Indian soldiers lauded in Israeli textbooks for freeing city

Press Trust of India | Updated: September 23, 2012 11:01 IST
Haifa, Israel: While remaining largely unknown in their own country, some Indian soldiers will now become household names in Haifa in northern Israel after figuring in the history textbooks taught at schools for their contribution in liberating this city in 1918.
The municipality of Haifa has gone ahead with its decision to immortalise the sacrifices made by Indian soldiers, many of whom are buried in the cemetery here, by including the stories of their valiant efforts in liberating the coastal city during the First World War in the school curricula as part of the history textbooks.
"The move is a part of Haifa municipalities efforts to preserve the city's history and heritage," Hedva Almog, deputy Mayor of Haifa told people gathered to pay respects to Indian soldiers who made the ultimate sacrifice in the war to liberate the city.
Haifa Historical Society has done an extensive research on the role of the Indian army in the region.
As per their findings, a large number of Indian soldiers sacrificed their lives in this region during the First World War and nearly 900 are cremated or buried in cemeteries across Israel.
Almog said that the municipality is planning big centenary celebrations to commemorate the event in 2018, calling upon India to join hands in making it a success.
Charge de Affaires at the Indian mission in Tel Aviv, Vani Rao, reacted positively to the request extending support in organising the Centenary celebrations.
The Indian army commemorates September 23rd every year as Haifa Day, to pay its respects to the two brave Indian Cavalry Regiments that helped liberate the city in 1918 following a dashing cavalry action by the 15th Imperial Service Cavalry Brigade.
Residents of the Israeli city also celebrate Haifa Day the same day with a series of cultural programmes during the week.
Indian soldiers lauded in Israeli textbooks for freeing city

RMS: Prtofessional Blog

Ref: Profession Blog: click here
Esteemed Veterans,
Some interesting articles on Professional Matters dealing with National Security, China, Pakistan, India and warfare are being posted on the REPORT MY SIGNAL PROFESSIONAL MATTERS BLOG.
A very interesting book AIR POWER at 18,000' has recently been published. All those who are interested in reading it ON LINE Click Here.
Harbhajan Singh
Lt Gen (Retd)

Technical Graduates made jokers in the Military

INDIAN ARMY
116th Technical Graduate Course (JAN 2013)
Last Date of Application: 14.06.2012
Application are invited from Engineering Graduates Married/ Unmarried Male including temporary Central/State Govt. serving personnel of the regular Army and Territorial Army (including officers of Territorial Army) and serving personnel of Navy and Air Force for grant of permanent commission in the Indian Army.
Qualification & Vacancies
Civil (including Mining/ Construction) : 27
Electrical (including Electrical & Electronics ) : 08
Mechanical (including Industrial/Industrial Engg & Management): 08
Automobile Engg/ Workshop Technology: 01
Production (Including Manufacturing/ Metallurgical /Metallurgy & Explosives): 02 Rubber Technology/ Plastic Technology/ Textiles: 01
Electronics (including Electronics & Instrumentation / Micro Electronics & Microwave/ Opto Electronics) : 04
Communication/ Telecommunication (Including ECE/ Electronics & Communication): 06
Architecture/ Building Construction Technology : 02
Computer Sciences & Engg/ Computer Sciences/ M.Sc (Computer): 01
Army Education Corps (Men): MA in English/ Economics/ History Music/ Geography/ Political Science/ M.Sc (Physics/ Maths)
Post Graduate Degree (MA/M.Sc) 1st or 2nd div: 08
Foreign Language (Post Graduate Degree MA)
Post Graduate Degree (MA) 1st or 2nd Div in following subjects Chinese, Tibetan, Burmese, Pushto, Dari and Arabic : 04
TGC (Military Farms)- Agriculture – 02 & Dairy: 02
Degree in Dairying or Degree in Agriculture : 04
Note : These vacancies are tentative and may be changed depending on availability of training slots.
AGE LIMIT:
For Engineering Graduates – 20 to 27 yrs ( Born between 02 Jan 86 and 01 Jan 93). For AEC- 23 to 27 yrs (Born between 02 Jan 86 and 01 Jan 90). For Military Farms – 20 to 27 yrs (Born not earlier than 02 Jan 86 and not latter than 01 Jan 93).
EDUCATIONAL QUALIFICATION

For Engineers: Candidates studying in the Final Year of Engineering Degree and who are qualified graduates of the Degree Course in Engineering will be eligible to apply. The qualified graduates of the Degree Course must possess Engineering Degree at the time of joining training. The candidates studying in the final year of Degree Course, if not already in possession of the Degree Certificate should be able to produce the Engineering Degree within 12 weeks from the date of commencement of training at IMA. Such candidates will be inducted for training at IMA on Additional Bond Basis for recovery of the cost of training as notified from time to time as well as stipend and pay & allowances paid, in case they fail to produce the requisite degree certificate.

For Army Education Corps. MA/M.Sc Degree in 1st or 2nd division from a university recognized by AIU in English/Economics/History/Music/ Geography/ Political Science / Physics & Math .

For Military Farm. A degree in dairying or a degree in Agriculture from a recognized university with dairying as one of the subjects or an equivalent foreign qualification in Agriculture (Preference will be given to those who hold M.Sc degree or have carried out research in Dairying of Fodder Crops) (AI 105/61)
CONDITIONS OF ELIGIBILITY
(a) Nationality: A candidate must either be (i) a citizen of India or (ii) a subject of Nepal or (iii) a subject of Bhutan or (iv) Tibetan origin but of Indian domicile, whose parents entered India as refugees prior to 1s t January 1962 with intention of Permanently settling in India. (v) a pers on of Indian or igin who migrated from Pakistan, Myanmar, Sri Lanka and East African countries like Kenya, Uganda, United Republic of Tanzania, Zambi, Malawai, Zaire, Ethopia and Vietnam with the intention of Permanently settling in India. Provided that a candidate belonging to categories (ii), (iii), (iv) and (v) above shall be a person in whose favour a certificate of eligibility has been issued by the Government of India. Certificate of eligibility will however not be necessary in the case of candidate who are Gorkhas subject of Nepal. (b) Candidates withdrawn fr om IMA/OTA/Naval Academy/Air Force Academy on disciplinary ground are not eligible to apply.
Cost to company (CTC). The CTC for a Lieutenant would be approximately Rs.65000/- per month. This includes Basic Pay, DA, Grade Pay Military Service Pay, Tech Pay, House Rent Allowance and Transport allowance. These rates are not statutory and are subject to change. Click here for the original Post
Comment: The Technical Pay is peanuts. In 1971 the Technical Pay for a Engineering Graduate (5 year Integrated Course) was Rs 75 pm whereas an NDA or IMA Graduate who completed some tactical cum technical refresher courses in MCTE or College of Combat were getting Rs 175 as Technical Pay. Literally the Military made Jokers of the Technical Graduates mocking the University Degree. Technical Graduate a Loser till he Retires!

