scholar warrior

An Ode to an Iconic Braveheart: Sant Singh, Mvc*

Raj Mehta

Brigadier Sant Singh Gill, MVC*, a man who exemplified Naam, Namak, Nishan was recommended four times for the (MVC). He remains one of only six officers of ’s armed forces twice awarded this second highest battlefield gallantry award in successive wars. Forever a volunteer for hazardous operational responsibilities, he was a tireless man of action, thinking on his feet and taking seemingly snap decisions which turned out to be unerringly prescient. Mentally and physically tough, he set high standards and ensured compliance. A ‘Follow Me’ braveheart who walked his talk in battle and personal life, he cared passionately for soldiers, taking their welfare and societal respect to new levels post retirement.

An Overview Brigadier Sant Singh Gill, MVC* was born on July 12, 1921, in a Jat Sikh family of modest means in Panjgrain Kalan village of the erstwhile Faridkot princely State (now Faridkot district). Panjgrain Kalan had only a primary school in 1928. Sant thereafter joined the Government Middle School at Kot Kapura, walking to

106 ä SPRING 2020 ä scholar warrior scholar warrior school 10 km each way despite occasional encounters with wolves, and thereby developed self-confidence and fearlessness. He completed his Matriculation in the Brijendra High School and Intermediate in RSD College, Ferozepur. With no career guidance available, Sant enlisted in July 1941 as a clerk in the Faridkot State Forces Engineer Field Company (later merged into the Bengal Engineer Group) when World War II was in full swing. During the Japanese siege of Imphal in March-June 1944, his Commanding Officer (CO), Colonel BAE Maude, recommended him for an Officers Commission. Called for an interview, after several unsuccessful attempts, he was examined by the SSB Centre, Singapore, in February 1946. Selected for the Short Service Regular Commission and trained at the Officers Training School, Bangalore, he was commissioned on February 16, 1947, in 1/14 Punjab Regiment and then deployed in the Northwest Frontier Province (NWFP), where he gained first-hand guerrilla warfare experience. On partition, with the regiment allotted to Pakistan, Sant reported to 2 SIKH LI at Rajkot, Gujarat in November 1947, in time for the Junagadh state operations. On their completion, he reported to 1 SIKH LI, participating in operations in the Naushehra-Jhanger Sector from January 1948 to April 1953. His bravery resulted in his first recommendation for the award of the MVC even though he ended up with a Mention-in-Dispatches (Gallantry). Granted Permanent Commission on August 15, 1951, Captain Sant, with just six years of service, secured a competitive vacancy for the 7th Defence Services Staff College Course at Wellington in 1953-54. He commanded 5 SIKH Ll from October 1964 to April 1968 in the Naushahra-Jhangar Sector in 120 Infantry Brigade, part of 25 Infantry Division during which he was awarded the MVC for brilliant leadership at Op Hill (details later). Post command, Sant was posted as Instructor Class ‘A’ at the Indian Military Academy (IMA) and later as General Staff Officer Grade 1 (GSO1). Appointed temporary Brigadier before the Bangladesh War in 1971, he commanded the FJ Sector, tasked to enroll, train, equip and arm nearly 1,500 guerrillas every month and direct their operational employment.

Training the Mukti Bahini One of the architects of the Bangladesh liberation war, despite his relatively junior rank, Brigadier Sant Singh’s yeoman efforts for creating the Mukti Bahini, will be long remembered. Operation Searchlight was a genocide perpetrated by the West Pakistanis/collaborators against their own citizens, ultimately

scholar warrior ä spring 2020 ä 107 scholar warrior accounting for three million Bangladeshis dead and two lakh women raped, as per a 2019 UN General Assembly statement by the Bangladesh Prime Minister. The carnage reached its climax in mid-May 1971. As Commander FJ Sector, Sant was called to Headquarters (HQ) on May 3, 1971, and briefed about the need to create a cohesive Bangladeshi force to defeat the Pakistan Army in concert with India’s armed forces. He identified area Tura in Meghalaya, setting up training camps alongside the Border Security Force (BSF); thereby forming the nucleus of the “Mukti Bahini” or Liberation Army. He worked out a practical syllabi of four weeks which converted the inexperienced but passionate Bangladeshis into a force the Pakistanis came to dread. They made up equipment deficiencies with their infectious patriotism. Sant divided the Mukti Bahini training into three linked parts: yy Small arms, field craft and explosives training. yy Civil administration imperatives for liberated zones. yy Communication training using combat radio.

