A soldier fades away

Lt Gen Hanut Singh, PVSM, MVC was one of the finest commanders the Indian Army has been privileged to have. Commissioned as part of the 1^st Course of the Joint Services Wing, in Dehradun, Hanut joined the 17^th Horse armoured regiment, better known as the Poona Horse.

Many distinguished people, some of them with a better grasp of military matters than myself, have written about the General. In several cases, these accounts are based on first-person anecdotes. Some links to such accounts are listed below and with such a volume of material readily available, I will not dwell any further on the General’s career but merely touch upon some impressions of the man.

· By Maj Gen V K Singh: http://veekay-militaryhistory.blogspot.in/2012/10/biography-lieut-general-hanut-singh.html

· By Lt Gen Ashok Joshi: http://www.rediff.com/news/special/truly-an-outstanding-soldier/20150414.htm

· By Bharat Karnad: http://bharatkarnad.com/2015/04/14/the-great-hanut-rip/

  

Lt. Gen Ajai Singh, who eventually succeeded Hanut as the Poona Horse Commandant, joined the regiment in July 1956 at Babina as a young second lieutenant. Hanut, as senior subaltern, became the squadron second in command and was also made responsible for the new officer’s training and grooming. Here is an excerpt from a piece written by Gen Ajai on his initial impressions of Hanut:

“…He walked to me and met with such enthusiasm, warmth and affection that I felt as though we had known each other for ages. After that he met the squadron commander and they exchanged notes about the promotion examination he had just taken. Thereafter, without further ado, he took me to the squadron and introduced me to all the members of his troop, which I was to take over. Having done this at the garages itself, he gave me a programme for my training which I was to commence from the next day; he also gave me a large bundle of books and precis which I was to read in my own time. I went through all this business-like activity in a state of total shock because, till then, such a serious approach to professional matters had neither been seen nor heard by me during the few days I had spent in the regiment…

…Being the senior subaltern he had full authority over the Young Officers (YOs) which he exercised with ruthless impartiality, whether it was in the officer’s mess or on the play grounds. Some of the senior YOs, of course, resented this attitude but Hanut would not compromise…Even then, as a youngster, I could foresee that he might just be the right man to usher in (a) new era in the Poona Horse – an era of regenerated regimental spirit, professionalism and high standards…”

In his long and distinguished career, which went well beyond command of the Poona Horse and encompassed diverse formations such as 17 Mountain Division, 1 Armoured Division and 2 Corps, Hanut was the epitome of regimentation and professionalism. Always a thinking soldier, his understanding of armoured warfare was profound. The upright Hanut always stood up for what he believed was correct. This often involved taking on a set pattern of thinking and he ruffled many feathers and even more egos. For instance, his After Action Report of the Battle of Basantar caused resentment among many of his seniors. Unlike some of his course-mates, he never became an army commander, but it is he who is remembered with pride and respect by those who served with him.

How many officers in today’s army take pride in developing a deep understanding of the core of their profession? How many officers – in the entire history of the Indian Army – have had the courage and the confidence in their own grasp of professional issues – to stand up amidst a circle of senior officers and voice a differing opinion? The number of such officers may be embarrassingly low.

I travelled to the General’s house to pay my last respects to the memory of this very special soldier. A small group of people sat on the verandah. In any other place, it would have been an odd group but in Hanut’s residence, the group was fairly representative of his diverse mind. In the group was Hanut’s nephew Nripendra, who had acted as his care-giver for the last few difficult months. There was a retired soldier, his erect posture giving away a fauji past in a way that civilian clothes can never obscure. An elderly gentleman who was drawn to the old soldier’s spiritual ways. Plus a banker, who happened to be both the son of an old Commandant of the Poona Horse, as well as the grandson of a Poona Horse veteran. And myself. As the sun dipped behind the hills, the atmosphere was filled with memories of the General and his famed regiment.

The first thing a visitor sees on entering the house is the symbol of the Poona Horse – the General was Colonel of the regiment between 1978 and 1991. Mementos of his military career are everywhere. But they are outnumbered by pictures of the saints the General had faith in. Indeed, the general’s room –with a beautiful view of the valley behind – is an ascetic’s room. The General used to pray while sitting in a high backed chair in this room. From what I gathered, he went into a meditative state while sitting in the chair and eventually passed away while sitting. Like a true soldier, Lt Gen Hanut Singh did not die, but faded away. They simply don’t make officers like him anymore.

