tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-40179108380174240202024-03-15T11:19:45.528+05:30NewsWarriorA blog that primarily looks at the world of security, defence & strategic affairs with an open mind, eyes wide open, ear to the ground. Asia and the Indian sub-continent is of special interest.
Also focuses on cinema, cricket and travel whenever possible!Nitin A. Gokhalehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04632054380553596730noreply@blogger.comBlogger331125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4017910838017424020.post-79240044554980597772022-05-28T10:28:00.003+05:302022-05-28T10:28:46.131+05:30Treating posting to North-east as a punishment: an old malady <p><i>During my stint in India’s north-east living in and reporting from the region between 1983 and 2006, I had many occasions to interact with civil servants both at the grassroots level and in higher positions. Most were diligent, sincere and committed to serving the people but there were exceptions. Some of them were downright prejudiced, sone hated to belong to civil service cadres in the region and some found ways to shirk their responsibilities. In view of the current controversy over an IAS officer couple being posted to Ladakh and Arunachal as a perceived ‘punishment’ posting, reproducing a piece I wrote in Outlook about recalcitrant babus in 1999. </i></p><ol style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 21px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><li dir="ltr" style="color: #121212; font-family: "playfair display", serif; font-size: 27pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: decimal; padding-left: 18pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 11.25pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 27pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The Briefcase Babus</span></p></li></ol><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: white; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 21px; line-height: 1.295; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 11.25pt;"><span style="color: #4c4a4a; font-family: "open sans", sans-serif; font-size: 13pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Most IAS officers prefer to manage the affairs of the northeast with the bravery of being well out of range</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: white; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 21px; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; padding: 0pt 1.5pt;"></p><div class="x-apple-transform-wrapper" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; height: 151.93789808917197px;"><span style="display: inline-block !important; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; height: 317px !important; transform-origin: 0px 0px; transform: scale(0.47929936305732485); vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; width: 301px !important;"><span style="border: none; display: inline-block; height: 317px; width: 602px;"><img alt="The Briefcase Babus" height="317.0" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/Ui8XC-kOnkvqAfT3Lo29Tp8KdiEuXTUiOO7ZzUWz_PRIKm-dz_DFl7ssgdzGjPONsQN6CEftdLCbpkpMgvEN6HLEdiJ7wmwZdER1nOHsdiZo8TDckIR0x8yDy_bE5n3GzaeNdOJQ-yiABgJyzw" style="margin-left: 0px; margin-top: 0px;" width="602.0" /></span></span></div><p style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"></p><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: white; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 21px; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><a href="https://www.outlookindia.com/author/nitin-a-gokhale/6552" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "open sans", sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Nitin A. Gokhale</span></a><span style="font-family: "open sans", sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="font-family: "open sans", sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: white; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 21px; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; padding: 1.5pt 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "open sans", sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">01 November 1999</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: white; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 21px; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 11.25pt;"><span style="color: #232222; font-family: "playfair display", serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The occasion: A familiarisation tour of the northeast for a batch of ias-ips trainees from the Lal Bahadur Shastri National Academy, Mussoorie. During the interaction at the Assam Administrative Staff College, the trainees are given a questionnaire. Among several probing questions is a query: "Given a choice, would you opt for a deputation to the northeast for a period of five years?" A good 95 per cent of the trainees reply in the negative, citing various reasons for rejecting the option. For the course coordinators, this does not come as a surprise. After all, the newcomers are only reacting to what they have heard and have been told about the working conditions in the region.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: white; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 21px; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 11.25pt;"><span style="color: #232222; font-family: "playfair display", serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">What comes as a shock to many politicians and retired bureaucrats in the region, however, is the similar perception among serving bureaucrats, some of them with nearly two decades of service in the Assam-Meghalaya joint cadre of the ias. As a former chief minister put it very succinctly a few years ago: "These briefcase bureaucrats have little interest in serving the region. They always look down on a tenure in the northeast as punishment postings. When they are compelled to stay here, they are always looking for opportunities to visit Delhi, their briefcases ever ready for the trip to Delhi."</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: white; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 21px; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 11.25pt;"><span style="color: #232222; font-family: "playfair display", serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The pronouncement may be a little harsh and sweeping as not every bureaucrat is a reluctant time-server. But the fact remains that over the past two decades, the number of such officers has steadily increased. Those in the know say it happens something like this. A new entrant, like his counterpart in the rest of the country, joins the cadre, even if reluctantly, takes up his posting as assistant commissioner in a district, moving up the ladder in due course to become a sub-divisional officer and then finally the deputy commissioner (DC) in charge of a district. By the time his or her tenure as DC is over, the officer has already spent six to seven years in the state. The next logical step is to serve time at the secretariat in the state capital. The moment he or she comes to the state capital, the officer begins to explore the possibility of cornering a central deputation that would take him or her to Delhi. Opportunities in this respect are aplenty since state governments are allowed to send up to 40 per cent of its officers on central deputation.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: white; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 21px; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 11.25pt;"><span style="color: #232222; font-family: "playfair display", serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The first deputation is for a period of five years. So far, so good. Logically, after five years, the officer has to be repatriated to the state for a "cooling off" period of two years. This rarely happens. Having made contacts in Delhi, the bureaucrats generally manage to get another posting outside the northeast. It could be in the form of "home cadre" posting under which the officer has to go on deputation to his or her "home cadre" for six years, or in the form of a two-year study leave. Home cadre for a Keralite of the Assam-Meghalaya cadre would mean Kerala. That over, the officer can very well bag another posting in Delhi and remain outside the northeast for another five years, making it a total of 16 years outside the region.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: white; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 21px; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 11.25pt;"><span style="color: #232222; font-family: "playfair display", serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">By the time this officer comes back to the region, he or she has become a full-fledged secretary or principal secretary to the state government. This is the time where his or her stint as a "briefcase bureaucrat" begins. Having got their family settled in Delhi, they constantly want to visit them. And what better way than to get the government to sponsor your visit each time? As a senior secretary to the government, there are plenty of opportunities to attend meetings in Delhi. As Jatin Hazarika, a former bureaucrat himself, puts it: "Every day, when you open your mail, there is an invitation for a meeting in Delhi. But it does not mean that the officer has to go to each of them. A resident commissioner is posted in Delhi precisely to handle such matters and liaise with the central government on behalf of each department of a state government. These days, however, the resident commissioner has become redundant."</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: white; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 21px; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 11.25pt;"><span style="color: #232222; font-family: "playfair display", serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Why has this happened? Explains H.N. Das, a former chief secretary of Assam: "I see mainly three reasons for this tendency of running away from the area at the slightest opportunity. One, there is a feeling among most ias and ips officers belonging to cadres from the northeast that facilities for education of their children and the general standard of living is better in other parts of the country than in this region. Second, several of them enter the service with a definite career aim in mind. By remaining in the northeast, they feel that the chances of career advancement are very limited, which is true to a certain extent, and finally, there is the unwritten caste system prevalent in the service wherein officers of cadres from the northeast are looked down upon by their counterparts elsewhere in the country."</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: white; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 21px; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 11.25pt;"><span style="color: #232222; font-family: "playfair display", serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Agrees Assam's home secretary, Mrinal Kumar Barooah: "For any person, his family is the most important. Everyone wants to give the best education to his children. As a result, most officers, when they take their first deputation outside the region, establish a base there. Later, when they come back to the northeast, the family stays behind. Second, career opportunities for anyone serving in the region are limited, and finally, the prevalent uncertainty of law and order makes many non-northeasterners wary of a posting in the region even if he or she belongs to the cadre here." Barooah, who is the general secretary of the ias Officers' Association, Assam branch, admits that some officers exploit the loopholes in the service rules to the maximum but does not feel that it merits sweeping generalisations.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: white; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 21px; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 11.25pt;"><span style="color: #232222; font-family: "playfair display", serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Like a senior secretary in the northeast says: "It is unfair to bunch all of us in one category. There are many of us who have willingly stayed put in the region and are doing our best." Assam chief minister Prafulla Kumar Mahanta is, however, concerned. "Only those who willingly opt for cadres of the northeastern states should be selected to serve here. If people are forced to join a cadre, they do not work wholeheartedly for the good of the state," he says.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: white; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 21px; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 11.25pt;"><span style="color: #232222; font-family: "playfair display", serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Easier said than done. Under the present scheme of things in the upsc, a candidate is given two choices. Only when he doesn't get his choice is he allotted a cadre which is clearly not of his liking. To overcome any reluctance, the central government has given special facilities for those serving in the northeast. To begin with, they get what is called a special duty allowance (sda) at the rate of 15 per cent of their basic salary and are allowed to retain the official quarters in Delhi along with other facilities like a telephone.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: white; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 21px; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 11.25pt;"><span style="color: #232222; font-family: "playfair display", serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Despite these incentives, there are very few willing candidates for northeast cadres given the insurgency situation in the region and the general perception that the northeast is the most unsafe place to work in. Which begs the question, what is the solution to this dilemma? Das has a simple solution. First, take away the special facilities like sda and official quarters in Delhi and second apply a random method in allotting the cadres or simply employ the lottery system for selection so that there is no discrimination. It may be simplistic but it could be an effective method.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: white; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 21px; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 11.25pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="color: #232222; font-family: "playfair display", serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The serving officers, however, have their own point of view. As one of them puts it: "Why single us out? Every central government undertaking, bank and other financial institution follows the same practice. Moreover, officers coming to this region from outside come for a fixed tenure and additionally get a choice posting after putting in a two-year stint here. We are not afforded that luxury." Points out another: "It is very well to say that we should be more involved in the region's well-being but the fact is most politicians here want bureaucrats drawn from provincial services in key posts so that they can be easily manipulated. And then where is the guarantee of life?" To bolster his case, the officer cites various examples of ias officers killed or kidnapped by extremists.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: white; border-bottom-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 0.75pt; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 21px; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 11.25pt; margin-top: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 1pt;"><span style="color: #232222; font-family: "playfair display", serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">There are arguments and counter-arguments but the fact is, whatever the compulsions of these officers, administration is adversely affected in an already backward region due to the increasing tendency among officers to be reluctant participants in the affairs of the state.</span></p><br class="Apple-interchange-newline" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" />Nitin A. Gokhalehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04632054380553596730noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4017910838017424020.post-52201658180996013162019-10-06T17:17:00.000+05:302019-10-06T17:19:08.774+05:30The RN Kao book: A peep into early years of R&AW<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHqfkZRbEoXyDON7zPS2ISNoSQJJHJAp0S_SBUXVjNRzgtWv102cFlyCQf4JNN2QF7Qwjz1vnCibuPTiEEeFJgJux_H6gV3jwQniLyRk380mGeHH0fQ2WrL2zGlB6SAGmxNSWCVKxXpmLY/s1600/Kao+cover.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="499" data-original-width="312" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHqfkZRbEoXyDON7zPS2ISNoSQJJHJAp0S_SBUXVjNRzgtWv102cFlyCQf4JNN2QF7Qwjz1vnCibuPTiEEeFJgJux_H6gV3jwQniLyRk380mGeHH0fQ2WrL2zGlB6SAGmxNSWCVKxXpmLY/s320/Kao+cover.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><i>Friends, resuming posts here after a long time primarily because I have been involved in other critical and time-bound projects. One of them was the biography of RN Kao, (</i>RN Kao: Gentleman Spymaster<i>) who founded the ARC and the R&AW. The book is in print now. For the moment, read my introduction to what I consider my toughest book so far. Subsequently--and very soon--will publish relevant excerpts here and elsewhere.</i></span><i><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><u><b><br /></b></u></span></i><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><b><i><u><br /></u></i></b></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><b><i><u>PREFACE</u></i></b></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsGPZ8ULz66RNotk9jBnP6HlN2ci6z2ckljtM0nHG7MXk_rUS6R1ujIZSSwXy7mD_Fcvi2T-Q903jBPJuNXolCahrqvNNhpgM6N0mzEDmEgthOTchMPhiJzkLXrps3nv-O8XB-HTmicjfm/s1600/Kao+cover.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a><br /></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Where does one begin to chronicle the life and times of a colossus like Rameshwar Nath Kao? Does one begin with his greatest moment of glory in contributing to the liberation of East Pakistan and the formation of Bangladesh in 1971? Or the fact that he was the founder of one of the world’s best spy agencies, the R&AW? Does one talk about his fiercely private personality? Or his wide-ranging contacts in the secretive world of espionage? For an author like me, it had to be a combination of the personal and the professional to try and capture the essence of Kao, the man, the legend. Somewhere deep in the archives of the Nehru Memorial Museum and Library (NMML) in the heart of New Delhi, lies a set of papers that researchers and historians interested in recording the history of Indian intelligence would love to get their hands on. Alas, only part of those papers—transcripts of tape-recorded dictations left behind by Kao—are currently available. Three crucial files on Bangladesh, the merger of Sikkim and Mrs Indira Gandhi’s assassination, will not be open until 2025, according to instructions left behind by him, months before he passed away in January 2002. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Since those tapes and papers are not public, this biography of Rameshwar Nath Kao—RNK or ‘Ramji’ to his friends, colleagues and family—had to depend on the personal </span><br />
<div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">memories of a vast array of individuals who knew him in different capacities and their interpretations of his personality and contribution, apart from his correspondence with varied intelligence professionals. The task was made doubly difficult by the fact that Kao was by nature a very private person. He was rarely photographed. Except for a tape-recoded interview to Pupul Jayakar, one of Mrs Indira Gandhi’s closest friends, RNK is not known to have given any public statements or formal interviews with any journalist. So, when I was requested to undertake this task, it seemed impossible. But thanks to help proffered by the RN Kao family, the three personal files of Kao that are now open for researchers and scholars at the NMML, the PN Haksar papers and R&AW’s former officers—some of them retired as chiefs of the organisation—I was able to put together this first full account of the personal and professional journey of Ramji Kao, the sensitive, compassionate man behind the façade of a distant, stern spymaster. </span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Not everyone who made this book possible can be named but some who can be are: Shakti Sinha, Director of NMML, for his generous and quick cooperation in locating and making available the Kao files; Vikram Sood, former R&AW Chief, himself an author, for his timely and critical interventions in reading the early draft of the manuscript; my colleagues in <i>www.BharatShakti.in </i>and <i>www.sniwire.com</i>, the two digital platforms I own and run; Soumitra ‘Bobby’ Banerjee, my former boss in early days of my journalism career (for reasons which will become apparent when you read the book in detail); the most supportive team of Paul Kumar, Jyoti Mehrotra, Rajbilochan Prasad and Satyabrat Mishra of Bloomsbury and last but not least the Kao family. </span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">The book however has become possible only because my wife Neha and our sons, Harsh and Utkarsh, put up with my crazy schedule of writing 10–12 hours a day at a stretch for two months. During this period, I cancelled a pre-scheduled foreign trip with my wife, movie going was put on hold and family dinners became a hurried affair in the race to meet the deadline. It is their support that allows me to function stress-free when I am doing projects with the tightest deadlines imaginable. </span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Finally, I can’t thank National Security Adviser Ajit Doval enough for penning the foreword. It is a rare honour to write the untold story of the iconic RN Kao; to have Mr Doval, another legend in the world of intelligence, introduce the book, is a double privilege. </span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">One last word. This is neither history nor a detective thriller. It is by no means a comprehensive chronicle of the R&AW either. Just read it for what it is: a short glimpse into how organisations tasked to protect India’s national interests took shape. Many have contributed in the making of this book but the shortcomings are entirely because of me. </span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Nitin A. Gokhale</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">New Delhi<i></i></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Sept 2019</span></div>
</div>
Nitin A. Gokhalehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04632054380553596730noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4017910838017424020.post-80144292614955190112019-05-18T04:30:00.003+05:302019-05-18T04:59:06.259+05:30Eelam War IV: How it all ended<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin: 14.4pt 178.08pt 0pt 178.8pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #231f20; font-size: 16pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #231f20; font-size: 16pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #231f20; font-size: 16pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></span>
<br /></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-right: 201.6pt; margin-top: 51.6pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #231f20; font-size: 11.5pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><u><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #231f20; font-size: 11.5pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">M</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #231f20; font-size: 9.2pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">AY </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #231f20; font-size: 11.5pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">19, 2009 </span></u></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><u><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #231f20; font-size: 11.5pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></u></span>
<span style="color: #231f20; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 11.5pt; white-space: pre-wrap;">A grim Vinayagyanmoorthi Muralitharan looked down at the body, inspected the belt, the ID card and the pistol that belonged to his former boss. </span><br />
<span style="color: #231f20; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 11.5pt; text-indent: -63.12pt; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #231f20; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 11.5pt; text-indent: -63.12pt; white-space: pre-wrap;">Moments later, he confirmed to the world that Vellupillai Prabhakaran, the elusive head of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) was dead. </span><br />
<span style="color: #231f20; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 11.5pt; text-indent: -63.12pt; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #231f20; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 11.5pt; text-indent: -63.12pt; white-space: pre-wrap;">It was a poignant moment for Muralitharan, better known as ‘Col’ Karuna. </span><br />
<span style="color: #231f20; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 11.5pt; text-indent: -63.12pt; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #231f20; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 11.5pt; text-indent: -63.12pt; white-space: pre-wrap;">Prabhakaran’s trusted bodyguard at one time, ‘Col’ Karuna had risen through the LTTE’s ranks to become one of his most effective and trusted military commanders before deciding to break away from the outfit in 2004. </span><br />
<span style="color: #231f20; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 11.5pt; text-indent: -63.12pt; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #231f20; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 11.5pt; text-indent: -63.12pt; white-space: pre-wrap;">Now a minister in the Sri Lankan government, Muralitharan was flown in into the battle zone on a small, deserted patch of land in the north-east of Sri Lanka that day to bolster the government’s claim that the LTTE chief, considered the most dangerous terrorist leader in the world had indeed been killed by the Sri Lankan Army troops. </span><br />
<span style="color: #231f20; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 11.5pt; text-indent: -63.12pt; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #231f20; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 11.5pt; text-indent: -63.12pt; white-space: pre-wrap;">It was a rather tame end to a firebrand leader who had created from scratch a guerilla force that boasted of a large army, a potent naval arm and a rudimentary air wing. For more than a decade, he had controlled one-third of the island nation’s territory and tormented the Sri Lankan state for over a quarter century. </span><br />
<span style="color: #231f20; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 11.5pt; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #231f20; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 11.5pt; white-space: pre-wrap;">It was not an easy victory for the Sri Lankan Army though. It had taken the Army 33 months of a sustained, bloody and bitter military offensive to corner and finally kill Prabhakaran in a mangrove. </span><br />
<span style="color: #231f20; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 11.5pt; text-indent: -63.12pt; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #231f20; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 11.5pt; text-indent: -63.12pt; white-space: pre-wrap;">The man who led that campaign, Sri Lanka’s Army Commander, Gen. Sarath Fonseka told me in an interview two days after the LTTE leader was killed that Prabhakaran and his close associates did try a last-minute deception-cum-offensive strategy. </span><br />
<span style="color: #231f20; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 11.5pt; text-indent: -63.12pt; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #231f20; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 11.5pt; text-indent: -63.12pt; white-space: pre-wrap;">During the interview in his office, Fonseka described Prabhakaran’s final hours: “On 18th (May) night and 19th morning, top LTTE leadership divided itself into three different groups. They attacked our forward defence line along the Nanthikadal lagoon and did manage to break through. But they had reckoned without our second and third tier defences. These three groups were led by Jeyam, Pottu Amman and Soosai. Prabhakaran and his closest bodyguards thought they had managed to escape but in reality all these LTTE fighters, around 250 of them had got trapped between our first and the second defence lines. After fierce fighting that night and the next morning, almost all the top leadership got killed in the area. We discovered Prabhakaran’s body on 19th morning.” </span><br />
<span style="color: #231f20; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 11.5pt; text-indent: -63.12pt; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #231f20; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 11.5pt; text-indent: -63.12pt; white-space: pre-wrap;">Gen. Fonseka’s measured and pithy narrative, meant primarily for a television audience (I was reporting for NDTV, India’s leading 24- hour news network), does not fully describe what happened on May 18 and 19. </span><br />
<span style="color: #231f20; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 11.5pt; text-indent: -63.12pt; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #231f20; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 11.5pt; text-indent: -63.12pt; white-space: pre-wrap;">I later pieced together the monumental events of those two days through a combination of sources. </span><br />
<span style="color: #231f20; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 11.5pt; text-indent: -63.12pt; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #231f20; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 11.5pt; text-indent: -63.12pt; white-space: pre-wrap;">As Fonseka said, the final battle took place in a narrow stretch of land opening to the Indian Ocean from the East and to the Nanthikadal lagoon from the West. There was an open beachhead on the East, a dusty scrubby land in the middle and a waterlogged stretch full of mangroves on the West. </span><br />
<span style="color: #231f20; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 11.5pt; text-indent: -63.12pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #231f20; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 11.5pt; text-indent: -63.12pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The area actually has one main road access, the Highway A-35 [Paranthan-Mullaittivu] that runs along the northwest- southeast axis, slanting itself towards the lagoon bank. </span><br />
<span style="color: #231f20; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 11.5pt; text-indent: -63.12pt; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #231f20; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 11.5pt; text-indent: -63.12pt; white-space: pre-wrap;">There were plenty of manmade and natural barriers to overcome before one could get to the lagoon though. </span><br />
<span style="color: #231f20; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 11.5pt; text-indent: -63.12pt; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #231f20; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 11.5pt; text-indent: -63.12pt; white-space: pre-wrap;">Troops had to cross two causeways, march on an open beach and overcome several earth bunds and bunkers constructed by the LTTE to defend the last patch of territory in its possession. </span><br />
<span style="color: #231f20; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 11.5pt; text-indent: -63.12pt; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #231f20; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 11.5pt; text-indent: -63.12pt; white-space: pre-wrap;">Gen. Fonseka had deployed three Army Divisions and one Task Force in the final siege of the LTTE leadership. </span><br />
<span style="color: #231f20; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 11.5pt; text-indent: -63.12pt; white-space: pre-wrap;">Major General Kamal Gunrathne was commanding the 53 division and was also in-charge of the Task Force 8 commanded by Colonel G.V. Ravipriya. </span><br />
<span style="color: #231f20; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 11.5pt; text-indent: -63.12pt; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #231f20; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 11.5pt; text-indent: -63.12pt; white-space: pre-wrap;">Brig Shavindra Silva’s 58 Division which had played the main offensive role through the 33 months of Eelam War IV, continued to be the spearhead. </span><br />
<span style="color: #231f20; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 11.5pt; text-indent: -63.12pt; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #231f20; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 11.5pt; text-indent: -63.12pt; white-space: pre-wrap;">And then there was the 59 Division, headed by Major General Prasanna Silva, which was holding the main defensive line south of Vadduvakal causeway even as the other two divisions launched the offensive from the north. With such a massive deployment, the LTTE leadership, including Prabhakaran was truly boxed in. </span><br />
<span style="color: #231f20; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 11.5pt; text-indent: -63.12pt; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #231f20; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 11.5pt; text-indent: -63.12pt; white-space: pre-wrap;">There was only one possible escape route for Prabhakaran and that was through the lagoon. The Sri Lankan Army was aware of this possibility and had deployed its troops accordingly. </span><br />
<span style="color: #231f20; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 11.5pt; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #231f20; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 11.5pt; white-space: pre-wrap;">The countdown to the final battle actually began on May 17. According to officers involved in the operations, the LTTE made its first attempt to escape that morning. Over 150 cadres, under the leadership of a senior leader Jeyam launched a surface attack across the lagoon using small boats around 3 a.m. and managed to land on the western bank just short of the army’s defence line at Keppularu. </span><br />
<span style="color: #231f20; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 11.5pt; text-indent: -63.12pt; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #231f20; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 11.5pt; text-indent: -63.12pt; white-space: pre-wrap;">Troops of the 5 Vijayaba Infantry Regiment and 19 Sri Lanka Light Infantry were waiting in anticipation. After a fierce, three-hour long battle on the western bank of the lagoon, 148 LTTE cadres died. The Army too suffered several casualties.</span><br />
<span style="color: #231f20; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 11.5pt; text-indent: -63.12pt; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #231f20; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 11.5pt; text-indent: -63.12pt; white-space: pre-wrap;">But the Tamil Tigers had failed to breach the defence line and open an escape route for Prabhakaran and other top leaders. It was clear through this attack that the Tigers were trying to establish a foothold on the banks of the lagoon and then open up an escape route for Prabhakaran into the Muthiyankaddu jungle. </span><br />
<span style="color: #231f20; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 11.5pt; text-indent: -63.12pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #231f20; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 11.5pt; text-indent: -63.12pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Gen. Fonseka told me: “We knew that the LTTE would try this option first. If they had managed to establish a foothold there, the leaders would have escaped across the lagoon and disappeared into the huge Muthiyankaddu jungle, making our task of finding them that</span><span style="color: #231f20; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 11.5pt; text-indent: -63.12pt; vertical-align: sub; white-space: pre-wrap;">much more difficult. But we had anticipated their move since their </span><span style="color: #231f20; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 11.5pt; text-indent: -63.12pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">tactics had not changed over the years.” </span><br />
<span style="color: #231f20; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 11.5pt; text-indent: -63.12pt; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #231f20; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 11.5pt; text-indent: -63.12pt; white-space: pre-wrap;">Even as this skirmish ended, the last group of civilians, held hostage by the LTTE walked into the government controlled area. Now the army was free to deal with well-trained and well-armed hardcore LTTE cadres. </span><br />
<span style="color: #231f20; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 11.5pt; text-indent: -63.12pt; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #231f20; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 11.5pt; text-indent: -63.12pt; white-space: pre-wrap;">In Colombo, Gen. Fonseka was personally monitoring the situation.</span><br />
<span style="color: #231f20; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 11.5pt; text-indent: -63.12pt; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #231f20; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 11.5pt; text-indent: -63.12pt; white-space: pre-wrap;">On ground, his formation commanders had drawn up an elaborate plan to trap Prabhakaran. </span><br />
<span style="color: #231f20; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 11.5pt; text-indent: -63.12pt; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #231f20; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 11.5pt; text-indent: -63.12pt; white-space: pre-wrap;">The world’s media was meanwhile descending on Colombo in droves, in anticipation of the LTTE’s military defeat and the possible capture or elimination of Prabhakaran. </span><br />
<span style="color: #231f20; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 11.5pt; text-indent: -63.12pt; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #231f20; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 11.5pt; text-indent: -63.12pt; white-space: pre-wrap;">I too flew into Colombo on May 16, the day when India was glued to its television sets, catching the latest results of the general elections. </span><br />
<span style="color: #231f20; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 11.5pt; text-indent: -63.12pt; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #231f20; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 11.5pt; text-indent: -63.12pt; white-space: pre-wrap;">F</span><span style="color: #231f20; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 11.5pt; text-indent: -63.12pt; white-space: pre-wrap;">or the next 24 hours, all of us were on the edge, tapping all possible sources for news from the frontline. But the official stand remained constant: Top LTTE leaders are cornered in a small patch of land, but beyond that there was no other information. </span><br />
<span style="color: #231f20; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 11.5pt; text-indent: -63.12pt; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #231f20; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 11.5pt; text-indent: -63.12pt; white-space: pre-wrap;">As night fell on May 17, the Sri Lankan army braced for further attacks by the remaining LTTE fighters. </span><br />
<span style="color: #231f20; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 11.5pt; text-indent: -63.12pt; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #231f20; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 11.5pt; text-indent: -63.12pt; white-space: pre-wrap;">And sure enough, the first desperate charge by the Tamil Tigers came after midnight on May 17. </span><br />
<span style="color: #231f20; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 11.5pt; text-indent: -63.12pt; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #231f20; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 11.5pt; text-indent: -63.12pt; white-space: pre-wrap;">The defence ministry website, defence.lk quotes Lieutenant Colonel Keerthi Kottachchi, Commanding Officer of the 17 Gemunu Watch regiment as saying that this attack came in the form of a deception. </span><br />
<span style="color: #231f20; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 11.5pt; text-indent: -63.12pt; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #231f20; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 11.5pt; text-indent: -63.12pt; white-space: pre-wrap;">According to him, a group of terrorists disguised as civilians asked the troops manning the defences along the lagoon bank to let them in around 2.30 a.m. on May 18. </span><br />
<span style="color: #231f20; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 11.5pt; text-indent: -63.12pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“It was my troops that manned the civilian rescue point at Karayamullivaikkal. The terrorists had come along the lagoon bank and were hiding in a small islet in front of our defences. Only a small group came to our line and pleaded with the officer there to let them in </span><span style="color: #231f20; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 11.5pt; text-indent: -63.12pt; white-space: pre-wrap;">saying several injured people were among the group,” Colonel Kottachchi was quoted as saying. </span><br />
<span style="color: #231f20; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 11.5pt; text-indent: -63.12pt; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #231f20; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 11.5pt; text-indent: -63.12pt; white-space: pre-wrap;">However, Colonel Kottachchi was well briefed by his Task Force Commander, Colonel G.V. Ravipriya and Brigade Commander, Lieutenant Colonel Lalantha Gamage on the possibility that LTTE cadres might launch an attack disguising themselves as civilians. </span><br />
<span style="color: #231f20; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 11.5pt; text-indent: -63.12pt; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #231f20; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 11.5pt; text-indent: -63.12pt; white-space: pre-wrap;">“Since all civilians were already rescued, I had given strict instruction to not to take anyone in until dawn. Around 3 a.m., the officer at the rescue point reported that the group which described itself as civilians was becoming violent and trying to breach the defence line. So, I ordered him to fire two shots into the air to control the situation,” he said. </span><br />
<span style="color: #231f20; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 11.5pt; text-indent: -63.12pt; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #231f20; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 11.5pt; text-indent: -63.12pt; white-space: pre-wrap;">“Suddenly nearly 200 terrorists opened up fire and charged into our positions,” the Colonel said. </span><br />