Pakistan launched Operation Chengiz Khan on December 3, 1971, afternoon, forcing India to declare war later that evening. Mid-November 1971 onwards, the Mukti Bahini guerrillas carried out sabotage activities on Pakistani lines of communication, blasting bridges/culverts, uprooting railway tracks, thereby forcing the Pakistanis to their increasingly cut-off bases, particularly in the Mymensingh area. For the Indian Air Force (IAF), Sant managed detailed intelligence information about Pakistani air bases, formation’s/units/weapon identification, infrastructure, topography and terrain details. The Dacca air bases’ technical information was of great operational use for the HQ Eastern Army and Air Commands. Sant shared the privations of his men in FJ Sector, living and operating from a small tent in Tura.

Stunning Success with Minimal Resources When war broke out on December 3, this amazingly gifted officer commanding an ad hoc sector did operational wonders with improvisation and tactical acumen. He had just one regular infantry battalion besides the Mukti Bahini and BSF but crossed three rivers, despite their bridges being blasted, to capture Mymensingh, thus, helping to disintegrate the enemy 93 Infantry Brigade as a fighting entity in concert with 95 Infantry Brigade. Seeing an opportunity, Sant advanced on his own to Madhupur, 50 km south of Mymensingh, sensing that fellow formation, 95 Infantry Brigade Group was held up at Jamalpur. With no transport allotted, Sant

108 ä SPRING 2020 ä scholar warrior scholar warrior improvised with local resources, himself using a bicycle to exercise command. He was awarded a second MVC for the capture of Mymensingh and Madhupur (details later). In 1972, Sant became a substantive Brigadier, commanding 68 Infantry Brigade/15 Corps. Post retirement in 1973, he had several BSF tenures as Deputy Inspector General (DIG).

Humanitarian Work After winding up a business venture that he set up in Gwalior in 1984, Sant settled down in Chandigarh. He and likeminded veterans set up an All India Association of gallantry awardees Non-Governmental Organisation called War Decorated of India in which Sant served three tenures as President. He was also President of the Indian Ex-Services League, Chandigarh, from 1987 onward, besides holding eminent civic positions. Serving the ex-service men was his lifelong passion, committing his time, money and life towards promoting their cause and pushing their cases forward above all else.

Family Man of Remarkable Compassion and Acuity Sant married Satwant Kaur on November 5, 1944. Their son was lost in a drowning accident in September 1973. Painter daughter Satinder is married to painter/photography hobbyist Brigadier SS Randhawa who commanded 11 MECH and 121 Infantry Brigade. Sant is remembered as an exceptionally loving husband, a father who treated his son and daughter equally. He held that honesty, integrity, loyalty, compassion and trust were non-negotiable values; showing the right way himself. A lifelong teetotaler, he never got visibly angry but ensured his feelings were conveyed without abuse or recrimination. He had a fabulous memory for the faces and incidents he encountered in the wars. A deeply religious man, Deh Shiva Varmohe and Jo Bole So Nihal were his favourite shabads, living his life like the saint-soldier that he was in word and deed.

Mendhar Cantt is named after Brigadier Sant Singh, MVC*—a fitting ode to his greatness.

scholar warrior ä spring 2020 ä 109 scholar warrior Chuh-I-Nar (Op Hill) 1965

Fig 1: Satellite Imagery of OP Hill. Balnoi Base lies due NE

Background and Importance Called Chuh-i-Nar by Pakistan and OP Hill by India, the 1524 m hill complex lay southwest of Road Mendhar-Balnoi, dominating it and threatening Mendhar town, besides isolating the Balnoi Battalion. Occupying it in August 1965, Pakistan had converted it into a strong battalion defended area, bringing down accurate fire on the 2 DOGRA Picquet 636 and launching several attacks to capture it even as it improved the OP Hill defences with shell-proof bunkers, wire obstacles, mines and dedicated artillery. An attack by 2 GARH RIF on the night of October 6-7, to capture the feature resulted in failure, with the Garhwalis suffering two officers, one Junior Commissioned Officer (JCO), 18 Other Ranks (ORs) killed, and 75 wounded including four officers and three JCOs. With appeals to the UN Observer Group failing, the General Officer Commanding (GOC) 25 Infantry Division decided on October 15, to launch 120 Infantry Brigade to recapture OP Hill in three phases. 2 DOGRA was to capture Twin Pimples and Black Rocks and 5 SIKH LI was to take White Rocks in Phase 1, commencing 2200 h on November 2. In Phase 2, 7 SIKH was to take Jungle and OP Hill by 0500 h D plus 1, and in Phase 3, also capture Twin Trees and Lone Tree by 0600 h D plus 1.

