 |
|
How India won the
’65 war Profile |
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Gender
equality key to women’s growth On
Record Promoting
science journalism
|
How India
won the ’65 war
India
fought four wars with
Pakistan and one with China. Though officers have written about them, there is
no official history. The latest book, 1965 War — The Inside Story, based on
Y. B. Chavan’s diary, is by former Union Home Secretary R.D. Pradhan. Chavan
was the Defence Minister during that war and Pradhan was his personal
secretary. Chavan replaced Krishna Menon as Defence Minister after the 1962 debacle. A confidant of Morarji Desai, Chavan was the first Chief Minister of Maharashtra. Maharashtrians saw in Chavan the 20th century Shivaji. His main task was to rebuild the Army and boost the morale. Gen Ayub Khan of Pakistan was a man in a hurry. Before India could rebuild the Army, he was keen to acquire Kashmir. As a member of the Baghdad Pact, Pakistan had received arms assistance from the US, particularly Patton tanks, F-104 star fighters, Sabres and B-57 bombers. Pakistan had a trial run in the 1965 summer by invading the Rann of Kutch. Before the Indian Army could mobilise troops, a ceasefire was brought about by the intervention of British Prime Minister Harold Wilson. Soon after, Pakistan planned the infiltration in Kashmir, hoping that the people would rise in its favour. The Operation Gibraltar was spearheaded by infiltrators. However, the people of Kashmir reported the presence of Pakistani infiltrators to the Indian Army. In the operations, Pakistan lost important strategic points like the Haji Pir Pass. Gen Ayub Khan, however, decided to invade Chhamb. Through Operation Grand Slam, Pakistan almost succeeded in its objective. Pakistan launched the attack on September 1. The Army formations in Chhamb came under heavy artillery. Chief of Army Staff General J. N. Chaudhury was in Srinagar. Chavan started preparing for the Emergency Committee of the Cabinet. At
4.45 p.m., Gen Chaudhury and Air Marshal Arjan Singh, the Air Chief, walked
into the South Block and sought Chavan’s approval to provide air support to
Army troops fighting the Pakistan Army onslaught led by tanks. Pakistan was
trying to occupy the Akhnoor bridge and cut off Jammu and Kashmir from India. Pradhan says, Chavan gave the green signal to the IAF to attack Pakistani forces moving towards Chhamb. It was the first time that the IAF fighters were deployed. The promptness of the decision and the quick mobilisation and action by the IAF, Pradhan says, saved the nation from a major catastrophe. Chavan
also approved the Army Chief’s suggestion to attack Pakistan in the Punjab
along the international border. The diary reads: “Had no time to consult ECC
(Emergency Committee of the Cabinet) or Prime Minister. Took decision of their
advice and asked them to go ahead. COAS (Chief of Army Staff) asked for signal
to go ahead for Punjab action, which I gave.” Later in the evening, Chavan
informed the ECC of the air strike, got Prime Minister Shastri’s formal
authorisation to the order on air attack and asking the Army to attack Pakistan
on the Punjab front. Significantly, without waiting for the ECC meeting or consulting the Prime Minister, Chavan decided to launch OP Riddle (counter-attack). The entries indicate the close rapport between Shastri and Chavan. On
Sept 4, Chavan recorded that the decision to launch an attack on Pakistan
across the international border in Punjab was a desperate move and carried high
risks. He wrote: “The step will change the complexion of the entire
situation. If we fail— and I cannot even imagine of it — the nation fails”.