China is not an enemy, just a competitor: Lt Gen Bikram Singh

Ref: China is not an enemy, just a competitor
Mahavir (udaipur)
China is not an enemy, just a competitor: Lt Gen Bikram Singh
First COAS who has not participated in any war. He ought to have read post independence India's military history. It is never too late for COAS to study 'Himalayan Blunder' , before blundering to speak in public about China. It is a different ball game in a command HQ and all together a different one, in South Block. Gen Bikram Singh, will serve nation well, if he can follow foot steps of SAM BAHADUR, whose sacred office is now for him to occupy (already occupied) and bring home more glory. Those who do not learn from history are condemned to repeat follies of past. Saving grace is that, committed Indians know fully well that war is too serious, to be left to Generals alone. Last Sikh Li officer in COAS chair had fully grasped (hard way, as Brig,) the tact to use veteran Regiments to turn tide and rise high. Call upon deeds of past warriers, from chapters of history, to tread uncertain path of future.
China is not an enemy
Comment: Perfect political statement to please PMO and MEA. Ghosh... Let us vacate Himalaya's and start trading in earnest. Indian Army should source all weapons from China as it is cheap reliable and it works (save Billions of $)... no kickbacks and bribes (remember Chinese shoot the corrupt first and then discuss the case in the court of law). Already Indian Traders are buying Chinese Goods and palming it off to Indian Ordnance as India Made... Now let us make it Official. For a start some traders already are facing heat for corruption in China.

John Hislop's reminiscences of the Jat Regiment- 1933 to 1947

Review for the Sandhurst Foundation
ln the summer of 1956, Field Marshal Sir Claude Auchinleck opened the R.M.A Sandhurst's Indian Army Memorial Room with its fine stained glass commemorative windows. Before a large gathering of forrner lndian Army officers, with one of whom I was staying as a guest, "the Auk" gave a message which few present will ever have forgotten, a message telling us to look back on the lndian Army with pride for its splendid achievements, but that its era was now over, history, and nostalgia would serve no purpose.

John Hislop's reminiscences, edited by his daughter Penny Kocher, follow "the Auk's" counsel excellently. After passing out from Sandhurst in 1933 Hislop served in lndia with the 9th Jat Regiment and in staff appointments until the end of British rule in 1947. His various chapters cover service in the golden years before 1939, operations on the North-West Frontier and in Burma in the Second World War, and the turmoil of the final two years before independence.

Readers will leam much interesting detail about operations in Waziristan and Baluchistan before the outbreak of war, tactics needed for protection on long marches - an officer in charge of a flanking picquet might find himself moving over thirty miles per day over mountainous ground for several consecutive days, and all the problems of food supply and water. ln 1942-43, as protection as much because of anxiety over a possible German invasion via a defeated Soviet Union as of local insurgents, the equivalent of five divisions were engaged in operations in the North-West Frontier provinces. Hislop was then moved to the even more dfficult conditions of Burma, fighting the Japanese in the unfamiliar conditions of sticky heat, only a few roads and these very poor, rain, lush jungle and leeches.

Perhaps most interesting of all, though, is the author's description of how the lndian Army actually worked; the Jat Regiment battalions, for example, were structured around two companies of Hindu Jats, one company of Punjabi Moslems and one company of Musulman Rajputs, a mix requiring not only good purely military leadership to ensure the respect of all but sensitivity for different cultures and beliefs. Hislop's long service revealed many examples of good leadership. Sadly there were also examples of bad command by others; lessons for officers in any army at any time.

A valuable addition to the history of the lndian Army, written with pride and no nostalgia.
Dr Anthony Clayton, Academic Staff RMA Sandhurst 1965-1993
More Reviews- Order your copy
A Soldier's Story- John Hislop, Indian Army officer of The Jat Regiment
More about the life of John Hislop click here

Remembrance The Sikh Story

Dear All,
Please have a look at the BBC documentary on Sikh representation in the Indian forces in the two World Wars. Very well documented and presented.
BBC Video Part 1
BBC Video Part 2
Lt Gen Harbhajan Singh (Retd)

Photographs for Corps History

Dear Brigadier Kamboj,
Volume II of the Corps History covering the period 1947-72 has been completed. The only thing we lack is photographs. I request veterans to kndly help. I am sure there must be many who have personal albums. The photos can be scanned and sent to us by e mail. Alternately, they can be delivered to the Corps History Cell, in Signals Enclave, They will be returned after scanning.
We need photos of the following:

J&K ops in 1947-48

Sino-Indian conflict, 1962.

Bangladesh ops, 1971.

Training activity in MCTE, STC and units.
I would be grateful if this can be circulated. This will probably be the last appeal for help with the Corps History.
Maj Gen VK Singh (Retd)
Corps of Signals History Cell

Rajpootana and some great names in Military Leadership

Lt Gen Nathu Singh: Blog Post

RAJPOOTANA AND SOME GREAT NAMES IN MILITARY LEADERSHIP
Thanks very much for this informative mail. I really enjoyed it. Time to my mind, has arrived for us to start researching such legends, and possibly have their life and times included in the DSSC entrance exams, one, and second, into school syllabus, to build a depleting element 'character'.
This recent interest in some personalities so far in the 'shadow zone' is good and in line with the revivalist objectives of IESM. Am sure the days of glory shall return. As in inventions, so in national transition of thought (character ??) I am sure the Defence services will (have to) take the lead.
With Warm Regards,
Col RP Chaturvedi, IESM

Gen Nathu Singh and others
Dear Brigadier Kamboj,
I was pleasantly surprised to see the interest generated in the uniformed community about General Nathu Singh. He was the first 'freedom fighter' in uniform, who dared take on the British. Sadly, he remains almost unknown, in spite of his sterling qualities.

