Kargil- War on peaks

 Where soldiers from all regions(including north east), religions (including islam) backed by all other overt n shadow agencies fought most bloodiest battle in history of india. There was no religion here except Patriotism. There was no race here except Tricolour. That's Kargil conflict for you all in brief.

I specifically mentioned All Regions coz we tend to associate armed forces mostly to north India when we had martyrs from North east and south India also. All Religions again,patriotism is assumed as owned by some religions while ignoring others esp when Muslims soldiers as well died for perching flag on frozen heights.

It was not just army, but also commandos from Navy ( MARCOS) Paramilitary, intelligence (RAW-VIKAS commandos), Airforce gave their blood on snowy peaks. Again wars are fought on multiple fronts. Be at borders or in Board rooms. Other agencies like Diplomats swung world's opinion to back India; Intel agencies who were able to tap mushraff secret secured call from China to paki field commanders. That single call nailed pak's lies to world and changed America views on kargil conflict.

Loc region is always Grabbers Keepers. Musharraf plan was perfect. Occupy peaks & stay on. What he couldn't factor in was grit of jawan of Indian army. War was bloody & brutal & no holds barred. Fighting uphill, with scant resources ( only then Indians realised we lacked what we need in high level mountain warfare) was sheer mind-boggling challenge. But grit of Indian army was made more tougher than iron nails. They soon conquered the peaks. Kargil was fought led by young officers. Sacrifices of these young officers Inspired even veterans, legends were born.

After 1971 war, Pakistani POW Gen Niazi was confined in Jabalpur cantonment. Eminent journalist Kushwant Singh interviewed him & in some context asked him what's urdu inscription hung behind him. He said " Allah stands on side of truth". Kushwant Singh then said " yes, India won because India was on side of Dharma". Same applies to kargil.

What happened later was sadly Like any other major crisis incident. Review commitees set up, blame game between armed forces vs intelligence agencies vs political class while no one took blame (remember how 1971 war credit was taken by everyone).

 Kargil & 1971 war are two wars I read extensively. As kargil issue happened between May-July 1999, these memories rose in my mind & spontaneously written this post. 

Corona Post-2: Who are Real Heros??

Corona post 2: We all are Heros.

These days there is sufficient gaps of free time for me to waste and crib around. All corona effect. Couple of days back one of my friend in security forces forwarded me a whatsapp message stating how some Para commandos were killed in some action. I was quite surprised , how come when elite commandos got killed , no newspaper screamed for war, or news channels roared at Pakistan from depths of throats , nor any retd General in high decibel debate on right wing channel declared surgical strike?. How come nothing happened?

Virus that brought world to knees

Couple of weeks back 15 security forces were slaughtered in Naxal attack in Sukma district. The news figured in some corner of newspapers. On any other day, entire drama would have ensued on how forces had poor equipment, intel failure or one party blaming other, Akshay kumar would have extended his solidarity and some other film director planning on movie on incident. How come nothing of such sorts happened ?

The people who were killed from elite para. There was time patriotism means jawan in battle fatigues. Later it was officers of rank “Lt or Major” (I think Lt Col is more uncle for movies). Now the trend is nothing short of Maroon berets, the elite Para commandos whose legends are spoken in hush & awe. Same with police force. Earlier it was SI rank guy who could have clobbered big Don. Later it was Encounter specialists , the darling of police lore. Now its IPS officers.

Now the nation latest heros are Doctors & Health Dept who are combating tirelessly against Global contagion virus Corona. I think world for my generation hence forth would be Pre Corona and Post Corona. Well, while not taking any glory & fame from any profession, I think , public are fickle in their adulation. And also every crisis brought new Heros.

When Sept 11,2001 terror attacks happened, Fire fighters were new heros. When Mission Mars by ISRO began, Scientists were splashed in all media and our patriot Akshay kumar made movie Mission Mangalyan. (hope I got the name right. Not much into films). When Veerapan the elusive bandit was killed, Special Task Force (Tamilnadu) were glorified by Chief Minister. Post Pulwama, Indian Airforce were Warriors. (Do I hear Uri-II in pipeline?Haha). In between all don’t forget Salman khan & Sunny Deol and others as RAW agents deep in Pakistan whacking entire regiment singlehandedly. Farmer march in maharahstra brought farmers into forefront.During Demonetization , Bankers were new superheros (and we all wished we had banker friends 😊 isn’t it?.), Rest of time Tech Giants & Global Billion Dollar Corporates steal the show. And RajiniKanth is always hero who can frighten Ghosts &Aliens & Robots alike. 

