SPECIAL FRONTIER FORCE-OPERATION EAGLE-GALLANTRY AWARD:
May 16, 2011
From:
Ex – Personal Number. MR-03277K, Rank. Major, AMC/DPC,
Dr. Rudra Narasimham, Rebbapragada, B.Sc., M.B.B.S.,
2011 South Huron Parkway, Apartment #11,
Ann Arbor, MI 48104-4162
United States of America.
To:
Honourable Prime Minister of India,
The Prime Minister’s Office(PMO),
South Block, Raisina Hill,
New Delhi – 110 101.
Subject:- Operation Eagle – 1971 Military Operation in Chittagong Hill Tracts – India-Pakistan War of 1971 – “The Past is Never Dead.” – Regarding.
Reference:- Government of India Ministry of Defence Letter No. 3533/2009/D( Cer ) dated 2nd/3rd December, 2009. A photo image of this letter is included for easy reference.
Sir,
1. Using the famous words of Nobel Laureate William Faulkner, I would like to submit to you that, “The Past is Never Dead… It’s not even Past.”
2. I, Dr. R. Rudra Narasimham, also known as MS-8466 Lieutenant/Captain R. R. Narasimham AMC/SSC was posted to Headquarters Establishment No. 22 C/O 56 APO ( Est No. 22 ) as Medical Officer during 1971. I had joined this duty at Est No. 22 with effect from 22 September 1971.
3. Just prior to Indo-Pak War of 1971, at Est No. 22 I was officially briefed about military Operation Eagle ( Op Eagle ). This Operation was approved by Prime Minister Shrimati. Indira Gandhi. Op Eagle was executed under the legal authority duly sanctioned by Government of India. I had acted in obedience to the orders issued by my immediate superior Officers as the military plan had the approval of Government of India. All the orders were issued following the proper chain of Command after approval from Prime Minister’s Cabinet Secretariat. Kindly ask me if I have to provide any other information about Op Eagle.
4. The Op Eagle plan included the use of helicopter flights from India for airlifting of battle casualties from Chittagong Hill Tracts to the Field Hospital, Lungleh, Mizoram. This Field Hospital was specifically established for this operational purpose under the battle plan.
5. For the conduct of military operations, I was attached to the Unit called South Column commanded by Lieutenant Colonel B K Narayan, The Regiment of Artillery. Under his Command, my Unit had penetrated the enemy territory. We had launched an offensive attack on entrenched enemy post at about 40 miles distance from a Border Security Force Police Post in Indian territory. As the Unit Medical Officer, my duties and responsibilities were that of treating and holding battle casualties at my Unit location in Chittagong Hill Tracts. The Force Headquarters of Op Eagle had the duty and the responsibility of evacuation of battle casualties from the Unit location to the Field Hospital.
6. During the initial phase of Op Eagle, Prime Minister Indira Gandhi withheld her permission for the use of helicopter flight from India to the Unit location in Chittagong Hill Tracts.
7. In the absence of helicopter flight, Brigadier T S Oberoi, Commandant Hq Est No. 22, the Field Commander at the Force Headquarters, Op Eagle had no alternate or contingency plan for immediate and safe evacuation of battle casualties from Chittagong Hill Tracts to the Field Hospital.
8. Prime Minister Indira Gandhi was briefed about this battle casualty evacuation problem. The Prime Minister gave permission for helicopter flights from India to Chittagong Hill Tracts on Day 5 of Op Eagle while it was in progress.
9. My actions in the execution of Op Eagle as Medical Officer clearly show that I had taken the initiative and had responded in a timely manner at a critical juncture, went Beyond the Call of Duty, and had performed my tasks without sense of fear and without concern for my personal safety inside enemy territory where we faced the threat of enemy retaliation and the threat of Mizo rebels who had operated on both sides of the Indo-Pak border. To give you a perspective about the nature of Op Eagle, the battle casualty evacuation on Day 4/5 involved a physically challenging march of over 80 miles within 24 hours across remote, roadless, hilly, forest terrain. Kindly let me know if any other Army Medical Corps Medical Officer had performed a similar task which included providing medical care, comfort, and nursing duties which are rendered by Nursing Assistants and Ambulance Assistants during battle casualty evacuation.
10. Lieutenant Colonel B K Narayan had initiated a citation that recommended the grant of a Gallantry Award – Vir Chakra to recognize my meritorious service; the citation was approved and recommended by Brigadier T S Oberoi, and by Major General Sujan Singh Uban, Inspector General, Special Frontier Force.
11. Kindly direct the Under Secretary ( Cer ), Ministry of Defence to issue this Gallantry Award as recommended by my Unit during Op Eagle.
Thanking You,
Yours Faithfully,
Dr. R. R. Narasimham, B.Sc., M.B.B.S.,
Ex – Personal Number. MS-8466, Rank. CAPTAIN, AMC/SSC
Medical Officer, South Column, Operation Eagle (1971)
Headquarters Establishment No. 22 C/O 56 A.P.O.
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The Rudi-Grant Connection 
Dear RR Narasimham Garu, Your service during India-China war 1962 is great. Thank you. Please email me. I am from Kadapa,AP. I live in Charlotte, North Carolina. Are you living in Michigan now?
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Thanks for visiting my blog post. Glad to hear that you are from Kadapa. I got married there. I would be happy to converse with you at any of my blog posts. Kindly feel free to share your views and opinions and I would really appreciate such discussion.
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Dear Doctor, I have gone through your letter and details thereof. I am also an AMC [NT] officer. I happened to serve in the most difficult terrain along Chinese Border in Sikkim. one of our Medical Officers, a young captain was on temporary duties with one of the infantry battalions. He was to provide medical cover to the advance post of a company strength. There was a heavy snow storm of about 120 KM speed. One platoon strength was in the open on some work. The platoon got struck in the storm. The infantry officers retrieved to the bunkers leaving the soldiers at their fate but the MO could not. He virtually pulled every soldier from the waist deep snow and single handedly carried out the entire rescue operation. In the bargain he suffered severe chill blains,frost bite and snow blindness. He remained in the hospital for a couple of months. Fortunately he was a brave heart and a tough soldier. He came out from the ordeal in one piece. The battalion commander and the formation commander recommended for Sarvottam Yuddha Sewa Medal but was turned down by the unit CO and the ADMS on the grounds that the officer did not do anything special and it was part of his duty. Only the reason was that the CO of the medical parent unit and the ADMS of the division wanted a stake in the work done by the officer. The officer is a successful gynaecologist and happy in the life but i still remember attitude and sadism of our senior officers.
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Dear Major Ram Patil,
Thanks for visiting my blog post and sharing this wonderful story about your Regimental Medical Officer. I am surprised to read that the parent Unit Commander and the ADMS could play any role in this recommendation. If I am posted on Temporary Duty, I will be placed under the Command of the Officer Commanding the Unit to which I am attached. It is indeed unfortunate to learn that the recommendation made by the Battalion Commander and the Formation Commander could be revoked by the actions of others who have no jurisdiction in the matter.
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