The nation won. The air strikes in the Chhamb sector — even though the IAF
lost four Vampires in the air battles initially — saved the day and the
Pakistan Army was halted before it could cross the Akhnoor Bridge towards
Jammu. Chavan’s diary has entries relating to the reverses in Khem Kharan,
and Army Commander Gen Harbaksh Singh’s thoughtless decision to deploy the
fourth battalion of the Sikh Regiment after it had captured Burki just because
he wanted the battalion to recreate history on the Saragarhi Day anniversary on
Sept 12. The battalion suffered over 150 casualties and Commanding Officer
Lt-Col Anant was taken prisoner. Following initial reverses, Gen Chaudhury thought of withdrawing forces to the banks of the Beas. Lt-Gen Harbaksh Singh opposed it and the proposal was dropped after heated exchanges, Chavan mentions. The
Indian Army, having reached the Icchogil Canal on Lahore’s outskirts, had to
fall back because of the poor leadership in the 15 Division. Lt-Col Desmond
Hayde, who commanded the 3rd Jat could reach the Canal again after the battle
of Dograi on the last day of the war, after suffering heavy casualties. It
was not until Sept 12 that India felt confident of the progress of the
operations. Pakistan had started the war with a cocky confidence in the
superiority of the Patton tanks over India’s Shermans and Centurions. But its
losses during the Asal Uttar battle in Khem Karan and at Phillora and Chawinda
in the Sialkot sector unnerved Pakistanis. The Indian Army destroyed 240
Pakistan tanks. In Punjab, it set up a graveyard of Patton Tanks near
Bhikhiwind. The IAF’s tiny Gnats were more than a match for Pakistan’s
sophisticated F-104 aircraft. Chavan’s diary discloses how the Union
Cabinet dealt with the Chinese threat. He felt that China may launch some
diversionary action to ease pressure on Pakistan. On Sept 21 morning, Chinese
troops fired across in Nathula and other places. Indian troops were ordered to
retaliate, if fired upon, and take defensive positions if a major attack came.
China’s threat disappeared in the next 24 hours. The scene then shifted to
the UN in New York. India and Pakistan accepted the ceasefire from 3.30 a.m. on
Sept 23. Chavan noted: “So, the first round is over — where is the
second round and when?” On Kashmir, he says, the UN’s leading powers are
not with us. “The issue of (Kashmir) is basically political. Its solution
will have to be political…Unless we make quick and radically new moves to
break the political isolation that we find ourselves in. I hope we have the
vision and courage to accept the challenge to (our) political leadership.” The
book mentions the events at Tashkent in January 1966 when India and Pakistan
agreed to withdraw their forces to positions on August 5, 1965. India had to
surrender key areas including the Haji Pir Pass. What was won on the
battlefield was given up at the negotiating table. Did that trouble Shastri who
died on Jan 11, 1966 at Tashkent? During 1965, as the Army PRO in the Lahore
Sector, this writer had visited Dograi, Burki, Khem Karan, Asal Uttar and other
places. On the ceasefire day, this writer was at Dograi on the Icchogil Canal’s
banks, receiving many media persons. Pradhan, who played the Peshwa’s role to
Rajiv Gandhi in crafting of the Punjab, Assam and Mizo Accords, has made a
signal contribution by putting together Chavan’s diary. |
|
Profile
RAJASTHAN
Governor Pratibha Patil, the UPA’s nominee for the presidential elections, is
familiar in Maharashtra. She had been a member of the State Assembly for 23
years without a break. She made her way from Deputy Minister’s rank to a
Cabinet Minister and held many portfolios. She was a minister in the
governments of three tall Chief Ministers of Maharashtra — Vasantrao Naik,
S.B.Chavan and Vasant Dada Patil. Rajiv Gandhi appointed her president of the
Maharashtra Pradesh Congress Committee in 1988. Pratibha tai, as she is
popularly known, made headlines when three years back she became the first
woman Governor of Rajasthan. People from the South and North Indian states were
heard asking, “who is Pratibha Patil” as Sonia Gandhi announced her
candidature from the ruling UPA in next month’s presidential elections. Confident of getting elected as the next President, Pratibha Patil is 73 years old and known to be a staunch loyalist of the Nehru-Gandhi family. A trusted Congress leader, she went along India Gandhi when she was ousted from power by the Janata Party in 1977 and following split in the Congress in 1978. Even though she was inducted in politics by Y.B. Chavan and grew under his guidance and patronage from a leader in the youth movement to the Assembly in 1962, she pledged her loyalty to Indira Gandhi and struggled with the former Prime Minister during the Janata Party government. Though little known at the national level, Pratibha tai has wide experience as a political leader and administrator. She was made Leader of the Opposition in Maharashtra Assembly when Sharad Pawar became Chief Minster for the first time in July 1979. Her performance in the Opposition benches was effective and yet dignified. Already in the good books of the Congress leadership, she was brought to the Rajya Sabha in 1985. Soon, she was elected Deputy Chairperson of the House of Elders, a post she held till November 1988. She headed the Maharashtra unit of the Congress in turbulent politics of the state from 1988 to 1990. Come 1991 general election, she was chosen to contest from her home constituency Amravati. Known to be a popular and dignified leader, Pratibha never lost an election in her long political career. She was in the political wilderness from 1996 till Sonia Gandhi again spotted her and made her the Governor of Rajasthan in 2004. As
a Governor, a polite, docile looking Pratabha ‘tai’ demonstrated that she
has a will of steel as the Vasundhara Raje Government found in April last year.
