1971 War - Maj Gen Rajendra Nath, PVSM (Retd) - (Dad) As Commander 62 Mountain Brigade – Bangladesh (East Pakistan) Theatre.

 Maj Gen Rajendra Nath, PVSM (Retd) - Dad

As Commander 62 Mountain Brigade – 1971 War – Bangladesh (East Pakistan) Theatre.

Compiled by Dinesh K Kapila

(Subject to further additions and to read Down Madhumati Road and 45 Cavalry in Bangladesh – also on my blog in addition).

Major General Rajendra Nath, PVSM (Retd) as Brigadier Commanded 62 Mountain Brigade in the 1971 War. The Brigade comprised of the 5 Maratha Light Infantry (Lt Col JP Torpy),  4 Sikh Light Infantry (Lt Col SS Deshpande) and 2/9 Gorkha Rifles (Lt Col PN Kackar). For some time during the war, 9 Dogra was also placed with the 62 Mountain Brigade along with a squadron of 45 Cavalry, as was also the APC Company of 7 Punjab. The 62 Mountain Brigade, as a part of the 4 Mountain Division, launched four full fledged battles during the war, as also a series of comparatively smaller battles, these were Jibannagar, a series of attacks along the River Bhairab, Hansadaha, Suadih, Kanyenagar, Kotchandpur, Kaliganj,  Magura and Madhumati.

(As Debadyuti Dasgupta writes in a Blog on FB, Remembering Major General Rajinder Nath for his services in the Bangladesh Liberation war of 1971. These are pictures of Major General Rajendra Nath, a Brigadier back in the war, commander of the 62nd Mountain Brigade. Exactly 49 years ago, the boys of this Brigade, under this valiant commander, captured the leftovers of Pakistan's 9th Infantry Division in this battle. My salutes to this man with a remarkable moustache! Bearing a towering personality, Brigadier Rajinder Nath was commissioned to the 11th Gorkha Rifles on 21st December, 1947. Serving in the army for the next 11 years, he attended the Canadian Army staff college course for two years from 1959-1961. Then, he joined as an instructor for the DSSC from 1965-1968.  And then came the 1971 Bangladesh Liberation war. Under the 4th Mountain Division of Major General MS Brar, was the 62nd Mountain Brigade, and the command of this Brigade was handed to Brigadier Rajendra Nath. The 45th Cavalry, who had one of it's Squadrons allotted to the support for the 14th Punjab in the Battle of Garibpur, had it's A Squadron, allotted to the 62nd Mountain Brigade as well, commanded by Major PK Batra writes D Dasgupta). 

Reverting to the details - Details The Battle of Suadih was one of the hardest fought actions by the 62 Brigade. There were 50 casualties at Suadih (12 killed, 38 wounded), with four Vir Chakras, Two Sena Medals and One MiD awarded. During the battle of Kaliganj, the Brigade suffered 58 casualties (17 killed, 41 wounded).

On 3^rd December, the Sikh LI moved from the south of Jadabpur area, five kilometres from Jibannagar, with the rest of the Brigade moving up on 4^th December night with a squadron of tanks from 45 Cavalry. The 5 MLI dominated the road to Kotchandpur. The 2/9 GR attacking through the Marathas, captured the dispensary area and the bridge on the Bhairab. Maj AP Dutta of 2/9 GR was awarded the Vir Chakra, during the attack, he lost radio contact with two of his platoons, despite this he gallantly led the attack with the company headquarters and one platoon. In the face of heavy fire, he captured the position. Brigadier Rajendra Nath was all through with the Battalion Commander as the attack went in and complimented Major Dutta after the attack concluded. 