<span style="color: #231f20; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 11.5pt; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #231f20; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 11.5pt; white-space: pre-wrap;">The end battle had been truly joined. Describing the operation, Lieutenant Colonel Lalantha Gamage, the 681 Brigade Commander said: “The terrorists managed to neutralize two of our bunkers, opening about a 100 metre gap in the defences. But after the first charge, most of the initial intruders stepped into firing range of our machine guns and died on the lagoon bank itself. The commandos and infantrymen killed about 100 LTTE cadres including some of the most senior leaders even before they stepped out of the water,” he added. </span><br />
<span style="color: #231f20; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 11.5pt; text-indent: -63.12pt; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #231f20; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 11.5pt; text-indent: -63.12pt; white-space: pre-wrap;">Meanwhile, another group comprising over 100 LTTE cadres tried to breach 58 Division defence, north of Vadduvakkal, at first light. This group also met the same fate at the hands of Special Forces soldiers and infantrymen. </span><br />
<span style="color: #231f20; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 11.5pt; text-indent: -63.12pt; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #231f20; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 11.5pt; text-indent: -63.12pt; white-space: pre-wrap;">A large majority of the other LTTE cadres who managed to swim across the lagoon to step on the ground were killed by the 58 Division troops manning the defence line on the coastal side of the A-35 road. Over 100 other LTTE cadres who remained hiding in the mangroves were killed by the commandos, Special Forces and infantry troops conducting mopping up operations. </span><br />
<span style="color: #231f20; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 11.5pt; text-indent: -63.12pt; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #231f20; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 11.5pt; text-indent: -63.12pt; white-space: pre-wrap;">The first group to meet its end at the hands of army’s counter penetration troops was in fact led by Prabhakaran’s elder son, Charles </span><span style="color: #231f20; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 11.5pt; white-space: pre-wrap;">Anthony. The group was gunned down before they could walk the 250m distance from the point of infiltration. </span><br />
<span style="color: #231f20; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 11.5pt; text-indent: -63.12pt; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #231f20; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 11.5pt; text-indent: -63.12pt; white-space: pre-wrap;">Charles Anthony’s battered body was discovered and identified almost immediately. </span><br />
<span style="color: #231f20; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 11.5pt; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #231f20; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 11.5pt; white-space: pre-wrap;">It was May 18. As we flashed the news and analyzed the implications from far away Colombo, rumors, half-truths and lies were swirling endlessly. </span><br />
<span style="color: #231f20; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 11.5pt; text-indent: -63.12pt; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #231f20; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 11.5pt; text-indent: -63.12pt; white-space: pre-wrap;">Several conflicting reports about Prabhakaran’s whereabouts led to confused reporting all across the media that day. </span><br />
<span style="color: #231f20; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 11.5pt; text-indent: -63.12pt; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #231f20; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 11.5pt; text-indent: -63.12pt; white-space: pre-wrap;">One report said he had managed to escape into the Muthiyankaddu jungle; another quoted senior military officials as saying Prabhakaran, Sea Tigers Chief Soosai and LTTE’s intelligence Chief Pottu Amman were gunned down while trying to escape in a hijacked ambulance, their bodies burnt beyond recognition after the vehicle caught fire. </span><br />
<span style="color: #231f20; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 11.5pt; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #231f20; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 11.5pt; white-space: pre-wrap;">As it turned out, none of these reports was true. A senior military official clarified later: “It was an ambulance that belonged to the Advanced Dressing Station of the Air mobile brigade. It was destroyed by the terrorists may be in a failed attempt to hijack the vehicle. We initially received reports from the soldiers that there was a burnt body lying close to the destroyed vehicle. The body had a structure resembling Prabhakaran. But that information was proven wrong,” he added. </span><br />
<span style="color: #231f20; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 11.5pt; text-indent: -63.12pt; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #231f20; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 11.5pt; text-indent: -63.12pt; white-space: pre-wrap;">The clarification came much later. For most of May 18, we in the media kept reporting and repeating the story even when the defence ministry and the army refrained from officially confirming the reports of Prabhakaran’s death. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; text-indent: -63.12pt;"><span style="color: #231f20; font-size: 11.5pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; text-indent: -63.12pt;"><span style="color: #231f20; font-size: 11.5pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">On the battlefield itself, troops had beaten back every desperate attempt by the LTTE leadership to escape the dragnet. Through the day, mopping up operations continued across the battle zone. Over 350 bodies of LTTE cadres were recovered. But it was a major task to identify each of those slain cadres. Intelligence officials got down to work, comparing photographs available with them with each of the dead.</span><span style="color: #231f20; font-size: 11.5pt; vertical-align: sub; white-space: pre-wrap;">It was a painstaking job. But by late evening that day, the Army </span></span><span style="color: #231f20; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 11.5pt; text-indent: -63.12pt; white-space: pre-wrap;">had been able to positively identify more than 30 top- and middle- level Tamil Tigers. </span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin: 3.12pt 80.4pt 0pt 18pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 0pt 63.12pt; text-align: left; text-indent: -63.12pt;">
<span style="color: #231f20; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 11.5pt; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #231f20; font-size: 11.5pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">There was however no sign yet of Prabhakaran, Soosai or Pottu Amman. </span></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #231f20; font-size: 11.5pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">So there was no let up in the watch. Field Commanders, acutely conscious of the possibility that Prabhakaran and his top associates may still be hiding in the area, did not allow the troops to relax. The next 12 hours were going to be crucial. </span></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #231f20; font-size: 11.5pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">And May 19, 2009 indeed turned out to be a big day for Sri Lanka. At 9.30 a.m. President Mahinda Rajapaksa began his address to the Parliament. He surprised everyone by beginning his speech in Tamil. But Rajapaksa too was silent on Prabhakaran’s whereabouts, raising doubts whether the Army had actually finished the war. </span></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #231f20; font-size: 11.5pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">But unknown to many of us, the quarter-century old civil war in Sri Lanka had already reached it climax early that morning after a dramatic fight in a deserted mangrove. </span></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #231f20; font-size: 11.5pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Throughout the night of May 18 and the early hours of May 19, Major General Kamal Gunarathne, Colonel G.V. Ravipriya and Lieutenant Colonel Lalantha Gamage were planning the final assault on the last remaining patch of mangroves that lies south of the causeway at Karayamullavaikkal. </span></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #231f20; font-size: 11.5pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The commandos had already cleared a large part of the mangroves on the previous day. At 8.30 a.m. the second clearing operation was launched in the remaining part of the mangroves by both commandos and 4 VIR troops. </span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #231f20; font-size: 11.5pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #231f20; font-size: 11.5pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Lieutenant Colonel Lalantha Gamage, and Lieutenant Colonel Rohitha Aluwihare, Commanding Officer of the 4 VIR were personally leading the assault. </span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #231f20; font-size: 11.5pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #231f20; font-size: 11.5pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Two 8-man teams and one 4-man team of 4 VIR Bravo company were scouring the mangroves. </span></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #231f20; font-size: 11.5pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">As soon as the first team lead by Sergeant SP Wijesinghe entered the mangroves, they came under heavy small arms fire. The soldiers had to take cover behind thorny bushes in chest deep water. After an hour of intense exchange of fire, Wijesinghe’s team advanced some 50 </span></span><span style="color: #231f20; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 11.5pt; white-space: pre-wrap;">metres and found five bodies. All the slain LTTE cadres were carrying pistols and revolvers. </span><br />
<span style="color: #231f20; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 11.5pt; text-indent: -63.12pt; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #231f20; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 11.5pt; text-indent: -63.12pt; white-space: pre-wrap;">Wijesinghe and team instantly knew they were onto the big fish since only bodyguards of top leaders in the LTTE were allowed to carry pistols. </span><br />
<span style="color: #231f20; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 11.5pt; text-indent: -63.12pt; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #231f20; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 11.5pt; text-indent: -63.12pt; white-space: pre-wrap;">The veteran Sergeant immediately alerted his Brigade Commander and the Commanding Officer. </span><br />
<span style="color: #231f20; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 11.5pt; text-indent: -63.12pt; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #231f20; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 11.5pt; text-indent: -63.12pt; white-space: pre-wrap;">Moments later, one of the bodies was identified as that of Vinodan, one of the most senior bodyguards of the inner protection team of the LTTE leader. “Within seconds we knew the importance of the finding,” Lieutenant Colonel Lalantha Gamage later said. </span><br />
<span style="color: #231f20; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 11.5pt; text-indent: -63.12pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #231f20; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 11.5pt; text-indent: -63.12pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The troops were now too close to their ultimate target to take any chances. Major General Kamal Gunaratne, who was closely following every move of the assault team, ordered Sgt. Wijesinghe and his team to form a defensive line and plug any possible escape route. Another eight man infantry team and a four man commando force was sent as reinforcement from the flank to support Sgt. Wijesinghe’s advance party.</span><span style="color: #231f20; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 11.5pt; text-indent: -63.12pt; vertical-align: sub; white-space: pre-wrap;">The second team was lead by Sergeant TM Muthubanda. </span><br />
<span style="color: #231f20; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 11.5pt; text-indent: -63.12pt; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #231f20; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 11.5pt; text-indent: -63.12pt; white-space: pre-wrap;">As soon as these teams advanced, they were fired upon. Another intense gun battle ensued. After an hour of heavy exchange of fire, the mangroves suddenly went silent. The two team leaders cautiously advanced into the bushes to find 18 bodies scattered around. </span><br />
<span style="color: #231f20; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 11.5pt; text-indent: -63.12pt; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #231f20; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 11.5pt; text-indent: -63.12pt; white-space: pre-wrap;">Among them was Vellupillai Prabhakaran, the man who had tormented the Sri Lankan state for over 30 years. </span><br />
<span style="color: #231f20; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 11.5pt; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #231f20; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 11.5pt; white-space: pre-wrap;">It was 8.30 a.m. on May 19, 2009. The Army commander was immediately informed. But Gen. Fonseka wanted to be doubly sure before announcing the news to the world. </span><br />
<span style="color: #231f20; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 11.5pt; text-indent: -63.12pt; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #231f20; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 11.5pt; text-indent: -63.12pt; white-space: pre-wrap;">After consultations with Defence Secratary Gotabaya Rajapaksa, it was decided to request Vinagyanmoorty Muralitharan alias ‘Col’ Karuna to positively identify the slain LTTE leader’s body. </span><br />
<span style="color: #231f20; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 11.5pt; text-indent: -63.12pt; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #231f20; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 11.5pt; text-indent: -63.12pt; white-space: pre-wrap;">Daya Master, who had surrendered to the authorities less than a month ago after being an important link between the LTTE and the media, was also flown in into the battlefield. </span><br />
<span style="color: #231f20; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 11.5pt; text-indent: -63.12pt; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #231f20; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 11.5pt; text-indent: -63.12pt; white-space: pre-wrap;">Both immediately confirmed that the body lying on the banks of the Nanthikadal Lagoon was indeed that of Prabhakaran—the man who created and led the world’s most dreaded terrorist outfit. </span><br />
<span style="color: #231f20; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 11.5pt; text-indent: -63.12pt; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #231f20; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 11.5pt; text-indent: -63.12pt; white-space: pre-wrap;">The military defeat of the LTTE was complete. The President, who had just finished his address to the Parliament, was informed. </span><br />
<span style="color: #231f20; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 11.5pt; text-indent: -63.12pt; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #231f20; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 11.5pt; text-indent: -63.12pt; white-space: pre-wrap;">An hour later, images of Prabhakaran’s body, dressed in military fatigues, were flashed on television screens across the globe. </span><br />
<span style="color: #231f20; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 11.5pt; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #231f20; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 11.5pt; white-space: pre-wrap;">There was total disbelief. And several unanswered questions. How could a man who introduced so many innovative terrorist methods die such an inglorious death? Did he not have an escape plan? Why didn’t he consume cyanide as many of his cadres did when cornered? Why didn’t the man, who always had a surprise move up his sleeve, no matter how adverse the circumstances, manage to turn the tables this time? </span><br />
<span style="color: #231f20; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 11.5pt; text-indent: -63.12pt; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #231f20; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 11.5pt; text-indent: -63.12pt; white-space: pre-wrap;">Only his closest aides or family would have been able to provide correct answers but all of them are now dead. </span><br />
<span style="color: #231f20; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 11.5pt; text-indent: -63.12pt; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #231f20; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 11.5pt; text-indent: -63.12pt; white-space: pre-wrap;">Several days after Prabhakaran’s death was announced, there were many whispers about how the Army had captured Prabhakaran and his family alive, kept them in custody, tortured them and then executed them all in cold blood. </span><br />
<span style="color: #231f20; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 11.5pt; text-indent: -63.12pt; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #231f20; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 11.5pt; text-indent: -63.12pt; white-space: pre-wrap;">Another version said Prabhakaran himself shot the entire family— wife Madhivadhani Erambu, daughter Duvaraga (23) and younger son Balachandran (11)—before killing himself, after they were surrounded by the army. </span><br />
<span style="color: #231f20; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 11.5pt; text-indent: -63.12pt; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #231f20; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 11.5pt; text-indent: -63.12pt; white-space: pre-wrap;">But none of the rumors are verifiable, although it must be said that the government is silent on Madhivadhani, Duvaraga and Balachandran’s fate, leaving a lot of scope for speculation. </span><br />
<span style="color: #231f20; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 11.5pt; text-indent: -63.12pt; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #231f20; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 11.5pt; text-indent: -63.12pt; white-space: pre-wrap;">In the week after his death many pro-LTTE websites, Tamil magazines and newspapers had gone to the extent of claiming that Prabhakaran was still alive and the body that was displayed by the Sri Lankan army as the LTTE chief’s was in fact that of a look alike! But the Sri Lankan government had no doubt that its army had finally eliminated Prabhakaran. Nearly a month later, a DNA test also confirmed that the body recovered from the banks of the Nanthikadal lagoon was of the LTTE supremo. </span><br />
<span style="color: #231f20; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 11.5pt; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #231f20; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 11.5pt; white-space: pre-wrap;">So what led to Prabhakaran’s ultimate downfall? Several factors contributed to the LTTE’s military defeat. But ‘Col’ Karuna’s remark to me, a day after he identified Prabhakaran’s body, perhaps encapsulates in one sentence, the reason for Prabhakaran’s self-destruction. </span><br />
<span style="color: #231f20; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 11.5pt; text-indent: -63.12pt; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #231f20; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 11.5pt; text-indent: -63.12pt; white-space: pre-wrap;">Karuna, who admitted feeling a bit sad to see his former boss meeting such a violent end, said: “Prabhakaran was not a man of peace. He only knew how to destroy, not build.” </span><br />
<span style="color: #231f20; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 11.5pt; text-indent: -63.12pt; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #231f20; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 11.5pt; text-indent: -63.12pt; white-space: pre-wrap;">There cannot be a more accurate assessment of the man who gave the world the cult of suicide bombers. Prabhakaran was the man who ordered assassination of Presidents and Prime Ministers. He was the man who inspired and motivated thousands of young men and women to sacrifice their lives for the cause of Tamil Eelam. </span><br />
<span style="color: #231f20; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 11.5pt; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #231f20; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 11.5pt; white-space: pre-wrap;">He however did not know when to quit. Over the years, a succession of victories had made the LTTE chief complacent and overconfident of his own abilities which prevented him from accepting changed realities. Prabhakaran lived and died as a terrorist without graduating into a political leader. </span><br />
<span style="color: #231f20; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 11.5pt; text-indent: -63.12pt; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #231f20; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 11.5pt; text-indent: -63.12pt; white-space: pre-wrap;">‘Col’ Karuna says Prabhakaran himself sowed the seeds of his own destruction in the post-2002 era when he accepted a Norway-brokered ceasefire but failed to carry forward the process. </span><br />
<i style="color: red; font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif; font-size: 11.5pt; text-indent: -63.12pt; white-space: pre-wrap;">(Excerpted from my 2009 book Sri Lanka: From War to Peace)</i></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
</div>
</div>
Nitin A. Gokhalehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04632054380553596730noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4017910838017424020.post-3737257129465487892019-03-18T01:02:00.001+05:302019-03-22T08:46:22.805+05:30Manohar Parrikar I was lucky to know<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "cambria" , serif; font-size: 14pt;">Our
first conversation began with a misunderstanding. In January 2015, I was in
Baroda when an ‘unknown’ number flashed on my mobile. Thinking it was a friend
from abroad whose number normally doesn’t show up, I greeted him exuberantly
expecting a similar response. Instead, the voice on the other end said, ‘This
is Manohar.’ Puzzled, I rather curtly replied: ‘Who Manohar?’ ‘Parrikar,’ the
caller added. The penny dropped.</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background: white; color: #222222; font-family: "cambria" , "serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqrecq4cR5mGGgRo0YbYjwod9GskFRKgyFRbh1oAwN7RgbsfQEIJDhEhqnJFcuB1fVOOomXcp9QzNh4p5-qKAJxIx131ABP5JphsIUXlziGD31tWXGXq8koSBvLxTh1pHTMY8X6VBsOPNx/s1600/parrikar1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; display: inline !important; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="636" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqrecq4cR5mGGgRo0YbYjwod9GskFRKgyFRbh1oAwN7RgbsfQEIJDhEhqnJFcuB1fVOOomXcp9QzNh4p5-qKAJxIx131ABP5JphsIUXlziGD31tWXGXq8koSBvLxTh1pHTMY8X6VBsOPNx/s320/parrikar1.jpg" width="212" /></a><span style="background: white; color: #222222; font-family: "cambria" , "serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">It
was India’s Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar. He had personally called. From
his own mobile. No PA, no exchange, nobody holding the line. He had simply
dialed directly. ‘I want to meet you,’ he said in a matter of fact tone after
I had apologised for being slightly rude in my initial reaction. ‘Don’t say
sorry. We have never spoken before and my number doesn’t flash. How would you
know who is calling,’ Parrikar pointed out and immediately put me at ease. I
told him I was away and would return to Delhi in the next couple of days.
‘Done. Let’s have lunch on Sunday. I am staying in Kota House. Please come
there around 1230,’ Parrikar told me. My next question was, ‘who should I be in
touch with?’ ‘No one. You call me. Please note my number.’ And just like that, my
short but memorable association with Manohar Parrikar begun. </span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "cambria" , "serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;" />
<br style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;" />
<span style="background: white;"><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; float: none; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">I was puzzled and to be honest, also flattered that India’s
defence minister wanted to meet me. I was intrigued because at that point in
time, I was at a loose end having left NDTV in December 2014. I was not an
important Editor or an influential journalist, yet he wanted to meet me. ‘What
could he possibly want from me,’ I kept thinking over the next two days since
Parrikar had not mentioned any agenda or subject for our meeting. </span><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "cambria" , "serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br />
<span style="background: white;"><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; float: none; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">Hours before going to Kota House (the Naval facility where he
was staying since a Lutyen zone bungalow was yet to be allotted to Parrikar), I
banged out a one-page suggestion sheet in bullet points, highlighting what I
thought were key issues in the Ministry of Defence (MoD). </span></span><br style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;" />
<br style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;" />
<span style="background: white;"><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; float: none; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">At Kota House, I was ushered in straight into his suite. A
smiling Parrikar, dressed as usual in his trademark open bush shirt and
trousers, instantly put me at ease. I had heard many good things about his
simplicity, his open approach. In fact, my friend Tejas Mehta, who was then the
Mumbai bureau chief of NDTV had specifically asked me to meet Parrikar in
November 2014 when he took over as Defence Minister, mentioning that he
was very approachable. However, I had no real reason to meet the new defence minster
since I was quitting full-time journalism around the same time. All this came
back to my mind in a flash as we sat down.</span></span><br style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;" />
<br style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;" />
<span style="background: white;"><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; float: none; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">After a moment of awkward silence on my part, I tentatively
offered him the one-page sheet I had typed out. After spending two-three
minutes reading it, Parrikar said, ‘good suggestions. And I am already working
on some of them. But tell me, why does the MoD function on a principle of mistrust?’
Taken aback at the rather direct remark, I asked asked him to elaborate. ‘In
these two-three months that I have been here, the most striking aspect I
noticed is the all-pervasive atmosphere of suspicion. Everyone is looking over
his or her own shoulders. There is very little coordination; the overwhelming
tendency is to first say no to everything,’ a visibly agitated Parrikar
explained. </span></span><br style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;" />
<br style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;" />
<span style="background: white;"><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; float: none; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">I was astonished at how quickly a newcomer like him (no
previous experience at the Centre) had gauged the work culture in South
Block. ‘It has been like this for decades,’ I concurred. What can be done to
improve the system,’ was Parrikar’s next question. ‘Well, there are no
ready made solutions,’ I added. </span></span><br style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;" />
<br style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;" />
<span style="background: white;"><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; float: none; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">‘There has to be a solution! I think the key is in getting
everyone to sit down and evolve a fresh approach. I will call you again to
discuss something that I have in mind,’ he said ‘but let’s not keep the fish
waiting, gesturing towards the dining table. That’s where I first got a
glimpse of his legendary love for fish.</span> As we finished lunch,
another point I noted was the ease with which he interacted with his personal
staff. Upendra Joshi and Mayuresh Khanvate were among the two most trusted of
his personal staff. They also ate with us, sitting on the same dining table.
Later I knew why. When he trusted a person, he trusted him or her fully. No
half measures.</span><br />
<br style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;" />
<span style="background: white;"><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; float: none; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">As weeks went by, we met more frequently—always at his
initiative—since I had insisted that I will meet him only when <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">he</i> wanted. Gradually, his calls started
coming daily. He was hungry for new information, fresh insights. I provided
whatever I could with my limited knowledge.</span></span><br style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;" />
<br style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;" />
<span style="background: white;"><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; float: none; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">One day, Parrikar said he wanted to revise the Defence
Procurement Procedure (DPP). Give me some names of experts who can revise,
rewrite and simplify the procedures, he told me. So I suggested half a dozen
names. He chose four of them for the committee that eventually wrote the DPP
2016. </span>It had many revolutionary ideas and Parrikar’s stamp was very
clearly visible. He overcame stiff opposition from within to introduce a new category for procurement in the MoD called IDDM--Indigenously designed, developed and manufactured--products giving them top priority in acquisition. </span></span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "cambria" , serif; font-size: 14pt;">I dare say that the improved transparency in the MoD and the willingness of top officials to meet and explore collaborations is the lasting legacy Parrikar has left behind in the South Block.</span><br />
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "cambria" , "serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">
<br style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;" />
<span style="background: white;"><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; float: none; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">As months went by</span>, he started calling me home at 10
Akbar Road. Sometime early morning at 7, many a times after 10 pm, after he had
finished with his official work. At night, he would inevitably share a beer
(Bira had become his favourite) and ruminate, bounce off ideas and sometimes
express his frustration about the obstacles he faced in the system. So much so
that even when I went off to Honolulu for the 40-day Advanced Security
Cooperation Course at the Asia-Pacific Centre for Security Studies in
September-October 2015, he would occasionally call from his staff’s Whatsapp
number just to chat. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "cambria" , "serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="background: white;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background: white; color: #222222; font-family: "cambria" , "serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">By
middle of 2015, he had understood what could work in the murky world of
defence, and what could not. However, he was never comfortable in Delhi’s
culture of sycophancy. His bungalow was open to everyone but fixers and
influencers. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So I had to be doubly
careful since word had spread about my unrestricted access to India’s defence
minister. I must have blocked at least 14-15 numbers in the period that
Parrikar was in Delhi because people of dubious credentials wanted to use my
closeness to him. I would inevitably tell him about who I had blocked. He would
smile and say, ‘good!’<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background: white; color: #222222; font-family: "cambria" , "serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background: white; color: #222222; font-family: "cambria" , "serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">In
November 2015, I launched BharatShakti.in. I wanted to begin with a detailed
interview with India’s defence minister. But somehow, he couldn’t find time to
sit for an hour or more. When I started breathing down his neck as the deadline
neared, he said come to Goa. ‘We will fly back together. That way we will get
two uninterrupted hours.’ So one fine day, we boarded his official Embraer from
Dabolim airport. For the next two hours, I recorded a freewheeling chat with
him. The result: his most detailed interview ever (<a href="https://bharatshakti.in/exclusive-interview-with-rm/">https://bharatshakti.in/exclusive-interview-with-rm/</a>).
In fact, it was so detailed that most of what he said translated into policy one
by one as months went by. The most astonishing aspect of that two-hour plane
journey from Goa to Delhi was the fact that he never referred to a single piece
of paper. Everything was on his fingertips. His phenomenal memory and eye for
detail was clearly evident during that interaction.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background: white; color: #222222; font-family: "cambria" , "serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background: white; color: #222222; font-family: "cambria" , "serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Parrikar
was also a voracious reader. One day—I think after he returned from his maiden
trip to the US—he handed to me a book and said, ‘read this if you haven’t.’ It
was titled <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Victory on the Potomac</i> by
a Pentagon insider detailing the battles that were won and lost in the American
political arena before the Goldwater-Nicholos Act was promulgated. ‘Give me
your opinion on what could we borrow from here for India,’ he told me, signalling
the intent for creating jointness and integration of the three services. On
another day, he fished out Robert Greene’s <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">33
Strategies of War </i>and revealed, ‘it is useful for me to follow some of the
tips in this book for my own journey in politics. You should also read it.’ Both
those books are still with me. In fact, the day he vacated his bungalow, he
carted all his books to Goa Sadan and three weeks later asked me to pick and
choose what I wanted to take home. I brought home about 60-65 books. Now they
will remind me of him, each time I pick up any one of them to read or refer to.
<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background: white; color: #222222; font-family: "cambria" , "serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background: white; color: #222222; font-family: "cambria" , "serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">I
was always curious about his journey from IIT Bombay to politics. He narrated a
very revealing anecdote about how it all began but suffice it to say once he
decided to take the plunge, he was a natural. Parrikar knew how to extract the
best out of a diverse set of people. He was loved, respected and followed
blindly but Goans for over two decades. He had his faults of course. For one,
he hated to decentralise or delegate. Calling him control freak would be an exaggeration
but because he was a perfectionist, Parrikar preferred to do most of the work
himself. He also therefore, did not or could not groom second rung political
leadership in Goa. He could also be very acerbic when he wanted. Parrikar
carried the zeal that had made him such an adored leader in his own state to
Delhi but the workload in the MoD was enormous. So he would invariably wake up
at 4 am and not sleep until 11 pm. The punishing routine and the fact that he
worked all seven days a week (five days in Delhi and two days in Goa), took its
toll. He was practically running the MoD and the state of Goa simultaneously.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background: white; color: #222222; font-family: "cambria" , "serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background: white; color: #222222; font-family: "cambria" , "serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">When
in Delhi, he would miss the informal Goan way of life. He had to behave formally
as defence minister most of the time. But when Parrikar felt he had to unwind,
he would suddenly call and ask if I was in Delhi and free. If I said yes, he
would ask me to request my wife to cook simple, home- made fish curry and rice
and tell me to keep a couple of bottles of beer in the refrigerator before he
arrived. For the next 90 minutes or so, India’s defence minister used to regale
us with anecdotes from his personal life in his typical witty style, forgetting
all the burden that he carried on his shoulders. We in the family too developed
such a close bond with him that none of us felt he was an outsider. For us, it
became an accepted fact that Parrikar would drop in at home without much notice. Now,
looking back, we have suddenly realised that we don’t even have a single photo
with him in our house although I have many snaps with him in public functions.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background: white; color: #222222; font-family: "cambria" , "serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background: white; color: #222222; font-family: "cambria" , "serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">As
I write this, my eyes well up and thousands of memories come flooding back. I
am an emotional jumble at the moment but even when I look back after some
months, I am sure I will feel the same way about Parrikar—Bhai to everyone in
Goa, but like an elder brother to me in the two years that I got to know him so
closely in Delhi. To say we will miss him is to state the obvious but for me
the bigger loss is for India as a nation. You went too soon Manohar Parrikar.
Travel well my friend. You will remain an inspiration for life. The biggest lesson I draw from your life is to remain humble, no matter what heights you reach. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br /></div>
Nitin A. Gokhalehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04632054380553596730noreply@blogger.com32tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4017910838017424020.post-19268819589839908782018-07-16T10:58:00.003+05:302018-07-25T17:45:15.157+05:30Remembering Gen KV Krishna Rao<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">Had he lived, Kotikalapudi Venkata Krishna Rao, or Gen KV Krishna Rao would have turned 95 today. He passed away two years ago in Secunderabad, leaving behind a rich legacy as India's Army Chief, Governor of several states including J&K during a very turbulent phase in the 1990s and a strategic thinker who ushered in long-term changes in the India Army's organisational structure and its doctrinal thinking.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">By the time I met him for the first time in 2006, Gen Krishna Rao had comfortably settled down in his retirement house after having done his bit for the nation as an army officer and as a Governor. But even before joining NDTV, he played a small role in my decision to shift to Delhi and take up the NDTV assignment.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">I had come to Delhi from Guwahati in January 2006 to discuss the possibility of becoming NDTV's Defence Editor. After discussions with the editorial leadership, I was meeting the CEO, Narayan Rao (Gen Krishna Rao's son, who too has passed away--God bless his soul) to finalise my terms before joining the organisation. Till then, I of course had no idea that Narayan was Gen Krishna Rao's son. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">We got chatting about Army life, after he learnt about my background. "I too am an army kid he said without revealing who his father was. I was yet to decide whether to shift to Delhi and join NDTV. Then suddenly Narayan remarked, "Wait, aren't you the guy who did the Kargil reports for Outlook? Also the stories on Brig Surinder Singh?" I nodded in the affirmative. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Without saying a word he picked up his mobile and dialled someone. Then, without warning, he passed the phone to me and said, "speak to my father." Dumbfounded, I asked, who's your father. He said Gen KV Krishna Rao! It was all very unnerving. I nevertheless blurted out a greeting to the General and said Sir, I'am Nitin Gokhale. It's a great honour to speak with you." Gen Krishna Rao's reply was: "Of course I know your name. I wanted to thank you for saving my Paltan's izzat." I was flabbergasted. For life of me I couldn't fathom why he was saying that. His next sentence removed the confusion. He said: "Thanks for giving the right perspective on what happened in Kargil and to one of our own boys, Brig Surinder Singh." Brig Surinder, former commander of the 121 Brigade in Kargil was a controversial figure in the context of the 1999 conflict and he belonged to the Mahar Regiment, the General's own regiment. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">The penny dropped. I thanked him for his words and was about the give the phone back to Narayan when the General said from the other end: "I am told by Narayan that you are still in two minds about joining NDTV. Don't hesitate. Take up the offer. You will like it." He left me with no choice really! His nudge was one of the reasons why I decided to come to Delhi in 2006. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Then, later in 2006 I met him in Secunderabad and spent a very educative two hours listening to his experiences, his thoughts on the army, the security situation and the strategic challenges that India faced. He shared his experience in bringing in organisational changes in the army and also why Mrs Indira Gandhi decided to appoint Gen AS Vaidya as Army Chief to succeed him instead of Lt Gen SK Sinha! We also chatted about the north-east (where I had already spent 23 years) and the 8 Mountain Division, commanded by Gen Krishna Rao in the 1971 war. That Division used to be based in the north-east before being shifted to Kargil-Dras area in 1999.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Gradually as I started taking more focused interest in the military and some of the strategic issues, I read about Gen Rao's contribution to a major shift in Indian Army's doctrinal thinking between 1975 and mid-1980s. The mechanisation of the Indian Army, the raising of the Mechanised Infantry were his seminal contributions to the nation. Gen Rao's vision was later translated into reality by Gen Krishnaswamy Sundarji. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">As Col Vivek Chadha writes in an IDSA article: "The government appointed an expert panel in 1975 to undertake,
probably for the first time, a long-term perspective plan for the army. The committee was headed by Lieutenant General (later General) K.V.
