WholeDude

A Gunner Officer of the Indian Army officiates as the Imam of Friday Prayer in Kaptai, Bangladesh on December 17, 1971

A Sermon in Kaptai, Bangladesh Ops 1971-72. A personal tribute to Lieutenant Colonel B K Narayan, The Regiment of Artillery. An Islamic Scholar who served in Olive Green Uniform. The Imam of Friday Prayer on December 17, 1971.

A Personal Tribute to Lieutenant Colonel B K Narayan, The Regiment of Artillery, Indian Army. An Islamic Scholar Who Served in Olive Green Uniform. The Imam of Friday Prayer in Kaptai on December 17, 1971.

A Sermon in Kaptai, Bangladesh Ops 1971-72. A personal tribute to Lieutenant Colonel B K Narayan, Islamic Scholar who served in Olive Green Uniform. The Imam of Friday Prayer in Kaptai on December 17, 1971: Glorious Quran, Surah VIII, SPOILS OF WAR, Verse 01: “And if they incline to peace, incline thou also to it, and trust in Allah.Lo! He is the Hearer, the Knower.”

I was in college from 1962 to 1965 and obtained the Bachelor of Science degree from Osmania University, Hyderabad. I remember this period as the Golden Age of immortal Mohd. Rafi whose melodies still fill my ears. I grew up in this cradle of Urdu language Culture and had acquired my love for ghazals and qawwalis. I spent time in Lucknow, a crown jewel in the Urdu speaking world, where you meet in the market place, ordinary folks who speak in tones that have made the language famous for its sweetness. Much later, I had served in the Royal Oman Army and took my first lesson in Arabic language. My love for Urdu and my Knowledge of Arabic language pales when I write about this Islamic Scholar and Arabic language expert whom I met in India during 1971. He passed away on Sunday, May 2, 2004, in Bahrain where he worked for over 20 years as the Head of the Translation Department at the Bahrain Archives. This is not a tribute about his academic accomplishments, the books that he had published, his military career or about his famous friendly relationship with President Gamal Abdel Nasser and President Anwar Sadat of Egypt. I am writing this tribute to recognize his personal qualities and the values that he had promoted. I am writing this tribute to recognize him as a “peacemaker.” He represents a symbol of hope and the light that he had shown may lead us on to a path of peaceful co-existence.

**A personal tribute to Lieutenant Colonel B K Narayan, an Islamic Scholar who served in Olive Green Uniform. The Imam of Friday Prayer in Kaptai on December 17, 1971**: ” (This is) a Scripture that We have revealed unto thee, full of blessing, that they may ponder its revelations, and that men of understanding may reflect “.(Holy Book of Quran, Surah XXXVIII, “SAAD” verse 29)

I met Lieutenant Colonel.B K Narayan in Demagiri, Mizoram in October 1971. He hails from Karnataka, and he grew up as a Hindu. We gathered in Demagiri to make preparations to launch Operation Eagle in support of Bangla Muslims seeking freedom from military dictatorship imposed by Pakistan. In Demagiri, I reported to him to serve as his Medical Officer of the South Column Unit. He had the unique distinction of commanding an Infantry Unit in the conduct of War while he belonged to The Regiment of Artillery. I have not known a ‘GUNNER’ who could plan and execute Infantry Attacks on Enemy posts. Colonel Iqbal Singh, the Chief of Staff at the Force Headquarters also belonged to The Regiment of Artillery. But, the role played by Colonel Narayan as an Infantry Commander during War is exceptional and has no comparisons that I am aware of. I had the opportunity to converse with him for extended periods of time and came to know his admirable personality. It is not the knowledge of Arabic language that has made him unique and sets him apart from all other language experts. He is special because of his love for Islamic Culture and his ability to project the deep understanding of that Culture when he speaks to others. He performed the holy pilgrimage of Hajj and had observed all the rituals of that spiritual journey like a true and devout Muslim. When he narrated his Hajj experience, I could know the sense of joy and the purity of his intentions. His observance of Hajj, a ritual performed by all devout Muslims, was genuine, real to its core.

A Sermon in Kaptai, Bangladesh Ops 1971-72. A personal tribute to Lieutenant Colonel B K Narayan, an Islamic Scholar who served in Olive Green Uniform. On Friday, December 10, 1971, the South Column Unit under his Command fought a furious battle with Pakistan’s Security Forces just east of Barkal and forced them into a retreat On Friday, December 17, 1971, Colonel Narayan conducted the Friday Worship Service in Kaptai acting as the Imam of Friday Prayer.

From Tlabung, Demagiri, South Column marched to Borunasury and then we marched towards Barkal after neutralizing the enemy post at Jalanpara and had encounters with aggressive enemy patrolling to resist our advance at two other locations. Finally, on Friday, December 10, 1971, the enemy fought a very decisive battle on the east side of Karnaphuli River to stop our advance towards Barkal. After losing the battle, the enemy promptly beat a retreat and withdrew from Barkal, Rangamati, Kaptai, and further moved out of Chittagong without putting up a fight. Col Narayan was able to quote the Quran from his memory and would convey his understanding of the verses with great clarity. I personally witnessed his amazing performance in a little town called KAPTAI, on the banks of Karnaphuli Lake, Rangamati Division of Bangladesh. He conducted the Friday Worship Service for the local Bangla Muslims and delivered a sermon which was received with great appreciation by the worshipers. His job in Uniform did not impose any obligation to organize such an event. He held that prayer meeting entirely on his own initiative and it was purely an expression of his love to worship in the Islamic tradition and it also affirms his faith that the worship of God is not limited by one single tradition.

A personal tribute to Lieutenant Colonel B K Narayan, an Islamic Scholar who served in Olive Green Uniform. The Imam of Friday Prayer in Kaptai on December 17, 1971:”And if they incline to peace, incline thou also to it, and trust in Allah. Lo! He is the Hearer, the Knower.”

The Friday Prayer Service was held at the State Guest House in Kaptai where I stayed after my Unit had captured Kaptai. It had a large Conference Room. Col Narayan contacted the Muslim Clerics of the local Masjid and they were absolutely delighted when they met him. His Scholarship and devotion to Islam had captivated them and they immediately agreed to convene the local congregation at the Guest House and organize the Friday Prayer Service. The Conference Hall got totally packed with worshipers. I could watch the proceedings directly from my room in the State Guest House. The Bangla Muslim Community of Kaptai were truly appreciative of Colonel Narayan and his military campaign for bringing Peace and Joy to their Community.

I knew Colonel Narayan’s great admiration for Arab people. He always described them as peace-loving people. He knew this as a fact and it was based upon his understanding of Islamic Culture and traditions. I would describe Colonel Narayan as God’s humble servant. It is important to remember and pay tribute to such “peacemakers” as we can achieve true peace through reflecting and understanding the revelations from the Holy Scriptures of all people. The Regiment of Artillery of Indian Army must record this historical contribution made by a Gunner officer who served as an Infantry Commander during the Bangladesh Ops of 1971-72.

