The Army’s tributes this morning, paying tributes to Lt Col. I.B.S. Bawa, who won a posthumous MVC for operation to rescue commandos trapped in the botched raid 31 years ago, brings back this poignant story
When Rajiv Gandhi started he could do no wrong. Halfway through his five years, he could do no right. His tenure had many chastening lessons in how mega mandates can make you smug and self-destruct.
Issues that dominated the political discourse in 2015 are all back in focus, hotly debated in and outside parliament, in the media, and at tea stalls across Sri Lanka.
Research paper, however, finds lowest indebtedness level among Muslims at 12.3% & highest among Hindus at 14.9%. Overall national financial inclusion level at 87.2%, indebtedness at 14.7%.
Fresh details of operation conducted by IAF, Army have come out in gazette notification giving citations of those who were awarded Vir Chakra for their bravery.
On 21 Oct, a buzz went up that the govt had released full list of gallantry award recipients along with Op Sindoor citations. I put an AI caddy on the job. It took me into a never-ending rabbit hole.
// It is believed Prabhakaran displayed him to his fighters, kicked him in public and said, let him go, so he will tell them not to fight us again That’s why it’s been so revolting now to see Tamil Nadu politicians feeling so sorry for the Tigers. //
Shekar Sir, if any tiger caught alive by IPKF , Would they show any mercy ????? . As an Indian Journlaist, you are briefing whole Sri Lankan Civil War only in Indian view. This is not good. You’ve to show history for future generations in genuine way and in neutral view.
// “Sadly, Shekhar, you’ve proven to be right and we so wrong with the Tigers,” he said, “These thugs were never to be trusted and I am sure nobody ever would.” //
What about the death of Thileepan, top commanders suicide in early October 1987, Tamil Eelam people and LTTE trusted Indian Army. If they saved by Indian Army and Indian government, this war didnt happened.. The Real Betrayers was Rajiv Gandhi and J N Dixixt.
An exercise in name dropping and a collection of anecdotes does not make a well researched article. Please stop trying to impress people and do your job as a journalist – read about the subject, talk to people who have been there and analyse things. This is just a report.
Having gone through the article once again, it is observed that confusion has taken place because of almost similiar soundig names. Commanding Officer of 10 PARA was Lt Col Dalvir Singh. His name has been wrongly spelt as Lt Col Dalbir Singh.
Dear Mr Gupta,
You start your story with a reference to Army HQ paying tribute to Late Lt Col IBS Bawa, MVC. Please be informed that he was the Commanding Officer of 4/5 Gorkha Rifles who led the operation you have mentioned about and not Lt Col Dalbir Singh.
There are other factual errors which I don’t want to mention at this point of time. One doesn’t expect a story to be perfectly true but the author should exercise constraint and avoid mentioning details that he is not sure of. It doesn’t bode well for people who are directly impacted. You have inadvertantly made someone else a hero and the real hero is relegated to the background. Let me also remind you that your piece in open domain is likely to be read by the kith and kin of the officer concerned and also the officers of the unit who were very much there during the action. Kindly refrain from misrepresenting the facts, knowingly or otherwise.
It is otherwise a very incisive and interesting analysis.
Mostly hear say as far as ground ops are concerned. The author has thrown in senior civil administration names to sound more authentic and he may be close to them, as such cannot be questioned. As stated he came in December but by then IndArmy was in full control though both hands were still tied behind our backs.
As regards the said research that they found that LTTE were intercepting our radio communication is no big deal for their communications were on HF sets and what to talk of intercepting, we too very often latched on their their conversation and spoke to even Mahathaya and Soose ,latter was their sea tiger boss. What did the research say about axis EPS – Navadkully -Jaffna. Did the author find out.
As regards Chavachcheri, yes the gun ships did pound it but to say it was captured is misnomer but yes the axis passing through it was cleared. Any more first hand details could be sought from self. Could even tell what kind of night it was.
Yes, the impression we then got about Press reporting was like that picture of famished child and the vulture awaiting the child to die and the comment made about the picture ” there were two vulures that day, one was with a camera”. Overall a good story.
one thing remain unanswered “if foreign forces were involved in rajeev gandhi assasination” as told in the “madras cafe movie”? if yes what was their interest in doing so? were these foreign countries or who?
it is really interesting. over the years it have been evident that india helped LTTE to become what it was. was indian interest only to support the tamil community or something else also. was there some other indian strategic interest in helping LTTE and other groups.what was this interest?
who supplied these equipment etc you talk about to LTTE—was it india which supplied LTTE this weapons and other fighting equipment. it is like first establish a strategic asset and if it gets out of control then try to eliminate or control it……….
Shekar Sir,
In para 13, you may have deliberately avoided mentioning the reason for the complacence.
Just wondering if that would complete the story of the “history” to some extent.
You were there, you knew the people, you know who was what and who did/did not do what.
The majority of the population of the country only know of the most glorified battle of 1971, 1965, may by occupation by lashkars as independence and also 1962 debacle. It would do some good if you can throw some more light on
1. The reason for India to enter Sri Lanka.
2. The sensitivities on the Indian side.
3. The reason to chose those who were leading, who actually should not have been there, other with more experience and maturity should have, in the end India suffered, which became inconvenient truth to digest, consequently the sacrifices of the brave soldiers was sidelined.