Krishna Rao, with Major Generals M.L. Chibber and K. Sunderji as
members and Brigadier A.J.M. Homji as secretary. It was mandated to
present a perspective till 2000. It was required to evaluate national security
threats, propose a strategy against it, visualise the future battlefield,
determine the size of the army and suggest an incremental build-up of
forces. Wide-ranging discussions were carried out by the committee with
a number of agencies, including the Indian Space Research Organisation
(ISRO) and Planning Commission. This ensured that it was able to collate
a wide cross-section of views prior to making its recommendations. These
changes aimed at improving the teeth to tail ratio of the army, making its
organisationally lean even as it pursued modernisation.
This report followed up on the limited mechanisation of the army that
had begun in 1969 with the induction of TOPAZ and SKOT armoured
personnel carriers. As a result of the recommendations of the report,
this received an impetus with the raising of the Mechanised Infantry
Regiment on 2 April 1979, equipped with BMPs. The real impact of
these recommendations was felt when Sundarji took over as the Chief of
Army Staff in 1986. By the end of his tenure, 23 mechanised battalions
had been raised, most equipped with BMP-2 infantry combat vehicles
(ICVs), thereby utilising the best technology available."<br style="background-color: white;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">Even by 1975, General Rao had done enough to be remembered well in the Indian Army. He was commissioned in August 1942 in the Mahar Regiment and served in Burma, North West Frontier and Baluchistan during the Second World War. He was part of Lord Mountbatten’s Punjab Boundary Force during Partition, which saved lives in both East and West Punjab during extensive rioting. He saw action as a Company Commander with 3 Mahar, the infantry battalion he later commanded, in the Jammu and Kashmir operations of 1948.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"><br /></span></span><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTdXdkRK8xWRx5mtQ4f-CsTN17EBGJqow7QVRNfl3vLFqEPghLhSuEBpBC1vMEV-4GXaM-G4LactiwePr_CcdiJJ1eAV1j09alFr7iqHf-tTkBqsm7iX8jLoP-lnDomxpZDL3hDxnjxmgH/s1600/KVK.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="242" data-original-width="208" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTdXdkRK8xWRx5mtQ4f-CsTN17EBGJqow7QVRNfl3vLFqEPghLhSuEBpBC1vMEV-4GXaM-G4LactiwePr_CcdiJJ1eAV1j09alFr7iqHf-tTkBqsm7iX8jLoP-lnDomxpZDL3hDxnjxmgH/s1600/KVK.jpg" /></a><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">But the moment he cherished most from his life was the one he began his memoirs, In the Service of the Nation — Reminiscences, with: being witness to Pakistan’s surrender at Dhaka in December 1971. He was the GOC of 8 Mountain Division in Sylhet sector, where his division liberated North-East Bangladesh. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">After his retirement, Gen Rao served as the governor of Nagaland, Manipur and Tripura from 1983 to 1989.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">He was appointed governor of J&K in July 1989. General Rao had a major role to play in subduing militancy in his second stint as governor of J&K from 1993 to 1998. He governed the state under Governor’s Rule and ensured successful parliamentary and assembly elections in the state in 1996.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">He provided military helicopters and security to election commission officials and saw that the polls were conducted smoothly. He had earlier survived an IED blast during the Republic Day celebrations in Jammu in 1995.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222;" /><br />As I kept going to Secunderabad--to the College of Air Warfare and to the College of Defence Management--to deliver talks, I would either bump into him at the inaugural sessions or would go and call on him, whenever possible. Truly a towering personality and not just because he was more than 6 feet tall. </span></div>
Nitin A. Gokhalehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04632054380553596730noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4017910838017424020.post-28988789202671107592018-07-06T19:40:00.001+05:302018-07-06T19:40:09.572+05:30How a law firm helped a teen caught between foster family and her mother<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<br />
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: red; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Last week, our older son's boss sent me an email. I was intrigued. Our son Harsh is a lawyer, and has nothing in common with my profession. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: red; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: red; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Opening the mail, I found a detailed note attached by Harsh's senior and a mail trail. He was all praise for Harsh and said this will make you proud as his parents. Reading the attachment, we knew why he said this.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: red; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraph">
<span lang="EN-IN"><span style="color: red; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Below are the details (as mentioned in an internal note) about a humanitarian case that Harsh and a couple of his colleagues in the well-known law firm DSK Legal--headquartered in Mumbai--handled and prevented a minor girl from being taken away from her foster parents. This story has made into the papers this week but irrespective of the traction it has gained, it was nice to know what young people--brought up in the right atmosphere--can accomplish even when working in a commercial law firm, provided the bosses are equally humane. It of course makes us feel happy but this case also shows that not all lawyers and legal firms are mercenaries.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraph">
<span lang="EN-IN"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraph">
<span lang="EN-IN"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraph">
<span lang="EN-IN"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>A minor girl child, aged 14 years was born to a Hindu mother in Mumbai.
She came into the care and protection of a Muslim family residing in Tardeo
upon the request of her biological mother. At this time, she was only 2 months
old.<o:p></o:p></i></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst">
<span lang="EN-IN"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>Ever since, the foster family has brought up the
child retaining her identity of name and religion. The family cared for and
educated the child for fourteen years. They extended to her, natural love and
affection as they did for their other children residing within the same house. <o:p></o:p></i></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle">
<span lang="EN-IN"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>Fourteen years later and earlier this year, the
biological mother returned to take forceful custody of the child and take her
to Kanpur. Despite repeated attempts, the child and foster family refused to
handover custody of the child to the biological mother and her accomplice from
Kanpur. The child resisted all such attempts pleading that she wishes to continue
staying with the foster family. These forceful attempts continued at the girl’s
school as well. Taking cognizance of this nuisance, the teachers of her school were
compelled to call the Child Line Services to seek their intervention. <o:p></o:p></i></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle">
<span lang="EN-IN"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>The call resulted in the child being shifted to the
Dongri Childrens Home and later to an anonymous NGO’s hostel. Neither the
foster parents nor the biological mother were permitted to meet the girl for
over 2 months. <o:p></o:p></i></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle">
<span lang="EN-IN"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>The Child Welfare Committee, established under the
Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2006 conducted various
hearings as they are by law mandated to ascertain the best interest of the
child and further expected to take decisions regarding the child’s welfare
including handing over custody of the child to the foster family or the
biological mother.<o:p></o:p></i></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle">
<span lang="EN-IN"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>It was at this time that an old client of ours
recommend the foster family approach us for assistance. Our team gladly took on
the matter.<o:p></o:p></i></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle">
<span lang="EN-IN"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>At the first hearing before the Child Welfare
Committee, we appeared as friends of the foster family due to lawyers being
disallowed from appearing. We filed an interim application seeking that the
child be repatriated to the foster family in light of the fact that the child
has been brought up in this family for over 14 years. We further argued that
the state of children’s homes in Mumbai is unfortunate and that the child ought
not to continue staying there.<o:p></o:p></i></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle">
<span lang="EN-IN"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>However, the Committee acted with extreme cautiousness
in this matter. This was possibly due to the biological mother and her advocate
from Kanpur’s pressure on the Committee. We understand that they filed several petitions,
complaints and applications in various fora to seek custody of the child and repatriate
her to Kanpur.<o:p></o:p></i></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle">
<span lang="EN-IN"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>During the course of these hearing, the girl child
was insistent that she does not want to reside with anyone but the foster
family. However and perhaps employing abundant caution, the child was subject
to several rounds of counselling to reaffirm the same. The child remained in
the NGO’s hostel for over 60 days during the course of these hearings.<o:p></o:p></i></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle">
<span lang="EN-IN"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>Meanwhile, we also filed a Guardianship Petition
before the Hon’ble Bombay High Court praying that the foster family be
appointed as legal guardians of the child to the exclusion of her natural
guardians. <o:p></o:p></i></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle">
<span lang="EN-IN"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>The Child Welfare Committee finally rendered its
decision on June 26, 2018 granting custody of the child back to the foster
family. She is now reunited with her family after the lapse of 2 months. A
picture of the family as reunited is attached. </i><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast">
<span lang="EN-IN"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="color: red;"><b>The team working on this matter was that of Harsh
Gokhale, Nausher Kohli and Samit Shukla. </b></span><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast">
<span lang="EN-IN"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="color: red;"><b><br /></b></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast">
<span lang="EN-IN"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="color: red;"><b>Harsh could be of help because he a MSW from TISS and has had some experience in handling such cases before becoming a lawyer.</b></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast">
<span lang="EN-IN"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="color: red;"><b><br /></b></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast">
<span lang="EN-IN"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="color: red;"><b>Later the story got some play in the media.</b></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast">
<span lang="EN-IN"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="color: red;"><b><br /></b></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast">
<span lang="EN-IN"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="color: red;"><b>(</b></span></span></span><span style="color: red; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/mumbai/teen-caught-between-mother-foster-family-sent-to-safe-house/articleshow/64862440.cms)</b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<br /></div>
Nitin A. Gokhalehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04632054380553596730noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4017910838017424020.post-41603886751166748332018-05-27T11:27:00.000+05:302018-05-27T12:27:37.792+05:30India's most decorated General departs<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div class="gmail_default" style="background-color: white;">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;">
<span style="color: red; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12pt;"><i>On 24 May 2018, India's most decorated and perhaps the most under-rated soldier, Lt Gen ZC 'Zoru' Bakshi passed away, largely unnoticed and unmourned. In 2015, while writing a book on the 1965 war, I had an occasion to meet someone who had seen then Brig Zoru Bakshi in action during one of his many legendary military exploits: the capture of Haji Pir pass. Here's an excerpt from that chapter. My small tribute to one of India's greatest military leaders. </i></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #222222; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #222222; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-size: 12pt;">Extracted from <i>1965: Turning the Tide</i></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #222222; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-size: 12pt;"><i><br /></i></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #222222; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-size: 12pt;"><i>Haji Pir: Taking the battle to the Enemy</i></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #222222; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-size: 12pt;"><i><br /></i></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #222222; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-size: 12pt;">In April 2013, military aficionados gathered at London’s National Army Museum and voted the twin battles of Kohima and Imphal between the British Indian Army and the Japanese Imperial Army during April-July 1944 as Great Britain’s ‘greatest battle’ ever fought beating Waterloo and Normandy—two other decisive victories in war for Britain—to second and third place respectively. The voting was done by a select audience of military enthusiasts and not ordinary citizens. To that extent, it is subjective. But if the </span><span style="font-size: 12pt;">greatness of a battle is judged by its political, cultural and social impact, as much as its military impact then Imphal and Kohima were really significant for a number of reasons, not least that they showed that the Japanese were not invincible and that that they could be beaten, and beaten well. The battles of Imphal and Kohima saw the British and Indian forces, under the overall command of Lieutenant-General William Slim, repel the Japanese invasion of India and helped turned the tide of the war in the Far East.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #222222; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #222222; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">India has fought four major wars (1947-48, 1962, 1965 and 1971), and a local conflict in Kargil (1999) since its independence. Many heroic acts and decisive moments in the glorious history of valour, sacrifice and team spirit displayed by Indian soldiers come to mind but if there is one battle that can truly be called a turning point in the overall context of a war, the vote should go to the conquest of the Haji Pir bulge under Operation Bakshi in August 1965. An important </span><span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-size: 12pt;">area for infiltration into Kashmir Valley and Rajouri/Poonch areas, Haji Pir Pass is located on the Pir Panjal Range at 2637 meters or 8600 ft on the road between Uri with Poonch.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #222222; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #222222; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #222222; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">As Lt Gen Harbakhsh Singh, who was Western Army Commander in the 1965 war noted: “Pak did exploit the peculiar configuration of the Cease Fire Line in the Haji Pir bulge, for launching the main influx of her infiltration campaign into the Valley. In addition to using this area for entry routes, huge stocks of arms equipment and supplies had been built up at several places in the Bulge for speedy administrative support of the various raider groups. The Haji Pir Operation was…intended to knock the logistic bottom out of the infiltration campaign as also to plug the entry routes of the raiders…”</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #222222; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="color: #222222; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 16.8667px; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The pass had to be captured since it worked as a lifeline for the saboteurs operating in the Poonch area. It was dominated by three adjoining hill features—Bedori (3760 m high), in the north-east, Ledwali Gali (3140m) in the north-west and Sank (2895 m) in the north. The capture of these features was considered necessary for advancing on to Haji Pir pass. Bedori is about 4 km to the south of the CFL while Haji Pir Pass is about 10 km to the South-west of Bedori.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="color: #222222; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 16.8667px; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Capturing the Pass was not going to be easy. Brig. ZC Bakshi, a veteran of the Burma campaign in World War II was Commander of 68 Brigade which was drafted in from Srinagar and placed under the command of 19 Division headquartered at Baramulla. As the infiltrators started pouring into the Valley, the Brigade was pulled into the conflict. Remembers retired Brig. Shamser Singh, who was then a young Signals Captain with barely two-and-a-half years of service in 1965: “On 4 Aug 1965, 68 brigade was asked to take part in the investiture parade planned in Srinagar for 15 August. Even as we were practicing for the event, we came to know on 7 August that infiltration had taken place across Pir Panjal. And sure enough we were put into action in Gulmarg two days later. Though the infiltrators had a tough time—no local support, no food, we were chasing them all over the place.”</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="color: #222222; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 16.8667px; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> As the anti-infiltration campaign picked up speed, there were fresh orders for the Brigade. Recalls Brig. Shamsher: “Somewhere around 14-15 August—I was just a company commander, OC of the signal company of the 68 Mountain brigade with less than three years of service--I felt some lull in the operation. We were pulled back from Gulmarg to a place called Pattan. Around 18-19 August my BM (Brigade Major)—the lynchpin of a brigade who coordinates between the commander and the battalions under the brigade-- told me: get ready for something bigger. The briefing (orders) took place at Rampur, the 161 Brigade HQ. We had nothing of our own paraphernalia. The original battalions under 68 Brigade were left behind where they were and we were given three brand new battalions: 1 Para commanded by Lt Col Prabhjinder, 4 Rajput, headed by Lt Col Sudarshan Singh (the same battalion which had captured Point 13620 and Black Rocks in Kargil in May that year) and 19 Punjab, commanded by Lt Col Sampooran Singh. Coincidentally, all three infantry battalion Commanding Officers (COs) were Khalsas. Even field regiment CO, Lt Col Shivdev Singh was a Khalsa and so am I,” Brig Shamsher reveals by way of an aside.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="color: #222222; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 16.8667px; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The COs met the Brigade Commander for the first time in Ops room at Rampur!</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="color: #222222; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 16.8667px; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The Brigade Commander was Brig. Zorawar Chand Bakshi--PVSM, MVC, Vrc, VSM, McGregors Medal—the most decorated officer in the Indian Army ever but certainly at that time.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="color: #222222; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 16.8667px; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">On 21 August his opening lines in the briefing for the operation were: “Gentleman, since 1947 we have cribbing that government does not allow us to attack, go into offensive but this time, we have been clear mandate to capture Haji Pir at any cost. Where I say at any cost a civilians may means 100 per cent casualties but I as an Infantryman, say only when you have had 40 per cent casualties, come back to me otherwise press home. In WW II, after my company lost 40 per cent strength we were prevented from pressing further. I don’t want that when I fought in WW II, it means if you have 40 per cent casualty come back to me otherwise press home.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="color: #222222; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 16.8667px; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">“Ironically, our own battalion 6 Dogras were left behind in Gulmarg to mop up the infiltrators. So the plan was that D-Day would be 24<sup> </sup>August. The attack was to be two pronged: Sank-Sark-Ledwali Galli (right) on night of 24 and capture it by 25<sup> </sup>August morning. On left 19 Punjab was to capture Bedori by 9 am and Rajputs were to push through to capture Haji Pir by that evening. That was the plan. But as they say in the Staff College, ‘gentleman, this is my plan, but if everything goes according to plan, there is something wrong with this plan.’ Sure enough on 24<sup>th </sup>evening it rained so heavily that it was going to be impossible to launch the attack. I remember, I was wearing a blue turban. Its colour drained on to my face. So much so that Brig. Bakshi, jokingly said ‘have you camouflaged yourself with the blue colour!’ Anyway, the attack was postponed by 24 hours.”</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="color: #222222; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 16.8667px; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">“We went in on the night of 25<sup>th</sup>. 1 Para was to attack Sank-Sar, 19 Punjab to launch an attack on Bedori. On 25<sup>th</sup> night, 1 Para surprisingly could not contact the objective as they were ‘day lighted,’ meaning they were exposed in the open. In the mountains you cannot launch a daylight attack so they were pulled back. Similarly, with 19 Punjab attacked Bedori but they could not go beyond Pathri. The conditions were bad because of previous day’s rain, the slopes slippery. So the position on 26<sup>th</sup> morning was: 1 Para is stalled, 19 Punjab is stalled. And Zoru (Brig. ZC Bakshi) is sitting on Rustom picket, contemplating his next move, when he got a call from his course mate Hardev Kler, then a G-1 from 19 Division told him, Bedori has already been captured. Zoru was surprised. I was sitting with him. He told Hardev Kler, it can’t be. Then Kler said I will put you through to 161 Brigade Commander. 161 Brigade Commander was patched through and he also told Zoru ‘I have captured Bedori, what’s the problem?’ Zoru was still not convinced. Still he took the 161 brigade Commander’s word and told 4 Rajput to go an occupy Bedori to consolidate and let 19 Punjab press ahead since the ultimate objective was Haji Pir,” Brig Shamsher recalled.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="color: #222222; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 16.8667px; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Brig. Shamsher, now in his mid-seventies but still in possession of a sharp memory that recounts every moment of that momentous period continues: “In the evening of 26, that is night of 26-27<sup>th</sup>, as 4 Rajput advanced towards Bedori, they came under attack. Surprised at Pakistanis still being there, Rajputs asked for artillery fire on Bedori. Zoru did not allow that since he was told it was already captured. In the bargain, Rajputs took casualties and were stalled at the base of Bedori. When Zoru informed GOC 19 Div, Maj Gen (first name) Klan about the situation on ground, Gen Klan lost his cool. The GOC told Zoru, in that case, ask the Rajputs to press on and capture Bedori at any cost since it has already been announced on radio that India has captured the peak! Zoru refused. He told the GOC, ‘Sir if I tell CO 4 Rajput now to capture Bedori, he will mutiny. One moment we tell them it is in our control, the next we say go and capture! This is not on.’ So the situation on 27<sup>th</sup> morning was: Rajputs were stalled, 19 Punjab was sitting around doing nothing. Of course 1 Para meanwhile had done all right. They were in Ledwali gali by the morning of 27<sup>th</sup>.”</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="color: #222222; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 16.8667px; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">For 1 Para getting to Ledwali Gali was not easy. The attack was launched at 2230 hrs on 27<sup>th</sup> night by the B company followed the D Company which moved forward towards Point 9591 or Sank. The Pakistani troops rushed from their trenches and opened fire with MMGs, LMGs and other small arms. The Indians also opened up forcing the enemy back into the trenches. By 0430 hrs on 27<sup>th</sup> August, the B Company had reached within 450 m of the Pakistani positions and formed up to charge frontally. The daring platoon attack that followed, the Pakistani MMGs and LMGs were silenced. The Pakistanis were forced to retreat to Sar leaving 16 dead although they managed to evacuate 100-odd wounded soldiers. Despite the small tactical victory, the position was still not secure since a menacing fire from Sar continued to pin them down. So D company was tasked to clear the feature. It soon captured Sar and advanced to Ledwali Gali where Pakistanis made their last stand to allow safe withdrawal of their remaining troops. The B Company had meanwhile secured the surrounding areas.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="color: #222222; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 16.8667px; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Despite these victories against heavy odds, Haji Pir was still in Pakistani control. That’s when Brig ‘Zoru’ Bakshi took, what Brig. Shamsher thinks was the momentous decision of the 1965 war—and took it unilaterally! As he narrates What Zoru Bakshi did that morning of 27<sup>th</sup> August 1965, Brig Shamsher’s eyes are looking far back in the past, his face glowing with pride for being one of the prime witnesses to that historic decision.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="color: #222222; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 16.8667px; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXAolRfr2G28KH9iYP6gMMOyI-6otzyetZe6XvI3iJCi_XB6YE6iaSW57LO8MwtrbFK9YrJk2Sf7CX0Nvp12SMdgnE24cBBbMnN_hWPclStXKpopmkikzzkSmEgr7nq7wPJTYOrwhwgbnP/s1600/zoru.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="150" data-original-width="204" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXAolRfr2G28KH9iYP6gMMOyI-6otzyetZe6XvI3iJCi_XB6YE6iaSW57LO8MwtrbFK9YrJk2Sf7CX0Nvp12SMdgnE24cBBbMnN_hWPclStXKpopmkikzzkSmEgr7nq7wPJTYOrwhwgbnP/s1600/zoru.jpg" /></a><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">He recounts: “A most historic and momentous decision was taken by Zoru in my presence. Very few can do that in any army, any era. After Gen Kler told him to take Bedori, and after 1 Para had reached Ledwali Gali, Zoru knew that the Pakis would have guessed by now that all the thrust by the Indians was for capturing Haji Pir pass. Zoru knew the Pakis would have reinforced Haji Pir by now and sure enough they had. The 18 Punjab (Pakistan) was rushed in to defend Haji Pir on the night of 27-28th. But as the man tasked to capture the vital pass, Zoru knew he had to press on with the plan despite mounting odds and in spite of the express orders of the GOC to first capture Bedori.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="color: #222222; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 16.8667px; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">“So Zoru asked CO, 1 Para, Lt. Col Prabhjinder, who can lead a commando style operation on Haji Pir. Prabhjinder nominated Maj. Ranjit Singh Dayal. Ranjit Dayal was given a Company plus for the attack. Before Dayal started his operation, Zoru told him in thet Punjabi: ‘<i>Agar te jit liya Haji Pir to tu hero ban jayega, ne to meinu wah kaid kar lenge </i>( If you win Haji Pir you will be a hero but if you can’t I will be arrested for taking a unilateral decision),’” Brig Shamsher remembers.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="color: #222222; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 16.8667px; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Maj RS Dayal, who rose to become a Lt General, was once again in the limelight in June 1984 when he was chosen—despite being a Sikh--to lead Operation Bluestar into the Golden Temple. But more of that later.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="color: #222222; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 16.8667px; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Maj Dayal was given a mixed column of A and D companies. It started the march to Haji Pir from Ledwali Gali around 1530 on 27<sup>th</sup> afternoon descending to the Hyderabad Nallah along the spur. It encountered MMG firing from the western shoulder of Haji Pir. Small arms fire also rained down on the column from the east of the Pass. So the FOO (give full form) registered the two areas and brought down artillery fire to silence the two positions (is this correct?). The column kept moving though down to the Hyderabad Nallah the two areas and brought down artillery fire to silence the two positions. </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="color: #222222; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 16.8667px; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The column kept moving though down along the left bank of the Hyderabad Nallah alongside the hill before crossing over to the pass side and then start the ascent (see map). At about 1730, two hours after the column had started the march, heavy rains began, making movement very difficult. By 1900 hrs it was completely dark. But Maj Dayal decided to continue climbing towards the pass despite adverse conditions. As the troops were climbing, they came across what looked like an abandoned house but in reality was a shelter for infiltrators. In a swift action, 1 Para troops captured 10 members of the Azad Kashmir militia—a kind of para-military force—one LMG and 10 rifles. The captured prisoners were gainfully utilised to carry the extra load of the column, mainly ratio and fuel! As the troops reached the Uri-Poonch road, 10 km below the Pass, it was already 0430 hrs on 28<sup>th</sup> August. Maj Dayal decided to give a much-needed two-hour break to the soldiers although they had to rest in pouring rain which accentuated the cold.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="color: #222222; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 16.8667px; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">At 0700 hrs, the column resumed the march. In another two hours, it was barely 700 metres short of the pass. Pakistani troops, perched atop the peak were surprised to see the column. They had perhaps thought that the Indians had abandoned the attack due to the heavy rain the previous night! As the surprised Pakistanis opened up with an MMG from the western shoulder of the pass and with LMG and other small arms from the pass itself, Maj Dayal had to think of outwitting them.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="color: #222222; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 16.8667px; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBl_FJ8ENT6nDlG8p7or08Xq_c-DI-p9qfNYhYUJY9Lhb7L4ZEzu6cAfUIGkHVKH-fdP6uz85OfT8hvkyKpcsjWU4xc7iYuKSi1qzGyKVyhDMU0AVUsEP7BtDUN4UEXg1M_vMZUvN0fss8/s1600/IMG_7551.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBl_FJ8ENT6nDlG8p7or08Xq_c-DI-p9qfNYhYUJY9Lhb7L4ZEzu6cAfUIGkHVKH-fdP6uz85OfT8hvkyKpcsjWU4xc7iYuKSi1qzGyKVyhDMU0AVUsEP7BtDUN4UEXg1M_vMZUvN0fss8/s320/IMG_7551.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Zoru Bakshi briefing Gen Harbaksh at Haji Pir</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">After assessing the Pakistani defence on the pass, Maj Dayal tasked two platoons to climb the steep spurs from the Western side of the pass, silence the MMG and then roll down to the main defences. The supremely fit and confident paratroopers did the job exceedingly well, surprising the Pakistanis. As the rest of the column fetched up, the Pakistanis could not withstand the twin attacks and withdrew to a feature west of the Pass.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="color: #222222; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 16.8667px; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">By 1000 hrs on 28 August Haji Pir was in India’s control, thanks to the daring day light attack by 1 Para troops under the bold leadership of Maj RS Dayal. It was to prove a major turning point in the 1965 war. The main infiltration route was now plugged from one side but more importantly the morale of the Indian army was now sky high following two major successes in Kargil and this one in Haji Pir against formidable odds. Remember these battle victories had come in less than three years after the humiliation against China.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="color: #222222; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 16.8667px; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Capturing Haji Pir was however only a partial completion of the overall plan. Pakistanis were known to counter-attack swiftly, so Haji Pir and its surroundings had to be secured. As expected, the Pakistanis did counter-attack on 29<sup>th</sup> but it was repulsed by the brave and efficient paratroopers. To further consolidate their position, 1 Para captured Ring Contour on 30 August and the adjoining Point 8786 a day later.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="color: #222222; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 16.8667px; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">For his act of courage, innovativeness and leadership in capturing the Haji Pir pass despite very adverse conditions, Maj RS Dayal was awarded the Maha Vir Chakra.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="color: #222222; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 16.8667px; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Brig. Shamsher recalls: “When we captured Haji Pir, there was one small incident I cannot forget. When 1 Para was going for its assault, I had sent a detachment of Signals headed by a Havaldar Pillai with a couple of radio sets which were short of batteries. So I had told the Signals men not to use the high frequency radio set unnecessarily and conserve the battery. I will call you, you don’t call was my instruction. But he called on the radio set after 1 Para had secured Haji Pir. So I scolded him, why are you wasting the battery, I said. So he replied, there is no problem sir. So I said what no problem. Havildar Pillai, pleased as punch said ‘Sir the Pakis have left behind many radio sets in full working condition besides lot of petrol and several tins of desi ghee!’</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="color: #222222; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 16.8667px; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Meanwhile Bedori was still unconquered. Two attempts by 19 Punjab on 25 August and by 4 Rajput on 27<sup> </sup>August had failed. Zoru Bakshi and his battalion commanders realised they had no option but to assault the Bedori peak through the Bedori springs in the north-east.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="color: #222222; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 16.8667px; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhppoFYOGPUsTzq59Evogv3vL3ONr7qfsXBwgcWHZbc1DZHv3asV1LWe4b4rdhuGXYYFqFlog9E7D8mgeZoAxIL7RRpnsHCnol8s76gwAbsLrdmm6GCDWlOgMK28k2RY5X0hjZIEFlMLU05/s1600/IMG_7553.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="436" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhppoFYOGPUsTzq59Evogv3vL3ONr7qfsXBwgcWHZbc1DZHv3asV1LWe4b4rdhuGXYYFqFlog9E7D8mgeZoAxIL7RRpnsHCnol8s76gwAbsLrdmm6GCDWlOgMK28k2RY5X0hjZIEFlMLU05/s320/IMG_7553.jpg" width="218" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">How media reported it that time</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">So after reaching a place called Heman Buniyar at 0715 hrs on 28 August, the battalion moved to the Bedori springs, already secured by a neighbouring battalion, 7 Bihar and prepared for the final assault. At 0330 hrs on 29 August, 19 Punjab crossed the forming up place for the assault on Bedori. It involved a steep climb of nearly 600 m. After fierce hand to hand combat as well as a firefight, Bedori was captured in less than three hours. The B and C companies, besides a 3.7 inch Mountain gun played a major part in securing victory. The gun had apparently arrived just the previous night. Its firepower destroyed the Pakistani sangars (temporary bunkers) but also shattered the morale of the Pakistani troops. After securing Bedori, 19 Punjab moved through Kunthar di Gali and linked up with 1 Para on 1 September. The CO of 19 Punjab, Lt Col Sampuran Singh was awarded Mahavir Chakra for his un-daunting spirit, exceptional leadership and bravery.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="color: #222222; line-height: 16.8667px; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">However, had it not been for the bold leadership of Brig Bakshi (after whom the Operation was named). Haji Pir could not have been secured as quickly as the Indian Army did. For his bold, unconventional leadership Brig Bakshi was awarded Maha Vir <span style="line-height: 18.4px;">Chakra.</span></span></div>
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.8px;"><br clear="all" /></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-size: 12.8px;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></div>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-size: 12.8px;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">-- </span></span><br />
<br />
</div>
Nitin A. Gokhalehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04632054380553596730noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4017910838017424020.post-56817967148124705852018-01-15T07:58:00.000+05:302018-01-15T07:58:02.752+05:30What the fauj--and parents--taught me<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<h2 class="date-header" style="background-color: white; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 0px; position: relative;">
