Snapshots of Change of Indian Army's Command

Know Your Army Chief- General Bikram Singh

General Bikram Singh assumes charge as the Chief of Army Staff on May 31, 2012. It is no coincidence that the 27th Indian General to lead the world's second largest army is indeed one of the most decorated serving soldiers today. 

Commissioned on March 31, 1972, into the Sikh Light Infantry (SIKHLI) Regiment, his four-decades career in the uniform so far has been a continuing saga of 'aspiring for excellence'. His colleagues remember him as one of the bright cadets at the Indian Military Academy (IMA), where he held the appointment of Battalion Cadet Adjutant (BCA).

An astute military tactician and an ardent student of military strategy and operational art till date, he was awarded the J&K Rifles Gold Medal for 'Tactics and Leadership' and the 'Shriganesh Trophy' at IMA. The affable General Bikram - better known as 'Bikki' to his friends, began displaying his steely resolve and grit very early in his army carer. At the Infantry School during his Young Officer's course, he topped the course and was adjudged the 'Best Young Officer' and also awarded the prestigious 'Commando Dagger' for being the best commando along with 'Best in Tactics' trophy. These awards, remain the most coveted dream of every aspiring young officer.

It was during his tenure as an instructor at the Commando Wing of the Infantry School that Gen Bikram would find his life partner. Then, a young Captain, Bikram saw and briefly met his future wife-to-be, Surjeet Kaur - popularly known as 'Bubbles' in army circles, at a family wedding. He saw her, liked her and proposed to her. "It indeed was love at first sight," reminisces Gen Bikram. Respecting the custom and traditions, he sought the assistance of his sister and other family members who set up the match before his return to the Commando School after his leave. "Within a week, things were arranged and we got engaged. However, I was not happy with the marriage being fixed after six months. So, I called her up from Belgaum and told her to be prepared for marriage within a month. Of course, this required convincing parents and family members on both sides." True to his words, marriage done, Mrs Bubbles joined him at the Commando Wing of the Infantry School within the stated time-frame.

For the newly-wedded lady, it was an altogether new experience to be in a way of life that she had no prior association with. "During various demonstrations that used to be organised for the public, I ensured that Bubbles was present to see and appreciate our commando skills and techniques". He needn't have done any more, for Mrs Bubbles was more than just smitten by this young, handsome officer and his honest display of affection, albeit only commando-like.

"Bikki's friends ensured that for nearly a month-and-half I didn't have to cook any meal after I joined him. Either we were invited to a friend’s house or they would send us meals at home," says Mrs Bubbles. Her tryst with the army life began on a note of bonhomie and she has stood steadfast to the core values of the camaraderie that is the mainstay of life in the armed forces, army in particular. Today, Mrs Bubbles has an equally important role to play alongside Gen Bikram Singh, as President AWWA (Army Wives Welfare Association), in the days and years ahead.

The environs of South Block beckoned Gen Bikram on several occasions. After the 'Higher Command Course', he served his first tenure in the Military Operations (MO) Directorate. The tenure, as a Director, coincided with the Kargil war and the bright officer was singled out to brief the media on the daily progress of the conflict. Later, he was also made responsible for writing the official version of the war history. These were major responsibilities, which he fulfilled commendably.

He went on to serve four more important tenures at Army HQ which included one additional tenure in the MO Directorate as the Deputy Director General, thereafter, two tenures in the Perspective Planning Directorate, initially as the Deputy Director General of Perspective Planning (Strategy) and later, as the head of the Army's 'Think Tank' as the Additional Director General (the appointment now has since been upgraded to the post of Director General). He would later return to Army HQ as a Lieutenant General to serve as the Director General Staff Duties (DGSD) that facilitates the overall functioning of various branches of Army HQ, and serves as an interface with other government agencies besides looking at the Indian Army's training teams abroad and UN peacekeeping operations.

