Lt Colonel Dewan Ranjit Rai

On the occasion of Infantry Day, marking the arrival of first Indian troops in Jammu and Kashmir in October 27, 1947, it is fitting that the memories of the commanding officer of the first battalion that landed at Srinagar, Lt Col Dewan Ranjit Rai of 1 Sikh, are refreshed and that the sacrifice he and his gallant troops made in the defence of the Srinagar airfield are never forgotten.

Surprisingly for an important figure in the realm of Indian military history, very little is known about Lt Col Dewan Ranjit Rai other than some basic, frittered information about his military career and personal life. No attempt has been made to research his life and put all the facts together in a cogent form, despite his being the first senior officer of newly Independent India to have died in battle and who received the first-ever Maha Vir Chakra, the nation’s second highest gallantry award.

Lt Colonel Rai was born on February 6, 1913, in Gujranwala in Punjab, now in Pakistan, and went to Bishop Cotton School in Shimla. General P N Thapar, his maternal uncle, was the chief of Army staff. He showed an inclination towards the Army, and when the Indian Military Academy was established in October 1932, he was among the first cadets who joined.

Among his course mates were S H F J Manekshaw, who rose to become the Army chief; and a field marshal, Kanhayya Lal Atal, who too received a Maha Vir Chakra in the 1947-48 war with Pakistan in Zojila while commanding a brigade and later died in an accident; and Nripendra Singh Bhagat, elder brother of Lt Gen Premendera Singh Bhagat, Victoria Cross in Second World War.

Commissioned in February 1935 with IC Number 12, he served a year with the King’s Shropshire Light Infantry, as was the norm for all Indian officers before they went on to serve in Indian regiments. He was allotted the 5th Battalion of the 11th Sikh Regiment a year later and served in various regimental appointments before being appointed as commanding officer of 1 Sikh in the rank of lieutenant colonel. He was earmarked to be posted as a military attache in Washington, US, before fate and events overtook the affairs, and he ended up in Srinagar fighting a battle.

Incidentally, it was not 1 Sikh that was the original choice of the Indian battalion to be dispatched to Srinagar. The first choice was a Gorkha battalion. However, Lord Mountbatten, the viceroy and later the first governor-general of India, decided that the question of the use of Gorkha troops, who were essentially Nepalese citizens, in a conflict without first clearing their use with the Nepalese authorities would not be proper, and hence the nearest available battalion was chosen.

Lt Gen SK Singh (retd), writes in his memoirs that the British commander of the Delhi and East Punjab Command, Lt Gen Dudley Russel, had been mightily impressed with Lt Col Dewan Ranjit Rai during a visit to his battalion, which was deployed in aid to civil authorities due to post-partition rioting around Gurgaon, and hence thought him to be the correct man to lead the first Indian troops in Kashmir.

Moved at short notice and arriving late in the evening of October 26/morning of October 27 at the Palam airfield, the operational order for Lt Col Rai read: “Your battalion less two companies will concentrate Palam airfield by 0400 hours on 27 October. One battery 13 Field Regiment in infantry role being placed under your command. Be prepared to fly on an operational mission ex-Palam morning 27 October. Remainder battalion will be flown 28 October.”

Further instructions were given to Lt Col Rai by then Major S K Sinha, including to secure Srinagar airport and the civil wireless station, drive Pakistani tribesmen away from Srinagar, and aid the local government in the maintenance of law and order in Srinagar.

Supreme self-confidence

Sinha mentions that Lt Col Rai was exceptionally calm as he went about issuing orders to his troops and showed no agitation. Radiating supreme self-confidence, he left the task of making a load table to his second in command and Major Sinha and proceeded to catch whatever little sleep he could before he and his troops departed to Srinagar by air.

