Features: Magazine | Literary Review | Life | Metro Plus | Open Page | Education Plus | Book Review | Business | SciTech | Friday Review | Young World | Property Plus | Quest | Folio |

Memories of an army man

A war veteran speaks on the meaning of Independence

The feeling of `independence' makes every Indian proud. But a soldier who has fought for the country has something more to add.

The other day Brigadier B.P. Jamwal (retired), Core of Signals, shared his views about independent India at a book event organised by Katha, a Delhi-based NGO and a publishing house. He also shared his experiences about the 1971 Indo-Pak war and the other post-independence struggles, in which he took part.

Narrating his experiences of the 1971 Indo-Pak war, he said, "It was a tremendous experience being a part of the `core of army'. My duty was to co-ordinate the communication of the army and the navy headquarters. Till the late 1990s, it was an achievement to talk to any one from the war-front. To talk from Kargil to Srinagar was a Herculean task. But now new technology has eased out such problems."

Sharing his experiences of a Prisoner of War camp he said, "The main difference between our own army and the opposition was the comradeship between the officers and the men."

Talking about the recent war room leaks and Indo-Pak relations, he said, "The seeping out of important documents is not due to technological errors, but because of the carelessness of the officers."

Political wrongs

About the strained relationship between India and Pakistan, he said, " It's all because of the wrong political decisions and nothing else."

Katha also displayed books on subjects related to the Indian freedom struggle. "Translating Partition", "The End of Human History", "Rajaji" and "Short Stories Related to Indo-Muslim Culture", were some of the titles available.

Printer friendly page  
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail