit Singh, Capt S B Ghorpade, CaptU C Sharda, Capt Ashish Das, Capt V Diwakar, Capt R K Saxena, CaptAkhilSah, Capt H S Rawat had joined 4 ASSAM at Faizabad.
AT Poonch More officer joined the Unit Maj L C Tamuli, Maj John Zama returned from ERE/Staff Postings, Maj (Lt Col) R K Shahi from 6 Sikh joined the unit in Dec 1982later assumed command in May 1983, 2Lt M J Reddy, 2LT(Maj Gen) Pankaj Saxena, 2 lt (Col) A Anil and 2lt(Col) nareshRajora were commissioned into 4 ASSAM.
At Binaguri I was posted as GSO-3 (Int) atHQ 20MtnDiv.Binnaguri being a Permanent Peace Station for ASSAM Regt it was more like a Regimental Posting for me as the same Regimental actoivities continued when I joined atBinnaguri in Nov 1983.
3 ASAAM with Lt Col (Maj Gen) A K Hukku as CO was present there. I had an excellent and memorable interaction with 3 ASSAM Rhinos and the officers,there I had interacted with Maj
Martin Khongmen then 2IC 3 ASSAM, later CO 8 ASSAM, Maj S Ramalingam, Maj S D Roy, Maj V S Negi, Maj SomDatt, SM, Maj M C Pradhan (Commanded 14 Assam), Capt M D Kutty, Capt H S Tambar, Capt R RajKumar, Capt(Lt Gen) SubrataSaha, CaptArun Kumar and Lt Sandeep Dabral. They all are great Rhions. At the end of Peace tenure of 3 ASSAMthere Col J S RajKumar had relieved Col A K Hukku for second Command. I stayed at Binaguri from Nov 1983 to Feb 1986 within this period 5 ASAAM had replaced 3 ASAAM at Binaguri, so there was another Round of Regimental Festivities and enjoyements. I was lucky again to work with the 5 ASSAM Rhinos with Lt Col K S Thapaas CO, Maj S K Tewarias 2IC, Maj (Col) R S Rathore, Maj R RajKumar, Maj S Rengma,Capt Atul Bhardawajamd Capt S K Kothyal. I fondly remember while posted at Binaguri I had passed the DSSC entrance exam with the motivation, Persuation and guidance of Brig V Ramanan who was then posted as DyCdr HQ 166MtnBde at Peddong (Kalingpong), he frequently visited Binagur as GOC 20 MtnDIv was his close friend. Maj Gen N Vishwanathan GOC 20 Mtn DIV while working in the Ops Room with him was impressed with my work and he said “you have worked as Adjutant with Ramanan, you are well trained to work with anyone and anywhere”. Thanks Brig Ramanan Sir. On Posting out from Binaguri, I joined my unit 4 ASAAM at Barackpore. Lt Col R K Shahi was the CO then and Maj Z S Zuala as 2IC. Col A K kukku assumed the Command of 4 ASAAM in Sep 86 and Lt Col R K Shahi was posted to NCC Madurai. Some of the very Senior and experienced Rhino offrs I met in this tenure were Maj (Col) SashiBhusan, Maj J K Chopra, Maj B P Barthwal, Maj S D S Patyal and some young officer like Capt E Jayabalan, CaptShashidhar VN, Capt R S Khatri and Capt Raju Adesare.
The Unit was with full strength of officer and with 10.5 years of service. I had attended the DSSC-43 in the rank of Capt and picked up my subs Rank of maj in Dec 1987in DSSC Wellington.
I attended DSSC 43 from June1987 to May 1988, On settling my family in SF Accn at Ambala, I had moved to join 4 ASAAM in O P Pawan. On 15 Jun 1988, I landed at Jaffna Air Field by AN-32 and the transients were left to spend the night at the airfield in open and wait their till helilifted from Jaffna
Air Field for the next destination.
There I met Col A K Hukku at Jaffna Air Field, he being senior and CO of the unit was allotted a tent and he was kind to allow me to share the tent with him. He had handed over 4 ASSAM to Lt Col S P Thapa on that very day and was moving for his next assignment. He briefed me about the situation in SriLanka and the area where unit was deployed and also told me the Coy post where I would be deployed. So very kind of him to prepare me for the forthcoming challenges. I was posted as OC B Coy at Viswamadiu with Capt Pankaj Saxena as my Coy 2IC. There were some new officer I met there like Maj BhimAnal, Capt J S Kanwar, Capt Sonam Wongchu and Capt Alok Sagar who joined the unit in 1987-88.
From O P Pawan I was posted as DQ 323 Mtn Bde at Dalhousie from Dec 89 to Dec 1991. During this tenure I was lucky to meet Senior Rhinos, Brig G S Khimta, cdr 87 Mtn Bde and Brig (Maj Gen) P K Puri at Sunderbani. I was posted back to 4 ASSAM at Secunderabad as 2IC of the unit with Col SashiBhusan as CO. Led the adv party of unit to Rehnock in SIKKIM under 166 Mtn Bde and unit was well settled at Rehnock. Then Maj C R K Singh joined back from ERE/Staff tenure and he relieved me as 2IC and I had taken over as OC A Coy. As OC A Coy served with the unit at Sikkim as well as Manipur. The A coy was placed under O P Control of 24 ASSAM Rifles. Coy was deployed at Saikul a hot spot, established a post and handed over to ASAAM Rifle Coy and after three months
moved to Motbung, again established a Post and handed over to ASAAM rifle Coy. In Dec 1993, Col P K Vij assumed the command of 4 ASAAM and Col SashiBhusan was posted out. In Mar 1994 I Was approved and promotedas Lt Col and appointed at 2IC 4 ASAAM, it was now one to one exchange with Maj C R K Singh. Some new officers I served with during this tenure are Maj Anuj Jain, Capt Freddy Merchant, capt Sandeep Dhaya, captArindhamMajumdar and Capt Manish Aggarwal ARC
I was posted to ARC as GSO-I in Aug 1994, Brig J S Antal was the Comdt ARC and Col S P Marwah as the DyComdt . Other officer at ARC were Col Sunit Kumar as TrgBncdr, Lt Col B N Sommana as AdmBn Cdr, Maj P K Baruah, Lt Col NarayanThapa, Maj V P Singh, Capt Vikram Raina, Maj A K Jayachnadran, Maj B S Rawat.
5 ASSAM I was posted out from ARC in Jun 1995 and posted as CO 5 ASAAM. 5 ASAAM was deployed along the LC under 161 Infbde. On my way to 5 ASAAM I was lucky to meet Maj Gen P K puri, the COR and Ex CO 5 ASAAM at Nagrota where he was Chief of Staff 16 Corps. The briefing and guidance about the situation in J&K and Unit by Maj Gen P K Puriover a Dinner at his residence has been of great help during dischargeof my duties as CO 5 ASAAM. His visit to unit on LC and walking down to each post and interaction with the Rhinos at their LPs and OP Posts shot up the morale of the Unit that culminated into the award of GOC-IN-C Northern Command unit appreciation to 5 ASAAM. 5 ASAAM is one of the finest units of the Indian Army.
I had taken over from Col B P S Sandhu on 23 Jun 1995. During my tenure with 5 ASAAM at Uri I served with excellent officers. Lt Col AlokSagar has been my 2IC throughout. The Coy Cdr, Maj M P Patil, Maj S KKothiyal, Maj Deepak Srivastava, Maj Inderjit Singh and Maj J S Saran,Capt D B Gurung(QM), CaptVinayakJadhav (Adjt) ,Lt L K Nishad and Lt LokeshSaxena. I had two second Generation officers in the Unit Capt D S Cheema S/O Brig I S Cheema and Lt NarendarSharawat S/O Col M S Sharawat.Lt LokeshSaxena was the last to join the unit at Uri. 5 ASAAM moved to Ranchi in May 1997. Maj Kalayan Singh(3A), Maj K K Anil from RR, Maj Vikram Raina from ARC and Maj K S Manta from HQ 16 Corps joined the unit.5 ASAAM celebrated Silver Jubilee of Chhamb Battle honour in Dec 1997 at Ranchi. The team of Rhinos and the ladies coordinated by Lt Col &MrsAlokSagar had put up a wonderful show. The celebrations were attended by the Veterans and serving officers of 5 ASAAM. Maj Gen P KPuri the COR, Col R S Rathore the Comdt ARC, Brig S S Chaudhary, Brig I S Cheema, Col C B Thappa and Col K S Thappa, al ex CO’s 5 ASAAM, Col Laxman Rana who commanded 15 ASAAM and Maj A Hazra. It was amazing to witness the Regimental
spirit and binding betweenthe veteran and Rhinos of 5 ASAAM. Lt Vishal Jondale was the last young officer to join 5 ASAAM in JAN 1998 during my command tenure and I handed over 5 ASAAM to Col (Lt Gen) SubrataSahn in Feb 1998 and I was posted back to ARC as TrgBnCdr/ Dy Comdt. I served in ARC from Feb1998 to May 1999 under two commandnats Col R S Rathore and Brig A K Hukku. Brig A K Hukku handed over the ARC to me and left for Bareilly as GOC 6 Mtn Div. The other officers I served with in this tenure at ARC are Lt Col M B Saxena(my coursemate), Lt Col Sandeep Dabral, Capt A K Malhotra, Capt Anil Kumar, Capt J S Cheema, CaptDhiman, CaptVinayakJhadav, Capt Rakesh Sharma, Maj Anil Kumar, Capt D B Gurung and Capt A K Dhiman. In May 1999 I was posted to 4 ASAAM for second command and handed over ARC to Col V K Cherian and moved out in mid May 1999.OP Vijay/O P Meghdoot
4 ASAAM under Col Gurmit Singh located at Banbasa was in the process of handing over to the relieving unit. The Unit was destined for Siachen Glacier for its field tenure. I was prepared to join the unit at Banbasa and then move to field location. Due to Launch of O P Vijay (Kargilwar) the move of 4 ASAAM was preponed by one month. I was in comn with the unit through maj Gen A K Hukku GOC 6Mtn Div. When I spoke to him on tele one day before my Planned date of mov, he surprised me by saying that don’t move , stay at Ambala and join the 4 ASSAM Mil special at Ambala Cantt Rly Stn. It was a great union with 4 ASAAM after a gap of Four years and accordingly celebrated. It was an overnight journey from Ambala to B D Bari Rly Stn. Col Gurmit Singh briefed me about the impending move and reaching the designated location to relieve 15 ASSAM in Kashmir Valley under HQ 56 MtnBde of 8 Mtn Div. On arrival at B D Bari, Maj J S Kanwar received the Bn and informed Col Gurmit Singh that we are not relieving 15 ASSAM. Whatever was taken over has been handedover back to 15 ASAAM and we will be intimated about the new destination later, the unit to unload the train and move to B D Bari transit camp and be there till further orders.
Col Gurmit Singh was relieved and he left for his next destination to attend the H C Course from B D Bari Transit Camp. All our effort to find out the expected date and time of Departure from B D Bari and the next destination through official Channels did not make any Progress, then the Regimental Channel got activated. Lt Gen Krishan Pal the COR was GOC 15 Corps and Col O M Pawar a high spirited Rhino was Col MS H Q 15 Corps. A telephone call to Col O M Pawar solved all the uncertainties we were told about our ETD, next destination in Kashmir Valley and also the instruction to send a party to Banbasa to take over whatever we handed over there.
4 ASAAM enjoyed the patronage and support of Lt Gen Krishan pal GOC 15Corps, Maj Gen J R Mukherjee who had taken over as COS HQ 15 Corps and Maj Gen A K Hukku GOC 6 InfDiv till 15 Aug 1999. This period was utilized for Trg for CI ops, Acclimatization and make up Eqptand wpn deficiencies and the unit was located at Dawar close to HQ 109 InfBde at GurejSector.Before 4
ASAAM was ready to be launched in O P Vijay in active operation the war at Kargil was over and then the unit was moved to Leh and reached Tangtse around 20 Aug 1999 and by then HQ 14 Corps was raised. Lt Gen Masih as Corps Cdr had reported at leh and thereafter 4 ASAAM missed the patronage and support of the senior Rhinos at HQ 15 Corps. The Unit had a successful tenure in O P Meghdoot from Jan to Aug 2000 and then de-inducted to Tantse in sep 2000. During the next three months the Rhinos of 4 ASAAM enjoyed the cool breeze at Tangtse, chusul, Pangongtso Lake and the Fingers in news at Present and the excitement of being face to face with the PLA.
During this period from Jun 1999 to Nov 2000 I served with Lt Col AKhil Shah, Bn 2IC who dedicated himself to prep the Bn for induction into the Glacier and left for posting to ARC in Jan 2000 after about 80% of the 1st induction was complete. Then Lt Col Pankaj Saxena joined as 2IC and served in Glacier at Tac HQ at Kumar in 2nd Induction and he de-inducted the Bn to Tangtse. I was lucky to have them with me at this juncture.
During this tenure, the officers in the Unit were Maj Sashidhar V N, Maj J S Kanwar, Maj AlokBhatnagar , Maj R S Khatri, Maj L M Sharma, Maj ArindamMajumdhar, Maj Manish Aggarwal, CaptAnuj Jain, CaptShitijDevlal, CaptShirishPatil and Lt Arvind Nain. In Jun 1999, Lt Ravi Maney, Lt TusharSapru (ASC), Lt Harsh Thapliyal (AOC), Lt Sumit Kumar (AOC) joined the unit and in Sep 1999 two attoffr Lt Ramamurthy- Gen Service and ltRajniKant (ASC) and Lt Saurav Pal joined the unit. Two second generation Rhinos ie Lt Pankaj Subha S/O Col KKSubha in Dec 1999 and Lt Archie Thapa S/O Col S P Thapa in Mar 2000 joined the unit and did an excellent job at Bana and Amar Fwd post.
