The Hindu : Behind `Bhishma'

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Jan 07, 2004

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National

Behind `Bhishma'

By R.K. Radhakrishnan

CHENNAI JAN. 6. The first indigenously assembled main battle tank (MBT) of the Indian Army, the Russian T-90 S, which is to roll out on January 7, has been named `Bhishma' after the patriarch in the epic Mahabharata. How did it get its name?

A great deal of debate and discussion went on at Avadi, near Chennai, where the Heavy Vehicles Factory, the assembling facility, is situated; at the Ordnance Factory Board (OFB) headquarters in Kolkata; among the Defence top brass in New Delhi, and at the home of the Armoured Corps, Ahmednagar, before the name was chosen.

"Many names were discussed and none seemed to satisfy all," said an OFB official. "Even this name did not find favour among all. But finally everyone came around... There was simply no better name."

The main factor that guided the choice was that the Indian tank that is currently the mainstay of the tank force, the T-72 of Russian origin, was named `Ajeya'. The earlier version of the Indian MBT was named `Vijayantha.' Hence, there was the feeling that the new name should conform to the "high naming standards'' already set.

A Defence Ministry official said that the choices involved some amount of searching. The many unique qualities had to be taken into account. The tank is highly versatile and has lethal firepower, the capability to administer a surprise hit at first sight and remarkable self-protection measures. "Bhishma was the greatest example of courage, resilience and he was not defeated in battle," the official recalled.

Even `Arjun', the name of India's indigenous MBT, was in the reckoning at one point of time.

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