Lt Col Rai carried out the operational orders to capture and secure the Srinagar airfield, but realising the fact that the enemy advance must be checked before more Indian troops arrived, he correctly decided to advance to Baramulla to stop the Pakistani raiders from getting any further. He was killed at Pattan, between Srinagar and Baramulla, by a mortar shell while directing battle and organising a fallback to a more secure position.

Very little is known about the personal life of this gallant soldier other than that he had a son and a daughter and that he was an exceptional dancer well acknowledged in Lahore and Shimla. On this Infantry Day, on October 27, let’s spare a thought about Lt Col Dewan Ranjit Rai, Maha Vir Chakra (Posthumous).

FEARLESS TALES: Was awarded the highest gallantry decoration of the British Royal Forces for his exceptional bravery during World War-I

Lala Ram, a decorated soldier from Parol village in Bhoranj subdivision of Hamirpur district, was awarded the Victoria Cross, the highest gallantry decoration of the British Royal Forces, for his exceptional bravery during World War I. His courage under impossible odds was a testament to the indomitable spirit and unwavering loyalty of Indian soldiers who fought on foreign soil.

His heroic act at the Battle of Hanna in Mesopotamia (now Iraq) on January 21, 1916, not only earned him the prestigious medal but also inspired generations to remain steadfast in adversity and fearless in service to the nation.

Path to historic bravery

Born on April 20, 1876, into a martial Rajput family, Lala Ram was encouraged by his father, Dhinag Ram (popularly known as Ramditta), to pursue a life of discipline and courage. A keen footballer, he joined the Indian Army in 1901 at the age of 25, despite having little formal education. He was, however, proficient in Hindi, English and Urdu — a rarity for soldiers of that era.

Over a century ago, his gallantry during the fierce Mesopotamian campaign earned him the Victoria Cross for “most conspicuous bravery”, making him one of the most celebrated soldiers of his regiment.

A legacy remembered

Lala Ram was married to Gurdei, but the couple had no children. He passed away on March 23, 1927, due to polio. His widow, Gurdei, lived on and was cared for by his nephew, Captain Bhagat Ram, who also served in the Indian Army. The family’s legacy continues through Bhupinder Singh, Bhagat Ram’s son, who remains the custodian of Lala Ram’s memories.

Bhupinder Singh recalls that much of what the family knows about Lala Ram came from Gurdei’s own stories. “Till she was alive, the family used to receive invitations from the British government, but now there is hardly any communication,” he said.

He added that during the tenure of Dr YS Parmar, Himachal’s first Chief Minister, the village school was named Lala Memorial School and a link road leading to the village was also christened in his honour. “However,” Bhupinder laments, “not enough has been done to make people aware of such great warriors. Heroes like Lala Ram deserve chapters in school history books.”

The Battle of Hanna

The act that earned Lala Ram the Victoria Cross remains one of sheer heroism. Serving with the 41st Dogra Regiment (now 3rd Dogra), his unit was deployed in Mesopotamia to secure vital oil fields from Turkish forces.

On January 21, 1916, amid relentless shelling and freezing weather, Lala Ram repeatedly ventured into open fire to rescue wounded soldiers stranded just 100 yards from enemy trenches. He saved six men, including his Adjutant, Captain ELE Lindop, MC, who later succumbed to his wounds but recounted Lala’s unmatched bravery.

Praise from commanders

Sir George Younghusband, who commanded the 7th Division, noted in his memoir A Soldier’s Memories of Peace and War that “Lala was out all day and most of the night and earned his VC a dozen times.”

He added, “The Victoria Cross had only recently been granted to Indian soldiers and perhaps there is no worthier wearer of the badge of honour than Lance Naik Lala of the Dogras.”

Lala Ram was later commissioned as Jamadar in 1923 and retired from service in 1926, leaving behind an enduring tale of courage and devotion.

Honour yet to find its place

Jagjit Thakur, Lala Ram’s great-grandson, shared that repeated efforts have been made to include the stories of Victoria Cross (VC) and Gallantry Cross (GC) winners in school curricula, but such heroes are yet to receive their rightful space in textbooks.