It would be a great tribute to the sacrifice of the soldiers and others who faded into the history, most importantly a lesson for other not be cavalier siting in a comfortable office.
History has a habit of repeating itself, without fail – if forgotten.
Sir, Your article is interesting. But there are developments that are not directly related to your main subject. It is regrettable. The IPKF soldiers fought a war that was not theirs. The nation did not show them the gratitude due them. This is the point that you should have developed, and wonder if the dysfunctions noted during the operations conducted by the IPKF, are not always relevant
// It is believed Prabhakaran displayed him to his fighters, kicked him in public and said, let him go, so he will tell them not to fight us again That’s why it’s been so revolting now to see Tamil Nadu politicians feeling so sorry for the Tigers. //
Shekar Sir, if any tiger caught alive by IPKF , Would they show any mercy ????? . As an Indian Journlaist, you are briefing whole Sri Lankan Civil War only in Indian view. This is not good. You’ve to show history for future generations in genuine way and in neutral view.
// “Sadly, Shekhar, you’ve proven to be right and we so wrong with the Tigers,” he said, “These thugs were never to be trusted and I am sure nobody ever would.” //
What about the death of Thileepan, top commanders suicide in early October 1987, Tamil Eelam people and LTTE trusted Indian Army. If they saved by Indian Army and Indian government, this war didnt happened.. The Real Betrayers was Rajiv Gandhi and J N Dixixt.
This IPKF foray should have been wake up call for indian army.
It wasnt
An exercise in name dropping and a collection of anecdotes does not make a well researched article. Please stop trying to impress people and do your job as a journalist – read about the subject, talk to people who have been there and analyse things. This is just a report.
Having gone through the article once again, it is observed that confusion has taken place because of almost similiar soundig names. Commanding Officer of 10 PARA was Lt Col Dalvir Singh. His name has been wrongly spelt as Lt Col Dalbir Singh.
Dear Mr Gupta,
You start your story with a reference to Army HQ paying tribute to Late Lt Col IBS Bawa, MVC. Please be informed that he was the Commanding Officer of 4/5 Gorkha Rifles who led the operation you have mentioned about and not Lt Col Dalbir Singh.
There are other factual errors which I don’t want to mention at this point of time. One doesn’t expect a story to be perfectly true but the author should exercise constraint and avoid mentioning details that he is not sure of. It doesn’t bode well for people who are directly impacted. You have inadvertantly made someone else a hero and the real hero is relegated to the background. Let me also remind you that your piece in open domain is likely to be read by the kith and kin of the officer concerned and also the officers of the unit who were very much there during the action. Kindly refrain from misrepresenting the facts, knowingly or otherwise.
It is otherwise a very incisive and interesting analysis.
Mostly hear say as far as ground ops are concerned. The author has thrown in senior civil administration names to sound more authentic and he may be close to them, as such cannot be questioned. As stated he came in December but by then IndArmy was in full control though both hands were still tied behind our backs.
As regards the said research that they found that LTTE were intercepting our radio communication is no big deal for their communications were on HF sets and what to talk of intercepting, we too very often latched on their their conversation and spoke to even Mahathaya and Soose ,latter was their sea tiger boss. What did the research say about axis EPS – Navadkully -Jaffna. Did the author find out.
As regards Chavachcheri, yes the gun ships did pound it but to say it was captured is misnomer but yes the axis passing through it was cleared. Any more first hand details could be sought from self. Could even tell what kind of night it was.
Yes, the impression we then got about Press reporting was like that picture of famished child and the vulture awaiting the child to die and the comment made about the picture ” there were two vulures that day, one was with a camera”. Overall a good story.
one thing remain unanswered “if foreign forces were involved in rajeev gandhi assasination” as told in the “madras cafe movie”? if yes what was their interest in doing so? were these foreign countries or who?
it is really interesting. over the years it have been evident that india helped LTTE to become what it was. was indian interest only to support the tamil community or something else also. was there some other indian strategic interest in helping LTTE and other groups.what was this interest?
who supplied these equipment etc you talk about to LTTE—was it india which supplied LTTE this weapons and other fighting equipment. it is like first establish a strategic asset and if it gets out of control then try to eliminate or control it……….
Shekar Sir,
In para 13, you may have deliberately avoided mentioning the reason for the complacence.
Just wondering if that would complete the story of the “history” to some extent.
You were there, you knew the people, you know who was what and who did/did not do what.
The majority of the population of the country only know of the most glorified battle of 1971, 1965, may by occupation by lashkars as independence and also 1962 debacle. It would do some good if you can throw some more light on
1. The reason for India to enter Sri Lanka.
2. The sensitivities on the Indian side.
3. The reason to chose those who were leading, who actually should not have been there, other with more experience and maturity should have, in the end India suffered, which became inconvenient truth to digest, consequently the sacrifices of the brave soldiers was sidelined.
It would be a great tribute to the sacrifice of the soldiers and others who faded into the history, most importantly a lesson for other not be cavalier siting in a comfortable office.
History has a habit of repeating itself, without fail – if forgotten.
Sir, Your article is interesting. But there are developments that are not directly related to your main subject. It is regrettable. The IPKF soldiers fought a war that was not theirs. The nation did not show them the gratitude due them. This is the point that you should have developed, and wonder if the dysfunctions noted during the operations conducted by the IPKF, are not always relevant