By Donn Morgan Kipgen
When a person who serves the interest of national security with blood, guts and honour, such soldier’s achievement has to be portrayed in full colours. Not to show them brave hearts of the nation’s armed forces in honourable manner is a cardinal sin. It’s like robbing the glorious names of gallant and meritorious officers and ranks.
Whereas the Army’s PRO, PIB/DW, flatly refused to give even a photo-copy of the Indian Army’s List of Honour, on national security ground, which was given to all national daily newspapers and news magazine and, of course, printed to the fullest in army’s journal recently, the IGAR(S) HQ and MPHQ distributed the names, ranks and units of all meritorious and gallantry awards winners on 14th August, 2007.
A military research scholar has official security clearance and can evoke the Right to Information Act. The abstract lesson being: ‘Don’t say anything which is not fully correct to a person without knowing who he/she really is, apart from what you think who he/she is. Reality bites, with real metal teeth having deadly venom in Manipur.
Since there are no room for ethnic, caste and class system in the Army/AR ranks and files nor any socio-political discrimination, the IGAR(S) once again netted as many as 61 awards, commendation cards, medals etc in exulted List of Honour on Independence Day, 2007. This astounding record of highest number of awards, citations and medals received by officers and ranks of a single unit in Indian armed forces, Maj Gen BK Chengappa’s IGAR(s) must be the proudest military formation in the length and breath of India. Though, like his young State police counterpart, i.e Shri Paotinmang Doungel IPS, IG (Home), Gen Chengappa did not receive the coveted PP Meritorious Award as expected but good actions speak louder than words.
Whereas Pu P Doungel IPS is one of the youngest IGPs in India with clean service records, Gen Chengappa (14th Garhwal Rifles Regt) got himself into the Indian Army through CDS Exams, not NDA, in 1970 and tasted battle-glory in the 1971 Indo-Pak war. His professional career is quite remarkable since CDS boys usually served as Short Service Commission, some retired at the rank of Major or Lt. Colonel and very few rose upto the rank of full Colonel and fewer still retired as Brigadiers. Hence, an excellent achievement to have reached a General officer’s rank. He and his (previous) hard charging diplomatical GSO, i.e Col. Thimayya (5th Mechanised Inf, formerly the 13th Kumaon) and Col. Adappa, CO, 34th AR, Thoubal area, are all from Coorg, Karnataka, and all of them studied in the same school at one time or other, under the Headmastership of one Mr Chengappa the senior. A proud guardian he would be.
The Army/AR authorities have absolutely no problem to find out genuine bravehearts, irrespective of caste or creed. The much coveted President’s Police Medal for Gallantry went to: (1) Hav Hyamlal (Hiemlal Kuki?) of 34th AR, 9th Sector and (2) Sub BS Lushei of the 3rd AR 27th Sector. The President’s Police Medal for Meritorious Service were awarded to four JCOs, 9th sector HQ: Subs RM Gurung, 11th AR; BB Khati, 16th AR; TD Barman, 16th AR and BB Rana, 34th AR. The army’s 2nd highest peacetime gallantry award, the Sena Medal, was bagged by Maj Sanjoy Kapoor, 18th AR and Maj Amit Rana, 3rd AR.
The Chief of Army Staff Commendation Card (COAS-CC) went to: Lt Col. Paramjot Singh, IGAR(S) HQ; Capt. D Bhan, 19th AR; Capt M Gautam, 13th AR; Rn RJ Sharma; 19th AR; Col. Rajiv Kanwar, Majs J Kumar and A. Kumar, all from 7th AR. The Army’s 10th J&K Light Inf operating under 26th Sector HQ, received 3 COAS-CC, viz, Maj AK Narayanan, Maj S Kumar and Corp Md Razaq. With Maj V Gurung, 7th AR bagging the GOC-in-C, Eastern Command Commodation Card (GOC-in-C, ECCC), the 7th AR would have made a remarkable clean-sweep, had not a senior Minister and a petulant company commander made a highly controversial Politico-Military ‘interaction’ at Sagang, Bishenpur Dist, recently. That’s the standard example of military Code of Honour and Discipline, if indeed an ‘action’ had been taken as it seemed. A young captain of 7th AR’s Kumbi post also missed out a golden chance for refusing to meet a retired Army commander, a Lt Col H Bhubon, despite clear instruction from his CO, 7th AR.