I agree with Yati Panwar. His ACRs (I have copies of some of them, from which extracts have been published in my book) are eye openers. Those days, it was the custom to give a copy of the ACR to the officer. I also have those of Gen RN Batra. Gen Nathu Singh's papers also have a copy of the 'Displeasure' of the Government conveyed to him by the C-in-C, Gen Cariappa. Nathu Singh was then an Army Commander. Kipper and Nathu were both from the Rajput Regiment.

I think MG Kapoor has made a good suggestion. We should make the present generation aware of our leaders about whom almost nothing is known. If you wish, I can circulate what I have written about Prem Bhagat, Gen Sagat Singh, Zoru Bakshi etc. They are all part of my book on leadership.
Regards,
Maj Gen VK Singh (Retd)

A Strategic Perspective for the Corps of Signals

THE CENTENARY YEAR AND BEYOND— A STRATEGIC PERSPECTIVE FOR THE CORPS
“The vision of Signals Corps is to attain and maintain informatics ascendancy by developing infostructure to cater for Network Centric Warfare in a digitized battlefield of tomorrow. The aim and objective of Signals Corps is to make the Indian Army Network Enabled Force by 2012 and Network Centric Force by 2017”
Extracts from Official Website of Indian Army– Corps of Signals

Introduction
1. It has been rightly commented that the saga of wars has been a narrative of human ingenuity and resilience amidst all adversities. The tales of valour epitomizes the ‘never say die’ attitude of the soldier. The Corps can be justifiably proud of its alacrity and professionalism of the highest order rubbing shoulders with their brethren from the combat forces. In the words of one of the former SO-in-C’s, the Saga of the Corps has been “a story of enterprise and endeavor, of accomplishment, and of courage and consistency. The methods of signaling used in the yester years may appear very primitive today, and one can only marvel at their ingenuity and determination.” The tasks on hand for the Corps have been unenviable, given the thirst for signal communications and keeping them ‘through’ always and every time. The accolades won testify the dexterity and technical acumen punctuated with combat skills exhibited by all ranks of the Corps. Some invaluable major pioneering efforts have been the “Area Grid Systems’, the ‘ASCON’, ‘Enterprise Wide Messaging Network’ and ‘Cellular Communications’.

2. As a part of the Centenary celebrations, it is planned to release the Third Volume of The Corps History, a compilation done by a dedicated and committed Veteran of The Corps-Maj Gen (retired) VK Singh. This painstaking compilation would surely reflect on the rich and valuable contributions by all concerned during the period under review. Also it would set the right framework for similar compilation of the ensuing years to the present day .There is another monumental contribution by yet another visionary of the Corps—Maj Gen (Retd) Yeshwant Deva,AVSM—“Dedicated to my son-The Signalman” as he puts it. Laced with a strenuous research spread over two decades, this book titled “Sky is the Limit” is a first hand account of the ‘SIGNALS’ in Operation Pawan, highlighting some very defining and inspiring acts of valor , dedication and commitment our Corps personnel.

3. As we draw inspiration from the performance of the Corps in the years gone by, it is also a good time to reflect on the future especially the challenges that lie ahead and how we view the ‘the core competencies’ of the Corps in the coming years.. We should logically arrive at a strategic perspective paving the way for what needs to be done internally to culminate into a well thought out strategy for execution and as a long term orientation of the Corps against the backdrop of warfare of the future. There is yet another factor we have to contend with namely the influence of ‘technology’. It is tough to make predictions especially of technology, but we do have some idea as to what are likely in the years ahead. The speed and convergence of scientific and engineering disciplines promise to fundamentally change the nature of deployment and redeployment, and prolonged sustainement of forces. Discovery and innovative breakthroughs in scientific areas related to high density- energy sources, superior material reliability, and information and knowledge fusion across the operational, intelligence, and logistics domain will vastly increase the combat readiness and operational effectives of the Armed Forces. The Revolution in Military Affairs (RMA) has become a reality and has brought in significant changes in military doctrines at one level and in hardware at the other. Military technologies are changing rapidly and their procurement and induction demand a proper understanding of the wide array of the technology spectrum. We need to factor all these aspects in the strategic perspective of the Corps.
Looking Beyond the Horizon— Adapting to Netcentric Warfare(NCW) Paradigm...
A Strategic Perspective: click here to read more

Lt Gen (Retd) SRR Aiyengar, PVSM, AVSM, VSM has served in the Corps for nearly four decades and commanded three premier training institutions namely MCTE, DSSC and NDC.

Is military history sacrosanct?

THE TRAGEDY OF INDIA IS THAT OUR POLITICAL LEADERSHIP AND OTHERS ARE SO SCARED OF THE TRUTH THAT TILL DATE NOT A SINGLE OFFICIAL HISTORY OF WARS FOUGHT BY THE INDIAN MILITARY HAS BEEN CLEARED FOR PUBLICATION. THIS IS THE MAIN REASON FOR CONJECTURES IN THE MEDIA.

Military history may not be a `holy cow' but once finalised, it does become sacrosanct and should be interfered with only in the most exceptional circumstances, lest the public loses faith in the objectivity of the military. The old adage that “truth is the first casualty in war“ is fairly accurate, but largely at the individual level.

At the institutional level, the Indian military has an elaborate system in place so that maximum objectivity is ensured, when the final product in the shape of a history is produced.

However, any activity in which human beings are involved is bound to be questioned, either genuinely or for some other reason.

The compilation of military history commences at the unit level, where actions of sub-units and individuals, eyewitness accounts, logs of messages and reports are compiled, giving allowances for the `fog of war' and the fast and furious pace of operations.

In the end, a coherent picture does emerge. Thereafter, at every hierarchical level, the `war diaries' are scrutinised and compared with plans initiated, situation reports of the time and the inputs of the formation commanders and staff. This process goes all the way up to the army headquarters, where the Military Operations (MO) Directorate carries out a thorough oversight and comparison with the plethora of reports generated prior to, during and after the operations.There are thus sufficient checks and balances to ensure objectivity.

There are essentially four types of military histories. The first is the memoirs of individuals who have taken part in the conflict. They describe their experiences and those of their comrades, as also details culled out from operational documents.

Depending on who the author is, there is usually a fair to medium degree of subjectivity in them. The second type of military history is the one written by historians, media persons and others, who did not take part in the operations. Their sources are the media and some interviews conducted by them during or immediately after the conflict, usually the latter. In a large number of cases they tend to be sensational. In professional parlance they are termed `quickies', with `making a quick buck' as their main aim. The third category is scholarly works, mostly commissioned by `think tanks' or quasi-professional institutions. These are usually well researched and fairly objective.

The last category is the official military histories, mostly written by a team of professional persons commissioned by the government and comprising both military and civilian professionals, who are given access to official documents like war diaries, operational orders and instructions, results of post-war evaluations carried out at various levels, as well as independent studies ordered at various echelons of the field Army. These are the only histories that have official authenticity.

The tragedy of India is that our political leadership and others are so scared of the truth that till date not a single official history of wars and conflicts fought by the Indian Military has been cleared for publication. This is the main reason for conjectures, innuendos and inspired comments in the media. It is a great pity as the military has cleared them all for the public domain. As an example, the Henderson Brooks report of the 1962 India-China war, of which I was the custodian as the DGMO, contains no secrets that will jeopardise national security, but it continues to be kept in wraps as it highlights the gross incompetency of the political leadership and the bureaucracy of that time.

Let me now briefly deal with the current controversy, which is a fallout of a judicial judgment, wherein a senior formation commander of the Army who had taken part in the Kargil conflict of 1999 had his military honour restored, when the court ruled that his confidential reports were biased against him.

That judgment was widely welcomed, but the court also ruled that three paragraphs in the official war records relating to the particular operation of the aggrieved officer must be rewritten. The Army is challenging only the latter part of the judgment, pertaining to the rewriting of the records, in the apex court. Their contention is that there was no fudging, falsification or doctoring of the 1999 Kargil war history, as the military history has been finalised after invoking numerous checks and balances. The apex court will no doubt study all aspects before giving its judgment.

Let me end this piece on an irreverent note. It was Voltaire, who said in Jeannot et Colin that “All ancient histories, as one of our wits say, are just fables that have been agreed upon“.

What needs to be noted is that he was referring to `history', not `military history'!
Lt Gen Vijay Oberoi, PVSM, AVSM, VSM (Retd) is a former Vice-Chief of the Indian Army
Courtesy: Hindustan Times, Chandigarh, 15 July 2010
(Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not represent the views either of the Editorial Committee or the Centre for Land Warfare Studies).
Is military history sacrosanct?
Lt Gen Oberoi’s letters on Pay Commission Recommendations

Distorted Kargil war history to be rewritten

Wrong history, wronged officer
Tribunal says generals distorted Kargil war account
SUJAN DUTTA
New Delhi, May 26: The history of the Kargil war should be rewritten because some generals distorted the records, the Armed Forces Tribunal has ordered in an unparalleled judgment.

The judgment was delivered after the tribunal concluded that Lt Gen. Kishan Pal, a superior of Brigadier Devinder Singh who commanded the Batalik sector, doctored Singh’s “battle performance report” and the “after-action report” that went into the writing of the official history of the war.

The official army history prepared by its military operations directorate is titled Op Vijay — Account of the War in Kargil.

Brigadier Devinder Singh had also predicted the pattern of intrusions by the Pakistan Army and by militants supported by it. He was injured during a battle while personally leading his forces.

Brigadier Devinder Singh was since forced to retire because, he had alleged, his “battle performance report” was fudged by the commander of the 15 corps, Lt Gen. Pal, and he was not considered for promotion to major general. The brigadier is now a senior manager in a private aviation firm. Pal has also retired.

The brigadier lodged a complaint within a year of the war but the tardy processes through which such entreaties are considered has taken nearly 10 years. That too has been possible after defence minister A.K. Antony facilitated the creation of the Armed Forces Tribunal to which thousands of military disputes pending in high courts have been transferred.

The Armed Forces Tribunal judgment made available today could open a can of worms because there are at least three other officers who served in the Kargil war — Brigadier Surinder Singh who was dismissed during the hostilities as the commander of the Kargil-based 121 brigade among them — who complained that their roles were either undermined or that their warnings were not heeded by superior officers.

Eleven years after the war that peaked around this time in 1999, the way it was fought, the lapses that allowed the intrusions into Indian territory and the role of superior officers are still hotly debated in military and strategic communities.

Not surprisingly, while the BJP-led NDA government that was swept to power in October 1999 celebrated the “victory” in the war with much fanfare, subsequent Congress-led UPA governments have kept the ceremonies low-key. Inside and outside the army, some people deeply suspect that a clutch of generals who were close to their political masters allowed the intrusions to snowball into a war and then manufactured a victory that came about with US pressure.

At the height of the war, then defence minister George Fernandes predicted “victory” in 48 hours but the hostilities lasted 80 days and cost the lives of nearly 550 soldiers and young officers. The then director general of military operations, Lt Gen. Nirmal Chandra Vij, who later became army chief and currently heads (with cabinet rank) the National Disaster Management Authority, also went against military protocol to go to the office of the BJP to brief its leadership on the war.

The tribunal judgment notes that the role of Brigadier Devinder Singh, who commanded the 70 infantry brigade in the Batalik sector, was not acknowledged in the 15 corps “after action report” by his reviewing officer, Lt Gen. Pal.

The report was accepted by the “senior reviewing officer” — northern army commander Lt Gen. H.M. Khanna — and forwarded to army headquarters’ military operations directorate.

Before the hostilities peaked, in a wargame in the 15 corps headquarters in Srinagar, Brigadier Devinder Singh, acting as the enemy commander, had forecast the pattern of intrusions along the Kargil front covering the sectors of Batalik, Kargil-Drass and Mushkoh.

Even in the middle of the war, during a visit by the then army chief, Gen. V.P. Malik, the brigadier assessed that the number of intruders in the formidable heights of his sector would be in the region of 600 regulars of the Pakistan Army.

This was contested by Lt Gen. Pal who put the figure at 45 irregulars (militants), a ridiculous number, as was concluded from the recovery of enemy arms and munitions from Jubbar and Khalubar Ridge.

It was probably such an assessment that goaded the government into thinking that the heights could be cleared “in 48 hours”.

Likewise, in the army headquarters military operations directorate’s Op Vijay – Account of the War in Kargil, Vol III, it was noted that the deputy in the 3 infantry division (under the 15 corps), Brigadier Ashok Duggal, “controlled the Stangba-Khalubar Ridge operations”.

But the commander of the division, Maj. Gen. V.S. Budhwar, contradicted this and told the tribunal that Brigadier Devinder Singh was in command and that Brigadier Duggal was temporarily (for 72 hours) moved to the eastern flank of the Batalik sector “to assist and co-ordinate”.

Brigadier Devinder Singh was recommended for a Mahavir Chakra (the second highest award for acts of conspicuous gallantry in the face of the enemy). But after Lt Gen. Pal dealt with his “battle performance report” and approved the “after action reports”, Brigadier Devinder Singh was awarded a Vishisht Seva Medal (for distinguished service of an exceptional order), usually given for peacetime duties.

A brigade usually comprises about three battalions but after Brigadier Devinder Singh and his 70 infantry brigade was moved to the front from counter-insurgency duties in the Kashmir Valley, there was a time when he was commanding as many as 11 battalions, two more than the number usually allotted to a division.

A division is headed by a major general and a corps by a lieutenant general. The commanding officers of the battalions filed affidavits and gave written depositions saying that they were under the command of Brigadier Devinder Singh.

It will be exceptional for the army to now turn the wheel back and restore to Brigadier Devinder Singh his awards and, may be, a promotion. He himself told the tribunal that he wants his military reputation restored because that is what matters most for a professional soldier.

Army headquarters can either accept the tribunal order or challenge it in the Supreme Court. Brigadier Devinder Singh can also go to the apex court if army headquarters does not accept the ruling. All these steps will be in uncharted territory because there is no precedent. But the controversy over the assessments of the Kargil war is set to be stoked again after the tribunal judgment. More so now that the tribunal will also hear the prayers of three more officers – Brigadier Surinder Singh (sacked for allegedly failing to gauge the depth of the intrusions), a battalion commander, Col. Neeraj Mehra, and Major Manish Bhatnagar who was court-martialled and thrown out of service for allegedly fleeing the battlefield during operations in the Siachen sector.
Wrong history, wronged officer
Tribunal says generals distorted Kargil war account

NDA: An Ideal Instructor

1st POP at NDA, Khadakwasla... 10th course POP reviewed by Pt. Nehru : 5 Jun 1955

ABOUT RSM AYLING of NDA by a former cadet
Many of us had associations with RSM Ayling. I have cut and pasted what a 10th course cadet had to say about him... Lt Gen Harbhajan Singh (Retd)

An Ideal Instructor
This June, 10th Course of the National Defence Academy (NDA) would complete fifty years. This course had 232 cadets-one of the largest at that time. We first went to the Joint Services Wing, Clement Town, Dehra Dun in 1953. After completing eighteen months, we were shifted to NDA, Khadakvasla. The Academy was being developed at that time and roads were under construction. Only one wing of the Mess was ready. Most of the time we were carrying cycles on our heads.
Our course became one of the most illustrious courses. It poduced Chief of Army Staff, Gen S Roy Chowdhry, Vice Chief of Air Staff, one Army Commander-Lt Gen Jameel Mahood, Lt Gen Sher Amir Singh, Vice Admiral Kasz Raju,Vice Chief of Army Staff, Lt Gen Surinder Nath, Lt Gen RN Batra, Lt Gen Surinder Kumar and fifty more Brigadiers, Admirals and Air Marshals.
In the process of becoming officers from Boys, some of the great staff of officers, civil professors and JCOs are always remembered for they “shape up” the future. One such great instructor was Regimental Sergeant Major Ayling. He was the first one to receive us at Dehra Dun. Monsoons had swept the Aravali Range of mountains and the train, with its steam engine puffing, was negotioating the slope from Hardwar to Dehra Dun. There was anxiety, uncertainty and fear writ on the faces of all. The only silver lining was the pitter-patter of rain and the lush green Dun Valley. Trees were laden with lichees, mangoes, grape fruit and there was abundance of flowers. The train screeched to a halt and number of whistles wer blown, followed by a stern bark of an order: “All future cadets, bring out your luggage and fall-in in front of your compartments”. No coolies were permitted and it was back-breaking to carry huge trunks and beddings in, now outdated, “holdalls”. We all somehow dragged the luggage on to the waiting trucks. The sight was quite close to the modern-day trucks which carry poultry for slaughter.
Half an hour later the trucks reached the Academy. Again a set of whistles and a voice thundered, “Get off, double time, fall in, get a move on!” Totally shaken up, we jumped off the trucks and stood in a line. Dressed in a spotless uniform, a man, 6 feet 3 inches in height, was the one who was shouting the orders. He shouted again, “Stop fidgetting like girls, stop moving and stop talking”. Soon there was a pin-drop silence and the voice thundered once again, “From now onwards you have no fathers, no mothers. I am your father, I am your mother, pick up your boxes and beddings and move to your Squadrons”.
Totally subdued and terrified we moved on. Later we discovered that the voice belonged to Regimental Sergeant Major Ayling of Grenadiers Guards of the British Army. The RSM was on deputation to teach the cadets the rudiments of discipline and drill. This very soldier honed, trained, disciplined and prepared us to become the worthy officers of Army, Navy and Air Force. Many of us won the highest bravery awards while some rose to the highest ranks in the three services.
When the words of command changed to Hindi, in the fifties, we thought that the world would come to an end. Sergeant Major Ayling just took one month to master the Hindi words of command and never faltered-not even once while training us. Though he owned a small Ford Prefact car, he always walked or cycled to the drill square since our Adjutant, Capt ML Whig owned only a cycle. For that matter, those days most officers owned only a bicycle.
His sense of humour was a legend. During a passing-out parade rehearsal, Corporal Kasz Raju (later Vice Admiral) and myself were the Right and Left Markers. For some reason the parade was halted but we the Markers did not hear the order and carried on slow marching towards the Quarter Deck. Sergeant Major shouted, “When you two reach the Quarter Deck, drop us a postcard” and of course all the cadets in the parade had a good laugh at us.
As we celebrate the Golden Jubilee at the National Defence Academy this June, this great soldier of Grenadier Guards will be remembered by the cadets of fifties who always hold him in veneration.
-Brig (Retd) Sudhir Arora
An Ideal Instructor


17 Course NDA Golden Jubilee Celebrations
The 17 Course NDA (1957-1959) celebrated their golden jubilee (50 years) from 7 to 9 December 2009, at NDA Khadakwasla, Pune, Maharashtra, India.
See the cadet’s photos here.
It was attended by 88 former cadets of the 17 Course. Most of them had brought their wives. Also present were 4 grandchildren, 2 children, 2 daughters in law, and 4 ladies. Those who could not attend were sadly missed. See the participant’s photos here.