<span style="color: red; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><i>I had written the piece below more than six years ago. The debt I owe to the fauj is immeasurable, not just because I report on it extensively but because many of the values I cherish and practice have been inherited from the ethos and tradition that the military preaches and practices in large measure. On Army Day 2018, reupping the article with a sense of gratitude. Many have probably read it earlier but no harm in reloading it for those who haven't. </i></span></h2>
<h2 class="date-header" style="background-color: white; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 0px; position: relative;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; letter-spacing: inherit; margin: inherit; padding: inherit;"><span style="color: red; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><i><br /></i></span></span></h2>
<h2 class="date-header" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 0px; position: relative; text-align: justify;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; letter-spacing: inherit; margin: inherit; padding: inherit;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></h2>
<h2 class="date-header" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 0px; position: relative; text-align: justify;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; letter-spacing: inherit; margin: inherit; padding: inherit;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: small;">Saturday, November 26, 2011</span></span></h2>
<div class="date-posts" style="background-color: white;">
<div class="post-outer">
<div class="post hentry uncustomized-post-template" itemprop="blogPost" itemscope="itemscope" itemtype="http://schema.org/BlogPosting" style="margin: 0px 0px 25px; min-height: 0px; position: relative;">
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="9203401220060438043"></a></span><h3 class="post-title entry-title" itemprop="name" style="color: #222222; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0.75em 0px 0px; position: relative; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: small;">What the fauj and parents taught me</span></h3>
<div class="post-header" style="color: #222222; line-height: 1.6; margin: 0px 0px 1.5em;">
<div class="post-header-line-1">
</div>
</div>
<div class="post-body entry-content" id="post-body-9203401220060438043" itemprop="description articleBody" style="line-height: 1.4; position: relative; width: 520px;">
<div dir="ltr" trbidi="on">
<div style="color: #222222; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Last week, a friend in the Army, reacting to my latest documentary on the endless-and thankless-war that Indian soldiers fight in Kashmir, paid a heartfelt compliment by calling me a ‘soldier-journalist’. Flattered though I was for a moment, the remark also embarrassed me no end. For I have never donned the uniform. To me soldiering is the only profession in which men and women go beyond the call of duty and therefore deserve the highest respect in the society. To me soldiers are a breed apart. In my chosen profession of journalism, this attitude is regarded as partisan. Many feel I am blind to many sins of commission and omission that the armed forces personnel seem to indulge in these days.</span></div>
<div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><br /></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><div style="color: #222222; text-align: justify;">
The charge may be partially true but I am not ashamed about it mainly because our forces are still way above the rest of the society when it comes to upholding the values of honour, teamwork, professionalism, ethics and camaraderie. But let me also confess: the biggest reason for my soft corner for the forces comes from the fact that I too am a fauji kid and sub-consciously somewhere deep down I still live by a dictum one learnt as a kid: Karmanye Vadhikaraste, Ma phaleshou kada chana (Do your duty to the best of your ability and don’t seek rewards).</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #222222;"><br /></span></div>
<span style="color: #222222;"><div style="text-align: justify;">
When I look back, I realise that my father, who retired as a subedar major in 1982 and with him my mother, followed this practice in their daily life and passed it to us three brothers without making a song and dance about it. Throughout my 28-year career as a professional journalist, I have been fortunate that I could follow this principle without even realising that I was practicing what my father did all his professional life. Now, wiser and littlemore experienced than before, I am in a position to analyse some of the reasons behind the moderate success that each of us-three brothers-have managed to achieve in our respective professions.</div>
</span><div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<span style="color: #222222;"><div style="text-align: justify;">
Adaptability, my biggest strength, has been a second nature through our growing years thanks to the frequent transfers and constantly changing schools. In the 1960s and the 1970s, ordinary soldiers — and my father was one — had a tough life in the Indian Army. They lived far from their families, toiled hard for a pittance and yet possessed a dignity that is not found in an ordinary civilian. The soldier never complained, never whined and never expected anything in return for what he did. I changed eight schools in 10 years and studied in three different mediums- English, Marathi and Hindi before entering junior college in 1978. Sub-consciously, without ever preaching to us, our parents drilled a motto into us: “Take life as it comes.”</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
</span><span style="color: #222222;"><div style="text-align: justify;">
And we did.</div>
</span><div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<span style="color: #222222;"><div style="text-align: justify;">
We met the challenges head on. I remember travelling from Pune to Lekha Bali in Arunachal Pradesh by train in the late 1970s. It used to take us four days and five changes at Kalyan, Allahabad, Baruani,</div>
</span><span style="color: #222222;"><div style="text-align: justify;">
New Bongaigaon and Rangiya before we could reach the destination.</div>
</span><div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<span style="color: #222222;"><div style="text-align: justify;">
Reservations were never confirmed.</div>
</span><div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<span style="color: #222222;"><div style="text-align: justify;">
Dad was never with us.</div>
</span><div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<span style="color: #222222;"><div style="text-align: justify;">
One lived by one’s wits and survived. Frequent transfers meant frequent dislocations and packings. And unlike today, there were no movers and packers in those pre-liberalisation days. So we learnt to adapt.</div>
</span><div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<span style="color: #222222;"><div style="text-align: justify;">
To be responsible for our actions. Discipline and punctuality was given.</div>
</span><div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<span style="color: #222222;"><div style="text-align: justify;">
Colleagues laugh at me when I start getting uncomfortable if I am late for an appointment. They laugh at the fact that I sleep by 10 pm and up by 5.30 am. But I know no other way. I mentioned adaptability earlier. My parents not only taught us how to adapt and accept but also practiced the principle. The biggest proof is my being a journalist. In the summer of ’83, the world was at my feet as far as my parents were concerned.</div>
</span><div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<span style="color: #222222;"><div style="text-align: justify;">
I was selected to be a flying officer in the Indian Air Force. All that remained was for me to submit my graduation certificate by June 30 and start my training in July. As luck would have it, my graduation results were delayed by over a month. So the dream of joining the Air Force was put on hold.</div>
</span><div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<span style="color: #222222;"><div style="text-align: justify;">
I had six months to kill before I could appear for another round of combined defence services exam that December.</div>
</span><div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<span style="color: #222222;"><div style="text-align: justify;">
That’s when destiny dealt a decisive, and now in retrospect, a lucky blow.</div>
</span><div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<span style="color: #222222;"><div style="text-align: justify;">
The Sentinel, a Guwahati based newspaper was just starting out and was looking for trainee journalists for their sports pages. Having played all games from kabaddi to squash and from kho-kho to cricket as a child, I thought with all the cockiness of the callow youth that I could become a sports journalist, at least for a while. So just for the heck of it, I appeared for the written test that the newspaper held.</div>
</span><div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<span style="color: #222222;"><div style="text-align: justify;">
Five days later, they called me for an interview. With no expectations, I went for the interview and landed a job at a princely sum of 700 rupees. I still remember the entire sequence in my head as if it happened just yesterday. At the end of the interview that fateful afternoon, the editor asked me, “When can you join?”</div>
</span><div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<span style="color: #222222;"><div style="text-align: justify;">
My answer was, “Whenever you want.” He said, “Can you join, tonight?”</div>
</span><div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<span style="color: #222222;"><div style="text-align: justify;">
And I agreed to join that very evening. Then I became a journalist.</div>
</span><div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<span style="color: #222222;"><div style="text-align: justify;">
Of course at that time, I had no inkling that I would stay the course. I was sure I would do the job for six months and then move on. But that was not to be. As I joined the paper and started picking up the nuances of the job, I felt at home. The thrill of being part of the team that put together a newspaper for the benefit of thousands of readers can only be experienced. It can never be described in words. The duty hours were erratic. One went to office at 2 pm and never returned home before 5 am. Three months down the line I decided to remain a journalist and not to pursue the aim of becoming a fighter pilot.</div>
</span><div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<span style="color: #222222;"><div style="text-align: justify;">
My parents were aghast and crestfallen. For a junior commissioned officer in the earlier 1980s, there was no greater honour than seeing his son becoming a commissioned officer. But like a true soldier, my father</div>
</span><span style="color: #222222;"><div style="text-align: justify;">
accepted my decision without rancor. All that my parents said at that time was “Excel in whatever you choose to do.” So I stuck on in Assam.</div>
</span><div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<span style="color: #222222;"><div style="text-align: justify;">
My parents moved back to Pune soon after but again luck smiled on me. Neha married me in 1988 and continued to encourage me to take risks with life and with career. Never ever complaining that I chose to take up risky assignments touring deep into north eastern states, reported the Kargil war, the Sri Lanka conflict, when I could have played safe and remained a desk bound journo.</div>
</span><div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<span style="color: #222222;"><div style="text-align: justify;">
Today those risks have paid off.</div>
</span><div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<span style="color: #222222;"><div style="text-align: justify;">
I can say with a bit of immodesty that I can compete with the best in business without feeling inferior.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
</span></span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><div style="text-align: justify;">
The urge to do better than yesterday comes naturally to the men in uniform. If I behave that way even now, it is thanks to my upbringing in a military environment. Despite all its faults and foibles, the military remains a vital part of my life for whatever I am today is thanks largely to the fauj and its ethos.</div>
</span></div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
Nitin A. Gokhalehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04632054380553596730noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4017910838017424020.post-68427493949894458512018-01-12T11:22:00.000+05:302018-01-12T11:24:57.389+05:30Harnessing space for security & development<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 14pt;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Date: 30 June 2014<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 14pt;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Place: Satellite Launch Centre,
Sriharikota<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<h2 style="background: white; margin-bottom: 5.95pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 3.0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-weight: normal;">Just a month into office, Prime
Minister Narendra Modi had travelled to the ISRO (Indian Space Research
Organisation) facility to witness the launch of the </span><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-weight: normal;">PSLV-C23
satellite. In his speech after the successful launch, Modi praised the ISRO
scientists for their stellar work and then stunned them into momentary silence
by posing a challenge. “</span><span style="color: #333333; font-size: 14pt; font-weight: normal;">Today,
I ask our Space community, to take up the challenge, of developing a SAARC
Satellite - that we can dedicate to our neighbourhood, as a gift from India. A
satellite, that provides a full range of applications and services, to all our
neighbours. I also ask you, to enlarge the footprint of our satellite-based
navigation system, to cover all of South Asia.”</span><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-weight: normal;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></h2>
<h2 style="background: white; margin-bottom: 5.95pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 3.0pt;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-size: 14pt; font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Initially, the assembled scientists did not know what to say. “We had
never done such a thing,” remembers an old ISRO hand. <span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial;">Modi reinforced this idea five months later, speaking in Kathmandu at
the SAARC Summit on November 26. He said, "India's gift of a satellite for
the SAARC region will benefit us all in areas like education, telemedicine,
disaster response, resource management, weather forecasting and communication.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></h2>
<h2 style="background: white; margin-bottom: 5.95pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 3.0pt;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-size: 14pt; font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">In less than three years after the Prime Minister
challenged the ISRO scientists, they came up with the answer. On 5 May 2017,
the SAARC Satellite’ was launched from Sriharikota, opening a new chapter in
space diplomacy.<o:p></o:p></span></span></h2>
<div style="background: white; line-height: 19.05pt; margin-bottom: 11.9pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="color: #333333; font-size: 14pt;">The 2,230 kg</span><span style="color: #212121; font-size: 14pt;">GSAT-9 is a Geostationary Communication
Satellite. Communication services from it will be shared with five neighbours
(Bhutan, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and Maldives). It will help to meet the
growing telecommunications and broadcasting needs of the region. All
participating nations will have access to at least one transponder using which
they can telecast their own programming. The countries will develop their own
ground-level infrastructure. The satellite is expected to provide communication
channels between countries for better disaster management. Afghanistan is also
expected to join the group soon. As a scientist in ISRO says, “For smaller
countries, this is a dream come true. To lease a transponder, a lot of money
has to be spent. But here India has gifted them a permanent asset.” Apart from
the obvious use (telecommunication, broadcasting), </span><span style="font-size: 14pt;">leaders of these six
countries can have secure dedicated one-on-one communication through the VSAT
facility that the satellite provides, explained ISRO officials. The leaders can
also have a video conference between themselves if they so wished, thanks to
the South Asia satellite.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 14pt;">In a way, by dedicating a separate
satellite for the neighbourhood, Modi has taken his favourite theme of <i>SabkaSaath, SabkaVikas</i>, beyond India’s
own physical boundaries. An early example of helping neighbours through
satellites came in Nepal. In August 2014, a</span><span style="font-size: 14pt;"> massive landslide blocked Sun Koshi river in Northern Nepal indicating the
possible formation of a lake. This created flood threat for several villages
downstream in Bihar.</span><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: left; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;">ISRO immediately
swung into action, acquired the images and in consultation with India’s
National Disaster Relief Agency (NDMA) could get to exact location of
landslide, compute the extent of debris due to landslide and could come up with
a solution for controlled release of blocked water slowly, averting possible flash
floods in Bihar. This operation was made possible because ISRO now coordinates
closely with </span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 14pt;">Inter-Ministerial
Group for Emergency management at the Centre. IMEG helped coordinate the relief
operation in Nepal and later in September 2014 in Srinagar too.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: left; vertical-align: baseline;">
<br /></div>
<div style="background: white; line-height: 19.05pt; margin-bottom: 11.9pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">But that’s not all. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="background: white; line-height: 19.05pt; margin-bottom: 11.9pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">As ISRO Chairman K. Kiran Kumar sees it,“While
ISRO has always been a pace-setter in space application Prime Minister Modi and
NSA Ajit Doval have spurred us into taking our technology a step higher.” He
cites the example of ‘Island mapping’ programme launched in 2015. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="background: white; line-height: 19.05pt; margin-bottom: 11.9pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Apparently in one of the meetings in the PMO
sometime in June 2015 Modi asked the number of islands India possesses. As
officials from MHA scrambled to get the exact figures from Survey of India,
some officials in the PMO itself tried to add up the number by getting the
figures from state governments and from the census records. But the figures
varied widely. It was clear that the records were old and not updated in years.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="background: white; line-height: 19.05pt; margin-bottom: 11.9pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">That’s when NSA Doval turned to ISRO. He asked
ISRO chairman Kiran Kumar if the space agency could help in determining the
exact number of islands. Kiran Kumar was quick to say yes. Remembers PG
Diwakar, currently Scientific Secretary to the ISRO Chairman: “I was then
in-charge of Remote Sensing Applications at NRSC. The Chairman asked me to
devise a quick method to map the islands around India’s vast coastline.” He got
down to work immediately with a hand-picked team. “We were asked to not just
determine the numbers but also look at their exact status, distribution and
area (of the islands). We were particularly told to recheck the status of the islands
that were on the Survey of India list from the British days. The fear was that
some of them would have gone underwater while some others would have sprung
up,” Diwakar recalls.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="background: white; line-height: 19.05pt; margin-bottom: 11.9pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The unspoken apprehension behind the exercise
was the possibility of some remote, uninhibited island in Andaman-Nicobar
territory or around Lakshadweep or even in the Sundarbans being illegally occupied!!.
Security agencies were aware of how arms smugglers had used a remote island in
Andaman in 1998 to land a large consignment of arms meant for Burmese rebels
and tried to transport it across the Bay of Bengal to be delivered in Myanmar.
The agencies had foiled the consignment in well-coordinated plan under
Operation Leech in February 1998. Nearly twenty years later, the likelihood of
an uninhibited island being occupied by forces aligned to India’s adversaries
has increased manifold. The exercise thus had strategic implications too.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="background: white; line-height: 19.05pt; margin-bottom: 11.9pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Once the number was determined, the ISRO team
developed an Island Information System that has 34 attributes (give details). The
Prime Minister was briefed about the system in October 2016. Since then, the NITI
Aayog, state governments and other ministries have started to draw up
development plans for 10 selected islands, five each in Andaman and Lakshadweep.
<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 14pt;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">At the same time, ISRO satellites are
keeping a continuous watch on these island territories. A software that updates
any noticeable changes on these islands has since been developed too. So as
Diwakar and his team drew up the latest data base on islands, they came up with
new discoveries. “Says Diwakar: “This
work became very popular because we built this information system within a few months
and were able to demonstrate this to MHAand other Ministries that were involved
in the exercise. The Home Ministry had then called in many other ministries who
are relevant in this exercise and also needed this data. For example, the
Indian Navy and Coast Guard, the Census people, Environment & Forests and
the Survey of India officers, all came on board. What we did is we brought on a
common platform, an information system which can be used by multiple ministries.” For example, an IG of Police from Gujarat
told ISRO scientists that his force is now able to monitor vulnerable islands
close to the maritime boundary with Pakistan much more closely and take counter
measures accordingly. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 14pt;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div style="background: white; line-height: 19.05pt; margin-bottom: 11.9pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The Island Information System apart, ISRO has successfully
launched CARTOSAT 2 Series of satellites that can provide sub-meter images
(spatial resolution of 65 cm) for monitoring purposes. ISRO is also building on
capabilities to acquire images from as far as 36,000 km up in the space and yet
give a resolution of about 55 m, at frequent intervals, empowering Indian
security agencies like the National Technical Research Organisation (NTRO) and
other intelligence arms to monitor real time activities of India’s adversaries.
Such a capability would also help in effective monitoring of major national
disasters in the country. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="background: white; line-height: 19.05pt; margin-bottom: 11.9pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The Special Projects Division dealing with all
strategic requirements of the armed forces and intelligence agencies has been
reinvigorated. A senior scientist in charge of the Division works in close
coordination with the Deputy National Security Adviser to meet all requirements
in quickest time possible. So, for instance, while new and powerful ISRO
satellites are continuously monitoring India’s immediate and extended
neighbourhood as a matter of routine, a specific request like the one to hover
over areas in Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir (PoK) in the wake of the Uri attack in
September 2016 was handled by the Special Projects Division. For a week in the
run up to the surgical strikes in late September that year, ISRO kept a close
and specific watch on terrorist camps and movement of Pakistani army troops.
When Indian Special Forces crossed the Line of Control (LoC) and struck several
locations inside PoK, real time surveillance was mounted by ISRO both to
capture the assault and to monitor any threatening movement against the Indian
Special Forces teams.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="background: white; line-height: 19.05pt; margin-bottom: 11.9pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">In June and July 2017, at the height of a tense
standoff between India and China in Chumbi Valley just north of the Siliguri
corridor, connecting rest of India with the north eastern states, ISRO was
tasked with monitoring Chinese military activity in Tibet to determine if there
was any unusual movement of troops, tanks or aircraft. Besides, ISRO now
provides real time support to Indian Navy and Coast Guard to keep a close watch
on the long coastline as well as the vast Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) that
India has. Movement of Chinese survey ships, submarines and warships in the
Indian Ocean and Bay of Bengal besides the Pakistani Navy’s forays into Arabian
Sea, in conjunction with the Navy, is now one of the important tasks of ISRO
following the new coordination mechanism established in 2015. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 14pt;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">ISRO has in fact been continuously
launching a series of satellites, mainly for cartography purpose. Called the Cartosat
series, these satellites are mainly used for cartographic mapping the earth. So
they are useful for dual purposes—military as well as civil. Through the
Cartosat 2 series of satellites programme for instance, ISRO is helping derive1x4000
scale maps for better urban planning. As Kiran Kumar says, “the beauty of this technology
is that it is continuously available. One can take an image today, one can take
an image again, 15 days later, compare and monitor the progress of a project, a
building or whatever else. With two-time data, say between 2007 and 2017, we
can calculate the difference in height of a given building through stereo imaging
and three-dimensional mapping and calculations to establish building heights,
Mining related works or even new constructions.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 14pt;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 14pt;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">K Kasturirangan, former chairman of ISRO,
says "The space agency has a formidable suit of technologies and all are
suitably deployed with each user agency utilising the assets to their best
advantage."<br />
<br />
So while high resolution imaging satellite can help in urban planning it can
also monitor terrorist camps across the border. Kasturirangan says a satellite
image does not distinguish between friend and foe that interpretation rests
with the users. Kiran Kumar says, "The Indian space agency will not
be found lacking in helping secure India's national interests now and in
future."<br />
<br />
Speaking about the capabilities of this ultra-sharp satellite, Kumar said
"The Cartosat 2 series has a unique capability of capturing a 1-minute
video, which despite its enormous speed of 37 km a second, is able to focus at
a single point for a minute." <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 14pt;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 14pt;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">In addition, there were three other earth
imaging satellites Cartosat-1, Cartosat-2 and Resourcesat-2 that provide top
class imagery during day time. Going further, ISRO seeks to develop satellites
that have a resolution of 25 cm in the very near future.<br />
<br />
Former ISRO chairman G Madhavan Nair says even China does not have such high
resolution satellites, the best China has is about 5-m resolution.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 14pt;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Nair says "India invested heavily in
space imaging technology and is now reaping the benefits." Nair
says right now India relies heavily on using Thuraya handsets for satellite
telephony but he hopes very soon the Defence Research and Development
Organisation (DRDO) will be able to deliver Indian handsets that are compatible
with the country's GSAT-6 satellite.<br />
<br />
In fact Nair insists that in the upcoming GSAT 6-A, satellite telephony should
be made the bigger component. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 14pt;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 14pt;">While understandably much of the
resources are focused on land since India has hostile neighbours both on its
western and eastern fronts. ISRO has not forgotten the deep blue oceans that
surround India and they need to be protected as well. On a specific demand by
the Indian Navy, the Indian space scientists have already deployed a satellite
the Navy calls 'Rukmini'. This is a dedicated communications satellite which
helps the Indian Navy talk to its ships when they are beyond the visual range,
in a secure fashion.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="background: aqua; font-size: 14pt;"><br />
</span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 14pt;">As
a senior security manager summed it up: “Now ISRO has got strategically aligned
to India’s security requirements, thanks to the Eye-in-the-Sky. Earlier, it was
largely technologically focused.” <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 14.3pt; margin-top: 13.1pt;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Another feather in ISRO’s cap is the Indian
National Regional Navigational System, meant for creating India’s own GPS
facility. Having put up a constellation of seven satellites which covers India and the
neighbourhood—up to 1500 km to the east and west of India’s shores—ISRO has
created a powerful system which is used for several important tasks including
creating India’s own GPS system. <span style="color: #333333;">This constellation
of seven satellites was named as "NavIC" (Navigation Indian
Constellation) by Prime Minister Modi and dedicated to the Nation on the
occasion of successful launch of IRNSS-1G, the seventh and last satellite of
NavIC. Navic in Sanskrit is incidentally, a sailor. <o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 14.3pt; margin-top: 13.1pt;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="color: #333333;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;">All the satellites will be visible
at all times in the Indian region. While the first of the series of satellites
was launched in July 2013, the rest six were put into space between 2014 and
2016.ISRO spent Rs. 1,420 crores on building and setting up the seven NavIC
satellites in the orbit. Regarded as a precise system, comparable to US's GPS,
NavIC is capable of providing position accuracy of about 10 metres. India has
thus become one </span><span style="font-size: 18.6667px;">among</span><span style="font-size: 14pt;"> a handful of countries, to have its own GPS. IRNSS
Or NavIC will provide two types of services, namely, Standard Positioning
Service (SPS) which is provided to all the users and Restricted Service (RS),
which is an encrypted service provided only to the authorised users. </span></span><span style="font-size: 14pt;">The indigenous system is
already up and providing services that is being tested and used a few
applications already. Says an ISRO
official: “From 2018, we need not depend on US GPS at all.”It’s a major
strategic advantage.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 14.3pt; margin-top: 13.1pt;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div style="background: white; line-height: 19.05pt; margin-bottom: 11.9pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Based on the Indian GPS system, ISRO has tied up
with Indian companies—under Make in India projects--for manufacture of a chip
set. Once the chips are produced, they can be used for variety of purposes,
from defence to simple road navigation in the civilian sector. Several trials
have taken place of late. NavIChas started supporting the fisherman in coastal
areas. Says Kiran Kumar, “the first application (of NavIC) which we have
devised is given through a mobile App, a basic mobile. Once installed and
linked to the NavIC Device, a fisherman in say Gujarat or in Tamil Nadu will
get important services, like 1. Potential Fishing Zones (PFZ) information for
him to navigate to that point for fishing, 2. Weather alert, like thunders
storms, 3An automatic alert if his boat approaches international maritime
boundary. Otherwise, on high seas, it is difficult to make out where the Indian
area ends and other country’s begins.” Given the frequency of arrests of Indian
fishermen in Pakistani or Sri Lankan waters, NavIC must come as a big relief to
the fishermen community. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="background: white; line-height: 19.05pt; margin-bottom: 11.9pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">ISRO has already developed necessary Apps on
Mobile that will allow fishermen to download potential fishing zones in the
area before they launch the boat into the sea. Explains Diwakar: “Here, what we
do is we use the sea surface temperature and chlorophyll information, which
comes from the satellite data, Oceansat-2 is used here, both these are
integrated to determine an area which would have a school of fish, that around
this lat-long, the fishermen need not waste time in searching for fish as he
can follow the PFZ maps and reach the right place for assured fish-catch.” This
is in fact the first application based on NavIC, which is already in
field-trial phase.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="background: white; line-height: 19.05pt; margin-bottom: 11.9pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Once tested and tried, the chipset may even
become integral part of every mobile handset in India to provide accurate GPS
to everyone, ISRO scientists now say. There will be multiple applications that
NavIC can be used for. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 14pt;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">However, ISRO’s mandate goes much beyond
just helping India’s strategic sector. Chairman Kiran Kumar says the scope and
work of ISRO has expanded manifold since the Modi government has taken charge
in 2014. In fact, the Chairman of ISRO says under this government, the number
of ministries using ISRO data has gone up manifold. “From about 10-12
ministries in the past, we now have 58 ministries, including the tribal welfare
ministry (which one wouldn’t have thought would have any use of our data) have
a dedicated link to our data. That’s a huge difference.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 14pt;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div style="background: white; line-height: 19.05pt; margin-bottom: 11.9pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">For example the Smart Cities & AMRUT projects
that the government has launched. ISRO provides 65 cm data, 1x4000 scale maps, to
urban planners for consistent and continuous planning and monitoring. ISRO’s
technology now gives a three-dimension imagery allowing urban planners to
record progress of a construction site. Project managers can now map the
progress of various construction activities by comparing earlier images with
the latest ones at a central place, on a dashboard. ISRO’s ability to map potential
ground water zones, provide acreage and production of major crops well before
harvest, monitor encroachments in forest in addition to mapping and monitoring
forest reserves, assess quality of land (whether it is fallow, a wasteland or
fertile), gives a handy tool to town planners. They can now plan to make
optimum utilisation of water, electricity, energy since the entire three
dimensional view of the proposed town or a city in progress is available. Once
a new city comes up, many of its basic civic functions can be controlled,
managed and utilised through a central system, thanks to ISRO’s technology. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="background: white; line-height: 19.05pt; margin-bottom: 11.9pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Says Diwakar, “If I am a town planner, I would like
to optimally utilize resources in a cost effective manner, let us say, the
water, electricity and sewerage systems. I wouldn’t like to waste the precious
water. So you can completely control through ICT technologies on how you’re
going to distribute the water in a city. Through the computerised mechanism you
release the water to a particular area for a particular time, you auto shut-off
and close it since you know the amount of water the population is going to
consume. ISRO scientists say their technology gives an integrated perspective
and the ability to modify outcomes as and when required. For instance, they can
effectively do traffic management by using ICT because the control room has the
full picture and ability to monitor the amount of load on a given road and
identify choke points during different hours. Near real-time monitoring and
making real-time projections helps in better urban management. And at nights the
control room can even manage street lighting and control energy consumption of
a particular area based on traffic and use of public places. The control room
manager can switch on /switch off or even reduce the illumination for a certain
area if there’s no traffic, say after 12 midnight. In short, the Central
control room concept in a smart city can literally manage and monitor all the basic
amenities and facilities which are used by common citizens daily. Yet another
possibility of using “Internet of Things (IOT”, intermixed with space
technology helps in better management of smart cities. The capital of
Chattisgarh—Naya Raipur—that is moving towards smart city program is one of the
unique examples of marrying urban planning with space technology, ISRO
scientist point out.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 14pt;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">AMRUT or Atal Mission for Rejuvenation
and Urban Transformation is another example where urban bodies (municipal
corporations, city councils) will be able to use geospatial technology for planning.