I handed over the Command of 4 ASAAM to Lt Col (Maj Gen) Pankaj Saxena on 18 Nov 2000 and moved on posting to Ambala to HQ 2 Corps.This move out from 4 ASAAM was culmination of the Regimental service. Therafter from Nov 2000 to Nov 2011 served and interacted with Rhino offrs in isolation, Lt Col Ved Prakash GSO-I OPS HQ 2Corps, Lt Col A D Anand GSO-I(Trg), NQ 2 Corps, Col K C Dogra Dir Rtg at 2RO Ambala, then Col (Brig) S N Rai Col GS HQ 25 Inf DIV , self being posted
DyCdr HQ 93 InfBde at Poonch. The veteran Col Gurdip Singh and Maj J S Rishi at Jalandhar and Col Murugeshan Col GS HQ 3 Inf DIV at Karu (Leh) where I did
last leg of my reemployment till Nov 2011.
TAGRA RAHO
MAJ C D SOI
*KNOW YOUR VETERANS*
The First Story of this initiative
From Maj CD Soi:
Tagra Raho to the Rhino family. This is Major Charan Das Soi, a veteran Rhino and I am recapping my service details under the “Know Your Veterans” programme – a very laudable initiative.
- I was born in Ludhiana, Punjab, on 3rd January, 1936. I passed out of the Arya School, Ludhiana and joined the GS Sakseria College of Commerce in Nagpur, from where I graduated in 1956 and simultaneously completed my C Certificate in NCC. I still recollect the name of the CO of the NCC unit – Maj Tiwari of the Dogra Regiment, who I shared a great relationship with and who motivated me to join the forces. I joined the IMA in July 1956 under the 7th NCC course and passed out on 14th December, 1958, when I was commissioned into the First Battalion, the Assam Regiment.
- I joined the Fighting First in January 1959 in Mahura in J&K. The battalion was commanded by Lt Col Amar Sen and Maj RK Kurane was the 2iC, who later took over command from Lt Col Amar Sen. Then Maj Narottam Surrey, later to be Brig Surrey, was the Adjutant at the time of my joining and the Coy Commanders were Maj SC Barbosa (later Lt Gen), Maj Parera, Maj DS Bath and Maj Julian Fernandez.
On a lighter note, I have to share a couple of anecdotes with you – Lt Col Amar Sen was a stickler for details but happened to be absent minded at times. He was very fond of photography and he used his bathroom, attached to his bedroom, in the Officers Mess, as a dark room for developing films. One day, the Adjt knocked at his door and not receiving a reply, moved into the Offrs Mess ante-room. Suddenly, Col Amar Sen opened the door and entered the ante-room minus his trousers. The Adjt, realising the precarious situation, turned back apologising profusely and rushed out.
Col Amar Sen was also very fond of his smoking pipe and on one occasion, driving from Srinagar to unit lines, he chewed his pipe about two inches. Realising what he had done, he asked Sub Maj Bilora Lushai, who was traveling with him – ” Sahib, aap humko bataya kyo nahin, ki ham apna pipe kha raha hai”
Another incident that comes to mind – Col Kurane was a very short tempered officer. As I was very close to Maj Surrey, one day, over a drink, I told him that our CO “is highly inflammable and not to be loose shunted” as is mentioned on the petroleum carrying wagons of the railways. One fine day, sensing Col Kurane to be in a bright mood, Maj Surrey conveyed my opinion to him, but Col Kurane took it very sportingly and laughed heartily at this description. I have to add, I was warned by Maj Surrey to be ready to face a court martial if Col Kurane took offence, but he was very gracious about this incident.
- On completion of the unit’s tenure in J&K, we moved to a peace station – Ferozepur. Maj BJP Rana joined the battalion as 2iC. Mrs Rana and Mrs Surrey were real sisters.
During my tenure at Ferozepur, I was appointed interim ADC to Gen Diwan Prem Chand for about three months.
Another interesting nugget, the local Brigade Commander desired that at least one officer must be part of the team in all inter-Bn sports competitions. The first event was an inter-Bn football competition and I being the sole young officer available at the time, was forced to play in the competition, even though I had no experience in competitive football. Hav Tenjan Ao and Mirankaba Ao, who were the stars of the team, suggested that I play Centre forward and told me ” Sahib, ball milega to uske saath bhagna. Agar D mein hai, to seedha goal mein bhagna.” I followed the tip and scored the first goal of my life. The opposite team was from first Jat. That proved to be my first and last goal as I never again ventured onto a football field.
- After Ferozepur, the unit moved to Samba. Maj SS Chaudhary and Maj Mangal Singh joined the battalion followed by Capt Vasu and Maj Mall. Newly commissioned 2Lts Gurdeep Singh, Govind Khimta and Krishan Paul also joined at Samba. Capt KS Mangat was deputed to receive 2Lts Khimta and Krishan Paul at the local bus stand. He played a prank on them and made the subalterns run behind his 1 ton right up to the unit loc.
- The next location was Nowshera Jhangar, where Lt Col CB Pradhan took over from Col Kurane.
- In March 1964, I was engaged to my life partner, Vinod. Immediately afterwards, Capt GS Khimta and I were posted to 6 Assam at its raising in Shillong. Sabre Sixth was raised on 1st April and I was appointed the first Adjutant of the battalion. Maj Balwan Singh was the first officiating CO. Besides the multifarious responsibilities of a new raising, I had to also reckon with a big force of subalterns and young Captains. On the Raising Day, after the parade, we moved to the Offrs Mess for lunch and all the youngsters gathered around me seeking permission to go out to Shillong in the evening. I lost my shirt and gave them a piece of my mind that they would rather socialise in the bazaars of Shillong rather than celebrate the newly raised battalion. Thereafter, we got together in the evening and downed a few hefty ones which laid the basis for camaraderie and regimental josh in the coming days.
- Vinod and I were married on May 16th, 1964 at Nabha, Punjab and three officers – then Maj Surrey, Lt Gurdeep and Lt Vaidya were in attendance.
Incidentally, at the time of my engagement I was with the First Battalion and had moved to the Sixth when I was married and I was presented silver salvers by both battalions. This prompted some of the Regimental ladies to enquire whether this was my second wedding.
- After the raising, the battalion moved to Bomdila, based at Rupa. Here Lt Col Pratap Singh took over command. It was here that I developed bronchial asthma and was categorised, following which I was forced to bid adieu to regimental life and I served out the rest of my service in peace stations
- My first posting thereafter was to OTS Madras, where three other officers from the Assam Regiment also joined – Capt Prakash Shivpuri, Capt TS Kanwar and Capt Subba. I served at the OTS from SS 02 to SS 09 and all SS course officers who joined the Regiment, will remember the Jungle Warfare and Live off the Land demos given by me. I completed my GTO course and was subsequently posted as GTO in Services Selection Board Meerut in 1968. This SSB then moved to Roorkee in 1970. I had another stint as GTO in SSB Allahabad from 1971 to 1974, after which I was posted as MCO at Lucknow from 1974 to 1977. I then took over as BRO in Gwalior, which was a very demanding and stressful stint. My last posting in uniform was as the OC, Girls Bn NCC at Bhubaneswar in 1980.
Upon completion of my pensionable service, I put in my papers and hung up my fauji boots.
*TAGRA RAHO*
- I started off my second career as a businessman in 1981 and I have been active there to date till the Corona epidemic forced me to stay indoors.
I joined an institution known as Freemasonry in Ludhiana in 1984. It is an international organisation and undertakes social service projects. I have coordinated a major project with the Ludhiana chapter – the sponsoring of artificial limbs for the less fortunate, who do not afford these.
I have a son and a daughter – both married. My son, Aman, has joined me in my business venture and my daughter Alka is settled in Delhi and is a teacher.
Brig Prakash Shivpuri
‘KNOW YOUR VETERANS ‘
BACKGROUND
1. I was born in Jhansi on 25 Mar1939 .
2 . My schooling was in Alwar and Jaipur . While in College , I had joined Senior Division NCC and obtained ‘ B’Cert.
TRAINING
3. Coming from non Army background, career in the Army was not a priority.However seeing an advertisement in the papers for NDA written exam , I took the plunge and appeared. As luck would have it , I cleared the exam and subsequently the SSB. I had also cleared the Pilot Aptitude Test . I however decided to join as an Army Cadet. During my stay in the NDA / IMA , our Regt had no Instructors.
COMMISSION
4. I passed out of IMA on18 Dec 1960 and was posted to 4 Assam Along with me BM Lal and JP Choudhury were
posted to 1 and 2 Assam respectively. J P Choudhury however left the Regt soon after ànd went to EME .
visit to the Bn was of Maj Gen Paranjape ,a pratrooper, who was our COR. Next visit was Maj PB Singh from Manipur Royal family who had been with the Regt during the war.He presented us with two water colours.
9. In Sep 61, I proceeded on Wpns course to Mhow. Just before the Raising Day I received Rs 20 from the 2ic and was asked to org a tea party on 1 Oct for all the Rhinos in the Stn ,which was done. Maj Mangal Singh attending SO course was the senior offr .Lt SS Walia who was on Wpns course with me was also present .Some others were Sub Dwarka Nath Mech (Sig course) and Hav Zakamlova (Pwn course )
10. In early 1962,while we were training in Barapani near UCC, orders were received to move to East Pak border near Masimpur to block mov of insurgent gangs. We did lot of patrolling and laid ambushes but there had been no movement in our area. 2lt YP Singh joined us along with him one Ord offr came on att.
11. In Oct 1962 ,the Unit moved to Tezu( Digaru airfield .Lohit Div) for onward mov to Hayuliang . Before our mov could commence
63 onwards we started receiving a large no of YOs namely Darkim , Gurung , Ghosh Roy, Dongzathang , Subba, Bala , RV,IJ , Bains , Bagati, Ashok Hukku , Jaspal Singh ,PP Singh, Srivastava ,NP Sud, Diwedi joined us .Maj DB Mal and Capt SP Nag also joined us .Jagmohan ,Rana and Hatwal left the Bn.
16. In Apr 1966 , I was posted to OTS (Ñow OTA) as Instr Cl 3 .I was with SS2, SS4 and half a term with SS6 . During my stay at OTS , Maj Soi and TS Kanwar were there.InApr/May 68 I was relieved by Col KK Subba .
17. The Bn had moved to Varanasi in Jun/Jul 66 ] .Lt Col G S Sandhu had taken over from Col Gurbax Singh.I reported back to the Bn in Jul/Aug 68.By then
DC Sud , Thapa Gurung and John Sampath had joined the Bn .
I had been detailed for ISOC Course at Pune and while I was there ,Col Sandhu was posted out and Gen Ranbir Singh took over .
J&K
18. The Unit moved to Jindrah in late 1968 and became part of Bakarwal Bde. During summer we moved up to a place called Khrew near Pampur where Biren , Tamuli and Marwah joined us . We took part in some important exercises in the valley and earned lot of praise from every one.While we were in the valley Godbole was nominated for the Staff course and left never to return as he had been transferred to the Kumaon Regt.
19. In Nov 1970 ,I was posted to MI Dte as G2 where I relieved Maj SS Rana who moved back to 4th. To prepare for the Staff College I attended the pre staff at Udhampur .During the break I went to Kapurthala to attend the Raising Day function ( 01 Oct 71).
1971 WAR
20 Just before the war Gen Ranbir met with an accident and had to be evacuated .Brig Surrey who was GSO 1 UP Area, was posted as CO. 2ic was Maj Rana . Shubhashish Ghosh , Patyal , Zama, Promit Roy were in the Bn during this period.
21. Whole of 1973 was spent in Wellington where we had Company of Khullar and Prem Puri.
22.On completion of the course I was posted as DS JC Wing Mhow .I met Brig Barbosa who was Comdt Inf School then and Antal who was DS JC wing. I also got to meet Gen Pillai and Gen Mukherjee there.
23 . I returned to the Bn in Feb 1975 and joined them at Nuranang. Ramanan had brought the Bn as CO
Col SS Rana had been hospitalised and had not come with the Bn.The Bn did lot of patrolling in the area. After about a month Col SK Sharma came to 4th and took over comd.I was 2ic with him till Sep 1975 when I left for SC.Vij and some others joined the Bn.
7 ASSAM
24. In Dec 75 ,I was informed that 7 Assam was to be raised wef 01 Jan 76 and I should report at Rangiya on the due date.The loc for raising was Tamulpur on rd Rangiya _ Daranga .
25. As CO , I was very lucky to get a very good set of offrs with Ramanan as 2ic (we had known each other since Jan 1963 ). Raising in a fd fmn was advantageous as senior fmn Cdrs ensured that we got manpower and eqpt/vehs in time .
26. RN Singh (later our COR)was the first offr to be posted to the Bn .As a matter of fact he was posted to the Bn even before the raising. Besides Ramanan other Offrs with me were Ao, Lyngdoh, ABSharma, JSRishi , RKJadhav, AG Datar, RSVer, Rattanjit ,Ibnul Huda ,P Mitra,Rai Singh,Rawat, Barkakoti, ,Ranbir Singh , Poon, Lahiri, Shashi Asthana ,Shashi Bhushan, Jasbir Bawa , Rawat , Gahatraj ,Govinder and Barthwal .Our RMO Capt (later Col) PC Mohanty was like any other Regt offr. He was the first offr from the Bn to get COAS commendation card.
The bn football team consisted of Barthwal ,Huda ,Poon, Barka and Bawa .Our Athletic team was led by Ver who had been a sprinter par excellence during Academy days.
29. While we were at Tamulpur , we had company of 3 Assam under Col Das Gupta which was at Misamari and later 2 Assam under Col TS Kanwar was there . We used to have lot of interaction with each other.