She refused to sign the controversial Rajasthan Freedom of Religion Bill that
banned religious conversions, arguing that it contained provisions that
directly or indirectly affected fundamental rights related to religious
freedom. Within days, the Governor not only returned the Bill, but also
reserved it for President A.P.J. Abdul Kalam’s consideration. There are
some hidden facets of Pratibha tai’s career. She inherited politics from her
illustrious father Narayan Rao, a Maratha-Rajput. Born in the small town of
Jalgaon in Maharashtra, she was an athlete teenager when India became
independent. She was a table tennis champion during her college days, winning
shields in inter-college tournaments. Her love for sports brought her in
contact with her would-be husband, Devisingh Ransingh Shekhawat. He too was a
leading sportsman of Maharashtra. Both got married on July 7, 1965. Pratibha
was at that time first-term MLA of the Maharashtra Assembly. The couple have
two children — son and daughter. Both have kept themselves away from the
hurly-burly of politics. The son has a small handicraft business and the
daughter looks after women’s hostels set up by Pratibha tai. A Mayor of Amravati Municipal Corporation, Devisingh too was subsequently elected to the Maharashtra Assembly. He is a Maratha of Rajasthan origin. Hailing from Sikar district, his family migrated to Rajasthan a century ago. Devsingh
has been quoted as saying, “our life has been a roller-coaster ride because
both of us were active in politics at different levels. But I must say she is a
fantastic wife. She discusses everything with me, but takes decisions on her
own. I trust her immensely”. One does not know how the UPA’s
presidential candidate will write her full name in the nomination paper. It
should be Pratibha Patil Shekhawat. In that case, it would be Shekhawat versus
Shekhawat. Her rival is no other than Vice-President Bhairon Singh Shekhawat.
If elected, Pratibha tai will be the first woman President of India. |
|
Wit of the week ——Union
Finance Minister P. Chidambaram —
Ratan Tata, Chairman, Tata Sons There is a need to create new focus areas and retire old positions which have lost relevance. If there is a sunrise sector, there should also be sunsets. —
C. Rangarajan, Chairman, Prime Minister’s Economic Advisory
Council I introduce new faces in films because of my
arrogance. I like it, so I do it. There is a thin line between
arrogance and confidence. If I am successful, it’s called
confidence; otherwise it is arrogance. — Ram Gopal Verma,
filmmaker —
Sudeshna Basu, Professor of Mathematics, Morgan State University,
Baltimore, USA, is also a singer Today,
we have fast music. It is not a healthy thing. Music has to touch the
heart, head and soul. Indian music is like an ocean. Ours is the land
of devi-davatas. People pray to them through music. Our music has to
be pure. —
Khayyam, music composer I am very much a Zardari, but I am also the son of Benazir Bhutto and grandson of Zulfikar Ali Bhutto. There is no conflict. I draw from the heritage of both, one strengthens the other. —
Bilawal Bhutto Zardari One day, things will be such that
Sachin Tendulkar, V.V.S. Laxman, Rahul Dravid and Sourav Ganguly will
be in contention for the coache’s job but would never get it. —
Kapil Dev, former cricketer Tailpiece:
All my matches have been in straight sets and it is just majestic. I
had some difficult moments this year, but I have rediscovered my
happiness and my family. —
Justine Henin who won the French Open, thrice in a row
|
Gender equality key
to women’s growth The
human body, male or
female, is essentially a cellular structure and begins its existence
as a single cell — the fertilised ovum which develops by
multiplication and differentiation of cells into a mature state. The
male (XY) and female (XX) exhibit gender differences on the basis of
their chromosomal make up leading to two human genomes — male and
female. This difference in genomic structure is responsible for
greater biological strength in females as compared to their male
counterparts. Males and females are produced in approximately equal
numbers in most species with separate sexes. But in humans there has
been a skewed sex ratio in favour of males. A natural bias in
overproduction of males at conception leads to usually more than half
male live births. This can be supported by the fact that even in the
absence of sex-selection practices, a range of “normal” sex ratios
at birth of between 103 to 107 boys per 100 girls has been observed in
