TERRITORIALS: Value of Part-Time Forces

TERRITORIALS: Value of Part-Time Forces: "Ever since the inception of volunteer system all over the world, there is a feeling that the part-time forces have been commonly misunder..."

TERRITORIALS: Part-Time Soldiers During World War I

TERRITORIALS: Part-Time Soldiers During World War I: "The performance of Australian non professional officers and generals during World War I was given high praise by David Lloyd George in his ..."

DO WE DESERVE A GOOD NATION?

Many a times I used think that how come a handful of merchants came to this country from nowhere and became our masters to such an extent that we still preach their ideologies even after 60 years of departure. Were they so good or we were so bad? I think the answer lies somewhere else and that is our character as a nation. We never got united for a common cause and if someone dared to do that he or she was outclassed overwhelmingly.

Intellectuals became the obedient servants and our institutions became pillars of their power. We never even dared to change these institutions even after the independence.. Result is here in front us... Moral fabric of all institutions has broken apart. People have lost complete faith..

One important mention is the Indian National Army of Subhash Chandra Bose which was treated as an outfit of characterless Indian soldiers by our own people serving in the Indian Army (same people went on to become the Generals post independence).. Contrary to this, the British had great respect for the INA. In 1945 when the same army was tried in the famous Red Fort Trial, entire nation stood for it and the great intellectuals of this country were left with no option but to defend this outfit as the real army of India. Everyone defended it including Mahatama Gandhi and Nehru...

This army (not surprisingly) was dumped immediately after independence by our own people.

Now in 2011....... We are witnessing a similar situation in the form of Anna Hazare and Ram Dev.... Intellectuals are out to defame them notwithstanding the fact on the cause of their fight. They are debating for the manner of it..

Do we need all this? History may tell us more....

(Published by the team of INDIAN ANALYSIS)

TERRITORIALS: INDIAN ARMY OF BRITISH RAJ

TERRITORIALS: INDIAN ARMY OF BRITISH RAJ: "Indian army was primarily used as a tool of Imperialistic aspirations by the United Kingdom until 1947 and even up to 1950 after independenc..."

TERRITORIALS: The Greatest Ever Soldier of Modern Indian Army Wa...

TERRITORIALS: The Greatest Ever Soldier of Modern Indian Army Wa...: "Robert Clive can truly be hailed as the greatest ever soldier of the modern Indian army which primarily inherits the legacy of the Briti..."

What a Weak Response??

Response to the sole speaker of CONGRESS...

• If Baba was a cheat then why was the Govt negotiating with him till last moment?
• Why was he given the protocol of a head of a state at the airport?
• What was the provocation at midnight?
• How come women and children were a threat to law and order under section 144?
• Couldn't 've have the police waited till morning?
• Why only Diggy is speaking? Where is the so called crowned YUVRAJ of the party?
• Where is the PM?
• At last where is Sonia Gandhi?

Published by the team of INDIAN ANALYSIS

Virtual Death of Indian Democracy

India's Democratic Values Shattered at Midnight in the Heart of National Capital.....What a Shame???

Published by the team of INDIAN ANALYSIS

ABCD of Indian Politics

The ABCD of Indian politics...

• Avoid (initially)
• Bypass (on pressure)
• Confuse (on extreme pressure)
• Do it (when there is no option left)

Today while interacting with the media at Delhi, Mr Kapil Sibbal and Mr P Chidambaram followed the ABCD of Indian Politics in true letter and spirit. They said that the government of India wants to generate a common consensus of the proposed LOKPAL BILL.

Whether to bring the office of PM and the Judiciary in the ambit of LOKPAL can not be decided by the committee alone. They need to have a feedback from all quarters of the power.

Bottom Line... They are seeking the opinion of a would be criminal that if you commit a crime in future, should I be investigating you or not?

Larger issue..... India had enough of politicians and many more lawyers and now politicians. What we lack are leaders and statesmen in this country. People who can rise above personal gains and think only about national interest.

On the issue of LOKPAL... Politicians have forgotten that India is not a Monarchy or a Colony.

Every institution is accountable to citizens and no one can claim clemency in a democracy.

Published by the team of INDIAN ANALYSIS

PART-TIME FORCES AFTER 1857

"India's part-time forces were completely reorganized after the Great Indian Mutiny of 1857. This was primarily with an objective of avoiding any future conflict of similar nature with a better response mechanism. The idea was two fold; to train and arm all British civilians in the art of soldiering so that they are able to respond to any contingency and also to provide standing reserves to reinforce the regular forces........................"

Readers may click the following link to read more on the subject:

http://territorials.blogspot.com/2011/04/part-time-forces-after-1857.html

INDIAN TERRITORIAL ARMY

New entry on the Territorial...

"Popularly known as the Citizens' Army, Territorial Army is an organization of gainfully employed Indian citizens who are not professional soldiers but amateurs who have a passion and love for the country and who are eager to contribute their spare time for obtaining military training so that, in the event of a national emergency, they can play their part to meet the internal security needs and contribute their might in the defence of their motherland..........."

