UNWEPT, UNHONOURED AND UNSUNG - OBITUARY GEN SAGAT SINGH

UNWEPT, UNHONOURED AND UNSUNG

By

V.K. Singh

            On 4^th October 2001, there was a small obituary in the newspaper announcing the passing away of Lieutenant General Sagat Singh in the Army Hospital at Delhi on the 26^th of September. I wonder how many people wept for the gallant soldier. Not many are aware of his achievements and his contribution to the Nation, which unfortunately have not received the recognition they merit.

            Sagat was without doubt the most outstanding Indian combat military leader of modern times. He was commissioned in 1941 in the Bikaner State Forces, and afterwards joined the 3^rd Gorkha Rifles. He commanded 2/3 Gorkha Rifles and then went on to command the elite Parachute Brigade. He did his probation as a brigadier, sometimes doing two ‘jumps’ in a day to earn his wings. In 1961, while commanding 50 Parachute Brigade, he was allotted a subsidiary task during the operations for the capture of Goa, code named ‘Vijay’. The main thrust was to be undertaken by 17 Division, which was allotted all the resources, such as artillery, transport and bridging equipment for the task. Twenty hours later, while main the thrust was still floundering, Sagat had reached Panjim and Goa was in Indian hands.

 In 1965, Sagat was commanding a division in Sikkim. The Chinese issued an ultimatum and the Indians were asked to vacate certain border posts. Orders were issued by higher headquarters to vacate Nathula and Jelepla. At that time, the political and military leadership was still haunted by the spectre of the Chinese attack in 1962, and no one wanted to take risks. Sagat refused to vacate Nathula, while Jelepla in the neighbouring division was vacated. (Even today, Nathula is with us while Jelepla is with the Chinese). Two years later, Sagat decided to demarcate the border along the watershed and physically walked along the ridgeline. Seeing no reaction from the Chinese, he decided to erect a fence along the border. The situation became tense and the Chinese opened fire. Sagat was prepared, and the Indians returned the fire effectively and there were many casualties from both sides. This was the first time after 1962 that the Chinese got a ‘bloody nose’ and the myth of their invincibility was broken.

Sagat’s finest hour came in 1971 when he was commanding 4 Corps. His crossing of the Meghna river on 10^th December using an ‘air bridge’ of helicopters is still rated as one of most brilliant tactical manoeuvres in the history of the Indian Army. In fact, it was the crossing of the Meghna that tilted the scales and the outcome of the war was no longer in doubt. No wonder, Indira Gandhi ran down the stairs, her hair and sari flying, when she was informed of Sagat’s exploit. In truth, Sagat was the real victor of the 1971 war, a fact that went almost unrecognised. In fact, Sagat received no gallantry awards throughout his career, in spite of his exceptional performance on the battlefield.

Sagat is no more. He was the most brilliant military strategist the Indian Army has produced. He never failed in a military operation. In fact he always exceeded his brief and did more than he was asked to do. The Indian Army and the Indian Nation owe him a lot. It is a pity that he passed away with nary a word of praise from any of our political leaders. One has heard of soldiers falling in foreign fields, unwept, unhonoured and unsung. But Sagat breathed his last in the Nation’s capital. The old adage about God and the soldier being remembered only in adversity was never so true.