THE GENERAL WHO WON THE 1971 WAR DEFYING ORDERS

Tomorrow we will celebrate 54th Victory Day.

- SHASHI SHEKHAR

On 16 December 1971 close to 100,000 Pakistani soldiers surrendered before the Indian army. On this day Bangladesh was born and Pakistan was permanently dismembered.So who would you attribute this great military success to? Field Marshal Sam Manekshaw, Lt Gen Jagjit Singh Aurora, Lt Gen JFR Jacob or the then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi? But before that, a trick question, do you remember who was our defence minister at that time? And who was the Indian army general who went against the orders of the headquarters and swiftly forced Pak general AAK Niazi to surrender? The unsung tales and the heroes who enacted them reflect the tragic mysteries of history.

An old adage says the tide of time records only what is visible.

The Indian military brass divided the army locked in combat in East Pakistan into four Corps. General Sagat Singh was commanding the 4th Corps. He was tasked to enter East Pakistan from the northeastern states. It was a tough and tricky task. The approach was littered with dozens of rivers, rivulets, jungles, swamps and rugged terrain. The army had to cross cities like Bhabanipur, Akhaura and Mymensingh.