x

Like our Facebook Page

   
Early Times Newspaper Jammu, Leading Newspaper Jammu
 
Breaking News :   PM Modi fulfilled Dr Syama Prasad Mookerjee's dream: LG Sinha | LG joins Zuljinah procession in Downtown Srinagar | Braving terror threats, over 50,000 devotees pay obeisance since July 3 | 7,200 pilgrims leave for Amarnath Yatra | Hizbul Chief among 11 chargesheeted in cross-border narco-terror case | Gadkari’s mega mobility plan: Hyperloop, electric buses, ropeways on fast track | Will recommend reducing GST to 5% on J&K’s Handloom, Handicraft Products: Piyush Goyal | Kashmir would never have become integral part of India without Syama Prasad Mookerjee: Amit Shah | Road connectivity brings offbeat tourist destination into spotlight | Soldier dies of bullet injury from his own rifle | Chopper service remains suspended | Muslims should unite against evil: Dr Farooq | Making Children Fit | Birth Anniversary of Bhagwan Gopinath Ji | Multilingualism in classrooms will increase learning outcomes | Dr. Sanjay Bansal Leads FTII Traders Conclave at SKICC Srinagar | NSF tribute of 39th Death anniversary of Jagjivan Ram | Bharat priye met Sukhpal Singh Kheda, discussed problems of farmers | Three days teacher’s training programme organises | Ravinder meets Congress workers at Nowshera | Langer Sewa Continues for the 6th Consecutive Day | Natrang present superb performance of ‘Hum Hain Pratibhavan’, new play | SBSP leaders visit defunct PHC in Dagarpora Sopore | French Club felicitates educators, celebrates cultural Excellence | DC Bandipora participates in Mourning Procession at Sumbal | Chairperson DDC Kulgam visits Shahoo Sachan, participate in 10th Muharram Procession | Punjab Police foils target killing plot; three arrested | Track relaying train derails on CR's Harbour line; services on Vashi-Panvel route suspended | 10th Day of Muharram; Ashoora procession taken out on in Poonch | Sadhotra lauds cadre for strengthening outreach, upholding NC's core philosophy | Dy CM flags off bus service from Jammu to Kalasara via Sunderbani | Delhi govt will urge SC to allow uniform rules on overage vehicles: CM Gupta | Studying in one's mother tongue instils strong values: CJI Gavai | Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls in Bihar progressing as per order: EC | Delhi air remain cleanest for 11 days in a row; light to moderate rain predicted on Monday | Army doctor helps deliver baby at Jhansi railway platform with hair clip and pocket knife | No change in instructions for SIR in Bihar: EC after advertisement leads to confusion | Modi Govt must table Statehood Bill in upcoming Parliament Session: Rattan Lal Gupta | Kavinder felicitates Gaurav Tyagi for 'Ann Shuddhi Yatra' promoting Healthy India | Samba police nabbed 2 drug peddlers | Satish Sharma advocates digital empowerment, youth led entrepreneurship at FTII Traders Conclave 2025 | Mediterranean and Planetary Health Diets Promote Longevity and Sustainability: Dr Sushil | Javid Dar pays tributes to sacrifices of Hazrat Imam Hussain (AS) | Doctor blacklisted by NMC for taking bribe | Rajnath to inaugurate key defence conclave in Delhi | Dr Mukherjee dedicated his life to the unity and integrity of India: CM Yogi | Bovine smuggling bid foiled | Vaishnaw, Rekha Gupta pay tributes to Syama Prasad Mookerjee in Delhi | Rajouri police booked notorious drug peddler under PITNDPS Act | Rajouri police cracks theft case, three arrested | Brijwasi are part of my family: Hema Malini | Yogi govt set to script history by planting 37 crore saplings in a day on July 9 | U'khand CM enjoys jungle safari in Corbett, plants saplings under 'Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam' campaign | Four killed, one injured as car falls into gorge near Manali | Inter-state cannabis-supply racket busted in Delhi; 5 arrested | Nigerian man living illegally in India held with 200 gm cocaine worth Rs 2 cr | Woman, her son among three dead as truck hits autorickshaw in Gujarat's Patan | 2 held for stabbing cab driver to death over minor altercation in Delhi: Police | We will fight for the betterment of Dogra Community; YRS, DST | BJP leader inspects rain damage in Juthal | JKTJAC holds monthly meeting | Bovine smuggling bid foiled by Doda police | Doda police traced out missing lady, reunites with herfamilies | Apni Party holds workers' meeting | Ashura procession held with religious beliefs at Chanderkote, Ramban | Buddhist Studies Deptt, BTSM JK celebrate 90th birthday of Dalai Lama | Desh Bhagat University, DBU Americas Partner with Datagami Technology to Launch UPI Study Centre | "Each tree is a life - plant one today for a greener tomorrow" | MCM DAV College for Women: Shaping Champions, Setting new Milestones | Deepika's brilliant field goal against Dutch nominated for Magic Skill Award | Women's cricket team gets rousing welcome at India House in London | Gill is a carbon copy of Kohli: Jonathan Trott | India to bid for both 2029 and 2031 World Athletics Championships | Dominant Sakshi wins gold at World Boxing Cup | Back Issues  
 