SPECIAL FRONTIER FORCE – ESTABLISHMENT NUMBER. 22 – OPERATION EAGLE – LIBERATION WAR OF BANGLADESH 1971:

Mrs. Indira Gandhi, Prime Minister of India initiated Liberation of Bangladesh during 1971 with military action in the Chittagong Hill Tracts. The battle plan of this military action is known as Operation Eagle. She conceived this battle plan to bring peace in that region. She was inclined towards peace. She wanted to deliver peace to people of Bangladesh who had earlier declared their independence from Pakistan. During Operation Eagle, Bangladesh Operations of 1971-72, I served in South Column, an Infantry Unit Commanded by Lieutenant Colonel B K Narayan. He was a great Islamic Scholar. He had explained to me that PEACE is the greeting of Righteous people.

The Military Operation in Chittagong Hill Tracts during Indo-Pak War of 1971 aimed at restoring Peace and to help Bangla Muslims to live in Dignity. My Unit had captured Kaptai and this Dam was not targeted for inflicting any kind of damage. — A personal tribute to Lieutenant Colonel B K Narayan, an Islamic Scholar who served in Olive Green Uniform. The Imam of Friday Prayer in Kaptai on December 17, 1971. OPERATION EAGLE – BANGLADESH OPERATIONS: The Military Operation in the Chittagong Hill Tracts during the India-Pakistan War of 1971 aimed at restoring Peace and to deliver Peace to Bangladesh Muslims to help them live in Dignity. My Unit had captured Kaptai and this Dam was not targeted for inflicting any kind of damage. For example, we carried explosives to execute operational plans to evict the enemy but not to harm the people. In any case, Pakistan withdrew its forces after the decisive battle fought on Friday, December 10, 1971.

**A personal tribute to Lieutenant Colonel B K Narayan, an Islamic Scholar who served in Olive Green Uniform. The Imam of Friday Prayer in Kaptai on December 17, 1971**. OPERATION EAGLE – BANGLADESH OPERATIONS: My Unit never discussed any Battle Plan that required blowing up the Dam over Karnaphuli River at Kaptai. However, we discussed the Plan to capture Rangamati, and Kaptai and carried explosives if a contingency arises for their use. The Pakistan Security Forces withdrew from Rangamati and Kaptai without offering any resistance.

OPERATION EAGLE -BANGLADESH OPERATIONS: Major General Sujan Singh Uban, Inspector General of Special Frontier Force, was my Commander during Operation Eagle 1971-72 but he made no mention in his book about the Imam of Friday Prayer in Kaptai’. He did not destroy Kaptai Dam during the 1971 War. His son’s claim about Kaptai Dam is totally incorrect.

Electricity generated at Kaptai helps to operate Chandraghona Paper Mills near Kaptai.An engineer who had worked in the Paper Mills at Chandraghona, a Bangla Muslim had helped my Unit during our military operation in Chittagong Hill Tracts.When our Unit reached Kaptai, the engineer happily returned to his home. I went and visited the Paper and Rayon Fiber Mill at Chandraghona. — **A personal tribute to Lieutenant Colonel B K Narayan, an Islamic Scholar who served in Olive Green Uniform. The Imam of Friday Prayer in Kaptai on December 17, 1971**. OPERATION EAGLE 1971: Electricity generated at Kaptai helps to operate Chandraghona Paper Mills near Kaptai.An engineer who had worked in the Paper Mills at Chandraghona, a Bangla Muslim had helped my Unit during our military operation in the Chittagong Hill Tracts. When our Unit reached Kaptai, the engineer happily returned to his home. He had joined Lieutenant Colonel Assar in a military operation at Chittagong. I went and visited the Paper and Rayon Fiber Mill at Chandraghona.

R. R. Narasimham, B.Sc., M.B.B.S.,

Service Number: MS-8466, Rank: CAPTAIN Branch: Army Medical Corps/Short Service Regular Commission;

Designation: Medical Officer, South Column, Operation Eagle

Organization: Headquarters Establishment No. 22 C/O 56 APO.

My father created the SFF, I commanded it

By Inspector General GURDIP SINGH UBAN (retd)

September 22, 2020 Rediff.com

Major General Sujan Singh Uban, a legendary veteran of the Second World War, was a natural choice to raise, train and command the Special Frontier Force and mould them into a well oiled fighting machine, recalls his son Inspector General Gurdip Singh Uban (retd), who led SFF troops during the Kargil War.

As the Indian Army moved in with their major thrust into East Pakistan, the SFF, while supporting the flank of the Indian Army, by a blitzkrieg, cleared the Chittagong Hill Tracts, destroyed the Kaptai dam and encircled and prevented the escape of Pakistan’s 97 Brigade and No 2 Commando Battalion, all of whom were taken prisoner.

The SFF was poised for the capture of Chittagong port when a ceasefire was declared; a daring move which paid handsome dividends.

This earned them the title ‘Phantoms of Chittagong’.

The Bangladesh Ops of 1971-72. My Story from the Chittagong Hill Tracts

The Phantoms of Chittagong – A story from the Chittagong Hill Tracts. ESTABLISHMENT NO. 22 – OPERATION EAGLE: A COVERT MILITARY ACTION SANCTIONED BY PRIME MINISTER OF INDIA TO SECURE PEACE IN THE REGION NOW KNOWN AS THE REPUBLIC OF BANGLADESH.

The Comic Strip Superhero- The Phantom,The Ghost Who Walks. — **The Phantoms of Chittagong – A story from the Chittagong Hill Tracts. The Comic Strip Superhero – The Phantom,The Ghost Who Walks.**

**The Phantoms of Chittagong – A story from the Chittagong Hill Tracts**. **Lee Falk created the fictional Superhero known as PHANTOM**

LEE FALK’S PHANTOM:

Leon Harrison Gross, popularly known as Lee Falk had created the comic strip superhero ‘The Phantom, The Ghost Who Walks’. The story of Phantom was initially set in the deep woods of Bengal of India. Later, the setting of the story moved to the jungles of the fictional African country of Bangalla. In that story, the true nature of Phantom is only known to the PYGMY tribe, the natives of the forest.

THE PHANTOMS OF CHITTAGONG: THE FIFTH ARMY IN BANGLADESH

**Major General Sujan Singh Uban, AVSM, the former Inspector General of the Special Frontier Force. The Commander of ‘The Phantoms of Chittagong’.**

Allied Publishers of India had published this book on April 1, 1985. The author of this Phantom fiction is Major General (Retd)Sujan Singh Uban. He commanded the Special Frontier Force in the rank of Inspector General. In his story, General Uban narrated the military exploits of the Special Frontier Force during the Liberation War of Bangladesh in 1971. General Uban was deputed to carry out a hazardous operation in the Chittagong Hill Tracts. His force was airlifted to the northeast corner of India and had reached the border of Mizoram State and had proceeded on foot to accomplish its mission. The force had operated independently in the most difficult terrain of Chittagong Hill Tracts. The phrase Fifth Army makes the important distinction between Special Frontier Force and the Indian Army.