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Fig 2: Battle of Op Hill The Battle 2 DOGRA crossed the Ceasefire Line at 2200 h on November 2. Charlie Company took Twin Pimples by 2345 h but was reduced to 20 survivors. Delta Company reached within 45 m of its objective, Black Rocks. It suffered a severe mauling but established a foothold across the wire obstacles/ minefield. Black Rock was captured at 0430 h on November 3. Platoon Commander Captain Gautam Mubayi was awarded the MVC (P) for indomitable courage during this attack. Sant, as CO 5 SIKH LI, recalled that he had a very young, inexperienced battalion with only one Company Commander having more than three years service. The men, however, were in high morale and had war-gamed all eventualities conceived by their daring and experienced CO. 5 SIKH LI was initially allotted White Rocks as its objective. Unfazed by the shelling or mines/wire obstacles, commencing move to the Forming up Place (FUP) at 1830 h, Bravo and Charlie Companies reached undetected to as close as 23 m from the Pakistani forward defended localities. Sant had led his men to the target from the most difficult southern route which involved climbing the vertical cliff face in a lightning move. His daring ascent took the enemy by surprise and they were vanquished in fierce hand-to-hand fighting. Sant had studied the ground well, absorbed the lessons learnt from earlier unsuccessful attempts by 2 DOGRA/2 GARH RIF in the months of September/ October. He had visualised the battle brilliantly and found jugaad solutions to the battlefield problems he would face. With momentum going his way and with his men charged, Sant sensed an opportunity and took it. 5 SIKH LI ended up with capture of White Rocks by Bravo Company, the area between White Rocks/ OP Hill by Charlie Company, OP Hill by Delta Company, Jungle Hill by Alpha company and Twin Trees by Delta Company.

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Despite heavy casualties due to the strong and well coordinated Pakistani defences, minefields/wire obstacles, automatic fire and heavy shelling, the battalion bore its losses stoically and heroically. Those with severed limbs urged the others to move on and capture their objectives. The objectives were captured after a severe close quarter battle, with OP Hill and Twin Trees taken well ahead of time, led by their battle hardened, brave and visionary CO. At least 20 lives were saved because Sant had ordered his men to carry extra line bedding to staunch blood flow from severed limbs which came in very handy. The hills reverberated with the sound of the success signal which was the sounding of the “Reveille” on the bugle. Subsequently, two more objectives were captured, thus, completing an unprecedented four night attacks in one night without awaiting orders. During the attack on White Rocks, Naik Darshan Singh, leading his company across steep, mined terrain under heavy shelling and automatic fire, was twice wounded, with his left leg blown off while attacking a MMG bunker. He destroyed it with a grenade. Though dying, he urged his men on, the war cry “Jo Bole So Nihal” on his lips. The inflamed soldiers did just that, with Darshan being awarded the MVC posthumously. Braveheart Sant had said: “Mundeyo, hun main thonu objective de utte hi milanga” (Boys, I will now meet you on the objective” as recalled to the author by the ex Colonel of the SIKH LI Regiment, Lieutenant General NPS Hira at the Punjab Governors ‘At Home’ at Chandigarh on January 26, 2020). They followed their mesmeric CO to victory. It may be recalled that, as per the original 120 Infantry Brigade plan, 7 SIKH was to capture OP Hill, Twin Trees and Lone Tree. The battalion did take Jungle Hill after fierce fighting but all its other tasks had been achieved by the dynamic Sant who saw an opportunity to carry his attack momentum forward and ruthlessly exploited it. He had carried out four successful night attacks in the same night; an unprecedented act of bravery and grit worldwide. For his brilliant, hands-on leadership, courage and daring, Sant Singh was awarded MVC.

