Showing posts with label indian army. Show all posts
Showing posts with label indian army. Show all posts

Hawaldar Sher Bahadur Thapa - unsung Sino-India war hero

7:55 AM
Remembering forgotten Sino-India 1962 War hero Late Hav. Shere Thapa is no less a martyr than Anyone.

                      ‘Punya Smaran
   Swargiya Hawaldar Sher Bahadur Thapa
                 2 J &K RIF “Bodyguard”
   
       Is veer ne 1962 mein Chiniyo ki chakke udaye
Inka naam yahan ke bacche bacche ke zaban par hain
       Deshvasiyo ki aur se tumhe sat- sat pranam.’

Itanagar , Fri, 19 Oct 2012 ANI
By Pradeep Kumar (ANI)

Itanagar, Oct. 19 (ANI): His light machine gun boomed relentlessly, like a roaring tiger. One after another unsuspecting Chinese soldiers were killed and fell into the Ngo River without anyone to count. The day was October 18 half-a-century ago.

A brave Shere Thapa of the Indian Army's 2 Jammu and Kashmir Rifles, hiding in a very advantageous position, fired non-stop as his lone soldier-mate continued changing the carbines.
Hawaldar Sher Bahadur Thapa - unsung Sino-India war hero

The People's Liberation Army of China had sneaked through the Tama Chung Chung Ridge. Thapa had positioned himself on a vertical slope - invincible high mountain ridge on one side, steep slope down to the Ngo stream, the source of the Subansiri River, on the other side. He had located the most strategic place, either to stop or kill the advancing Chinese soldiers.

Thapa did not notice anymore Chinese after emptying all magazines with the fired brash khokas lying scattered. He confidently came out of his bunker for a recce. Death was waiting for him. He peeped towards the heap of corpses with great satisfaction. A wounded, but alive Chinese soldier, lying on the heap along with his colleagues fired, killing him instantly.

The corpses of the Chinese soldiers were piled up so much that the river failed to carry them. This is the folklore. The great soldier is highly revered in the area for his gallantry act.

Comparatively, brave Thapa was no less a war hero than subedar Jaswant Singh Rawat (No. 4039009 of the 4th Garhwal Rifles Bn), who had fought a lone battle against the invading Chinese in Eastern Sector (Tawang). He was conferred the highest military honour, the Param Vir Chakra, for his bravery. Jaswant Garh, a few km ahead of the pass, stands tall today as a testimony to his heroism.

Political interpreter Chader Mangha along with many villagers, who carried supplies, arms and ammunition for Thapa's Army section, were witness to his bravery. Mangha, who died in 1994,was given a commendation certificate by the GoI in recognition of his service to the nation and promoted to the rank of political assistant. He had also narrated the entire episode to his daughter Yating Byaling a resident of Gosing Taying village under Taksing circle, wife of RD Minister Tanga Byaling. Byaling also vouch of the bravery of Thapa and the village folk.

Even the Chinese had respectfully buried him and left a small note praising his bravery. Why none ever bothered to honour his brave act, even posthumously is intriguing? I have high respect for Rawat as he was a great martyr, but Thapa deserves equal honour.

Villagers inhabiting the Indo-China border claim that the PLA had sent its troops through passes, including Taksing, Mechuka, Anini, etc where the forces camped waiting for orders. Had the war prolonged, Chinawould have launched a multi-pronged attack but withdrew its forces after cessation of firing, following 29 days (Oct 18 to Nov 16, 1962) of fierce battle, leading to the humiliating defeat of the Indian Army.
Supply line was cut off following retreat order which never reached the duo. Left with no food and insufficient ammunition, they feared any eventuality and decided to fight till death. Thapa sacrificed his life in Middle sector (Upper Subansiridistrict) while protecting Mother India. His mortal remains were brought to Lemiking, last rites performed and a grave built there. The neglected grave and a bridge named after him are evidences of his heroism.

"The first bridge, named after soldier Shere Thapa, with a 600m steep climb...." is the reference about him with picture of his grave found in 'Secrets of Subansiri, Himalayan Club, recoding the 2005 expedition report by a group of trekkers to famous Buddhist pilgrimage Takpa Shiri; Arunachal Expedition - Takpa Shiri; In Search of Old Pilgrimage Route to Takpa Siri 2005 and India 2005 - Alpine Journal.
Thapa knew well that without any road and communication then, expecting any support from the base camp was well neigh impossible. He decided to face the enemies as a brave soldier of Mother India. Shouldn't he be recognized, albeit late, and due honour given by bringing his heroic story before the nation.

