Bravehearts want more men join the Army | Double for Maj Rajiv

K B Lava, an instructor at Commando School Belgaum (left); Major Madhusudan B S, gunner with Infantry Battalion and Major Rajiv Shankar (below, passport-size photo) of ASC Bangalore are among the Sena Medal recipients from Karnataka. Photo: MEG

By Anantha Krishnan M

Express News Service

Bangalore: The real action heroes are here. To get honoured for their valiant efforts that fetched glory to the Nation. Fearless and raring to go, these men have got fame to Karnataka as well, in their missions - be it at Siachen, Assam or Jammu and Kashmir.

In Bangalore to receive the prestigious Gallantry Awards (Sena Medal) during the Investiture Ceremony, these bravehearts spoke to Express on their transformation from boys to men of guts. The daredevils had one message in common – a clarion call on Army Day – to all the sons of soil in Karnataka: “Come and join the Indian Army. We are there for you.”

Major Madhusudan B S holds a Masters in Bio-Technology from Bangalore University and was a lecturer before joining the Army. Inspired by his father, a banker, Madhu graduated his skills as a Scout and later in NCC, before reaching his dream destination. An operation in April, 2010 is the high-point in his career so far, when he took on a militant group in Manipur head-on.

“An ambush was laid to flush out the militants. God is great and the mission was safe. I had earlier eliminated many militants during various operations. But, this one was close. Seeing death from very close quarters. We fired at them with AK-47s. We had gone there to win and we won,” says Madhu, from Bappujinagar in Bangalore. A native of Coorg, Madhu wants more men from Karnataka to join the Army. “The privilege and esteem is more. It is an excellent profession. Give a try, come what may. I am the lone Kannadiga officer in my Artillerymen Battalion,” he said.

K B Lava is an instructor with the Commando School in Belgaum. Sixteen years into Service, Lava is from 19 Karnataka Battalion and was influenced by his NCC teacher Capt Devaiah to join the Army. It took five attempts for Lava to finally make it. “The 5th one was crucial and I was already 21 then. I knew I will and I am proud of my decision,” Lava said.

In Jan 2010, while serving in Assam, Lava's team received an information on an insurgent hiding in a house. “He jumped out of the house and fired at me straight. My life is precious and he was a goner in seconds. I love the religious harmony in the Army. I am already talking to youngsters in Coorg to join the Army,” Lava, whose father is a farmer, said.

Major Rajiv Shankar hails from Thirvananthapuram and now posted at the Army Service Corps Supply Depot in Bangalore . An NDA product, his is a rare case, considering that he is part of a logistic unit of the Army and not combat. This Sunday he will be receiving his second Sena Medal and he has already two Mention in Despatches to his credit. He took on the LeT militants in the Valley in a counter-terrorism operation. “We moved in based on inputs. I am the hunter and got on with the kill-task with no second thoughts,” says Rajiv, who is a fourth-generation solider from his family to Serve the Army.

MEG all geared-up: The MEG & Centre was all decked up on the eve of the 64th Army Day celebrations. The Army conducted a full dress rehearsal on Saturday at the Basantar Auditorium with a host of Army top brass in attendance. The entire area was combed by security experts and restrictions are in place inside the campus on general movements. “Once the Investiture Ceremony is on, there won't be any movement allowed inside the premises. It is a very  captionsolemn event for us. A detailed list of items that are not to be taken inside the premises have been identified,” sources told Express.

Remembering Cariappa: Army Day is celebrated on January 15 every year to mark the first Indian taking over the command of the Indian Army of Independent India. It was on this day in 1949 that Lieutenant General (who became Field Marshal later) K M Cariappa took over as the first Commander in Chief of Army from General Sir Francis Butcher, who was the last British Army Chief.

Big boss checks in: Lieutenant General A K Singh, General Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Headquarters Southern Command of Indian Army touched down at HAL Airport on Saturday on an official three-day visit to Bangalore. An alumnus from National Defence Academy, he was commissioned into the 7th Light Cavalry on 17 Jun 1973. A key think-tank of Indian Army, Singh was earlier Director of the General Perspective Planning, responsible for all future strategies, development of long-term perspective and plan formulation. “Singh commanded the 7th Light Cavalry, an Armoured Brigade during ‘Op Parakram’ which he converted to first T-90 Brigade of the Indian Army and prestigious 31 Armoured Division. He was Commanding General of Strike 1, the main deterrence force of the Army,” sources told Express.

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(Tarmak007 welcomes onboard its 500th registered member, Salah Sai.)

Bangalore welcomes Veer Naris with pride ahead of Army Day ceremony | Gallantry Awards (Posthumous) to 5 | Mothers share moving stories about their brave sons

Sepoy Rajesh Kumar Gupta's wife Kiran and son Ayush.

Major Atul Garje's mother Chandra Bhaga, a teacher.

 Sepoy Nagalingam's mother Sellamma.

Sepoy Panneer Selvam's wife Jyothi. 

| Photos Courtesy: Havildar Shivakumar V K, MEG |

By Anantha Krishnan M

Express News Service

Bangalore: Widows and mothers of brave soldiers who sacrificed their lives for the country, share heart rendering stories to Express and hold their head high with pride as they set to receive the prestigious Gallantry Awards posthumously (Sena Medal) from the Indian Army. These Veer Naris, as they are often addressed with honour, have come as far as Ahmednagar in Mahrashtra to attend the Southern Command’s Investiture Ceremony being held at MEG and Centre on January 15.