**The Phantoms of Chittagong – A story from the Chittagong Hill Tracts**

For the success of this operation, General Uban was awarded the medal for distinguished service of exceptional order known as ‘Param Vishisht Seva Medal’ ( PVSM). Just like the ‘bush people’ of the forests of Bangalla know the true nature of PHANTOM, the native forest dwellers of the Chittagong Hill Tracts described as ‘CHAKMA’ know the true nature of the Phantoms, the ‘Fifth Army’ in Bangladesh. The Chakmas have eyes that can see. They had silently witnessed the movements of the Fifth Army. General Uban may not have contacted these denizens of the forests. He may have no clue as to what the Chakma might have seen. In the execution of General Urban’s military plan some of the Phantoms, gallant members of the Fifth Army sacrificed their lives. General Uban was not present when the real heroes were cremated or buried. Apart from myself, I presume that the Chakma might have seen where the ‘Phantoms of Chittagong’ were buried.

Lieutenant Governor of Andaman & Nicobar Islands(December 1985 to December 1989) – Lieutenant General(Retd) TS Oberoi, PVSM, VrC., former General Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Headquarters Southern Command, Pune, former Inspector General, Special Frontier Force, former Commandant, Headquarters Establishment No. 22. He is the tall person in this photo wearing dark brown turban. I knew him since 1971. Under his able leadership, the Liberation of Bangladesh had commenced in the year 1971 during the Indo-Pak War.Apart from his military wisdom, he took a good care of all men under his Command. While I was proceeding to the Chittagong Hill Tracts, he had individually greeted all the members of my team and had delayed the departure of aircraft to ensure that a hot breakfast was served to all the men boarding the aircraft. He paid personal attention to all the aspects of the military mission to ensure the wellbeing of men apart from achieving success in accomplishing the military task. The sense of warmth he radiated is easily felt when we meet him in person. His grandson provided me the link to this photo. Photo Credit – Trishna-Ajay-Picasa Web Album.

THE UNTOLD STORY OF THE FIFTH ARMY:

The Phantoms of Chittagong – A story from the Chittagong Hill Tracts. Operation Eagle. The military action to initiate the Liberation of Bangladesh involved the use of this US Marine Corps Service Rifle. I declined to use the US Service Rifle M14 and had no Service Weapon for self-defence.

General Uban in his book did not describe the full story about his military expedition to Bangladesh. He did not describe the Medical Evacuation Plan for his operation.

The Phantoms of Chittagong – A story from the Chittagong Hill Tracts. MS-8466 CAPTAIN R.R. NARASIMHAM, AMC/SSC. During the 1971 War, at a critical juncture, as the Unit waited for Prime Minister Indira Gandhi’s decision, this Medical Officer acted with decisive Courage inside the enemy territory and had accomplished his military Mission.

In the history of the Indian Army Medical Corps, a unique chapter was added in the forests of Chittagong Hill Tracts. It would be my privilege to narrate that historical moment. General Uban may not be aware of the fact that I had actually marched into enemy territory without my personal weapon to defend myself.

I was trained in the use of a 9 mm SMG or Sten Gun. I had chosen to march into enemy territory without my personal weapon to defend myself. I did not throw away my weapon and I did not surrender my weapon to the enemy which are crimes under law. War is a team effort. My contribution to this team effort is not based upon firing bullets from my Sten Gun. I had totally discarded any concerns about my personal safety and worked for the success of the team. I have shown Courage by not carrying this Sten Gun and in following my team like a shadow and confronting the enemy as a TEAM. — **The Phantoms of Chittagong – A story from the Chittagong Hill Tracts**. I was trained in the use of a 9mm SMG or Sten Gun which is very similar to the gun shown in this photo image. I had chosen to march into enemy territory without my personal weapon to defend myself. When I reported for duty, I learned that my South Column Unit had no Sten Guns on their inventory. War is a team effort. My contribution to this team effort is not based upon firing bullets from my Sten Gun. I had totally discarded any concerns about my personal safety and worked for the success of the team. I have shown Courage by not carrying this Sten Gun and in following my team like a shadow and confronting the enemy as a TEAM.

**The Phantoms of the Chittagong Hill Tracts.** **The Untold Story of the Fifth Army in Bangladesh. Where was my Sten Gun?**

General Uban was not aware of the ‘SERMON’ delivered by Lieutenant Colonel B K Narayan, my South Column Unit Commander in Kaptai. On Friday, December 17, 1971 morning, the religious worship service for Bangla Muslims of Kaptai was conducted by Colonel Narayan, a non-Muslim. I shared this story at my blog post titled ‘A Sermon in Kaptai, Bangladesh’.

The Phantoms of Chittagong – A story from the Chittagong Hill Tracts. On Friday, December 17, 1971, Lieutenant Colonel B K Narayan, Commander of South Column Unit of Operation Eagle conducted the Friday Worship Service for Bangla Muslims of Kaptai, Rangamati District, Bangladesh.

General Uban was not aware of the use of Telugu language in military radio communications during a crucial phase of our Unit’s encounter with the enemy. Our enemy was not in a position to comprehend a South Indian language like Telugu. Myself and Colonel Narayan took advantage of the language barriers and had openly communicated in Telugu language. The enemy might have intercepted and listened to our radio conversations but did not decipher our messages. During 1971 War, for brief moments, the airwaves in Chittagong Hill tracts had carried words spoken in Telugu.

**The Phantoms of Chittagong – A story from the Chittagong Hill Tracts. AN-PRC-25 US Army Backpack VHF Radio. We used the radio communicating in Telugu language.**

General Uban is entitled to take credit for his military plan. However, the real credit goes to the person who had executed the plan on the ground. Lieutenant General T S Oberoi, PVSM, VrC who was the General Officer Commanding – in – Chief at Headquarters Southern Command, Pune during 1982-85 should get the real credit. I knew General Oberoi. In 1971, he was a Brigadier. While I was heading to Kumbhigram airfield, he had personally seen me off in the early morning hours at Sarsawa airfield. He delayed the departure of the aircraft. He insisted that the men must be served a hot breakfast before boarding the plane. I remember him for his sense of devotion to the men he had commanded. He displayed this devotion in his actions and the manner in which the military plan was executed on the ground. Rajiv Gandhi. the Prime Minister of India had simply overlooked his merit and had denied him the opportunity to serve the nation as the Chief of Army Staff. I had also served under General K S Sundarji at the First Armoured Division. In my blog post titled ‘Living Under The Shadow – A Prescription For Death’ dated June 22, 2009, I wrote that I could not perform the simple task of medical evacuation when I was called to attend upon his ailing wife. Whereas while serving under the Command of Brigadier Oberoi, in the forests of Chittagong Hill Tracts, I had written a new Chapter in the History Books of the Indian Army Medical Corps. Based upon that story, I ask the Government of India to award me the Gallantry Award Vir Chakra that was recommended but not presented. A gallantry award is not the equivalent of winning a lottery ticket. The award is only a recognition of a past event that had taken place. History cannot be rewritten. Apart from the Citation recommending me for this decoration, my Annual Confidential Report for the year 1971, Colonel Iqbal Singh’s Remarks on my application for Direct Permanent Commission – AMC Examination held in 1972 are part of the documents archived at Ministry of Defence, New Delhi. My actions in Chittagong Hill Tracts were witnessed by Bangla Muslim refugees who had accompanied us and more interestingly by a young Chakma man who had silently observed me while I cared and comforted the battle casualties. I am happy to narrate this Untold Story. Kindly view my Blog Post:

The Medical Plan for Fifth Army in Bangladesh – The Experience of Madhurya in Chittagong Hill Tracts.

