Articles By Major K.C. Praval
Indian Army: The blunted sword
By: Major K.C. Praval | Issue: Book Excerpt: Indian Army After Independence | Date: 19 Mar , 2018
The Buddha story attracted me even in early boyhood,’ wrote Nehru in The Discovery of India. Another Indian whose life made an impact on Nehru was the man known to history as Ashoka. Nehru was...
Chinese shadow darkens
By: Major K.C. Praval | Issue: Book Excerpt: Indian Army After Independence | Date: 13 Mar , 2018
For countless generations the people of India have lived with the belief that the Himalayas, sacred to every Hindu, are an impregnable bastion of their homeland’s Northern borders. With a...
1971: Making Bangladesh a reality - I
By: Major K.C. Praval | Issue: Book Excerpt: Indian Army After Independence | Date: 16 Dec , 2012
The Indian cabinet met on 28 April 1971. General Manekshaw was told to attend the meeting as he was Chairman of the Chiefs of Staff Committee. Without much ado, he was told to take charge of the...
The Indian Army: The first challenge - I
By: Major K.C. Praval | Issue: Book Excerpt: Indian Army After Independence | Date: 22 Oct , 2011
Field Marshal Wavell was no prophet. But he was unquestionably a great soldier who admired the Indian Army. Indian troops had fought under him while he was Commander-in-Chief, Middle East, during...
The Indian Army: The first challenge - VII
By: Major K.C. Praval | Issue: Book Excerpt: Indian Army After Independence | Date: 08 Aug , 2011
Pir Saiyid Fazal Shah was a towering mass of rock. The Punjabis stormed it around 1700 hours after 25-pounders, howitzers and aircraft had pounded it. The enemy used every weapon with it to stop...
The Indian Army: The first challenge - VI
By: Major K.C. Praval | Issue: Book Excerpt: Indian Army After Independence | Date: 05 Aug , 2011
Throughout the winter of 1947-48, and the summer that followed, the Punch garrison had remained cut off. Under Brigadier Pritam Singh it continued to wage its lonely battles against the besieging...
Indian Army: The first challenge - V
By: Major K.C. Praval | Issue: Book Excerpt: Indian Army After Independence | Date: 02 Aug , 2011
An unsuccessful attempt was made in April-May 1948 to relieve Skardu. A battalion of the Jammu and Kashmir Infantry was sent from Srinagar together with a small party of regular troops. Due to...
Indian Army: The first challenge - IV
By: Major K.C. Praval | Issue: Book Excerpt: Indian Army After Independence | Date: 30 Jul , 2011
The beginning of December brought the first snowfall to Uri. About this time, enemy troops in uniform appeared for the first time in this sector. On 11 December, all traffic to Uri stopped...
The Indian Army: The first challenge - III
By: Major K.C. Praval | Issue: Book Excerpt: Indian Army After Independence | Date: 28 Jul , 2011
During a discussion of these recommendations by the Defence Committee, Prime Minister Nehru urged that the occupation of Domel was important and told the Army Chief to consider sending a force to...
The Indian Army: The first challenge - II
By: Major K.C. Praval | Issue: Book Excerpt: Indian Army After Independence | Date: 26 Jul , 2011
A battle is the testing ground for a soldier. All the training that he receives from the day he enlists is for this supreme test, when he stakes his dearest possession — his life — against...
The Chinese Invasion: The Reckoning & After - II
By: Major K.C. Praval | Issue: Book Excerpt: Indian Army After Independence | Date: 09 Jun , 2011
During the hostilities, India had appealed to friendly countries for assistance who responded generously. Britain and the United States were the major contributors. After the cease-fire, the two...
The Chinese Invasion: The Reckoning & After - I
By: Major K.C. Praval | Issue: Book Excerpt: Indian Army After Independence | Date: 08 Jun , 2011
Many surmises were made at the time on the reasons for China’s sudden invasion and the equally sudden pull-out. A year after the event, the Chinese themselves stated that their aim had been...
1971: Making Bangladesh a reality - III
By: Major K.C. Praval | Issue: Book Excerpt: Indian Army After Independence | Date: 30 Mar , 2011
Akhaura Pakistan’s 27 Brigade held the Akhaura-Brahmanbaria area. Akhaura, just across the border from Agartala, was an important rail-junction. For that reason the Pakistanis had paid...
1971: Making Bangladesh a reality - II
By: Major K.C. Praval | Issue: Book Excerpt: Indian Army After Independence | Date: 29 Mar , 2011
2 Corps: (South-Western area of operations) Like other senior commanders of the time, Lieutenant General Raina, Commander 2 Corps, had had his first battle experience during the Second World War....
1971 Operations - Case West - II
By: Major K.C. Praval | Issue: Book Excerpt: Indian Army After Independence | Date: 15 Mar , 2011
Kashmir In the North-Eastern part of Kashmir, India was concerned about the safety of her lines of communication with Ladakh. Pakistani picquets in the Kargil area overlooked the Srinagar-Leh...
1971 operations - Case West - I
By: Major K.C. Praval | Issue: Book Excerpt: Indian Army After Independence | Date: 14 Mar , 2011
In the wake of President Yahya Khan’s threats, India had considered the various courses open to Pakistan on the Western front. Many possibilities were considered: an attack across the CFL in...
1962 War: The Chinese invasion - III
By: Major K.C. Praval | Issue: Book Excerpt: Indian Army After Independence | Date: 13 Mar , 2011
The decision to make Se La the main defensive position of 4 Division and to put half its fighting strength there had been unwise. However, a withdrawal from that position when it was under a...
1962 War: The Chinese invasion - II
By: Major K.C. Praval | Issue: Book Excerpt: Indian Army After Independence | Date: 12 Mar , 2011
Chinese counter-action, which Kaul had foreseen, came on 10 October. That day at dawn, Kaul was shaving outside his bunker and his batman was boiling water for tea, when the calm of the Namka Chu...
1962 War: The Chinese invasion - I
By: Major K.C. Praval | Issue: Book Excerpt: Indian Army After Independence | Date: 11 Mar , 2011
The Chinese reaction to the setting up of a post by India at Che Dong was a calculated move. By this time, China appears to have decided on a full-scale campaign to assert her territorial claims....