different societies and among different ethnic and racial groups. Darwin cites a sex ratio of 120 boys to 100 girls for Jewish communities in 19th century when means for pre-natal sex determination or infanticide were not documented. This phenomenon of over-production of males as compared to females by nature can be explained in the light of the fact that disproportional male bias pregnancy loss results in higher pre-natal mortality of male foetuses as compared to female foetus. It has been scientifically proved that female fetus is biologically stronger than the male and if both receive equal amounts of medical care and nutrition, the chances of female foetus surviving are brighter. Moreover, the females are predisposed to live longer as against males as is revealed from the figures on life expectancy at birth for females (61.8 years) as against males (60.4 years). The
sex ratio is skewed by unnatural or man-made forces in the form of
continuous systematic criminal discrimination against females. These
forces under the concept of “missing women” are depleting the
number of women to men. The first dent in the female number is created
by the processes of sex-selective abortion and infanticide. This
onslaught is projected from the sex ratio of 933 females per 1000
males in 2001 in the country. Restrictions on family size are also
adding to the tendency to sacrifice female offspring in favour of
males. Born with ‘number’ disadvantage, the females are subjected
to criminal neglect during infancy, lowering her life expectancy
alarmingly by the time she is five. It is supported by the figures
that mortality rate during 0 to 4 years age group is higher for
females (24.1) as compared to males (21.1). Though during neonatal
period biological advantage is contributing a larger share, gender
bias in parental nurturing and care might be responsible for higher
female mortality. Kalyani Menon-Sen rightly says that lifelong discrimination in nurturing and care is the real killer of girls. It is less visible and dramatic, but as lethal as female foeticide and infanticide. The greater biological strength of females has been proved by scientists working in the field of human growth and development. Male offspring are less likely to survive under stressful circumstances. The girls, apparently, are less easily thrown off their growth curves by adverse circumstances than the boys as was shown by girl survivors of the atomic bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Poor home conditions and illnesses produced a greater effect on boys than girls. The trend of higher age specific mortality of girls (2.0) continues in the age group of 15 to 19 years, as compared to boys (1.7). A cost to larger investment in producing offspring is paid by females is revealed by a relatively higher death risk (2.7) for women in the reproductive period of 20 to 24 years as against their male counterparts (2.3). During this period, majority of women face maternal morbidity and mortality because of malnourishment, lack of both pre-natal care and trained medical attention at delivery. The data available (CSO, 2001) shows that beyond 30 years to the age of 85+ (comprising 13 groups with a gap of five years), the age specific mortality rates have been found to be higher among males as against females. Moreover, the proportional mortality rate of males beyond the age of 60 years is much higher as compared to their female counterparts. The higher mortality rates of males beyond the age of 30 years can only be explained in the light of fact that females being biologically stronger and predisposed to live longer and hence have lower risk to life in older ages. This is the period of life when majority males or females are compelled to live a solitary life because of the death of either partner. The higher survival of females in older age groups can be explained in the light of the studies indicating that socially isolated men are more likely to become ill and die sooner than similarly isolated women under the same conditions and circumstances. Gender
imbalance may result in social unrest especially if an excess of men
are unable to find a spouse. This will further increase crimes against
women. There is a need to weed out people’s deep-rooted preference
for a son. In addition to spreading awareness, the government should
introduce tougher laws against gender discrimination. The rising cost
of education and health provisions is adding to gender bias. Parents
spend lavishly on sons’ marriages. One reason for the
son-fixation is the parents’ fears about the girls’ social
insecurity in the form of sexual exploitation, assault or crime