Lieutenant General T S Oberoi, the Southern Army Commander during 1983, the former Inspector General of Special Frontier Force is seen in this photo wearing a helmet. The photo was taken during 1982 while he had visited A S C Centre, Bangalore. He would have executed Operation Blue Star with due care and concern to save the lives of his men and the civilians.

I want to express my sense of appreciation and give my warmest regards to Mr. Siddique Ahmed who served at Karnaphuli Complex at Chandraghona near Kaptai and had joined our Unit during the execution of Operation Eagle. I thank him for sharing his comments on this post.

R. Rudra Narasimham, B.Sc., M.B.B.S.,

Service Number: MS-8466, Rank: CAPTAIN, Branch: Army Medical Corps/Short Service Regular Commission,

Designation: Medical Officer, South Column Operation Eagle, 1971-72,

Organization: Headquarters Establishment No. 22 C/O 56 APO.

THE FIFTH ARMY IN BANGLADESH - THE CHITTAGONG HILL TRACTS. — **The Phantoms of Chittagong – A story from the Chittagong Hill Tracts.THE FIFTH ARMY IN BANGLADESH. A VIEW OF MIZO HILLS (INDIA) FROM THE CHITTAGONG HILL TRACTS.**

The Indo-Pak War of 1971 and the Birth of Bangladesh are very significant achievements of Prime Minister Indira Gandhi. As I was then serving in Establishment No. 22 under the Cabinet Secretariat, I had direct and personal understanding of her Foreign Policy Initiatives and would call her as the ‘Creator of the Phantoms of Chittagong’. She had personally approved our covert military Operation in the Chittagong Hill Tracts. In the conduct of this War, we had faced a very critical moment and it needed her personal intervention and a decision that she alone could make. I rendered my services and had overcome the challenge posed by that critical situation. The importance of this situation could be understood as it needed an intervention from the Prime Minister. I am now asking the Government of India to recognize my GALLANT response in enemy’s territory without any concern for my personal safety.

The Medical Plan for the Fifth Army in Bangladesh. An unexpected eyewitness of the covert military operation

The Medical Plan for the Fifth Army in Bangladesh – A Chakma tribal person is my eye witness during unplanned battlefield medical evacuation of casualties in the Chittagong Hill Tracts .In a hilly, forest terrain, the use of aerial firepower or bombing campaigns will not dislodge the enemy. The enemy must be found on the ground and must be directly attacked.

ESTABLISHMENT NO. 22 - OPERATION EAGLE: IT WAS AN ACT OF UNDECLARED WAR ON PAKISTAN SANCTIONED BY PRIME MINISTER OF INDIA TO SECURE PEACE IN THE REGION NOW KNOWN AS THE REPUBLIC OF BANGLADESH. — The Medical Plan for the Fifth Army in Bangladesh – A Chakma tribal person is my eye witness during unplanned battlefield medical evacuation of casualties in the Chittagong Hill Tracts. SPECIAL FRONTIER FORCE – ESTABLISHMENT NO. 22 – OPERATION EAGLE: IT WAS AN ACT OF WAR ON PAKISTAN SANCTIONED BY PRIME MINISTER OF INDIA TO SECURE PEACE IN THE REGION NOW KNOWN AS THE REPUBLIC OF BANGLADESH.

General Sujan Singh Uban, AVSM, Inspector General of Special Frontier Force. — The Medical Plan for the Fifth Army in Bangladesh – A Chakma tribal person is my eye witness during unplanned battlefield medical evacuation of casualties in the Chittagong Hill Tracts.Major General Sujan Singh Uban, PVSM, AVSM, Inspector General of Special Frontier Force. The Commander of the ‘Fifth Army in Bangladesh’.

Major General (Retd) Sujan Singh Uban, PVSM, AVSM, the former Inspector General of Special Frontier Force published a book that is titled ‘The Phantoms of Chittagong: The Fifth Army in Bangladesh’. He narrated the story about his Special Frontier Force that liberated the Chittagong Hill Tracts during the India-Pakistan War of 1971. In his book, he did not discuss the Medical Plan for the evacuation of battlefield casualties. He coined the phrase “The Fifth Army” to make the distinction between Special Frontier Force and the Indian Armed Forces. For all practical purposes, the Special Frontier Force operated with the same infantry weapons, ammunition, field gear, equipment, and supplies used by the US Army in the Vietnam War. We have not deployed field guns or artillery and had very limited airlift support. As such, Special Frontier Force is raised to engage the enemy with unconventional warfare and the men are not trained in the use of field guns. However, we have several Gunner Officers who adopt to the tactics of Special Frontier Force that doesn’t need their expertise in Artillery Warfare.

MS8466 CAPTAIN. R. Rudra Narasimham, AMC/SSRC, Medical Officer, Special Frontier Force. — The Medical Plan for the Fifth Army in Bangladesh – A Chakma tribal person is my eye witness during unplanned battlefield medical evacuation of casualties in the Chittagong Hill Tracts. MS-8466 CAPTAIN. R. R. Narasimham, AMC/SSRC, Medical Officer, Special Frontier Force.He served in the Fifth Army in Bangladesh.

THE ORGANIZATION OF MEDICAL SUPPORT IN THE BATTLEFIELD:

Each Unit or Regiment of the Armed Forces operating in the Field have to initially take care of their wounded soldiers at the Front Line of real combat. Units in the Field often set up a Regimental Aid Post (RAP) to give medical support. The Army Medical Corps positions its staff which includes Ambulance Assistants, Nursing Assistants, and Medical Officers who give this morale-boosting blanket of comfort. However, the medical resources that are available at RAP are very limited. Because of the distances, time, and practical difficulties involved, the battle casualties are evacuated from the forward-most line of contact to the nearest Field Hospital of the field formation/Division by positioning Staging Posts along the Chain of Medical Evacuation. A Staging Post that is often used is known as the Advanced Dressing Station (ADS) which supports the regimental Units of a brigade. At the ADS, the battle casualty could be resuscitated by intravenous fluids. Apart from resources like stretchers and blankets, the ADS can deploy ambulances to speedily evacuate wounded men to a Field Hospital or another intermediate Medical Staging Post.

