Monthly Archives: August 2018

W DELHI: A new biography on former Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar has stoked a fresh controversy with his claim that he had recommended that Gen. Bipin Rawat supersede two senior officers to become the Army Chief, “convinced that he was a better choice”, with the author describing it as “a bold move”, contrary to claims at the time that the correct procedures had been followed.

“Gen. Bipin Rawat, India’s first Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) and Army Chief prior to that, had a close association with Parrikar when he was Defence Minister. In fact, it was on Parrikar’s watch in the MoD that Gen. Rawat was made the Army Chief by by-passing two generals senior to him.

“It was a bold decision since the civilian leadership is normally loathed for tampering with convention. Parrikar was convinced that Gen. Rawat was a better choice to head the Indian Army at that point. So he signed on the recommendation to supersede two senior most generals and make Gen. Rawat the Army Chief, ” Nitin Gokhale, a media entrepreneur, strategic affairs analyst and author of more than half-a-dozen books on military history, insurgencies and wars, writes about his “very close” friend in “Manohar Parrikar – Brilliant Mind, Simple Life (Bloomsbury)” that records his 28-month tenure in South Block and has been sponsored by the Goa government, that he headed for four terms as Chief Minister over an eight-year period.

“Prime Minister Modi concurred with Parrikar’s recommendation and took what is considered a decision that broke the tradition in appointing an Army Chief on December 31, 2016. I am now at liberty to reveal that Parrikar had confided in me the fact that he was recommending Gen. Rawat as the next Army Chief, at least a month in advance, ” Gokhale writes.

“I was impressed with Gen. Rawat’s decisiveness and bold nature in my meetings with him as Commander of 3 Corps in Dimapur, Nagaland, and later as Southern Army Commander in Pune, ” Gokhale quotes Parrikar as mentioning to him one evening in November 2016. “Perhaps that was the reason why Gen. Rawat was brought to the Army headquarters as Vice Chief of Army Staff from September 2016 onwards, in preparation for his elevation as Army Chief”.

Parrikar’s claim runs contrary to what he himself had stated on January 6, 2017.

“A set procedure was followed. There was no seniority principal or it would’ve merely been a date based computer job, ” Parrikar had stated at the Defence Ministry’s Swachhta Pakhwada (cleanliness campaign that forms a part of the government’s Swachhta Abhiyan initiative) here.

In being elevated, Gen. Rawat, an Infantry officer, superseded Lt. Gen Praveen Bakshi (Armoured Corps), the Eastern Commander, and Lt. Gen. P.M. Hariz (Mechanised Infantry). Southern Army Commander.

Interestingly, six of the eight Army chiefs over the past two decades have been from the Infantry and two from the Artillery.

“Rawat’s supersession of Bakshi and Hariz indicates how difficult it has become for a non-infantry general to become chief, even when he has the seniority and merits. The army’s command hierarchy has demonstrated its ability to bring the government around to their viewpoint, ” noted defence analyst Ajai Shukla wrote at the time.

“The government, however, justifies Rawat’s selection as based on merit. In leaks to chosen journalists on WhatsApp (which this correspondent has reviewed) a defence ministry spokesperson claimed Rawat’s rare combination of skill and experience makes him ‘the best suited among the Lt. Generals, to deal with the emerging challenges’, ” Shukla added.

This was only the second time in 33 years that a supersession has happened after Lt. Gen. S.K. Sinha, the Army Vice Chief, was passed over in 1983 by the Indira Gandhi government in favour of Lt. Gen. A.S. Vaidya.

On his part, Gen. Rawat returned the compliment, as it were at the First Manohar Parrikar Memorial Lecture, organised by the Forum for Integrated National Security (FINS) in Mumbai, in December 2019.

“Mr Parrikar, or ‘Honourable RM (Raksha Mantri)’, as we addressed him, was a man of many attributes—politically savvy was of course the key—that explains his very successful career in politics; but there were other qualities that I would like to recall: Outstanding qualities of head and heart, a very curious mind, a military–scientific temper, persistence, doggedness, great clarity of thought and above all, a person of enormous simplicity and pragmatism, ” Gen. Rawat said.

“A voracious reader, he would often quote from military classics like Victory on the Potomac (a book by a Pentagon insider, detailing the grim battles before the Goldwater–Nichols Act got promulgated in the US) and Robert Greene’s 33 Strategies of War. Any concept that he propounded in the military domain was done after careful and in-depth study of global developments and experiences. Above all, it was he who envisioned this uniquely Indian Defence Ecosystem that we are in the midst of creating—a happy amalgam of the strengths of the DRDO, the private sector, MSMEs (Ministry of Micro, Small & Medium Enterprises), startups and DPSUs (Defence Public Sector Undertakings); these hubs of defence excellence which lie at the intersection of engineering, science, innovation and enterprise, ” Gen. Rawat added.

Indian Army To Conduct 13 Day Long Military Exercise With Russian Counterpart From August 1. The 12th edition of Indo-Russia joint exercise ‘Indra-21’ will strengthen bilateral security cooperation & reinforce the longstanding bond between the two nations, Indian Army said
Indian Army on Tuesday confirmed that India and Russia will jointly conduct a 13-day mega military exercise ‘Indra 21’ emphasizing on counter-terror operations in the Russian city of Volgograd from August 1.
They also mentioned that successful completion of the 12th edition of the exercise will be nothing short of touching another “milestone” in intensifying the bilateral security cooperation and will also serve to reinforce the longstanding bond of friendship between India and Russia.
The Army said 250 personnel from each side will participate in the 12th edition of the joint military exercise.
“The 12th edition of Indo-Russia joint military exercise Indra-21 will be held at Volgograd, Russia from August 1 to 13,” the Army said.
It said the exercise will entail the conduct of counter-terror operations mandated under the UN’s framework of joint forces against international terror groups.
“Exercise Indra-21 will further strengthen mutual confidence and interoperability between the Indian and Russian armies and enable sharing of best practices between the contingents of both the countries,” the Army said in a statement.
“The exercise will be yet another milestone in strengthening security cooperation and will serve to reinforce the longstanding bond of friendship between India and Russia,” it added.
It said the Indian Army contingent participating in the exercise will comprise a mechanised infantry battalion.
Volgograd is a major Russian city situated on the western bank of the Volga river.

A total 333 private companies have been issued 539 industrial licences for defence production in India and out of these, 110 companies have started production.

In a written reply to Vijay Pal Singh Tomar in the Rajya Sabha on Monday, Minister of State for Defence Ajay Bhatt said that the defence industry sector, which was hitherto reserved for the public sector, was opened up to 100 per cent for Indian private sector participation in May, 2001. Thereafter, many measures have been taken by the government to promote private sector participation.

Out of the total capital acquisition budget for the year 2021-22, 64.09 per cent has been earmarked for domestic capital procurement, while the defence capital outlay has been increased by 18.75 per cent in the Budget for FY 2021-22, the minister informed.

The Defence Procurement Procedure-2016 has been revised as Defence Acquisition Procedure (DAP)-2020, which is driven by the tenets of the defence reforms announced as part of the ‘Aatmanirbhar Bharat Abhiyan’ (self-reliant India campaign), Bhatt said.

In order to promote indigenous design and development of defence equipment, the ‘Buy’ (Indian-IDDM or Indigenously Designed, Developed and Manufactured) category has been accorded top most priority for procurement of capital equipment, he said.

The ministry has notified a ‘Positive indigenisation list’ of 209 items for which there would be an embargo on the import beyond the timeline indicated against them.

This would offer a great opportunity to the Indian defence industry to manufacture these items using their own design and development capabilities to meet the requirements of the armed forces in the coming years, Bhatt said.