 (D Dasgupta meanwhile has described this as - Together, the tanks of the 45 Cav and boys of the 62nd Mountain Brigade began their march into Bangladesh. Together, they first attacked the border town of Jibannagar. The battle of Jibannagar was the first battle to be fought by the 62nd Mountain Brigade, as well as for the entire 4th Division of the Indian army, and they blew out the Pakistani defenses from there. Then followed the Battle of Swadhi, where the 50 Punjab Battalion of the Pakistani army had taken up a higher ground with bunkers and strong fortifications, while Anti tank mines covered the entry into their defensive lines. So, the tanks of 45 Cavalry, were again brought in and from long range, the PT-76 tanks blew up the bunkers with HE shells. These bunkers held machine gun positions and as they fell, the boys of the 62nd Mountain Brigade, charged at the Pakistani Battalion. But the 50 Punjab was smart and got a hint beforehand that their positions were eventually going to be overrun by this valiant Brigadier, so they managed to pull out from their in time. They retreated, leaving 50 Pakistani soldiers, all KIA in the heat of battle. Subsequently, Jhenidah fell to the 62nd Mountain Brigade, and so did Magura. The town of Magura was held by the battered Pakistanis who were beaten up badly in Jhenidah, and a Company of Skot APCs of 45th Cavalry and troops of the 5th Maratha Light infantry moved in to clear up the town. They were so fast in the advance that the Pakistanis were overwhelmed in the attack. They were so overwhelmed from the all sided attacks of the Indian army that they just fled from the town- barely fighting back! ).

The Brigade next moved onto Kotchandpur while containing Khalispur. The main defences were concentrated by the Pakistan Army at Suadih. The 9 Dogras and 5 Maratha LI were tasked for this operation, with a squadron of 45 Cavalry and the 7 Field Regiment in support. At Suadih,  a village north east of Shahpur, a nullah (drainage channel) connected two smaller channels, these were one to two metres deep and 45 to 90 metres wide. West of Suadih is ran through a marsh. The Pakistanis were supposed to be a company strong but turned to be a battalion strong (50 Punjab) entrenched in strong bunkers with over head protection and the infantry element was supported by two 105 mm guns, two 3.7 inch howitzers and six 82 mm mortars. Anti tank and anti personnel mines had also been planted.

The Dogras probes had shown that the rail bridge over the nullah had been destroyed. The Bttalion had suffered seven casualties in probing attacks near Mankdih and Silindia, though they managed to push a Pakistani screen position back behind the nullah. Brigadier Rajendra Nath decided to capture Suadih with a left hook, followed by a punch from the front. In phase one, the Marathas were to deliver the left hook by outflanking the enemy position at Suadih from the North, after capturing the village they were to exploit up to the site of the rail bridge. In phase two the Dogras were to attack frontally from their base  west of the rail bridge and clear the enemy upto Kanyanagar. Phase two was to commence only after the Marathas had worked their way to the rail bridge.

By 9 am on 4^th December, the Marathas had concentrated at Panka, west of the nullah, together with two troops of armour. This was after overcoming stiff resistance on 3^rd December. The plan was to company to to cross the Bagmara Bil from the North and establish a road block in the rear covering the axis Suadih Bhomradanga. The tack on Suadih was to occur in three phases, starting at 11 am. The defences north of the village were to be tackled first, followed by those in the centre and the south, a troop of tanks was to be used for the last phase. One company and troop of tanks was to provide covering fire.

The marsh and the nullahs and marshes adequately covered the western approaches to Suadih. The Pakistanis, logically assessing that the attack would be from the North, had deployed a company for its defence, across a kilometre. The first phase of the attack by the Marathas ran into serious difficulties. Partly also because the communications partially failed between the forward observation officer and his, the fire plan could not be modified. The assault company was given a troop of armour as support and ordered to go all out.

The tanks started shooting up the bunkers occupied by the Pakistanis, the Maratha officers and JCOs led from the front. There was no radio communication between the armour and the company, personal contact in full view of the Pakistanis was the only solution. The Company Commander, Major PK Chatterjee, showed leadership of the highest order and brought his company within 20 metres of the enemy defences, and the charge was sounded with the Battle Cry. It was a grim battle, fought with rare ferocity by both sides. The History of 4 Division states –

The Pakistanis fought back with rare ferocity and the battle that developed was grim. The Battle of Suadih was one of the hardest fought actions of the Division and both the Marathas and Dogras fought with valour.

32 Pakistanis were killed in action, with the Marathas underging 6 killed and 22 injured. They captured four medium machine guns, two RCL Guns, rifles and radio sets etc. Two Indian tanks  were also knocked out of action. Three Vir Chakras, two Sena Medals and one MiD were awarded.