Once I was talking with some pretty head who has multiple friends in all arms of Security forces who confessed: “Every security wing claims to be primary force and last line defence”. Victory would be claimed by all forces. Batkal the dreaded terror, on whom flop film “Indias most Wanted” was made, it seems every department claimed to have caught him viz Delhi team, Bihar team, Spl Ops, SSB, Police etc. My senior from Revenue Dept from college says, all these Securty forces are bombastic with little to contribute. For State , its Revenue first, Security comes second. Nation can be ruled by anyone. For common man it means nothing as we seen in history. Be it Mughals, Hindus or British, Common man just didn’t care (except few, blame it on diversity & conflicting ideologies). But Revenue dept was most sought after then and now. (District Collector is best example. Collector literally means one who collects taxes). By the way, my senior is no empty braggart. He is responsible for Govt of India securing 400 crore from tax fraud.

Farmers March in Mumbai

I guess speaking to so many people from different sectors , Public-Private-PSU, who is most important or her
o of the State? Well, I think while man with gun (Security forces) always stir up emotions of patriotism and raw courage, every department is contributing their share. State is gigantic structure every small nut & bolt is as important as pivotal structure. Remove one tiny nut, entire structure would collapse. Every organization is as important as other. There are bad apples and heros in every organization.

From other angle,  I think aam admi or common citizen is real hero. He has no super powers such as Red light on his vehicle, weapon to defend. He votes diligently , pays his taxes obediently . He faces worst discrimination on daily basis. yet hopes for brighter tomorrow. Who are these Aam Admi? Its our mothers & fathers. Its You!!     What do you say??

Happy Independence Day

I always get very excited on significant days related to Nation. When you see huge national flag being unfurled, it’s impossible not get lump in your throat with pride as patriotic emotions sweep across the country.

This blog is not about our country but with regard to people who still haven’t tasted political freedom in their lives. We never realize how priceless are our freedoms that we enjoy without any limited and freedoms that we take granted. 

A casual look in newspapers international section, we can understand how many nations such as Iraq, Libya, Syria, Afghanistan etc struggle for life and existence. Peace for them seems to have become elusive and utopian as absolute chaos is the order of the day.

H.H.DALAI LAMA

Forget far off lands in Middle East, let us look at our own neighbourhood: China. I remember some Chinese citizen saying how he couldn’t contact someone online coz of Great Fire-wall of china, and how impossible for them to criticize their ruling class and strict censorship in society. Anyways, these stories are hear say and read from different sources. I dont want to talk about authoritarian chinese govts as this blog is not about politics. This blog is of common people in uncommon situations

I happen to get 1^st hand information from Tibetan refugees in India. By some unknown reason, since childhood I had great affinity towards Tibetan culture and esp esoteric sciences of lamas and Mahayana Buddhism . Blame it on Lobsang rampa books which I have devoured in tons and tons that fired my imagination. Moreover Tibet’s topography is just mind blowing (google those images dudes). 

Last  week I happen to meet a 3 year old tiny tot in Tamilnadu . believe me, She had the most beautiful eyes on this planet. In due conversation with her mom, I was surprised to know that she fled Tibet at age of 16. At age of 16, she along with dozen Tibetans fled and undertook arduous and most dangerous trip of their life time across snowy Himalayan mountain ranges. 

prayer room

I asked, in what sanity, would one risk life and limb just settle in India? Her reply was simple “Meet H.H.Dalai Lama” 

i do understand abut Dalai lama .H.H.Dalai lama is magnet of human hearts. It’s impossible not to be charmed by his infectious smile. but still..i was skeptical.

She had to trek in nights and hide in caves or under snow in mornings. Chinese soldiers and Frost bite are constant dangers.  If detected by Chinese, they will shoot with no compassion and impunity. It’s quite normal for refugees to get hand or leg amputated when struck by frost bite. But once they come into territory of India, 
they believe that all these dangers are worth encountering.

