In the wee hours of October 27 last, a Tata Sumo was stopped at a check-post in Akhnoor for a routine check. However, within no time, the occupants of the vehicle opened fire at sentries manning the check-post which resulted in the death of one of them. This provocation astounded the sentries. Before they realised what was happening, the vehicle started moving. Immediately, the sentries opened fire and made the vehicle to come to a stop. While they got hold of the vehicle driver, three armed persons jumped out and ran away into the neighbouring jungles.

Immediately, a cordon was established at night and search commenced at first light. Two terrorists were eliminated within a short period. The third terrorist, who was also hiding in the jungle, realised that there was no escape for him. In a bid to save himself, he fired at the innocent people living in the houses near the jungle. He injured three ladies and two children. The children succumbed to their injuries later .

Army swung into action to nab the terrorist. In a daring operation, the troops led by Lt Madan Pal Thakur stormed the place where the terrorist was hiding. The terrorist retaliated with firing at them. The troops did not take much time to kill the terrorist. The operation was concluded without any injury to the troops.

A two-day display of weapons and equipment was held by Army and Air Force at the Gujarat University Grounds. The display facilitated an interacation between local residents and Armed Forces.

Mr Kailashpati Mishra, Governor of Gujarat inaugurated the display. Mr Narendra Modi, Chief Minister of Gujarat, Air Marshal SP Tyagi, AOC-in-C, South Western Air Command and Maj Gen N Thamburaj, GOC, Golden Katar Division, were present on the occasion.

Weapons captured by Army in Jammu and Kashmir were displayed during this show of might. Events in the programme included slithering from helicopters, sky-diving, mass band display and an exhibition of weapons and equipment used by Army and Air Force. NCC organised parasailing and aero-modelling as part of the programme.

Anti-tank guided missiles, armoured recovery vehicles and, infantry combat vehicles also formed part of the equipment demonstrated on the occasion. The Air Force weapons included Pechora, surface- to-air missile system, IGLA shoulder fired missile system, Indra-II radar and OSA-AKM surface-to-air missile system. Recruitment organisations of Army, Air Force and NCC had put up their stalls to motivate the youth of Gujarat.

Twentytwo Maratha Light Infantry (MLI) celebrated its sesquicentennial (150 years) in November. As a part of celebrations a cycle expedition was conducted from Mumbai to Hyderabad. Flagged off by Maj Gen TK Kaul, GOC, Maharashtra and Gujarat Area, the 30-member expedition reached Hyderabad after covering a distance of 800 kms.

Taking part in the celebrations, Maj Gen ED’Souza (Retd), a veteran of MLI recalled the association of Marathas with Mumbai and said that the first Maratha Battalion was raised at Mumbai Fort. Brig Akhil Chaturvedi, Deputy GOC, M & G Area, Brig MKV Panicker, Commander, Mumbai Sub-area, Col Gurmeet Singh, Commanding Officer, 22 MLI and a number of senior Army officers and jawans witnessed the flagging-off ceremony.

Twentytwo Maratha Light Infantry (Hyderabad) was raised with black African slaves purchased by the Raja of Wanaparthi (100 kms from Hyderabad) from Arab traders in Bombay. They were trained and formed into a military force to subdue neighbouring feudal rulers as well as to raid the Nizam's treasury convoys. After the Raja’s death in 1866, his widow presented the battalion (Bin Bahiris) to the Nizam of Hyderabad. The Bin Bahiris were accordingly relocated to Hyderabad. After the Hyderabad Police Action, the battalion was the only state force unit chosen for absorption into the Indian Army in 1950 at Lake Lines, Secunderabad.

Nestled in the upper reaches of Indus Valley in the harsh and daunting terrain of the Zhanskar and Ladakh mountain ranges lie four villages inhabited by a unique tribe called Brogpas or "Red Aryans". The Brogpas claim to be desendents of Alexander ‘the great’. Some soldiers from the army of Alexander stayed back in Baltistan while most of them left for Greece. They seem to have migrated up the Indus Valley and settled in the Batalik region of Ladakh. They settled in villages like Darchiks, Garkhun, Dah and Biama.

While the Brogpas have maintained their unique identity and retained their quintessential traditions and social ethos, their economic and educational development had been stagnated over the years owing much to the peculiar geographical conditions.

Indian Army, which has been intimately involved in civic action programmes under operation Sadbhavana in Jammu and Kashmir, has stepped in to put these villages on the path to development. The Army unit in Batalik has undertaken numerous developmental projects which include establishment of Army Goodwill Schools, medical aid centres and women empowerment centres. Special emphasis is being laid on the empowerment of women.

The Army unit in Batalik under the stewardship of Brig MS Kosal has undertaken a drive in imparting education and vocational training to the villagers. Without disturbing their traditions and customs, an emphasis is being laid on harmonising their economic development through empowerment of local residents.

Under operation Sadbhavana, village Darchiks has been adopted as the model village to engine the all- round development of the region. A fully-equipped medical aid centre, Army Goodwill Schools, vocational training centre, adult literacy centre and training in new agriculture practices are some of the facilities provided by Army to the villagers.

Approaching Darchiks on the craggy road along river Indus, one can hear the pleasant rippling melody of children of Army Sadbhavana School singing sare jahan se acha Hindustan hamara through the crisp cold morning air .The village now boasts of 85 per cent literacy rate with 100 per cent children going to school. The employment amongst youth is also 100 per cent.

Defence Minister, Mr George Fernandes, during his vist to the region in May, this year expressed his desire to meet these people. Accordingly, 32 trainees from women empowerment centre were taken on an itinerary to Jammu, Agra, Jaipur and Delhi. In Delhi, the trainees met the Defence Minister who complimented them for reaping the benefits of operation Sadbhavana.

-Col Shantanu Dayal

A 14-member military delegation from the Royal College of Defence Studies, UK, led by the Commandant of the college, Lt Gen Sir Christopher Wallace, visited the Eastern Command Headquarters at Fort William, Kolkata.

The delegation was conducted around the historic fort. Later,
Lt Gen JS Verma, GOC-in-C, Eastern Command and Lt Gen JR Mukherjee, Chief of Staff, had an interaction with the team.