30. On completion of my tenure I left for Mhow in May 79 and KK Sood ,who had come to us from 9 GR took over from me.
31 This was my second tenure in JCWing. We had Shashi Bhushan, Bhullar and Khullar for company.
32. Just as I completed two years in Mhow my posting came to HAA in Sikkim .I was Dy Cdr from Sep 1981 to Sep 1983.Gen VN Sharma who later became Chief ,was the GOC .He was later relieved by Gen Hanut Singh MVC
33. I was posted as Director in WE dte Army Hq in Sep 83 till Jan 1975. This was my second tenure in Delhi .
34 .I took over Comd in Jan 85 and remained there till Sep 87 . During my tenure Ex Brass tacks had taken place where we had to cover the entire Divisional frontage . I also had the privilege of having 14 Assam in the fmn . Col Gurdeep Singh had brought the Bn after Raising . After some time he handed over Command to Col AG Datar who
had been with me in 7 Assam. This fmn had earlier been Commanded by Brig Choudhury in 1971 ops with 3 Assam being part of that fmn .
35. I was posted to ARC in Jul 87 and after availing annual leave I joined in Sep 87. Ít has been a privilege for me to serve in the Centre.I was there for 3 years from Sep 87 to Sep 90.I got to meet and work wth a very fine set of Offrs from my old bns and different Bns who were an asset to the org. Some of them were LC Sailo ,Gurdip Singh, Jason Peter ,Murli ,Mani ,Shashi Rattanjit ,NP ,I P etc.I was also privileged to meet large number of senior serving offrs and Veterans during my tenure there .
Some of you may remember that Centre had very old bks for tps. A project report for new bks was accordingly forwarded to Army Hqs.
37. My last posting was in Quartering Dte ,QMGs Br. We managed to push through the accn case of ARC and get it sanctioned from the ministry.
38 If I have mixed up seniority or date of reporting or missed out some names my sincere apologies ,it is only because of the long time gap and old age if I may say so.
39. I am forwarding a few photographs which may be of interest
Col PN Srivastava
*Know Your Veterans*
Posting the story of Lt Col PN Srivastava gathered with the help of Col RV Subramaniam.
DOB – 17 Jun 1939
DOC – 03 May 1964
DOR – 30 Jun 1990
Units served
4 Assam
1965-67 – Hayuliang
1973-75 – Kapurthala & NEFA
1977-80 – Faizabad
NCC
1980-83 – OC 3 Bihar Bn NCC Ranchi
1983-85 – OC 2 (I) Coy Pondicherry Karaikal
Ord Depot
1985-1988 – Security Offr Metal Factory Icchapur (WB)
DRDO
1988-90 – Security Offr Def Science Centre (DRDO), New Delhi
Names of Regimental COs Served
Col (Brig) T Sailo
Lt Col Gurbax Singh
Lt Col SS Rana
Lt Col SK Sharma
Lt Col (Brig) V Ramanan
Appts Held in Staff
Staff Capt (Legal) – HQ 26 Div
(Col Srivastav was affectionately called ‘Vakil Saheb’ not only by his peer but also by the boys because he was qualified in Law)
Law Instr – Inf School & College of Combat
Staff Capt (L) – HQ Central Comd
DAAG HQ Lucknow Sub Area
Wars
During ’71 was posted to HQ Western Comd
Family Details
Self, wife two daughters settled in life with their husbands and children. The elder daughter is Trisha (Chief Manager of an SBI Branch in Delhi and her husband is ADG Railways in New Delhi and the younger daughter is Geetika who is a VP in Shoppers Stop while her her husband is a VP in the Head Office of a garment factory.
Hobbies – badminton
Address – Alternate between Delhi and Pune every 6 months.
60, Deshbandhu Apts, Kalkaji, New Delhi.
103, Alstonia, NECHS, Nyati Estate, Mohd Wadi, Pune – 411028.
Took up legal prac after retirement but stopped after crossing the age of 80 yrs.
Maj Inder Jit Sharma
*Know Your Veterans*
Maj Inder Jit Sharma
The story of another veteran of our regiment who served purely in one unit which was rare those days. He is very brief in his write up but I learnt more about him in my conversations with my seniors, especially Col RV Subramaniam who is the key person behind contacting all seniors of my Khel and Col Akhil Sah who’s memory is better than any safekeeping box and has a million anecdotes to tell about anybody or any event.
Maj IJ left the army pre-maturely but not before he served as the regiment’s first instructor in the Cdo Wing at Mhow besides having secured Instructor gradings in BSW and JC! More about him in his own words.
MY MEMORIES OF 4 ASSAM
No – IC-18521 W
Rank – Major
Name – Inder Jit Sharma (popularly called I.J)
Unit – 4 Assam
D.O.B – 02 Feb 1942
D.O.C – 27 Sep 1963
Date of marriage -03 June 1967
Name of spouse – Mrs Krishna Sharma
D.O.B of spouse – 01 Feb 1945
Date of retirement – 30 May 1984
I was about 5 years old when we had to move out from our ancestral home in 1947 due to partition of the country. Starting my schooling in 1948, I got into Govt. service at New Delhi in the then Posts & Telegraphs (P&T) Deptt. In Jan 1961.
One fine morning a Capt from the Territorial Army addressed us in our classroom and motivated us to join the Territorial Army. As a result of his highly motivating address, five of us including myself joined the T.A. We attended a Training Camp of TA for 2 months toward the end of 1961 in Mehrauli area of New Delhi. During our next annual training camp of TA in 1962, the Indo-China war broke out and the Government introduced the scheme of starting the intake of ECOs. I too got selected and moved over to IMA Dehradun in April, 1963. Due to the urgency of inducting the officers into active service at the earliest, the training period was cut down to 6 months. Our EC-2 Course passed out on 27-Sep-1963. EC-2 is the largest course to have passed out in the history of Indian Army with 1446 cadets. We were lined up in 21 rows in front of CHETWOOD HALL for our Passing Out Parade.
I joined the 4th KHEL at Hayuliang in Oct, 1963. For the first time in life, I travelled in a small American Aircraft called OTTER to join the battalion. The journey in the mountains flying over the mighty Lohit River was extremely thrilling and exciting.
The CO at that time was Lt Col Gurbax Singh, Maj. K Jagmohan Singh was the Second in-Command. Maj S K Hatwal, Maj B N God bole, Capt P Shivpuri, Capt BK Khullar, Capt Y P Singh, Lt V Ramanan, 2Lts RL Darkim, V Dongza Thang, B K Ghosh and B K Gurung were there as my seniors. In 1965, now Maj Gen (Retd) Ashok Hukku joined us. I was also lucky to have the privilege of having served with PP Singh, NP Sud, DC Sud, SP Marwah, A K Shrivastava, Shiv Patyal, Gurmit Singh, P Roy, Akhil Shah, MJ Reddy, John Zama, Pankaj Saxena, TK Bagati, Sant Ram, UC Sharda, RV Subramanium, R Bala Subramanium, CE Raghvan, BS Gurung and HS Rawat. I am extremely proud of all of them and carry very fond memories of all of them in my bosom “Jab zara gardan jhukai, dekh li” type. Similarly, the respectable and graceful ladies of 4 Assam, namely Mrs Ranbir Singh, Mrs SS Rana, Mrs Veena Shivpuri, Mrs Khullar, Mrs Ramanan, Mrs Ashok Hukku, Mrs Chandra, Mrs Marwaha, Mrs Srivastava, Mrs Subba, Mrs Zuala, Mrs Zama, Mrs Sampath, Mrs SK Sharma are very much alive in my memory box. I pay very warm regards and gratitude to all of them for having extended their affections to Mrs IJ who has left for her heavenly abode in May 2018.
During the year 1965, I was detailed for Commando course. On my way back to the Battalion from Mhow after the completion of the course, I was praying to the Almighty not to make me wade through the jungles, nullahs and river of Choral and rocks of Bhera Ghat again in life, but God has his own way of directing our course of journey on this planet. I was posted as an instructor in the Commando Wing of Infantry School, Mhow in January 1966. It was during my tenure at Mhow when I got married during summer vacations of 1967. In June 1968 I was posted back to 4 Assam, stationed at Varanasi. We were blessed with a son at Varanasi in August 1968 who is now a senior Professor in Kurukshetra University.
I was posted to Special Frontier Force (Est no. 22) with its Head Quarters at a lovely hill station named Chakrata. Lt Col Krishan Pal (later Lt Gen) of our Regiment was also there as GSO-I (Ops) under Brigadier Rai Singh, MVC of Grenadiers. I served in the SFF till mid of 1978 from where I was posted as OC 73 NCC Battalion at Moradabad. This Battalion was adjudged as the best NCC Battalion of UP. In 1979 I was posted back to the Battalion at Faizabad, then commanded by Lt Col V Ramanan. It was during his leadership that the Unit achieved tremendous success in all spheres. We moved to Poonch under 93 Inf Bde along with the Unit where I served till early 1984. I had the unique distinction of serving as Second-in-Command of the Battalion under three GAON BURAS i.e. Brig V. Ramanan, Col KK Subba and Col RK Shahi. I am lucky to have retired from the same Battalion which I had joined on commissioning.
Having taken Pre-Mature-Retirement on 30th May, 1984, I served in the Sainik Welfare Department of Government of Haryana for over sixteen years. I have been honoured by H.E. the Governor of Haryana for my contribution in promoting the welfare of ex-servicemen in the State.
There is an organisation of the retirees of all the three wings of Defence Services, called Haryana Ex-Services League (HESL) which is affiliated to the Indian Ex-Services League (IESL) at the national level. I had an opportunity to contribute towards the welfare of ex-servicemen during my two tenures as elected District President of HESL, Kurukshetra. Presently, HESL Kurukshetra is engaged in providing manpower to the Kurukshetra University for security services in the campus under my control/ supervision wherein more than 200 ex-servicemen are gainfully employed, which is again my humble contribution towards the cause of the welfare of ex-servicemen who are retired at an early age so as to maintain the youthful profile of the Fighting Forces.
We have settled at Kurukshetra, the land of Holy Bhagavad Gita. It will be our pleasure to host any Rhino visiting this holy city.
TAGRA RAHO
Col Sugato Sen
These are the Old Madras Regt group who joined 14 ASSAM
They org a farewell for Col Sugato Sen ,SC on posting from NCC Gp HQ Kollam to Varanasi
There is an unsung hero of 14, Nk Geevarghese KD, KC, ( Posthumous), rarely mentioned in any Regtl news
Col Sugato Sen was awarded SC in the same Ops in Khokrajhar
Lt Col RBJ Snaize
Know Your Veterans
So proud to post the story of Lt Col RBJ Snaize who I kept hearing about from my seniors. I would like to thank Col M. Khongmen, Col Mani Ghatraj and most of all Col RV Subramaniam for not just the write up but for getting us in touch with seniors of his generation.
IC-3509 Lt Col Ronald Benjamin John Snaize, VSM
(Authored By Col M. Khongmen,Col RV Subramaniam&Col Mani Ghatraj)
Early Life
1 IC-3509 Lt Col Ronald Benjamin John Snaize, VSM, affectionately known as “BOB” was born on 26 Feb 1928 presumably in Bangalore as his kith and kin relations are a well-known Anglo-Indian Family in Bangalore. He Passed Senior Cambridge in 1944, passed Inter Science in 1946 from St George’s College, “Manor House”, Mussoorie, UP.
Army Life
1947 TO 1979
A sportsman through and through and in particular in Football he qualified from the SSB and joined the IMA as a cadet, and was commissioned on 18 Oct 1947 in the Assam Regt.He was posted to ARC [Given to understand he was the first of the regulars from IMA to be posted to the Regt]. He attended and qualified in PTO Course in 1948. Being a footballer, was appointed PTO as well as WTO. He was tasked to train the football team and thereby participated in many inter unit football tournaments, as well as inter fmns’, incl local civil tournaments too.
In Jun ’50, he attended and was qualified in the 3” Mor (Offrs)Course and was posted to 3A in J&K (field area), and appointed as Mortar Offr. (The CO of the unit was Lt Col RD Joshi). The following year, “Bob” was Adjt from Jun ’51 to Jun ’52, under Lt Col Surendra Singh the CO. Later Capt “ Bob” was posted out to Shillong Indep Coy NCC as its Coy Cdr.
Besides Army Courses attended as mentioned, he also was qualified in the following Army
Courses of Instrs: QM(Offrs) ’51, PW(O) ’54, JC ’56.
Col Martin Khongmen recalls” ( I recall him on his Royal Enfield Motor Cycle zooming in and out in the St Edmund’s School premises in Shillong where yours faithfully was studying in Std III, and we naughty boys knew he was courting one of our school Ma’ams, and to whom he got hitched to eventually).”
In Dec ’54, he was posted and assumed comd of a Coy in 2A in J&K (Fd Area). After a year he was made Adjt for 2 years. In Dec ’57, he proceeded on posting to HQ 1 Sector, Assam Rifles, in Tuensang, as GSO-2(Ops). In May ’61 he was posted to 4A, which was loc in NEFA. ( newly raised on 01 Oct ’60 in Shillong, by Lt Col T Sailo). Lt Col T Sailo was posted out to ARC, assumed comd as Comdt on 23 Sep ’63. By Dec ’63,“Bob” who was 2iC 4A was also posted to ARC as OC Trg Bn. (Desperate times demand desperate measures, I presume, as contingents of ECOs/SSOs and a trickle of Regulars descended at the Centre, and enrolments of young rhinos to be were herded in to meet demands of new units in the pipe-line, and filling vacancies in the older ones like 1A and 3A).
Besides the Regt was growing and it was an absolute necessity for the Regiment to come to the forefront and be in par with other Regiments in Indian Army. If it wasn’t for Lt Col Snaize the standards to be attained would never have happened. His strict and no-nonsense approach in professional aspects of Training, Exercises, sports activities and administration has been the strong foundation laid on which the Regiment is the foremost Infantry Regiment in the Indian Army today.
In spite of his strict and terrified attitude he was admired and respected for his humane attitude off parade hours by all ranks and in particular by the Officers who would swear by him for being a demigod to them when in need or in trouble.
