ISSUE 11 | NOVEMBER 2019
Year 1730 by Maharaja Holkar. The suffix
INDORE traces the history of the battalion.
The unit has a very rich history having been
fought in various wars across the world
earned many Battle honours and awards. It
is the only battalion in our Army with three
Ashok Chakras, besides being awarded
BRAVEST of THE BRAVE, Chief of Army
Staff Citation, UN Mission citation and many
gallantry awards. He served in the army for
almost 30 years and retired in December
2001.
The Young officers course after
commission is an important phase in army
life of an officer. Infantry is a combat arm
and it is foot soldiers. qualifying the
Commando Course successfully is a must
for officers to remain in the Infantry.
Most of the field tenure has been in the Line
of Control and borders of Jammu and
Kashmir. At some posts were in eye Ball
contact with the enemy. hot food was
available once a day in some posts. Rest
was packed food. Life in the infantry units is
tough. It's next to fitness of the Special
Forces. The Infantry demands it. There is no
second chance with the enemy. You get him
before he gets you. He admires Gen.
Patton's statement, "No bastard ever won a
war by dying for his country. He won it by
making the other poor dumb bastard die for
his country."
As a nation we have been respecting the
sanctity of our borders and even the Line of
Control. We never fire first. Is glad that
today the army is able to retaliate
immediately.
He had suffered several injuries in his knees
during football. The worst injury was when
he fell skiing downhill during patrolling in
High Altitude Warfare School. He refused to
go to hospital and recovered by treatment
by the establishment doctor. In 1985 he had
a severe attack of arthritis during a route
march. he was asked to be downgraded
medically but somehow convinced the doctor
not to for he wanted to accompany the
battalion to field area.
BIKERS CLUB | MAGAZINE | PAGE 12
The second attack was in the jungles of
Mizoram. had to be assisted out of the
jungle, evacuated to Military Hospital,
Silchar, Base Hospital, Guwahati and then
further to Command Hospital in Kolkata. was
finally downgraded medically. Active service
was ruled out. Never could walk normally to
this day.
The Left knee kept getting worse. In 2000
was sent to Army Research & Referral
Hospital in delhi for replacement of his left
knee joint. The surgeon, a day before the
operation called him to his chamber to brief
him of the operation. Knowing that he was
commuting on a motorcycle in Lucknow he
changed his mind for joint replacement and
carried out arthroscopy. Riding a motorcycle
served the replacement else by now would
have undergone a second replacement.
In 2008, after some improvements in
condition of the knees purchased a Bajaj
Pulsar 220. The first long ride was to India
Gate, Rajpath, New Delhi to witness the
Renault F1 Road show. The bug had bitten
him, back for from Delhi, he rode further to
Punjab, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand and
back to Pune. He was riding motorcycle
after over 14 years and was trying to make
up lost time.
The biggest moment of his life was when he
was given the privilege of laying a
ceremonial wreath at Amar Jawan Jyoti,
New Delhi on 15th August 2013 before
leaving for Siachen Base Camp. "I got goose
bumps as the "Last Post" was played and
still get them when I recollect laying the
wreath." Second was when he rode the
WIZARD on the F1 circuit of Buddha
International Circuit in Noida.
The ride is still ON...