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Showing posts from 2011

Company Quartermaster Havildar Abdul Hamid PVC (4 Grenadiers)

It is September, and in one week’s time, it would be the 46th anniversary of Indian’s second war with Pakistan after Independence. It is befitting then, that we remember those brave soldiers who fought this war bravely, some of them laying down their lives to thwart Pakistan’s designs to once again forcibly take away the Region of Jammu and Kashmir. The first in the series of remembrances is that of Company Quartermaster Havildar Abdul Hamid, who belonged to 4 Grenadiers, who fought gallantry to thwart a massive enemy armoured offensive with just RCL guns, in the Punjab sector, and was successful in restraining the attack and holding back the enemy. In the process Abdul Hamid laid down his life. Company Quartermaster Havildar Abdul Hamid, PVC It was early September 1965 and Pakistan had just launched an intense offensive in J&K (Operation Grand Slam) aimed at capturing Akhnoor in Jammu. The objective was to cut off communications and supply routes to the Indian

My take on the so called 'Anti Corruption' movement

This is how I view the ‘Anna agitation’, based on my understanding of the current situation. There are enough laws existing to govern our Country. Implementation and enforcement of the laws, and judicial reforms is the need of the hour. One more law - an anti corruption law, will in no way guarantee eradication of corruption in the Country. Creating an unaccountable ombudsman will add another such check post unless you believe, like Hazare, that Gandhian purity can keep the Lokpal’s office forever clean. We are in a sense, barking up the wrong tree.  Envisioning a system whereby the Lokpal - an all powerful body who will oversee and prosecute the Prime Minister, all politicians, the entire judiciary, and the rank and file of the Government machinery. Team Anna has proposed a way by which the Lokpal and the Lokayukt will be appointed, but there is no answer to the question  " Who supervises the Lokpal'? Imagining an end to corruption by making a Lokpal sit in judgment over e

Pictures to make you feel good....

Sunset time over the river Rhone, in Lyon, France Sunset over Brussels, Belgium, June 2009 (Time 9.45 pm) Sunset over river Liffey – Dublin, Ireland, August 2009 Carnival in Copenhagen, Denmark, August 2009 Sunrise at India Gate, September 2009 View from atop Raisina Hill, September 2009

“Remember - upon the conduct of each depends the fate of all”

The title of this post is a well known quote of ‘Alexander The Great’ . Very apt - at a time when a good part of the Country’s population has been swept with the sentiment surrounding Anna Hazare’s ‘fast unto death’ as a means to force the Government to get the Lokpal Bill moving. People of all age groups and from all walks of life came forward to support Anna Hazare’s battle to eradicate corruption. All these people are convinced that all Netas and Babus in this Country are completely corrupt, and all Indians have suffered at their hands. This is the time and the opportunity to being them to book. So all these people gathered at India Gate, shouted, cursed the corrupt politicians and the government, raised slogans. And when the Government ‘gave in’ to the demands of the fasting Gandhian, it was victory for everyone ! According to this group, something really good had happened, at least a beginning, and now there was hope. “How naive people could be?” – I had thought then, and now. W

Professional Artists : Good Guys - Bad Guys

Twenty seven years later, I wonder why I let myself be appointed as Member of the Students Union Council of St Stephen's College, when I entered my MSc Class. After having fooled around for three years it should have been high time that I settled down and did the MSc course some justice. But that's not the story here... The highlight of any Students' Unions' tenure was the organization of the winter festival or "Winterfest" We decided to present to the College and to the University, the best College festival organized yet. As part of the cultural programs we decided to invite Pt. Hariprasad Chaurasia the renowned flautist, accompanied by Ustaad Zakir Hussain on Tabla. For another evening - and this was a first for the College and for Delhi University - the most popular semi classical artists on the scene at that time - Jagjit and Chitra Singh. Those were old times. Hariprasad Chaurasia and Zakir Hussain very kindly agreed to a fees of Rs 25000 which was s

Who Won The Battle of Longewala for India?

T here’s hardly anyone who hasn’t seen the famous Bollywood blockbuster “Border” released in 1997, set to the story of the Battle of Longewala. Thanks to the movie it is now one of the most well known battles of the 1971 Indo Pak war. It was at Longewala that the enemy made his biggest armoured thrust with a view to capture a large chunk of the Indian territory. The Pakistani thrust was completely and comprehensively blunted. Upto here, we all know the story. But who was responsible for blunting the Pakistani attack? This is where there are differences in versions…. In the movie “Border” it was Major Kuldeep Singh Chandpuri and his small force of 120 brave men, who resisted the Pakistani onslaught throughout the night by fighting fiercely, till the Air Force arrived at first light the next morning, to assist them. The Air Force however, has a different story to tell. Here is the story – told by none other than Air Marshal MS Bawa – PVSM, AVSM, VM (Retd.), who was the Base Command

Lt. General Prem Bhagat - A soldiers' General..

Physical and moral courage are seldom found in abundant measure, in the same person. Yet Lt. General Bhagat was an example of this. For the former, he won the Victoria Cross during the Second World War. For the second, it is said that there are innumerable instances to recount. P.S. Bhagat was born in 1918, and joined the 10th course at IMA in 1937. Although he was not able to attain the highest rank – that of the Army Chief, and retired as Army Commander, there is little doubt in Army circles even today, that if there was an officer deserving of this position, it was Prem Bhagat. Apart from a truly courageous soldier and and officer, both mentally and physically, Prem Bhagat was known to be a true soldier’s general. There are numerous instances that prove this – sometimes his behaviour extending to what may be termed as ‘carrying it a bit too far…’ In 1970 Prem Bhagat was GOC 11 Corps at Jullundar. One young Captain who as posted in the same Station, and who was newly married, was