Meanwhile the Dogras were facing problems of their own. The GOC of 4 Division ordered them in before the Marathas were in control, and that too without armour support or artillery, it was assumed the positions were lightly held. The first attack at 5  pm cost 28 cauaslites, one officer and one JCO killed and two JCOs injured included. At 6 pm, the second assault went in, they got closer but faced intense opposition, 2/Lt Bhrat Singh Kasana, showing immense courage, neutralised one bunker, inspite of heavy artillery and machine gun fire, then got stuck at another bunker, he was injured and went on regardless and ultimately was killed by bullets to his forehead.He was awarded the Vir Chakra.

The Marathas now went in as originally planned, at around 10 pm. They succeeded and thereafter the Dogras and Maratjhas started mopping up positions at Madarbere and Kanyenagar by launching a number of smaller attacks. The Pakistanis withdrew leaving behind burnt vehicles and equipment. Two Maratha soldiers were awarded Vir Chakras, one posthumously while two Dogra soldiers were awarded Sena Medals, one posthumously.

Brigadier Rajendra Nath remained in close contact all the way including moving up to the frontal positions and in between taking time out to meet the injured at the field medical stations.  One officer he remembers was lying injured, the Doctors had sort of given up hope, on impulse he shouted in his ear, fight young man, fight, don’t give up, you will dance, there is life in you. The Officer survived and remained in touch with him for years.                 

Though not easy, after such a tough battle, the Brigade regrouped moved up by 6 am on December 5^th and entered Kothandpur by 1030 hours and took control by 2 pm. By 430 pm the Sikh LI battalion had cleared Khalispur and linked up with the Gorkhas. The next objective was Kaliganj, an important junction. A troop of armour and a APC Company from 7 Punjab were provided for the advance. The Marathas took up the pursuit and got stuck at Milestone 2, South of Elangi. 2/Lt MR Ghanekar was sent out on a reconnaissance and got involved in hand to hand fighting wherein he was killed along with a sepoy and two sepoys wounded and two machine gun posts were destroyed. The reconnaissance  indicated the Pakistanis were well entrenched at a vantage position. Bigadier Rajendra Nath, after personally conducting a series of frontal inspections, ordered the Marathas and Silk Li to deal with the immediate opposition while the Gorkhas made a wide outflanking move alomg the Darsana Jessore railway line. Their task was to set up a roadblock at around two kilometres west of  Nishchintpur, by 4 pm the next day.

The Marathas sent out two patrols at 1 am on December Sixth, found Elangi was lightly held and secured the village but then underwent intense shelling causing 36 casualties (10 killed, 26 wounded). The CO was injured, he was awarded the MVC and for a few days Major CK Karumbaya commanded the Battalion. Thereafter the advance resumed with the Sikh LI passing through the Maratha LI and then realised the that the Pakistanis were well entrenched at Chota Ghighati. On a road through marshes, two Pakistani companies held the position with a troop of 105 mm guns in support along with six 82 mm mortars and 18 MMGs and LMGs. They laid down heavy fire.

An outflanking attack was decided by Brigadier Rajendra Nath. The Sikh Li was to deliver the left hook and the Marathas the front while Gorkhas laid a roadblock. The battle raged fiercely from 3 pm to 8 pm. The Pakistanis suffered 23 casualties killed in action. On December 7^th The Gorkhas cleared Nishchintpur by 815 am and then speedily clearing and taking diversions, Kaliganj was captured by 11  am. The History of 4 Division states, With the stage thus set, the enemy hardly had a chance. All the same, he fought fanatically.

The Brigade suffered 58 casualties, one Officer, One JCO ad 15 sepoys killed and 41 wounded including four officers.  The Pakistanis retreated blowing up a major bridge and a smaller bridge and the Gorkhas cleared a few enemy pockets speedily and were then accorded along with Brigadier Rajendra Nath a rapturous welcome. Shouts of Joy Bangla were all around. The speedy capture of Kaliganj had a major impact on  9 Division too as Jessore fell soon afterwards.                  