Loveliest Eyes

Once escaped to India, they have to forget their families back home as their families in Tibet will have to face wrath of Chinese if known they are still in contact. But their families gladly take this discomfit with belief that their children in land where H H Dalai lama is living. They know they get better life in India than in their own land

India is one of the or maybe the last bastion where Tibetan culture is still preserved in its original form, as she was saying, that back home, Chinese are ravaging Tibet culture, changing demographics, crushing dissent . In Chinese Tibet, its treason and unforgivable crime to carry even stamp size photo of Dalai Lama. 

I countered saying, aren’t Chinese also giving high speed trains and bringing hi tech development into Tibet which they lacked?

Namgyal, another young Tibetan who was born in India to original 1^st generation refugees simply countered 

“Then why did 100+ monks burn themselves to death in Tibet in last one year”

Praveen, you are born in free country and enjoy unlimited freedoms; hence you just don’t kno;w the value of basic freedoms. Thousands of Tibetans flee Tibet to come to India. Parents of children as young as 10-12 are sent to escape to India with full knowledge that they would never again see their children and they might even fall prey to Chinese bullets or nature’s fury in Himalayas. Why? So that they can be free in India. 

It doesn’t matter how beautifully golden the cage is , even if cage is made by rubies and diamonds, still it’s a cage. Its man s basic urge to remain free.”

Well, that explains things. Google about Tibet and its struggle buddies (www.tibet.net). One cannot help feeling proud about our great nation which has given home and hope of freedom to lakhs of Tibetan refugees in their adopted land (India). Tibetans in India have their own Govt-in-Exile, schools, flag, taxes, administration etc.we can proudly say that there is another country within our country (albeit invisible and unrecognised)

Happy Independence Day, my dear friends. …let us respect the sacrifices our freedom fighters undergone to give free life which we now enjoy, while dozens of nations and its citizens still crave for basic democracy 

Importantly, Thanks for your time for reading and sharing my thoughts on this blog

HAPPY REPUBLIC DAY...!!!

Just cracked a record, In past 15 minutes I might have scanned 150 channels yet watching none. Had I been any western country I might have  been diagnosed as someone with ADD. Attention deficit disorder. In this half-sleep half wake moment, my ears caught dialogue on sony tv

“Do you want to fight for change or Do you want to fight to punish?” …

my entire laziness shot down and my alertness shot up.  That line was from film Gandhi by Gandhi replying when He(capital H plz) was asked to launch mass violent struggle against british( small b plz). Another line that really electrified me was when He gives His first speech to Indian congress.

“India will never convince british as long as congress is filled with lawyers and few rich intellectuals from Delhi and Bombay. India resides in 700000 villages. Unless we touch those villages,  our struggle will be just small incidents of small strikes and few terror strikes which will give british reason for further repression.”

No wonder, congress was like a club with intellectuals and lawyers  than a mass organistion which geared up to throw britishers  out of India…only discussion and analysis club than action-oriented machine…till Gandhi stepped in.

I think Richard attenbourgs Gandhi is one original dvd one should have for rest of life. Every time we watch we get different insights. So much inspiring and awe felt.

Its so surreal to see India during  britsh era. Vacant lands, dress, environment, colonial architectures (awesome buildings, trust me I lived in them fer half a decade), cars and trains. Fantastic feeling.

One book I recommend is Domnique laperries “FREEDOM AT MIDNIGHT”. It’s a narrative of political environment during last stages of british rule in 1940s. belive it or not. Its so spine chilling which will move anyone  to deep contemplation in profound silence. Entire country goes to flames under savage communal riots. Behind the scenes of making of two young countries. India and pakistan.  How trains crossing borders between Punjab and Pakistan coming in deathly silence  coz all its passengers were brutally murdered and raped. Only dead bodies arrive. No time in world history does such mass migration takes place. Millions of people on trains,bullock carts, horses,palanquins etc..leaving everything and going to far off lands just being at wrong place with wrong religion. 

Two hundred years of idea of India torn into two pieces.

Unimaginable tragedy and holocaust and genocide Indians have gone through at time of independence is story every Indian should know to understand freedoms we have today which we take so granted.

Probably other book that evokes similar sentiment is TRAIN TO PAKSITAN by kushwant singh. Fictious tale but based on truth. Try latest version which comes with photos as well.

Chalo before I forget the main purpose of this mail….HAPPY REPUBLIC DAY…!!!!

like Gandhi said in that film...there are no good byes between us friend...!!!! till we meet again....joy and peace to you and world around...!!!!