I presumed that martyr Shere Thapa,  might not have a god father or a senior Army officer to recommend their brave act. But with facts surfacing, it is still not late to honour them. By Pradeep Kumar (ANI).

We appreciate and grateful to Hon’ble Minister Tourism Shri Nakap Nalo for rediscovering buried  story of our True Hero, a Martyr of 1962 war Late Hav. Shere Thapa.

 Via All Arunachal Pradesh Gorkha Welfare Youth Association

Rfn Bikas Gurung martyred in ceasefire violation by Pakistan in Jammu & Kashmir

4:15 PM

Son of the soil Indian Gorkha Rfn Bikas Gurung Indian Army got martyred during ceasefire violation by Pakistan in Nowshera area of Jammu & Kashmir today.

Bikash was a Gorkha Jawan From Manipur.

"Pakistan Army initiated unprovoked and indiscriminate firing of mortars on routine Indian Army patrol, 700 metres inside Indian territory in Naushera sector along the Line of Control (LoC) Saturday morning," a senior army officer told PTI.

In the exchange of fire, Rifleman Bikas Gurung of 2/1 Gorka Rifles was grievously injured and succumbed to injuries. The 21-year-old soldier belonged to Khunka Khuki village of Manipur, and is survived by his mother.

May his soul rest in peace and may God give strength and courage to his family and friends.

RIP Brother

Jai Hind Jai Gorkha

Brijesh Thapa receive reputed UN medal for "courage and sacrifice" in the mission

7:00 PM

United Nations peacekeeping has proven to be one of the most effective tools to assist host countries navigate the difficult path from conflict to peace. India currently deploys more than 7,600 military and police personnel to UN peace operations in Afghanistan, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Haiti, Lebanon, Liberia, West Asia, South Sudan, Sudan and the Western Sahara. Last year, two Indian peacekeepers in different operations lost their lives and in their honour, India’s UN Ambassador Syed Akbarudding received the medal on their behalf for courage and sacrifice in their line of duty.

Rifleman Brijesh Thapa, who served with the UN Organisation Stabilisation Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Private Ravi Kumar who was deployed with the UN Interim Force in Lebanon posthumously received the Dag Hammarskjöld Medal on the International Day of UN Peacekeepers observed yesterday.

UN Secretary-General António Guterres laid a wreath to honour all fallen peacekeepers and presided over the ceremony where the Dag Hammarskjold Medal was awarded to 117 military, police and civilian personnel from 43 nations who lost their lives while serving in peacekeeping operations during 2016.

"UN peacekeeping is one of international community's most effective investments to support peace, security and prosperity. There are risks when deploying peacekeepers to a crisis area but inaction may carry even greater risks," he said.

India is the largest cumulative troop contributor, having provided almost 200,000 troops in nearly 50 of the 71 peacekeeping missions mandated over the past six decades, including 13 of the current 16 missions. Historically, the medal is named after the second UN Secretary General, who had died in a mysterious 1961 plane crash. He was posthumously awarded a Nobel Peace Prize the year he died.

[Via: News Bharati]

How 750 Indian Gorkha Soldiers made 7326 Pakistani Soldiers surrender in 1971 WAR

6:30 PM
July 27, 2016 Major Gen (retired) Ian Cardozo, a hero of the 1971 war that led to the creation of Bangladesh, paid tribute to BBC’s coverage of the hostilities on Monday but recalled its one mistake that benefited India in taking on numerically superior Pakistani forces.

At the time, Cardozo was a major in a 5 Gorkha Rifles battalion, comprising about 750 soldiers, that was tasked with capturing Atgram near Sylhet.

It was short of artillery and food supplies, but ultimately managed the surrender of two Pakistan Army brigades, including three brigadiers, a colonel, 107 officers, 219 JCOs and 7,000 troops in one of the most incredible successes of the war.

Speaking at a book release event here, he said: “Today I would like to use this platform to pay tributes to the BBC. They were the only reliable broadcasting station at that time, giving news as it happened. The Indian Army had nothing to hide, so the British war correspondents were going along with our troops.
How 750 Indian Gorkha Soldiers made 7326 Pakistani Soldiers surrender in 1971 WAR
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
“They were reporting minute-to-minute the progress of the battle. But they made a mistake. They announced that a ‘brigade’ of Gurkhas had landed at Sylhet. We heard it, as well as the Pakistanis. So we decided to pretend that we were a brigade.”
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Taking advantage of the misinformation, Cardozo’s battalion built on small victories and created a situation where the Pakistani troops offered to surrender on December 15, 1971. Until it happened, Cardozo and others believed a Pakistani brigade was in the area, but they were surprised to discover the final number was more than twice the strength of a brigade.

