Gen who fought three wars with Pakistan passes away

Tribune News Service

Maj Gen Kulip Singh Bajwa (retd), who fought three wars with Pakistan and held important command assignments in 1965 and 1971, passed away at the Command Hospital, Chandimandir, this morning.

Commissioned in December 1946 with the 1st Post-War Regular Course of the Indian Military Academy, Dehradun, he initially served with the Bombay Sappers and took part in the 1947-48 Kashmir operations. He was transferred to the Regiment of Artillery where he served with 13 Field Regiment, 51 Mountain Regiment (Pack) and 161 Field Regiment. Later, he raised 85 Light Regiment and took it into action in the prelude to the 1965 war, directing the fire support to successful attacks, which resulted in the capture of the Kargil heights.

As a Brigadier, he commanded the largest artillery force in the history of the Indian Army in the Shakargarh sector during the 1971 war. After the war, while commanding 54 Infantry Brigade, he defended Amritsar and organised the repatriation of Pakistani prisoners of war.

Thereafter, he commanded 54 Infantry Division at Secunderabad and pioneered new tactics of assaulting fixed defences and helped in the formulation of the strategy for employment of strike formations post-1971. He also served in counter-insurgency operations in the North-East.

On retirement in 1979, he settled in Chandigarh and set up a pharmaceutical unit and engaged in agro-forestry. He authored six books on military matters and was also a regular contributor to newspapers and journals on strategic affairs and remained active on the sports as well as social front.