Inside Team Room.... Page 4 SUNDAY, JANUARY 24, 2021 INTERNET EDITION : www.dailyexcelsior.com/sunday-magazine Jammu's Daughter ....Page 3 MEDALS MILITARY MEN WEAR Mahesh Chander Sudan Cavalry Unit and bands of three wings of the Indian CLASSIFICATION OF AWARDS Chakra is awarded for acts of gallantry in the presence of Military perform. Another important event during the enemy, whether on land or at sea or in the air. As We, the people of India, are going to Republic Day festivities is honoring awardees/NOKs of Gallantry awards are classified into two categories i.e regards other three gallantry awards, the following cate- witness Republic Day celebration to Civil and Military Gallantry awards. Gallantry in the Face of Enemy and Gallantry other than gories of persons shall be eligible:- honor the date on which the Constitution Post-Independence, first three gallantry awards in the Face of enemy. The ParamVir Chakra, the a) Officers and men and women of all ranks of the Army, namely the ParamVir Chakra, the MahaVir Chakra and MahaVir Chakra and the Vir Chakra fall in the first cate- the Navy and the Air Force, of any of the Reserve of India came into effect on 26 Jan 1950 theVir Chakra were instituted by Government of India gory and the Ashoka Chakra, the Kirti Chakra and the Forces, of the Territorial Army, Militia and of any replacing the Government of India Act on 26th January, 1950 with retro respective effect Shaurya Chakra in the second category. As regards the other lawfully constituted forces. as the governing document of India and from15th Aug 1947. Thereafter, other three gallantry eligibility, all officers, men and women of all ranks of the b) Members of the Nursing Services of the Armed awards namely Ashok Chakra I, II and III were institut- Naval, Military and Air Forces, of any of the Reserve Forces. thus turning the nation into a newly ed on 4th January 1952, which were deemed to have Forces, of the Territorial Army, Militia and of any other c) Civilian citizens of either sex in all walks of life and formed Republic. effect from 15 Aug 1947. These awards were renamed as lawfully constituted Armed Forces. Matrons, sisters, members of Police Forces including Central Para- the Ashoka Chakra, the Kirti Chakra and the Shaurya Nurses and the staff of the Nursing services and other Military forces and Railway protection Forces. The main celebration is held in New Delhi at Raj Chakra respectively in January 1967. These gallantry services pertaining to Hospitals and Nursing and The Ashoka Chakra is awarded for most conspicuous path before the President of India in the form of a cere- awards are announced twice a year - first on the occasion bravery or some act of daring or pre-eminent act of val- monious parades performed as a tribute to India; its Civilians of either sex serving regularly or temporarily of Republic Day and then on the occasion of under the orders, directions or supervisions of any of the our or self-sacrifice otherwise than in the face of enemy. unity in diversity and rich cultural heritage. The parade The Kirti Chakra is awarded for conspicuous gallantry Independence Day. The order of precedence of these above-mentioned Forces. showcases India's Defense capability, cultural and social awards is the ParamVir Chakra, the Ashok Chakra, otherwise than in the face of the enemy. The Shaurya heritage. The parade composed of contingents from the Mahavir Chakra, the Kirti Chakra, the Vir ELIGIBILITY CONDITIONS Chakra is awarded for gallantry otherwise than in the Army, Navy and Airforce along with paramilitary forces Chakra and the Shaurya Chakra. Gallantry awards face of the enemy. All these gallantry awards may be The ParamVir Chakra is awarded for most conspicu- remains the main attraction of the Republic Day celebra- are conferred to awardees/Next of Kins (NOKs) by the awarded posthumously. We, the people of India, are ous bravery or some daring or pre-eminent act of valour tions and this event lasts for three days with Beating President at the Defence Investiture ceremony held indebted to indomitable courage and bravery of these or self-sacrifice, in the presence of enemy, whether on Retreat ceremony to officially denote the end of Republic every yearin the Rashtrapati Bhawan. However, the brave hearts who undertake such gallantry acts even at land, at sea or in the Air. The MahaVirChakra is award- Day festivities. The Beating Retreat function is held at Param Vir Chakra and the Ashoka Chakra are conferred the peril of their lives in most difficult and trying condi- ed for acts of conspicuous gallantry in the presence of Vijay Chowk where the President of Indian Republic by the President to the awardees/NOKs on the occasion tions to safeguard their motherland. enemy whether on land, at sea or in the air. The Vir arrives escorted by the President Body Guards (PBGs), a of the Republic Day Parade at the Rajpath. The author is WgCdr (Retd) PARAM VIR CHAKRA WINNERS 1. Maj. Somnath Sharma 2. Naik Jadunath Singh 3. 