THE MEDICAL PLAN FOR THE FIFTH ARMY IN BANGLADESH:

This retired Indian Air Force Officer, Parvez Jamasji was the pilot of the helicopter that provided airlift support to my Unit called South Column during our military action in Chittagong Hill Tracts. In due recognition of his gallant action, he was awarded the Gallantry Award of Vir Chakra. This helicopter pilot knows the Medical Plan for the Fifth Army in Bangladesh. — The Medical Plan for the Fifth Army in Bangladesh – A Chakma tribal person is my eye witness during unplanned battlefield medical evacuation of casualties in the Chittagong Hill Tracts. This retired Indian Air Force Officer, Squadron Leader Parvez Rustom Jamasji was one of the two pilots of the Mi-4 helicopters that provided airlift support to my Unit called South Column during our military action in the Chittagong Hill Tracts. In due recognition of his gallant action, he was awarded the Gallantry Award of Vir Chakra. This helicopter pilot knows the Medical Plan for the Fifth Army in Bangladesh.

The Fifth Army was tasked to operate independently with very limited logistical support. Fundamentally the battle was designed as a covert operation and hence the use of field guns was excluded. During the initial phases of the military operation in the Chittagong Hill Tracts, the men had operated on foot, on a ‘Man-Pack’ basis in roadless forests. A military Field Hospital with a Surgical Team was established at Lungleh or Lunglei in the Mizo Hills. Between the battle field and the Hospital, there were no Medical Staging Posts along the route of Casualty Evacuation. The Fifth Army did not set up any Advanced Dressing Stations. The Medical Plan was to initially provide medical support at any place selected by the Battalion in the Field and to directly evacuate the battlefield casualties to Lunglei Field Hospital by using the two Mi-4 helicopters. It was indeed a simple plan. None of us including my Battalion Commander Colonel B K Narayan, Brigadier T S Oberoi, the field Commander of this task Force, and his Chief of Staff Colonel Iqbal Singh had ever imagined that there could be a big surprise in the execution of this straight forward Battlefield Medical Evacuation Plan.

A SHOCKING SURPRISE AND A COURAGEOUS RESPONSE:

The first attack on the enemy position was made by the men led by Major Savender Singh Negi and Major G B Velankar of my South Column Unit which was Commanded by Lieutenant Colonel B K Narayan of the Regiment of Artillery, the first Gunner Officer to Command and participate in an Infantry style assault in the conduct of military action. Another Gunner Officer of the Regiment of Artillery, Lieutenant Colonel Krishan Lal Vasudeva Commanded the Central Column Unit of this Operation.

Later, both the Company Commanders of my South Column Unit received the Gallantry Awards of Vir Chakra for the courage displayed by them. In the India-Pakistan War of 1971, these two Officers were the first decorated apart from Major Raj Kumar Malhotra 4 PARA who was with the North Column Unit under the Command of Lieutenant Colonel Prasanta Coomar Purkayastha of Garhwal Rifles. As this successful attack of South Column Unit was concluding, my Unit Commander was informed that an airlift of battle casualties was not possible due to tactical and working difficulties as at that time the Prime Minister of India did not specifically sanction the entry of Indian aircraft into the Pakistani airspace. A helicopter flight to the enemy post that we captured was not possible on that day as the flight was not sanctioned by the Prime Minister. Most of the enemy defenders of the post that we attacked had escaped into the forest. The enemy could regroup and launch a counterattack to retake their lost position. Our men without wasting any time had taken up the defensive positions and were ready to fight if the enemy wanted to retake the post.

The use of helicopter airlift for air medical evacuation was vital to ensure the success of our military expedition. The men reacted to the news with a sense of utter disbelief. In fact, the grumblings of the men were loud, clear, and specific. It was not a sign of mutiny or the lack of trust in the Unit Leadership. Their concern was about the change of the game plan while we were in the middle of the game. I heard the men explicitly saying that they would shoot down any helicopter if it were to be deployed for any other operational reason without meeting the purpose of the battlefield medical evacuation of the casualties. I was not surprised for the men are not directly commanded by the leaders employed by India. The men have their own leaders and their leaders are involved in the planning and the execution of the battle operations. We were inside the enemy territory without stretchers, blankets and equipment for the proper conduct of ground medical evacuation. The nearest Border Security Force (BSF) outpost on the Indian border was over forty miles away. This BSF Post had a secure helipad. The challenge we had faced was to carry our battle casualties across a difficult terrain and to keep them alive until they could get to the helipad. None of the wounded were in a condition to walk on their own. All of them needed transportation as lying patients in stretchers. The Unit had not come ready to use any of its men as Stretcher Bearers. Each man had an assigned role in his own Platoon/Company. I willingly accepted to respond to this challenge and assume the responsibility to safely evacuate my patients and go with them on a foot journey to the BSF Post. The morale of the men got instantly boosted up. Pointing towards the stands of Bamboo, I suggested to the men that we could make our own improvised stretchers. It was a pleasure to watch these smart and talented men who went into action and the stretchers were assembled and ready for use in a short time. I did not get a chance to offer any guidance about how to prepare an improvised stretcher. They had entirely acted on their own.

THE MEDICAL EVACUATION – A MEMORABLE FOOT JOURNEY:

My South Column Unit Commander Lieutenant Colonel B K Narayan had to make a very difficult decision. He had to spare his fighting men for performing the duty of stretcher bearers. He assembled a party of about sixty or sixty-five men to lift and carry the stretchers and to defend the party. Stretcher bearing is a difficult task. A Bangla Muslim refugee was given to us as a guide. He did not depute any of the Infantry Officers to go with us on this tedious mission. I did not make any such demand. My medical staff, the AMC Nursing Assistants were distributed to different Companies and I wanted them to stay at their posts as the situation on the ground was still unpredictable. Hence, I was the only Army Medical Corps medical support person in this entire party proceeding on a foot journey to the BSF Post at Bonapansuria in Mizo Hills. After marching for over three hours, the nightfall and darkness obscured our path and we could not move any further. We decided to halt for the night on that jungle track. The men took turns to stay awake and remained vigilant. I kept a close watch on the condition of my patients, provided comfort and assurance and encouraged them to keep drinking small amounts of water to keep them hydrated and to prevent shock associated with blood loss due to injuries. I administered the water and medications (broad spectrum antibiotic pills to prevent wound infection and Injection Tubonic Morphia to relieve pain), checked and applied dressings and bandages as needed. We were concerned about the Mizo rebel activity in those forests. Fortunately, we spent the night without any untoward incident. We continued our march early morning before the sunrise and finally reached a stream that marks the boundary between the Indian Mizo Hills and the Chittagong Hill Tracts. The water level in the stream was low. We waded through knee level water with our stretchers. The BSF Post police personnel at Bonapansuria were delighted to receive us. They had rejoiced because of our recent victory and for capturing the enemy post. The staff at the Bonapansuria BSF Post were among the first group of Indians who knew about our military expedition and its success in the Chittagong Hill Tracts. The Mi-4 helicopter had soon arrived at that BSF Post to further transport my patients to the Field Hospital in Lunglei. All of my patients survived this prolonged ordeal. They remained calm and hopeful during the entire trip. I only used the very basic principles of Medicine and Resuscitation to give support to my patients. I had arrested bleeding, prevented further blood loss, provided relief from pain, and kept them well-hydrated. My physical presence provided them with a sense of reassurance that they needed. I was their doctor, their nurse, and their medical attendant during our march. This was a memorable, one of its kind medical evacuation story in the history of the Indian Army Medical Corps. If I had shown a sense of resolve, determination, and confidence, it was because of all these wonderful people acting as my eyewitnesses. I was performing in front of their eyes. They had absolute trust in my abilities. My patients not only survived but also cheerfully provided a telling testimony to others who had visited them at the Field Hospital in Lunglei. That was the unique, one of its own kind of battlefield medical evacuation of lying patients with only one medical support person.