“Bob” then side-stepped as Dy Comdt ARC till Sep ’68, when he picked up his rank to comd 18
AR till Nov ’72, in the Lushai Hills (Fd Area). It was while commanding 18 AR that he was awarded the
VSM. He took over comd of 117 Inf Bn (TA)(Peace Sta) from Nov ’72 to Jun ’73, when he was posted as Army Liaison Offr in Arunachal Pradesh,(Peace Sta) where he remained till Aug ’75.He commanded 119 Inf Bn (TA)(Peace Sta) from Aug ’75, and retired from the service on 28 Feb ‘79
Personal Life
(Authored by Col Martin Khonghmen)
Date of Marriage: – 16 Jun 1954, Shillong. They were married according to Christian rites.
Married to Miss Felicia Lyngdoh Mairang, teacher St Edmund’s School, Shillong. She comes from the prominent family of the clan of Lyngdoh Mairang. Mairang was a Khasi kingdom (still is), and the clan of Lyngdoh Mairang held important roles in assisting the Chieftain in administrative and religious matters within the domain. A few years later she gave up her teaching profession and became a full-time homemaker. Mrs Snaize passed away on 24 Aug 1996, and the funeral was held on 26 Aug 1996, according to Christian rites.
Mark Snaize Lyngdoh is their only son. He and his wife have three children, two boys and a girl. Two of them are married and the youngest son is single, and are well settled in their parental estate at Nongkseh, Upper Shillong. Mark takes care of his parental estates and properties in Shillong and at Mairang Town.
As far as “Bob” is concerned, after retirement from the service on 28 Feb 1979, he kept himself occupied in his farm at Barapani and at the same time launched two societies named “Myrada” and “Nerda” with Capt Bill Davinson (Retd). These societies imparted skills and financially aided farmer-members and marketed the products. As the financial aids were received from foreign donors, the aim and objectives of these societies were to bring up the professional well being of the farmers within a stipulated time. Many such farmers were much benefited by these societies, but owing to the agreed terms between these societies and the donors, the former were dissolved after a given period.
Bob was a founder member of the Assam Regt Ex-Offrs Association (AREOA), where he held the post of Secretary-Treasurer from 1984 till 2000, when he felt he could no longer function as a Secretary-Treasurer. However, he accepted to function as a President of the AREOA,
Towards the year 2008, “Bob” was racked with certain health issue which only his doctor and himself knew. He used to annually make trips to Mumbai “for medical procedures”. Having returned home, one never heard of him complaining of any ailment, nor would he be in bed except after he had wished a “goodnight”. Anyone calling on him, would find him a perfect host. His voice, his articulate conversations, his charming smiles, his witty small or serious talks would make his guests feel warm and at home.
By first week Aug 2009, when Bob by this time was restricted to the confine of his bed sent word to his one-time bn officer (Retd) to kindly come and see him ASAP. The latter immediately proceeded to Bob’s residence and found his younger sister, Mrs Patricia Allen, was by his bedside. Frail and thin on his bed, thanked the offr for his presence, and asked the offr to kindly note down what he (Bob) wanted to be done. In his still strong and clear diction he made his request to the confidant, that life is a big event, but mortals have not immortality, and therefore wished what ought to be done when the curtain closed down. He wished that as per local (Khasi) traditions, that his remains may be kept for two days, and thereafter, the funeral rites be conducted. The funeral services will be conducted at the residence by a priest of the local Catholic church. After the normal addresses by selected speakers, the church services will commence according to Christian rites; and thereafter, the mortal remains of Bob be taken to Happy Valley for the funeral rites by cremation. After the cremation, the ashes will be collected by his son Mark, and place them in brass urns, which will be taken to be kept at the family crypt in his parental premises in Bangalore. One wondered at the meticulous planning of his own funeral. His son could have done it but, maybe, he still believed in the Army way of doing things.
Bob breathed his last on 19 Aug 2009. His funeral was held 21 Aug 2009. The family members of Bob including the siblings and nephews/nieces were present at the funeral having arrived from Bangalore. Shillong Rhino Veterans remained grateful to the Centre Comdt, Col Romesh Khajuria, his team of Offrs/JCOs and All Ranks of the Centre for their magnanimity in providing all needed facilities like providing lean-to tentage with chairs for mourners and sympathizers, the guard of honour including the buglers, the funeral pyre and of course the presence of the Centre’s Pandit.
May his great soul rest in peace.
Col Mani Ghatraj Excerpts
On Lt.Col RBJ Snaize, VSM: (2 Assam, 3 Assam, 4 Assam & commanded an Assam Rifle battalion & 119 Infantry Battalion (TA)
One of the most prolific professionals of the Assam regiment while his dashing personality and handsome demeanour matched by forever perfect turnout, would put Hollywood hunks to shame. Christened Robert Benjamin John, he is known to his seniors and friends as Bob, short form of Robert. As a young officer, posted at the Assam Regiment Centre, Happy Valley in the 50s, he found his lady love in the form of most beautiful & graceful Miss Felicia who hailed from a very prominent and respected Khasi family of Shillong. He wasted no time in marrying her. For someone who came from an illustrious Anglo Indian family of Bangalore, Lt Col Snaize fell in love with Felicia as well as with Shillong and the couple made the Scotland of the East their permanent home. He was a true officer and a gentleman of the old school who fought for injustice for a fellow officer to the point of using his physical force on a defaulting officer. Bob paid the price with a demotion and yet rose like a Phoenix to command an Assam Rifle Battalion as well as 119 Infantry battalion (TA) while receiving VSM for his extraordinary services to the nation.
In the later years after retirement, he championed the cause of retired officers and became the founder member of AREOA (Assam Regiment Ex-Officers’ Association) connecting all the willing retired officers of the Regiment while maintaining a link with British Ex Officer’s Association in the UK. In the days of no internet he laboriously churned out AREOA Newsletters regularly filling it with precise information on Retired officers’ well being. He was also running a NGO, MYRADA, and driving all over North East even at plus 70. With all the above work besides managing the family estate he was on the roll despite suffering from a serious ailment that needed yearly or bi-yearly blood transfusion. He never left his passion and laced it with the usual daily quota of his evening pegs of rum while smoking his favourite brand, year after year. As the world changed around him leaving his a widower as his dear wife passed away after long illness, Bob stood firm with his commitment to live life in his term as a perfect officer and a gentleman in his beautiful English cottage in Upper Shillong. Always immaculately dressed in tweeds and suits to match the Shillong weather, Bob was a great host and I nostalgically remember those beautiful evenings in the late eighties enjoying couple of drinks with him in his beautiful drawing room or in the veranda of his cottage.
True to form, as the years wore on, when Bob realised that he had only a few more days left, he called for his dear friend and fellow Rhino Veteran, Lt Col Martin Khongmen (Retd) for a private pow-wow. They had been long time colleague in running the AREOA and he had also handed over the secretary chair of the organisation to Marty, as he fondly addressed him. Now Lt Col Bob Snaize was expressing his last wishes and giving directions to his friend about his own funeral. Despite the physical pain that he harboured, he never indicated his agony as spoke calmly, clearly and precisely spelling out the entire modus operandi of the yet to be his funeral service. In his indomitable baritone voice he stressed the need that his funeral must have religious, social & military significance. He spoke so clearly as if he was issuing an operational order as a commanding officer.
Four days later, Bob breathed his last. At the funeral service under the chairmanship of the Priest in charge and leaders of the local Catholic Church, obituaries were orally offered by the local representatives, serving and veteran military officers paid rich tributes to the departed gentleman & officer. Bob’s only son, Mark, concluded the proceedings by thanking all those present to share and comfort the grief of the family and kin of his father. The religious rites were carried out in the premises according to the traditions of the Roman Catholic Church; thereafter the coffin which contained this soldier’s mortal remains was carried by the serving and veteran officers to the gun carriage, which was then taken to the Assam Regiment Centre Crematorium, Happy Valley. After a befitting military tribute including the Last Post by the Special Guards of Bob’s own beloved Assam Regiment, the mortal remains was consigned to the flame as per Buddhist rites. A portion of the ashes were collected subsequently, placed in a prepared urn that Mark would eventually take to be placed at the assigned place of honour next to his predecessors in the family estate in Bangalore. Having lived his life to the fullest, right up to the brim, the indomitable Lt Col Bob Snaize, VSM rode to the sunset with his head held high and a smile on his face, as a true officer, a true gentleman and a diehard Rhino!
Snaize :: When you think about her, it is still a pleasant remembrance. Hailing from a renowned Lyngdoh (a traditional. Khasi Priest) Family of Nongstoin, Meghalaya, she was a very. Charming and educated person who taught in St’ Edmunds School as a teacher and attracted the attention of handsome nd smart officers fm Assam Regtl Centre. In fact being close, when once I said that you are very sweet Mam _-she casually laughed and told that there use to be a competition amongst Anglo Officers to be close to me at that time. From Centre those days Capt Lovejoy nd Capt Bob (both Anglo) tiied to be close to me and both use to visit me. But then when Capt Lovejoy went for a 3 month course me and Bob became very close nd before Lovejoy came back from course, we got married. She was telling that- marriage is a co-incidence and luck nd laughed. She, being very courteous – use to call me sweetly Bir-ren- emophasing on R and request ..”could you pl get me a Pink Gin” and when brought along with the bar service boy, she would thank profusely. She loved ‘Kawai”(ie Beatle nut, leaf and little lime) after food. A very graceful dancer, she attracted the attention and the big floor in our ARC Mess used to be filled with stalwarts like Lt Gen Sagat Singh, Mrs Jiorgina Dutta, wife of then IGPs’ wife, Brig ML Barua, wife Kuku- Barua, Papa Pandey, Gen Kauchhur, Mrs Kachhur, nd Col. nd Mrs Rana etc.It was really very lively.
Both Lt Col Bob and aunty Phil were excellent host, and with her lovely cooking they will not let you come without filling yr stomach (when it is not lunch or dinner time.).. even wth snacks and lovely booze in his bar.. though Lt Col Bob drank Rum only. Both of them loved planting and their garden was filled with fruit trees and vegetables which we relished once it was ripe.
Col Bob was a very strong willed person. He took nobodys’ help even when he was sick and weak unable to get up from bed easily. He struggled hard and got up though his knee use to be shaking. I saw him holding a rope attached to a beam nd pulled himself up from the bed and that was his determination.
He was a person with helping attitude. When I was the Adjt in the Centre, we use to get the recruit vacancy and I use to be very strict while selecting as the future of the Regt depends on fit recruits. ACol Bob will bring his candidates making sure that they are fit in all respects nd request if you r satisfied pl recruit as it would be a great help to the poor family. After my satisfaction I helped. Again during my Civil apptt also he would sponsor our fit ex- serviceman and I use to put them in threw Col Sishupal who had taken up the job as CG, Home Gds, Meghalaya. We had no of ex and serving officers on deputation in my organisation. I feel happy remembering those days when we tried to help our boys. Taagra Roho Col Snaize and Col.Shisupal. My salute to you.
had to train lots of recruits for two new Bn raising and as such- after the parade is over there use to be a long line for depositing weapons in the Kote as the recruits had to be given the priority. The TA Jawans had to wait for their turns for depositing their rifles. CO, finding that the TA Jawans were late for their lunch (or some smart fellows must have fed this information dramatically to him) he told the Adjt to find out from ARC for the delay and immediately ordered to set up an independent Kote and Q Gd to be made for TA within a given (short) time frame work. With his strict supervision work went on since morning till night along with the Gd mounting Word of Command and practice. I have seen the Unit Bania supplying Brass Gong and Mirror etc and the Adjt got all the standing orders ready from ARC nd put up for COs’ adoption. Hats off to Lt Col Snaize, that he got the QGd with all actions completed in record time and intimated to ARC accordingly.
**Another very interesting thing for TA, but annoying for ARC had happened. It was Lt Col Bob’s decision to raise a pipe band under a soecial circumstances. What actually happend was that for a Ceremonial Occassion in TA they did not get the ARC band at the last moment due to requirements by higher formation. He was annoyed and upset. He decided to raise a Pipe Band nd appointing a Retd Band SM and others got the instruments immediately from Calcutta sending a collection party. Having got that he made them practice since early morning till late at night and made our life miserable being just next to his Bn. Lt Col Snaize had no problem since he was staying in his house in Upper Shillong. But our ear-drum took the biggest toll with constant drumming and sound of the Bugles. We had respite only once the band is trained in record time.
*Lt Col Snaize was a very strict and straight-forward officer with a strong sense of Regtl Spirit who cold never bear anybody badly creticising the Regt and for which he could do anything. One such incident took place in which an SL QM posted to center- who could not jeal with the team and had a bad habit of creticising the Regt and show its tribal people in poor light. Lt Col Bob told him to withdraw his comments but instead of doing so he challenged Bob by saying “Nahi koega withraw, tum kya Kar loge?” At this Bob boxed him very hard in his face that one of his teeth came out bleeding profusely. The matter was reported resulting in Court Marshal. The witnessing officers told him to deny the charge and they would help. But straight forward Bob accepted confessing that ‘he deserved the Boxing,’ for his mis-behavier. Bob lost his seniority but got lots of praises from Regtl Officers. Inspite of that because of his professional competency he got his promotion and Commanded a Bn.
After his retirement Lt Col.Bob did lots f Social and Developmental work like Community firming in Mairang Area – getting funds from Various sources via Capt Devinson. Lt Col Bob was the architect of AROWA, the org looking after the Exc-Servicemen. He was a keen Sikkari and we- along with his son Mr Mark use to go out for Sikkar. He had a big farm at Barapani with a lovely Cottage near Barapani Hill site where we all had picnic and lovely parties.
* Little about Mrs
in the Army and thereafter in Civil Apptts since 1969. A handsome,. smart, strict and straight forward Anglo officer with lots of guts who accepted no nonsense and told spade a spade on its. To illustrate his personality, determination and his effective command, I would like to bring out 3 incidents for your appreciation. Lt Col Bob (RBJ) was commanding 119 TA Bn located next to ARC and their Arms were kept in the ARC kote since raising. During our time in ARC
Lt Col Mukthiar Singh Sharawat
‘Know Your Veterans’
A valiant hero of 1971 war..
Lt Col Mukthiar Singh Sharawat of 5 ASSAM, father of Col
Varinder Sharawat
of 12 ASSAM.