One of the most decorated officers of the Indian Army, Cardozo recalled the vital operation to capture Sylhet during a packed invitation-only event to celebrate the life of Lt Gen FN Bilimoria, former head of the central command and father of Karan Bilimoria, a member of the House of Lords.

Cardozo, a contemporary of Lt Gen Bilimoria, penned the book ”Lieutenant General Bilimoria: His Life and Times”, which was recently presented to Indian Army chief Gen Dalbir Singh in New Delhi.

The book release event here was attended by leading lights of the British Army, including former chief of general staff, Field Marshal John Chapple, and several Bangladesh citizens, who became emotional on meeting the man who played a defining role in their country’s formation.

One Bangladeshi member of the audience thanked Cardozo for the "great job you have done for us". Cardozo is expected to receive an enthusiastic reception at the Bangladesh high commission here on Tuesday.

Answering questions, Cardozo said calmly but firmly: “I do not like to use this platform to denigrate Pakistan. I think everybody knows what they are up to, what they have been up to and what they continue to do. I don’t have to elaborate.
“But India believes in peace, people, progress, development, not in war. But if war is forced upon us, as it was in 1965, in 1971 and in Kargil, we were the victors in every war,” he added to much applause.

Retired British Army officers recalled their interaction with Lt Gen Bilimoria, who was the Indian Army’s liaison officer in the School of Infantry in Warminster in the 1970s. A popular soldier, he saw action in the 1971 war and held several key posts, including GOC of the central command. Karan Bilimoria recalled the values passed on to him by his father, who died at the age of 72 in 2005.

Cardozo's remarkable military career saw him losing a leg when he stepped on a landmine in the 1971 war. He cut off his mangled leg with his own khukri and told his Gurkha batman: "Now go and bury it."

Determined not to let the disability affect his career as a soldier, he later became the first disabled officer in the Indian Army to command an infantry brigade. He has penned books on war heroes and the sinking of INS Khukri in the 1971 war.

Via defencenews
By: Hindustan Times


Legend who saved Kargil, Subedar Harka Bahadur Rana, Military Cross

6:34 PM
July 26th is celebrated across India as the Kargil Vijay Diwas to commemorate the glorious victory of India over the Pakistani forces in 1999.

But what about the forces themselves? What do they celebrate?

When it comes to Kargil there is only One Hero – in fact a LEGEND who stands the tallest. As far as the forces are concerned there is One Giant who along with his brave comrades literally saved Kargil for India, and that did not happen in 1999.

It happened in 1948, during independent India’s first war.

We proud to present the story of a Gorkhali legend who has continued to inspire generations of soldiers serving in for the Indian army in Kashmir.

Subedar Harka Bahadur Rana
Subedar Harka Bahadur Rana
INDEPENDENCE BLUES
Barely few months after independence, Pakistan invaded India via Kashmir with overwhelming number of forces, and such was the disadvantage our troops were in, that India was on the verge of losing entire Kargil region to Pakistan.

The main problem was that our troops could not reach the battlefield due to lack of roads, and they had to reach Leh via Zojila , Drass, and Kargil. Despite poor facilities and equipment, hard work by our Engineers helped in moving the Tanks to reach up to the Zojila pass - in what is called THE BATTLE FOUGHT ON DONKEY TRACKS - But it was still a long way from the actual battle field.

GORKHALIS ON THE MARCH
As in Kargil in 1999 when the 1/11 Gorkhas were the First battalion to be deployed for Kargil, back in 1948 it was the 1/5 Gorkha Rifles under the command of (then) Lt. Col Anant Singh Pathania, who was incidentally the first Indian officer to command the Gorkha Rifles and win a Military Cross, began moving northwards in the direction of Kargil.

During the course of the 1948 war, the most fearful battle was fought for the then Khera bridge which connects Kargil to the rest of India and it was vital to both the sides from strategic, military and geopolitical aspects.

Since the Pakistanis had captured the Kargil area, they were well entrenched in the area with superior firing positions and well supplied armoury. On the other hand the Indian army had been on a move for a while and the supplies were not as regular, also they were in inferior positions which exposed them to firing by Pakistani troops.

