A Day of Remembrance - 18/01/2025

 A day of remembrance. Dad (Major General Rajendra Nath, PVSM (Retd) passed away on 18th January 2024, running well into his 98th year. A year which passed by two quickly, such is life. We had the Barsi as we say in December 2024 as per our traditions, but it’s one year to the day today. At night he was quite ok on all parameters but in the morning he quietly passed away after a brief period of stress. That is how it is. A year gone by but though I know I am being irrational, the fact is on all major occasions, I do miss him. And our discussions, our reading and assessment of varied issues. Even when posted away, this continued over the phone. He read voraciously and mainly on matters of security and the impact of the economy and culture and religion on security. This along with the Society for Care of The Blind were his lifelong passions. And commitment. A true patriot and nationalist in the true sense of the term. And the ability to strike a relation comfortably from the senior most political leader to the senior most bureaucrat to the wealthy and then the one’s in low profile roles. His goal was we can all do it. India must progress. I must state here his love for the Army and specially his Regiment, the 11 Gorkha Rifles. He was among the first two officers to join the newly raised regiment in 1947 and this gave him a strong sense of belonging and actually ownership which just never went away. He dedicated his flagship book, Military Leadership in India - Rig Veda to 1971 - to 11 GR. My late mom, Krishna, she passed away eight years before he did, supported him fully through thick and thin. His anchor in this world. He was the first Army Officer to reconnoitre the Aksai Chin Region in 1952 but for political cum strategic reasons an award or decoration eluded him. Only in the past few years has this been highlighted. And the denial of due recognition not only to him but to the fact that we as a nation ignored the Chinese interests in the area as reported by him. On this occasion I must acknowledge the role of 17 Punjab in saving his life when his lungs collapsed at high altitude in 1969 while commanding a Brigade in Sikkim facing the Chinese. And thanks to his orderly, Amber Bahadur( 11 GR), who for reasons known only to him, pleaded and placed a copy of the Hanuman Chalisa in his great coat. Dad took months to recover. This also has to include 62 Mountain Brigade which he commanded with distinction in the 1971 War in Bangladesh, from 23rd November 1971 to 16th December 1971. Suadih, Magura, Faridpur, Madhumani, Kunarkhalli being his main battles. And crossing the River Madhumati at night on an amphibious tank, sitting on the hull, that was his way and leadership, swagger and all. Our gratitude to the 2/9 GR, 5 Maratha LI, 4 Sikh LI and 45 Cavalry and also 7 Guards, as they were with the Brigade he commanded during the war. He had a splendid tenure as Commandant Indian Military Academy and invited both the Field Marshals and well that is another story about what really went wrong in 1948. He did warn the GoI while commanding Punjab, Haryana and HP Area about the tensions and what later happened, in the early 1980s, but that is for another day. He remained closely associated with the Govt of Punjab during a pronouced sensitive and crucial period well after retirement too. The Society for Care of The Blind and The Institute for The Blind, from one room in 1982 to classrooms, hostels and a full fledged institution by the time he quit in 2019 was the love of his life, second only to his beloved family. He spent a lifetime there. With utmost dedication and honesty and commitment. He loved his family and his grandkids and I feel blessed he could love his great grand daughter before he passed away. Even picking up her while being frail. My thanks to his nurses, Kirandeep, Kiran, Manpreet, our Jeeves, Ajay Yadav and Shivani, who looked after him so very well and so lovingly through his illness and to the dedicated Pulmonology Team at Fortis Hospital (Dr Mandal, Dr Kaushal, Dr Yogesh) Mohali and Dr Simi Waraich. And Dr S Prabhakar and Dr MM Lal. Dr Satyam. Who looked after him so well. Warrior, Scholar, Patriot, a true family man, a committed social worker and writer and columnist, he combined all these roles effectively. Ruthless in war and in counter insurgency and taking on Naxalites but a kind soul and a leader with empathy always. In Nagaland and Mizoram his unit had the most cordial relations with the citizens.. An inspiration for many and to us in the family. Missing him today.

From Gen Satish Nambiar

Dear Diniesh. As I was surfing the net this evening I came across your post that brought back a host of great memories of the days I spent in Jammu from mid 1963 to end 1965 as GSO 3 (Ops) at the Divisional Headquarters, when your father was the Brigade Major at the Brigade Headquarters in Samba. It was my privilege to have worked with him, learnt so much from him, and to have received his affection and guidance; including during the 1965 War in the Sialkot Sector. I remained in touch with him over the years, including after retirement as the Director, United Service Institution of India. I post this because of the fond recollections I have of his professional abilities and more so, his abiding sense of humour; both traits I imbibed from him, and my so many other mentors, as I progressed in the great profession of arms. My best wishes to all of in the family. And may his soul rest in peace.

Gen PK Batra

Dol hai to phir teri yaad mein aaj dard hoga zaroor. hamare Cdr Saheb

Bro, he was a loving father, and an outstanding soldier leader, loved by his juniors. he will always be missed

and he set a bar, as a human being, as a borther, aas a son, a  father, and I do feel that we are unconsciously trying to rise to it