THE EXPERIENCE OF ‘MADHURYA’ (SWEETNESS) AND A CHAKMA EYEWITNESS:

THE BUTTERFLY KNOWS THE SWEETNESS OF NECTAR(MADHU). — The Medical Plan for the Fifth Army in Bangladesh – A Chakma tribal person is my eye witness during unplanned battlefield medical evacuation of casualties in the Chittagong Hill Tracts. The Experience of Madhurya in the Chittagong Hill Tracts. The butterfly knows the Sweetness of Nectar (Madhu).

Once my patients got airlifted, I had the experience described in the Indian tradition as ‘Madhurya’ or a sense of Sweetness. At the conclusion of our medical mission, we were not feeling tired. We were simply filled with joy. We were ready to walk back immediately and rejoin the Unit in the Chittagong Hill Tracts. We started back, briskly walking through the forest without any breaks. Due to security concerns, we did not bunch up as a single group. The men remained vigilant with their loaded weapons and were fully prepared to engage any enemy. During that return trip through the forest, to my utter surprise, a young Chakma male appeared before me, apparently from nowhere. The Bangla Muslim refugee guide who was walking slightly ahead of me had stopped. The Chakma tribe speak a Bengali dialect. He spoke to the Bangla guide and could communicate that he needed my help. His father was bedridden and was in great pain. I was totally shocked to know that this unknown Chakma living in the middle of a forest had correctly identified me as a doctor of medicine. At that moment, I just looked like any other soldier. My Olive Green uniform was crumpled and dirty. I was in the same clothes for more than seven days both day and night. I had not changed my socks. I had no shower and I had not shaved. This Chakma youth did not bother to stop other men who were in my party hurriedly walking. He had not only approached me, but also he had a very specific reason for stopping me. For he had correctly known my identity, I guess that he had actually observed me while I was at work. He was my silent eyewitness. He knew the trip we made through the forest on the previous day. He had quietly observed while I nursed and treated my patients. I did not want to refuse his request for help for he had correctly identified me . I was a known stranger. I was not a soldier running through the forest. The Chakma had eyes that could see. He correctly comprehended my trade and understood that I help people who are in pain. When our party was returning, he decided to make use of that opportunity to seek my help. He did not treat me as a threat to his existence but as someone who could help his existence. I agreed to go with him to his house. I was shocked when he pointed his house to me. He lives in a tree house which was hidden from our view when we walked on the track near the house. He dropped a ladder for my use. I asked my Bangla Guide to stay on the ground. My escort party of armed men were not alerted and they stayed at about twenty feet distance from that tree and had no clue about my sudden disappearance. I did not want the Chakma family to feel intimidated by our presence in their area. I climbed up and entered the living room to find a Chakma man, the father of this young man who had stopped me. He was lying on the floor and was in pain. He had middle ear infection which was giving him a terrible pain. I dried up the ear discharge and showed him the importance of keeping the ear dry by using the cotton swab sticks that I provided him. I instilled antibiotic ear drops and showed him the way to instill ear drops after gently drying any discharge. I had a tube full of antibiotic pills. I also gave him pills for his pain and a supply of multivitamin pills. All of these pills come in different colors. I could instruct him in the use of the pills that I dispensed. I personally administered the pills and he felt better with my brief visit and intervention. I climbed down the ladder to rejoin my Bangla Guide and the escort party and we made a safe return trip to our Unit location. During this entire foot journey of over eighty miles, I had no sense of tiredness or physical fatigue. I had no sense of resentment or bitterness for making this trip which was not included in our initial Medical Plan for Casualty Evacuation. I did not experience even a trace of fear about my personal safety or wellbeing. The experience of ‘Madhurya’ was such, I was not irritated when a Chakma man had suddenly stopped me. I gave him no excuses. I entered the stranger’s house without my personal weapon and without any concern about my personal security. I provided him the medicines he needed for his recovery.

The young Chakma man displayed courage in approaching me and stopping me while I was in the company of a large group of armed men. The previous day he had apparently watched us silently as we journeyed through the forest. He had overcome that sense of fear that forced him to stay mute. He was able to communicate with a stranger who does not belong to his Land or Community. On my part, I had no desire and had no initiative that could have let me climb a tree and enter a treehouse. Just like a physically handicapped person would have declined the challenge of climbing a tree, I would not have exercised my physical ability in climbing a tree and taking the risk of entering an unknown dwelling. The Chakma did not use a threat or coerce me in any way while he approached me to get my attention.

I do not seek any personal credit or recognition for rendering medical help to an unknown forest dweller. I did not discuss the findings of my house visit with my Bangla guide or with the rest of the soldiers who were waiting for me. I did not describe this incident to my Unit Commander and to other Officers upon joining them. We just got busy with preparations for our next move to accomplish the goals of our military expedition to the Chittagong Hill Tracts.

Was I predestined to help the Chakma patient?

This Chakma man was sick and was suffering with pain even before Indian Army attacked the enemy post in the Chittagong Hill Tracts. He was confined to his treehouse unknown to any of us. He had no chance of getting any help from the external world. We carefully planned to avoid any direct contact with Chakma tribe forest dwellers and other civilian noncombatants during the course of our military expedition. We planned to directly attack the enemy positions and help the Bangla Muslim refugees to return to their homes which were at a much farther distance in fully inhabited areas. This foot journey for medical evacuation was a total surprise and was not planned. I wonder if the Chakma patient prayed for the medical intervention that had happened. If the helicopter had arrived to provide airlift, I would have never made that journey. Did the prayer of the Chakma patient had the power to stop the helicopter arriving for the battlefield casualty evacuation? Most interestingly, in 1964 while I lived in Nizamabad, Andhra Pradesh, studying for my Bachelor of Science degree, I suffered from an acute middle ear infection which ruptured the eardrum, the tympanic membrane. Fortunately, the rupture healed with treatment. The ENT Specialist ( Ear, Nose, and Throat Surgeon) at Military Hospital, Secunderabad examined me during the Medical Board Examination to assess my Fitness in 1969. He could easily discover the healed eardrum and approved my fitness to serve in the Indian Army Medical Corps. It amazes me even now that I had to unexpectedly provide help to a total stranger who was experiencing a medical condition which I had already experienced in my personal life.

Dr. R. Rudra Narasimham, B.Sc., M.B.B.S.,

Service Number. MS-8466 Rank. Captain AMC/SSC

Medical Officer, South Column Unit, Operation Eagle 1971

Headquarters Establishment No. 22 C/O 56 A.P.O.