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Lt. Gen. Hanut Singh speaking about Second Lieutenant Arun Khetarpal, PVC: https://youtu.be/cJXZt4ms6z8

Band of Brothers

This is a story that may not have a parallel in the annals of the Indian Army but is so amazing that one may at the outset even doubt it. The story of the Vohra brothers needs to be told so extraordinary a tale it is.

The family came from the land that is now Pakistan, migrating east to independent India as part of the most traumatic parting of ways that the world witnessed in the previous century. The Vohra boys - there were four of them - were already finding their feet in the world. The eldest - Inder - was already an army officer, having been commissioned in 1942. The second - Jagat - had medical ambitions, which he was shortly to junk to follow the trail blazed by his elder sibling. In a few more years the two younger brothers - Raj and Satish also joined up.

That four 'real' brothers from a single family all joined the army sounds amazing. But that was just the first step. Not only were they in the same service, all of them also ended up joining the armoured corps. 'IM' (the eldest) was commissioned into the 8th Cavalary, 'JM' (Jagat) into the Deccan Horse, 'RM' (the third) into the Scinde Horse and Satish (the youngest) into the 3rd Cavalry. But what really makes their case truly unique is that all of them went on to become generals in the Indian Army.

The chain of coincidences can be further described by the following:

• Both 'I.M' and 'RM' commanded the War College/ College of Combat.
• 'JM' and 'RM' commanded the same armoured division.
• 'JM' led a brigade that 'IM" had raised into the 1971 Indo-Pak war.

Between the time that the eldest was commissioned - in 1942, and when the youngest retired - in 1996 - the four brothers had between them served for over 150 years collectively. Now, that is quite something.

Interlude: Desert Storm

From the pages of India Today: Written by Rohit Parihar
When 12 riders galloped past villages in the deep desert of Rajasthan, their horses excited children, were surprised by camels and had people worshipping them. The 1,000-mile expedition, organised by the Indian Army’s Directorate-General of Mechanised Forces and the Adventure Wing, covered 200 villages in 60 days and was the first to be organised after Independence. The aim was adventure as much as to familiarise the armymen with the terrain. Led by Lt-Colonel P.S. Grewal and his second in command Lt-Colonel Sanjeev Bhalla, a veterinary doctor, the 10 jawans are now fondly called ‘Desert Centaurs’. “The expedition reminds me of the historical progression from cavalry to armour,” says Lt-General S.N. Handa, chief of staff, headquarters, South West Command.

The horses and men underwent rigorous training which helped them cover up to 64 km a day. The riders lost weight during the expedition till their meals were augmented with desi ghee and mutton. To escape the heat, they would often begin their journey at 4 am and reach a village at midnight, surprising villagers. The locals in turn worshipped the horses, recreating scenes depicted in village paintings. But the biggest shock was reserved for a village that saw 12 horses stay there and live as the villagers believed that they were cursed and no horse could survive there. The journey had its escapes too.

Once Grewal’s stallion suddenly stopped and turned back while racing down a slope which had a deep and invisible gorge. At times, potable water was a problem. Also, what put their plans in disarray was the fact that maps would show a much shorter distance than what they would actually cover. A major military advantage of the expedition was that it updated their knowledge about the desert terrain after a long gap.

The soldiers were taken aback by rural progress. “Most villages had power, roads and schools,” Grewal says. They also saw antelopes, lizards, snakes and even a pair of desert wolves, and hope to undertake a longer journey in the future. As part of their preparations, they had gone through Colonel James Todd’s Annals and Antiquities of Rajasthan but decided to make their own way. Next time, it could just be in Todd’s footsteps.

An extraordinary Indian

At first glance, R M Vohra is an ordinary Indian. Look a little closer and you notice the distinct military bearing, the crisp voice and the sharp eyes. Speak with him for a while on his experiences - as I did - and you realize that he is anything but ordinary. Lt. Gen. R. M. Vohra, PVSM, Mahavir Chakra winner of the 1971 war, to give his full introduction, commanded an Indian armoured regiment during the famous Battle of Basantar during the Indo-Pak war of 1971.