“Children should grow up knowing about warriors like Lala Ram,” he said. “Their courage is part of our history and deserves to be remembered.”

Over 10,000 participants, ranging from Army officers and soldiers to professional athletes, fitness enthusiasts, and members of the public, came together for the ‘Shauryaveer – Run for India’ event held here on Sunday. The run was organised by the Indian Army to commemorate the 79th Shaurya Diwas (previously known as Infantry Day) celebrations.

ver 10,000 participants, ranging from Army officers and soldiers to professional athletes, fitness enthusiasts, and members of the public, came together for the ‘Shauryaveer – Run for India’ event held here on Sunday. The run was organised by the Indian Army to commemorate the 79th Shaurya Diwas (previously known as Infantry Day) celebrations.

The run was flagged off by Chief of Army Staff General Upendra Dwivedi. During his address, the Army Chief expressed gratitude to the participants for their enthusiastic response and participation. The event included several race categories: a 21 km competitive run for experienced runners aged 18 and above, a 10 km timed open run for participants over 10 years old, a 5 km People’s Run for individuals above 10, and a 3 km family-friendly run open to all participants aged 10 and above.

“I would like to thank all of you for coming here in such large numbers. This time for Shauryaveer, the marathon race we organised included distances of 21 km, 10 km, 5 km, and 3 km,” he said.

“The most important thing is the tremendous support we received from the people of India for the Indian Army; it has truly encouraged us. This time, out of the 8,000 people who participated in the run, two-thirds were civilians who supported the Army. In fact, we had to stop our personnel because the registrations were overflowing,” he added.

The Shauryaveer run was organised at 21 locations across the country.

Shaurya Diwas is commemorated every year on 27th October to pay tribute to the courage and unwavering spirit of the Indian Armed Forces. On this day in 1947, Indian Army infantry units were the first to reach Srinagar, successfully pushing back invaders and safeguarding Jammu and Kashmir from a Pakistani assault.

India’s strategic autonomy is the fulcrum of a fractured world

Lt Gen SS Mehta Retd

Non-coercive paradigm : India’s discipline lies in ending wars on principle, not applause. ANI

The wise commander ends the war within victory, not beyond it. Arthashastra tradition

WARS seldom end where they stop; they pause where proportion begins. From Versailles to Gaza, Baghdad to Kyiv, every unfinished war repeats the same lesson: victory without restraint plants the seeds of its own undoing. When triumph turns to humiliation, peace collapses. India has long known this truth. From Dhaka to Kargil to Op Sindoor, the Republic’s victories have carried an unmistakable civility, the ability to stop not from fatigue but from foresight. Restraint is not withdrawal; it is judgment, courage with conscience, power with proportion. To end well is the hardest act of command.

The Trap of Unmeasured Victory

As the world bleeds across continents and creeds, restraint stands almost orphaned. Wars now outlast reason, and peace has no constituency. In this moral vacuum, India’s inheritance of proportion becomes more than a virtue, it becomes a counter-narrative to the age of excess. Unmeasured victory is the oldest trap of power. Versailles birthed Hitler; Iraq’s dismemberment birthed ISIS. Retaliation without reflection changes only the uniform, not the animus. The pursuit of total victory often ensures total loss in the next generation. India’s discipline lies in ending wars on principle, not applause.

A Challenge to the Architects of Fracture

The architects of the current world order, those who equate alliance with obedience, have created the very fracture they now lament. For those who criticise autonomy as isolation or neutrality, the response is simple: bloc loyalty has failed. India’s discipline is not just a domestic virtue; it challenges the failing model of power, offering a non-coercive paradigm where autonomy and restraint become the highest forms of strategic choice.