Citation of Lieutenant Colonel Sant Singh On the night of 02 November 1965, IC-5479 Lt Col Sant Singh was given the task of clearing an objective, which, notwithstanding the cease-fire, had been encroached upon by Pakistani forces. This was a difficult feature & strongly defended by the enemy. Despite enemy mines and artillery fire, Lt Col Sant Singh moved forward with his men, charged the enemy and, after a bitter hand-to-hand fight, cleared

112 ä SPRING 2020 ä scholar warrior scholar warrior the objective. Later, taking advantage of his position, Lt Col Sant Singh moved from bunker to bunker in the face of heavy artillery and automatic fire encouraging his men and cleared another objective, which also had been encroached upon by Pakistani forces. Throughout, Lt Col Sant Singh displayed conspicuous gallantry and leadership of a high order. During the battle, the battalion suffered 40 ORs killed and 142 all ranks wounded. For 120 Infantry Brigade, the total casualties were seven officers, six JCOs and 158 jawans killed. The brigade earned three MVCs, three Vir Chakras (VrC), 13 Sena Medals (SM) and 11 COAS Commendation Cards (CC). 5 SIKH LI was awarded the Battle Honour Chuh-i-Nar 1965. It was awarded two MVCs (one posthumous), one VrC (posthumous), four SMs (two posthumous) and five COAS CCs.

The Battle of Mymensingh and Madhupur The Northeast Sector (Dhaka Bowl for Pakistan) had our HQ Eastern Command under pressure as neither of the requested formations, 6 Mountain Division nor HQ 2 Mountain Division, had been allotted. Ad hoc 101 Composite Zone Area (101 CZA) under General GS Gill was rustled up at Tura, Meghalaya, to face the Pakistani 36 Infantry Division deployed to defend Dacca Bowl in Mymensingh/Tangail districts. It had 93 Mountain Brigade headquartered at Mymensingh with 31 BALUCH, 33 PUNJAB, two Ranger Wings, 5,000 paramilitary/razakars and an independent mortar battery. GOC Major General Jamshed was at Dhaka. 101 CZA was tasked to launch an offensive against Pakistan in the Tangail/Mymensingh districts besides doing line of communication duties. The allotment was as follows: yy 95 Infantry Brigade Group: It had 13 GUARDS, 1 MARATHA LI, 13 RAJ RIF, four fire units in direct support and a field company under Brigadier HS Kler (Tura). yy Ad hoc FJ Sector: It had 6 BIHAR, 83 BSF Bn less one company and 15 Companies of the Mukti Bahini under Brigadier Sant Singh, MVC at Tura. FJ Sector had no other combat/combat support which caused operational problems. yy 2 PARA later to be air-dropped at Tangail, thereafter coming under command HQ 101 CZA.

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Initial Operations by 95 Infantry Brigade 95 Infantry Brigade Group advanced from Tura, tasked to sequentially capture Kamalpur by D plus 2, Bakshiganj by D plus 3, Jamalpur by D plus 6/7 on which day 2 PARA was to para-drop and capture Poongli bridge, north of Tangail, by D plus 8. The Dhaka defences were to be contacted by D plus 12/13. The capture of Kamalpur and Bakshiganj was executed as planned by December 5. On the same day, GOC 101 CZA and Commander (Cdr) 95 Infantry Brigade were wounded while inspecting the Kamalpur defences. GOC 2 Mountain Division, Major General GS Nagra was sidestepped on December 6. On December 10, Jamalpur, which had spurned a surrender offer, was attacked by a reinforced 95 Infantry Brigade and the surrender was accepted by the Cdr and CO 1 MARATHA LI at 0730 h on December 11. That same evening, the Tangail para-drop by 2 PARA occurred, with Poongli bridge captured by 2000 h.

Fig 3: Operations of FJ Sector

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Initial Operations by FJ Sector Brigadier Sant was to advance parallel to the 95 Infantry Brigade advance to Mymensingh along the Haluaghat-Phulpur axis. Lacking troops, Sant chose to manoeuvre by ordering 6 BIHAR (less two companies) to infiltrate 3 km south of Haluaghat and attack from the south-east. The two companies left out were to capture Sarchapur with Mukti Bahini encircling the area. Two companies of the BSF were to advance on the Mymensingh axis. The plan unfolded brilliantly and Task Force (TF) Pat, comprising 6 BIHAR (less two companies) closed on to Haluaghat defences on the night of December 5-6, Haluaghat falling next day. TF Krish, with the balance two companies, took Sarchapur and Phulpur, with TF Pat joining in. These operations concluded by December 9. Carrying out scorched earth policy, the withdrawing Pakistanis destroyed bridges to stave off FJ Sector troops but lost out. Abandoned without fighting, Mymensingh fell at 1130 h on December 11. Personally leading a 6 BIHAR Company column across country, Sant pursued the fleeing Pakistanis and secured Madhupur junction, 50 km northwest of Mymensingh by 0830 h on December 12, with 1 MARATHI LI/95 Infantry Brigade linking up at 1130 h. This was an amazing feat of arms, executed without orders. Also, the extraordinary move, with ad hoc groupings, advancing in an unconventional manner and the capture of Mymensingh and Madhupur earned Brigadier Sant Singh his second MVC.