The GOC-in-C, EC commendation card was received by the IGAR(S) HQ’s Maj Atul Watts (Gorkha Rifles?). Perhaps, the jolly good Maj Watts has quick answers to the ESPN’s ‘US Spelling Bees’ competition! Whereas Maj N Sibla and two other ranks of the 19th AR received the GOC-in-C, ECC, Capt JS Yadav and 6 other rank of the Army’s 10th J&K LI, Maj AK Sharma and Rfn Y Okendro Singh of the 18th AR are other recipients.
The prestigious Governor of Meghalaya (DGAR HQ) Gold Medal was given to 8 JCO/NCOs, 3 Rfn, 1 officer and a Sr Acct of IGAR(S), Shri JC Bhattacharjee.
The GOM Silver Medals were awarded to 2 Asst Comdts ARMO, Dr S Ranjan Chongtham, 44th AR, and Dr Mrs Moichi Saka, 1st AR, an MS Sister Annama Alex, 1st AR, 2 officers, 5 JCO/NCOs and 7 Jawans (3 of which are from IGAR(S) HQ).
The adventurous 32nd AR, whose A-Coy worked along with the IE police commandos and the army’s 22nd Maratha Light Inf (MLI) whose company post at Tulihal under ‘the arrogant’ Maj Javed Ali Khan, working with IW Police commandos, understandably did not receive even a single award or medal despite their prolific records.
The controversial 14th AR and much-feared 21st AR also missed out but no citizen, especially in the Sadar Hills, needs an answer for this poetic justice.
All those who missed the braveheart-party should take comfort in inspirational poem written in a 30 minutes - period by yours sincerely. Let’s call it: ‘The Song of Zion Kibbutz’. (The rhyme being 2 ABBA, 1 AABB of 10 and 12 syllables respectively)
Song of Zion Kibbutz
“ Where’er noble deeds or honours are Wrought,
When’er glorious battles and wars are won
And the highest degree of courage shown
Ribbons must be pinned for bloody battles Fought.
“When combat strikes and sights are near full done,
Inscript a well-measured pages of exploits
Earned with bloods and wits by truest patriots
Ev’n after a year’s time period is run”.
Though bounded tasks portrayed them as sinners,
Their sacrifice honoured them as winners.
Ye, be a part of nation’s pride, hearts and valour.
That’s what we could do for our country a favour”
— DM Kipgen.
Source: The Sangai Express
When a person who serves the interest of national security with blood, guts and honour, such soldier’s achievement has to be portrayed in full colours. Not to show them brave hearts of the nation’s armed forces in honourable manner is a cardinal sin. It’s like robbing the glorious names of gallant and meritorious officers and ranks.
Whereas the Army’s PRO, PIB/DW, flatly refused to give even a photo-copy of the Indian Army’s List of Honour, on national security ground, which was given to all national daily newspapers and news magazine and, of course, printed to the fullest in army’s journal recently, the IGAR(S) HQ and MPHQ distributed the names, ranks and units of all meritorious and gallantry awards winners on 14th August, 2007.
A military research scholar has official security clearance and can evoke the Right to Information Act. The abstract lesson being: ‘Don’t say anything which is not fully correct to a person without knowing who he/she really is, apart from what you think who he/she is. Reality bites, with real metal teeth having deadly venom in Manipur.
Since there are no room for ethnic, caste and class system in the Army/AR ranks and files nor any socio-political discrimination, the IGAR(S) once again netted as many as 61 awards, commendation cards, medals etc in exulted List of Honour on Independence Day, 2007. This astounding record of highest number of awards, citations and medals received by officers and ranks of a single unit in Indian armed forces, Maj Gen BK Chengappa’s IGAR(s) must be the proudest military formation in the length and breath of India. Though, like his young State police counterpart, i.e Shri Paotinmang Doungel IPS, IG (Home), Gen Chengappa did not receive the coveted PP Meritorious Award as expected but good actions speak louder than words.
Whereas Pu P Doungel IPS is one of the youngest IGPs in India with clean service records, Gen Chengappa (14th Garhwal Rifles Regt) got himself into the Indian Army through CDS Exams, not NDA, in 1970 and tasted battle-glory in the 1971 Indo-Pak war. His professional career is quite remarkable since CDS boys usually served as Short Service Commission, some retired at the rank of Major or Lt. Colonel and very few rose upto the rank of full Colonel and fewer still retired as Brigadiers. Hence, an excellent achievement to have reached a General officer’s rank. He and his (previous) hard charging diplomatical GSO, i.e Col. Thimayya (5th Mechanised Inf, formerly the 13th Kumaon) and Col. Adappa, CO, 34th AR, Thoubal area, are all from Coorg, Karnataka, and all of them studied in the same school at one time or other, under the Headmastership of one Mr Chengappa the senior. A proud guardian he would be.