Beijing: As China continues with hydropower projects on the Yarlung Tsangpo River, concerns are rising in the lower riparian nations regarding the impact of these projects on the river, which is one of the crucial sources of freshwater for India and Bangladesh.
Yarlung Tsangpo is a lifeline for a significant population in these countries. It originates at the southeast of Mount Kailash and Manasarovar in Tibet and is the upper stream of the Brahmaputra river. It later flows through the South Tibet Valley and Yarlung Tsangpo Grand Canyon before passing through the state of Arunachal Pradesh and Assam in India.
Finally, it flows down into Bangladesh where it is referred to as the Jamuna River. Lower riparian nations both India and Bangladesh are particularly dependent upon the river for power, fishing and irrigation purposes.
Experts believe that they are now under serious threat due to the many small and big hydropower projects rampantly being executed by China.
A Toronto-based think tank International Forum for Rights and Security (IFFRAS) has argued that the construction of these hydropower dams without consideration of upstream and downstream ecosystems and landscapes has a significant economic and environmental bearing on the location of the project, the adjoining and far-away regions as well.
Experts say that the potential to have major political and environmental implications in Arunachal Pradesh and Assam in India, the states that are dependent on the Brahmaputra River, and in the country, Bangladesh.
The think tank said China also sees this hydropower project as an attempt to safeguard its national security and parochially retain its natural sources for its own disposal.
“Admittedly, the location of the hydropower project is such that it is prone to earthquakes and floods caused by landslides. Thus, the project is likely to further add on to the existing miseries of the people downstream of this river basin.”
Furthermore, the aquatic species of the river which adds to the river’s biodiversity are bound to affect by all these activities.
According to the experts, China is working towards its own advantage by exercising complete control and depriving the lower riparian countries, India and Bangladesh of their requisite water supply, particularly during the summers when the water is scarce.
The main issue of lower riparian nations is concern regarding floods. “It is pertinent to note that dams in China would also trap the sediments and deprive the Brahmaputra basin of the much needed silt which is responsible for making the plains in the region fertile. Silt also helps restrain the flow in a way that floods are less destructive and seemingly more controlled,” the think tank said.

Private player Kalyani Defence manufactured Garud-V2 55 X 39mm indigenous howitzer
by Savio Rodrigues
The Defence Industry sector, which was hitherto reserved for the public sector, was opened up to 100% for Indian private sector participation in May, 2001. As on date, 333 Private companies have been issued a total of 539 Industrial Licenses. Out of these, 110 companies have reported commencement of production.
Further, following measures have been taken by the Government to promote private sector participation in Defence sector –
Out of the total Capital Acquisition Budget for the year 2021-22, 64.09% has been earmarked for domestic capital procurement.
Defence capital outlay has been increased by 18.75 % in the budget of 2021 – 22.
DPP-2016 has been revised as Defence Acquisition Procedure (DAP)- 2020, which is driven by the tenets of Defence Reforms announced as part of ‘Aatmanirbhar Bharat Abhiyan’.
In order to promote indigenous design and development of defence equipment ‘Buy {Indian-IDDM (Indigenously Designed, Developed and Manufactured)}’ category has been accorded top most priority for procurement of capital equipment.
Positive Indigenisation List: 
Ministry of Defence has notified a ‘Positive indigenisation list’ of 209 items for which there would be an embargo on the import beyond the timeline indicated against them. This would offer a great opportunity to the Indian defence industry to manufacture these items using their own design and development capabilities to meet the requirements of the Armed Forces in the coming years.
The ‘Make’ Procedure of capital procurement has been simplified. There is a provision for funding upto 70% of development cost by the Government to Indian industry under Make-I category. In addition, there are specific reservations for MSMEs under the ‘Make’ procedure.
Procedure for ‘Make-II’ category (Industry funded), introduced in DPP 2016 to encourage indigenous development and manufacture of defence equipment has number of industry friendly provisions such as relaxation of eligibility criterion, minimal documentation, provision for considering proposals suggested by industry/individual etc. So far, 58 projects relating to Army, Navy & Air Force, have been accorded ‘Approval in Principle’.
The Government of India has enhanced FDI in Defence Sector up to 74% through the Automatic Route for companies seeking new defence industrial license and up to 100% by Government Route wherever it is likely to result in access to modern technology or for other reasons to be recorded.
An innovation ecosystem for Defence titled Innovations for Defence Excellence (iDEX) has been launched in April 2018. iDEX is aimed at creation of an ecosystem to foster innovation and technology development in Defence and Aerospace by engaging Industries including MSMEs, Start-ups, Individual Innovators, R&D institutes and Academia and provide them grants/funding and other support to carry out R&D which has potential for future adoption for Indian defence and aerospace needs.
To give a major boost to development of innovative defence technology and support a growing Start-Up base in the country, MoD has earmarked Rs 1,000 crore during 2021 – 22 for the procurement from the iDEX Start-Ups.
Department of Defence Production, Ministry of Defence has also approved a scheme for Innovation in Defence Excellence (iDEX) during current year worth Rs 498 crore for 5 years. The scheme aims to benefit 300 new Startups for innovative design and development in defence sector.
An indigenization portal namely SRIJAN has been launched in August 2020 for DPSUs/OFB/Services with an industry interface to provide development support to MSMEs/Start-Ups/Industry for import substitution.
Reforms in Offset policy have been included in DAP 2020, with thrust on attracting investment and Transfer of Technology for Defence manufacturing, by assigning higher multipliers to them.
Government has notified the ‘Strategic Partnership (SP)’ Model in May 2017, which envisages establishment of long-term strategic partnerships with Indian entities through a transparent and competitive process, wherein they would tie up with global Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) to seek technology transfers to set up domestic manufacturing infrastructure and supply chains.
Government has notified a ‘Policy for indigenisation of components and spares used in Defence Platforms’ in March 2019 with the objective to create an industry ecosystem which is able to indigenize the imported components (including alloys & special materials) and sub-assemblies for defence equipment and platform manufactured in India.
Government has established two Defence Industrial Corridors, one each in Uttar Pradesh and Tamil Nadu. The investments of Rs 20,000 Cr have been envisaged in Defence corridors of Uttar Pradesh and Tamil Nadu by the year 2024. So far, investment of approx. Rs 3342 Cr has been made in both the corridors by public as well private sector companies. Moreover, the respective State Governments have also announced their Aerospace &Defence Policies to attract private players as well as foreign companies including Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) in these two corridors.
An Inter-Governmental Agreement (IGA) on “Mutual Cooperation in Joint Manufacturing of Spares, Components, Aggregates and other material related to Russian/Soviet Origin Arms and Defence Equipment” was signed in Sep 2019. The objective of the IGA is to enhance the After Sales Support and operational availability of Russian origin equipment currently in service in Indian Armed Forces by organizing production of spares and components in the territory of India by Indian Industry by way of creation of Joint Ventures/Partnership with Russian Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) under the framework of the “Make in India” initiative.
Defence Products list requiring Industrial Licenses has been rationalised and manufacture of most of parts or components does not require Industrial License. The initial validity of the Industrial License granted under the IDR Act has been increased from 03 years to 15 years with a provision to further extend it by 03 years on a case-to-case basis.
Department of Defence Production has notified 46 items under the latest Public Procurement Order 2017 notified by Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT), for which there is sufficient local capacity and competition and procurement of these items shall be done from local suppliers only irrespective of the purchase value.
Defence Investor Cell (DIC) has been created in Feb-2018 in the Ministry to provide all necessary information including addressing queries related to investment opportunities, procedures and regulatory requirements for investment in the sector. As on date, 1182 queries had been received and addressed by Defence Investor Cell.