Corps of Signals celebrate centenary

Rajeev Khanna Tribune News Service Nainital, April 18
As the sun set in the mountains amid fast blowing winds on Saturday evening, the Central Support Signal Unit’s sport complex came alive with an exhilarating performance by the No. 1 Pipes and Drums Band of the Corps of Signals. The performance was part of the centenary celebrations of the corps coming into existence.

The band came up with one melodious tune after the other in perfect synchronisation. The ambiance of the mountains all around added to the charm of the event in which Army officers, jawans, their families and several civilian dignitaries had their appetite for good music satiated.

The performance began with all-time popular military tunes and the bagpipers and the drummers went on to play several popular tunes from Bollywood drawing a thunderous applause every time. The performers were led by Naib Subedar SA Kumbhar.

The No.1 Band of the corps has an interesting history. It was in 1918 when eight buglers from Corps of Sappers and Miners were selected to form the band.

Since some of the buglers could play pipes, they were used for playing the instrument from 1921 to 1926.

The band was originally known as Shehnai Band. It was formally set up in 1927, but the establishment effectively came into being only in 1940.
Corps of Signals celebrate centenary

Views on ‘apolitical’ Character of the Indian Army

Character of the Indian Army By madhavibhasin Wednesday, April 7th 2010
General V.K. Singh assumed charge as India’s new Army Chief last week. Though appointment of Army Chiefs in India does not attract as much media, the trend is gradually changing. The Indian Army continues to remain apolitical but has gained greater visibility in the public domain recently. Comments by military men and issues of corruption have put the military under media glare. Rarely has the war strategy of the Indian Army received so much attention in the media as it did after former Army Chief Deepak Kapoor’s comment on the ‘cold start’ doctrine.

Several opinion pieces highlighting the challenges confronting General Singh have appeared in the mainstream media. There are two approaches for handling the task at hand. Strategic analyst C. Raja Mohan advises for the continued apolitical nature of the Indian military but argues for a pro-active role. Lt. Gen. Vijay Oberoi (Retd.), former Vice-Chief of Indian Army, calls for an activist role for the army which challenges the institution’s apolitical nature.

According to Raja Mohan, General Singh will have to check corruption in the Indian Army for the purpose of retaining public confidence and present the army as an attractive career option for young Indians. Civilian control of the Indian military has raised concerns about the role of the Army in contributing to the national security policy. Raja Mohan is insightful in suggesting that, “…resentment within the army and the other armed services is mounting at the perennial short shrift they get from the civilian bureaucracy, where the capacity to manage the nation’s military appears to be eroding rapidly. The answer to this lies in the army improving its institutional capacity to frame policy issues, to engage other governmental agencies, and to better communicate with the public — rather than the occasional public venting by the chief.” Raja Mohan is of the view that Army’s political neutrality does not imply passivity on issues of security policy debate. “Civilian primacy over the military in our democracy does not mean that the chiefs of our armed forces have to be mute in the face of persistent neglect of national defense by incompetent bureaucrats and indifferent ministers. If he can make the army’s case calmly and in a sustained fashion, within the government and to the public, the new chief can make a huge difference to the national discourse on defense policy.”

Lt General Oberoi’s suggestion on similar issues is markedly different. He raises concern over issues of military modernization and dwindling morale of the armed forces. But his revisionist views on the apolitical role of the army are alarming. Lt. General Oberoi makes a case similar to the one highlighted by Raja Mohan when he refers to the limited role of the army in shaping the country’s security policy; but he has a different suggestion take on the issue. According to Lt. Gen. Oberoi, “However, in India, the military has been deliberately kept out of the policy formulation loop and even after over six decades of loyal, patriotic and dedicated service to the nation, it is obvious that it is still not trusted!”

The apolitical nature of the army is attacked by Lt Gen Oberoi in direct terms, “The military also needs to modify the concept of being apolitical. The army’s long standing stance of keeping a distance from the leaders of political parties other than those of the party in power needs to be modified. In a parliamentary system like ours, policy is formulated by all parliamentarians despite differences of the opposition. After all, the Parliament Standing Committee on Defense and similar other committees are all-party bodies. Consequently, though remaining apolitical, the army needs to apprise and discuss its concerns with the political leadership across the board. This would not reduce the apolitical nature of the army, about which it is justifiably so proud.”
Read the full article
Views on ‘apolitical’ Character of the Indian Army

NDA: How "HOTEL" Squadron became "HUNTER"

Dear Brig Kamboj and Friends,
The immediate impetus for 'shooting out' this mail is a message which has come from brother, Kulbir Suri (of the King Sqn)to inform us that all the three four-star officers in our country will be from Hunter squadron of the NDA. I was in that squadron in my final term. But there is a story to tell. I think it must be placed on record for the benefit of the posterity. Here is what happened.
When the JSW was established in 1949, there were two squadrons: A and B. Then they raised two more in the second Bn, C and D. The next two were E and F. The next three were added on, one each to the three Bns. So we had A, B and G in first Bn C, D and H in second Bn and E, F and I in the third Bn. The phonetic pronunciations at that time were: Able, Baker, Charlie, Dog, Easy, Fox, George, How, Item, Juliet and King.
At this stage, a tenth squadron was raised. "Juliet" was not acceptable to the academy as the name for a Sqn. So it was skipped. The 10th Sqn, in No. 1 Bn was named King Sqn.
So far so good. Then in 1958 we got a new Commandant, Rear Admiral BA Samson. He decided to "rationalize" the squadrons. And so the names were changed. By that time, the phonetic pronunciations had also undergone a change. The new ones were, Alfa, Bravo, Charlie, Delta, Echo, Foxtrot, Golf, Hotel, India, Juliet, Kilo etc. I was in Easy Sqn. The new name given to us was 'Hotel' The cadet appointed the SCC in our course was an enterprising fellow; and the undisputed topper in academics. (He had stood first in our entrance order of merit and retained his position all through the six terms) The squadron commander was also an Air Force officer. The SCC was able to prevail upon the Academy bosses to designate our Sqn as "HUNTER" Sqn. We got that name, and it has stuck! Thus while the famous "King" Sqn was reduced to "Kilo" we got a martial designation, "Hunter".
Our Squadron produced two successive gold medalists and two successive silver medalists. And now all the three chiefs are from that Sqn. I wonder if that could have happened if the name of the Sqn was "Hotel"! The name of the SCC who made the difference is JOSEPH THOMAS.
Three cheers for the HUNTER Squadron. Long live the Squadron spirit. In all humility, I must hasten to confess that as a cadet, I was never able to do anything worth the mention. But when the likes of KD were running on the field, I was never wanting in cheering them up. I shouted my throat hoarse, on more than one occasion.
God Bless the cadets of the Hunter Squadron.
Surjit
Maj Gen Surjit Singh (Retd)
PS
Thomas, Please correct me where I am wrong and join the dots to create the line. You have helped me all these 52 years. And so, please hold my hand as ever before! Raj Kadyan, You are the other one on whom I am banking to put the record straight wherever I am wrong. KD You have crossed seven seas. But in spirit you are with us!

