Zorawar Chand Bakhshi

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Indo-Pakistan War of 1971
Awards Param Vishisht Seva Medal
Maha Vir Chakra
Vir Chakra
Vishisht Seva Medal
 MacGregor Medal

Indo-Pakistani War of 1965 (Operation Ablaze). He also has the distinction of being "India's most decorated General".[6][7]

Family and early life

Bakshi was born to Bahadur Bakshi Lal Chand Lav (Lau Mohyal Husseni Brahmin), a decorated soldier in the

Dera Doon.[11]

Military career

World War II

Bakshi was commissioned into the

Mention in Despatches for overcoming a heavily fortified Japanese position. After the liberation of Burma, he participated in the operations to liberate Malaysia from Japanese control, earning a fast-track promotion to the rank of a Major for his role.[citation needed
]

Post-Independence

Upon the

Indo Pakistani War of 1947-1948, he was awarded a Vir Chakra for his bravery in July 1948.[12][13] Soon afterward he was awarded the MacGregor Medal in 1949. In 1951, he was selected to attend the Defence Services Staff College in Wellington.[14]

In the

Indo-Pakistani War of 1965, Bakshi was instrumental in the capture of the Haji Pir Pass from the Pakistani Forces, for which he was awarded the Maha Vir Chakra. The citation for the Maha Vir Chakra reads as follows:[15][16]

Gazette Notification: 9 Pres/66,1-1-66

Operation: 1965 May - Ablaze Date of Award: 05 Aug 1965

CITATION

BRIGADIER ZORAWAR CHAND BAKSHI, VrC (IC-1510)

5th BATTALION THE GORKHA RIFLES

Brigadier Zorawar Chand Bakshi was commander of a brigade in Aug-Sept 1965 employed on the difficult task of capturing Basali, Haji Pir Pass and Kahuta, which was vital for the Uri-Poonch link-up. The road connecting Uri and Poonch via Haji Pir had deteriorated due to disuse and some places it had disintegrated. There was no direct route for an approach to Haji Pir except over the mountain ranges. Haji Pir at an altitude of 9,000 feet had strong enemy defensive positions forward of it and flanking it.

Throughout, Brigadier Bakshi remained foremost. As soon as an objective was captured, he was there personally to guide and help in the reorganisation. Many a time, though enemy shelling was intense and continuous, he remained in the forefront without regard for his personal safety. After the capture of Haji Pir, he moved forward his tactical headquarters immediately, though he knew that the enemy would most certainly counter-attack it viciously.

Throughout this operation, Brigadier Bakshi displayed a high standard of planning and tactical skill, combined with outstanding leadership, determination and camaraderie in sharing the hardships of his troops, which were in the highest traditions of our Army.

In the early 1960s he led his battalion in a

Indo-Pakistani War of 1971 he was instrumental in the capture of territory in what is now referred to as the crucial Chicken-Neck Sector, for which he was awarded the Param Vishisht Seva Medal.[citation needed] On 7 September 1974, he was appointed Military Secretary with the rank of lieutenant-general.[19][20] On 15 December 1976, he was granted an extension of service past his statutory retirement age to 1 January 1979.[21]

He is popularly known as "Zoru" in the Indian Army.[7]

Military awards and aecorations

Param Vishisht Seva Medal Maha Vir Chakra Vir Chakra Vishisht Seva Medal
General Service Medal Medal
Samar Seva Star
Paschimi Star
Raksha Medal
Sangram Medal
Sainya Seva Medal
Videsh Seva Medal
 Indian Independence Medal
25th Anniversary of Independence Medal
20 Years Long Service Medal
9 Years Long Service Medal
 India Service Medal
1939–1945 Star Burma Star War Medal 1939–1945
UN Operation in the Congo