L&T testing the AMOGH an Autonomous Underwater Vehicle
With regard to naval operations, underwater domain awareness (UDA) is one of the most critical areas for India, Chief of the Naval Staff Admiral Karambir Singh said on 23 July. Vice Chief of Naval Staff Vice Admiral Ashok Kumar said that to exploit the potential of unmanned technologies and platforms, the Navy had approved an “unmanned road map”.
Chief of the Indian Naval Staff Admiral Karambir Singh said: “For instance, the discovery of ‘Chinese-origin’ autonomous underwater gliders in the Indonesian waters indicate the extent to which underwater technologies are being harnessed for military advantage by China”. “The U.S. too has made rapid advances in this field, and have given some exposure to their technologies and system that we too wish to pursue”.
L&T is developing a number of Autonomous Underwater Vehicles(AUVs) , L&T displayed the Amogh, Adamya & the Maya AUVs in DefExpo 2020
The focus towards Theatre and Strategic ASW is inevitable and vital: “Advancements in Theatre and Strategic ASW would lead to advantageous outcomes in our favour, allowing us to deploy our capabilities in the right place at the right time,” Admiral Singh stressed.
Vice Adm. Kumar said the Navy had understood the importance of unmanned solutions and recently envisioned a detailed road map for itself in this realm. “We also intend to share with industry what we need, by when, at what cost and in what numbers, so that, potential collaborators understand the users’ vision and align to the needs.”
In the last couple of years, it was decided to adopt Unmanned Underwater Vehicles (UUVs) to cut down on the requirement of minesweepers. Vice Admiral Kumar said that as the industry developed UUVs for military purposes, it is imperative to consider their compatibility with the existing manned platforms as a critical deliverable. Vice Admiral Kumar listed out four categories of UUVs- man-portable Autonomous Unmanned Vehicles (AUVs) with swarm functionality with an endurance of the order of 10 to 20 hours, lightweight AUVs compatible with the existing lightweight torpedo tubes onboard ships and endurance of about two days, heavyweight AUVs compatible with the existing heavyweight tubes and endurance of the order of 3 to 4 days, and high endurance AUVs with a capability of at least 15 days submerged endurance.