For example, urban planners can get the full picture at the click of a mouse
about the drainage situation, existing pipelines, allow them to check if space
exists for new pipelines to be laid etc. The authorities can also take a
comprehensive look at the green cover available in an urban setting thanks to
the ISRO eye in the sky and decide accordingly which areas to leave out for
construction, which to allot in case the land is found to be fallow or is a
wasteland with no hope of being used for agriculture purposes.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 14pt;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 14pt;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">So wasn’t this being done earlier, I ask
the ISRO scientists. “Not at this level or with so much of coordination,” said
one of them in reply. Normally, it used to take four to five years for town
planners to finalise the city plans or even update them but now, working in
close coordination with Ministry of Urban Development the process is much
faster than before. The Ministry has modified the entire documentation with
respect to town planning, they have evolved new guidelines that uses space and
geospatial technology, so now the entire urban planning starts with a geospatial
base map, the base map given by the high resolution satellite pictures. The
satellite pictures combined with the existing maps gives full information on elevation,
type of land--waste land or a productive land—to enable faster planning. At the
moment, about 500 AMRUT towns and cities have been taken up and sought ISRO’s
help. Having tasted success, the authorities
now want to use the technology for all 4,041 cities in the future.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 14pt;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 14pt;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Explains Diwakar: “This is a procedure
we’ve put together. A client server system has been designed to be used by the
MoUD. All the services will be ‘e’ enabled services. All of them—water and waste management,
traffic system, electricity grids, housing numbers-- can be brought under one
roof and monitored in a dashboard. We are for example working with Naya Raipur
to make it one of the first modern smart cities in the country. The model should
be amenable to be emulated throughout the country.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 14pt;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 14pt;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Planning smart cities apart, ISRO is
contributing in mounting surveillance on gas pipelines, geo-tagging all the
post offices in the country, helping tourism departments to come up with a
real-time information monitoring system and collecting data for municipal
corporations. The information of all 1.55 lakh post offices in the
country—including their location, status of road connectivity to each one of
them and even the services provided by them—is now available at one place, that
is Bhuvan Geoportal. Moreover the 3Dimensional imaging capability that ISRO now
has enables municipal authorities to monitor and compare data on building
heights. For example, simply looking at a residential building’s 3D image from
2010 and 2017—for instance—the civic authorities can calculate the number of
stories added to a building and accordingly come up with an estimate house tax
they can collect. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 14pt;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 14pt;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Similarly, for agriculture sector,
satellite imagery was used earlier too but over the past three years, the use
of ISRO satellites has gone up manifold. Says a scientist: “Our technology now
enables the agriculture department to estimate grain production much before the
harvest. Earlier we used monitor about eight crops, now the count has gone up
to 11 and also helping the ministry with Soil Health Card program in country in
addition to the Crop Insurance scheme to help the farming community. Moreover,
we have also included horticulture in this monitoring. The most important
change however is the use of ISRO technology to assess damage to crops in
drought hit areas or places that get excessive rains or flooding. This way the
government’s crop insurance programme gets implemented in double quick time. We
are actually able to provide almost real time data to enable the agriculture
department in assessing the need for crop insurance.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 14pt;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 14pt;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Even the water resources ministry uses
space technology much more than before. Thanks to the new synergy, the Ministry
now gets the water spread information in all water bodies and reservoirs on a
bi-weekly basis through, says Diwakar. Every 15 days we get the picture of surface
water body in the entire country, he adds. This kind of data is automatically
processed and published on ISRO portal. Telangana and Andhra Pradesh States
have launched a major program on water resources management using our
technology and the advantage of such bi-weekly data on water from space.<a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="_GoBack"></a><o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 14pt;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 14pt;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">ISRO’s achievements are already formidable
but with growing use of space for defence and commercial purposes, its role is
bound to increase and it must therefore strive to remain ahead of the curve by
inviting India’s private sector to forge a beneficial partnership. As Rajeswari Pillai Rajagopalan,
senior fellow and head, Nuclear & Space Policy Initiative, at the Observer
Research Foundation says<i>, “</i>India has a
sizeable and talented private sector that must be brought in to maximize the
capacity to manufacture as well as launch satellites. Isro might need to do a
bit of handholding in the beginning but with a little help the Indian private
sector can contribute to India’s space growth story in an effective manner.”</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 14pt;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 14pt;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Increasing private sector
participation part, ISRO will need to remain focused on India’s defence and
strategic requirements in coming years and contribute much more than before in
securing India through precise application of its capabilities even as it continues
to attain new heights in commercial application of space assets. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 14pt;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<br />
<div>
<!--[endif]-->
<br />
<div id="edn1">
<div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="color: red; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">(From my book <i>Securing India The Modi Way: Pathankot, Surgical Strikes and more</i>)</span></div>
</div>
<div id="edn2">
</div>
</div>
</div>
Nitin A. Gokhalehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04632054380553596730noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4017910838017424020.post-15440622860477663522017-11-18T08:58:00.003+05:302017-11-18T12:36:46.269+05:30Why govt was forced to but Rafale jets off the shelf <div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 13pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">As the new political leadership was briefed about the
impasse, MoD officials were told to try and break the deadlock as soon as
possible since the IAF’s fleet of fighter aircraft was depleting alarmingly. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 13pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 13pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">So, during a meeting of CNC on 25 September 2014, Dassault
Aviation was told provide commitment on these two issues within 10 days. The
Company demurred. As no response was received they were again requested vide
letter dated 31 October 2014 that the requisite commitment may be provided
within a week. In their response dated 7 November 2014, Dassault Aviation did
not provide the confirmations sought by the CNC. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 13pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 13pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">On 10 November 2014 meanwhile Parrikar took over as Defence
Minister. While being briefed about the major pending projects and contracts,
he realised that the MMRCA contract wasn’t going anywhere. Yet he wanted to
give the French sufficient time to comply with the terms of the tender. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 13pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 13pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">In December 2014, the French Defence Minister came visiting
and as expected raised the issue of conclusion of contract negotiations in the
MMRCA case with Parrikar who told him that conclusion of the contract was held up on
account of the vendor not confirming compliance to the terms of the RFP. This
was followed up by a formal letter from Parrikar to the French Defence Minister
stating that it would be really useful for Dassault Aviation to confirm
compliance to the terms of the RFP and the terms of the bid submitted by them
at the earliest. It was further mentioned in the letter that the negotiations
can be carried forward and concluded thereafter if Dassault Aviation could be
asked to depute a fully empowered representative to discuss non-stop with CNC.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 13pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 13pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Another discussion
with the delegation of Dassault Aviation was held on 12 February 2015. A clarification
was sought from Dassault Aviation towards confirmation of compliance to the
terms of the RFP and terms of the bid submitted by them specifically. The two
crucial points, i.e. (i) the consolidated Man Hours (MH) based on which
Dassault Aviation had been declared L-1 would be the same man hours required
for license manufacture of 108 Rafale aircraft in India, and (ii) Dassault
Aviation as the Seller under the contract for 126 aircraft for the IAF will
undertake necessary contractual obligations as per RFP requirements. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 13pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 13pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The representatives of Dassault Aviation reiterated their
stand on both issues and stated that while Dassault Aviation will be
responsible only for delivery of 18 aircraft in a flyaway condition, they will
not take ownership for the 108 aircraft
to be manufactured by HAL as the Local Production Agency (LPA). On the issue
regarding Man Hours , the Dassault
Aviation representative stated that the
company’s stand has always been
consistent that the Man Hours indicated in their proposal correspond to the
related tasks performed in French Industrial condition. He also mentioned that
only HAL being the Lead Production Agency can talk about the factor of
multiplication to be applied to these Man Hours to convert the same to the Man
Hours required for license production of 108 aircraft in India. Clearly,
Dassault Aviation was using the loophole in the original terms of the tender to
get away with shirking its responsibility towards the quality of the 108 jets
to be manufactured in India.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 13pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: 13pt;">Exasperated at the obduracy shown by the French company, </span>MoD<span style="font-size: 13pt;">
issued an ultimatum in on 20 March 2015 asking it to </span><span style="font-size: 17.3333px;">fulfill</span><span style="font-size: 13pt;"> the commitment and
confirmation on the two aspects mentioned above, ‘failing which </span>MoD<span style="font-size: 13pt;"> may be
constrained to withdraw the </span>RFP<span style="font-size: 13pt;"> issued.’<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 13pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 13pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">However, Dassault Aviation, in its response dated 24 March
2015, did not commit on the two aspects mentioned above. Instead, the French
Company stated that the estimate of consolidated Man Hours given by them is to
be used by HAL to prepare its own quotation with respect to the completion of its
(HAL’s) tasks under the MMRCA. The MoD realised that applying a factor of 2.7
on the Man Hours quoted by both Dassault Aviation and EADS (the company that
quoted the second lowest price), the Total Cost of Acquisition (TCA), as on
November 2011, would undergo a material change to the extent that Dassault
Aviation would have no longer remained L1 vendor and would have become L2
vendor. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 13pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 13pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">As the CNC members took the matter to Parrikar he realised the
process had been convoluted to such an extent that, it would have been
impossible to take it forward. He however knew from the briefings given by the
IAF, there was no time to lose in acquiring fighter jets. The number of
effective squadrons was going down rapidly. The IAF leadership also told him
that they were happy with Rafale’s performance and would rather have the
fighter in its fleet than scout of other options. Parrikar realised that
another round of MMRCA kind of competition would have taken enormous time and
effort. So he took the matter to the Prime Minister and briefed him about the
necessity of procuring the fighter. At the same time, Parrikar told Modi, it
would be legally untenable to go through with the MMRCA contract since the
process had got vitiated completely thanks to Antony’s indecisiveness and a
crucial oversight in the original terms of the contract. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 13pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 13pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Under the circumstances, there was no alternative but to
withdraw the original tender, Parrikar told Modi since the CVC (Central
Vigilance Commission) guidelines provide that negotiations cannot be held with
the competitor who has come second in the contract (L2 vendor in officialese).
The only way, the defence minister suggested, was to scrap the tender and buy a
minimum number of Rafale jets off the shelf to fill a critical gap in the IAF’s
inventory. The Prime Minister agreed and decided to talk to the French
President about such a possibility during his upcoming visit to Paris in April
2015. The Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) also gave its approval to the new
proposal before Modi left for Paris on 9 April 2015.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 13pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: 13pt; line-height: 115%;">That evening, alerted by a source about the possibility
India scrapping the MMRCA tender and going in for off-the-shelf purchase of
Rafale jets, I scooped the story on my blog NewsWarrior (</span><a href="http://www.nitinagokhale.blogspot.in/"><span style="font-size: 13pt; line-height: 115%;">www.nitinagokhale.blogspot.in</span></a><span style="font-size: 13pt; line-height: 115%;">), 10
minutes to midnight on 9 April, almost 22 hours before Modi’s announcement of India deciding to buy
Rafale jets off the shelf was in Paris. I however got the numbers wrong. My
report said India would buy 63 Rafale directly from Dassault Aviation.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: 13pt; line-height: 115%;"><span class="MsoEndnoteReference"><span class="MsoEndnoteReference"><br /></span></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 13pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Eventually, Prime Minister Modi announced in Paris that
India would purchase 36 aircraft. Shishir Gupta of the <i>Hindustan Times</i> was closer (as far as numbers were concerned). But I had the satisfaction of having reported about such a possibility before
anyone else in the world, a fact that gives reporters an unimaginable high. Once
our stories (Gupta’s and mine) were out, other news outlets started confirming
the possibility. Most reports on 10 April 2015, waiting for the announcement to
be made by Modi and Hollande, quoted my blog post and Gupta’s report as the
source of the initial information. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 13pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 13pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">India’s decision, announced at a joint Press Conference
between Modi and then French President Francoise Hollande on 10 April 2015,
took everyone by surprise but under the circumstances, the Prime Minister had chosen
the best possible solution. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 13pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Once the in-principle decision was taken, it was left to
Parrikar and his team in the MoD to negotiate the eventual price for buying the
36 jets. Their confidence bolstered by the PMO, the Parrikar-led MoD drove a
hard bargain with the French. But it wasn’t until another 15 months later—in
September 2016-- that India finally signed the contract and got the
state-of-the-art fighters at a competitive price. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 13pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-size: 13pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">36
Rafale Vs 126 MMRCA Package Comparison <o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-size: 13pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 13pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">As the contract was signed, inevitable comparisons about the
costs India was paying for the 36 jets and the 126 planes India was supposed to
have bought under the MMRCA deal, began. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 13pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 13pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The final negotiated price for 36 Rafale package, along with
initial consignment of weapons, Performance-based Logistics (PBL), simulators
along with annual maintenance and associated equipment and services was fixed
at 7890 million Euros. The average unit
cost of Rafale aircraft thus turned out to be 91.7 million Euros (going by the
Euro-to-rupee conversion rate at the time of signing the contract it meant each
aircraft would cost Rs 688.30 crore and not Rs 1500 or Rs 1700 crore quoted by
some analysts). In any case, officials involved in the nitty-gritty of the
negotiations pointed out that the package cost of 126 MMRCA and 36 Rafale cannot
be directly compared to work out per unit cost as the deliverables in the two
cases were quiet divergent. Obviously,
the CCS, briefed in detail about the absolute necessity of procuring the Rafale
jets for the IAF and the cost comparisons, did not hesitate for a moment to
clear the proposal, Parrikar remembers. “I must give full credit to the
negotiating team for having diligently worked out all details to get a good
bargain and the Prime Minister’s total trust in us” Parrikar told me.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 13pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: 13pt; line-height: 115%;">What the former defence minister doesn’t mention however is
his own steadfast belief that the cost had to be negotiated to India’s
advantage. Recalls a senior IAF official involved in the hard bargain with the
French: “It was Mr Parrikar who backed us to the hilt and even held firm in the
face of tremendous pressure applied by the French when their President
(Francois Hollande) was in Delhi as the Chief Guest for the Republic Day Parade
in January 2016. Mr Hollande was keen to sign the MoU, inclusive of the
finalised price, with our Prime Minister while in Delhi. We negotiated through
the night until 4 am but the price Mr Parrikar thought was still high. So he
took the matter to the PM and requested him to sign the MoU without mentioning
the final price, which Modi promptly did. So on 26 January 2016, India and
France signed a MoU for India to buy 36 Rafale fighter jets. Newspapers reports
the next day said the 9 billion dollars deal would take some time to be
finalised. It took another eight months for the contract to be signed. The team drove a
hard bargain and obtained a hefty discount. As I wrote on my website, </span><a href="http://www.bharatshakti.in/"><span style="font-size: 13pt; line-height: 115%;">www.bharatshakti.in</span></a><span style="font-size: 13pt; line-height: 115%;">: “</span><span style="background: white; font-size: 13pt; line-height: 115%;">The MoD-IAF negotiating team
extracted many concessions and discounts to arrive at a price that is almost
750 million less than what was being quoted by the French side in January 2016,
when the commercial negotiations gathered pace, almost seven months after Prime
Minister Narendra Modi announced India’s intention to buy 36 Rafales off the
shelf from France during his trip to Paris in April 2015.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 15.0pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: 13pt;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">“To bring down the cost, the Indian team asked
French officials to calculate the deal on actual cost (Price as on today) plus
European Inflation Indices (which varies like stock markets and is currently
around 1 per cent per annum). The MoD has also capped the European Inflation
Indices to maximum 3.5 per cent a year. In other words, if inflation Indices
goes down (chances of it going down are more, looking at the current situation
of European markets) India will have to pay less. Even if it goes up India will
not pay more than 3.5 per cent increase.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 15.0pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: 13pt;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">“In the now scrapped process for buying 126 Medium
Multi-role Combat Aircraft (MMRCA) floated the confusion reigned supreme in
calculating the cost of the contract. After the French Dassault Aviation—makers
of the Rafale Jet—emerged winners the UPA government had agreed with French
officials to calculate the price on the fixed cost formula that allowed the
company to include additional price of 3.9 per cent Inflation Indices from day
1 of the deal. So, had the India gone ahead with the UPA deal and the European
Inflation Indices had fallen (as it indeed has), India would have ended up
paying additional cost of inflation Indices (@3.9 per cent) which was already
added at the initial negotiation itself.” <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 13pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The lower price apart, the Rafales that IAF will operate
will have a weapon suite much superior to the ones proposed in the earlier
case. They will include Air to Air weapons METEOR Beyond Visual Range Missiles
with ranges more than 150 Km, MICA-RF Beyond Visual Range Missiles with ranges
more than 80 Km and MICA-IR Close Combat Missiles with ranges more than 60 Km.
The Air-Ground weapons include SCALP missiles with range in excess of 300 Km.
The induction of METEOR and SCALP missiles will provide a significant
capability edge to the IAF over India’s adversaries. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 13pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 13pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The Rafale for IAF will have 13 India Specific Enhancement
(ISE) capabilities which are not present in the Rafale aircraft being operated
by other countries. Three capabilities pertain to Radar enhancements which will
provide IAF with better long range capability. One of the specific capability
being acquired is the Helmet Mounted Display (HMD) through which the IAF pilots
will be able counter many threats simultaneously. Another very significant
capability enhancement sought is the ability to start and operate from 'High
Altitude Airfields'. The 36 Rafale aircraft are to be delivered to the IAF
within 67 months after signing of the Inter-Government Agreement. This delivery
schedule is better than the delivery schedule proposed earlier by the French
side by five months. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 13pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 13pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">But buying the aircraft is only the first step. After the
initial purchase, the effectiveness of any aircraft is in the speed with which
it can be repaired and ‘turned around,’ that is readied for another mission the
moment it returns to base. In that respect, the IAF could not have negotiated a
better deal.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 13pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 13pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> In MMRCA case, the
initial PBL support was to be for five years for one squadron. In 36 Rafale
case, the PBL is for five years for two squadrons with an additional contractual
commitment for another two years with the base year prices kept intact. In the
earlier proposed contract, the computation of PBL performance had considered
cannibalisation of components from unserviceable aircraft. The Indian side was
able to remove this clause without any additional cost. The PBL Agreement now
stipulates that the company will ensures that a minimum 75 per cent of the
fleet will always be available for operations. Moreover, Rafale has lesser
turnaround time as compared to other fighter available. The Rafale aircraft can
do five sorties in a day as compared to other two engine fighter aircraft
available which have a sortie generation rate of three per day. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 13pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 13pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Rafale was the biggest of the
complicated cases that the MoD resolved but there were other crucial pieces of
equipment that India needed and needed as soon as possible. So all the hurdles
in purchases of artillery guns (M-777
howitzers from the US), attack and medium lift helicopters for the Army
(Chinook and Apache helicopters from the US); frigates and mine counter-measure
vessels for the Navy and Akash missiles for the Air Force, were removed in double
quick time.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div>
<!--[if !supportEndnotes]--><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br clear="all" />
</span><br />
<div id="edn1">
<div class="MsoEndnoteText">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i>(Excerpted from my book Securing India: The Modi Way: Pathankot, Surgical strikes and more)</i></span></div>
</div>
<div id="edn5">
</div>
</div>
</div>
Nitin A. Gokhalehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04632054380553596730noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4017910838017424020.post-74561112800667292432017-11-18T08:49:00.001+05:302017-11-18T09:00:26.803+05:30THE TORTUOUS MMRCA SAGA: Part I<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background: white; line-height: 115%;"><span style="color: red;"><span style="font-family: "cambria" , serif;"><span style="font-size: 13pt;">More than a year after the government signed the deal to buy 36 Rafale combat jets in September 2016, the contract is back in the news again, thanks to the allegations by the Opposition Congress that the government did not follow rules and procedures and that it overpaid for the fighters. The allegations have been denied by the government and rightly so. To begin with the previous UPA government had not finalised the price of the contract. So comparison of cost is incorrect. But there is more. the Mod under then Defence Minister AK Antony had convoluted the process to an extent where it had become impossible to go through with the deal in its original format. I have detailed the decade-long journey of what was once described as 'mother of all deals,' in my book </span></span><i style="font-family: Cambria, serif; font-size: 13pt;">Securing India The Modi way: Pathankot, Surgical Strikes and more. </i><span style="font-family: "cambria" , serif;"><span style="font-size: 13pt;">Here are the excerpts, in two parts which sheds light on what </span><span style="font-size: 17.3333px;">exactly</span><span style="font-size: 13pt;"> happened in the Rafale deal. </span></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="background: white; font-family: "cambria" , serif; font-size: 13pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="background: white; font-family: "cambria" , serif; font-size: 13pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background: white; font-family: "cambria" , "serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; line-height: 115%;">The competition to
acquire 126 Medium Multi Role Combat Aircraft (MMRCA) for the Indian Air Force
began in 2007 after the government agreed with the IAF that it needed to
replace the aging fleet of MiG aircraft.</span><span style="background: white; font-family: "cambria" , serif; font-size: 13pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background: white; font-family: "cambria" , "serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background: white; font-family: "cambria" , "serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Six companies across the world
were issued the tender papers. They were: EADS from Germany, manufacturers of
the Eurofighter Typhoon; Lockheed Martin (who make the F-16s) and Boeing ((F-18
aircraft) from the USA, Sweden’s SAAB (makers of Gripen); Dassualt Aviation
from France (the Rafale manufacturers) and Russia’s Rosoboron</span><span style="background: white; font-family: "cambria" , serif; font-size: 13pt; line-height: 115%;"> </span><span style="background: white; font-family: "cambria" , "serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Export (MiG-35).</span><span style="background: white; font-family: "cambria" , serif; font-size: 13pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background: white; font-family: "cambria" , "serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background: white; font-family: "cambria" , "serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; line-height: 115%;">India was looking for 18
aircraft to be bought off the shelf and 108 were to be manufactured in India
(with a local partner, in this case, it was supposed to be the state-owned
Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd). Required maintenance, repair and overhaul
facilities were to be set up. The MMRCA contract was variously described as ‘mother
of all deals,’ ‘most complex defence contract,’ etc in the media reports. And
it indeed was. </span><span style="background: white; font-family: "cambria" , serif; font-size: 13pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background: white; font-family: "cambria" , "serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background: white; font-family: "cambria" , "serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; line-height: 115%;">According to official
documents that I have had a chance to read, the MoD had in 2011, bench marked
the Total Cost of Acquisition at Rs 163,403 crores. This, it must be pointed
out, was different from the total cost of deliverables in the 126 MMRCA contract, which was bench marked by
the MoD at Rs 69,456 crores, excluding the offset loading cost, estimated to be
anywhere between Rs 2530 crores to Rs 5060 crores.</span><span style="background: white; font-family: "cambria" , serif; font-size: 13pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background: white; font-family: "cambria" , "serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background: white; font-family: "cambria" , "serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; line-height: 115%;">All this came after the six
companies submitted their techno-commercial bids in April 2008, followed by
nearly 11 months of field evaluation trial (FET) held in the heat of Rajasthan
desert during peak summer months and extreme cold conditions in the high
altitude zone of Ladakh. The trials were completed in May 2010. The evaluation
committee of the IAF shortlisted two aircraft—the Eurofighter Typhoon and the
Rafale aircraft fielded by the Dassault Aviation (DA)—and forwarded the
recommendation to Defence Minister AK Antony. Antony took almost a year to
accept the recommendation. It was already 2011. After prolonged internal
discussions in two sub-committees (the Technical Oversight Committee-TOC, the
Technical Offset Evaluation Committee-TOEC), a Contract Negotiations Committee
(CNC) was formed in April 2011. By September that year, the CNC had arrived at
the benchmarking cost after applying escalation rates by averaging simple
year-on-year escalation.</span><span style="background: white; font-family: "cambria" , serif; font-size: 13pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background: white; font-family: "cambria" , "serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "cambria" , "serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; line-height: 115%;">But it was not before<b>
</b>July 2012, that the CNC activated four Sub-Committees, the 'Maintenance',
`Offset', and `ToT and `Contract' Sub-Committees. <o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "cambria" , "serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "cambria" , "serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; line-height: 115%;">For the next two years, negotiations on Transfer of
Technology, Offset and Maintenance went on apace. However, certain aspects
related to License Manufacture of 108 aircraft in India with HAL as the lead
production agency could not be finalized. Major differences occurred on the
aspect of Man Hours that would be required to produce the aircraft from kits in
India and who would take the responsibility for entire lot of 126 aircraft.
While DA maintained that 31 Million Man Hours that it has proposed should be
sufficient to produce 108 Rafale aircraft in India, HAL was asking for mark up
of this Man Hours by 2.7 times.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "cambria" , "serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "cambria" , "serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; line-height: 115%;">This point became the
bone of contention between the government and the French manufacturer. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "cambria" , "serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "cambria" , "serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Moreover, in the understanding of the MoD, the company that
had emerged as the winner in the bid—Dassault Aviation—would have to sign a
single contract with the Indian government. The French Company would then need
to have back to back contract(s) with HAL and other Indian Production Agencies.
Dassault Aviation would also be responsible for the delivery of the complete
126 aircraft to IAF and the single point responsibility for this contract
rested with Dassault Aviation because the RFP was issued to them. At that
stage, the representatives of Dassault Aviation agreed do their best to meet
all requirements of the project as envisaged in the RFP. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "cambria" , "serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "cambria" , "serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; line-height: 115%;">However, Dassault Aviation did not fulfil the commitment
given in the first meeting and an impasse ensued on the responsibility of
delivery of 108 aircraft to be manufactured in India. Another hurdle came up on
the point of work share of HAL. Dassault Aviation was asked to submit a
'Responsibility Matrix', clearly defining the role and responsibility of
Dassault Aviation and HAL. The `Responsibility Matrix' was to facilitate a back
to back contract of Dassault Aviation with HAL.