THE BATTLE AT KHERA BRIDGE
The 1/5 Gorkha Rifles were engaged by a strong force of Pakistani defenders at Khera bridge over the river Shingo. The battle was so fierce and the Indian troops were so disadvantaged that at one stage of the war the capture of the bridge seemed to be by all means impossible and unlikely. Until one Gorkha soldier decided that loss or withdrawal was simply not an option.

The main problem for the Indian troops was that, the enemy were too well set and they could not keep on fighting the enemy from a distance, they needed to take the fight to the enemy or give up. The battle was fierce and most of the troops guarding the bridge were American trained Pak soldiers with heavy machine guns.

Despite all the odds young Subedar Harka Bahadur Rana and his valiant men of 1/5 GR managed to cross the Shingo river, take the fight to the enemy in the positions where they had felt invincible, and beat them into surrendering or retreating.

SUPREME SACRIFICE
Sub. Harka Bahadur and many of his friends died in the operation but the Gorkhas marched ahead till they fought up to Kargil. As one of the picture will show, before Sub Harka Bahadur and his friends decided enough was enough, it was Pakistan on the other side of the bridge, now the border is more than 5kms away.

Given that so many of our brave hearts have given their supreme sacrifice for our motherland in Kashmir, nowhere in Ladakh or entire Kashmir will you see a memorial solely dedicated to a single person. The memorial dedicated to Sub Harka Bahadur is an exception.

Sub Harka Bahadur Rana earned that rarest of the rare honour not only due to his valour and dedication for our motherland, but also for that rare indomitable spirit which turned the course of war and helped in conjoining Kashmir with India forever.

WE REMEMBER
Lt. Col. Anant Singh Pathania who commanded the mission was decorated with Mahavir Chakra, and Late Subedar Harka Bahadur Rana won Military Cross for his bravery and exploits. Today a new bridge has been built by Indian Army and is known as Harka Bahdur Rana Bridge.

In Military circles, it is said that the battle waged by Col. Phatania, Sub. Harka Bahadur Rana and their men of 1/5 Gorkha Rifles were one of the hardest battle ever fought.

While others chose to ignore or forget our brave hearts, we refuse to forget the real Legends of Kargil - like Harka Bahadur, without whom there would be no Kargil in India.

Jai Mahakali!! Ayo Gorkhali!!

[This article was published earlier in TheDC, and has been re-posted as ‪#‎KargilVijayDiwas‬ Special]

Via GYASA

Anup Kumar Thapa Martyrd fighting Pakistani terrorist infilitrators in J&K

11:23 PM
24th July 2016 J&K Salutes the service and sacrifice of ‪ brave heart Naik Anup Kumar Thapa, 1/3 Gorkha Rifles, who lost his life in action fighting Pakistani terrorist infilitrators at LoC Kupwara, J&K yesterday.

Terrorists attempting to infiltrate (from Pakistan-occupied Kashmir) were intercepted by alert troops in the intervening night of July 22-23 which led to exchange of fire and forced the infiltrators to flee. Nk Thapa sustained injuries in the gun battle and unfortunately later succumbed.

Army today paid homage to Naik Anup Kumar Thapa, who was killed in exchange of fire when troops foiled an infiltration bid by militants from Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) in the frontier Kashmir district of Kupwara yesterday.

Defence Ministry spokesperson Colonel N N Joshi said Army paid rich tributes to the valour and martyrdom of Naik Thapa here.

Chinar Corps Commander Lt. Gen. Satish Dua paid tributes to Naik Anup Kumar Thapa at Badami Bagh Cantonment in Srinagar on Sunday.
Anup Kumar Thapa Martyrd fighting Pakistani terrorist
Anup Kumar Thapa Martyrd fighting Pakistani terrorist
“The brave soldier was part of his unit’s Specialist Operational Team that intercepted a group of militants, which was attempting to infiltrate from across the Line of Control (LoC),” he said.

Col Joshi said in the ensuing exchange of fire, Naik Thapa sustained a gunshot wound, but unmindful of his injuries, he continued to engage the militants till the time they fled back.

“Naik Thapa was given first aid at the encounter site itself and thereafter evacuated, but unfortunately, the brave heart succumbed to his injuries,” he said.

Son of a priest from Dehradun, Naik Anup was known by his comrades as an extremely dedicated soldier who would not hesitate from taking on one challenging assignment after another.