The Grammar of Modern Power

Restraint cannot remain an heirloom. Power today is exercised not only through arms but through algorithms, finance and influence. The grammar of statecraft has changed. Supply chains are siege lines, data the new territory, and narrative the most contested frontier. The next battles are curated, not declared, fought through perception, precision and patience. The state that ends well is the state that endures. For India, the challenge is dual: to preserve its civilisational temperament while adapting to the speed of the century. Principle must pair with preparedness, ethics with agility, patience with precision. The art of restraint must now be woven into technology, diplomacy and communication.

Strategic Autonomy: 

The Balm That Heals

When the UN stands emasculated, the P5 crippled by the veto, a bleeding world simply bleeds on. Trade becomes a weapon and peace prizes seek sponsors before causes; who then steers the ship? No one. It is in such drift that India’s civilisational ethic steps in, not to command, but to exemplify. To show that power need not dominate to define; that restraint, walked open-chested, can still steady the storm. This is strategic autonomy in a fractured world, the principled third way that eschews bloc politics, a balm that heals without applause.

Restraint Reimagined

Restraint, having mastered consequence, must now master context. It begins where power ends, and responsibility begins. It is foresight expressed through proportion and conviction through composure. Beyond power and purpose lies the governance of impulse, the discipline to act with precision even when provoked, to uphold order without imitation, to preserve identity without isolation. The Armed Forces have long practised this discipline, from the ceasefire at Dhaka to the Sindoor principle: silent preparation, precision without publicity, and power without excess. Diplomacy has mirrored it, preferring calibration to confrontation. The next frontier is artificial intelligence, where technology must serve transparency, not tyranny. The Republic that can humanise its algorithms will not only command power but trust. India’s instinct to balance velocity with veracity in the digital realm may be its greatest strategic gift.

The Test of Calm

Such balance demands vigilance. The world stands fractured, the region is in upheaval; old alignments shift, and China’s quiet entry is masked by a manufactured thaw. In this engineered calm, subterfuge travels beneath diplomacy. This is where restraint must think, not just wait, where composure pairs with clarity. We reclaim our region not by outshouting others, nor by joining rigid blocs, but by outlasting them, through the steadfast choice of partnership and the quiet authority of example. The age of outrage demands subtler courage: the ability to think slowly in a fast world, to stand still when the algorithm insists on motion. When the volume rises, restraint must speak in frequency, not fury.

Commanding Trust: The New Frontier of Statecraft

The true measure of modern statecraft is not the speed of its reaction but the mastery of its own impulse. The Republic that trades wisdom for velocity will stumble; strength lies in calm purpose, in the discipline that governs outrage. The psychological frontier has become the real domain of power. India’s resilience flows from a vast and vocal society where dissent refines conviction and the rumble of democracy steadies the Republic’s course: unity in diversity. Sindoor demonstrated: restraint with readiness, civility with resolve. That is the strategic message, and the moral one.

The Next Chapter

It will not be a treaty or a truce; it will be a tempering of power itself. It will belong to those who can innovate without intimidation, defend without domination, and lead without spectacle. In that balance lies the design of tomorrow’s peace. It will be India’s contribution to the grammar of deterrence.

Closing Reflection: The Unflinching Flame

When the world is quiet, restraint is mistaken for hesitation and autonomy for aloofness. But when the world burns, as it does now, and a civilisational requiem is revealed in moments like Sindoor, the true nature of power stands bare. In the scramble for peace prizes, when the vanquished rush to underwrite what is not theirs, India stands apart. Its civilisational restraint and strategic autonomy are not mere legacy; they are the two defining strengths of its enduring character, the only hands steady enough to hold the flame without feeding the inferno.

India — the fulcrum of a fractured world.

Lt Gen SS Mehta (retd) is ex-Western Army Commander and Founder Trustee, Pune International Centre.

The climate activist completed one month in detention at the Jodhpur Central Jail

Detained climate activist Sonam Wangchuk has told the three-member advisory board, constituted to review his detention following the Leh firing incident in which four persons were killed, that his remarks had been taken “out of context”.