Now the Brigade geared up  for Magura. This town on the banks of the River Kumar was 26 kilometre east of Jhenida. An all weather road connected it to Jessore and since the 9^th Pakistan Division was expected to fall back to Magura, it was considered too important to be ignored. Earlier the 50(Independent) Para Brigade was tasked to capture Magura but the 62 Mountain Brigade, with a squadron (less two troops) of armour and the APC Company of 7 Punjab made a quick dash for Magura. Observors have given Brigadier Rajendra Nath credit for the elan and sheer leadership displayed all through and particularly in the dash for Magura.  Reconnaissance showed the Pakistanis had destroyed the bridge over the Bagabati River through the Kaliganj Jhenida road and hence track through Naldanga was used. Brigadier Rajendra Nath found the race or rather the dash exhilarating and so did his troops. He still remembers commandeering Pakistani vehicles and using them during the dash and the sheer excitement all around as the Brigade went for it. He himself drove a Pakistani Army Jeep and rather enjoyed it. The race began on 8^th December at 530 am when the Maratha LI vanguard, mounted on tanks, made for Jhenida. By 8 am the link ups of the units was in place, the Brigade column set off at 1 PM. The reports indicated the Pakistani forces were being set up for battle but with the swift advance of the Brigade, the main elements retreated and they were unable to destroy the Bridge over the Kumar River too. They narrowly missed capturing the Divisional Commander of the Pakistanis. A small column of Pakistanis saw the entry of the Brigade and the senior officers but did not choose to fight set fire to their vehicles on the main road to delay the movement, the leading Indian tanks brushed aside the vehicles. The entry of Indian troops into Magura led to scenes of absolute joy and it was an unprecedented crowd which greeted the Brigade. Next, the Brigade was associated with the capture of Kushtia, however the Maratha LI stayed behind along with a mountain battery to contain the enemy on the Madhumati. In the battle of Magura, the Indian army had completely broken the backs of the enemy.

 

(To revert back to D Dasgupta, But still, Brigadier sahib's final moment of glory was not achieved! It was a historical moment that was to be achieved by the Indian army under his command, a moment still a day away! Came 14th December, and the Indian army was by now strangling it's way into Dacca. Troops of the 101 Communication zone were the closest to Dacca and for the 4th Division to close in towards the Padma river to the west of Dacca, the towns of Kamarkhali, Modhukhali and Faridpur, needed to be captured. And to capture the next town- Kamarkhali, came the Madhumati river as an obstruction!  The Brigade didn't have any equipments or the ability to get a Bailey bridge up or anything solid to rely upon to cross the river, but the boys marked out the shallowest part of the river. The shallowest areas were some 15-20 feet deep and some 500 yards across to cross, with the river water current being some 4 knots.  So, Brigadier sahib came up with a really risky idea. He rounded up the PT-76 tanks, and ordered Major PK Batra to get his tanks into the water!!
Even he assured him that he himself, will be on the lead tank that will dash into the water first.

(D Dasgupta continues - Now, PT-76 tanks are light Russian tanks that were suitable for small amphibious operations but for a larger river like Madhumati, it was still horribly risky. Still, the battle was depended on this crossing. On the other side of the river were the leftovers of 50 Punjab and 38 Frontier Force of the Pakistani army. So, the last floatation checks were done on the PT-76 tanks in the dead of the night of 15 December and the entire 62nd Mountain Brigade with Brigadier Rajendra Nath himself on the first tank, slowly but steadily, crossed the river. The 4th Sikh Light infantry crossed first on the tanks while local Bengalis voluntarily gave their boats for the others to cross. The boys of the 2/9 Gorkhas hopped on these boats and crossed the river. And not a single tank or infantry, was lost in the crossing! The Pakistani army and even young officers of the Brigade, were not sure whether they would be able to cross the river, but these brave boys had achieved more than what they expected!! The 4 Sikh Light infantry crossed and rallied up behind the enemy positions, while the 2/9 GR and the tanks lined up for the attack. As the dawn of 16 December cracked up with the first sunrise of a liberated Bangladesh, the valiant Gorkhas scrramed and charged at the enemy, with the PT-76 tanks forming up the backbone of the attack. The bewildered Pakistanis, being scared shitless and surprised, were no match for this Blitzkrieged style attack and were smashed in their defenses. Meanwhile, from the rear, the Sikh Light infantry kept cutting through their defenses, distracting and reducing the enemy's counter fire on the tanks and the Gorkhas. The Pakistani defense was made up of nearly 3000 soldiers- what was left of the their 9th Infantry Division, and by morning, the entire division was down to scraps in the hands of the 62nd Mountain Brigade. GOC of the 9th Infantry Division- Major league Ansari, surrendered to Brigadier Rajendra Nath! )