Dear Surjit,
Thanks for the small historical note. And I'm delighted and honoured that all three chiefs will soon be from Hunter squadron. A few small clarifications and corrections:
Maybe Juliet was not acceptable to the academy as the name for a Sqn in the early days. However, I remember visiting NDA to see the 28th Course brother of my dear friend and course mate. At that time he was in Juliet sqn. But I'm glad to say that when we visited the academy in 2007, it was called Jaguar squadron. As far as I know, the squadron names were "rationalized" at the instigation of Wg Cdr MD "Macy" Khanna, then a Battalion Commander. He convinced the Commandant that "squadron spirit" should be replaced by "battalion spirit". Renaming the squadrons was part of this exercise. We also started having more inter battalion competitions.
It was bad enough being called 'Easy' squadron or 'Echo' squadron. But I couldn't imagine a squadron being called 'Hotel' squadron. ur squadron commander was from the air force only in the first term. After that the incumbents were Major Kothavalla and Major Khader Ahmed. And no, I did not ask anybody for permission to change the name to Hunter. I just used it while commanding the squadron on parade. Nobody objected.
At that time Hunter aircraft were new in India and there were two squadrons in Pune. They used to fly past at our POP and also break the sound barrier. I had the good fortune to fly the Hunter aircraft 11 years later. Three cheers for HUNTER squadron.
J Thomas

Dear General Surjit and Veteral Thomas,
Thank you for your fill-up on historicity. I join you in saying ;cheers' for the Hunter Squadron. Frankly, we inherited the word Hunter when we reached final term. I was not aware that Thomas had done it. He richly deserves the credit for this very inspiring change of name.
I agree with Thomas on the names of the Sqn Commanders. Throughout my six terms we had an Army Major head the Sqn. In my Division (14 with 'E' and 23 when name changed to 'H') we stared with a Naval DO but had an Air Force officer from our III term on. Flt Lts Mehta, Sandhu and Jog were there.
In our final term Brig Hoshiar Singh took over as Deputy Commandant. In camp Torna he tried a new experiment. In five days (the duration got reduced by a day due to visit of PM Nehru on 14 Mar 1961) we had to cover 125 miles with exercises and many competitions thrown in. It was so tiring that on return on Saturday we had a heavy lunch and slept through to Monday morning. The 'Hunters' proudly picked up the Torna championship banner.
Best regards,
Lt Gen (Emeritus) Raj Kadyan, PVSM, AVSM, VSM
Chairman IESM

IMA: Chetwode Hall Museum - 34 NDA get together at IMA, 23 to 25 Dec 2009

Pak War blunders of 1965

The Indian and Pakistani generals in the war of 1965 were cast in the same mould. Only Akhtar Malik stood out as an imaginative and dynamic general. — Photo by AFP

Field Marshal Ayub Khan felt that the time was ripe to wrest Kashmir from India. He planned to do this in two phases.

In the first phase, the Muslim population in occupied Kashmir would be incited to rise in revolt by infiltrators. In the second, the army would deliver the knockout blow by severing at Aknur the line of communication serving the Indian forces south of the Pir Panjal range — although Maj Gen Akhtar Malik planned the exploit towards Jammu to sever the road link to the valley.

In the first week of Aug 1965, 5,000 lightly armed men slipped across the ceasefire line. They were hastily trained civilians with a sprinkling of regular soldiers. They were the Gibraltar Force. While the surprise lasted, they conducted a series of spectacular raids and ambushes. Then the expected happened. Indian retribution against Muslim villages was swift and brutal.

As a result, the locals not only refused to cooperate with the raiders but also started assisting the Indian forces to flush them out. To make matters worse, Indian forces started capturing critical areas in Azad Kashmir and threatening Muzaffarabad. With its fate sealed, the Gibraltar Force disintegrated. Phase 1 of the plan had backfired. In order to release the pressure being applied on Azad Kashmir, the next phase was launched.

In the early hours of Sept 1, 1965, the sudden thunder of 100 artillery guns stunned the Indian troops in Chhamb and heralded the opening of Operation Grand Slam. As Pakistani armoured forces advanced rapidly towards Aknur the Indian defences crumbled and their troops fled in disarray. Instead of exploiting this, the operation was suddenly stopped to effect the infamous change of command.

Gen Choudhry, Indian’s army chief and Lt Gen Harbaksh Singh had given a great opportunity to Gens Naseer and Hameed to trap the western command and score a decisive victory. Instead of being driven by a relentless urge to get to River Beas soonest, they bungled it. The Indian and Pakistani generals in the war of 1965 were cast in the same mould. Only Akhtar Malik stood out as an imaginative and dynamic general.
For more details click link below:
Pak War Blunders in 1965: Indian Army's stunting victory

Indo Pak War 1965- Deputy PM's visit to captured Pak territory

Destroyed Patton Tank 1965 Indo Pak War
Dear Col,
An interesting episode, from far back, as told to me by Lt Col IM Chhabra.
Brig Lakshman Singh (Retd)

The Desi Ghee and the dilemma of the Tiffin Box It was 1965 Punjab where we of XI Corps, having accomplished the task of relieving the Pakstani Army’s pressure in Jammu and Kashmir by inflicting heavy armour casualties in Khem Karan and occupying the Pakistan territory right up to the Ichhogil Canal on the Amritsar- Wagha border. The Corps then deployed in the Lahore sector, had become a busy host for VIP’s looking for photographs with the combat troops, that too in Pakistani territory. With no television those days, it were these photos that filled the news papers.

“Inder, said the Corps Commander, as he unexpectedly walked through the connecting door in my adjoining office ‘Shri Guzari Lal Nanda, the Deputy Prime Minister (Dy PM), is visiting us and arriving day after tomorrow by the Punjab Mail reaching Amritsar at 6 AM and plans to spend the day with the troops deployed in the occupied territory. Please get the visit organised.” He paused for a few seconds and continued- “and yes, another important task for you to oversee personally, he is a pure vegetarian, eats food prepared only by his personal cook, who will also be travelling with him, that too with pure Desi Ghee.”

