New Delhi: Some stories can never be forgotten. In 2011, Major General Ian Cardozo, who was a young major in the 5 Gorkha Rifles in the 1971 war with Pakistan, told his story to a website, which is still etched on memories.The Gorkha Rifles officer was injured in the battle of Sylhet in Bangladesh in the 1971 war with Pakistan when he stepped on a landmine.

General Cardozo then cut off his badly wounded leg with his own khukri and became the first disabled officer in the Indian Army to command an infantry battalion and then a brigade. He was later awarded a Sena Medal for gallantry.

Recalling the event, the author of The Sinking of INS Khukri — Survivors Stories and Param Vir — Our Heroes In Battle said a Bangladeshi saw him losing a leg.

The brave Indian asked the doctor if he could be provided some morphine or pethidine. And when he did not get any of the analgesic or any instrument, General Cardozo cut his leg with his own khukri. He then ordered someone to bury it.

Hats off to this Mumbai native.

The Indian Army today commemorated the Vijay Diwas with traditional solemnity, marking the Indian Armed forces victory over Pakistan in the 1971 Indo-Pak War.

On this day in 1971, about 93,000 Pakistani soldiers surrendered to the Indian forces. This historic victory led to creation of Bangladesh.

Jammu, December 27

The Army’s Chushul brigade under the aegis of the Trishul division has organised an inter-village ice hockey tournament in Tangtse.Ice hockey is a popular sport of Ladakh during winter and captures the essence of Ladakh. When water bodies freeze in the extreme cold. the local youth engage in the ice hockey rink.As part of Operation Sadbhavna and to encourage local talent in sports, Late Lady Cadet Stanzin Odzes Memorial Inter-Village Ice Hockey Tournament was organised with the active involvement of the local Lalok Sports Association.The week-long annual event was organised with traditional Ladakhi colours, fun and gaiety. The tournament saw the participation of nine ice hockey teams of local villages and schools.The skill, speed, enthusiasm, sportsmanship and fighting spirit of Ladakhi players was on display. The sports being popular, locals in large numbers thronged the venue to cheer for their favourite teams. The annual ice hockey tournament is a platform for promoting the sport and encouraging local talent. —TNS

‘Unplanned’ stopover at Lahore on way back from Kabul signals start of new journey in vexed bilateral ties