Must read
Written by Col Ashok Ahlawat , s/o Col Chottu Ram of 6 ASSAM and shared by Col
Mahendra Saxena
in the Rhino WhatsApp group.
21 OCT 2020.AK Ahlawat.
Old Haryanvi houses in the villages have the military feature of having name tablets stuck in the doorsills.Many of them also mention the year of construction.Not that the Haryanvi’s are overly particular about chronology of significant milestones like house making.But those homesteads in which the lord of household has been in the armed services,this spillover from military exactitude is discernible.The habit of marking one’s belt,bandolier,anklets,pack o8,haversack,messtin,attatchment braces,shoe polish tin and willy nilly everything with ones military personal number and name and platoon in indelible India ink or Decco paint is irascible.
One day I read a name on the sill some sun eaten door,Mukhtiar Singh.It niggled my memory,where had I run into that name.The mind was playing a dejavu and I frowned.Then like a shaft of sunlight the recollection came.A white robed figure in Libya,Omar Mukhtiar played by the grand Scottish actor Anthony Quinn.I had watched that movie on Italian imperialism with great interest.How surreal it was to discover an Arabic name in the dead center of Haryana.But Haryanvi’s are great experimenter with names.I have seen a school by the name of Saint Zilley Singh in Najafgarh and some Haryanvi army officer with the name of Rommel.Now folklore has it that his father was fighting in the British Indian Army in Egypt against the German Afrika Korps.Such was the popularity of Rommel that Jat soldiers in the Eighth Army sent messages home that if I am blessed with a son,he shall be named Rommel.The Jats respect chivalry and daring,which other race can think of naming their children after a daring enemy General.
Without more peroration I must come to the story proper,should the reader accuse me of verbosity.An old acquaintaince of my fathers’,the generation of rural Jat army officers who served in the infantry and retired as defacto majors with the placebo of time scale Lieutenant Colonels.I grew up hearing the names like Dariya Singh,Amir Singh,Sikander Singh,Chhotu Ram,Maangey Ram,Phool Singh,Chait Singh,Hukam Singh,Sunder Singh.All resounding Jat names.Without a doubt,all retired as majors.I have always wondered why they were all touched by the black curse of non progression in fauj.
This acquaintaince wanted to know whether my mother was receiving OROP pension.My father died 20 years ago and his old senior called up his friends widow to see that she was receiving her pensionary dues.My mother who has a gravely uncomplicated mind,forced her tiny black Nokia mobile in my hands.
“My son is here Colonel S,please speak to him.He looks after my affairs.”
I am the clerk,batman,handyman,soothesayer and general domo to my mother.Colonel S asked my mothers monthly pension amount and said.
“This is far less than what she should be getting.Do one thing.Come over to my house and I will explain how you should go about getting her a revised pension payment order from the Defence Pension Office at Allahabad.”
Thats what took me to the old Colonels house,but perhaps my mother’s pensionary shortfall is not germane to the events of greater import to India’s history ,half a century ago.I got talking to the old colonel of the army and this is what he said in his inimmitable demotic Haryanvi accent.
“As a very young I joined the Boys School at Armoured Corps Centre and School.I was very good at wrestling and represented India in the custom honoured Haryanvi sport of Greco Roman Wrestling.I went to sweden,Australia ,Germany to represent India.When time came,I was enrolled in Armoured Corps as a tankman and after training I got my Regiment,62 Cavalry.Soon I got selected to become an officer also and after officer training at Indian Military Academy at Dehradun came to my unit,5 th Battalion of the Assam Regiment.In 1965 war with Pakistan,I got a bullet in my right leg also.But coming to 1971 Indo Pak war,my battalion was deployed on the Line of Control in Chhamb sector in Jammu Area.I was the company commander of A Company at Sungri.On the morning of 3 rd december 1971,my Commanding Officer(CO) called me and said that my company had to assist in laying a minefield infront of C Company frontage from where a Pakistani attack was expected.I and jawans started layng the minefield at 4 am and went on working throughout the day.At about 4 pm my radio operator said that Captain GR Singh,one of my platoon commanders with a forward deployed platoon wanted to speak to me.I took the radio handset.GR Singh was a fine officer,International Hockey player in India team from Haryana.
“Sir the Pakistani’s opposite us have erected an ten foot high,one kilometre wide sarkanda screen.We cant observe anything across into their territory.But I can hear tank engine sounds coming from behind curtain of sarkanda .”
“How many are there,can you estimate their numbers.”
“Cant say,maybe a squadron or more.Cant say for sure.What are the orders for me?”
“You hold on there,I will have a word with the CO and let you know.”
By evening after mine field laying I returned to Battalion Headquarters.The CO was there.I told the CO what Captain GR Singh had told me and asked permission from him to go to Captain GR Singh’s platoon.The CO seemed to mull over the question.I was very tired after the long day’s work.I said to the CO,
“Sir I need a stiff tot of Rum.”
The CO took a bottle and poured me a drink and poured himself a drink too.I looked at the CO and saw his countenance.I got the impression that he knew a lot of things about the war situation that he couldnt share with us.It was the weight of responsibility and of information.More information weighs you down more and a good CO only tells his officers only what they can possibly shoulder and what concerns them.He looked grave and sniffed the air of the dug out apprehensively.
“Well Tagra Raho.Here’s to all of us.Cheers.”said the CO.
“Cheers” said I and a loud explosion came that shook the earth.Then another,explosion,and then like a hurricane running over us and a giant shaking the earth like a toy,the earth tremoured and shook.The night sky was filled with whistles and bangs and shattering cracks,like tearing thunderclaps of monsoons.
We stood calmly as the lantern hanging from a beam shook like a pendulum of a grandgather clock and yellow oars of its light swung to and fro in the dust that shook off from the sand walls of the dug out.
“I think it has begu.” the CO said calmly.I nodded in agreement and we kept sipping our rum as the earth rattled and beat ,thrashed as if being whipped over our heads.The artillery punishment continued for for an hour and them the shells slacked off.Soon there were only desultory shells falling.
The CO nodded to me,
“I think Mukhtiar you should go back to your company.Your location will be addressed by the enemy tonight.If you arent there,the troops will run away.”
“Not to my forward platoon sir.”
“No not there.”
I finished the heel tap , saluted and left.
We stood our ground on the third night,on fourth and on fifth yhrough relentless Pakistani attacks and mauling fire from there artillery.But we were well dug in and withstood everything they threw at us.Then on 5 th in the evening the CO radioded me,
“Mukhtiar,Makin’s platoon has been over run by the enemy.You get two of your platoons and come for counter attack to regain Makin’s platoon area.I will come and brief you at Burara School.”
So I reached Burara School at about half past seven which was the rezendevous for the counter atrack force.The CO asked me whether I needed a briefing.It was already dark.I said that a briefing wasnt required.There were three dark hulls of tank with round cupolas and five big prominent bogey wheel drums on each side.The latest Russian T 5 5 ‘s.
“You have these three tanks under your command” said the CO.
“But the only fucking problem is that their effing troop commander has vanished in thin air leaving his tanks and crew.We have been looking around for Major Randhawa but he is not tobe found.What could have hapened to him.Can you manage to counter attack without these tanks?”
“I can but dare not.”
“Why so?”
“Because obviously the enemy would be expecting a counter attack and we will walk square into a trap and get killed.”
“Then what do you suggest?The platoon locality has tobe wrested back from the enemy at all costs.”
“What I will do is that I will lead this troop of tanks.I was a tankman before I became an infantry officer and I will do it the way I feel is workable.”
“Fine by me.” said the CO.
As luck would have it the tanks were from a newly raised Armoured Regiment,the 72 Armoured Regiment.And its tank crew were all Haryanvi Jat boys.I spoke to them in Haryanvi and they were ready to go in a second.
“When did we refuse to fight the enemy,only our officer is missing.” they said.
So our Naga Jawans climbed up on the tanks,all three platoons.The tanks in the hands of Haryanvi Jats.We knew the contours well and I headed in the lead tank by making a wide detour.After a while I reckoned that we should be at a favourable spot to advance and over run the platoon locality.A keen eyed Naga hunter was the first one to spot a mass of men in the darkness forming up on a wide startline facing Indian territory.The infantry men jumped off the tanks and started walking behind in the wake of the tanks.
As our tanks came nearer I heard a loud cheering of
“Allahu Akhbars” from the mass of men infront of us.My Brigade Commander Rajkumar Jasbir Singh came on the radio and I explained the situatiin to him.To my horror he said,
“Try to take them prisoners.You are going tobe held responsible for your own actions.”
I was horror struck.What sort of a pussilanimous order was that.Even the Commanding Officer parroted the same puce officialese as the Brigade Commander.
One of my platoon officers had died in only a few hours ago and the Pakistanis had mutilated his mortal remains.And this Commander and the CO knew of it and yet they were doing this sort of namby pamby pussy talk.
I shut off the regimental net radio and took off my head phones.The Pakistanis were cheering ,they thought that these were Pakistani tanks.I knew that I had run square into a Pakistani force preparing to launch an attack.
I put on my earphones and ordered all the three tank machine gunners to,
“Open fire and kill everybody.”
To hell with the Commander and CO’s advices.
The belt fed 7.62 mm Polymat Kalashnikova Tanka medium machine guns of the T 55 tanks have a cyclic rate of 1200 bullets per minute.It was a blood bath and the night was filled with the staccato chatter of the machine guns that tore into the massed Pakistani’s.
They were men of 15 Baluch Regiment of the Pakistan Army.The enemy turned tail and ran away from their FUP back to Pakistan.
When we had mopped up the are and found a few cowering and injured Pakistani POWs,I switched on the radio.
“What did you do?” asked the Brigade Commander.
“I did what had tobe done.”
“I see.But you will be held responsible for your actions.”
“You better send some trucks to collect the arms and ammunition that we have captured .”
I was one of the last officers to withdraw across the Munnawar Tawi on 7 th december morning.Most of the Commanding officers had already withrawn across the Munnawar Tawi on 5 th december itself.
There were 9 Infantry battalions in the Chhamb Battle.Only 5 th Assam was awarded the battle honour Chhamb.
*Major Mukhtiar Singh Sehrawat lost two officers and nineteen men from his Company* which is a very grave loss but caused far greater losses upon repeated and determined enemy attacks.
_Quite typical of clerkish,vindictive and slimy senior leadership of the Indian Army,_ the officer’s audacious and gallant leadership was surprisingly not recognized by his superior officers.No awards and honours came his way.Those who fought the battle on the frontlines,regard him as a legend who foreswore stupid timid counsel of his superiors and kept his name’s honour.
But *even today his old rheumy eyes fill up when he remembers the loss of his men and two young officers.*
Lalit Mohan Sah
*Know Your Veterans: Capt LM Sah, 3 ASSAM*
*Early Life*
Lalit Mohan Sah was born on 26 May 1939 at Nainital, then summer capital of the United Provinces. After initial schooling he joined DSB College, which was affiliated with the Agra University. An avid sportsman, Lalit was an indispensable part of the College hockey and football teams. Besides games, he also excelled in academics and completed his Post Graduation in English Literature with flying colours. So it was not surprising that he was picked up by the State Education Department and appointed as a Lecturer in English. He taught in the Govt Colleges in Rudrapur and Nainital.
*1962-1967*
Young Lalit had just spent a few years in his teaching career, when the war broke out between India and China. In its aftermath, many passionate young men, fired up by the spirit of patriotism, signed for national service. Lalit was one of the first ones to apply and was selected for the EC-1 Course. He had also qualified for the Provincial Civil Services, but much against the wishes of his parents he chose to don the Uniform. After six months of gruelling training at the Indian Military Academy, Dehradun, he was commissioned on 30 Jun 1963 into 3 ASSAM. Capt (later Lt Gen and COR) SK Pillai, from this Khel was one of his instructors at IMA.
3 ASSAM was then located at Mal Junction in North Bengal and being commanded by Lt Col (later Maj Gen) N Ramachandran. A sincere, spirited youngster, Lalit soon adjusted to the unit. He became an integral part of the hockey and football teams as these games had always been his forte! Under his captaincy they won the Formation Championships in both sports. Besides games, he was also adept at staff work and unit administration. At a very young service he was appointed as the Adjutant and performed exceedingly well. The unit life was very hectic. It was deployed in operations against Pak in the Eastern sector during “Op Riddle” in 1965 and later for Internal Security Duties in Calcutta.
In 1966 the unit moved to Gaya in Bihar. Later that year Lt Col Ramachandran handed the Baton to Lt Col KS Brar. Lalit continued as the Adjutant with the new CO as well.
However due to pressing family commitments he did not opt for Permanent Commission and was released from the Army on 30 Jun 1967.
*1967-1971*
Lalit returned to Nainital and resumed his teaching career at DSB College, his Alma Mater. Just when he had settled down in the academic routine, the clouds of war again began to loom. This time it was Pakistan!
*1971-1974*
War was officially declared on 3rd Dec 1971. Lalit’s parent unit, 3 ASSAM, bore the brunt of the Pak offensive in the Fazilka Sector. In the bitter fighting that ensued, both sides suffered heavy casualties. Hearing this, the spark of patriotism again ignited in Lalit and he volunteered for Special Short Service Commission. He was granted the same and directed to report to 3 ASSAM. However by the time he reached Fazilka in Jan 1972, ceasefire had been declared.
It was nostalgic homecoming for him, though much had changed in the intervening years. Many known faces had been killed or wounded in the War. Lt Col Shishupal Ranpal, who had commanded during the War, was the CO. Youngsters of his time were now veteran company commanders. Lalit nevertheless continued from where he had left five years ago! He re-raised the unit football and hockey teams and they proved their mettle once again winning the Formation Championships. Lalit himself captained the Western Command football team and participated in the Services Championship in Delhi in 1973.
Lt Col SD Dasgupta took over the reins of the Khel while it was still deployed on the “Bandh” adjacent to the IB. The unit later moved from Fazilka to Ferozepur. On 27 Jan 1974, Lalit finally bade adieu to the Uniform and returned to Nainital.