The Army/AR authorities have absolutely no problem to find out genuine bravehearts, irrespective of caste or creed. The much coveted President’s Police Medal for Gallantry went to: (1) Hav Hyamlal (Hiemlal Kuki?) of 34th AR, 9th Sector and (2) Sub BS Lushei of the 3rd AR 27th Sector. The President’s Police Medal for Meritorious Service were awarded to four JCOs, 9th sector HQ: Subs RM Gurung, 11th AR; BB Khati, 16th AR; TD Barman, 16th AR and BB Rana, 34th AR. The army’s 2nd highest peacetime gallantry award, the Sena Medal, was bagged by Maj Sanjoy Kapoor, 18th AR and Maj Amit Rana, 3rd AR.
The Chief of Army Staff Commendation Card (COAS-CC) went to: Lt Col. Paramjot Singh, IGAR(S) HQ; Capt. D Bhan, 19th AR; Capt M Gautam, 13th AR; Rn RJ Sharma; 19th AR; Col. Rajiv Kanwar, Majs J Kumar and A. Kumar, all from 7th AR. The Army’s 10th J&K Light Inf operating under 26th Sector HQ, received 3 COAS-CC, viz, Maj AK Narayanan, Maj S Kumar and Corp Md Razaq. With Maj V Gurung, 7th AR bagging the GOC-in-C, Eastern Command Commodation Card (GOC-in-C, ECCC), the 7th AR would have made a remarkable clean-sweep, had not a senior Minister and a petulant company commander made a highly controversial Politico-Military ‘interaction’ at Sagang, Bishenpur Dist, recently. That’s the standard example of military Code of Honour and Discipline, if indeed an ‘action’ had been taken as it seemed. A young captain of 7th AR’s Kumbi post also missed out a golden chance for refusing to meet a retired Army commander, a Lt Col H Bhubon, despite clear instruction from his CO, 7th AR.
The GOC-in-C, EC commendation card was received by the IGAR(S) HQ’s Maj Atul Watts (Gorkha Rifles?). Perhaps, the jolly good Maj Watts has quick answers to the ESPN’s ‘US Spelling Bees’ competition! Whereas Maj N Sibla and two other ranks of the 19th AR received the GOC-in-C, ECC, Capt JS Yadav and 6 other rank of the Army’s 10th J&K LI, Maj AK Sharma and Rfn Y Okendro Singh of the 18th AR are other recipients.
The prestigious Governor of Meghalaya (DGAR HQ) Gold Medal was given to 8 JCO/NCOs, 3 Rfn, 1 officer and a Sr Acct of IGAR(S), Shri JC Bhattacharjee.
The GOM Silver Medals were awarded to 2 Asst Comdts ARMO, Dr S Ranjan Chongtham, 44th AR, and Dr Mrs Moichi Saka, 1st AR, an MS Sister Annama Alex, 1st AR, 2 officers, 5 JCO/NCOs and 7 Jawans (3 of which are from IGAR(S) HQ).
The adventurous 32nd AR, whose A-Coy worked along with the IE police commandos and the army’s 22nd Maratha Light Inf (MLI) whose company post at Tulihal under ‘the arrogant’ Maj Javed Ali Khan, working with IW Police commandos, understandably did not receive even a single award or medal despite their prolific records.
The controversial 14th AR and much-feared 21st AR also missed out but no citizen, especially in the Sadar Hills, needs an answer for this poetic justice.
All those who missed the braveheart-party should take comfort in inspirational poem written in a 30 minutes - period by yours sincerely. Let’s call it: ‘The Song of Zion Kibbutz’. (The rhyme being 2 ABBA, 1 AABB of 10 and 12 syllables respectively)
Song of Zion Kibbutz
“ Where’er noble deeds or honours are Wrought,
When’er glorious battles and wars are won
And the highest degree of courage shown
Ribbons must be pinned for bloody battles Fought.
“When combat strikes and sights are near full done,
Inscript a well-measured pages of exploits
Earned with bloods and wits by truest patriots
Ev’n after a year’s time period is run”.
Though bounded tasks portrayed them as sinners,
Their sacrifice honoured them as winners.
Ye, be a part of nation’s pride, hearts and valour.
That’s what we could do for our country a favour”
— DM Kipgen.
Source: The Sangai Express