The CNC was however not able to move the negotiations forward since the
interpretation of two fundamental aspects of the case by the French Company was
not in line with the terms of the original terms in the tender.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "cambria" , "serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "cambria" , "serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; line-height: 115%;">The first aspect related to treating Dassault Aviation as
the 'Seller' of 126 aircraft, including 108 to be manufactured in India and the
corresponding contractual obligations and liabilities. The second point was
about the ‘man hours for the aircraft to be manufactured in India. The UPA
government, under the overly cautious AK Antony instead of imposing a deadline
for the French manufacturer to comply with the terms of the RFP, dragged its
feet and allowed Dassault Aviation to get away with obfuscation. Moreover, in
an unusual move, Antony instructed MoD officials to bring the file back to him
after concluding the CNC to re-examine
the integrity of the process before proceeding to finalise the contract,
creating confusion and doubt in the minds of the officials who were negotiating
with the manufacturer. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "cambria" , "serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "cambria" , "serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Even as talks got deadlocked, the government changed in
Delhi. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "cambria" , "serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "cambria" , "serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "cambria" , "serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="color: red;"><i>(Continued in Part II)</i></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "cambria" , "serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div>
<div id="edn5">
</div>
</div>
</div>
Nitin A. Gokhalehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04632054380553596730noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4017910838017424020.post-23404725267489055572017-10-22T09:44:00.003+05:302017-10-22T10:56:43.958+05:30Removing the cobwebs: How Modi altered the national security approach<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrV08dKE3mdhk6AgIlkell7F0GnbYAu91mfAFr4Y2WxyEXWXgm2_jhqkcCtfThgZ9AFO9X-k5oMzkPazYoTNwWlugxa8SAtzMXHefewAoLR-olyqnI-lDfXbW0NWBkh4lK8E3VuwmtDi4h/s1600/SSbookcover.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1190" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrV08dKE3mdhk6AgIlkell7F0GnbYAu91mfAFr4Y2WxyEXWXgm2_jhqkcCtfThgZ9AFO9X-k5oMzkPazYoTNwWlugxa8SAtzMXHefewAoLR-olyqnI-lDfXbW0NWBkh4lK8E3VuwmtDi4h/s320/SSbookcover.jpg" width="238" /></span></a><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">By personally authorising a surgical strike, and then announcing it to the world, Prime Minister Modi was truly living up to his growing reputation as a ‘risk taker’.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">Surgical strikes inside PoK were indeed a massive political and diplomatic gamble.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">A number of things could have gone wrong.The advancing parties could have been attacked, or ambushed, leaving Indian soldiers injured or killed in the area occupied by Pakistan. If the information regarding the targeted areas and routes had been found to be inaccurate, the mission could have failed to achieve its objectives. Most importantly, the success of the operation depended upon precise intelligence about the terrorist camps, their presence in those camps, and safe routes to access them which would be free from landmines.The precision and accuracy of intelligence therefore played a vital role.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">It is imperative to note that if the trans-LoC raids had failed, the Indian PM would have lost face, as well as huge political capital. A setback in the raids would have further constricted India’s room to manoeuvre its policy against Pakistan, and politically, Modi would have been hobbled in domestic affairs. However, he went for the jugular, precisely because no one expected him to. Of course, the Prime Minister could take the risk because he had built a national security team led by Doval that had the requisite operational experience, and the ability to be meticulous in preparation of a plan and execution, based on precise real-time intelligence. The troops too were highly </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">motivated and well trained. Over and above everything else, Modi had confidence in the ability of the forces to carry out the mission.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">The Prime Minister’s critics have variously described this and some of his other unconventional decisions since coming to power as rash, thoughtless, gimmicky, and even dangerous.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">Modi has nevertheless charted his own course.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">The surgical strikes was just one such example. In the past 40 months, Modi has shown the ability to stay ahead of the curve and catch almost everyone off guard on many occasions.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> _____________________________________________________</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">Indeed that was the case as is evident from the bold, unconventional and swift moves in diplomacy, security, and administration, which has marked the Prime Minister’s tenure so far, often leaving his opponents stunned and supporters asking for more. One common thread across the spectrum in his approach has been the realisation that it has to be ‘India First’. Every decision that is taken and implemented is aimed at making India safe, stable, and prosperous.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">Modi’s bold move to invite heads of states in the neighbourhood for his own swearing in was not a one-off ‘out of the box’ decision.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">But what of Modi’s security policies? What is his approach?</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">At one level, because of his record as a no-nonsense administrator and his nationalistic views, it was a given that Modi would adopt a more robust security policy with respect to both Pakistan and China. Breaking years of status quo and hesitation have not been easy. Inevitably, there have been setbacks—in Kashmir and the Maoist-dominated areas—but in each case, the national security apparatus under Modi’s premiership has bounced back and reconfigured itself.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">Ambassador Satish Chandra,seasoned diplomat and former deputy national security adviser, sums it up succinctly: ‘Modi is not looking at the past as a inhibiting factor.The Prime Minister will do what he thinks is right. He is not inhibited by lack of precedence. Every Prime Minister gets bogged down by countervailing forces within the well- established system. But Modi has been able to break out of the iron clad framework because he is a complete outsider. He is not part of the Delhi Durbar and can therefore think out of the box on most vital issues like foreign policy and national security.’</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">The results may not be immediately apparent, but many far- reaching changes, ushered in over the past three years, will strengthen national security, as the subsequent chapters will argue.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">However, according to NSA Doval, it is dif cult to comprehend Modi’s security policies without understanding his vision for the nation. Groomed and nurtured ideologically in a strong nationalist mode, he has both a civilisational awareness and a long-term strategic vision of India’s security. He believes that a strong economy, transformed human capital of India, technological excellence, and powerful national consciousness of the Indian people are the guarantors of Indian security. His emphasis on human resource development,indigenisation of defence production, and emphasis on technology in defence, are all aimed at making India strong and secure. A careful analysis of all his speeches and utterances make it clear that he considers the will of the nation as the main ingredient of its Comprehensive National Power (CNP). He wants the Indian people to be proud of their past, resolute in their present, and imbued with high hopes for the future. Most Indians credit him for raising the national consciousness to a much higher level.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">With those objectives in mind, the Prime Minister wanted to build an effective and efficient team around him.The team members also needed to share his vision and jointly resolve to secure India, and to make it powerful, potent, and prosperous. Modi therefore, needed to have a team leader with experience, knowledge, integrity, and high credibility in the security domain.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">He found that man in Ajit Doval, the old security czar, a legend in the highly competitive and covert world of intelligence, but more importantly someone, who like Modi, was uninhibited by personal biases and did not harbour a private agenda,except making India strong and secure. Doval had served for long years in the Intelligence Bureau and dealt with crucial matters of national security before retiring in 2005 as Director of the IB.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">Indeed Doval’s appointment as National Security Adviser (NSA) was one of the first official decisions that Modi took after assuming office on 26 May 2014.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">Modi and Doval had a nodding acquaintance when Doval was in service, but they came to know each other better after 2005 when the NSA retired as head of the Intelligence Bureau. By that time, Modi was a well-established and undisputed leader in Gujarat. Gradually, Doval, who founded the Vivekananda International Foundation (VIF), a think-tank on strategic affairs after retirement, developed a great deal of admiration and saw in Modi a leader who could transform India. His critics allege that Doval used VIF for promoting BJP’s electoral prospects by lending legitimacy and garnering support for the RSS version of Indian nationalism. No one was however, able to substantiate the charge. Modi roped him in to establish the Raksha Shakti University in Gujarat. A one of its kind training institution, </span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">the Raksha Shakti University has a vision to ‘impart customised education to the youth of the country in all vital aspects of internal security to ensure that specialised and trained personnel are available for employment in various security agencies like police forces, defence, private security. It now attracts many talented young men and women interested in ‘understanding the world of security.’</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">After Doval took over as India’s fifth National Security Adviser, he and the Prime Minister set about removing the cobwebs in the minds of security sector practitioners and the lethargy that had crept into the system.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">In Doval, the Prime Minister had the advantage of a person who not only knew the inner workings of the security apparatus in the country, but also someone who commanded great respect amongst peers and juniors. The NSA’s operational exploits are well-known and his high decorations include the Kirti Chakra, one of the highest military gallantry awards. Indeed, his achievements during active years in service accords him an unparalleled standing among the younger generation of officers.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">Over the past three years, the Modi-Doval combine has put together a core team of security professionals across the board and created a seamless system where bickering and infighting of yore has been eliminated. Speaking to this author over three longish sessions— Doval rarely comes on record, both due to the sensitivity of his job and also because of years of being in the habit of operating in the shadows- -the NSA remarked, ‘For Prime Minister Modi, the only criterion is national interest when it comes to formulating national security policies, or taking difficult decisions. He is completely oblivious to political consequences when it comes to taking the right decisions on national security.This attribute gives the PM rare clarity of thought. He is never in doubt over a decision once it is taken. Most strikingly, he is an innovative genius. I have yet to come across an instance when he does not add a new dimension, or offer an innovative suggestion to any issue brought before him.’</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">Doval reveals that Modi’s National Security approach is ‘without fetters’. ‘The advantage of such a doctrine is that he has no other focus except his deeply embedded patriotism and the awareness that </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">for India to become a great power, a secure environment—both internal and external—is an absolute must,’ the NSA remarked. More importantly, Doval says the Prime Minister looks at national security from a long-term perspective and ‘does not get rattled with episodic ups and downs’, referring to occasional setbacks in the fight against the Maoists and in J&K. His larger strategic objective is to make India secure and stable, said Doval.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">As a result of this clarity, as Doval observes, in the last three years, India has managed to enhance its intelligence capabilities, strengthen its border management, and silently but resolutely enhance defence preparedness.‘There are very few people talking about any intelligence failure these days,’ he points out.‘There has been enhancement in our real time response capability, speed and surprise in our operations, and a shift from improved coordination to inter-agency synergy,’ he adds. According to the NSA, the Prime Minister’s understanding of cyber security, maritime security, space research, and other such complex matters ‘continues to surprise us all’.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">Doval, who perhaps meets the Prime Minister more than anyone else, reveals, ‘His comprehension and attention span is unbelievably high. His approach is essentially of a problem solver; he comes out with solutions that will often surprise you.’The NSA also reveals that the Modi approach to national security is also highly ‘value based’. He strongly believes that as a responsible nation, with a high potential and promising future, we should not do or support anything that is not in consonance with India’s core values, or that might be internationally unacceptable. The nation’s commitment to democracy and rule of law must always be upheld. He wants ‘India’s security apparatus to be professional, seamlessly coordinated, well-equipped, and innovative.’ Doval too believes in capability building, anticipating threats and leading from the front.As he observed,‘in security,it does matter what happens to you, but what matters more is how you respond.’ There’s no doubt that having spent long years of his life conducting operations on ground, Doval has developed a unique tactical and strategic sense. Elaborating further, he told me, ‘Strategy without tactics is noise before the defeat, and tactics without strategy is the shortest route to committing suicide. Both are equally important and intertwined. For </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">example, neutralising a terrorist commander is tactical, but degrading the capacity of a terrorist outfit is strategic.’</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">He also does not agree that a terrorist, even in a suicide mode, can strike any time.‘I believe terrorist incidents take place when three curves meet: the curve of intention, the curve of capability, and the curve of opportunity. We change their intentions and capabilities through strategic and tactical means, while denial of opportunity is mainly tactical, degrading the capacity of a terror group by proactive or preventive means is strategic. An effective counter-terrorist policy should therefore aim to ensure that the triangle is never formed and if it does, the area is minimised,’ he stated.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="color: red; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="background-color: white;">(Excerpted from <i>Securing India The Modi way: Pathankot, Surgical Strikes and more)</i></span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: blue; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i style="background-color: white;"><br /></i></span>
<span style="color: blue; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i style="background-color: white;">Available on </i></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i><span style="background-color: white; color: blue;">https://www.amazon.in/Securing-India-Modi-Way-Pathankot/dp/9386643871/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1508645080&sr=8-1&keywords=securing+the+modi+way</span> <span style="color: #222222;">and </span><span style="color: blue;">https://www.flipkart.com/securing-india-modi-way/p/itmexufkjgwrzmhh?pid=9789386643872&srno=s_1_1&otracker=search&lid=LSTBOK9789386643872OU8DDB&fm=SEARCH&iid=95101b85-fd80-45cd-a2fc-395d8b39bd88.9789386643872.SEARCH&qH=7b8d6a0c587350f5</span></i></span></span></div>
Nitin A. Gokhalehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04632054380553596730noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4017910838017424020.post-29725025128235141162017-09-24T11:46:00.002+05:302017-09-24T11:46:26.739+05:30India needs to punch according to its own weight<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0cm; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;"><i>Swarajya magazine interviewed me on eve of the publication of my book </i><b>Securing India The Modi Way: Pathankot, Surgical strikes and more</b><i>, to be released on 29 September. Here are some excerpts</i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;"><b><br /></b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;"><b>Rishabh (Swarajya magazine)</b>: So, my first
question to you is that your book is rather curiously titled ‘Securing India
the Modi Way’, what the title implies to me is that there has been a clear
departure from the management of India’s security apparatus, pre- and post Modi,
how radical has this departure been? <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;"><b>Nitin Gokhale (NG)</b>: Well, yes, certainly
your assessment is right that the title implies that there has been a major
change in the way the national security is handled by the Modi Govt. and the
difference is: In many ways it is more robust, more muscular, it is predicated on the fact that India being the rising power needs to punch according to its
weight. There are instances that have happened in the last three, three and
half years now, in forty months which bear testimony to what the Modi
government has done as far as the national security is concerned. Therefore the
title. The book includes not just various operations but the fundamental
changes that have been brought in to management of national security. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;"><b>Rishabh</b>: Okay, could you give any examples
of certain incidents that have struck your eye?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;"><b>NG</b>: Yes, in fact they all feature--at
least two or three of those examples--in the book but the prominent one, the
biggest one is India’s approach towards China and I’ve called that chapter
‘Standing up to China’, because if you look at some of the incidents that have
happened at the border, be it in Chumar in 2014, when President Xi Jinping was in
fact in India and the way India handled the stand-off at the border, then at Dolam,
which is popularly being called as Doklam, which is the Chinese name, the Dolam
plateau crisis in recent months, in which the underlying theory or the underlying
principle in handling that crisis was that India will be resolute on the border
but reasonable in diplomacy. Now that is something which is a major departure,
which I think the world over people have come to recognize as far as dealing
with China is concerned that you’re looking at Chinese which is as a nation, China
as a military power, as an economic power is much bigger than India but Modi as
Prime Minister and his security team led by National Security Advisor Ajit
Doval have decided that you can’t let China bully India, you have to stand firm
at various places and at the same time do not treat China as the enemy. It is a
challenger, it is an adversary but India is not exactly pining for a fight, is
what India’s response has been as far as China is concerned and that to me is a
major departure from past. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;"><b>Rishabh</b>: You refer to Mr. Modi’s
robustness in terms of the security apparatus. Last year saw the much touted cross
border strikes which were heralded as the great personal triumph of the PM, was
this option open to previous governments too?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;"><b>NG</b>: Oh well yes, if you speak to military
commanders which I often do, these options were always on the table, that the
military, the army especially has always looked at it as one of the options and
you speak to former chiefs or former army commanders in Northern Command which
looks after the Pakistan border, they’ll tell you that there were some shallow
raids, some cross-border raids in the past. Nobody is denying that. The difference
between those raids and what happened on 29<sup>th</sup> September 2016 is the
fact that it was the first time such a raid was owned by the PM, it was authorized
personally by the PM in consultation with his security team which included the
Defence Minister, the National Security Advisor and the Army Chief and which
was then not only publicly announced but authorized as I said by the PM but
owned. So, there was big gamble, both political and military gamble with this
because if something had gone wrong in the raid, India would’ve been shamed. It
is this gamble that previous PMs did not want to take. Their approach was: if
you want to raid, do a cross-border raid in Pakistan or POK, go ahead, but
don’t tell us. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;"><b>Rishabh</b>: Okay, so, speaking of this
personal political gamble what reaction would PM Modi would’ve expected from the
world and Pakistan after the strike, what were the different types of reactions
do you recon would’ve played-out in his head?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;"><b>NG</b>: Well, you know I detail that in the book.
India factored in a kind of escalation even if it seemed remote at that time,
they had factored in, India’s security managers had factored in a likely
escalation or retaliation from Pakistan and had sort of prepared for any
eventuality including a wider conflict but that didn’t happen and Pakistan went
completely quiet and in a denial mode was because it was stunned in to silence because
they did not expect, the Pakistan establishment and the Pakistanis Army did not
expect this to happen. Going by the reactions and the radio chatter and the
kind of movements that happened in the PoK, one can very firmly surmise that
tactical raids and they were tactical raids--they were seven points in which
the raids took place but across the wide frontier of about 250 KM from Uri
north of Pir Panjal to Naushera, South of Pir Panjal-- simultaneous raids
actually had a strategic impact. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;"><b>Rishabh</b>: Mr Doval has been known as the
point person for Mr. Modi on security aspects, what has been your assessment of
him in the role of NSA? His role in Pathankot for instance.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;"><b>NG</b>: Pathankot forms a major chapter in my
book, in which I bust many myths that were built, many misconceptions that were
built around that attack and the role or no role that Ajit Doval as the NSA had
played in preventing the attack. If you go through what I’ve written I have
said that it was because of a proactive approach adopted under the leadership
of the NSA, that India did not lose any of the vital strategic assets i.e.
aircraft, the missiles, the ammunition dump
and neither was any hostage situation allowed to be developed on that
big campus which is the Pathankot Airbase which has about 2000 Acres of area
and had 10,000 civilians living on that campus., you should compare that kind
of an attack in our neighbourhood, in Afghanistan where the US airbase was
attacked or in Pakistan twice or in Sri Lanka there were huge damages to aircraft,
missiles and the infrastructure. In this case, yes, India did lose seven brave
men but those were because of circumstances or lack of information on ground at
that point in time but there was only one combat fatality really in chasing the
terrorists. So, it was proactive intelligence wise and proactive combat wise.
Because of this I think Pathankot is a bigger success, contrary to what people
believe or say. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;"><b>Rishabh</b>: Could you briefly outline how
the overall decision making within the security establishment works, like what
are our strong points or the chinks in our armour?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;"><b>NG</b>: See, there’s nothing as good which
can’t bettered in any circumstances but what has happened in last three, three
and half years is that there’s a lot of proactive measures, there’s a lot of
coordination and synergy between different agencies. Gone is the bickering of
the old where there were turf battles between different agencies, intelligence
as well as the security forces that’s because the NSA is an experienced and a
respected man and the PM gives a very clear directive in what needs to be done
and once he takes a decision he does not waiver no matter what the political
consequences, when it comes to securing India’s national interest. That is what
underlines his national security policy. It is India first and not anything
else, so therefore, that is the big change, there’s no compromise on the core
interests of India. However I think we need urgent police reforms in India. The
law enforcers need to be better equipped and better trained and the military
needs to overcome its critical shortages which have historically been there for
past 20 years or so. I’m not expecting them to be made up quickly but they’re
moving towards it. So, I think there has been no major terror attacks in any of
the states other than J&K and parts of Punjab bordering Pakistan in the
past 40 months in prevailing circumstances the world over, I think is a major
achievement. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;"><b>Rishabh</b>: What are views on how government
manages the military procurement in the country, the strategic partnership
model and a lot of other ideas being meted out, are these helping yet in your
opinion?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;"><b>NG</b>: Well, it’s a start and as I’ve said
many fundamental policy changes have taken place in defence procurement, in
policy but no policy is perfect and the Strategic Partnership Model I think
needs a bit of tweaking, it needs further discussion between all the stake
holders but the Defence Procurement Policy 2016 which was unveiled during the Defence
Expo is a path braking initiative because it gives primacy to IDDM product, the
indigenously designed developed and manufactured product in defence, so, that
gives top most preference to Indian products in the military segments. That
said, India has a long way to go to become self sufficient and self reliant,
self reliant in defence but it’s a start and of course the Modi Govt needs to
do more than what they’ve done or what they’ve managed to do so far but I’m
hopeful, given that the focus is on the national security in a big way, those
wrinkles will be ironed out very soon. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;"><b>Rishabh</b>: You’re someone who’s deeply
interested in the north-east, the Myanmar border raid on the NSCN terrorists
was an Indian cross-border operation, was it the first time that such an
operation had taken place?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;"><b>NG</b>: Well again as I said, owning-up of
the operation was the first time, certainly to my mind. I’ve lived in and
reported from the north-east for 23 years between 1983 and 2006. In my mind
there have been raids on as I said the headquarters of militant groups or camps
of militant groups, all that has happened in the past. There was one operation
that comes to mind, Operation Golden Bird, which happened in 1995, where the
Indian and the Myanmarese army acted in concert to prevent huge influx and huge
consignment of arms coming into northeast, that was there but in this case, it
was an immediate raid that took place and certainly the Indian army Special Forces
went into Myanmar and decimated a big camp of all the North-East militants
living together, a large camp and therefore I think that was the first. And
again let me tell you that it was because of the success of the Myanmarese
operation that the army and the security establishment at the highest level
thought of doing similar cross border raids across the LoC in the PoK, so in a
way it can be said that it was a start of the proactive policy in terms of
tackling militants and terrorists on both western and eastern fronts. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;"><b>Rishabh</b>: Do you envision more such
operations taking place across the border?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;"><b>NG</b>: Well, let me say this or paraphrase
Lt Gen DS Hooda, who has been all over the media for past 2-3 days, “Can India
do a similar raid again? Yes it can, because it broke the glass ceiling” as he
says in the interviews, it actually unshackled the fetters that were in the
minds of the Indian military planners because they were never given the
political clearance to do this. Because it was seen escalatory, a raid across
the LOC in PoK. You ask me if they can be repeated, yes, they can be but no two
raids of special forces are similar. Therefore, there are other options now
that India can exercise when it needed but what it has done is that it has
created an uncertainty in the minds of the Pakistani military establishment
where they no know how India will react. Earlier, the reaction or retaliation
used to be very predictable.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;"><b>Rishabh</b>: Going back to the north-east,
what has been your estimation of PM Modi handling of the Naga talks and the
other insurgencies in the north-east?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;"><b>NG</b>: Well, the insurgencies have I won’t
say petered out or come under manageable control but about the Naga talks I’m
slightly disappointed in the sense that it’s been more than two years now that
the framework accord were signed but there has been no final conclusion to the
accord. But I’m not surprised because the history of Naga Insurgency in India,
remember it’s the oldest insurgency at least in Asia started in 1956 and it has
a very chequered history of failed accords, hopes and optimism rising. Remember
it has been almost 20 years when the ceasefire was ordered with the NSCN (IM)
in August 1997. I would think that the government is working towards a
solution, where, when will it come, whether it’ll come in this tenure of the
government, I’m not sure but it’ll come, if you ask me what is my desire or
what is my wish, it should come very soon. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;"><b>Rishabh</b>: That was it for us, Nitin. Thank
you for talking to us. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
</div>
Nitin A. Gokhalehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04632054380553596730noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4017910838017424020.post-16895956368080246962017-09-11T07:58:00.001+05:302017-09-11T07:58:55.301+05:30The story behind making of a new book<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6n3uJPrfuYrI2IQWXqjNCJoW35zQM_Sbll4TOLRDivnpgk_Q-vlVADxUH7pRnY249-nG1BYILag9oT3-QsUziPMlbbeS0ffP1193yeAgnfLx3VFS5emc7npdS_xIOhNur9ass2DLX77jW/s1600/SSbookcover.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1190" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6n3uJPrfuYrI2IQWXqjNCJoW35zQM_Sbll4TOLRDivnpgk_Q-vlVADxUH7pRnY249-nG1BYILag9oT3-QsUziPMlbbeS0ffP1193yeAgnfLx3VFS5emc7npdS_xIOhNur9ass2DLX77jW/s320/SSbookcover.jpg" width="238" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Finally the book is ready to print!</span></i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background: white; color: #222222; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Sometime
in early 2017, I was on my annual visit to one of the military training
establishments to deliver a talk. Over tea, after the usual lively interactive
session, a young, smartly turned out officer popped a question that stumped me
for a moment. He asked, "Why do the media always doubt our military's
ability? Why can't it believe the forces when they say Indian soldiers went
across the LoC to carry out surgical strikes?" My counter to him
was, “Don't generalise.” “There are many
(including me in my earlier avatar as a media practitioner) who report
factually but in absence of official accounts of what actually happened in the
raids that took place in 2015 and 2016, it is difficult for the media too, to
give the audience the full picture,” I pointed out to him. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background: white; color: #222222; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background: white; color: #222222; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">While
the officer did not go away entirely convinced the exchange with him set me
thinking. On the return flight to Delhi, I tried to recall what I <i>exactly </i>knew about many of the recent
actions taken by the military and other security forces; or for that matter how
decision-making evolves at say, the Prime Minister’s level or in the top
echelons of the government. As I scribbled some points, realisation dawned:
I may have known enough to write a quick news story or a longer analysis, but
clearly, the details have always been elusive in respect of crucial events in
the realm of national security. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background: white; color: #222222; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background: white; color: #222222; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">How
easy or hard it would be then to attempt a book on the insider accounts of some
the recent decisions taken by the Indian government, I asked myself. As I began
looking for unknown details—and more importantly authentic accounts--one realised that it was going to be an uphill task getting genuine information for
all the events that I had in mind. By mid-February however, the idea to write a
book had been firmly embedded in my mind. Starting bottom up, some of the
preliminary information was gathered; old notes were reviewed; some
documentaries were revisited but I was still not able to put a finger on the
time period that I wanted to concentrate on. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background: white; color: #222222; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background: white; color: #222222; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">So
choosing a time period was the first step. As the National Democratic Alliance
(NDA) government was about to complete three years in May 2017, a spate of
books were hitting the stores focusing on Prime Minister Modi and the BJP
which appeared unstoppable in winning elections. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background: white; color: #222222; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background: white; color: #222222; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">None
of them however looked in-depth at one domain I am familiar with: Security and
strategic affairs. That is the time the central
idea of this book—unveiling the three years of Modi government’s security
policies--finally crystallised in my mind. I was aware of some of the path
breaking policy initiatives the defence ministry and the bold decisions taken
by the Prime Minister but the details were missing. We didn’t know for instance
what led to the decision to authorise surgical strikes both in Myanmar and in PoK? Or what drives India’s
new found resolve in tackling China? I was curious to know how the Prime Minister arrives at a particularly tough decision? What drives his national security policies? Why does he lay stress on personal equations with world leaders? </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background: white; color: #222222; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background: white; color: #222222; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">All these question needed clear answers.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background: white; color: #222222; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background: white; color: #222222; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The
first task therefore was to make a list of possible events to concentrate on
and then go looking for information about them. The content and the time period
were set. Now came the hard part. Extracting information in the domain that I
work in is as it is not easy; to get people to talk about what normally remains
secret was doubly difficult. That’s when old associations and friendships came
in handy. Information started trickling in in bits and pieces; authenticating
and fleshing out bare minimum facts was the next step. Slowly, the chapters
started taking shape. In most other sectors, people would have gladly spoken
about their role and contribution but those in uniform and in the secretive
world of intelligence have an in-built resistance in sharing even innocuous
information.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background: white; color: #222222; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background: white; color: #222222; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Nevertheless,
I have tried to put together a book based on several insider accounts and
hitherto unknown facts about some of the unprecedented steps taken by the Modi
government in the past 40 months. </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background: white; color: #222222; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background: white; color: #222222; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">This is by no means an analytical document.
In fact, it is mostly factual and narrated from the point of view of those
involved—and more importantly those whom I could get access to. I had to also
keep security of information and protagonists who have shared it with me, in
mind. In that respect, I have followed what my guru MV Kamath told me ages ago:
‘It is more important what you don’t write than what you write.’ But as readers
you would understand why this is so.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background: white; color: #222222; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background: white; color: #222222; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Some
would view this book as an incomplete account. It’s a start nevertheless. </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background: white; color: #222222; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background: white; color: #222222; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Till
then, read the book for what it is: a journalistic record of some of the bold
and unconventional decisions taken by the Modi government since 2014.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="background: white; color: #222222; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">There is no denying the fact that this book has
gained immensely by the trust reposed in me by people in very sensitive
appointments. Many who spoke to me cannot be named because they continue to
serve in the military and our intelligence agencies. Many details have come from people at the apex of decision-making structure in this country. Some details have been revealed for the first time ever. I am therefore hoping, many readers would be interested in reading this book.</span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14pt;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14pt;">It is set to be launched on 29 September in Delhi. The day is significant: It is the first anniversary of the surgical strikes by Indian Special Forces inside Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK). </span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14pt;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14pt;">It will be available in stores and online just before that day. </span></div>
Nitin A. Gokhalehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04632054380553596730noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4017910838017424020.post-51749864646505995862017-04-13T06:53:00.002+05:302017-04-13T06:53:33.344+05:30The Assam Regiment and Brig. T. Sailo<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div class="gmail_default" style="background-color: white;">
<span style="color: red; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="line-height: 22px;"><i>Last month, the Salute magazine published a special issue on the Assam Regiment, one of Indian Army's well-know infantry units. I wrote a small tribute to one its illustrious officers, Brig. T. Sailo, who also later became the Chief Minister of Mizoram. Here's the account of my first encounter with him more than 33 years ago.</i></span></span></div>
<div class="gmail_default" style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="color: black; line-height: 22px;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="gmail_default" style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="color: black; line-height: 22px;">It was January 1984. Barely, seven months into the profession of journalism, my Editor at</span><span style="color: black; line-height: 22px;"> </span><em style="box-sizing: border-box; color: black; line-height: 22px;">The Sentinel</em><span style="color: black; line-height: 22px;">, the Guwahati-based newspaper, decided to send me to Mizoram. The idea was to do a comprehensive coverage on the Union Territory (Mizoram was to become a state three years later) and the state of insurgency there.</span></span></div>
<div class="gmail_default" style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">
<span style="color: black; line-height: 22px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 22px;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Although it was a big break for me at that age (I was not even 22), the assignment was not going to be easy. First there was the physical journey.</span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 22px;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 22px;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Travelling to Aizawl from Guwahati meant taking a ‘night super’ bus, a 17-18 hour journey via Meghalaya and southern Assam’s Barak Valley. </span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 22px;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 22px;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">For another, Mizoram was still in the grip of insurgency launched by the Mizo National Army, the armed outfit of the Mizo National Front (MNF). The rebels (or militants or insurgents as they were described in popular lexicon but never terrorists) had been fighting the mighty Indian state since February 1966. So there was always the fear in the minds of the ‘outsider’ about being targted in Mizoram.</span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 22px;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 22px;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Excited and apprehensive at the same time, I prepared to make my first ‘outstation’ trip on assignment. The mandatory Inner-Line permit was obtained (all non-Mizos entering the state still need the permit), the bus ticket was bought, the bag was packed with woollens since Aizawl I was told by senior is in the mountains and therefore much colder than Guwahati which is on the banks of the Brahmaputra.</span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 22px;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 22px;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Luckily, I had some support in Aizawl even before I arrived there. The newspaper owner’s brother-in-law was posted there in the State Bank of India as the Branch Manager. I was in fact supposed to stay with him.</span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 22px;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 22px;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">So one fine morning, after the grueling 18 hour journey, I arrived at Aizawl. It was misty and cold. I went to SBI officer’s house, slept immediately. After three-four hours of sleep and early lunch, I went to the Chief Minister’s office.</span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 22px;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 22px;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Before going there, all that I knew was that a retired Brigadier named T. Sailo was the Chief Minister of Mizoram. At the office I was met by a pleasant, extremely courteous officer named LR Sailo. He was the Chief Minister’s PRO. Although he has never told me what his memories of our first meeting are, one look at me, and LR (we have been friends since that first meeting 31 years ago) would surely have thought ‘is this skinny little boy really a journalist?’ But he kept a straight face and took me to Brig. Sailo.</span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 22px;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 22px;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">After the formal introduction, I handed over some copies of <em style="box-sizing: border-box;">The Sentinel</em> to the Chief Minister and in a typical soldierly bluntness he asked me: “What do you know about Mizoram? About its history, its people?”</span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 22px;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Sheepishly, but with all honesty at my command, I blurted out, “not much sir!” Brig. Sailo glared at LR conveying his annoyance in just one look and told him something in Mizo before turning to me and saying: “Son, let me arrange for you to read some history and some details about us and our state. Spend a couple of days here and then come and meet me again.”</span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 22px;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 22px;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I was dismissed with a flourish. My heart sank. What will I tell my bosses back in Guwahati? Does this mean, I am going to fail in my first-ever outstation assignment? All kinds of negative thoughts raced through my mind. But LR was helpfulness personified. He arranged for several books, including one called the Dagger Brigade by Nirmal Nibedon, the first journalist to get access to the MNF/MNA leadership and bring to life the story of Mizo insurgency.</span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 22px;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 22px;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">For the next 48 hours, I read feverishly, trying to absorb as much as possible. KN Hazarika, my newspaper owner’s brother-in-law, who had also spent time in Mizoram, was a great help too.</span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 22px;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 22px;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">So, after 48 hours of nearly non-stop reading books on Mizoram, I went to see Brig. Sailo again. Uncertain about his reaction, I was tentative initially but the old man put me at ease and answered all my seemingly silly questions. I met several other people in order understand the state of affairs in Mizoram that time and made the long journey back home to Guwahati. A week later, I had a full-page cover story in the Sunday edition on <em style="box-sizing: border-box;">The Sentinel </em>and my first ever interview with a Chief Minister was published too.</span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 22px;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 22px;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">In three decades since, numerous interviews have been done, some I am proud of, some I am not happy with but no matter how many interviews I do in the future, I will always remember the first one fondly. And therefore will never ever forget Brig. T. Sailo. He taught me the importance of background check, domain awareness and triggered a habit of advance reading about a place or a personality that I am visiting or interviewing.</span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 22px;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 22px;">
</div>
<div class="gmail_default" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; display: inline;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Later, I met him a couple of times when he was not Chief Minister. In those meetings, I ventured away from politics and asked the Brigadier about his Army life. In his slow, deliberate style, he recounted how as a young 20-year old man he was commissioned into the Assam Regiment in 1942 in the middle of World War II. "I was the first Mizo to become a commissioned officer. The Army took me to different places including overseas and made me what I am," he reminisced.</span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">
</div>
<div style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 22px;">
</div>
<div class="gmail_default" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; display: inline;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">
</div>
<div style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 22px;">
</div>
<div class="gmail_default" style="display: inline;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">The apogee </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">of </span></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><div class="gmail_default" style="display: inline;">
his military career was to command the 190 'Korea' Brigade of the Indian Army. Now headquartered at Tawang along the China border, the 190 Brigade is called Korea Brigade because it was deployed in Indo-China in the 1950s. Brig Sailo was proud to have been part of the Indian Army and particularly the Assam Regiment. </div>
</span><div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><div class="gmail_default" style="background-color: white; display: inline;">
<br /></div>
</span><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">
</div>
<div style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 22px;">
</div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><div class="gmail_default" style="display: inline;">
As I started gaining better insight into the Army and learning about its structure, ethos and traditions, it was not difficult to see why the Brigadier was so fiercely possessive about the Assam Regiment, <span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">a unique experiment</span></div>
<div class="gmail_default" style="display: inline;">
in integration of disparate tribes in the north-east. There was no common language that these boys, from different tribes spread over the region, could speak or understand so they have, over the years evolved a lingo of their own: a mix of multiple languages, a language that only they can understand! More than the language however, it is remarkable that the Assam regiment has emerged as one of Indian Army's finest regiments, thanks to early work by its leadership, both British and Indian officers.</div>
</span><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><div class="gmail_default" style="display: inline;">
<br /></div>
</span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><div class="gmail_default" style="display: inline;">
Brig Sailo passed away in 2015 but I will always remember him as someone who was kind to me in early days as a journalist.</div>
</span></div>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"></span><br />
<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span><div style="box-sizing: border-box; color: black; line-height: 22px;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I haven’t had the chance to visit Mizoram for almost a decade now but the people, the state and friends one has made there over the years, continue to be close to my heart.</span></div>
<div style="box-sizing: border-box; color: black; line-height: 22px;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="box-sizing: border-box; color: black; line-height: 22px;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">All thanks to a man called Brig. T. Sailo.</span></div>
<div style="box-sizing: border-box; color: black; line-height: 22px;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="gmail_default" style="font-size: 12.8px;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: medium;"><em style="box-sizing: border-box; color: black; line-height: 22px;">(The writer lived and reported from the north-east between 1983 and 2006)</em></span></div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
Nitin A. Gokhalehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04632054380553596730noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4017910838017424020.post-60219916858251955812017-02-19T17:41:00.001+05:302017-02-19T17:41:15.129+05:30Hold it: Army Chief is not seeking impunity<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">Army Chief Gen Bipin Rawat's tough statement warning trouble makers in Kashmir to desist from obstructing operations by his troops or else face the consequences has evoked expected reactions. </span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"></span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">There was one section--and I don't want to call them intellectuals--which pays lip service to the fauj but in reality stands against everything that the army seeks to protect and defend. This group has variously dubbed the Army Chief's remark as 'intemperate statement,' 'belliger</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">ent stand,' and 'declaration of war against Kashmiri youth.' This group of people have sought to create an impression that the Army Chief has ordered his troops to kill and maim indiscriminately. This is nothing but deliberate distortion of an emphatic assertion by a professional entrusted with the security of the country. But more of that a little later.</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"></span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">However, Gen Rawat's unambiguous stand has acted as a much needed confidence booster to the troops--young officers and soldiers at the cutting edge--who were often left wondering if they were doing the right and necessary thing in combating the terrorists, many times paying with their own lives. </span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"></span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">In the wake of elimination of Burhan Wani, a local youth-turned terrorist leader last year and the subsequent turmoil in the Kashmir valley, abetted in no small measure by the Pakistani deep state through the selfish and self-centred separatist leaders, politics had dominated the discourse on J&K. It was conveniently forgotten that irrespective of his origin (as a Kashmiri youth), Burhan Wani was after all a terrorist whose days were numbered once he took up arms against the Indian state. His killing in an encounter with security forces should have been treated as just that--neutralisation of a terrorist. Instead, a narrative was sought to be built blaming the security forces for doing their job and doing it professionally. </span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"></span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">Months of unrest following Burhan Wani's death often hampered the movement of security forces, disrupted their logistics chain and disturbed a well laid out security grid. The successful surgical strikes by Indian Army's special forces against terrorist launch pads located in Pak-Occupied Kashmir was preceded and followed by two setbacks for the Indian Army at Uri and Nagrota respectively. </span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"></span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">The Army can take the setbacks in its stride and learn lessons from them but what demoralises the soldiers are the barely concealed barbs by ill-informed critics who do not have the faintest idea about the difficulties and constraints under which the troops have been operating in the unending war in J&k for over a quarter century now. Now Army in the world has maintained the relentless tempo of operations as the Indian Army has done since 1990. </span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"></span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">It is to the credit of Indian Army leadership over the years that troops have retained the highest degree of motivation despite mounting odds. </span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"></span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">However, the unwarranted criticism about strategy and tactics and the contempt that some of our prominent opinion makers hold against the Army had begun to affect the soldiers on the ground. A slight hesitation had started to creep in in their approach to counter-insurgency and counter-terrorists operations. Fortunately, the Army Chief's statement would have removed any lingering doubts the soldiers may have had about the necessity of their job and their role. </span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"></span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">At another level, the warning by the Army Chief to those hindering operations and the support extended to him by the political leadership over his stand should send the right message to those fishing in Kashmir's troubled waters. </span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"></span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">The separatists cannot use the unsuspecting young men and women as cannon fodder for their own agenda and get away with it. The Kashmiri awam must question the separatists: How long are you going to fire from the shoulders of ordinary Kashmiris? </span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"></span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">There have been suggestions that the Centre must reach out to the youth of Kashmir. Perhaps the time has come to do just that and ignore the usual suspects but before that the youth must begin to understand the difference between mindless protests and legitimate demands. </span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"></span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">Politics apart, Kashmiri parents must also begin to ask the question to themselves: Why allow the young to be used as a smoke screen for political objectives? </span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"></span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">Perhaps the stern warning that those who hamper legitimate army operations will not be spared should spur families in Kashmir to ask that question sooner than later. </span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"></span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">So for all those who outrage against the Army Chief's statement: hold your thoughts. He is not seeking any impunity for his troops. All that he is asking for is the right of the Army to exercise its legitimate powers given under the very constitution by which you claim to swear. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"><i>(First published on my website bharatshakti.in)</i></span></span></div>
Nitin A. Gokhalehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04632054380553596730noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4017910838017424020.post-53075247486749755352017-01-16T22:57:00.000+05:302017-01-16T22:59:52.511+05:30Military competent to do self-correction; leave it alone<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 12.55pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 12.55pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: left;">
<span style="color: #222222; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Last week saw a spate of video
messages by soldiers across Army, BSF and CRPF complaining and highlighting
what they felt was supply of bad food, lack of good facilities and demeaning treatment
because the leadership in these forces—according to them—is involved in
corruption and has feudal attitude towards the men they command.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 12.55pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 12.55pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: left;">
<span style="color: #222222; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">While the men may have genuine
grievances and perhaps felt that existing channels of redress are not
sufficient, I am aghast at the extrapolation done by a section of the Indian media
portraying these complaints as catastrophe that has overtaken the Indian
security forces and that the time-tested officer-men relationship—especially in
the Army—is no longer as robust as it used to be.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 12.55pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 16.3pt; margin: 0cm 0cm 6.8pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="color: #222222;">As someone who’s had an opportunity
to be a media practitioner across web, print and broadcast mediums for over
three decades, I am aware of the pressures of ratings and compulsion to be
‘first with the news,’ that often overtakes sound judgement. And that is what
has happened over the past week. </span>In the mad race to boost circulation and viewer ratings, a section
of the ignorant media has, in one go, sought to tarnish and destroy one of the
last institutions that has stood rock solid in defence of India.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 16.3pt; margin: 0cm 0cm 6.8pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Ill-informed—I would in fact go the extent of saying ‘uneducated’ (in
military matters)-- star anchors and reporters are out to create divide within
the army where none exists. The officer-soldier relationship has certainly
undergone a change over the past couple of decades thanks to the churn in the
Indian society at large but it is still the bedrock of the Indian Army’s day to
day functioning. The bonding between officers and men is evident in the
hundreds of daily counter-insurgency and counter-terrorism operations carried
out by the Indian Army. Indeed, without that bonding officers will not be able
to lead--and men will not willingly go into--operations that can lead to death
of brothers-in-arms. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 12.55pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">It is easy to sit and pontificate from the confines of the studio
and reduce the issues to binaries of good and ugly but the reality is more
complex. <span style="color: #222222; font-size: 12pt;">Yes, there is a problem. But the
problem is not as disastrous as made out to be. In fact these issues are an
outcome of a combination of factors: erosion in the soldiers’ status in the
society; prolonged deployment in monotonous and thankless counter-insurgency
jobs; crippling shortage of officers in combat units; and, ironically, easier
communication between families and soldiers!<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 12.55pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 12.55pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: left;">
<span style="color: #222222; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">A psychiatric study by Army doctors some
years ago on ‘Evolving Medical Strategies for Low Intensity Conflicts’ revealed
the huge range of issues soldiers in such situations have to confront,
contradictions between war and low-intensity conflict situations, and,
particularly, the concepts of ‘enemy’, ‘objective’ and ‘minimum force’. Some
other findings were:<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="background: white; color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">• In general war, the nation looks upon the soldier
as a saviour, but here he is at the receiving end of public hostility.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="background: white; color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">• A hostile vernacular press keeps badgering the
security forces, projecting them as perpetrators of oppression.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="background: white; color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">• Continuous operations affect rest, sleep and body
clocks, leading to mental and physical exhaustion.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="background: white; color: #222222;">• Monotony, the lure of the number game, and low
manning strength of units lead to overuse and fast burnout.</span><span style="color: #222222; font-size: 12pt;"> <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 12.55pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: left;">
<span style="color: #222222; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Operating in a tension-ridden
counter-insurgency environment does lead to certain stress among the jawans,
but that is only one of the factors. The main worries are the problems back
home: land disputes; tensions within the family; rising aspirations.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 12.55pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: left;">
<span style="color: #222222; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">During my travels in
counter-insurgency areas, I have often come across company commanders telling
me how, for many soldiers, tensions at home create unbearable stress. Often, a
land dispute back home or a family feud weighs heavily on the soldier’s mind.
For the ordinary soldier, the smallest patch of land back home is the most
precious property. Again, I have frequently come across a common thread where
soldiers say there is no tension in the actual work of counter-insurgency. The
main problem for the <i>fauji </i>comes from his domestic situation.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 12.55pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 12.55pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: left;">
<span style="color: #222222; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Add to it the fact that the society
no longer respects the soldier and his work in protecting the nation. A local
politician, a <i>thanedar</i>, etc., seem to command more clout in the
society today. This has often led to loss of self-esteem among ordinary
soldiers. A recent movie—Paan Singh Tomar—depicted, in some measure, the
humiliation that a soldier faces in the civilian environment, both while
serving and after retirement from the armed forces.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 12.55pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 12.55pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="color: #222222; font-size: 12pt;">Senior officers point out that most
suicide and fratricide cases take place after soldiers return from a spot of
leave. And yet, the Army must look within too. Fortunately</span> the leadership in the Army is
as acutely aware of the need to change with time and adapt new practices in
daily functioning.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 12.55pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 12.55pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: center;">
<b><span style="color: #222222; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Reforming the Organization<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 12.55pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 12.55pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: left;">
<span style="color: #222222; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Soldiers these days are better
educated and, consequently, better aware of their rights. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 12.55pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: left;">
<span style="color: #222222; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">As the armed forces are in themselves
a microcosm of India, the rising education and awareness levels in recruits is
easily perceived. A sea change from yesteryears is now visible in the hordes of
young men who crowd recruitment rallies across the country. Most hopefuls are
the educated unemployed youth who turn towards the military for acquiring early
financial and social security. Their educational qualification is Class XII on
the average, many being graduates too. The stereotype of an innocent, less
educated but hardy soldier is now a thing of the past. The officer base has
also shifted predominantly to the middle class. This has further narrowed the
gap between the ‘leaders’ and ‘followers’.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 12.55pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 12.55pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: left;">
<span style="color: #222222; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">An acute shortage of officers at the
cutting-edge level is the other big factor contributing to an limited bonding between
soldiers and officers. Against an authorized strength of over 22 officers for a
combat battalion, there are at best eight or nine officers available to the
commanding officer these days.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 12.55pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 12.55pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: left;">
<span style="color: #222222; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Very often, young officers with less
than two years of service are commanding companies! Even in the battalion
headquarters, one officer ends up doing the job of three, given the shortage.
There is no time to interact with soldiers. In the old days, a game of football
or hockey was the best way to get to know each other. Not any longer.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 12.55pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 12.55pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: left;">
<span style="color: #222222; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">What, then, is the way forward?<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 12.55pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b><span style="color: #222222; font-size: 12pt;">Embracing
Change</span></b><span style="background: white; color: #222222;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 12.55pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: left;">
<span style="color: #222222; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The average Indian soldier remains as
hardy as before but he is certainly confused with the pace of change occurring
all around him. It is here that the leaders—the officers—will have to adapt
themselves to the new reality. The age-old system of regimental traditions and
values is robust, and serves to develop camaraderie and loyalty between the led
and the leader even now. The new fashion to dismiss them as outdated ideas must
be arrested. Military ethos is not developed overnight and is certainly not
imbibed by pandering blindly to the changes in society.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 12.55pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 12.55pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: left;">
<span style="color: #222222; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">However the leadership needs to take
cognizance of a new challenge: Proliferation of social media. Access to
improved technology and means of communication has meant that soldiers are now tempted
take a short cut to air their grievances—genuine or otherwise. The new Army
chief has done well to issue a legitimate warning that misuse of social media
will lead to consequences while at the same time, providing a new avenue of
grievance redress through his office. However, the top leadership will have to
be careful in not short-circuiting the traditional chain of command. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 12.55pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 12.55pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: left;">
<span style="color: #222222; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The change must come from the top. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 12.55pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 12.55pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: left;">
<span style="color: #222222; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">A former Army Commander, Lt. Gen.
C.S.K. Sabu, had encapsulated the desired change in view of altered
socio-economic conditions at a seminar on ‘Leadership Challenges in an Era of
Turbulence’ at the Centre for Land Warfare Studies (CLAWS), New Delhi, in June
2010. He said: ‘Such a change needs to be top-down, and be backed by the force
of institutional ethics, tradition, peer pressure and group dynamics. While the
Chetwode motto of the Army is everlasting, it loses focus once a soldier is
beyond his CO—it lacks the guiderail required for a codified, value-based
ethical conduct on the part of senior officers, which must be set right.’<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 12.55pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: left;">
<span style="color: #222222; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Certain changes which can be
considered and deliberated are:<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 12.55pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: left;">
<span style="color: #222222; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">• 360 degree assessments in the
context of Annual Confidential Reports (ACRs).<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 12.55pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: left;">
<span style="color: #222222; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">• Inculcate the warrior ethos in the
Army.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 12.55pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: left;">
<span style="color: #222222; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">• Embrace the soldier’s code—Veer
Senani must be codified.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 12.55pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: left;">
<span style="color: #222222; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">• Encourage scholar–warrior ethos for
the officers.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 12.55pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: left;">
<span style="color: #222222; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">• Promoting ethics and probity in
military life.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 12.55pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: left;">
<span style="color: #222222; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">• Norms for conducting welfare
activities must change—it is a <span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial;">command function
and must be restored to the same.</span> <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 12.55pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 12.55pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: left;">
<span style="color: #222222; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Finally, if the led are to believe
the leader, the leader must walk the talk. Officers must believe in themselves
and the system that they work in. They must take pride in the fact that the
military is essentially different in its work culture, ethos, traditions and
values from any other entity. Soldiering is the only profession in which a man
voluntarily chooses to enter into a contract that entails death if the occasion
so demands.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 12.55pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 12.55pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: left;">
<span style="color: #222222; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The Indian military, despite its
recent problems, remains a very fine institution. To be relevant and effective,
it must, however, embrace change with discretion. Therein lies the trick in
meeting the increasing challenge posed to the military leadership. However, let
the change be driven by the military itself rather than pesky anchors and
upstart reporters hectoring soldiers on a matter that they have very little
idea about.</span><span style="font-family: "cambria" , serif; font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
</div>
Nitin A. Gokhalehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04632054380553596730noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4017910838017424020.post-38832431601357341912017-01-09T12:48:00.000+05:302017-01-09T12:50:38.526+05:30All you wanted to know about the Shekatkar Committee Report but didn't know where to look<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "cambria" , serif;"><span style="font-size: 18.6667px; line-height: 21.4667px;"> <table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieFO5P0-_Okpmgiqd4Raim-3cgNeZgblML70j1T25L3yxkBcVTHMCDoPyVzydz3LC9xutTP1OiqHYvbId-MbawgSk-CmUv1fUUot0uLvrBjD3b09ycQqHoAzpu-u9U5SQYi9UGlGCwB61-/s1600/shekatkar+committee.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="179" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieFO5P0-_Okpmgiqd4Raim-3cgNeZgblML70j1T25L3yxkBcVTHMCDoPyVzydz3LC9xutTP1OiqHYvbId-MbawgSk-CmUv1fUUot0uLvrBjD3b09ycQqHoAzpu-u9U5SQYi9UGlGCwB61-/s320/shekatkar+committee.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: red;">Lt Gen DB Shekatkar (retd) presenting copy of the report <br />to Manohar Parrikar</span></i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "cambria" , serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">The Lt Gen DB Shekatkar Committee—appointed by the
government to enhance the combat potential of the armed forces and rebalancing
defence expenditure—has recommended a number of measures to trim, redeploy and
integrate manpower under the Ministry of Defence (MoD) in a gradual manner to
meet the objective of an agile but effective military to meet current and
future threats that India faces, BharatShakti has learnt after speaking to
multiple sources including some members of the panel.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "cambria" , "serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "cambria" , "serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">The Committee, which submitted the final report to Defence
Minister Manohar Parrikar on 21 December 2016, has noted that if majority of
its recommendations are implemented over the next five years, the government
can save up to Rs 25,000 crore from its current expenditure. The Committee has
however warned that the implementation cannot be selective. As the report has
apparently noted: the redeployment of manpower from and downsizing of some of
the organisations under the MoD will have to be across the board and ruthless
to be effective. Moreover, the Shekatkar Committee has made it clear that the
saving made as a result of its recommendations must be redeployed in enhancing
the combat capabilities of the Indian armed forces and not be merged in the
general budget. <o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "cambria" , "serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "cambria" , "serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">After taking into account the nature threats that the
country is likely to face in coming decades, the committee has in fact
recommended that the defence budget should be in the range of 2.5 and three per
cent of the GDP. This would however require a substantial change in approach
and outlook of the government towards the armed forces. For the last five years
for instance, defence budget has remained below two per cent of the GDP. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "cambria" , "serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "cambria" , "serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">One of the major recommendations of the committee is to
review the definition of ‘Capital’ and ‘Revenue’ budget heads in the funds
allocated to the three armed forces, particularly the Indian Army. The panel
notes that the Indian Army—unlike the Indian Navy and the Indian Air Force—will
have to remain a manpower-intensive force because of its major deployment in
the mountains against both its major adversaries, China and Pakistan. As a
result the sustenance budget of the Indian Army will be higher than the other
two services leaving very little money for capital acquisition. The panel has
reportedly therefore recommended that a ‘roll on’ plan for fresh acquisitions
be introduced so as to overcome the practice of ‘surrendering’ funds at the end
of every financial year.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "cambria" , "serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "cambria" , "serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">The panel has also suggested a review of the financial
management system of the MoD in which the defence finance wing is seen to be
more of an impediment in clearing projects and has recommended that the
financial powers of all the three chiefs and vice chiefs be enhanced further to
quicken the pace of acquisitions.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "cambria" , "serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">As for redeployment and rationalising of manpower, the
Shekatkar Committee has recommended that the role of non-combat organisations
paid for and sustained by the defence budget be subjected to a performance
audit. Some of these organisations mentioned in the report are Defence Estates,
Defence Accounts, DGQA, Ordnance Factory Board (OFB), DRDO, and the National
Cadet Corps (NCC). Once a professional and objective review is carried out, the
committee said, substantial savings can be achieved by downsizing or
rationalising the manpower in these organisations. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "cambria" , "serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "cambria" , "serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">The committee has also suggested the establishment of a
Joint Services War College for training for middle level officers (the higher
command course for instance), even as the three separate War Colleges—currently
at Mhow, Secunderabad and Goa—for Army, Air Force and Navy could continue to
train younger officers for their respective service. Similarly it has
recommended that the Military Intelligence School at Pune be converted to a
tri-service Intelligence training establishment.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "cambria" , "serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "cambria" , "serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Another aspect highlighted by the committee is the
increasing reluctance on part of the state governments to renew lease of land
for crucial firing ranges for the troops. Increasing urbanisation and pressure
on land has meant that the armed forces have to battle political and bureaucratic
pressure to retain the existing firing ranges. The panel has therefore
suggested better coordination between the MoD and state governments to overcome
this problem. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "cambria" , "serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "cambria" , "serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">However the Committee has also suggested that the armed
forces ramp up the quantum of training on various simulators. The new recruits
can do about 60 per cent of their firing training on simulators, resulting in substantial
savings to the tune of Rs 20-25 crore per annum in expenditure of training ammunition,
the committee has suggested. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "cambria" , "serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "cambria" , "serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">There are several other suggestions to improve efficiency of
Border Roads Organisation (BRO), re-orienting the training staff of NCC by
utilising more ex-servicemen and Junior Commissioned Officers (JCOs) to free
young serving officers for more mainline jobs and even recommending the
possibility of shifting NCC under the Human Resources Development (HRD)
Ministry.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "cambria" , "serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "cambria" , "serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Like the previous such reviews ordered by the government,
notably the Naresh Chandra Committee, the Shekatkar Committee too has said a
4-star Chief of Defence Staff (CDS)—or a Permanent Chairman Chiefs of Staff
Committee—be appointed as a ‘chief coordinator’ between the military and the
Ministry of Defence. It has however stressed on retaining the primacy of the
three service chiefs in operational and administrative roles even while
suggesting establishment of three or four integrated commands in medium to long
term. This aspect will however need
further deliberation at the highest level, the committee has suggested.</span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "cambria" , "serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">The entire report, it appears is focussed on shedding the
flab in the MoD and make India’s armed forces more agile and technology-oriented
to meet current and future national security objectives.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</div>
Nitin A. Gokhalehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04632054380553596730noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4017910838017424020.post-78124208776004244152016-11-30T12:41:00.001+05:302016-11-30T12:41:36.152+05:30The military needs professional audit, says a serving young officer. I agree<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="color: red; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>For the past 12 hours, I am being had (as they say in the fauj) for raising what I consider legitimate questions on why is the military taking a battering (from Uri to Nagrota via Pathankot) in J &K. While no one doubts the bravery, commitment and professionalism of our men in uniform, many civilians are asking the question: Why are military bases attacked with such regularity and with apparent success by terrorists?Why can't such attacks be minimised, if not prevented altogether? </i></span><br />
<span style="color: red; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i><br /></i></span>
<span style="color: red; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>I am no fauji (as many key-board warriors remind me all the time on social media because I haven't served) but as someone who has operated in various insurgency theatres in north-east, J&K and Sri Lanka since 1983, I have a semblance of idea of what it means to be in a conflict zone. But don't take my word for it. </i></span><br />
<span style="color: red; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i><br /></i></span>
<span style="color: red; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>Here's a serving young officer's take on what is happening vis-a-vis the military of late. For obvious reasons he will remain unnamed!</i></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">Well, We are at war. Look around if you doubt it. The situation in Kashmir and most of the north west border is volatile.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">We knew that this WILL happen. The enemy is ready to hit and we are also doing the same. War does have its collaterals.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222;" /><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: red;">Failure.</span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">Pathankot, Uri and Nagrota. It's good to brand the dead as martyrs. But that does not take away the need to assess the why of the incident.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222;" /><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: red;">Systemic problems.</span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">It's easy to identify and weed out individual failure. When it cancers out into the system, the instinct to survive ensures that ugly facts are brushed under the carpet.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222;" /><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: red;">Examples.</span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">No hierarchy was held accountable for failures at Nyoma, Samba, Nagrota, Machhal etc. The garb of collective blame took away the lessons needed to be learnt making the military as just another unaccountable bureaucracy of the Govt.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222;" /><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: red;">Inbred ideas.</span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">Today we all like to be self audited. It's good not scientifically proven to be ineffective. E.g. In Control Systems, if a system is only given positive feedback. It becomes unstable and collapses. Similarly a system without feedback has no control and self consumes.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">The military needs professional audit by HR professionals, security experts and third party groups having no stake in the existing narrative. Self analysis will never reveal the actual fault lines.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222;" /><br /><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222;" /><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: red;">Holy Cow</span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="color: red;"><br style="background-color: white;" /></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">Only the nation is a holy cow. Everything else can and should be questioned for bringing out improvements. I feel that the government should take decisions through its collective wisdom and not let perceptions get in way of executive decisions that need to be timely.</span></span></div>
Nitin A. Gokhalehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04632054380553596730noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4017910838017424020.post-69285091591222108102016-11-04T11:03:00.004+05:302016-11-04T11:08:50.549+05:30An anguished plea by a veteran<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-IN"><span style="color: red; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i><span style="line-height: 115%;">The suicide of a veteran soldier in Delhi, </span><span style="line-height: 18.4px;">purportedly</span><span style="line-height: 115%;"> over his unfufilled grievance, has brought the focus back on to the question of One Rank One Pension. A thorough enquiry will bring out the truth behind the suicide. However, it is time for everyone to be mature and responsible as the letter below from a veteran officer brings out. I am reproducing the text for everyone's benefit. Whether to follow his advice/suggestion is of course an individual decision.</span></i></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Dear
ABPSSP Members,<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="_GoBack"></a><span lang="EN-IN" style="line-height: 115%;">I am extremely pained about the unfortunate demise of
Sub Ram Kishan Grewal on 1<sup>st</sup> Nov, 2016.Jantar Mantar has become a
source of anti-government propaganda by political opponents of the ruling
dispensation. It appears that he became a victim of Whatsapp misinformation
fallout on OROP by some unscrupulous elements.While majority of the Ex-Service
Men (ESM) have received their second installment of OROP, during September 2016,
reasons for Late Sub Ram Kishan Grewal’s OROP anomalies need to be investigated
factually. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span lang="EN-IN" style="line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">As
per the available information, Sub RK Grewal had served for six years in
Territorial Army (TA) and subsequently twenty-one years in Defence Security
Corps (DSC). At the time of his demise he was drawing INR 23,000 a month. It
appears that some amongst the ESM had informed late Sub RK Grewal, that his
OROP was INR 28,000 a month. Apparently, he had written a letter to the Defence
Minister on 31<sup>st</sup> October, 2016, complaining about this discrepancy.