“The 41-year-old soldier joined the Army at the tender age of 19 and had a lot of experience in counter militant operations, having had a previous tenure in Rashtriya Rifles also,” he said.

We convey our respects and deepest condolences to Nk Thapa's family.


A tribute to Gorkha martyr in J&K by comrades and seniors

10:15 AM
Kolkata: Lance Havildar Prem Bahadur Resmi Magar lived by the motto 'Kayar Hono Banda Marno Ramro (Better to die than to live the life of a coward)' till he breathed his last while fighting terrorists along the Line of Control (LAC) in Tangdhar, Jammu & Kashmir, on Wednesday. On Thursday, he was given a befitting tribute by comrades and seniors at the Badami Bag Cantonment in Srinagar.

Magar, a 'Ghatak' commando of the unit, was part of the team that thwarted an infiltration bid and shot dead four terrorists. In the process, he was martyred. A battle hardened soldier with 18 yrs of distinguished service, Magar had also been actively involved in two previous operations in the same area in which seven terrorists were killed.

The warrior hailed from Sauni village in the Falpa district of Nepal and was a true embodiment of the martial and yet mirthful character that is common to all Gorkhas. It was his ilk that made the late Field Marshal Sam Manekshaw once famously remark, "If a man says he is not afraid of dying, he's either lying or he's a Gorkha". The Gorkha Rifles is one of the finest regiments of the Indian Army, many units of which have their recruitment base in Nepal as part of a Britain-India-Nepal tripartite agreement signed at the time of independence in 1947.
Gorkha martyr given tribute by comrades and seniors
Lance Havildar Prem Bahadur Resmi Magar a Gorkha martyr given tribute by comrades and seniors
The 37 years old martyr, son of a farmer, is survived by his wife Devi Resmi Magar and two children aged 13 and 10 years. His son is named Dol Bahadur and daughter Yogita. Paying glowing tributes to the hero, Lt Gen Satish Dua, commander, Chinar Corps, said: "The nation shall remain indebted to his sacrifice and the present generation as well as posterity will continue to draw inspiration from him." Expressing his condolences to the bereaved family, he reaffirmed the Army's commitment to their well being.


Via TOI


5 Gorkha Rifles officers out of 14 approved for rank of Lt General

7:30 AM
The Army has de-classified the promotion board results for the rank of Lt General and a major chunk of the vacancies for this particular batch have gone to officers belonging to the Gorkha Rifles.

As per details of the result accessed by The Indian Express, a total of 14 officers of the rank of Major General have been approved in the ‘Command and Staff Stream’ in which they will go on to Command a Corps each and then onwards for appointment as Army Commanders or General Officers Commanding-in-Chief of a command. Five officers out of these 14 belong to the Gorkha Rifles, though from various Gorkha Rifles regiments, and none from the Chief of Army Staff’s own regiment, the 5th Gorkha Rifles.
Gorkha Rifles
Gorkha Rifles 
The selection board for the Major Generals of 1981 batch was held earlier this month. Among the officers who have been approved for the rank of Lt General are Maj Gen SK Saini (Jat Regiment), Maj Gen AS Bedi (Garhwal Rifles), Maj Gen A Chauhan (Gorkha Rifles), Maj Gen JS Negi (Dogra Regiment), Maj Gen IS Ghuman (Brigade of Guards), Maj Gen PM Bali (Punjab Regt), Maj Gen Vijay Singh (Gorkha Rifles), Maj Gen SK Upadhya (Garhwal Rifles), Maj Gen Saranjit Singh (Sikh Light Infantry), Maj Gen YVK Mohan (Gorkha Rifles), Maj Gen AK Bhatt (Gorkha Rifles), Maj Gen Dushyant Singh 9Maratha Light Infantry), Maj Gen RK Jagga (Armoured Corps) and Maj Gen R Gopal (Gorkha Rifles).

The social media was soon abuzz with the list of officers approved and the fact that such a large number of Gorkha Rifles officers had made the grade. However, a senior officer from Gorkha Rifles said that Gorkha Rifles is comprised of seven separate regiments and that all individual regiments are different from each other having separate regimental centres and there being around 45 Gorkha Rifles units.

The selection board has also not thrown up name of any officer approved from the Regiment of Artillery in the general cadre for the command and staff stream. Earlier, officers from the Artillery and even the Corps of Engineers had been doing very well in getting command appointments in higher ranks and the present Vice Chief of Army Staff, Lt Gen MMS Rai, is from the Corps of Engineers.



Via indianexpress



 
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