To read more readers may click on the following link:

http://territorials.blogspot.com/2011/04/indian-territorial-army.html

Origin of India's Territorial Forces

To view this post kindly click the title or the link below:

http://territorials.blogspot.com/2011/04/origin-of-indias-territorial-forces.html

TERRITORIALS

The Blog aims to analyse the past, present and future trends of India's territorial forces and also popularize the concept of citizen soldiering. To view, please click the title or the link below:

http://territorials.blogspot.com/

Major Gonville's Honor Finally Restored in India

New Cantonment Cemetery, Allahabad Now Looks Like This

Major Gonville's Grave Now

New Cantonment Cemetery, Allahabad in February 2010 Before its was Mentioned in My Blog

Broken Memorial of Major Gonville alongside the Regimental Memorial of 24th Regiment

Major Gonville's Grave in February 2010

Graves of Many Other Soldiers

Major Gonville Bromhead, V.C.

Its gives me immense satisfaction to covey to my readers that the Honour of Major Gonville Bromhead, V.C. has finally been restored in India. The story goes back to February 2010 in the heart of military cantonment of Allahabad when I had the opportunity to visit the New Cantonment Cemetery where many fallen soldiers of the Indian Army have been buried alongside their Regimental Memorials. One such soldier was Major Gonville Bromhead who fought bravely in the famous Battle of Rorke's Drift (Natal, South Africa) in the Anglo-Boer War on 22-23 January 1879. Setting a fine example and conducting himself with great gallantry in most trying circumstances during the defense of Rorke's Drift, Bromhead was awarded the Victoria Cross, the highest award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to Commonwealth countries.

Interestingly in the same battle a total of 11 Victoria Cross were awarded. The battle was also enacted in India at the famous Agra Fort to demonstrate military commanders how it was fought. Many historians wrote books on the battle and also a feature film titled Zulu was made in England.

To read full account of the battle and Film, readers may refer the link as :

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rorke's_Drift

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pOV63yLPYEA&feature=related

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zulu_(film)

The officer finally died in India on 9 February 1892 due to typhoid at Camp Dabhaura, Allahabad and was buried at Plot B-1, Grave 66, New Cantonment Cemetery, Allahabad. A memorial with a plaque in the Havard Chapel and his name on the colour pole in Brecon Cathedral was also placed. Alongside the Grave at Allahabad Cemetery is the 24th Regiment (of Major Gonville) Memorial with the engraving of other veterans from the Anglo-Zulu War. The Cemetery also contain Graves and Memorials of fallen Indian Army soldiers who fought unto their lives to defend the honor of nation as far as South Africa, Egypt, East Africa, Burma, Afghanistan, NWFP....It is endless.

Unfortunately, when I visited the Cemetery, Major Gonville's grave was in complete ruins surrounded by animal waste and the memorial broken. The caretaker there was not interested the his work and was rather using that historical space for selling milk. I took the photographs of all that and published an article in the blog.

Original Articles in My Blog:

http://theindiananalysis.blogspot.com/2010/01/recipient-of-victoria-cross-major.html

http://theindiananalysis.blogspot.com/2010/02/once-dead-always-forgotten.html

The issue was picked up by the British media and Zulu War Forum and the British Administration also took a serious note of it. The article was also republished in the famous British Daily The Independent as:

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/this-britain/rorkes-drift-heros-grave-lies-in-ruins-1884349.html

The Zulu War Forum as:

http://1879zuluwar.talk-forums.com/t1659p30-bromhead-s-broken-grave#7032

Finally, a team from the Commonwealth War Grave Commission arrived in India and has fully restored the Cemetery; a work which an Indian Army Division stationed there could have easily done without such an effort. But.... that doesn't seems to be its Key Result Area or in military terminology known as the KRA!!!

Plight of Few Good Women from the Indian Army

Lady officers granted commission in the Indian Army in 1997 and who were due for discharge on 7 March 2011 can now, have a sign of relief; as the Honorable Supreme Court has restrained the Army from discharging them, pending a decision on grant of permanent commission.

It must be noted that the Indian Army had challenged the Delhi High Court verdict allowing women the grant of permanent commission in the armed forces (women officers till date are taken on SSC for a maximum period of 14 years only unlike their male counterparts who have the option of permanent commission during the short service tenure itself ). Though, the other two services went ahead with the decision, Army expressed reluctance siting various reasons and had appealed against the court judgment

The Supreme Court had last year stayed initiation of contempt proceedings against the Army on account of non-implementation of the HC orders when the government promised that it will dispassionately examine the issue of grant of permanent commission to women officers.

Despite being obtained the immunity from contempt proceeding, the Army continued discharging the lady officers and did not bother about the orders of the court. It was finally shown the might of the judiciary that no institution is above the law of the land.

Government of India has also instituted a high-powered committee headed by a Lieutenant General to examine the issue and on 11 January 2011 had sought six weeks to revert back to the court.

A lady officer, who had been discharged earlier due to non-implementation of the HC judgment, had accused the Army of suffering from gender bias in not granting permanent commission to the women who work shoulder to shoulder with other similarly placed gentlemen officers in non-combat arms of armed forces.

A word of Caution to Mr PM

Its been great to see the PM taking it all on point blank while interacting with the editors of prominent news channels. But.... But.... the mere lip service alone would not suffice to counter the ever increasing blunders of present Indian Government. Mr PM rather will have to rise above petty political considerations and play the role of an anchor.

In todays Geo-Political magnitude where media has enormous powers to generate public opinion he should utilize this opportunity and bring home the confidence among citizens. He should also remember that the sparks of Egypt have already swept the entire Arab world and India is not far off......

See the full Q & A session on the following link:

http://www.ndtv.com/video/player/news/prime-minister-s-q-a-with-editors/191098

(From the news team of Indian Analysis)