The war was won many years ago, the dust has settled on the battlefields, the warriors have moved on with the passage of time but for a short while one evening in early April, the warrior in Gen Vohra spoke again. During the time I spent with the General, he recounted the story of his journey from being a young boy who, along with his family, made the desperate crossing into India from the land that became Pakistan and went on to serve his country with honour.

The first pit stop for Vohra came as a Gentleman Cadet at the Joint Services Wing (JSW), where he was part of the first course. With coursemates such as Ramdas (later Admiral and Chief of Naval Staff), N C Suri (later Air Chief Marshal and Chief of Air Staff), Roderigues (later Gen and Chief of Army Staff) and the renowned Hanut Singh (later Lt Gen), the JSW was an experience that built solid foundations to what would be a distinguished career.

Gen. Vohra spoke of people and places he had known, touching upon both military leaders like Gen. Sundarji and a senior JCO of his regiment with equal respect. Notable among his 'people-experiences' was the time when he drove Sundarji (then GOC-in-C, Western Command) through the desert with nothing more than "a map in my hand and the stars above". At another time, he was humble enough to acknowledge that his senior JCO was correct in admonishing him and showed the true spirit of the armoured corps in learning from one and all.

The manner in which the General spoke made it sound like a great time, but there were moments of extreme uncertainty and grave danger in his career. His journey from the JSW to becoming Eastern Army Commander was full of trials and tribulations. From commanding the Hodsons Horse in 1971, to being a member of the team planning Ex. Digvijay; from commanding an armoured division to a Corps, it was a long tough journey. But then, Lt. Gen. R.M. Vohra, PVSM, MVC is a tough man.

To hear Lt. Gen. Vohra speak of his career, log on to http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OPRTOlfWQ88

Remembering a hero: Gen. Vaidya

In the b/w pic, take a look at the guy standing on the extreme right. That is Second Lieutenant Arun Shridhar Vaidya. The pic was taken during Operation Polo in Hyderabad, a lifetime away from Operation Blue Star - an operation that would change the course of Vaidya's life (literally so). Vaidya - later General and Chief of Army Staff - was an accomplished soldier long before Blue Star. He won a Maha Vir Chakra (MVC) as the Commandant of an armoured regiment during 1965 and won another MVC during 1971 - this time as Commander of 16 (Indep) Armoured Brigade. The b/w pic shows a young, enthusiastic officer - the other pic - of a grave general - is an interesting contrast.

Field Marshal Manekshaw: An Anecdote

Press Trust of India; Tuesday, July 1, 2008 (London)

A British journalist, who was based in New Delhi and covered India-Pakistan war, remembers late Field Marshal Sam Manekshaw as his favourite military leader.''I have cherished the memory of Field Marshal Sam Manekshaw as my favourite military leader ever since reporting on the Indo-Pakistan war of 1971,'' said Harold Jackson, who was The Guardian's correspondent based in New Delhi during the 1971 war.Jackson, who reported the Indo-Pak war that led to the liberation of Bangladesh, recalled his association with Manekshaw following his death last week.

''The military hazards in Kashmir and East Pakistan turned out to be child's play compared with my grim battles against Indian bureaucrats in New Delhi and their Bengali brothers in Dhaka: by the time I flew back to Delhi, they had almost reduced me to a gibbering wreck,'' he said.''I arrived just in time to hear rumours that the Pakistan army had surrendered - unfortunately accompanied by one of Delhi's power cuts.''The defence ministry phones were all engaged. In desperation, I rang the chief of staff's direct line,'' he recalled. 'Manekshaw here', came the reply from other side. '''Harold Jackson of the Guardian. Nobody here seems sure if you've won the war or not.''' Jackson said.'''Oh yes, we've won all right. General Niazi signed the surrender at 4.31 this afternoon. Is that all? Anything else I can help you with? No. Well I'm afraid I'm rather busy just now. All the best.' Manekshaw replied.

''He was one of a kind'', he said.