They say the Indian Army – and to a great extent even the British Army – would cease to be the forces they are if all the Gorkhas in their ranks were to be removed. Brave, loyal and fearless, Gorkhas are soldiers every nation would trust their security with. Their roots go to the town of Gorkha, a historical and quaintly attractive town between Pokhara and Kathmandu.
Almost every young Gorkha aspires to get into the Armed Forces. I was told the British Army still recruits Gorkhas – and there is fierce competition to get through to be assured of a relatively well paid even though risky career and British citizenship. And then you have the Indian Army for those who don’t make the grade. A Gorkha I met working in a hotel in Kathmandu told me he had failed to get through to the Army – and is trying to be a cop now. A Gorkha loves to be in uniform I guess. [continue reading…]
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Army,
Gorkha,
Great Himalayan Drive,
Nepal
The World War II Cemetery in Kohima, Nagaland
During World War II, the Japanese had overrun Burma and were advancing into India when British forces, ably assisted by Naga troops, finally forced them to retreat at Kohima. The site of one of the war’s bloodiest battles, Garrison Hill in April 1944, now has a War Cemetery with 2,337 graves and memorials to the soldiers who laid down their lives. It is a moving experience just walking there, reading the tombstones.
View the complete set of photos of Facebook or Flickr. [continue reading…]
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Army,
Battle of Kohima,
Kohima,
Nagaland,
War Cemetery,
World War II
India would have managed to get even territory from Pakistan during the 1971 war with its neighbour had Colonel Chewang Rinchen not taken a break to celebrate Losar, the Tibetan New Year according to an Army officer I met at the Siachen Glacier.
A hero for all of Ladakh, Col Rinchen has been a recipient of the Mahaveer Chakra, one of the highest honours for bravery in India. Not once, but twice including being the youngest ever recipient of the same at the age of 17. According to Army records:
“During the 1971 war, he led his ‘Dhal’ (shield) Force against the Pakistanis in Baltistan. His unorthodox technique based on guerilla warfare resulted in the recapture of Turtok and the creation of what is the Line of Control (LoC).” [continue reading…]
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Army,
Colonel Chewang Rinchen,
Ladakh,
Nubra Valley
The snout of the Siachen Glacier
It may seem unfair to have a war zone like the Siachen Glacier in Ladakh. Both Pakistan and India spend hundreds of millions dollars every year and lose any number of lives facing off for what may seem like an inconsequential mass of ice. But then who said conflicts are about fairness and being reasonable?
When a place is as well known as Siachen, especially for reasons of war, you approach it with mixed expectations. How does a zone always in a state of battle preparedness look like? What is the body language and state of mind of soldiers in these situations? What do they make of civilians out on a ‘picnic,’ even if they are guests of a senior colleague?
Under normal circumstances, one is not allowed within about fifty kilometers of this area unless you have Army clearance. The region had seen little or no exchange of fire over the past couple of years – I may not have been able to make a visit had it been otherwise. [continue reading…]
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Army,
Bofors,
india,
Ladakh,
Nubra,
pakistan,
Siachen
Click on the image for a larger view
Everything in Ladakh is a world record. At least when it comes to altitudes. And the Army does not want to be left behind on this. They claim to have the world’s highest transit camp at Pang – at 15,640 feet above sea level.
Located between Sarchu and Leh, this camp has been set up as a stop for the armed forces who take this route between the areas bordering Pakistan and China and the rest of the country. I would have passed it by as just one more transit camp on this route, its lofty coordinates notwithstanding, but I was sick. Very sick. [continue reading…]
Tagged as:
Altitude Sickness,
Army,
Himalayas,
Ladakh,
Pang
The agricultural produce in Nubra Valley is clearly not enough for economic sustainability
If you thought the Army’s job was only to defend the country’s borders, think again. They have also been entrusted with the responsibility of boosting local economies in rural areas along the international borders, especially conflict zones.
On a visit to Siachen Glacier, a strategically important base for the Indian Army on the border with Pakistan, in the Nubra Valley, the Commanding Officer (CO) who was showing me around told me ways in which the Army was promoting entrepreneurship in the area. Even though many parts of the region look green, agriculture was just enough to feed the locals but is not a commercially sustainable activity. They even have apple trees bearing fruit, but they lose out to farmers who do not have to transport their produce over such long distances to the paying markets.
The Army lends a hand by buying local produce instead of relying on supplies coming from far. For their transport needs, for which their own vehicles are never sufficient, they hire vehicles from locals. Assured of business from the Army, villagers feel confident about breaking even on their investments within a reasonable amount of time.
Clearly, tourism is the surest way for locals to have a regular source of income. Running their cars as taxis is quite lucrative, and a safe investment knowing the Army will send assured business their ways. The SUVs can earn them Rs. 2,000 (US$ 45) a day – a handsome sum in these parts even if they get business only 4-5 months a year. The locals are also being trained to start home stays for tourists, and this includes helping them build amenities like modern toilets, teaching them housekeeping skills and telling them how to prepare and serve decent meals. While there were no signs yet of quality home stays, it may just be a matter of time before the offerings move up the value curve. The backpackers are happy though, with access to cheap but basic home stays.
Not all efforts pay off though according to the CO. For example, he showed me a greenhouse near the hotel I was staying at: the Army had built it for growing plants under controlled conditions, but no one seemed interested in using it.
For the Army, such development and relationship building also means they can count on the support of the locals especially when India and its neighbours engage in battle – and these can be triggered off at the slightest provocation lasting from a few minutes to many months. To use a political cliché, winning the hearts and minds of the local population may be as important to winning wars and training and equipment.
Tagged as:
Army,
Economy,
Entrepreneurship,
Himalayas,
Ladakh,
Rural