Coming back to the detailed picture, The Marathas actively scouted the area and on December 12^th they sent out a letter through two captured Razakars for surrender. The men were badly mauled and the Pakistanis indicated they would fight. Sporadic exchange of artlliery and mortar fire continued. On 13^th December the 62 Brigade gathered on the west bank of the River Madhumati for the attack. 7 Brigade also joined in. Kamarkhali was the main objective. The Pakistani forces had meanwhile got the time to build up their positions. The 4 Sikh I crossed on the 14/15 December night at 1230 am and the Gorkhas followed by 0430 am. Brigadier Rajendra Nath went across personally in the amphibious crossing by the light tanks of 45 Cavalry. The Brigade had to launch two battalion size attacks before the Pakistanis withdrew.  By 1115 am the Gorkhas seized Duman, with 12 enemy dead on the battlefield. They carried the momentum to capture Nischintpur next but then got held up at Lakshmipura and Banakadi. Lance Naik Om Bahadur Chetri exhibited great gallantry and inspite of being injured by machine gun fire, he took on the machine gun position, but died soon after. He was awarded the Vir Chakra posthumously. The Marathas, who crossed over at 1100 am, established a road block at Kalaikanda. Marshy terrain made movement difficult and so did enemy firing. The Marathas reached Madhukali unopposed. The Pakistani forces (9 Div) met Brigadier Rajendra Nath and Lt Col Torpy on the Faridpur Road and they were advised there would be no negotiations as requested by them but only an unconditional surrender was in order. Maj Gen MA Ansari of the Pakistani Forces along with his senior officers then gave themselves up and the formal surrender ceremony was  organised later for the 4 Division GOC. Col Ansari returned with Brigadier Rajendra Nath to Faridpur, with Brigadier Rajendra Nath driving the Toyota Jeep. The Marathas had captured Faridpur and the Garrison including the Divisional Staff surrendered there to Brigadier Rajendra Nath. The Pakistani Officers were understandably bitter but would often say the lasting friendship with Bangladesh would elude India too.            

What irked and angered Brigadier Rajendra Nath during the war was the sheer brutality exhibited by the Pakistani forces, specially upon the hapless minority community in East Pakistan and the vandalization of places of worship too. A couple of cases of extremely harmful treatment to some of his personnel who were captured were noted too. Suitable retribution was meted out and this cooled the ardour of the Pakistani forces for such misadventures.

He also observed that there was a deep bitterness amongst many of the Pakistani JCOs and men about having to surrender and some were even seen to be chastising their officers.

There were narrow escapes too for Brigadier Rajendra Nath, once he escaped an ambush and another time narrowly escaped sniper fire while his escort officer was seriously injured. Once the Pakistani artillery zeroed in on his convoy and he was thrown out of his jeep by the shelling and remembers the Brigade Major shouting we have lost the Commander, but though badly dazed, he was unscathed.

His beloved units gave him small trophies after the war, the one by 2/9 GR is most interesting, in honour of thee battles we fought together, Bangladesh – 23^rd Nov 1971 – 16^th Dec 1971 ! The fact is he had already crossed over into Bangladesh on 23^rd November 1971 ! .    

His juniors I met in subsequent years say He demonstrated drive, determination, leadership and an elan which stood out and motivated his troops to follow him and his orders through the war.

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 Maj Gen Rajendra Nath, PVSM (Retd), born on 26/09/1926, was commissioned in 1947. He was the first Indian Army Officer to reconnoitre the Aksai Chin region in 1952. He commanded 62 Mountain Brigade in the 1971 War.
T.
After the war, Brigadier Rajendra Nath commanded the 10 Infantry Division in J&K and retired as a Major General in 1982. He also became the Commandant of the IMA and was decorated with the Param Vishisht Seva Medal.
Post retirement in 1982, he took to social work and writing on matters military.  The Indian Army and his Regiment, the 11Gorkha Rifles, remain his first love. Post Retirement he organised and oversaw the Institute for the Blind for 38 years, from 1982 to 2020 and made into an institute of excellence. He has written books, reviews and authored over 450 articles on matters military and ensured the Department of Defence Studies is set up at the Punjab University. 

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D Dasgupta writes – at the end of his blog - my salutes to this great man!

Jai Hind!

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