In between the 'Staff' roles, Gen Bikram Singh went on to command several other operational field formations. These include command of a Rashtriya Rifles Sector in South Kashmir, an Infantry Division in J&K and the prestigious 15 Corps at Srinagar. His tenure later as the Army Commander of Eastern Command was also marked by significant improvements in both the conventional and sub-conventional war-fighting arenas. In addition to the timely raisings of various field formations and infrastructure development, the internal security canvas in all the militancy inflicted states has shown a marked improvement. The General ensured that all counter-terrorism operations were synergised, people friendly, and launched on hard intelligence to obviate inconvenience to the locals. All actions of his troops, he demanded, must contribute to the groundswell for peace.

As a Brigadier, he was selected to attend the US Army War College, Pennsylvania, where besides excelling in academics he also won the International Toastmaster's award in public speaking.

His international forays with peace-keeping missions include two assignments with the United Nations in Central America (ONUCA and ONUSAL) and as the Deputy Force Commander and GOC of Eastern Division in the Democratic Republic of Congo. His division comprised contingents from 18 different countries including a brigade each from India and Pakistan, and battalions and companies from China, Bangladesh, Nepal, Uruguay, South Africa, Morocco, Senegal, Benin, and Tunisia amongst other countries.

During his tenure in Congo, his division was instrumental in bring peace to the strife-torn eastern region and creating conditions for the consolidation of peace process.

Colleagues also remember him for being a 'soldier's soldier' for spending time and sweat with his troops on the ground. A shade of this was visible during the September 2011 earthquake in Sikkim when he visited all affected forward posts and even awarded commendation medals to soldiers and officers for exceptional service on the spot.

Gifted with a razor-sharp memory for details, Gen Bikram is known to often surprise old friends - even those he has not met in decades - with references to their family members and memories of time spent together.

Gen Bikram studied at Punjab Public School, Nabha. An avid sportsman, cricket, athletics and hockey were his favourite games in school. Singing and painting were his other talents that also fetched him awards in school. "Classical songs and ghazals are my favourites," he reveals. "Jagjit Singh, Ghulam Ali and Pankaj Udhas are his favourites," adds Mrs Bubbles.

Gen Bikram was nearly destined to be a doctor as most of his teachers believed he would. He was an exceptional student of Zoology and Biology and always scored very high marks in these subjects. But the wars of 1962 and 1965 were to have a profound impact on his young mind to motivate him to join the NDA in 1968. The medical fraternity's loss has been the Indian Army's gain. When asked whether he ever regrets the choice made, Gen Bikram says, "If I were ever to be born again, I would only join the Indian army" -words that would be echoed by only a highly motivated soldier, and that which would also inspire a generation of youth who aspire to be one like him.

The couple's two sons, Ramandeep and Kanwardeep are married and well-settled.

First ever submariner Deputy Chief of Naval Staff

At a time when submarine fleet of the Indian Navy is undergoing tremendous modernisation, the force has got its first submariner Deputy Chief of Naval Staff. Its better late than never.

New Deputy Chief on the left

Statement by Indian Navy

"Vice Admiral Pradeep K Chatterjee, AVSM, NM, today took over as the Deputy Chief of Naval Staff at the Integrated Headquarters Ministry of Defence (Navy). 

Commissioned on 01 January 1977,the Flag Officer specialised as a submariner, and went on to command the Shishumar class (Type 1500) submarines, INS Shankush and INS Shankul, the latter of which he commissioned. His ship commands include the training Ship INS Krishna, and Guided Missile Destroyer, INS Rajput.

Vice Admiral Pradeep K Chatterjee has held various senior Staff appointments such as Commodore Commanding Submarine (West), COMCOS(W) at Mumbai; Principle Director Submarine Operation (PDSMO) and Principal Director Submarine Acquisition (PDSMAQ) at Naval Headquarters, New Delhi. In the Flag rank he has held the posts of Flag Officer Submarines (FOSM) at Visakhapatnam, Flag Officer Maharashtra and Gujarat naval Area (FOMAG) at Mumbai, and Inspector General Nuclear Safety (IGNS) at Naval Headquarters, New Delhi.