*1974 Onwards*
Lalit returned to his old vocation in DSB College, which had by now become a Campus of the newly formed Kumaun University. His systematic approach and panache for discipline proved an asset for the institution and he was assigned key responsibilities such as Proctor, Dean Students’ Welfare, Head of the Department etc. He retired from the University in 1997.
Outside the campus, he was actively involved in organising and conducting sporting activities in the town. His efforts bore excellent results as a number of youngsters from this small town made it big at the state and national levels.
*Family Details*
Spouse – Mrs Jyoti
Children –
Two sons and one daughter
Address –
Garden House,
Above Head Post Office
Mallital
Nainital – 263001
Uttarakhand
Came across this snap!
Lt Col ( later Col) KS Sandhu handing over the Headhunters to Lt Col Martin Khongmen in Kota.
Seated 1st Row L to R. Maj SS Bhullar, Lt Col
Martin Khongmen, Lt Col KS Sandhu, Maj YP Sharma and Maj Bir Singh.
Seated 2nd Row L to R. Maj Deonath Singh, Maj JK Chopra, Maj Subash Tukral, Lt Jason Peter and Capt Anil D Palande.
Standing L to R. 2Lt BK Jha, 2Lt AK Thapliyal and 2Lt Amarjit Singh
Know Your Veterans: Capt LM Sah, 3 ASSAM
Early Life
Lalit Mohan Sah was born on 26 May 1939 at Nainital, then summer capital of the United Provinces. After initial schooling he joined DSB College, which was affiliated with the Agra University. An avid sportsman, Lalit was an indispensable part of the College hockey and football teams. Besides games, he also excelled in academics and completed his Post Graduation in English Literature with flying colours. So it was not surprising that he was picked up by the State Education Department and appointed as a Lecturer in English. He taught in the Govt Colleges in Rudrapur and Nainital.
1962-1967
Young Lalit had just spent a few years in his teaching career, when the war broke out between India and China. In its aftermath, many passionate young men, fired up by the spirit of patriotism, signed for national service. Lalit was one of the first ones to apply and was selected for the EC-1 Course. He had also qualified for the Provincial Civil Services, but much against the wishes of his parents he chose to don the Uniform. After six months of gruelling training at the Indian Military Academy, Dehradun, he was commissioned on 30 Jun 1963 into 3 ASSAM. Capt (later Lt Gen and COR) SK Pillai, from this Khel was one of his instructors at IMA.
3 ASSAM was then located at Mal Junction in North Bengal and being commanded by Lt Col (later Maj Gen) N Ramachandran. A sincere, spirited youngster, Lalit soon adjusted to the unit. He became an integral part of the hockey and football teams as these games had always been his forte! Under his captaincy they won the Formation Championships in both sports. Besides games, he was also adept at staff work and unit administration. At a very young service he was appointed as the Adjutant and performed exceedingly well. The unit life was very hectic. It was deployed in operations against Pak in the Eastern sector during “Op Riddle” in 1965 and later for Internal Security Duties in Calcutta.
In 1966 the unit moved to Gaya in Bihar. Later that year Lt Col Ramachandran handed the Baton to Lt Col KS Brar. Lalit continued as the Adjutant with the new CO as well.
However due to pressing family commitments he did not opt for Permanent Commission and was released from the Army on 30 Jun 1967.
1967-1971
Lalit returned to Nainital and resumed his teaching career at DSB College, his Alma Mater. Just when he had settled down in the academic routine, the clouds of war again began to loom. This time it was Pakistan!
1971-1974
War was officially declared on 3rd Dec 1971. Lalit’s parent unit, 3 ASSAM, bore the brunt of the Pak offensive in the Fazilka Sector. In the bitter fighting that ensued, both sides suffered heavy casualties. Hearing this, the spark of patriotism again ignited in Lalit and he volunteered for Special Short Service Commission. He was granted the same and directed to report to 3 ASSAM. However by the time he reached Fazilka in Jan 1972, ceasefire had been declared.
It was nostalgic homecoming for him, though much had changed in the intervening years. Many known faces had been killed or wounded in the War. Lt Col Shishupal Ranpal, who had commanded during the War, was the CO. Youngsters of his time were now veteran company commanders. Lalit nevertheless continued from where he had left five years ago! He re-raised the unit football and hockey teams and they proved their mettle once again winning the Formation Championships. Lalit himself captained the Western Command football team and participated in the Services Championship in Delhi in 1973.
Lt Col SD Dasgupta took over the reins of the Khel while it was still deployed on the “Bandh” adjacent to the IB. The unit later moved from Fazilka to Ferozepur. On 27 Jan 1974, Lalit finally bade adieu to the Uniform and returned to Nainital.
1974 Onwards
Lalit returned to his old vocation in DSB College, which had by now become a Campus of the newly formed Kumaun University. His systematic approach and panache for discipline proved an asset for the institution and he was assigned key responsibilities such as Proctor, Dean Students’ Welfare, Head of the Department etc. He retired from the University in 1997.
Outside the campus, he was actively involved in organising and conducting sporting activities in the town. His efforts bore excellent results as a number of youngsters from this small town made it big at the state and national levels.
Family Details
Spouse – Mrs Jyoti
Children –
Two sons and one daughter
Address –
Garden House,
Above Head Post Office
Mallital
Nainital – 263001
Uttarakhand
Mobile Nos – 9837435072, 07455968568
COL MS SHARAWAT
MY DEAR MURALI & JASON PETER. You both made a genuine request to me to write the Biography of COL MS SHARAWAT of 5 ASSAM,a Great War hero,of our REGT had ever produced.You will appreciate that,to write the biography of any legend in any particular field: we all definitely need: through research,detailed studies,in-depth knowledge & many other nitty-gritties.And to take such a huge risk without fully armed & equipped with all these accurate details will be a great risk, NOT worth taking & if I make an attempt to do so then,the very purpose & honest intention will be badly defeated to the concept of “ KNOW YOUR VETERANS”.I then thought just to honour your request, why not write the great battle of CHHAMB that he fought so gallantly & doggedly. I can very easily & boastfully even from the roof top on Mike say that,the great battle of CHHAMB minus the great action of MAJ SHARAWAT would have been something like a very well cooked & most delicious food minus salt.
2. COL SHARAWAT, a great soldier does not need any formal introductions but here in this case it is a mandatory requirement & he is: IC 18881, an EC offr, got commissioned in to the 5th Bn the Assam REGT on 27th sep 1963. I will in this particular article mainly devote & concentrate fully about his heavily loaded extra ordinary traits & qualities. For examples: he was a very bold,brave,daring,gutsy, courageous,physically tough. mentally robust,excellent driver , sharp shooter,as per as maintaining the directions were concerned I can on a lighter note say that,he was a GPS, never ever missed the objectives.He also could make any seemingly impossible task to look very simple as a routine nature of jobs.As a great soldier he knew how exactly to stand tall & firm even at the most serious crisis without losing even a milligram of courage & will power.He also could convert the adversity in to an opportunity.He was also a live-wire in our Bn.Whenever he was present in the Offrs Mess or in a get together parties,his very close proximity used to be heavily swollen by the offrs to listen to his light humours.fun, anecdotes & breaking news. Incidentally,he was more often than not used to be the author cum originator of all the anecdotes & breaking news. In fact, MAJ SHARAWAT & breaking news used to be the two sides of the same coin. In his dynamic & charming presence no one could lock his temper,anger,bad mood,anxieties,worries even for a milliseconds,that was the tremendous range & charisma of his physical presence.Here I would love to cite two examples of his terrific sense of humour, ready wits & great calibre to author & originate the breaking news & anecdotes of his own & not the borrowed ones. Brig RK JASBIR, just a few days before the 71 war,wanted COL AS MALHI & MAJ SHARAWAT to meet him in the Bn HQ of 5 Sikh at 1130 PM. I and int hav Kanu Ram also accompanied them.MAJ SHARAWAT was driving the jeep,on the way the CO was feeling very sleepy & to fight against the sleep, he thought why not initiate a small conversation & to his utter bad luck asked: Shawarat which is the Bn we all are going relieve soon. pat came a brilliant pitch perfect reply: SIR, we all are soon going to relieve FIVE SARDARJIS, imagine the laughter: it was much louder than the loudest & sleep obviously got the wings to fly away.Another example of a deplomatic & intellectual nature: The CO 5 SIKH, COL KHANNA was the first MVC of 71 war. Surprisingly, his citations was fwd when the war was not even one hr old. It became quite a great news.A very senior offr in our OFFRS mess asked MAJ SHARAWAT: Just narrate what was the daring & gallant actions he had displayed in the face of enemies for having been rewarded the highest bravery award? A master piece reply came from him: SIR, it was purely a very good GOD gifted DONATION to COL KHANNA.I don’t think there could have been any better reply than the one given by MAJ SHARAWAT.
4. In 1971 war, MAJ SHARAWAT was appointed as counter attack Force Commander of 5A. Incidentally he was also hand picked by the BRIG RK JASBIR, the Commander of HQ 191 Bde as Quebec Force commander. It was a very right job for the right person. He was also very popularly known to be an expert to conquer & out wit any crisis or most difficult task.Above all,he was heavily gifted with ready made self confidence.He was also given a troop of tanks directly under his command from 72 Armoured REGT. On 5th dec 71, at 8 PM a pl loc of D coy at GHOGI was captured by PAK Troops & to our extreme good luck the troops could not fan out. MAJ JBS MAKIN, the Coy Commander of D COY on wireless. Spoke to MAJ SHARAWAT & MAJ GS RANDHWA, the sqn commander in great details & its pin point location of the lost pl.The other two pls of D COY were still intact. The moment MAJ SHARAWAT came to know about the pin point loc of the lost pl,he without wasting any precious moment,did not even care to wait for the CO for his elaborate briefings( which of course went badly against him). He had very quickly briefed his COY offr 2Lt OLIVER WILSON to take the two pls from the extreme left flank to establish a road block to prevent the enemy from escaping.He himself drove one tank & asked other 3 tanks to follow him & also ordered his jawans to mount on the tanks to maintain the great speed.He then left his no 3 pl to D coy loc to strengthen the right flank to make the enemies to be sandwiched from either sides.
5. MAJ SHARAWAT was in a great hurry & became absolutely desperate to reach to the exact spot as fast as possible: because he knew if a few extra minutes are given then, the enemy will dig their trenches,re-design the existing ones,will have adequate time for their reorientation & will be familiarised with the strange surroundings & new environments. Above all the back up materials & reserve troops will fetch up & then to dislodge them will be a very difficult task.
6. MAJ SHARAWAT in his orthodox,out of box & did not follow the set piece battle &the ground was ideal for tank battle. He took the great advantage of tankable terrain & gave a huge open surprise to the PAK troops holding the ground.MAJ SHARAWAT with all his 4 tanks gone past from the gaps of D COY about 400 M close to the Pak territory.The enemy after having seen the tanks approaching to their FDL Very menacingly obviously thought,the attack is coming on to them. It was in fact a tactical brilliance of MAJ SHARAWAT.He had very cleverly & tactfully camouflaged his true intention.As a result of which,he made the enemies to believe what actually he wanted them to believe. When he reached almost to the kissing distance to their FDL, took a U-turn & started advancing towards his main objective to capture the loc of lost pl. MAJ SHARAWAT again in that particular scenario also succeeded brilliantly in fooling & deceiving the PAK troops Just captured the pl loc.The ground level tactics he evolved was at its zenith best. SHARAWAT SIR, JAI HO & TAGRA TAHO.
7. The Pak troops because of their great initial success in capturing the pl loc was heard shouting their success signal very loudly as ALLAH-HO -AKBAR, ALLAH-HO-AKBAR. After having seen the tanks approaching from their side of territory, they started shouting with even added josh, spirit & enthusiasm thinking of their own tanks. However,it turned out to be a blessing in disguise for MAJ SHARAWAT. The Pak troops obviously did not offer any resistance & not fired even a single shot.They were caught absolutely helpless as helpless as turtles on their back. MAJ SHARAWAT & his 3 other tanks opened fire on the PAKIS from the point blank range. In that counter attack the causalities of Pak troops were: 40 dead & 3 wounded & many of them managed to escape to their own territory.Our own casualties were: 2LT OLIVER WILSON was killed & 3 jawans were wounded.But, unfortunately some of our very senior OFFRS did not like the way MAJ SHARAWAT had killed the enemies in such a ferocious & brutal manners without any mercy. In such a situation a true blood soldier will have only two options either to kill or get killed. MAJ SHARAWAT in that crucial & most Cristian juncture gave the uppermost priority to the code of our oath: safety, honour,security & dignity come first,always & every time. When he was re-organising & re- deploying the company as per the latest threat perception: found MAJ JBS MAKIN & 3 other jawans were very brutally & inhumanly killed.Here, the great counter attack of MAJ SHARAWAT fame & popularity came to an end. But the war continued.
8. MAJ SHARAWAT made this counterattack a most successful & a very memorable one because of the following factors: a lightning speed, accurate informations,through knowledge of the ground,knew the objective like a back of his palm & above all he had the supreme power to execute without any outside interferences.I sincerely wish we have had an Army archive with all the detailed records of quickest & fastest counter attack ever launched & succeeded in regaining the lost ground. Had there been ANY then,this particular counterattack at GHOGI would have definitely found the pride of a place nicely engraved in golden words.This particular attack went in like a lightning speed & everything was over within just 30 minutes. HE was very strongly recommended for the bravery award of MVC but unfortunately to his bad luck,his biggest & greatest actions of bravery was seen in a very poor & negative light. As Adjt of the Bn I was very closely & constantly in touch either on wireless or on telephone with MAJ SHARAWAT. So I can only say that I was shocked & shocked very badly for having ignored him for his highly deserved & totally entitled MVC.
9. MAJ SHARAWAT had RETD from the Army as a LT.COL & he is presently settled in GURUGRAM & living very peacefully with Mrs SHARAWAT & his elder son COL VS SHARAWAT who took pre mature retirement. His younger son is a LT COL & still in active service. His daughter is also a principal in a prestigious Institute.