news details
Making of a General : A Himalayan Echo
1/16/2021 11:31:05 PM
By Lieutenant General Konsam Himalay Singh

Governor of Manipur, Dr Najma Heptulla virtually released the book Making of a General-A Himalayan Echo authored by Lt. Gen. Konsam Himalaya Singh (Retd) at Durbar Hall, Raj Bhavan, Imphal, on January 08, 2021. One of the comments in media was: “The book elegantly summons the essence and imperatives of superior command of one of the most formidable forces in the world”.
Hearing about this book was a pleasant surprise for this writer, who has known the author since the late 1980s when he was a young Captain, posted to Imphal, where this writer was posted also as the Defence Ministry spokesperson. For Himalay, Imphal was a posting to his home state, where he is usually addressed traditionally as Konsam Himalay by family and friends. But in the armed forces circle he became and remains popularly known as ‘KH’.
What many Indians do not know much about is the North East with its earlier seven and now eight states after inclusion of Sikkim. Imphal, the capital of Manipur, was the seat of the Meitei Kingdom, Kangleipak, extending beyond present Manipur, whose army gave the British stiff resistance and was the last of the princely states to come under British rule in 1891. Steeped in arts, culture and sports, one of Manipur’s traditional Meitei games, Sagol Kangjei, was modified by the British in the 1850s as polo. Witnessing a few matches of Sagol Kangjei fascinated the British enough for them to institute polo which became worldwide.
What is also worth knowing is that in the 1830s when the British unleashed missionaries of all denominations of Christianity into India’s vast North Eastern region for conversion of tribal communities, it was only the Meiteis of Manipur and the Ahoms of Assam, who effectively resisted the conversion and maintained their religion as Vaishnav Hindus, elaborately following Vaishnav rituals and thereby developing culturally too.
Although Gen. Singh is modest enough to admit in his book that as a child he was physically weak, shy and scared of heights, he not only became an accomplished mountaineer, but also a military leader who at various levels of commanding troops dealt effectively with the enemy and other challenging situations. Beginning his life in a village, it was with his simple, yet forward and determined approach that he got selected to become an officer and a good leader, but considering that one of his superiors expressed to him that “boss management” was not his strongpoint, it means that his rising to the rank of a Lt. Gen. can be attributed to mainly his competence and as such, very creditable.
Despite belonging to a tradition-bound community, Himalay’s family happily accepted his wife, Mangala, a Maharashtrian, who in turn bonded very well with his family. She is a doctor, who served in the Army, Assam Rifles and later also in the Parliament’s clinic.
Gen. Singh was the first Brigadier and the first Major General from Manipur and the first Lt. Gen. from the North Eastern states. He served in all parts of India’s land borders, including in some of the toughest of terrains and operations- the Kargil war, years near the Line of Control with Pakistan and the Line of Actual Control with China and the Siachen Glacier.
This book is valuable because in each of the chapters titled The Foundation, Unfolding of the Challenges, World’s Highest and Coldest Battlefield, Soldiering on: Towards Ethical Officership and Nation First, the author has made many insightful observations on various aspects of operations, administration, training and leadership, mostly along with sound suggestions/recommendations.