The US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken’s visit ahead of Foreign Ministerial Quad talks later this year is another indication of how important the US-India bilateral relationship has become for regional and global stability. The agenda of the visit starting today (July 27, 2021) is expected to focus on various aspects of regional and international security as well as further enhancing defence relations.
Over the weekend, sources had confirmed to Financial Express Online: “Defence transfers and technologies, more drills, policy exchanges as well as exploring ways and means to further deepen collaboration in the defence domain is on the agenda of talks.” Later this year the 4th round of 2+2 Ministerial Dialogue is scheduled to take place in DC. Both defence Minister Rajnath Singh and external affairs minister Dr S Jaishankar will travel to the US to attend this meeting.
India-US Military Cooperation
Both countries have agreed to pursue enhanced cooperation with the US Indo-Pacific Command and other Commands.
“With the foundational agreements, LEMOA, COMCASA, and BECA, in place and India gaining entry into MTCR the governments are discussing the steps to be taken to understand their full potential for mutual benefit. The long pending acquisition of 30 Sea Guardian unmanned aircraft worth approximately USD 3 billion for the Indian Navy, Indian Army and the Indian Air Force brings various elements of this strategic partnership,” sources told Financial Express Online.
When Was The First Mention of Guardian Made?
It was publicly made in 2017 in the White House joint government statement issued in Washington DC when Prime Minister Narendra Modi had visited that country.
The drones will come with different configurations as the payloads for each service is different. In 2020, during the ongoing standoff between the armies of India and China, the Indian Navy had leased two Sea Guardian drones from the US Company General Atomic.
According to reports, the outgoing Indian Navy Vice Chief Vice Admiral G Ashok Kumar has talked about the AoN for the Sea Guardians to come soon. “These MQ-9 Sea Guardian drones will help the Indian Navy to keep a close watch on any vessel of interest operating in the Indian Ocean Region.”
Last week, India also took delivery of the first two Lockheed Martin-Sikorsky MH60R multi-role helicopters (MRH) in San Diego, California. These helicopters will soon join the Indian Navy.
QUAD: The Common Thread In These Major Defence Deals
Japan, Australia, India, and the United States have been increasingly wanting to cooperate in the various economic and security domains.
As has been reported by Financial Express Online earlier, the negotiations for three major assets of the Indian Navy (P8I, MH-60R helicopters, Sea Guardian Drones) were spearheaded by world renowned scientist Dr Vivek Lall. He has been the architect of significant US-India Military trade in the last decade. He has played a very important role in further expanding the military sales between the two countries. As US India Business Council Board member Dr Lall was recently part of an interaction with Indian Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman for boosting bilateral investment and economic growth.
As a Board member of the US Japan Business Council, Dr Lall has also interacted with Prime Minister Suga of Japan on bilateral economic growth. The Quad heads of state recently said “We will begin cooperation on the critical technologies of the future to make sure that innovation is in line with a free, open, inclusive, and resilient Indo-Pacific.”
The QUAD (the US, Japan, India and Australia) are already operating P-8I, MH-60R helicopters too. India has recently received two MH-60R and is awaiting its arrival. Also, all the QUAD countries are interested in the Sea Guardian drones.
Interoperability
As is known the Indian Navy is already flying the P-8I that has come from the US aerospace company for the carrying out anti-submarine warfare and surveillance. And when the Sea Guardians drones deal is done, they will further strengthen the Indian Navy’s maritime reconnaissance. And it will be able to expand its area of surveillance and monitoring of the IOR as well as coastal boundaries and assets.
Indian Navy will become more potent with the Sea Guardian Drones flying in sync with the P8I as well as the MH60R helicopters.
Defence Deals In The Pipeline
India and the US are in discussions for Raytheon’s National Advanced Surface to Air Missile System-II; BAE Systems Naval Guns and the Sea Guardian Drones.
The Trump administration had also offered Patriot Advanced Capability (PAC-3) missile defence systems to India.