against them. Stringent steps must be taken against those involved in
crimes against women. Registration of cases of ill-treatment, domestic
violence or crime committed against women is a must. A systematic
attempt by the government, non-government, social and religious
agencies can help raise women’s status and importance in society. It
will create a social environment in which the females will feel secure
and contribute their might for the betterment of society.n The
writer is Professor, Department of Human Biology, Punjabi University,
Patiala
|
|
On
Record
Nothing
succeeds like success”. This
holds true for Dr Tarlochan Singh Kler who has been appointed Executive
Director, Cardiac Sciences, Escorts Heart Institute and Research Centre in
place of India’s top cardio-thoracic surgeon Dr Naresh Trehan. Dr Kler hails
from Punjab’s Amargarh. An alumni of PGI, Chandigarh, he is a recipient of several awards including the Padma Bhushan (2005). Dr Kler is an active interventional cardiologist. He has trained more than a hundred cardiologists in India, Bangladesh, Pakistan and Sri Lanka. Excerpts: Q:
Has Dr Trehan left Escorts with a broken heart? A: It has been a
very difficult time for all of us. I spent my entire youth here (since 1989)
as I was working 14 hours a day. It was a passion for all of us to build the
institute. Dr Trehan’s movement is a big blow to all of us. Q:
Succeeding Dr Trehan may be a huge challenge that comes with its share of
constant comparisons and high expectations. What have you learnt from him? A:
I don’t have his administrative and management skills. I will sincerely try
to restore the institute’s glory. The chunk of the talent has stayed back.
Therefore, talent is not an issue. I hold Dr Trehan in high esteem, but
individuals are not greater than institutions. Of course, I have learnt a lot
from Dr Trehan. He is very positive, mature in his approach and a go-getter. Q:
The number of bypass surgeries has come down to half after Dr Trehan left to
join Apollo. How will things be back on track? A: There is no dearth of
surgical skills here. We have very capable surgeons like Dr Meharwal and Dr
Yugal Mishra, Directors of Adult Cardiac Surgery Programme. Dr Meharwal has
special skills to deal with complicated surgeries like aneurysms, dissection
of aorta, for instance, Bentall’s procedure. Dr Yugal Mishra has developed the robotic surgery programme besides specialising in heart port surgeries and replacement of valves by small incisions. We were earlier doing 16 to 18 bypass surgeries a day. Now we are doing 12. But I am sure the number will pick up soon. Q:
Do you plan to make Escorts more accessible to the poor. How? A: We have 330 beds. Though these are not tagged for the poor, at least 10 per cent of them are spared for the poor, if necessary. For free treatment at Escorts, a poor patient is required to bring at the time of admission a card certifying that he is below the poverty line. Except an ICD (Implantable Cardiovertor Q:
What is the success of your paediatric heart programme? A: This is
headed by Dr K.S. Iyer, one of the world’s finest. The survival rate in
paediatric surgeries in the last three years has been 98 per cent. Countries
like Bangladesh, Indonesia, Sri Lanka, Thailand and Vietnam are seeking our
help and technical inputs for designing their programmes. We routinely
operate on children less than a month old — 2 to 3 everyday. Most of them
have a hole in the heart, but they may have additional problems as
underdeveloped chamber, transposed great arteries or abnormal veinous
connection. We recently operated on a day old child who had severe coartation
of aorta, a condition which can be fatal. A majority of the 550 to 600
paediatric surgeries we do every year are for hole in the heart. Seventy per
cent of these patients are less than two years of age. Q: What about the
tele-medicine project? A: Tele-medicine is very relevant in India. It is of two kinds. One is Trans Telephone ECG Monitoring System. A patient who wants to use this can either buy the cardiac pager for Rs 30,000 to Rs 35,000 or rent it out. In case of chest pain, he can use the local telephone line and get in touch with our round-the-clock heart command centre manned by a nurse and a technician to record the ECG. This
system helps us fill the critical gap in information and facilitates precise
diagnosis. We can diagnose acute heart attack and address the problem during
the golden hour. Another important aspect of tele-medicine is that a patient
sitting in a remote place can consult an expert. I want to improve the network
of our tele-medicine system.