The Liberation War of Bangladesh. The Fifth Army in Bangladesh is more like the US Army in Vietnam

MAJOR GENERAL SUJAN SINGH UBAN - COMMANDER OPERATION EAGLE 1971 — **Major General Sujan Singh Uban, Inspector General Special Frontier Force: The Fifth Army in Bangladesh.**

THE FIFTH ARMY IN BANGLADESH – THE CHITTAGONG HILL TRACTS. THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE INDIAN ARMY AND THE FIFTH ARMY IN BANGLADESH . WE USED THE SAME WEAPONS AND EQUIPMENT USED BY THE US ARMY IN VIETNAM

Major General Sujan Singh Uban, Inspector General of Special Frontier Force: The Fifth Army in Bangladesh. General Uban commanded the Fifth Army that initiated the Liberation of Bangladesh with a military action called Operation Eagle that was sanctioned by Prime Minister Indira Gandhi.

Major General Sujan Singh Uban: The Fifth Army in Bangladesh. OPERATION EAGLE 1971 COMMANDED BY MAJOR GENERAL SUJAN SINGH UBAN INSPECTOR GENERAL SPECIAL FRONTIER FORCE, DIRECTORATE GENERAL OF SECURITY, R K PURAM, NEW DELHI

SPECIAL FRONTIER FORCE – OPERATION EAGLE – LIBERATION WAR OF BANGLADESH 1971:

**Major General Sujan Singh Uban, Inspector General Special Frontier Force: The Fifth Army in Bangladesh.**

**Major General Sujan Singh Uban, Inspector General Special Frontier Force: The Fifth Army in Bangladesh. He is seen meeting with Bangabandhu Sheik Mujibur Rahman.**

The Fifth Army in Bangladesh. Establishment No. 22 – Operation Eagle: This badge represents a military alliance/pact between India, Tibet, and the United States of America. Its first combat mission was in the Chittagong Hill Tracts which unfolded on 03 November 1971. It was named Operation Eagle. It accomplished its mission of securing peace in the region that is now known as Republic of Bangladesh.

Major General ( Retd) Sujan Singh Uban, PVSM, AVSM the former Inspector General of Special Frontier Force published the book titled,’The Phantoms of Chittagong: The Fifth Army in Bangladesh’. He narrated the story about the military exploits of his force in the Chittagong Hill Tracts during Indo-Pak War of 1971.

Okay, here are the SFF Awards for the 1971 Conflict

PVSM
Hon Maj Gen Sujan Singh Uban, AVSM (Retd) IC-1003

Maj Gen SS Uban was deputed to carry out a hazardous Operation in Bangladesh with his force. His force was airlifted and thereafter operated independently and entirely on a limited air supply in most difficult terrain. The mission allocated was successfully completed. This resulted in the liberation of the Chittagong Hill tracts as well as breaking up of Mizo hostile camps organised by Pakistan. The success of the op was largely due to the initiative, drive and sound planning by Maj Gen Uban

Vir Chakra (VrC)

Operation Eagle – Gallantry Award: Service Number IC-22805 Major Survendra Singh Negi, The Grenadiers, served as a Company Commander, South Column, Operation Eagle, Bangladesh Ops, the Chittagong Hill Tracts.

Operation Eagle – Gallantry Award: Flight Lieutenant Parvez Rustom Jamasji, Indian Air Force Helicopter Pilot ( with Aviation Research Centre-ARC) provided airlift to the battle casualties in the conduct of Operation Eagle, Bangladesh Ops in the Chittagong Hill Tracts.

Fifth Army in Bangladesh. Remarks of Lieutenant General T S Oberoi, PVSM, VrC, General Officer Commanding-in-Chief,Headquarters Southern Command Pune 411001.He had remarked about my participation in the Indo-Pak War of 1971.

Fifth Army in Bangladesh. This response dated 02/03 December, 2009 does not suggest that no citation was initiated to present the Vir Chakra Gallantry Award. However, it carefully conceals the fact that the Military Operation specifically pertains to Operation Eagle for which the Rules of Engagement were prescribed by the Prime Minister of India and not by the Indian Army. Operation Eagle was the code name for India’s Undeclared War on Pakistan that unfolded on November 03, 1971.

**Fifth Army in Bangladesh. Special Frontier Force – Operation Eagle – Petition to Government of India.**

Lt Col Prasanta Coomar Purkayastha IC-2486 (Garhwal Rifles), Commander, North Column Unit, Op Eagle
Maj Raj Kumar Malhotra IC-20824 (4 Para), Company Commander, North Column Unit, Op Eagle
Maj Survendra Singh Negi IC-22805 (The Grenadiers), Company Commander, South Column Unit, Op Eagle
Major G G Velankar, Company Commander, South Column Unit, Op Eagle

Flight Lieutenant Parvez Rustom Jamasji, IAF, Mi-4 Helicopter Pilot, Aviation Research Centre (ARC), Op Eagle

MS-8466 Captain R R Narasimham, AMC, Medical Officer, South Column Unit, Op Eagle. Recommended but the Army Hqrs, MS Branch, Ministry of Defence declined to offer the Gallantry Award stating that the Director of Medical Services, DMS (Army), Medical Directorate, MoD has failed to forward the citation to the MS Branch in the stipulated time.

Vishisht Seva Medal (VSM)

Lt Col Krishan Lal Vasudeva IC-7203 (Arty), Commander, Central Column Unit, Op Eagle

Major Harish Chandra Sharma IC-21075 (Jat), Company Commander, Central Column Unit, Op Eagle

Major Tarachand Pande, Company Commander, South Column Unit, Op Eagle

Captain Ashok Kumar Jaiswal, AMC, Medical Officer, North Column Unit, Op Eagle

Major Ramesh Chandra, Senior Medical Officer, Force Hq, Op Eagle

Major PCM Mehta, AMC, Surgical Specialist, Field Hospital, Lunglei, Op Eagle

Sena Medal (SM)

Capt Ugam Singh IC-22297
Company Commander Major SK Suri, Op Eagle
Asst Company Commander Baldev Singh, South Column, Op Eagle
Asst Company Commander Captain Man Singh Gurung, South Column, Op Eagle
Asst Company Commander Surinder Nath Khanna

I am pleased to share some excerpts from the views shared by Lieutenant General Oberoi who served in the Military Operations Directorate, Indian Army Headquarters during the 1971 War. I ask my readers to note that no field guns were deployed in the conduct of the military action in the Chittagong Hill Tracts. Special Frontier Force used the basic infantry weapons, ammunition, radio sets, field gear, rations, medical supplies which the US Army was using in the Vietnam War.

**Operation Eagle. The military action to initiate the Liberation of Bangladesh involved the use of this US Marine Corps Service Rifle.**

**The General Purpose Machine Gun M60 was designed for use in the Vietnam War was equally useful for our Infantry Operation Eagle in the Chittagong Hill Tracts.**

M1 Muzzle loading 81mm Mortar is a heavy piece of Infantry weapon which provides indirect fire support. During Operation Eagle, our men had carried them on their backs and used them to fire upon the enemy patrols whenever they had confronted us.