New Delhi: For Vijay Kumar, Rajesh W. Adhau and V.V. Sharma, being doctors was career, but their heart bled for the olive uniform — the Army.

As the country celebrates the 22nd anniversary of the Kargil Battle and pays homage to the bravehearts who made the supreme sacrifice while fighting Pakistani soldiers, the three doctors, who are now Colonels in the Army, are proud of having saved hundreds of lives during the battle.

The three doctors, along with another who is now retired, won the Sena Medal for Gallantry, for playing a pivotal role in reducing Indian casualties by treating the injured on the frontlines, amid heavy gun fire, with no regard for their own safety.

While these doctors knew what they had signed up for, the Kargil Battle brought out the best in them.

He added: “A military hospital provides a stable environment and you are adequately equipped. But in Kargil, it was about managing the casualties in a rugged high-altitude area with no cover and especially under heavy enemy fire and artillery shelling. I used to manage casualties inside temporary bunkers, and also in the open, which was quite challenging in extreme weather conditions.”

Also read: Vajpayee took journalists, analysts to Kargil frontlines. In 2020, Modi can’t even say ‘China’

In the line of fire

He is supported by Col Adhau who said when he first joined the Army, he was “so happy” to get his first posting at the prestigious Army Hospital Research & Referral, Delhi Cantt.

“I thought I would be there forever. I never really thought that I would be a part of an ongoing war, where I would be operating on soldiers wounded by gunshots in an area of extreme shelling from the enemy side,” he said.

But then once put into the frying pan, the doctors fought shoulder-to-shoulder with their fellow soldiers.

“War scene is dreadful, as one is surrounded by casualties, catastrophe, fear of impending death. That is natural but as they say ‘courage is to hold on a minute longer’ and the true gallantry, valour and zeal to defeat the enemy who had encroached our land with wrong intentions was far more motivating than the war scene and its after-effects,” Col Sharma said.

“Every passing day was creating epoch stories of heroism exemplified by our soldiers and officers. This motivated me to not let them down and I decided to move with them to the war zone in the middle of battle,” he said.

Their first job was to provide immediate medical help to the war-wounded so that casualties were minimised.

This meant that field medical camps had to be set up in close proximity of the battlefield, so that at the time of evacuation, the doctors could start first aid and resuscitation in the ‘Golden Hour’ after injury, when treatment is most likely to be effective.

“Because of me moving close to the battlefield, I could save about 150 casualties. Whenever I meet these soldiers and their families, it gives me strength and their smiling faces, which are full of gratitude, often tells me that I have done my bit as doctor and soldier in uniform,” Col Sharma said.

Also read: Kargil: What kind of a democracy are we that we are shy of facing the truth about our wars?

Moving memories

Col Kumar will never forget a soldier whose life he could save only because he decided to be in the battlefield.

While he, along with his Alpha Company of a Battalion, were moving towards the Line of Control in Dras sector on 27 May, 1999, they suddenly came under intense fire from the enemy, by heavy weaponry and artillery shelling.

“Many soldiers of the Alpha Company got injured and sustained multiple splinter injuries, including one fatal case. During this attack, one of the young soldiers lost both his hands. He was bleeding profusely and was unconscious due to shock when I attended him,” Col Kumar recalled.

He and the unit Battlefield Nursing Assistant shifted the patient behind a rock to cover him from incoming enemy fire, as the engagement was still going on from both sides.

“I managed to stop the bleeding by compression bandages on both the hands and further administered IV fluids to manage shock. Afterwards, we shifted the injured soldier with others to the next medical echelon by stretcher till the road head and thereafter by ambulance. He was then airlifted to Forward Surgical Center (FSC). He survived because of his strong will to live and timely medical management in the battle area. I will not say that this incident broke me, but it was indeed an emotionally demanding day for me, seeing many young boys of the company sustaining lifelong injuries and trauma of all sorts in a matter of a few seconds.”

While it is popularly believed that doctors are immune to seeing pain, the three doctors told ThePrint it was not the case.