In his long and illustrious career, the Flag Officer has walked through the portals of the Defence Service Staff College, Wellington, the College of Naval Warfare, Mumbai and the National Defence College, New Delhi. 

Interestingly Vice Admiral Chatterjee becomes the first ever submariner to be at the helm of the Operations Branch of the Indian Navy at the Integrated Headquarters Ministry of Defence (Navy) at New Delhi. This at a time when the Indian Navy stands at the threshold of integrating a nuclear attack submarine INS Chakra and inducting a nuclear ballistic missile submarine viz the indigenously built ‘Arihant’."

Explore greater role for women: Antony tells armed forces

As the clamour to induct women in combat roles in the armed forces is increasing, Defence Minister AK Antony on Monday asked the armed forces to explore more avenues to woman in services. 

 

Even though the armed forces have been inducting women as Short Service Commissioned (SSC) officers, there has been resistance within the services to give them a combat role. It was only a couple of years back that the forces decided to make women permanent officers in the legal, education, accounts and naval constructor branches.

In his meeting with the three service chiefs – Admiral Nirmal Verma, General VK Singh and Air Chief Marshal NAK Browne – Antony “directed the three Chiefs to explore more avenues for giving permanent commission to women in the Armed forces”.

The present strength of women officers in the three services of the Armed Forces is - Army 1055, Air Force 936 and Navy 232. According to figures available, there has been a 67 per cent increase in recruitment of women officers into the army, navy and air force since 2009. As many as 781 women joined the armed forces as officers during this period. The army alone inducted 343 women, the navy 129 and the air force 309. These figures do not include the women officers joining the armed forces medical services.

In 2006 Delhi-based Integrated Defence Staff had carried out a study for giving greater role for women officers and the report was submitted in 2011 recommending against giving fighting duties to women.

India’s neighbours - Pakistan and China – have already commissioned women fighter pilots in its forces. However, the Indian Armed Forces have been against the idea of women in combat roles citing social and cultural fabric of the country. According data available in open domain, the US has about 3,700 fighter pilots and 70 of them are women. Many of these women fighter pilots had even flown bombing missions over Afghanistan in 2001.

The Indian Navy also recently started having women officers as "observers" and still does not have any women pilots for its helicopters and aircraft. The force does not even post its women officers on board warships after its initial experiment project failed to take off in the absence of accommodation facilities for women. (Read the story I did in 2009 Indian Navy learns from Nations with women onboard warships).

For the Indian Army it is still the question of a woman commanding the troops - majority of which comes from the Indian hinterland- where taking orders from the fairer sex is not the norm. Also the force has cited the living accommodation for women in forward areas a huge logistical and practical problem.

Financial powers of Chiefs hiked threefold, move to boost procurement

In a bid to hasten crucial defence procurements
Defence Minister A K Antony on Monday announced three fold increase in the financial powers of service chiefs.

The present financial powers of the Chiefs was Rs 50 crore. It has been increased to Rs 150 crore.

More details to follow.

The General goes home

BAPORA VILLAGE (BHIWANI, HARYANA): General Vijay Kumar Singh comes from a Rajput family of this quaint village whose generations have proudly served in the Indian Army. But now there is anguish among the village patriarchs, and none of the younger generation wants to join the force after seeing the controversy that hit the “upright officer”.

“Earlier, my father and his five brothers had served in the army and we three cousins, including Vijay, were in the force. Now after he retires, only his nephew will be there and we also do not want anybody else to join,” said Hari Singh, the Army Chief’s cousin. The septuagenarian, sporting handlebar moustache and sitting too upright for his age, has seen the bloody war of 1962 and retired as a Sipahi from the Army.

Said to be about 700-year-old, Bapora with a population of about 20,000 has soldiery in its blood with the village sending scores of valiant Rajputs to the Army. Locating the Army Chief’s home, about 160 km west of Delhi, is not difficult. Reach Bhiwani and ask anybody where is General Sahab’s village and one will be automatically guided to his modest pink and yellow house, equipped with bare minimum things. Only his drawing room seemed to have got a new sofa few years ago.