He is modest & highest order of gentle man to the core. He also does not miss any Regimental get together parties as & when held.It is highly commendable & appreciable that,he had never repeat never displayed any sign of his emotion,anger & displeasure for having been very badly & unfairly ignored for his highly deserving & entitled bravery award of MVC. COL SHAWARAT SIR, you will for ever remain in our hearts as a GREATEST WAR HERO IN OUR REGT. LT.COL SR DAS.
Santram and I.J. Sharma at Kurukshetra
Maj Umesh Chandra Sharda
Reminiscing
Twenty two years ago on this day, a brilliant officer, thorough gentleman and diehard Rhino left for the Pearly Gates.
Maj Umesh Chandra Sharda, also known as UC was my senior subaltern in the unit. An alumnus of Sainik School Kapurthala, he was a rare combination of brain and brawn, excelling in academics and sports. In 1975 he joined the illustrious 53 NDA (63 IMA) course which has produced India’s first CDS and given two CORs to our Regt! In both the academies UC performed exceptionally well, donning the coveted mantle of BCC in NDA and SUO in IMA. He
passed out in the “Super Block” and opting for the Assam Regt, got commissioned into 4th Khel in December 1978.
UC joined FORMIDABLE FOURTH in Faizabad and soon became an integral part of its hockey and football teams. In addition, with less than two years service, he shouldered the key appointment of Adjutant of the unit. After Faizabad he served with the Khel in the tough conditions of Poonch (J&K), Ukhrul (Manipur) and OP PAWAN (Sri Lanka). Always the one to stand up for his command, he was deeply loved and respected by the troops.
In end 1992, he finally left the unit in Secunderabad and proceeded on a Bde Staff posting. Subsequently he served in Chakrata and then was posted in Gorakhpur when he left for Heavenly Abode on 12 February 1999.
Thereafter his wife, Mrs Neelu Sharda, settled down in Jalandhar and brought up their children, Ela and Adnan. Ela is following her illustrious father’s footsteps and is a Capt in the Ordnance.
UC Sir, you will always be greatly missed by all who were fortunate to have known you.
Sir
He is a thorough gentleman..I met him in centre during raising of 14th…he gave us bachelors his motorbike to ride around in shillong.may his soul RIP
If iam not wrong he was in top 10 when he passed out from IMA
Namann- SHRADHAANJALEE
🌹….!
Umesh was the DAAG in HQ Est 22 & I held the appt of the AA&QMG (1994-95) at CHAKRATA .
& together we had quite a few riotous gatherings ….
As befitting UMESH- d blue-bloodedcRHINO that he was , gave a SURPRISE to all the med auth /nursing staff having suffered a serious stroke ( during office hours ) , he quietly called for a MT veh , walked down the 25 odd steps on a mtn slope & evac himself to the MH ……👊
Col DIVAKAR NAGRAJ may also share the adventure /heroics whilst in ARC , SHILLONG (or RAAZ ko RAAZ hee rahnay do🤫😜….)
Tagra Raho. Nice Manish, Maj Umesh Sharda RIP was brightest amongst all our Coursemates, he was BCC at NDA and my classfellow 53 One, a very dear friend, at IMA he was Second Rotation BUO and final rotation SUO , he was two IC Nums senior to me thus two of us from Super Block Top Ten in merit joined Rhino Fraternity,Lt Gen Subrata
Sah from next block, Col Binda from third Block, like wise Brig Thomas George 8A , Maj Gen Shashi Asthana, Col DS Rana . Maj UCS was 4A inductee courtesy then Dy MS A later Lt Gen Ranbir Singh 4A, l was 6A inductee courtesy DAMS then Col Ashok Maheshwar Lawate 6A later Comd 9A n 3A. Maj UCS Supeb officer with Heart of Gold, only the Deep Vein Thrombosis resulted in his early demise in late 1990, am sure God Almighty also requires noble soul like his to run the Super Cosmos. Kind of you for covering the details. Tagra Raho yet again to everyone.
Great inputs sir – thank you so much! Tagra Raho!
I had the fortune of receiving him in the Regt as CO. I had met him at kapurthala too may be did not know he will join us at 4 A . Fourth was located at kapurthala and we were the hockey champions. We miss u sharada. Tagra raho
Sir Tagra Raho. He always had lot of praises for you as his first CO and ma’am. You are absolutely right he was tremendous Sportsman n he would played as Right Full Back in 4A Hockey on his own merit. Tremendous Gutsy
Gold hearted person , may his noble soul Rest in eternal peace. Tagra Raho to
Everyone yet again.
Very fond of listening to Mahendi Hasan I remember him as a dear friend and a very bright officer.
I was IO under him when he was the Adjt. He knew all files of the office by number and docket sheet.
That is he knew which letter number is in which file. He was Amazing.
He never addressed me as Pankaj but called me Longfellow. So many memories have come rushing back.
Akhil Sir Thank You
Thanks Pankaj. Yes so many memories of UC Sir. And used to always address HS Rawat as Monty!!
I had the fortune of meeting him in Srilanka. I was with NSG and we had just entered the territory .4 Assam was providing us logistic support.He in his own attire and blood thirsty outlook had solution to retaliate to Jaywardne’s statement of IPKF going back to the baracks. Earlier he had avenged the killing of his men by LTTE. A great Rhino to salute his service to the nation.
A golden heart, and a brilliant officer of the Unit/Regiment. Alas the destiny had it’s way. May God Bless eternal peace to soul. 🙏🏻
Thank you Akhil for remembering & reminding us about Col UC Sharda ….he was a thorough gentleman who called a spade a spade .His cabin was next to mine in NDA …he was simply brilliant . Thereafter , he was in 119 TA along with then Capt D Nagarajan , while 12 Assam was being raised in TA lines ….both of them helped us immensely with the blessings of the CO , Col LR Das ….He had tremendously sterling qualities of mind and heart ….a great friend on whom you could rely on without a thought .
Thank you again Akhil ….you’ve summarised the gist of the man …fate cut his life short …but he will always be remembered fondly by those whose lives he touched .May his soul Rest in Peace 🙏🙏
COL SANTRAM
MY JOURNEY IN ASSAM REGIMENT
IC34147H Col Sant Ram
Born on 09 Nov 1953 at Village Jaula Kalan in District Patiala, Punjab.
Married to Surjit kaur on 19/nov/1981. Brig and Mrs V Ramananalong with Sita, Geeta and Jambu had been kind to have grace the occasion.
Passed out from IMA on 15 Dec 1976, commissioned to 4 ASSAM along ith Brig J S Bawa (7 Assam), Col M B Saxena( 5 assam) and Lt Col B N Gurung (I Assam). I was lucky to get the Assam Regiment as per my choice. Maj T K Bhagati, Maj A K Hukku and Capt M S Kauchar were posted as instructors at IMAduring my training period at IMA.
I had joined IMA through NCC entry. I was selected through SSB but my NCC certificate was not passed. Brig S S Chaudhary was the Deputy Director General at NCC Directorate Chandigarh. He ordered a special board of offrs to conduct the exam for me and was then issued a ‘C’ certificate. That was my first interaction with and impression of The ASSAM regiment on me and have been
grateful to Brig S S Chaudhary since then. When I met him at Chandigarh while being CO 5 Assam in 1995 he remembered the incident.
Reported in ARC in 1st week of Jan 1977 for Pre YO’s training along with Jasbir Bawa, M B Saxena and B N Gurung. In Mar 1977 M D Kutty and N C Rout also joined us at ARC. During the Pre Course at ARC interacted with great Rhinos, Col A S Malhi was the commandant ARC, Maj P Saharia the Dy Commandant, Maj J S Raj Kumar the trg Major, Capt Biren Borgohain the Adjt, Maj M S Sharawat the Depot Coy Cdrand other officers posted at ARC at that time were Maj KKSubha, Capt Dev Nath who
was my Coy Cdr there, Capt V K Sharma, Capt Omesh Madan, Capt Chhotu Ram, Capt Ram Chander and Capt W A Dongue. During this stay at ARC in Apr 1977, Col S K Sharma, CO 4 Assam along with CaptPromit Roy andCapt P K Vij visited the center on their way to Delhi. Unit was located at Gachham in Arunachal Pradesh. On the recommendation of CO 4 ASSAM, I was granted 10 days leave for visit to 4ASAAM; I reached 4 ASAAM by hitch hiking through the Cvy from Missamari and had a wonderful stay with the unit in Gachham. Capt A K J Nair theadjt and Capt L C Tanmuli received me as my orderly and also as Barman in the Officers Mess. He robbed me of my IdentityCard and all the cash I had which was returned to me next day on signing a Bar Chit for 12 Bottles of Rum with a caution to take care of the Identity Card. It is during this time I met Maj B K Khullar, Maj N P Sud, Maj Y P Singh, Capt John Zama, Capt AKJ Nair, Capt Promit Roy, Cap P K Vij and Capt L C Tamuli and that short stay with the unit made me feel proud to be part of 4 ASAAM and the feeling continued through out the service and now as a Veteran.
On Completion of YOcourse, I joined the unit at Faizabad in Dec 1977 , Col S K Sharma was the CO. I was posted as 2IC A coy. Maj P N Srivastava was the OC A Coy who has been very kind and trained me well to be a good Company Commander. I attended BSW course at MHOW from Aug to Dec 1978 and during this periodCol S K Sharma was relieved by Lt Col (Brig) V Ramanan as CO 4 ASAAM. I met the new CO on return from BSW course in Dec 1978 and continued as 2IC A Coy. In 1st week of Jan 1979, I was granted 60 days AL and on return from leave ,during interview with the CO, was told that Capt P K Vijthe adjt is Under posting as Instructor at NDA, I was the next senior available in the Unit, Capt C R K Singh being busy with the Command football team, I was placed understudy to Capt (Brig) P K Vij to learn the job of Adjt and I was appointed Unit Adjt on Posting out of Capt (Brig) P K Vij to NDA. Being Adjutant to Brig V Ramanan as CO 4 ASSAM has been the turning point in my
Military career and life . I owe my gratitude to Brig V Ramanan Sir for his motivation and guidance to me throughout my life and it continues till date and will ever remain. It is his guidance , Persuasion and monitoring that helped me in Passing Staff College exam and successful completion of the course at DSSC Wellington, which culminated in my commanding Two Battalions in active operational areas- 5 ASSAM (from Jun 1995 to Feb 1998) at Uri ( J&K) on LC and 4 ASSAM in O P Vijay and O P Meghdoot in Siachen Glacier( NG) (From May 1999 to Nov 2000).
In Mar 1981 unit moved to Poonch(J&K) for its field tenure, I was promoted as actng Maj and shifted as Coy Cdr. I was detailed by Brig v Ramanan as Bn Umpire with Maj Gen L S Rawatas chief Empire for an Exercise in Punjab where offensive/Defensive ops were planned and conducted in DCB and Canal Xg warfare. It was again a great opportunity given to me for learning and I indeed benefited from their exposure on ground. The trgexercise continued over a month and during this period Lt Col K K Subba assumed to command 4 ASSAM and Lt Col(Brig) V Ramanan was posted to HQ West Comd at Shimla. I attended the JC course at MHOW from Apr to Jun1983 and during this periodlt Col R K Shahi who came on Inter-Regiment transfer from 6 SIKH had assumed the command of 4 ASAAM at Poonch. I was posted out as GSO-3(INT) to HQ 20 Inf DIV at Binaguri in Nov 1983.
During my this tenure with the Unit ieFaizabad to Poonch, I served with the following officers AT Faizabad Col S K Sharma, Maj R L Darkim, May T K Bagati, Maj K K Subha, Maj I J Sharma, May P N Srivastava, Maj A K Hukku, Maj S P Thappa, Maj Z S Zuala, Maj R V Subrananiam, Maj Bala Subramaniam, Maj B S Gurung, Capt S Gosh, Capt S P Marwah, Capt T S Dhillon, Capt P K Vij, CaptPromit Roy,Capt AKJ Nair, Capt CRK Singh and Capt N R john Sampath , after me Capt (Lt Gen) Gurmit Singh, Capt S B Ghorpade, CaptU C Sharda, Capt Ashish Das, Capt V Diwakar, Capt R K Saxena, CaptAkhilSah, Capt H S Rawat had joined 4 ASSAM at Faizabad.
AT Poonch More officer joined the Unit Maj L C Tamuli, Maj John Zama returned from ERE/Staff Postings, Maj (Lt Col) R K Shahi from 6 Sikh joined the unit in Dec 1982later assumed command in May 1983, 2Lt M J Reddy, 2LT(Maj Gen) Pankaj Saxena, 2 lt (Col) A Anil and 2lt(Col) nareshRajora were commissioned into 4 ASSAM.
At Binaguri I was posted as GSO-3 (Int) atHQ 20MtnDiv.Binnaguri being a Permanent Peace Station for ASSAM Regt it was more like a Regimental Posting for me as the same Regimental actoivities continued when I joined atBinnaguri in Nov 1983.