I was required to organise the cooking of the food by his personal cook. I was informed that a Deputy Superintendent of Amritsar Police with a team of Constables had also been deputed by the Home Ministry to assist me. I was the DAMS to the Corps Commander and I passed detailed instructions all around, tying up loose details in connection with the visit.

Headquarters 7 Infantry Division, deployed in BARKI (Pakistan) where the Dy PM was to have his lunch after visiting the troops, was amply cautioned about the importance of Desi Ghee, and the VIP status of the accompanying personal cook of the Dy PM.

On the appointed day I along with rest of the welcoming party, which included the local congress workers were lined up on the station well before the arrival time. It was a tension filled atmosphere for me but a festive occasion for others.

The train arrived on schedule and as it slowed down the locals broke the line, there was a virtual stampede, flower petals, garlands and slogan shouting– “Gulzari Lal Nanda– Zindabad- Zindabad... Jab Tak Suraj Chand Rahega Tera Nam Yad Rahega...”

I was more worried to locate the Cook and despite the ensuing melee, somehow, with help from the accompanying policemen and our own two LO’s located them and escorted by the LO’s straight to the Divisional mess to get going with cooking the special meal with as much Desi Ghee as required.

I put on the PROs’ cap and got involved with the onerous task of briefing the American and other foreign correspondents who could not digest our having knocked out so many Patton (the invincible) tanks and forcefully negate their assertions that Pakastani troops had ever reached even the outskirts of Amritsar. Thereafter, I reached the officers mess to check on the lunch arrangements, I was horrified to notice Shri Nanda already partaking of the same Aloo-Puree-Chana that I had organised as a back- up menu with others joining him on the table.

I missed a couple of heart beats. To my chagrin, I found him, still in his soiled Kurta Pajama, nonchalantly smoking a Bidi under a nearby tree. Holding my temper as I was furious, I enquired in a brusque tone “Was there any problem with the Ghee and the vegetables for the Dy PM’s lunch?"

The cook could discern my discomfort and he informed me that there was no plan to cook the lunch in situ, as he was to bring the packed lunch from the Dy PM’s residence itself, but in a hurry left the food packet behind in Delhi. I did thank my lucky stars in that I did have a back up plan of Allo–Puree-Chana which ultimately came to rescue the situation.

Lt Col IM Chhabra (Retd)

Evolution of Military Law and necessity of the Armed Forces Tribunal

Chandigarh based noted lawyer Navdeep Singh places a perspective on the recently constituted Armed Forces Tribunal and traces the evolution of the practice of military law for the armed forces personnel.
It would not exactly be appropriate to say that the three military Acts are without enough checks to avoid miscarriage of justice. There are ample provisions parallel to those available under the criminal system of jurisprudence but the problem remains that unlike the criminal courts, court martials are presided over not by judicial officers but by officers of the regular army who neither have the acumen nor the bent towards legal and judicial modalities. Moreover, all procedures finally leading to conviction by a court martial (such as Courts of Inquiry, Summary of Evidence etc) are handled by military personnel who may just follow provisions of military Acts and Rules in formal letter but not in spirit - and this makes all the difference. And this also brings us to the answer why a body of professionals such as the AFT is so very urgently required to sit in judgement and appeal over justice rendered to men and women in uniform by another set of men and women in uniform.
Read full article:
Armed Forces Tribunal

The Sikh Soldiers Saga at SARAGARHI, 12 Sep 1897

The Sikh Regiment Insignia

Sikh Regt Soldiers Circa 1890

Burnt out Fort Saragarhi

The breached wall at Fort Saragarhi

Gurdwara Saragarhi at Firozpur

MEMORIAL TABLET AT SITE OF BATTLE

Present Day Sikh Regt Soldier
LT Col Haughton signaled his HQ in Punjab about the battle that had transpired. Within a few hours, tales of their bravery were making news across India. The Governor General of India Earl of Eglin wrote a personal telegraph to the Queen Victoria on the bravery of the Sikhs soldiers defending the post till their death.

The news reached the House Of Common, as the tales of sacrifice of the 21 Sikh soldiers were narrated; tears flowed freely in the August house, at the end the Chief Whip speech, the entire parliament gave a rousing standing ovation to the Gallant 21, as their name were called out aloud in a symbolic roll call.

The collective courage of the 21 Sikh soldiers moved Queen Victoria so much that her majesty decreed that due to conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity beyond and above the call of duty displayed by the 21 soldiers, all of them shall be awarded the Indian Order Merit (IOM) posthumously. IOM is the highest award for bravery given to colonial troops and it was equivalent to the British Victoria Cross. This was the only time in history of warfare where each soldier who took part in the same battle was given the highest award. Additionally, Her Majesty decreed that the net of kin of these brave soldiers would be given a stipend of 500 rupees and 50 acres of land.

Finally a memorial cenotaph was to be erected near the place where all these 21 soldiers fell, as a perpetual record to the heroic action of these gallant soldiers who died at their posts in the defense of Fort Saragarhi, on the 12 September 1897. Without the stiff resistance of the 21 Sikh soldiers at Saragarhi both Fort Lockhart and Gulistan would have fallen to the enemy. By defending their position long enough for the relief column to arrive with artillery support, the 21 Sikh soldiers became the crucial factor in turning the tides of battle in favour of the British.

The 21 Sikh soldiers fought on continuously for 7 punishing hours without food and water, completely surrounded and pounded from all flanks. Unwearied by constant charges and mortal danger they stood their ground against daunting odds, they repealed wave after wave of attack and fought till their last bullets. Out of ammunition they did not abandon their post and instead chose to engage in a fatal hand to hand combat, till all made the ultimate sacrifice.

When the relief column arrived a day later, they saw the burnt out bodies of all the 21 Sikh soldiers, together with at least 600 dead bodies of the tribesmen strewn only yards in front of their position. The Sikhs faced 10,000 and vanquished but not before taking 600 tribesmen with them.

12th of September officially became the regimental day of the Sikh Regiment, Gurdwara Saragarhi was built in Firozpur as a remembrance to the 21 brave souls. Their name forever etched within the marbles of the Gurdwara, close to the gurus that they were true till the end.

Read the detailed battle account:
THE GALLANT 21: SAGA OF THE SIKH SOLDIERS AT SARAGARHI 12 September, 1897