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Indo-Pak War: 50 years on, veterans pay tribute to martyrs
War veterans paid tributes to martyrs at the wreath-laying ceremony organised at the War Memorial “Veer Smriti” by the Western Command to commemorate the golden jubilee of Indo-Pak War
With eyes numb and heads held high, war veterans paid tributes to martyrs at the wreath-laying ceremony organised at the War Memorial “Veer Smriti” by the Western Command. It was organised to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the 1971 War.
Officers of the 39th NDA, 48th Reg course, the first course which participated in the 1971 War after passing out from the IMA, paid tribute to the martyrs. Lt Gen SR Ghosh, a 1971 Indo-Pak War veteran who retired as the General Officer Commanding-in-Chief of the Western Command in 2012, was also present to lay the wreath.
Gen Gosh, who passed out from the IMA on November 14, 1971, exactly 51 years ago, shared: “On November 14, 1971, we were commissioned and on December 3, the war started and all of us were sent to the war as officers were needed. But we were ready for the war.”
He was 19 years old when he was posted as the Second Lieutenant in the Uri sector of Jammu and Kashmir.
Terming it a moving and emotional ceremony, the officer said: “Those who passed out from our batch are not even alive to see this day. They lost their lives within 2 days of the war.”
Col LJS Gill from the 2 Para Unit said: “We were commissioned five weeks ahead of time. I was commissioned to the 2 Para Unit, Calcutta. So, anyone who joins the para unit has to undergo 28-day probation before he is considered a suitable candidate serving in the Parachute Regiment.”
As the war broke out within a week of his joining, the officer was not allowed to take part in the airborne operation.
“I had not undergone the 28-day probation period. Thereafter, you have to undergo a para basic course for 6 weeks in Agra, where you are trained as a paratrooper. But after a lot of discussions, the higher authorities did allow me to jump along with my unit. Of course, they were apprehensive whether I will be able to jump or not, but I did. So, that was my first jump,” he said.
This airborne operation was later called the “trump card” of the war.
“The Bangladesh Liberation War is termed as one of the most important wars fought by India. “It was a great victory, as we liberated one country. Bangladesh was created because of this war. We captured 93,000 prisoners and returned all safely,” Gen Ghosh added.