Dates of rank

Insignia Rank Component Date of rank
Second Lieutenant British Indian Army 27 June 1943 (emergency)[5]
27 December 1944 (substantive)[5]
Lieutenant British Indian Army 27 December 1943 (war-substantive)[5]
3 March 1947 (substantive)[5]
Lieutenant Indian Army 15 August 1947[note 2][22]
Major Indian Army 1947 (temporary)[23][note 2][22]
Captain Indian Army 27 June 1949[23][note 2]
Captain Indian Army 26 January 1950 (recommissioning and change in insignia)[22][24]
Major Indian Army 27 June 1956[25]
Lieutenant-Colonel
 Indian Army
Colonel Indian Army 16 February 1967[1]
Brigadier Indian Army 15 May 1968[26]
Major General Indian Army 23 November 1970[18]
Lieutenant-General
 Indian Army 7 September 1974[20]

See also

References

  1. ^ a b "Part I-Section 4: Ministry of Defence (Army Branch)". The Gazette of India. 22 July 1967. p. 558.
  2. ^ a b Pratik, Pawan. "Indo-Pakistani War of 1965: Golden Jubilee Commemoration". Official Website of Indian Army. Retrieved 5 November 2015.
  3. ISBN 978-81-902097-0-0
    .
  4. ^ "Lt Gen Zorawar Chand Bakshi, PVSM, MVC, VrC, VSM (retd)". The War Decorated India & Trust. Retrieved 21 August 2013.
  5. ^ a b c d e Indian Army List (Special Edition) 1947. Government of India Press. 1947. pp. 269K1.
  6. ^
    ISBN 978-0-7619-3322-9
    .
  7. ^ a b Kai Friese (10 July 2014). "The Mask of Zoru". GQIndia magazine. Retrieved 5 November 2015.
  8. ^ Sethi, Chitleen K. (28 May 2018). "Lt. Gen Zorawar Chand Bakshi, the greatest wartime hero who 'just faded away'". ThePrint. Retrieved 26 June 2020.
  9. ISBN 978-81-7023-516-3
    .
  10. The Tribune. Archived
    from the original on 20 April 2023. Retrieved 20 April 2023.
  11. ISBN 9780761933229
    .
  12. ^ a b The Army Quarterly and Defence Journal. West of England Press. 1983. p. 175.
  13. ^ Sri Nandan Prasad; Dharm Pal (1987). Operations in Jammu & Kashmir, 1947-48. History Division, Ministry of Defence, Government of India. p. 398.
  14. ^ "STAFF COLLEGE ENTRANCE EXAMINATION RESULTS" (PDF). pibarchive.nic.in. 25 May 1951.
  15. ^ "ZORAWAR CHAND BAKSHI, VrC, VSM | Gallantry Awards". gallantryawards.gov.in.
  16. ^ "Mahavir Chakra (MVC), Awardee: Lt Gen Zorawar Chand Bakshi, PVSM, MVC, VrC, VSM (retd) @ TWDI". twdi.in.
  17. ISBN 978-93-5214-129-6
    .
  18. ^ a b "Part I-Section 4: Ministry of Defence (Army Branch)". The Gazette of India. 12 June 1971. p. 686.
  19. ^ "Part I-Section 4: Ministry of Defence (Army Branch)". The Gazette of India. 14 December 1974. p. 1385.
  20. ^ a b "Part I-Section 4: Ministry of Defence (Army Branch)". The Gazette of India. 15 March 1975. p. 353.
  21. ^ "Part I-Section 4: Ministry of Defence (Army Branch)". The Gazette of India. 21 May 1977. p. 596.
  22. ^ a b c "New Designs of Crests and Badges in the Services" (PDF). Press Information Bureau of India - Archive. Archived (PDF) from the original on 8 August 2017.
  23. ^ a b "Part I-Section 4: Ministry of Defence (Army Branch)". The Gazette of India. 27 August 1949. p. 1278.
  24. ^ "Part I-Section 4: Ministry of Defence (Army Branch)". The Gazette of India. 11 February 1950. p. 227.
  25. ^ "Part I-Section 4: Ministry of Defence (Army Branch)". The Gazette of India. 6 April 1957. p. 87.
  26. ^ "Part I-Section 4: Ministry of Defence (Army Branch)". The Gazette of India. 24 August 1968. p. 750.

Notes

  1. ^ As given in the pre-Independence Indian Army List.
  2. ^
    Ashoka Lion
    replaced the crown, with a five-pointed star being substituted for the "pip."

External links

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