Brig D S Thukral (Retd)

General perception in the environment is that the Param Vir Chakra (PVC) is the highest of the Military decorations awarded followed by Maha Vir Chakra (MVC) and Vir Chakra (VrC). However the Ashoka Chakra (AC), Kirti Chakra (KC) and Shauriya Chakra (SC) though equal in status, precedence entailing all the attributes as expected to meet the eligibilities is not given expected due primarily because of more TV/Film/Media/Social glorification. Media plays the biggest role in terms of showing serials on the battles/Operations/Instances of getting the PVC, MVC etc plus spreading awareness by making war movies like HAQIQAT, BORDER for MVC and VrC awardees, SHERSHAH on late Capt Vikram Batra, PVC, for displaying the most conspicuous bravery and a distinguished act of valour during the Kargil war.

            I do personally believe that Ashoka Chakra though awarded for most conspicuous bravery or some act of daring or prominent act of valour or self sacrifice otherwise than in the face of the enemy does entail equal risk/exposure to hostile fire, if not more. Stastically PVC awardees have been a total of 21 brave hearts since its inception and 14 of them received this honour posthumously (66%). (Major Som Nath Sharma ,14 Kumaon. Was the first to receive the PVC on 03 Nov 1947 for operation at Badgam near Srinagar Airport).

Ashoka Chakra on the other  hand have been awarded to 86 since its inception on 04 Jan 1952 but 68 out of them received the honour posthumously(79%). (First AC was awarded to Hav Bachittar Singh,2 Sikh, during Hyderabad Operation) .     Figuratively too, it would determine higher degree of risk to life to the AC awardees.

                    Thinline between the two awards is that the PVC,MVC and VrC series is  

conferred on military personnel in the face of the enemy. I would say that every soldier is trained to take on the enemy during war and adopting better tactics but the CI operations, when launched and rewarded are against the unknown  numbers of hostile insurgents and location where in better soldierly qualities get displayed.

           My thinking / perception about the status and equal risk entailed for achieving outstanding results will get substantiated and vindicated with the actuals of the Tekcham, Manipur raid that was carried out in July 1981, when the insurgency in the State was at it’s peak.   The raid was planned / co-coordinated/ controlled based on the information provided by my source as the Brigade Major (BM) of the Brigade and executed by the troops of  17JAK RIF co-located with the Brigade Headquarters at Thoubal.

         On 06 Jul 81, the eventful day, at about 1000 Hrs, a local source, not very reliable walked into my office for the routine freebies distributed under the civic action and mentioned that one of his friend had seen 2/3 armed men in Tekcham village area.  I asked that source to come back in the afternoon with his friend and to lead the raiding party to the location.  I thereafter asked the CO 17 JAK RIF, co-located with the Bde HQ to keep one company strength ready for the raid.  Very reluctantly, he agreed and  mustered a strength of some 70 odd soldiers headed by 2/LT Cyrus Pithawalla, who had just returned to the Bn HQ after the Commando course.  Local source along with his friend came at about 1445 hrs and were married up with 2/LT Cyrus Pithawalla.  Tekcham village just about 17 to 18 kilometers away from Thoubal and just about half an hour drive time.

2/Lt cyrus Pithawalla along with 3 JCO’s and about 70 soldiers with 2 civilians for guidance left Thoubal at about 1500 hrs. Around 1815 hrs, I got a call from Cyrus Pithawalla on the radio that was full of excitement and achievement.  His call ”BM Sir, I have got the king cobra in my bag and killed the rest of the insurgents,  I have hit the headquarters of the PLA (People’s Liberation Army),  the most dreaded insurgent

organization in the Manipur”.  On my query about any injuries to own troops, he retorted “I have got a bullet up my arse and all others are absolutely fine”. Well Cyrus had got a bullet gone through his right shoulder that was provided immediate medical aid by rushing my GSO3 (Int) Capt Ashok K Yadav, a Rimcolian and hardcore soldier, along with Captain Mohanty, RMO, 17 JAKRIF that reached the raid site around 2000 hrs,rendered medical aid.

                 Captain Ashok Yadav while carrying out search of the area, found Mr Shashi alias Sarat Singh, a hardcore PLA member, hiding in the haystack with a rifle. CO 17 JAK RIF later also reached the site of the encounter around 10 pm and carried out mopping up Op like making inventory of items recovered etc.

During the encounter, four Lhasa trained and three hardcore insurgents were killed and the PLA leader N. Bisheswar Singh, Lhasa trained along with Shashi, member were apprehended.  Large cache of arms, ammunition, clothing, printing material, a radio set, recorder, albums along with big cash and expensive items were recovered.  This raid almost finished the insurgency in the state of Manipur and systematic thinning out the troops happened thereafter.

On the instructions of the Lt Col R P Sinh, officiating Bde Cdr, I wrote a number of draft citations for the personnel who had taken part in the Tekcham raid, an AVSM for CO 17 JAK RIF and VSM for self being the BM and the one who planned and organized the Tekcham raid.  Well! 2/Lt Cyrus Pithawalla got the AC so well earned by him through signal communications.  I learnt later on having moved out on posting that my skill of writing citations had earned a couple of  Kirti Chakras and some Sena Medals for the personnel of the 17 JAK RIF.  Trust the then GSO 3 (Int) Capt Ashok K Yadav and Capt Mohanty, RMO of  17 JAK RIF would have got recognition of their prompt action.

In nutshell, Tekcham raid happened to be an operation where in prominent act of valour, self sacrifice and most conspicuous act of bravery was shown by the 2/Lt. Cyrus Pithawalla (Retd as Major General) and was awarded the Ashok Chakra, a rarest of the rare feats.  This narration of the raid will also motivate our junior leaders operating in the CI Ops to put up their best for hitting a jackpot like Cyrus Pithawalla. 

Perhaps it may be worth mentioning that I proved to be a lucky mascot for being BM for HQ 181 Mtn Bde that enabled an award of the most coveted Ashok Chakra.

Brig D S Thukral (Retd)

Mobile 94172 68380

#380, Sector 2 Panchkula

Haryana

MAP SHOWING AREA OF THOUBAL AND TEKCHAM VILLAGE.”

Brig D S Thukral (Retd)

Mobile 94172 68380