3 ASAAM with Lt Col (Maj Gen) A K Hukku as CO was present there. I had an excellent and memorable interaction with 3 ASSAM Rhinos and the officers,there I had interacted with Maj
Martin Khongmen then 2IC 3 ASSAM, later CO 8 ASSAM, Maj S Ramalingam, Maj S D Roy, Maj V S Negi, Maj SomDatt, SM, Maj M C Pradhan (Commanded 14 Assam), Capt M D Kutty, Capt H S Tambar, Capt R RajKumar, Capt(Lt Gen) SubrataSaha, CaptArun Kumar and Lt Sandeep Dabral. They all are great Rhions. At the end of Peace tenure of 3 ASSAMthere Col J S RajKumar had relieved Col A K Hukku for second Command. I stayed at Binaguri from Nov 1983 to Feb 1986 within this period 5 ASAAM had replaced 3 ASAAM at Binaguri, so there was another Round of Regimental Festivities and enjoyements. I was lucky again to work with the 5 ASSAM Rhinos with Lt Col K S Thapaas CO, Maj S K Tewarias 2IC, Maj (Col) R S Rathore, Maj R RajKumar, Maj S Rengma,Capt Atul Bhardawajamd Capt S K Kothyal. I fondly remember while posted at Binaguri I had passed the DSSC entrance exam with the motivation, Persuation and guidance of Brig V Ramanan who was then posted as DyCdr HQ 166MtnBde at Peddong (Kalingpong), he frequently visited Binagur as GOC 20 MtnDIv was his close friend. Maj Gen N Vishwanathan GOC 20 Mtn DIV while working in the Ops Room with him was impressed with my work and he said “you have worked as Adjutant with Ramanan, you are well trained to work with anyone and anywhere”. Thanks Brig Ramanan Sir. On Posting out from Binaguri, I joined my unit 4 ASAAM at Barackpore. Lt Col R K Shahi was the CO then and Maj Z S Zuala as 2IC. Col A K kukku assumed the Command of 4 ASAAM in Sep 86 and Lt Col R K Shahi was posted to NCC Madurai. Some of the very Senior and experienced Rhino offrs I met in this tenure were Maj (Col) SashiBhusan, Maj J K Chopra, Maj B P Barthwal, Maj S D S Patyal and some young officer like Capt E Jayabalan, CaptShashidhar VN, Capt R S Khatri and Capt Raju Adesare.
The Unit was with full strength of officer and with 10.5 years of service. I had attended the DSSC-43 in the rank of Capt and picked up my subs Rank of maj in Dec 1987in DSSC Wellington.
I attended DSSC 43 from June1987 to May 1988, On settling my family in SF Accn at Ambala, I had moved to join 4 ASAAM in O P Pawan. On 15 Jun 1988, I landed at Jaffna Air Field by AN-32 and the transients were left to spend the night at the airfield in open and wait their till helilifted from Jaffna
Air Field for the next destination.
There I met Col A K Hukku at Jaffna Air Field, he being senior and CO of the unit was allotted a tent and he was kind to allow me to share the tent with him. He had handed over 4 ASSAM to Lt Col S P Thapa on that very day and was moving for his next assignment. He briefed me about the situation in SriLanka and the area where unit was deployed and also told me the Coy post where I would be deployed. So very kind of him to prepare me for the forthcoming challenges. I was posted as OC B Coy at Viswamadiu with Capt Pankaj Saxena as my Coy 2IC. There were some new officer I met there like Maj BhimAnal, Capt J S Kanwar, Capt Sonam Wongchu and Capt Alok Sagar who joined the unit in 1987-88.
From O P Pawan I was posted as DQ 323 Mtn Bde at Dalhousie from Dec 89 to Dec 1991. During this tenure I was lucky to meet Senior Rhinos, Brig G S Khimta, cdr 87 Mtn Bde and Brig (Maj Gen) P K Puri at Sunderbani. I was posted back to 4 ASSAM at Secunderabad as 2IC of the unit with Col SashiBhusan as CO. Led the adv party of unit to Rehnock in SIKKIM under 166 Mtn Bde and unit was well settled at Rehnock. Then Maj C R K Singh joined back from ERE/Staff tenure and he relieved me as 2IC and I had taken over as OC A Coy. As OC A Coy served with the unit at Sikkim as well as Manipur. The A coy was placed under O P Control of 24 ASSAM Rifles. Coy was deployed at Saikul a hot spot, established a post and handed over to ASAAM Rifle Coy and after three months
moved to Motbung, again established a Post and handed over to ASAAM rifle Coy. In Dec 1993, Col P K Vij assumed the command of 4 ASAAM and Col SashiBhusan was posted out. In Mar 1994 I Was approved and promotedas Lt Col and appointed at 2IC 4 ASAAM, it was now one to one exchange with Maj C R K Singh. Some new officers I served with during this tenure are Maj Anuj Jain, Capt Freddy Merchant, capt Sandeep Dhaya, captArindhamMajumdar and Capt Manish Aggarwal ARC
I was posted to ARC as GSO-I in Aug 1994, Brig J S Antal was the Comdt ARC and Col S P Marwah as the DyComdt . Other officer at ARC were Col Sunit Kumar as TrgBncdr, Lt Col B N Sommana as AdmBn Cdr, Maj P K Baruah, Lt Col NarayanThapa, Maj V P Singh, Capt Vikram Raina, Maj A K Jayachnadran, Maj B S Rawat.
5 ASSAM I was posted out from ARC in Jun 1995 and posted as CO 5 ASAAM. 5 ASAAM was deployed along the LC under 161 Infbde. On my way to 5 ASAAM I was lucky to meet Maj Gen P K puri, the COR and Ex CO 5 ASAAM at Nagrota where he was Chief of Staff 16 Corps. The briefing and guidance about the situation in J&K and Unit by Maj Gen P K Puriover a Dinner at his residence has been of great help during dischargeof my duties as CO 5 ASAAM. His visit to unit on LC and walking down to each post and interaction with the Rhinos at their LPs and OP Posts shot up the morale of the Unit that culminated into the award of GOC-IN-C Northern Command unit appreciation to 5 ASAAM. 5 ASAAM is one of the finest units of the Indian Army.
I had taken over from Col B P S Sandhu on 23 Jun 1995. During my tenure with 5 ASAAM at Uri I served with excellent officers. Lt Col AlokSagar has been my 2IC throughout. The Coy Cdr, Maj M P Patil, Maj S KKothiyal, Maj Deepak Srivastava, Maj Inderjit Singh and Maj J S Saran,Capt D B Gurung(QM), CaptVinayakJadhav (Adjt) ,Lt L K Nishad and Lt LokeshSaxena. I had two second Generation officers in the Unit Capt D S Cheema S/O Brig I S Cheema and Lt NarendarSharawat S/O Col M S Sharawat.Lt LokeshSaxena was the last to join the unit at Uri. 5 ASAAM moved to Ranchi in May 1997. Maj Kalayan Singh(3A), Maj K K Anil from RR, Maj Vikram Raina from ARC and Maj K S Manta from HQ 16 Corps joined the unit.5 ASAAM celebrated Silver Jubilee of Chhamb Battle honour in Dec 1997 at Ranchi. The team of Rhinos and the ladies coordinated by Lt Col &MrsAlokSagar had put up a wonderful show. The celebrations were attended by the Veterans and serving officers of 5 ASAAM. Maj Gen P KPuri the COR, Col R S Rathore the Comdt ARC, Brig S S Chaudhary, Brig I S Cheema, Col C B Thappa and Col K S Thappa, al ex CO’s 5 ASAAM, Col Laxman Rana who commanded 15 ASAAM and Maj A Hazra. It was amazing to witness the Regimental
spirit and binding betweenthe veteran and Rhinos of 5 ASAAM. Lt Vishal Jondale was the last young officer to join 5 ASAAM in JAN 1998 during my command tenure and I handed over 5 ASAAM to Col (Lt Gen) SubrataSahn in Feb 1998 and I was posted back to ARC as TrgBnCdr/ Dy Comdt. I served in ARC from Feb1998 to May 1999 under two commandnats Col R S Rathore and Brig A K Hukku. Brig A K Hukku handed over the ARC to me and left for Bareilly as GOC 6 Mtn Div. The other officers I served with in this tenure at ARC are Lt Col M B Saxena(my coursemate), Lt Col Sandeep Dabral, Capt A K Malhotra, Capt Anil Kumar, Capt J S Cheema, CaptDhiman, CaptVinayakJhadav, Capt Rakesh Sharma, Maj Anil Kumar, Capt D B Gurung and Capt A K Dhiman. In May 1999 I was posted to 4 ASAAM for second command and handed over ARC to Col V K Cherian and moved out in mid May 1999.OP Vijay/O P Meghdoot
4 ASAAM under Col Gurmit Singh located at Banbasa was in the process of handing over to the relieving unit. The Unit was destined for Siachen Glacier for its field tenure. I was prepared to join the unit at Banbasa and then move to field location. Due to Launch of O P Vijay (Kargilwar) the move of 4 ASAAM was preponed by one month. I was in comn with the unit through maj Gen A K Hukku GOC 6Mtn Div. When I spoke to him on tele one day before my Planned date of mov, he surprised me by saying that don’t move , stay at Ambala and join the 4 ASSAM Mil special at Ambala Cantt Rly Stn. It was a great union with 4 ASAAM after a gap of Four years and accordingly celebrated. It was an overnight journey from Ambala to B D Bari Rly Stn. Col Gurmit Singh briefed me about the impending move and reaching the designated location to relieve 15 ASSAM in Kashmir Valley under HQ 56 MtnBde of 8 Mtn Div. On arrival at B D Bari, Maj J S Kanwar received the Bn and informed Col Gurmit Singh that we are not relieving 15 ASSAM. Whatever was taken over has been handedover back to 15 ASAAM and we will be intimated about the new destination later, the unit to unload the train and move to B D Bari transit camp and be there till further orders.
Col Gurmit Singh was relieved and he left for his next destination to attend the H C Course from B D Bari Transit Camp. All our effort to find out the expected date and time of Departure from B D Bari and the next destination through official Channels did not make any Progress, then the Regimental Channel got activated. Lt Gen Krishan Pal the COR was GOC 15 Corps and Col O M Pawar a high spirited Rhino was Col MS H Q 15 Corps. A telephone call to Col O M Pawar solved all the uncertainties we were told about our ETD, next destination in Kashmir Valley and also the instruction to send a party to Banbasa to take over whatever we handed over there.
4 ASAAM enjoyed the patronage and support of Lt Gen Krishan pal GOC 15Corps, Maj Gen J R Mukherjee who had taken over as COS HQ 15 Corps and Maj Gen A K Hukku GOC 6 InfDiv till 15 Aug 1999. This period was utilized for Trg for CI ops, Acclimatization and make up Eqptand wpn deficiencies and the unit was located at Dawar close to HQ 109 InfBde at GurejSector.Before 4
ASAAM was ready to be launched in O P Vijay in active operation the war at Kargil was over and then the unit was moved to Leh and reached Tangtse around 20 Aug 1999 and by then HQ 14 Corps was raised. Lt Gen Masih as Corps Cdr had reported at leh and thereafter 4 ASAAM missed the patronage and support of the senior Rhinos at HQ 15 Corps. The Unit had a successful tenure in O P Meghdoot from Jan to Aug 2000 and then de-inducted to Tantse in sep 2000. During the next three months the Rhinos of 4 ASAAM enjoyed the cool breeze at Tangtse, chusul, Pangongtso Lake and the Fingers in news at Present and the excitement of being face to face with the PLA.
During this period from Jun 1999 to Nov 2000 I served with Lt Col AKhil Shah, Bn 2IC who dedicated himself to prep the Bn for induction into the Glacier and left for posting to ARC in Jan 2000 after about 80% of the 1st induction was complete. Then Lt Col Pankaj Saxena joined as 2IC and served in Glacier at Tac HQ at Kumar in 2nd Induction and he de-inducted the Bn to Tangtse. I was lucky to have them with me at this juncture.
During this tenure, the officers in the Unit were Maj Sashidhar V N, Maj J S Kanwar, Maj AlokBhatnagar , Maj R S Khatri, Maj L M Sharma, Maj ArindamMajumdhar, Maj Manish Aggarwal, CaptAnuj Jain, CaptShitijDevlal, CaptShirishPatil and Lt Arvind Nain. In Jun 1999, Lt Ravi Maney, Lt TusharSapru (ASC), Lt Harsh Thapliyal (AOC), Lt Sumit Kumar (AOC) joined the unit and in Sep 1999 two attoffr Lt Ramamurthy- Gen Service and ltRajniKant (ASC) and Lt Saurav Pal joined the unit. Two second generation Rhinos ie Lt Pankaj Subha S/O Col KKSubha in Dec 1999 and Lt Archie Thapa S/O Col S P Thapa in Mar 2000 joined the unit and did an excellent job at Bana and Amar Fwd post.
I handed over the Command of 4 ASAAM to Lt Col (Maj Gen) Pankaj Saxena on 18 Nov 2000 and moved on posting to Ambala to HQ 2 Corps.This move out from 4 ASAAM was culmination of the Regimental service. Therafter from Nov 2000 to Nov 2011 served and interacted with Rhino offrs in isolation, Lt Col Ved Prakash GSO-I OPS HQ 2Corps, Lt Col A D Anand GSO-I(Trg), NQ 2 Corps, Col K C Dogra Dir Rtg at 2RO Ambala, then Col (Brig) S N Rai Col GS HQ 25 Inf DIV , self being posted
DyCdr HQ 93 InfBde at Poonch. The veteran Col Gurdip Singh and Maj J S Rishi at Jalandhar and Col Murugeshan Col GS HQ 3 Inf DIV at Karu (Leh) where I did
last leg of my reemployment till Nov 2011.
TAGRA RAHO
Major FKK Sircar
# KNOWURARMY(PERSONAL FAV)
Major FKK Sircar (Retd.), the longest living army veteran, at 101 years of age proceeded to his heavenly abode and breathed his last on January 21,2018.
He was from 2nd battalion of the ASSAM Regiment and had the distinction of participating in three wars viz World War II, Indo-Pak War of 1947 -48 and Indo-China War of 1962.
An alumnus of Indian Military Academy, he was among the first set of officers who built National Cadet Corps (NCC) structure across the country.
He had penned a book ‘The memories of a Soldier.
The solemn occasion reconfirmed the connect between Indian Army and its Veterans’ fraternity till the last breath. The event is testimony to the fact that Army is always standing shoulder to shoulder with its veterans “Always and Everywhere”.
https://www.indianarmy.nic.in/writereaddata/documents/EnglishBaatcheet230218.pdf
Good evening. Some links on Maj Sircar
https://www.indianarmyveterans.gov.in/showfile.php?lang=1&level=2&&sublinkid=1450&lid=1045
RHINO VETERANS_S
TAGRA RAHO