He loved fish curry & rice: Sepoy Panneer Selvam Rajendran’s (26) father deserted him at the age of two after his mother’s death. Life was tough for him and his brother Shakthivel, until relatives decided to look after them in Thiruvannamala (Tamil Nadu). He was very caring and served the Army for eight years until getting shot on his head during a combing operation in Kupwara district of Jammu & Kashmir on June 27, 2010. Before succumbing to the bullet, he provided covering fire and ensured the terrorists didn’t have any escape route. “He never told me anything about the operation the day before when he telephoned me. He loved fish curry and rice and praised me how well I cooked last time when he was home. I worship him now every day,” says Jyothi, who lost her husband just two years after the marriage.

A sweater for mom & warm memories:  Twenty-five-year-old Sepoy Nagalingam Panchavarnam’s mother was ready with a suitable girl. After all, he never went against of his mother Sellamma. “He was a great kabadi player and our house is full of his trophies. With his salary, we finished the basement of our house. He got me sarees and a nice brown sweater. He promised three of his friends from Shivaganga (Tamil Nadu) that he would get them into the Army. But..,” said Sellamma, unable to control her emotions. Nagalingam too lost his life in the 2010 operations in Kupwara. The family performs puja every Friday in front of a box that contains Nagalingam’s gold medal, belt, shoes, cap and uniform. “I am very proud of my son, but if I was lucky just one more time to see him,” says Sellamma.

Papa is not at home: Ayush is now four-years-old now and he lost his father Sepoy Rakesh Kumar Gupta while saving civilians from flash floods in Leh in August 6, 2010. He was just over two years then and didn’t know much about what had happened. “Now he tells everyone that his papa is not at home. I am garnering courage to support him and get really worried when Aysh falls sick. I am now living for him,” says Kiran Gupta. She had to take double blow when her second son -- seven-month-old Anus -- succumbed to dengue fever just two months after losing her husband. Rakesh watched an Army recruitment rally and later and began rigorous practice sessions alone only to get into the Army in his first attempt. The family now runs a tea stall in Hyderabad and hopes to make a better living with the benefits from the state government.

The role model lives in their hearts: When Major Atul Garje was three-years-old he used to barge into his mother Chandra Bhaga’s classroom screaming the alphabets. “He was very brilliant. He was the topper in Sainik School, NDA and whatever he did in his live, including squash. He won the Adarsh Vidyarhti (Model Student) title in school and was boy with a huge heart,” says Bhaga. A chopper crash in Nasik took the life of Arm Aviation’s smart instructor at the age of 28, leaving behind his brother, teacher-parents, wife and daughter Taniksha, who recently turned one. His father Uttam Rao is seeking government help following family concerns after his son’s death. (In the same crash, Major Bhau Chandar too died and his family members didn’t arrive in Bangalore while Express put together this piece.)

Important Command duty: Speaking to Express, Brig Gurdip Singh said it is an important Command duty to take care the needs of Veer Naris. “We play the connecting role between state government and these families. Our men also take care of all their needs as a matter of pride and on priority,” Gurdip said, while overseeing the Army Day preparations at Basantar Auditorium at MEG, late on Friday.

|Copyright@The New Indian Express|

Investiture Ceremony: MEG pushes up the tempo ahead of Army Day

By Anantha Krishnan M

Express News Service

Bangalore: Bravehearts of the Indian Army and families who lost their bread-winners have started to check into Bangalore with emotions, pride and tales of Tricolour triumphs embedded closer to their heart. On January 15 (Army Day), they will be honoured at the prestigious Investiture Ceremony for their priceless sacrifices and valour, during their call of duty. And, for the personnel  of Madras Engineer Group and Centre (MEG& C) – also known as Madras Sappers – the event will be another opportunity to exhibit their matchless hospitality, discipline and determination – a trademark that has often separated them from the rest.

The solemn ceremony being hosted in Bangalore after a gap of nine years, will see Army's Southern Command roping in their best men to ensure that a pin gets into a pinhole itself. It is for the first time in MEG's 232 years of existence that an Investiture Ceremony is being held at their center.

All the formation units under the Southern Command (Maharashtra, Gujarat, parts of Rajasthan and all Southern states) will be part of this solemn ceremony. The Command is headquartered in Pune with Lt Gen A K Singh as the General Officer Commanding-in-Chief. The Investiture Ceremony is completely choreographed by a team led by Major General A K Pradhan, General Officer Commanding, Karnataka & Kerala Sub-Area.

The Southern Command has a large mandate to guard areas right from Kanyakumari to parts of Rajasthan, thereby making it a formidable force within the Indian Army. There are two major static formations under the Southern Command – the MG&G (Maharashtra, Gujarat & Goa) and ATNK&K (Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka and Kerala).

“The Investiture Ceremony will see equal representation from all the four formations. Army Day is celebrated all over India by having military parades, shows in national capital and all across six Army Commands,” Sitanshu Kar, Principal Spokesperson, Ministry of Defence, told Express over the phone from Delhi.

Sources confirm that special security arrangements have been put in and around the ceremony venue (Basantar Auditorium) at MEG, with the sanitisation work being undertaken by counter-improvised explosive device experts. “Close to 1000 people are expected to attend the event and Army has SOPs for security depending on the level of each event,” sources said.

|Copyright@The New Indian Express|