Citation of Brigadier Sant Singh, MVC* Brig Sant Singh, MVC, while commanding a sector on the Eastern Front, achieved spectacular results with a mixed force, having one regular battalion, advancing 38 miles (60.8 km) almost always on foot, to secure Mymensingh and Madhupur in eight days. During the advance, in spite of very stiff opposition from the enemy he cleared heavily defended positions at several places. Throughout these actions, Brig Sant Singh personally led and directed the troops, exposing himself to enemy MMG fire and shelling. His personal gallantry, leadership, skilful handling of meagre resources, audacity, improvisation and maximum use of local resources were responsible for the successful and rapid advance against much stronger enemy in well prepared defensive positions. Throughout, Brig Sant Singh displayed conspicuous gallantry and inspiring leadership in keeping with the highest traditions of the Army. General Nagra, arriving for a review after hearing the news of Sant’s exploits in Mymensingh and Madhupur when 95 Infantry Brigade was held up at Jamalpur,

scholar warrior ä spring 2020 ä 115 scholar warrior asked him: “What do you think about going to liberate Dacca?” Sant instantly responded by saying: “Sir, that is a lifetime opportunity for a soldier to liberate the capital of a country”. He had fought all the way to Mymensingh with just one regular battalion of troops, but when he arrived at Tangail, he was given two more battalions and with them, he began his own march on to Dacca.

FJ Sector Advances to Dhaka When FJ Sector was 50 km short of Dacca, Brigadier Sant Singh was assigned the momentous task of capturing it. FJ Sector was made up to regular brigade strength by allotting two more infantry battalions but had inadequate artillery support. He was to fend for himself, to find vehicles from local resources to concentrate his force for resuming the advance to Dacca. Without losing time, he launched the advance at 2100 hrs on December 14, 1971 with only one infantry battalion that he could concentrate at the starting point. Sant himself moved forward relentlessly, brushing aside enemy resistance en route and by mid-day on December 15, captured the military dairy farm and high power antennae of the Dacca Radio Station at Sabhar but ran into major opposition just outside the town. The Sabhar position was stormed by the MMG jeep mounted 2 PARA troops and captured. Once again, he ordered the advance to continue at night. All the bridges except one on his advance axis were blown up. The Mirpur Bridge too had been prepared for demolition but his force stormed across this vital bridge and captured it intact at 0230 hrs on December 16. The force then entered Mirpur, a suburb of Dacca. Brigadier Sant Singh reached Lieutenant General Niazi’s HQ at 1045 hours on December 16, 1971, where he was informed that Niazi had decided to surrender. A table clock taken from Lieutenant General Niazi’s office, stopped at 1045 hours, remained a treasured memento of Brigadier Sant Singh. Brigadier Sant Singh was recommended (for the fourth time) for a Bar to the MVC he had just earned for his breathtaking Mymensingh-Madhupur operations with inadequate forces but with the sterling guts, grit, improvisation

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Fading Away Brigadier Sant Singh, MVC* passed away at the age of 94 in Fortis Hospital in Mohali on December 9, 2015. He was cremated with full military honours, a ceremonial guard being provided by 5 SIKH LI, the unit he had led in war so brilliantly. The unit reversed arms as a mark of respect, while buglers sounded the last post. The pyre was lit by his beloved grandson, Manvir (Montu). Brigadier Sant had kept inquiring whether Montu had arrived from abroad and on getting confirmation, said he was happy, departing peacefully thereafter on his final journey. Brigadier Sant Singh’s classical attrition—led battle at Chuh-i-Nar; his free- flowing manoeuvre battles covering Mymensingh-Madhupur-Dhaka and his rise from a sepoy clerk to a rare war hero recommended four times for the MVC but awarded twice is an inspirational life story of extraordinary valour and bravery.

Major General Raj Mehta, AVSM, VSM (Retd) is an avid military historian and regular contributor to CLAWS. The narration is based on his extensive research and interaction with family members of Brigadier Sant Singh.

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