Unfortunately, even before the Defence Minister could receive or respond to the
letter, the said person ended his life at Jantar Mantar. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">We,
the members of ABPSSP, convey our deepest condolences to the family of Sub
Grewal and would do whatever is within our purview to help the family to
overcome their grief and their resettlement. We are extremely disturbed and
upset at the politics over this “suicide”. It is disgusting to see that some
politicians are openly making this an opportunistic incident by press - ganging
the family at Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">We
appeal to the political class; when such tragedy overtakes soldiers, please do
not exploit the families of the bereaved for selfish, political agenda. There
are many ways that the political class can help the bereaved families to
overcome their grief and face the tragedy rather than crudely politicizing the
issue. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">We
are also pained to learn that some retired Officers have been instigating a
segment of the ESM for resumption of protests at Jantar Mantar, by listing several
misplaced demands (most of which) were unfounded and unreasonable. We appeal to
JantarMantar leaders, not to play into the hands of unscrupulous politicians. Let
us not ignore the feeling of disgust and cynicism among the public when they
watched on the news, ESM burning their medals in July-August, 2015 at Jantar
Mantar. Bitter but true – we have lowered our esteem amongst our own people.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I
urge the members of ABPSSP and through them the Ex-Service Men fraternity to
comprehend the “political drama” over suicide of an Ex-Service Man with an open
mind and in proper perspective after considering the following: <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18.0pt;">
</div>
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; line-height: 115%; text-indent: -18pt;"><span style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"> E</span></span><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; line-height: 115%; text-indent: -18pt;">x-Service Men fraternity were denied OROP for 43 years
(1978-2015) by successive governments.</span></li>
<li><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; line-height: 115%; text-indent: -18pt;"><span style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; line-height: 115%; text-indent: -18pt;">Sensing the mood of the ESM, then Finance Minister, announced
a token of INR 500 Crores for OROP in the budget of February 2014,something the
government then was not serious about.</span><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; line-height: 115%; text-indent: -18pt;"><span style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span></li>
<li><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; line-height: 115%; text-indent: -18pt;"> Perseverance of the Defence Minister in finalizing the
OROP Scheme through several rounds of consultation with Ex-Service Men
Organizations from February to September 2015, is well known.</span></li>
<li><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; line-height: 115%; text-indent: -18pt;"> The government has not only implemented the OROP Scheme in
November, 2015, but it has already paid two installments of the OROP arrears –
March 2016 and October 2016 respectively.</span></li>
</ul>
<br />
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18.0pt;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span lang="EN-IN" style="line-height: 115%;">·<span style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span><span lang="EN-IN" style="line-height: 115%;">To overcome the anomalies of the OROP Scheme in vogue,
Justice Narsimhan Committee has traveled across the country, received
representation from all Ex-Service Men organizations and submitted its report
to the Ministry of Defence. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18.0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span lang="EN-IN" style="line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18.0pt;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span lang="EN-IN" style="line-height: 115%;">·<span style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span><span lang="EN-IN" style="line-height: 115%;">The Defence Minister has institutionalized periodic meetings
at the Ministry of Defence with Ex-Service Men organizations and other stake
holders to resolve all related grievances. Two such meetings have already been
held – 14 March & 24<span style="font-size: 13.3333px;"> </span>October, 2016. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">There
will always be a lot going on in the country – at the border, in the capital or
anywhere in the vast expanse that we call our motherland. The day we all signed
up to be part of the armed forces, it became our responsibility to safeguard
our nation in all ways possible. Post-retirement, as part of the civil society,
it is now one of our duties to bridge the gap between the civilians and the
armed forces. I appeal for your understanding and soldierly response on all
fronts of nation building activities. </span><span style="font-size: 10pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Lt Gen VM (Venky Patil)</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Chairman, ABPSSP (Akhil Bharatiya Purva Sainik Seva Parishad)</span></span></div>
</div>
Nitin A. Gokhalehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04632054380553596730noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4017910838017424020.post-71517449402289097972016-09-23T09:41:00.000+05:302016-09-23T09:41:19.317+05:30The story behind the story on Rafale that I broke<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Last year in April, I almost ignored one of the biggest tip-offs I have received as a journalist but managed to put it up on my blog 12 hours after I first heard about it. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">The story begins on the morning of 9 April 2015, around 1130 am when I bumped into a top defence source at the domestic airport in Delhi who casually mentioned that a decision has been taken by the government to buy the Rafale combat jets off the shelf from France, scrapping an ongoing process that was going nowhere. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I heard the source say that between 60 and 63 jets were to be bought. Apparently, the decision was taken at a special meeting of the Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) hours before Prime Minister Narendra Modi was to depart for France. A few hours after that we had this accidental meeting at the airport.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">My 'news antennae' was immediately up and I had no doubt about the authenticity of the new since the source was top class but as luck would have it, I had back-to-back appointments that day culminating in a dinner at an embassy. Since I was by now freelancing, I wasn't sure who among the news outlets would believe me with such a massive news break. So I hesitated and kept the information with me.Until about 10.45 at night. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">As I got into the car for a 45-minute journey home, it struck me that this gold standard info should not go unreported. What if some one else also reports it in tomorrow morning's newspaper,I thought to myself and started writing furiously on my I-phone.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Reaching home around 1130, I decided to put up the news on my own blog. So about 10 minutes to midnight on 9 April ( now I see the time was actually 1153 pm), I published this (<i><span style="color: red;">http://nitinagokhale.blogspot.in/2015/04/big-breakthrough-in-rafale-deal-likely.html</span></i>) blog post, sticking my neck out. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">All hell broke loose in the aviation circles across the world around midnight IST as I tweeted the link to the piece. Many enquiries were made, many Direct Messages on twitter were exchanged and it wasn't until about 4 am that I could sleep.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Waking up later than usual the next day (10 April), I scanned the morning newspaper for any news on Rafale and sure enough one of the Delhi papers had more or less the same information as I had.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">The South Block, headquarter of India's Ministry of Defence (MoD), was--friends on the defence beat said--swarming with reporters of international news agencies and newspapers that afternoon, trying to confirm the news. Indian Air Force officials and the MoD Spokesperson were inundated with calls trying to verify the news put out by me and another newspaper about the decision on Rafale. No one seem to have any idea. Our reports were in fact run down by established celebrity defence analysts as fanciful and unrealistic. To be honest, I did feel bit uneasy but kept the faith since I had got the news from someone who had an inside track in the government.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">As the day progressed, one hint of that there was indeed the possibility of a deal being announced came through a report from Paris which quoted Indian Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) confirming that talks were on on this issue. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I felt slightly assured.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">But it was not until past 10 pm Indian time--nearly 23 hours after I had taken a chance to put out what looked liked an improbable news at that time--that I could heave a sigh of relief. Prime Minister Modi announced at a joint press conference with French President Francois Hollande that he had asked France to supply 36 Rafale planes in ready to fly condition (<i><span style="color: red;">http://in.reuters.com/article/india-france-rafale-idINKBN0N10OL20150410</span></i>). </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I had got the numbers wrong however. I had said India may buy 60 to 63 Rafales. It turned out that the numbers were to be restricted to 36. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Since then, in the last 17 months, despite what many naysayers said, my sources in the IAF and MoD negotiating team kept insisting that the deal would go through and go through on India's terms. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">In some hours from now, the Indian and the French Defence Ministers will witness the signing of the formal contract. India has got its way in many respects ( <i><span style="color: red;">http://bharatshakti.in/how-indian-negotiators-brought-down-the-price-of-rafale-jets%E2%80%8B/</span></i>) but skeptics will still have doubts. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">For the sake of the country's security and for the IAF to remain a potent force, let's wish the main protagonists good luck.</span></div>
Nitin A. Gokhalehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04632054380553596730noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4017910838017424020.post-92013880677854002992016-09-17T10:13:00.001+05:302016-09-17T10:13:05.053+05:30A veteran's appeal against constant whining<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="color: red; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="background-color: white;"><i>Received this message from a sensible, mature and proud veteran. He is in a minority at the moment but the silent majority must back him and reclaim the voice of sanity is what I feel. Read on. And Act. Now.</i></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">It's not even funny to observe that most of who are creative at whining are those who just were mute when then RM made a written statement in parliament that OROP was not feasible or desirable.</span></span><br />
<br />
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Mute when a Chief gave in writing that NFU & MACP not needed by services as it would kill merit.</span></li>
<li><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Mute when Then PM MMS in reply to Then ldr of opposition in lok sabha Mr Advani said OROP implemented issue closed.</span></li>
<li><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Mute when then RRM closed investigations into bursting T-72 Guns</span></li>
<li><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Mute when Substandard safety plates in mines caused deaths / maiming in mine lifting ops</span></li>
</ul>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">One person comes along who says yes I will give and we pillory him.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">Not appreciating what we got despite institutional bias.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">What is in works despite lobbies & vested interests working against it ...</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">Think ...</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">Ponder</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">Instead of supporting efforts to strengthen hands that are giving we seek to deride those who fight for us</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">The Service pay cells</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">The AG & DG pers of Navy & AF</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">The Army CDRs & C-in-Cs of services</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">The Three service chiefs</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">The services favouring bureaucracy</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">The RM</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">The PM</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">We heckle Justice Reddy who is in favour of ESM</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">Other than our selves we have pilloried all ..</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">Sad state of affairs</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">We need to ask ourselves what have we done for common cause positivity ..</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">🙏🙏🙏🙏 Most of you here are senior in age & service ..</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">Respectfully .. create & take forward positive .. even positive constructive criticism</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">Else we will loose all respect</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">🙏🙏🙏</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">Ponder think contemplate</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">Another young officer, reading the above post just now messaged me this: That's what is required Dada. Get the Army back into Army. Where has the glory gone. My character...soul...life, everything is forged in steel once I say, I am in the army. What's this nonsense going on.</span></span></div>
Nitin A. Gokhalehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04632054380553596730noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4017910838017424020.post-28925682538891651742016-09-11T17:18:00.002+05:302016-09-11T17:18:35.134+05:30DSSC: The cradle of tri-services jointmanship<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div class="Section1">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: center;">
<span style="color: red; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>Starting this week, I am going to write about different training establishment of the three armed forces that I visit throughout the year for guest lectures. They have glorious traditions, major accomplishments nd a vital role to play in shaping the top future military leadership. I start with the Defence Services Staff College (DSSC).</i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvDPJ7q0URo0k6t1hqLcVKYkx26fEIPKxezAaBuAYwbMYPHYGIkQiCsOjad13WhmIVvXZS1Sb6_YqxVZabcM8ZVMl7mCzV6raKHpgMBf410kG6GNHrBu5ehwAc-73NNiRGal5e7kVvurN9/s1600/1+Trishakti+Complex.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvDPJ7q0URo0k6t1hqLcVKYkx26fEIPKxezAaBuAYwbMYPHYGIkQiCsOjad13WhmIVvXZS1Sb6_YqxVZabcM8ZVMl7mCzV6raKHpgMBf410kG6GNHrBu5ehwAc-73NNiRGal5e7kVvurN9/s320/1+Trishakti+Complex.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; line-height: 150%;">Every
February or March when I drive up from the plains of Coimbatore to the Nilgiri
Hills and into the spotlessly clean campus of the Defence Services Staff
College, I realize how this </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; line-height: 150%;">premier tri-Services training institution</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; line-height: 150%;"> epitomises the crème
de la crème of joint training military institutions in the world.</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-right: 0.8pt; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-right: 0.8pt; text-align: left;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 150%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">The Staff College, since its inception, has undoubtedly
been the fountainhead
of learning and military scholastic excellence in India. In my nearly
decade-long association with DSSC as a visiting faculty—sharing my thoughts on
military and media—the sharpest queries and most critical comments have come
from the best and the brightest of the three services who get into this
prestigious course through a competitive exam.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-right: 0.8pt; text-align: left;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiC8UQjCuCKYjdf-gHaI7yxPdXuDptytZMADicBhmU2_rRDhPbcmof7vpF22Om9NcI9Y_1TgWBEdkqInQRe8abyCNu_QqxZbBFhquYN3ZaJG8kcTzdygWlPPBrSQf-W7M3avXNk5tR27hSx/s1600/presenting+colours.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiC8UQjCuCKYjdf-gHaI7yxPdXuDptytZMADicBhmU2_rRDhPbcmof7vpF22Om9NcI9Y_1TgWBEdkqInQRe8abyCNu_QqxZbBFhquYN3ZaJG8kcTzdygWlPPBrSQf-W7M3avXNk5tR27hSx/s320/presenting+colours.jpg" width="320" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4NS4M-1338q43D7n6XFStFfMu5OQcPRn-jImJgVc2w9O6Z3i3ASgiXLSxNgy1_N3U_LRg4oX7TM0Z1Uov6aUhyJl2R3q2ntNpMccB7MNiftBFJN87xl4y609mmX_itVXE5IVVZnSBVXL2/s1600/4+Outdoor+Ex.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="228" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4NS4M-1338q43D7n6XFStFfMu5OQcPRn-jImJgVc2w9O6Z3i3ASgiXLSxNgy1_N3U_LRg4oX7TM0Z1Uov6aUhyJl2R3q2ntNpMccB7MNiftBFJN87xl4y609mmX_itVXE5IVVZnSBVXL2/s320/4+Outdoor+Ex.jpg" width="320" /></a><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 150%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-right: 0.8pt; text-align: left;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 150%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I have witnessed the College providing an invigorating
environment for developing the ability for analytical thinking, creative and
intellectual ability, ingenuity and innovative methids. In doing so, DSSC has
reaffirmed its commitment to the noble traditions of the Services, while advancing
the core values of ‘Duty, Honour and Country’in the leadership of
Indian Armed Forces. These aspects are well summed up in College motto
‘Yuddham Pragyaya’, meaning ‘To War with Wisdom’.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-right: 0.8pt; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 19.5pt; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: left;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixrCz9KI4Z1jBvBd2hrgzlszX8YLu-wISCEmH54O-6vtkxklJ1L0xZ4K8B7QALD3DsziCRDqVQRXPNKPTbQ0Zf1J28ef4pwamBMpjTAL2SQkcT5NQUkTVR2512fpFcJ8tejBk5xhPIl9Ll/s1600/3+Comdt+with+Chairman+COSC%2526CAS.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixrCz9KI4Z1jBvBd2hrgzlszX8YLu-wISCEmH54O-6vtkxklJ1L0xZ4K8B7QALD3DsziCRDqVQRXPNKPTbQ0Zf1J28ef4pwamBMpjTAL2SQkcT5NQUkTVR2512fpFcJ8tejBk5xhPIl9Ll/s320/3+Comdt+with+Chairman+COSC%2526CAS.jpg" width="320" /></a><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span lang="EN-US">It was therefore fitting to hear President Pranab
Mukherjee presenting the c</span>olours last week in a glittering
function. Presentation of colours is by one of the
greatest honours bestowed upon an institution in recognition of exceptional
service rendered to the nation. Speaking on
the occasion, he said the college provides a stimulating environment for
“analytical thinking towards creativity and intellectualism”. Founded in 1905
as the Army Staff college in Deolali near Mumbai, it was relocated to Quetta
(now in Pakistan). “Post its relocation from
Quetta to Wellington in 1948, the Defence Services Staff College has emerged as
the premier Tri-Service Institution in the country, and today it epitomises
‘Military Academic Excellence’,” the President said. “The Staff College,
founded on the pillars of ‘jointmanship and military leadership’, has played an
instrumental role in enhancing the professional capabilities of the officers of
the three Services to face the future challenges,” Mukherjee said. He said most
critical and sensitive leadership in all the wars has been provided by the
alumni of this very “fountainhead of military learning.” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 19.5pt; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 8pt; text-align: left;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 150%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Historically, excellence in command and staff functions has
always been the cornerstone of success on the battlefield. The aim of the 45 week
long annual Staff Course conducted at the DSSC is to train and educate selected officers of the
three Services for command and staff functions in peace and war, in their own Service
and inter-Service environment. Whilst numerous institutions of each
Service such as Army, Navy and Air Force
exist worldwide to fulfil this role, DSSC is a unique institution in India and among
the very few in the world which is truly ‘joint’ in nature and provides professional
military education for officers of all three Services together. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: left; text-indent: 36pt;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 150%;">The curriculum of the Staff Course caters to needs of
the Indian Armed Forces and those across the globe to face the challenges in
the unique security calculus that exists today. The course curriculum, balanced
and comprehensive in terms of content as well as methods of conduct, comprises
the subjects
of National Security, Strategy, International Relations, Theories of Warfare,
Leadership, Communication Skills and Research Methodology. Most of the academic
education is conducted through seminar system in the form of discussions
moderated by the faculty. Exercises and war games assist students to validate operational
concepts learnt during the Course through practical application. These war games and exercises
extensively utilise computer based packages for versatility and
objectivity. The students also devote </span><span lang="EN-IN" style="color: windowtext; line-height: 150%;">a </span><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 150%;">significant amount of time
to individual
and group research as well as Study tours. In addition to the
faculty driven education, eminent experts in diverse disciplines from across the globe
provide students with their perspectives on contemporary and relevant issues
through guest
lectures.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: left; text-indent: 36pt;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 150%; text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: left; text-indent: 36pt;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 150%; text-indent: 36pt;">The scholarly
accomplishments of the College are also demonstrated through </span><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 150%; text-indent: 36pt;">‘Trishul’, a tri-Service professional journal, which provides a
discussion forum for thought-provoking ideas and matters ‘au courant’ dealing
with military issues, international relations, strategic affairs and progressive precepts of joint
war fighting.</span></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; line-height: 150%;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: left; text-indent: 36pt;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 150%;">Demonstrated professionalism of the Indian Armed Forces</span><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 150%;">,
comprehensive course content, world-class facilities and well qualified faculty make t</span><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 150%;">he Staff Course conducted at DSSC one of the most
sought after courses in the world. DSSC has educated over 1700 students
from 75 foreign countries to date and produced not only iconic military leaders but
also the Heads
of State in many a country. During my visits to DSSC, I have had the
opportunity to interact with students from 25-30 countries at any time. Apart from professional
training of the highest quality, these students are well nurtured during the
intensive training into informal ambassadors of DSSC, contributing significantly
to military diplomacy and soft power of the country.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: left; text-indent: 36pt;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="line-height: 150%; text-indent: 36pt;">Conforming to the modern needs, the College functions
in a </span><span style="line-height: 150%; text-indent: 36pt;">network
enabled environment </span><span style="line-height: 150%; text-indent: 36pt;">with a </span><span style="line-height: 150%; text-indent: 36pt;">Wide Area Network </span><span style="line-height: 150%; text-indent: 36pt;">connecting entire </span><span style="line-height: 150%; text-indent: 36pt;">academic </span><span style="line-height: 150%; text-indent: 36pt;">and
</span><span style="line-height: 150%; text-indent: 36pt;">residential
areas. </span><span style="line-height: 150%; text-indent: 36pt;">These enable </span><span style="line-height: 150%; text-indent: 36pt;">host services such as e-mail and cloud, delivery of training content, interactive
forums, conduct of online exercises, dissemination of critical information,
administrative services. </span><span style="line-height: 150%; text-indent: 36pt;">Software applications such as </span><span style="line-height: 150%; text-indent: 36pt;">Geo-graphical
Information System</span><span style="line-height: 150%; text-indent: 36pt;">, </span><span style="line-height: 150%; text-indent: 36pt;">War Gaming Systems</span><span style="line-height: 150%; text-indent: 36pt;"> and </span><span style="line-height: 150%; text-indent: 36pt;">Combat Decision & Resolution Package</span><span style="line-height: 150%; text-indent: 36pt;">
are </span><span style="line-height: 150%; text-indent: 36pt;">leveraged extensively</span><span style="line-height: 150%; text-indent: 36pt;"> to </span><span style="line-height: 150%; text-indent: 36pt;">enhance
the value of qualitative training imparted</span><span style="line-height: 150%; text-indent: 36pt;">. </span><span style="line-height: 150%; text-indent: 36pt;">The recently commissioned Air Wing War gaming
Centre, is a futuristic operational Command & Control Centre in the armed
forces, which aptly demonstrates the juxtaposition of infrastructure development
and exploitation of information technology to fulfil academic needs.</span></span></div>
</div>
<div class="Section2">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; mso-pagination: widow-orphan; text-align: justify; text-indent: 36.0pt;">
<v:shapetype coordsize="21600,21600" id="_x0000_t202" o:spt="202" path="m,l,21600r21600,l21600,xe"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">
<v:stroke joinstyle="miter">
<v:path gradientshapeok="t" o:connecttype="rect">
</v:path></v:stroke></span></v:shapetype><v:shape filled="f" id="Text_x0020_Box_x0020_63" o:gfxdata="UEsDBBQABgAIAAAAIQC2gziS/gAAAOEBAAATAAAAW0NvbnRlbnRfVHlwZXNdLnhtbJSRQU7DMBBF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" o:spid="_x0000_s1026" stroked="f" strokeweight="2pt" style="height: 22.5pt; left: 0; margin-left: 62.25pt; margin-top: 516.05pt; mso-height-percent: 0; mso-height-percent: 0; mso-height-relative: page; mso-position-horizontal-relative: text; mso-position-horizontal: absolute; mso-position-vertical-relative: text; mso-position-vertical: absolute; mso-width-percent: 0; mso-width-percent: 0; mso-width-relative: page; mso-wrap-distance-bottom: 2.88pt; mso-wrap-distance-left: 2.88pt; mso-wrap-distance-right: 2.88pt; mso-wrap-distance-top: 2.88pt; mso-wrap-style: square; position: absolute; text-align: left; text-indent: 0; v-text-anchor: top; visibility: visible; width: 310.5pt; z-index: 251679232;" type="#_x0000_t202">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><v:textbox inset="2.88pt,2.88pt,2.88pt,2.88pt">
<!--[if !mso]-->
<!--[endif]--></v:textbox>
</span></v:shape><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 150%;"></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="line-height: 150%; text-indent: 36pt;">As the
current Commandant Lt Gen SK Gadeock, AVSM, says his Vision of DSSC strives not
only to produce future military leaders and commanders, but also to achieve </span><span style="line-height: 150%; text-indent: 36pt;">holistic persona development
of their families, thus contributing to society and nation building in the long
run. An important factor in accomplishing this objective is in providing
robust infrastructure and a conducive, stress free environment. </span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; line-height: 150%;"><span style="line-height: 150%; text-indent: 36pt;">The most remarkable feature of the College is the
availability of all the facilities within one campus, in proximity of the centre
of academic activity. </span><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 150%; text-indent: 36pt;">In
recognition of the quality management system and environmental management
system employed and the standards achieved, the College was accorded ISO
9001:2008 and ISO 14001:2004 certification on 25 Jun 2015- an unprecedented
distinction. </span><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 150%; text-indent: 36pt;">DSSC now stands apart as the only Armed Forces Institution in India to be
certified for compliance with both ISO standards. The Presentation of
colours by the President only confirmed the pre-eminent status that DSSC has
come to enjoy among Category A Training Establishments of the three services.</span></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; line-height: 150%;"> </span></div>
</div>
</div>
Nitin A. Gokhalehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04632054380553596730noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4017910838017424020.post-29482768497472755242016-07-24T17:47:00.000+05:302016-07-24T19:40:26.155+05:30Let the Army do its job<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div class="gmail_default" style="color: #222222;">
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 18.4px;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Last week, Capt Amrinder Singh, Maharaja of Patiala, soldier and now politician, wrote a heartfelt piece batting for the Indian soldier deployed in Kashmir and berated the political as well as military leadership. The burden of his lament was: The Indian Army in Kashmir has been de-fanged and is fast becoming an "army of girl guides." The article immediately gained currency and wide circulation, especially among retired faujis, already angry with the government for various alleged sins of commission and omission on One Rank One Pension and 7th Pay Commission issues.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 18.4px;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 18.4px;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Capt Amrinder had some valid points in his piece, written more as a soldier that he was. However, the politician in him could not resist the temptation of taking pot shots at the current leadership. "The Government of India must allow freedom of action to the Army. The directive must be just one: 'Bring a situation in the state where the writ of India runs and not that of the ISI,' he wrote, hinting that the current government at the Centre which has an alliance with the PDP in Jammu and Kashmir was going soft on militancy in Kashmir. He was being economical with the truth. But more of the status of counter-insurgency a little later.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 18.4px;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 18.4px;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Coming back to Capt Amrinder’s piece. As a political leader, he has the liberty and right to criticise opponents. The sad part is he has used the Army and its so-called lapses to hit out at the political leadership. "For instance, in Budgam when a car broke through a military checkpoint in November 2014, the soldiers manning the post opened fire, as was their duty. One officer and eight jawans were court-martialed and imprisoned. Penalising soldiers for doing what was expected of them is unacceptable. It is for the Chief and his Northern Army Commander to stand by their men in the difficult duty they are performing and not succumb to political pressures," Capt Amrinder writes in support of his criticism. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 18.4px;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 18.4px;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">However, as it turns out, no such court martial took place. The Army’s Northern Command which has been at the forefront of the counter-insurgency operations in Jammu and Kashmir came up with an official denial on its Twitter handle. It said: "No army soldier, officer court martialed/ imprisoned in the Budgam incident of November 2014," giving lie to the good Captain's assertion. However, the clarification notwithstanding, a large number of Whatsapp messages, google groups and twitter handles started taking the army to task for punishing the soldiers once again highlighting the dangers of depending on unverified posts/reports to express opinions that spread confusion among the serving ranks of the military and demoralising them.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 18.4px;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 18.4px;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Last month, at a seminar on Social Media and the Military at Chandigarh, I have had an occasion to point out to this pitfall. There I cited an example of how some months ago, a senior veteran criticised the Ministry of Defence for deciding to appoint 'outsiders' to sit on promotion boards of senior military commanders. Again, the article was written without bothering to cross-check facts. There was no such decision taken and yet, the article got widely circulated giving false impression and further adding to the already existing negative sentiments against the 'civilian' in military minds.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 18.4px;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 18.4px;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Other such examples of misleading, untrue posts doing the rounds abound but suffice it to say that veterans--many of whom are active keyboard warriors now--may need to pause a bit and rethink about the propensity of using the stratagem of 'forwarded as received.' It is easy to morph, amend, twist articles, photos and posts because of improved technology and faster communication, thanks to the 'mobile republic' that India has become. A civilian forwarding a post about the military will not be taken as seriously as a veteran's forward would be.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 18.4px;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 18.4px;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The veterans, I feel, have a great responsibility to support the organisation that they served with dedication and loyalty. Please level constructive criticism by all means. But please also have faith in the current leadership which may be faced with new challenges and circumstances, the old timers never had to face.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 18.4px;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 18.4px;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The military too needs to reach out to veterans and keep the community informed about various new initiatives and developments concerning the organisations. As I mentioned in Chandigarh last month, every Command and of course service HQ s should think of a 'communication cell' where veterans active in the traditional media and on social media can post their queries and clarify doubts so that gaffes that keep occurring because of misinformation/disinformation are kept to a minimum.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 18.4px;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 18.4px;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Coming back to the current situation in J&K. The Army has studiously kept itself away from the current law and order issue in Kashmir valley where protesters have been on a rampage in the wake of the killing of Burhan Wani, a self-proclaimed terrorist. In one instance, the Army patrol, when faced with a riot-like situation, followed the standard operating procedure of warning the crowd before firing at the crowd that tried to snatch weapons from the soldiers. Unlike the police and central armed police forces, the army has to shoot to kill which is exactly what the patrol did.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 18.4px;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 18.4px;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">A closer look at figures pertaining to counter-insurgency operations this year is also revealing. According to official figures, since January to 24 July 2016 the security forces have eliminated 85 terrorists as compared to 43 for the corresponding period in 2015 while 17 have been caught as compared to just five last year. That Pakistan has once again ‘opened the tap’ in pushing in terrorists into Jammu and Kashmir is evident from the fact that there have been over a dozen infiltration attempts from January to July. Ten soldiers have already died defending the country this year so far and this is not counting police and CAPF personnel who laid down their lives during their duty in J&K.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 18.4px;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 18.4px;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Clearly, there is no let up in Pakistan’s attempt to stir trouble in J&K, especially in the Kashmir Valley. And of course there is no policy to rein in the Army and appease terrorists. </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 18.4px;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 18.4px;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The Indian Army has stood firm for over quarter of a century in thwarting this attempt. The military leadership, soldiers and indeed all security forces continue to battle difficult circumstances in Kashmir. Let’s not add to their woes by spreading half-baked stories, factually incorrect posts and inaccurate articles. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
</div>
<div class="gmail_default" style="color: #222222; font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: small;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia"; line-height: 22.8px;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></div>
</div>
Nitin A. Gokhalehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04632054380553596730noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4017910838017424020.post-40312202401965079172016-07-07T20:26:00.000+05:302016-07-07T20:26:05.096+05:30Kargil conflict recalled, by a leader on the ground<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">The month of July always brings back memories of the summer
of 1999 when India experienced a range of emotions—pain, loss, anguish, pride,
triumph and military victory—thanks to the young men and their not so young
leaders who conducted one of the most famous military campaigns in what, till
then, was an obscure place: Kargil. Operation Vijay, the official name of Indian
Army’s fierce counter-offensive in the rugged terrain of Ladakh’s
Kargil-Drass-Batalik area, is probably the most well-known military operation in independent India’s history.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">It is rightly known as the first military conflict that
entered Indian drawing and bed rooms, thanks to the then fledgling Indian TV
news industry. In subsequent years, many of us in the media have written and
reported on the heroes of those days, about the victory achieved by the Indian
Army and the Indian Air Force against heavy odds. Kargil, 1999 is by now very
well chronicled. So why am I writing this piece? <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtPEkeJnRwf1nYVgkatgvrgA8kNY4iUX0M_YinAGCJQpblvbQORkN1VAK82thnRQSkiB59vCgWDkNZygPItOJVtL2hWZP3vWr8Fy98Qo2UpaL0b8veXPE2n65wY_ulwf9V8Fm1xoxM0z6T/s1600/Mohinder+Puri.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; display: inline !important; float: right; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtPEkeJnRwf1nYVgkatgvrgA8kNY4iUX0M_YinAGCJQpblvbQORkN1VAK82thnRQSkiB59vCgWDkNZygPItOJVtL2hWZP3vWr8Fy98Qo2UpaL0b8veXPE2n65wY_ulwf9V8Fm1xoxM0z6T/s320/Mohinder+Puri.jpg" width="240" /></span></a><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">Because, I finally found time to read what is perhaps THE most
authentic and comprehensive account of the Kargil conflict. Lt Gen Mohinder Puri, who commanded
the 8 Mountain Division—hastily rushed into Kargil from Kashmir Valley—as a
Major General in 1999, waited for than 16 years to pen down his memories and his
observation on the conflict t</span><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">hat has come to define the Indian Army’s image in
the 21<sup>st</sup> Century. His book <i>Kargil:
Turning the Tide</i>, published by Lancer Publishers in 2015 can easily be
described as the most intimate account of the Kargil conflict simply because it
is written by the man who led the Indian charge in that limited theatre.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">Although Gen VP Malik has written a detailed account of
Kargil 1999, his was a take as seen from the strategic level. Many others too—soldiers
and journalists included—have described what happened in Kargil, but I
recommend Gen Puri’s book for the simple fact that his is the on-ground report.
While the first nine chapters clarify many doubts that students of recent
military history may have had about the conduct of operations, the initial
mistakes, the setbacks and the recovery all along the </span><span style="font-size: 18.6667px; line-height: 21.4667px;">front line</span><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">, to me the most
important part of this book are Chapter No. 10 and 11 titled Principles of War
and Reflections, respectively. </span><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">The entire essence of Operation Vijay is encapsulated in
these two chapters and contains many lessons which I am sure, Gen Puri’s
successors deployed in this sector have imbibed in the later years.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">The 8 Mountain Division, rightly called ‘Forever in
Operations’ since it has never had a moments respite after its raising in 1963 (in
the north-east), is now entrusted with guarding the entire Kargil-Drass-Batalik
frontage of the Line of Control (LoC) with Pakistan. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Gen Puri has been frank in admitting some of the pitfalls
and mistakes that inevitably happen during a hot war but he has also shed light
on how innovative tactics—employment of Bofors gun in direct firing role, for
instance—helped the Indian troops turn the tide. He also gives due credit to
the Indian Air Force and points out that restrictions imposed by the political
leadership in not allowing crossing of the LoC, actually created more problems
for the air warriors since they did not have enough depth to launch their
attacks and instead of approaching the objective from south to north, the air
attacks had to launched in east-west direction, restricts the IAF’s options.
The Army too suffered because of the restrictions. As a formation commander he
wanted limited permission to cross the LoC for purely tactical purpose but the
terms were unambiguous. As Gen Puri says: “Exercising...the options to cross
the LC would have meant faster operations, lesser casualties without much loss
of credibility. It would have shown us as a nation which applies restraint
but cannot be pushed around. Wars if thrust upon a country must be fought on
enemy’s territory; unfortunately in military terms we failed to achieve this
objective.” <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">That despite this major restriction and many other adverse
factors such as difficult terrain, critical equipment shortages and intense
public scrutiny, then Maj Gen Mohinder Puri and his officers and men of several
units finally evicted the intruders and regained Indian territory , albeit at
very heavy cost, cannot be forgotten. As the nation gears up once again to
celebrate the anniversary of the Kargil victory later this month, those interested
in what actually happened in those summer weeks in a remote border area 17
years ago, must get hold of Gen Puri’s honest account of the Kargil conflict,
if only to understand what it takes to stake your life to protect the nation.</span><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
</div>
Nitin A. Gokhalehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04632054380553596730noreply@blogger.com1