“When I was at Tololing complex, one of my jawans from the mess staff had recently got married. During a chat with him, I asked ‘Why are you joining the front line? You should be amongst the administrative party!’ The brave lad replied ‘Sir, fighting the enemy is my final Dharma! I have to fight against the enemy!’ After two hours, I received an unfortunate call informing me of our first casualty by a gunshot wound in the forehead (It was the jawan mentioned above). I was completely shattered after hearing this. Later, when Capt Vikram Batra made supreme sacrifice, I lifted his mortal remains and felt extremely sad,” Col Adhau said.

(Edited by Poulomi Banerjee)

Also read: How Indian Army’s valour and Vajpayee’s diplomacy won the Kargil War for India

Bungas along the parikarma in this 19th–century photograph by Fred Bremne; also seen are the Darshani Deori and Akal Takht. Photo courtesy: Toor Collection

Gurmeet Sangha Rai & Amanpreet Singh Gill

The accidental unearthing of a basement of Burj Giania (Tower of Scholars) on the periphery of the Harmandir Sahib complex in the course of the ongoing construction activity has once again brought to the forefront the intrinsic link between tangible and intangible heritage of the Sikh community. The excavated basement is that of a building typology known as a bunga (fortified dwelling place) — immortalised in the daily Sikh prayer (Jhande Bunge Jugo Jug Atal). These buildings have collective memories of the Sikh sacred space embedded in them and are rare to find. Giani Gian Singh listed 69 bungas which existed around Harmandir Sahib till the early 20th century, of which only Bunga Ramgarhia and Bunga Sher Singh survive.

Secular satellites of Sikh sacred space

Bungas came into existence in the late 18th century to serve the secular needs of the community at sacred sites. More precisely, these can be described as the secular satellites of Sikh sacred space. They were established in all major Sikh pilgrim towns like Amritsar, Tarn Taran, Baba Bakala, Khadur Sahib, Talwandi Sabo, Nanded and others. The ownership was personal or community-based. They were centres of learning, places for religious and socio-political discourse, and also provided residential accommodation for pilgrims. While the sacred shrine sat embedded seamlessly within the fabric of the city, the outer edge of the parikarma of the amrit sarovar was defined by the bungas, which formed the innermost line of defence around the shrine.

In Amritsar, the first bunga was built in the mid-18th century after the rise of the Sikh misls. The rebuilding of Harmandir Sahib precinct in 1764, after the destruction caused by the invading Afghan forces, saw the growth of these structures. Bunga Shahbadian of Karam Singh Nirmala was among the earliest structures built. This was the place where Surat Singh Giani first arrived and stayed to serve as the head granthi and manager of Harmandir Sahib.

Gianis and the ‘Tower of Scholars’

Unearthing of remnants of Burj Giania has not only put focus on the bunga, but also on the significant contribution of the family of Gianis. Yadwinder Singh Giani, the 80-year-old survivor of the family and the last occupant of Burj Giania, has stated that the building was built in the late 18th century. The superstructure was demolished as part of the ‘Galiara Project’ in 1988. Citing a reference of ‘1930 Report Sri Darbar Sahib’, SS Padam, a scholar on the writings of Surat Singh Giani, mentions that Burj Giania was built in 1778 at a cost of Rs4,500. Another source of information about this bunga is ‘Twarikh Sri Amritsar’, authored by Giani Gian Singh, who mentions its name as Bunga Bhai Gurdas Giani. Apart from the Giani family, this place was associated with the scholarly apprenticeship of Kavi Santokh Singh, author of ‘Sri Gurpartap Suraj Granth’, a classic commentary on Sikh historical tradition, written in Brajbhasha.

The tradition of the Giani family begins with Ram Singh of Chiniot (now in Pakistan), a prominent Sikh of Guru Gobind Singh. His son Surat Singh Giani (d.1804) prepared authentic texts of the scholarly commentary of Bhai Mani Singh, like ‘Sikhan di Bhagatmala’. He shifted from Chiniot to Amritsar to re-establish Bhai Mani Singh’s maryada in running daily routine in Harmandir Sahib. Maharaja Ranjit Singh appointed him as the manager, while Lehna Singh Majithia served as the incharge. His son, Sant Singh Giani, was a spiritual adviser to Ranjit Singh and his name is inscribed in Harmandir Sahib for overseeing the project of gold-plating. He was also instrumental in implementation of other embellishments within the shrine, more specifically the works related to inlay patterns in marble. He is said to have introduced artisans from Chiniot to the city of Amritsar. The intricate wooden jharokhas in the inner city bear a strong Chinioti imprint. Sant Singh Giani’s brother Gurdas Singh was also a well-known granthi and this bunga is mentioned as Bunga Gurdas by Giani Gian Singh.