“What did he (the Army Chief) get for being honest? See his home; he has not added any property in his career, everything is ancestral. Had it not been the case, politicians would have fixed him by now for standing up against corruption,” his other cousin Honorary Captain (retd) Krishan Pal Singh chipped in. He was a jawan in 25 Rajput and was deployed as part of Indian Peacekeeping Force in Sri Lanka along with the Army Chief. Gen Singh was awarded a Yudh Sena Medal for his stellar role in the operations in the island nation.

The village is proud of the General’s achievement as he is the first to have risen to the highest rank; earlier his father Col Jagat Singh was the highest-ranking army officer from the village. In his career spanning 42 years, the Army Chief has always topped the merit list. He is a graduate of the Wellington-based Defence Services Staff College as well as the US Army War College at Carlisle. He also did a Rangers Course, a prestigious commando training, at Fort Benning in the US.

Now the village is preparing for a grand party post the General’s retirement. “We will honour the son of the soil with a grand function. People from nearby villages also want to be part of the function,” said Tejbir Singh, who also sat on a dharna at Jantar Mantar in Delhi last month in support of the Army Chief. “I had asked the General to get my son recruited in Army as jawan. He said if somebody is fit, he will get chance on his own. I will not recommend anybody. He is that honest,” Tejbir Singh added.

The whole lane of houses in Gen Singh’s village sends at least one person to the Army and the General makes it a point to meet all the ex-servicemen, including 90-year-old Capt (retd) Gugam Singh who is unable to move due to old age now. The villagers have one proposition for the government to make the son of the soil President—the Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces. “President should be somebody outside of politics. There can be no better candidate than the General. However, even if he decides to join politics, we are with him,” said Krishan Pal.

End of an Era

When Army Chief General V K Singh hangs his boots on May 31, an era of Indian military history will come to an end —as he would be the last of the Army Chiefs to have seen action in India’s last full-fledged war of 1971. His successor Lt Gen Bikram Singh was commissioned into the force in 1972. 

As a young Sub Lieutenant in the Rajput Regiment in 1971, General Singh had started training the Mukti Bahini army for the liberation of former East Pakistan on June 19. The experience in the 1971 war laid down the foundations of a keen strategist that he is known as presently. “Just before the war, Vijay had come to the village on leave. And he especially went and bought a lungi so that he can easily mix with the Mukti Bahini troops he was going to train,” said his cousin Krishan Pal Singh.

Also during 1971 war, one of his fellow officers had stepped on an anti-personnel mine and got blown up. He was severely injured and the General—then a young Sub-Lieutenant—carried him on his shoulder all the way to hospital. The officer lost a limb but survived to tell the tale of General Singh’s dedication towards his troops and fellow officers.

In 2011 when V K Singh again set foot on Bangladeshi soil as the Indian Army Chief, he carried along with him some “relics of 1971 war” to gift his Bangladeshi counterpart.

“Participating in an operation gives an army officer an experience which no amount of theory or courses can impart. So in that sense this experience will definitely be missed in the higher echelons of the Indian Army,” said an officer. The Army Chief, first commando to rise to the highest rank, later took part in Operation Pawan of the Indian Peacekeeping Force in Sri Lanka against LTTE. “He is an expert in operations and planning and using the arms to their maximum. He turned all the rifles into LMG (Light Machine Guns) in Sri Lanka; even the LTTE guerillas were scared of him,” said Krishan Pal who had accompanied him as part of the troops who had gone to the island nation.

The Army Chief had learnt his first lessons of the war in 1971. The 13-day Bangladesh Liberation war in 1971 is one of the shortest wars in the modern history that also resulted in the formation of a new country. During the war, the Indian armed forces fought in both the eastern and western frontier before the Pakistani Army signed an Instrument of Surrender, and over 90,000 Pakistani soldiers were taken as Prisoners of War by India.

As a build-up to this, thousands of Bangladeshis were given shelter in refugee camps on the Indian side. These camps were used for training the fighters of the Mukti Bahini.