In the chapter, World’s Highest and Coldest Battlefield, Siachen, where the author commanded a battalion, which during that tenure was also pitched into the Kargil confrontation in 1999, some vital aspects are highlighted. One is about the severity of terrain and climatic conditions, combined with the lack of intelligence about Pak army’s intentions and movements in Kargil, which made the confrontation very costly in terms of casualties for Indian Army. Another aspect was of how difficult or complex a task it is to administer to the needs of the Army deployed in such challenging terrain and weather. And yet another aspect is of how sometimes, shoddy staff work or negative attitude of a staff officer denies a unit and its personnel the tributes or acknowledgements they genuinely deserve.
An ironic fact about the Indian Army, whose soldiers were acknowledged worldwide in two great World Wars as being out of the best in the world, have for seven decades since Independence been fighting with the deficiency or absence of some or the other weapon or equipment and almost always winning owing to sheer courage and often with a higher cost of casualties. In the chapter Soldiering On: Towards Ethical Officership. While Indian Army is yet to have a near-ideal assault rifle, despite India’s over forty ordnance factories. Often Indian Army’s military and even non-military enemies-terrorists-have had more sophisticated or superior weapons. There have been instances of the central armed police forces being equipped with better weapons. KH raised this issue. The blame for this cannot always be put on the politico-bureaucratic establishment. The Armed Forces top leadership has to share some such blames.
When Gen Singh was commanding a corps in J&K, former Defence Minister, late Mr. Manohar Parrikar visiting his formation asked before leaving if there was any requirement pending, Gen KH Singh responded by requesting for fast- track supply of good boots for his troops. The Army Chief accompanying Mr. Parrikar, was most taken aback. On a spot check of the troops present there, it turned out that over 90% were wearing privately purchased boots as the ordnance issued ones were of poor quality.
The last chapter Nation First is packed with many insights and analyses of important, complex and far reaching issues related to the security and well-being of the North-Eastern region. The author’s in-depth knowledge of the region and his observations on aspects of ethnicity and demography, particularly related to Manipur and Nagaland are noteworthy.
After Gen Singh’s retirement from service in 2017, his experience and expertise has been made good use of. After a two years stint as head of the State public service commission, he is a member of the State Consultative Committee on the Naga Talks and also a visiting faculty of Department of National Security Studies in the Central Universiy of Manipur, Imphal.
This book is a good reference piece, which should be read by armed forces, central police and intelligence officers, scholars, analysts and particularly, bureaucrats and politicians related to national security and the North East.
Reviewed by Col Anil Bhat
  Share This News with Your Friends on Social Network  
  Comment on this Story  
 
 
 
Early Times Android App
STOCK UPDATE
  
BSE Sensex
NSE Nifty
 
CRICKET UPDATE
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
   
Home About Us Top Stories Local News National News Sports News Opinion Editorial ET Cetra Advertise with Us ET E-paper
 
 
J&K RELATED WEBSITES
J&K Govt. Official website
Jammu Kashmir Tourism
JKTDC
Mata Vaishnodevi Shrine Board
Shri Amarnath Ji Shrine Board
Shri Shiv Khori Shrine Board
UTILITY
Train Enquiry
IRCTC
Matavaishnodevi
BSNL
Jammu Kashmir Bank
State Bank of India
PUBLIC INTEREST
Passport Department
Income Tax Department
JK CAMPA
JK GAD
IT Education
Web Site Design Services
EDUCATION
Jammu University
Jammu University Results
JKBOSE
Kashmir University
IGNOU Jammu Center
SMVDU