After Sant Singh Giani’s death, his son Gurmukh Singh Giani was given the responsibility of gold-plating by Hari Singh Nalwa. After the death of Maharaja Ranjit Singh, Gurmukh Singh became an active conspirator in the Lahore court conspiracies. Dhian Singh Dogra, Prime Minister of Lahore kingdom, is recorded to have been murdered at his instigation in the classic work ‘Jangnama Shah Muhammad’. He met his cruel death in 1843, once Dhian Singh’s son Hira Singh took control of the Lahore army. After him, Praduman Singh Giani took over responsibility of the religious routine in Harmandir Sahib. His brother Lehna Singh Giani was associated with ‘Gurmukhi Akhbaar’. Praduman Singh’s son Gurbaksh Singh, a barrister, played a significant role in Sikh education. From the appointment of Surat Singh Giani in 1773 as granthi and manager of Harimandir Sahib, till formation of the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee in 1920s, the family had an unbroken link with the continuity of maryada and management of Harmandir Sahib.

The Gianis also chronicled the history of the Sikhs, read into the deeper meaning of the words of the Gurus and rendered them in languages which were accessible to people at large, such as in Brajbhasha. The significance of the bungas, thus, needs to be understood as an architecture of reading, writing and contemplation against the background of wear and tear of history on account of acts of war, misguided development and passage of time. Invaluable heritage such as that of the bungas must be looked after in such a way that it is available to contemporary historical situations for reflection, practice and contemplation.

The forums for contemplation need to be diverse, located in a variety of social situations and institutions. The SGPC has demonstrated concerns for heritage conservation. It was in 2003 that the General House passed a resolution to set up a heritage cell to preserve the material fabric of buildings of heritage significance within Harmandir Sahib complex. This initiative led to the conservation of the Ramgarhia bunga, Darshani Deori, Gurdwara Baba Atal Sahib and later the conservation of the wall paintings within the sanctum sanctorum.

Memory of a civilisation is embedded in material culture. Experience through time immemorial has demonstrated that loss of material culture leads to a loss of memories and over time alienates communities from their traditions and cultural legacy. The SGPC has a fundamental role to play to protect and conserve Sikh heritage. They are the custodians of this heritage, while the ownership lies with the community.

— Rai has been working on conservation of heritage in Punjab for over two decades. Gill is Associate Professor, Khalsa College, Delhi

Though long overdue, the step is welcome

Photo for representation only. iStock

Buoyed by the successful experimentation of admitting girl cadets in the Mizoram Sainik School since 2018-19 and the tentative steps taken subsequently by more schools to follow suit, the government earlier this year, finally, decided to allow all 33 Sainik Schools in the country to take in girls and even reserved 10 per cent seats for them. In the region, the schools of Kapurthala (Punjab), Kunjpura (Haryana), Sujanpur Tihra (Himachal Pradesh) and Nagrota (J&K) have opened the doors to girl cadets in Class VI from the current academic session. The initial admission trends are encouraging: while a tribal girl from Lahaul has cracked the tough competitive entrance test to secure a seat in Sujanpur Tihra, 10 girls of Haryana — known for producing gritty sportswomen — have entered the portals of the Kunjpura school.

With the boarding schools going co-ed for the first time, their infrastructure in terms of ensuring hostel accommodation and security for the girl students should be enhanced at the earliest. The authorities need to inspect closely before ticking these boxes. Already, the new rule is a case of better late than never, considering that the induction of women officers into the defence services in non-medical fields began nearly three decades ago and that it has seen a progressive rise since then. The lady officers have earned laurels and proved their mettle as worthy soldiers. It is a pity that it has taken so long to provide the girls aspiring to join the Army, Air Force or Navy with the same facilities and training as the boys.

Thankfully, the new education policy would help neutralise that disadvantage. Additionally, this step provides girls from remote and backward areas a better chance to achieve their dream career as the Sainik Schools are located in the heart of the states. Plus, the government plans to open more such schools with private partnership. The Sainik Schools prepare the young students academically, physically and mentally for induction into the defence services. A significant percentage of officer cadets joining the National Defence Academy and Indian Naval Academy every year are their students.