Simran Sodhi & PTI,New Delhi/Lahore, Dec 25

Prime Minister Narendra Modi today arrived in Lahore for a meeting with his Pakistani counterpart Nawaz Sharif, the first visit to Pakistan by an Indian premier in more than 10 years. Government officials in Delhi maintain that the visit was ‘unplanned’ and that it all started with Modi’s phone call to Sharif this morning. The latter invited him to stop by and the PM decided to do so. However, there were whispers in the South Block that a prime ministerial visit could not have been unplanned. Editorial: Modi in LahorePakistan, after the Modi-Sharif meeting, said the visit marked the start of  a comprehensive dialogue between the two countries. The Pakistan foreign secretary called the visit a goodwill gesture. “That’s like a statesman,” External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj tweeted about Modi’s Pakistan visit. Swaraj’s successful visit to Islamabad recently provided the momentum for the Prime Minister’s surprise visit today, sources said. Modi was received by Sharif with a warm hug on the tarmac of the Allama Iqbal International Airport.He was returning home after a day-long trip to Afghanistan on the conclusion of a two-day visit to Russia. Modi had travelled to Russia in an Air India jumbo flight and an Indian Air Force aircraft followed later. After the Russia leg, most officials were sent back on the AI flight while the PM travelled to Kabul on the IAF plane.Modi was accorded a red carpet welcome on his arrival at Lahore, 20 minutes past four in the evening. He then took a chopper to Sharif’s palatial residence in Raiwind on the outskirts of Lahore.“Looking forward to meeting PM Nawaz Sharif in Lahore today afternoon, where I will drop by on my way back to Delhi,” tweeted Modi, as he wound up his visit to Afghanistan.  It was the PM’s tweet that broke the news about his stopover in Lahore. “Spoke to PM Nawaz Sharif & wished him on his birthday,” Modi said in another tweet. Sharif turned 66 today. He shares his birthday with Atal Bihari Vajpayee and Mohammad Ali Jinnah, founder of Pakistan. The visit came more than two weeks after Modi and Sharif had an unscheduled meeting at climate change talks in Paris.Ties between India and Pakistan have witnessed some positive developments after a chill that lasted  several months. The two countries decided to start a comprehensive dialogue after the Modi-Sharif meeting in Paris.The last time that an Indian Prime Minister visited Pakistan was in 2004. Atal Bihari Vajpayee had then broken the ice between the two countries. Modi visited Pakistan today, that happened to be Vajpayee’s 91st birthday. The Pakistani authorities put security on high alert in Lahore, especially around the airport, after the announcement of Modi’s brief visit to the eastern city.A PML-N source said that Sharif had invited Modi for the marriage of his granddaughter Mehrun Nisa at his Raiwind residence. “Welcome to Pakistan @narendramodi. Constant engagement is the only way to resolve all outstanding issues,” PPP chairperson Bilawal Bhutto Zardari tweeted.Since the now famous Paris handshake on November 30 when both PMs had a brief chat, India-Pakistan relations have moved forward rapidly. The two National Security Advisers met in Bangkok on December 6 and External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj travelled to Islamabad for a multilateral conference on December 8-9. There it was decided that the ‘comprehensive composite dialogue’ would be resumed and that the Foreign Secretaries of the two countries would meet soon. They are expected to do so on January 15.Modi returned to New Delhi late in the evening. “Breakfast in Kabul, tea in Lahore & dinner in Delhi! PM @narendramodi returns after a unique day in Indian diplomacy,” MEA spokesman Vikas Swarup tweeted. Meanwhile Pakistan Foreign Secretary Aizaz Ahmad Chaudhry said: “PM Modi’s visit was not a planned one. It was organised on a short notice after Mr Modi expressed his wish to come here en route to Delhi from Afghanistan.”

Good morning.
Day 3.
17 Dec 2015
Today was bit relaxed day. War Veteran Group was divided in two; ladies to proceeded, after  B’fast to do the most awaited job of shopping in Dhaka, with money changed to Dollar & then to Takas of Bangladesh Currency to buy some famed silk Saries of  B’desh escorted by the female Liaison Officers of B’desh Army, Air force &  Navy. Happy hunting !
Veterans after rest (since some of them past 80, one being 1947 Commissioned) breakfast moved at 10am to have interaction with all three Service Chiefs of Air Force( Bangladesh Armed Force or short BAF), Navy & then Army HQ.
All three Service Chiefs had very frank interaction with Veterans after giving overview about their Respective Wings of Services Viz; BAF, BN, BDA which was followed by light refreshment. Veteran were invited to ask questions, if any, about their Services, Service Conditions, resettlement of ESM, their health, housing etc. Army Chief briefed that he reports directly to PM & no one else. MOD us basically to do jobs like budgeting, discipline coordination, promotions, housing etc. He sits in Budget Committee chairs by PM since he holds the rank of Addl Secy Govt of B’desh. As per him, invariably, all projections are generally accepted by the Govt in the annual Budget.
Incidentally, a senior Army Officer is in charge of all Projects at National level & he directly interacts with the PM.
Though their strength of Services is at conservative level as compared to India, obviously because of size & national threat perception but has all elements of training, administration, health, housing welfare of very high standard. After interaction, Indian Delegation
returned to Hotel around 2.15 pm. After was a relaxed affair. Some of the Veterans interacted with the Media arranged by Brig Jaggi Nanda, a smart, very professional, resourceful, dynamic Indian Army Rep in Dhaka, B’desh.
Evening a  Cultural Programme was organised which was very well attended.
A very large gathering had cone to witness this Cultural Programme.
Returned around 9pm to Hotel, did bit packing for next day’s picnic to an out station & lake by Helicopter ride in MI 17 Helicopters.
Overall it was a nice day.
Next dispatch will be on 19th Dec after  our return.

Bahadur Singh

For Bathinda Tribune

(Nikhila)

Tribune News Service

Bathinda, December 9

The 12-day long desert storm motorcycle expedition of Sarvashreshth Regiment culminated at Bathinda today. The expedition covered a total distance of 1,850 km, starting from Bathinda and explored the arid desert terrain of Rajasthan. The team had a refreshing and challenging exposure of the rugged terrain during the course of the expedition, traversing through the desert area in close proximity of the border.On arrival, the team members were accorded a grand welcome by the Sarvada Agrani Brigade. The senior officers of the station welcomed the team and congratulated each member of the team on their performance.The expedition team displayed great and camaraderie in living off the land with no administrative back-up for survival in the inhospitable desert terrain. The team also took the opportunity of promoting the Army in remote border villages and by interacting with the youth in various schools.The team also won accolades for its initiative to inspire the youth to join the Armed Forces. Brigadier Vinay Gupta, commander of the Sarvada Agrani Brigade, complimented the team leader for the superlative conduct during the expedition and expressed the hope that more such expeditions will be undertaken to inculcate a spirit of adventure and further the positive image of the Indian Army.

GEN KV KRISHNA RAO – THE FARSIGHTED GENERAL

Recently my wife and I were in Secunderabad in connections with the annual get-together of my 34th NDA Course. While there I sought permission from General KV Krishna Rao, our 11th Chief of the Army Staff, to meet him in connection with a book I am writing on General Kumaramangalam.
He most graciously accepted to meet us and invited us to his house on the morning of 03 November 2015. The General, 93 years of age, is, by the grace of God, hale and hearty. He does not use spectacles; though a bit hard of hearing does not use hearing aid and does not use a computer though he has written three voluminous books – an autobiography, one on leadership and the third a study on national security. He is an engrossing talker and it becomes difficult to keep track of the passage of time in his presence as he narrates episode after episode.
KV Krishna Rao was a brigadier when Kumaramangalam was the Vice Chief. KVK had never in his life asked for any specific posting but in 1965, on approval for promotion to the rank of brigadier the MS asked him for his preference. He had opted to command 114 Mountain Brigade deployed at Dham Chok and Daulat Beg Oldie, Ladhak and his request had been granted.
He exercised the battalions of his brigade in a realistic manner which was appreciated by the Western Army Commander Lieutenant Gen Harbakash Singh, the man who had saved Punjab in 1965, and Gen Kumaramangalam.
When he finished his command tenure he was sent to do the course at the Imperial Defence College, UK, now called RCDS. No sooner had he landed back in India after the course when Lt Gen Sartaj Singh, DMO, told him that the Gen PP Kumaramangalam, by then the Chief, wanted him to produce an appreciation on what the Commander in Chief of Pakistan would do. KVK was to himself set the aim and terms of reference as would have been given out by their President, Field Marshal Ayub Khan. He had a fortnight to write the appreciation.
Having written the appreciation Krishna Rao presented it to the DMO. He approved of it and asked him to take it to the Vice Chief, Lt Gen KS Katoch who in turn saw the value in it and arranged for the Chief, Gen Kumaramangalam himself to review it.
The high point of Krishna Rao’s career was in 1975 when he was GOC 16 Corps. General Raina, the then chief, appointed him as the Chairman of the Experts Committee constituted to develop a twenty-year perspective on reorganization and modernization of the Army. Eminent generals such as K Sundarji and ML Chibber were members of the committee. They visited Gen Kumaramangalam and Field Marshal Manekshaw at their residences at Hosur and Wellington respectively.
After nearly an hour of interesting interaction we bade good bye to the General and left him after signing his visitor’s book.

Tribune News Service
BHIWANI, NOVEMBER 30
After waiting for several hours for a PGIMS, Rohtak, team to collect the body of Sub Pratap Singh Jangra(retd), who had pledged to donate his body , his family members today performed the last rites at Patuwas village.
Sheela Devi and Sunita Devi, two of the six daughters of Pratap Singh Jangra, told media that their father died at Base Military Hospital, New Delhi, yesterday.
“Our father had pledged to donate his body. We contacted the PGIMS authorities several times today but after getting no satisfactorily reply, we had to perform the last rites”, they said. Dr Sudha Chhabra, head, anatomy, Rohtak medical college, however, said that they were not contacted by the deceased’s family members.