|
|
Promoting
science journalism As
natural disasters like floods and
droughts become more common, bringing in their wake serious health risks, the
most affected communities in Asia, Africa and Latin America have missed out on
new scientific knowledge and its application. Lack of press freedom and access
to public information to disruption in electricity and poor communication
skills are some of the reasons science journalists cite for people in emerging
economies losing out on new discoveries that could go a long way in improving
their life and livelihood. Speaking at the Fifth World Conference of Science Journalists held in Melbourne, they said science reporting in Indian media accounts for merely 3 per cent of the overall coverage despite the country making global headlines for its economic rise. As
T.V. Padma, Science Development Net South Asia coordinator, says, “Though
the coverage of some scientific issues is increasing and a few investigative
reports on science are getting published, there is no science-dedicated TV
channel from India; most of the old Indian magazines of science are now closed
while the officials are, generally, of the opinion that no one needs to know
science.” Meanwhile, China has greatly increased the spending on R&D
in science and technology during recent years, yet has paid little attention
to the public communication of science, a similar scenario to the other
developing countries. Jia Hepeng, regional coordinator of Science
Development Net in China Despite
heavy odds, science journalists in emerging economies are taking up the
challenge of gathering information, investigating stories and making use of
information and communication technologies. “The good thing with science
journalists is that we are like bacteria, always mutating to adapt to the
current challenge. This gives us hope,” says Christina Scott, Science
Development Net Sub-Saharan Africa regional consultant. She emphasised the
need for local-language science journalism For countries like Zambia, Ngwande,
correspondent, suggests, “Liberalising the telecommunications industry is
crucial because it will bring on board the private sector, increase
competition and lead to a reduction in costs.” In Latin American
newspapers, science from first world countries has a If science has to be made relevant, scientific stories will have
to educate |
God’s bride is ever a blessed one. She is never widowed and is never shabbily dressed. From infinite Godhead came forth Brahma, First among gods, from whom sprang the cosmos. Brahma gave the vision of the Godhead, The true source of wisdom that life demands. Ishwara withholds himself from a man who is heartless and lives disregarding moral rules, wrongs others and even if wealthy, is prone to begging. God is the only spouse. All other beings are his wives.
|
| HOME PAGE | |
Punjab | Haryana | Jammu & Kashmir |
Himachal Pradesh | Regional Briefs |
Nation | Opinions | | Business | Sports | World | Mailbag | Chandigarh | Ludhiana | Delhi | | Calendar | Weather | Archive | Subscribe | Suggestion | E-mail | |
Taxmen
should take inspiration from the bee, which draws honey from flowers,
without hurting them. Taxes should be collected in a similar manner.
People pay taxes, willingly or unwillingly, and they have no
obligation towards us. But, we have the obligation of providing prompt
and courteous services to them while collecting taxes.
It
is better to give equal opportunities to all and create a level
playing field instead of extending reservation benefits in the private
sector. We want to create India as a land of equal opportunities for
all. We should create a land of equality. 
I
find points of symbiosis between mathematics and music. The rhythms,
the patterns, the symmetry in music are basically mathematical
conceptions. Mathematics to me is invested with cold beauty like a
piece of sculpture.