2nd Lt Rama Raghoba Rane 4. Company Haviladar Major Piru Singh 5. Lance Naik Karam Singh HERO OF 6. Captain Gurbachan Singh Salaria 7. Major Dhan Singh Thapa 8. Subedar Joginder Singh 9. Major Shaitan Singh 87’ Siachin Standoff 10. Lt. Col. A B Tarapore 11. Company Quartermaster Havildar Abdul Hamid Sunny Dua Pakistan's everyday misadventure, one day our 12. Lance Naik Albert Ekka Commanding Officer (CO) convened a meeting and 13. Flying Officer Nirmaljit Singh Sekhon "When you conquer enemy post at a height of 21,153 decided to make a strategy to take this post back which 14. Second Lt. Arun Khetarpal feet where high velocity winds blowing at 120 Kms earlier was also with India", he said. 15. Major Hoshiar Singh speed send chill through the spine and temperature Bana Singh went on to add that on May 29, 1987 a 16. Naib Subedar Bana Singh dips to minus 50 degrees, you don't celebrate victory patrol led by Second Lieutenant Rajeev Pande and Naib 17. Major Ramaswamy Parameswaram but put in all efforts to hold on to the post facing Subedar, Hem Raj along with 10 Jawans were 18. Captain Vikram Batra retaliation by enemy. The real action begins at that despatched to assess enemy position. Expected fire by 19. Lt. Manoj Kumar Pandey very moment. This is what happened at Siachen enemy and type of ammunition used would have alerted 20. Grenadier Yogendra Singh Yadav Glacier in the summer of 1987" - Capt. Bana Singh. and enabled Indian troops to identify number of enemies 21. Rifleman Sanjay Kumar Early life behind the Pakistan weaponry. Having trekked and CITATION Drive through the paddy fields of R S Pura and ask climbed 90 degrees slope the Indian troops had reached NB SUB BANA SINGH anyone about Bana Singh, the bystanders will guide you Amar Post only to take further orders to 'advance'. 8 JAK LI (JC-155825) to his single story and small yet well maintained home Having sensed the presence of Indian troops, Pakistanis Naib Subedar Bana Singh volunteered to be a located at the end of village Kadyal. Born in village fired on our troops and we suffered major casualties, Sansar Chand team near Qaid post. Sansar Chand, how- member of a task force constituted in June 1987 to Kadyal of R S Pura in Jammu (Jammu and Kashmir Bana Singh said. ever developed chest congestion and was evacuated from clear an intrusion by an adversary in the Siachen Union Territory) on January 6, 1949, Bana Singh joined Operation Rajiv ground zero" he informed. Glacier area at an altitude of 21,000 feet. The post 8th Battalion of the Jammu and Kashmir Light Infantry was virtually an impregnable glacier fortress with ice "Revenge" was now the only word striking our brains Conquering of Qaid Post (JAK LI) of Indian Army on January, 6 1969. His father walls, 1500 feet high, on both sides. Naib Subedar every day and every night. On the same night it was decid- "As directed by the CO, I and two jawans took out our was a farmer. Having undergone special training at the Bana Singh led his men through an extremely difficult ed that not only we will take revenge but also the Qaid shovels, dug out a ditch and slept in it for three days. An High Altitude Warfare School in Gulmarg and at and hazardous route. He inspired them by his post from Pakistan. After about one month a contingent attack by Pakistan left our one person seriously injured. Sonamarg, Bana Singh was promoted to Naib Subedar indomitable courage and leadership. The brave Naib of soldiers was readied with Major Virender Singh of 8 Reinforcement was sent and a cover fire given to us. from Havildar on 16 October 1985. Subedar and his men crawled and closed in on the JAK LI and Captain Ashok Sharma forming groups to be Finding a suitable time we launched a final offensive Siachen Standoff throwing grenades in the Pakistani bunker. The bunker adversary. Moving from trench to trench, lobbing led by Subdar Harnam Singh, Subedar Sansar Chand and hand grenades and charging with the bayonet, he Way back in 1987 when Bana Singh was posted in Naib Subedar Bana Singh and the operation was named was also locked from outside and we engaged them into fierce gun battle", Bana Singh narrated adding that an cleared the post all intruders. Ladakh region, Pakistan after infiltration had occupied "Operation Rajiv" in honour of second lieutenant Rajeev Nb Subedar Bana Singh displayed the most con- one strategic post located at a height of 21,153 feet from Pandey.