Wangchuk’s wife Gitanjali Angmo, in a statement posted on X on Sunday, said she had accompanied Wangchuk to his meeting with the advisory board on Friday.

“He presented how he was illegally detained under the National Security Act (NSA) based on words, statements and ideas taken out of context from his videos; how the translator had deliberately paraphrased his statements wrongly; and how random, independent skirmishes between the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), Ladakh Police and individuals were ascribed to him,” she said.

Gitanjali termed it a “travesty of justice” and “mockery of Indian democracy”. “However, he (Wangchuk) remains unfazed and tells everyone that ‘Insaaf ke ghar der hai, par andher nahi’ (justice may be delayed, but it is never denied), reiterating that truth will prevail. He also expressed heartfelt gratitude to everyone supporting and standing in solidarity with us across the world,” Gitanjali said.

Wangchuk completed one month in detention at the Jodhpur Central Jail on Sunday. He was detained under the NSA on September 26, two days after four protesters were shot by security forces in Leh. The Leh administration had constituted the three-member board to review Wangchuk’s detention. The board comprises Chairman Justice MK Hanjura (retd), Principal District and Sessions Judge, Leh, Manoj Parihar and Principal District and Sessions Judge, Kargil, Spalzes Angmo.

Meanwhile, local leaders have criticised Wangchuk’s detention as he completed a month in jail. Sajjad Kargili, member of the Kargil Democratic Alliance (KDA), said in a statement that a month had passed since Leh Apex Body member Wangchuk was jailed under the “draconian” NSA on “baseless” charges.

“Such actions only deepen mistrust and hurt the democratic spirit of Ladakh. We reiterate our demand for his immediate release and restoration of democratic rights,” Kargili said.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has said that Washington’s efforts to rebuild its strategic partnership with Pakistan will “not come at the expense of India”.

Rubio’s comments come ahead of his meeting with External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar in Kuala Lumpur on Monday, on the sidelines of the 47th ASEAN Summit. The two last met on the sidelines of the UNGA Summit in September.

“We’re fully aware of the challenges with regards to India and everything else, but our job is to create opportunities for partnerships wherever possible,” Rubio said, adding that the US and Pakistan had had “a long history of partnering on counter-terrorism”.

He said Washington was now looking to “expand it beyond that”, while acknowledging that “there’ll be some difficulties and challenges”.

Rubio emphasised that closer US-Pakistan ties should not be viewed as undermining relations with India. “I don’t think it comes at the expense of, or instead of, a good relationship with India — or anybody else, for that matter,” he said.

The remarks come as New Delhi remains watchful of recent signals suggesting a quiet thaw between Washington and Islamabad, particularly on security cooperation. Officials here said India would convey its expectations regarding “cross-border terror and stability in the region” during the Jaishankar-Rubio meeting.

Meanwhile, US President Donald Trump again stirred diplomatic ripples, reiterating his claim that India will “completely stop” buying oil from Russia —a statement New Delhi has consistently rejected.

Speaking aboard Air Force One, Trump said: “China is cutting back very substantially on the purchase of Russian oil, and India is cutting back completely, and we’ve done sanctions.” The US President’s comments came after Washington imposed fresh sanctions on Russian oil giants Rosneft and Lukoil.

Indian officials have repeatedly maintained that energy imports are guided by national interest and market realities, not external pressure. “India’s decisions on energy security are sovereign,” a senior official said.

Observers say the Jaishankar-Rubio meeting in Malaysia will be closely watched for signs of how the Trump administration seeks to balance its renewed outreach to Pakistan with its deepening strategic partnership with India.

The sixth edition of Joint Military Exercise Dharma Guardian, between India and Japan, is scheduled at Mount Fuji, Japan from February 25 to March 9, the Indian Army said on Sunday.

The exercise aims to enhance interoperability between the two forces while undertaking joint urban warfare and counter-terrorism operations under UN mandate, said the Additional Directorate General of Public Information, IHQ of MoD (Army) in a social media post.

“Building on the momentum of the Chief of the Army Staff’s (COAS) successful visit to Japan from October 14 to 17, 2024, Exercise Dharma Guardian 2025 will further strengthen the bilateral defence cooperation between India and Japan,” it said.

Earlier on February 11, special forces of India and Egypt commenced the ‘Cyclone III’ exercise at Mahajan Field Firing Ranges in Rajasthan. An official said that the exercise would conclude on February 23.

“Exercise ‘Cyclone’ is an annual event conducted alternatively in India and Egypt. The last edition of the same exercise was conducted in Egypt in January 2024,” said the official.

The Indian contingent comprising 25 personnel is represented by troops from two Special Forces Battalions. Egypt contingent also comprising 25 personnel will be represented by the Special Forces Group and Task Force of Egyptian Special Forces.

The official said that the exercise aims to promote the military-to-military relationship between the two countries through the enhancement of interoperability, jointness and mutual exchange of special operations tactics.

“The exercise will focus on a high degree of physical fitness, joint planning and joint tactical drills. Drills to be rehearsed during the exercise include advanced special forces skills and various other tactics, techniques and procedures as per the current operational paradigm,” he said.

The official said the exercise will culminate with a 48-hour-long validation to rehearse the tactical drills for counterterrorism operations in desert and semi-desert terrain.

“The exercise will also include a display of indigenous military equipment and an overview of the defence manufacturing industry for the Egyptian side,” the official added.

He said that the exercise will enable the two sides to share their best practices in tactics, techniques and procedures of conducting tactical operations.

–IANS

Temporary disability has to be considered as permanent because an invalided-out person cannot rejoin service even if the level of disability reduces later, the Armed Forces Tribunal rules

Fifty years after being invalidated out of the Army on medical grounds for psychiatric disorders, a soldier has been granted disability benefits after the Armed Forces Tribunal held that a disability —  even if initially assessed as temporary — must be considered permanent because the individual would never be able to re-join service even if their level of disability reduces later.

The soldier, Sali Ram Arya, was enrolled in the Corps of Signals in July 1965 and in 1975, he was found to be suffering from ‘manic depressive psychosis’. Thereafter, he was brought before an invaliding medical board in October 1975, which assessed the disability to be 40 per cent for two years, but held it to be neither attributable to nor aggravated by military service.

Accordingly, he was invalided from service after having rendered 10 years and three months of service. While he was granted service element of pension only, his claim for the disability element was rejected by the authorities in July 1977.

In his petition before the AFT, he submitted that a perusal of the Invaliding Medical Board showed that he was enrolled in a fit medical condition and his disablement took place after 10 years of service. He contended that holding his disability as not attributable to military service conflicted with the law laid down by the Supreme Court and he was entitled to disability pension for life.

“It cannot be disputed that the soldier has been invalided from service on account of his medical condition. He will never be brought back into service. Even if the extent of disability reduces, the applicant would not be re-enrolled. Thus, the disability is effectively permanent in nature,” the Tribunal’s Chandigarh Bench comprising Justice Sudhir Mittal and Lt Gen Ranbir Singh observed in their order of October 23.

It has been conclusively held by the Supreme Court that any disability arising during the course of service must be held to be attributable to or aggravated by military service. In the instant case, the Invaliding Medical Board shows that the applicant was fit for enrolment in service and the disability occurred sometime in August 1975. Therefore, the finding by the Invaliding Medical Board that the disability was neither attributable to nor aggravated by military service was illegal,” the Bench ruled.

The Bench directed the authorities to issue a fresh pension payment order within three months granting the soldier disability element of pension at the rate of 40 per cent, rounded off to 50 per cent, for life with effect from November 1975. The arrears of pension, however, would be restricted to three before the date of moving the AFT in accordance with directives issued on the subject by the Supreme Court.