**The most common weapon used by American Infantry Battalions in World War II, Korea, and Vietnam. Operation Eagle was fought on a manpack basis and this short-range, lightweight mortar was very useful.**

**AN/PRC-77 Backpack radio set is similar to the AN/PRC-25 radio set. This has the additional ability to scramble voice communications while being transmitted.**

Short-range, manpack, portable, frequency modulated (FM) transceiver that provides two-way voice communication. Radio Set AN/PRC – 25 is used in the Vietnam War and I had used the same in Operation Eagle.

A Soldier needs his gun, boots, and clothing to protect himself. During Operation Eagle 1971, I had used this US Army Nylon Poncho with Hood (Olive) to sleep on the ground and as a coat to protect myself from intense fog and dew prevalent in the Chittagong Hill Tracts.

**During Operation Eagle 1971 we were not allowed the use of cameras or photography. I would have looked like this man wearing Olive Green Coat Poncho. I had used US Army Cap-Jungle.**

Infantry marches on its feet. Boots are the most important equipment apart from Guns. I had used Ankle Canvas Boots used by the US Army in Vietnam, during Operation Eagle and had marched on feet to fight and dislodge the enemy from the Chittagong Hill Tracts.

U.S. Army uses a variety of Individual Field Medical Kits. The Kits issued to us during Operation Eagle 1971 were Olive Green Canvas pouches worn on the belts by each individual. The medical supplies included Water Purification Tablets for use in water bottles, anti-Malaria pills, Insect Repellent Solution (DBP), Insect Repellant Cream (DMP), Injectable Tubonic Morphine, Oxytetracycline tablets, Multivitamin tablets, Field dressings, bandages and others. The Kits were not stamped but the contents reveal the place of origin.

Operation Eagle. We used the same Water Purification Tablets and Water Canteens used by the US Army in Vietnam.

**Operation Eagle: Fifth Army in Bangladesh. We used the Collapsible, Tri-fold, Entrenching Tool used by the US Army in Vietnam.**

1971 War in the Eastern Front – A View from Army Headquarters

Lt General VIJAY OBEROI | 3 DECEMBER, 2021

https://www.thecitizen.in/index.php/en/newsdetail/index/4/21188/1971-war-in-the-eastern-front—a-view-from-army-headquarters

https://www.thecitizen.in/index.php/en/newsdetail/index/4/21191/1971-war-in-the-eastern-front—part-2

Lt Gen Vijay Oberoi, PVSM, AVSM, VSM is an infantry officer (The Maratha Light Infantry) and a former Vice Chief of Army Staff. Despite losing his right leg in the 1965 India–Pakistan War, he soldiered on till his retirement in September 2001. A prolific writer and analyst, he was founder director of the Indian Army’s think tank, the Centre for Land Warfare Studies (CLAWS) for five years where he is now director emeritus. He is currently founder president of the War Wounded Foundation, set up for meaningful rehabilitation of war disabled personnel.

The brilliant victory of the Indian Armed Forces during the 1971 India-Pakistan War is rightly being celebrated this year, as Swarnim Vijay as we approach the Golden Jubilee of Vijay Diwas on 16 December. While the media has focused on battles and bravery of individual personnel, very little has come out about the perspective from Delhi, especially about the planning and conduct of operations.

Since I have first-hand knowledge of this, I am writing this piece, so that readers get a glimpse of this important aspect too. My narration will be confined to plans and actions of the Eastern Front only, as I was dealing with operations in the East in the Military Operations Directorate (MO Dte).

By September/October 1971, mobilisation and orbatting of forces was still going on and in mid-November our postings were announced. Mostly everyone was going to units and formations already in their assembly areas/launch pads. I was one of the two officers posted to Army Headquarters. I was posted to MO Dte as GSO2 MO2.

I reported for duty in MO Dte on 4 December 1971; the war had commenced the previous evening. MO Dte was the smallest directorate in Army Headquarters (AHQ) at the time, consisting of just six Sections. During several subsequent postings to MO Dte, including as DGMO in 1994-95, it remained the smallest and most prestigious directorate in AHQ.

The Special Frontier Force (SFF) launched from Mizoram for clearing the jungles of the Chittagong Hill Tract (CHT) was commanded by their Inspector General (IG) Maj Gen Sujan Singh Uban (Artillery). All signals sent by him, including Situation Reports (SITREPS) were always addressed directly to the Chief and commenced with “Greetings to Gen Sam Manekshaw from your Fifth Army Commander”, and were invariably long without saying much!

The Chakma tribals inhabiting CHT had a fair degree of autonomy under Pakistan. After the war ended, Gen Uban had taken the ceremonial sword of the Chakma Raja, Tridev Roy as a souvenir and this had created quite a diplomatic stir. It was resolved after the sword was returned to the Raja of the Chakmas.

In early 1972, it was decided to launch operations against the Chakma insurgents in Rangamati District of the CHT. I was asked to prepare an Operational Instruction for the operation, which I produced within a few hours and named it Operation Jungle Jim. My GSO 1 was surprised with the speed it was prepared! It was approved the same day and sent to HQ Eastern Command. After the Indian Forces were pulled out of Bangladesh, the operation was handed over to the Bangladeshi forces.

**The Liberation of Bangladesh and the operation in Chittagong Hill Tracts.We had operated in an area under the operational control of IV CORPS.**

In addition, a hush hush operation (Operation Eagle) under HQ Special Frontier Force (SFF), under the command of Maj Gen Uban was launched from Mizoram to the Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHT), primarily to capture any Pakistani personnel who may attempt to escape to Burma (now Myanmar). They were also tasked to threaten Chittagong.

Dr. R. R.Narasimham, B.Sc., M.B.B.S.,

Service Number – MS-8466 CAPTAIN AMC/SSC

Medical Officer South Column Operation Eagle

Headquarters Establishment No. 22 C/O 56 APO

**Major General Sujan Singh Uban, Inspector General Special Frontier Force: The Fifth Army in Bangladesh. A Chakma village in the Chittagong Hill Tracts.**

The Fifth Army in Bangladesh.Special Frontier Force-Establishment No. 22-Operation Eagle:. In 1971, Special Frontier Force initiated Liberation of Bangladesh with military action in the Chittagong Hill Tracts with Battle Plan Code-named Operation Eagle. This Operation is not governed by Army Act 1950.

A tribute to Prime Minister Mrs. Indira Gandhi for her leadership in the Liberation War of Bangladesh

**Swarnim Vijay Diwas Tribute to Prime Minister Mrs. Indira Gandhi for her leadership role in the execution of the Liberation War of Bangladesh.**

I take this golden opportunity to acknowledge the leadership role of Prime Minister Mrs. Indira Gandhi in the execution of the Liberation War of Bangladesh. I have first-hand knowledge of her stewardship for she approved the battle plan code-named Operation EAGLE which initiated the liberation with direct military action in the Chittagong Hill Tracts. Her initiative was very critical and she balanced the opposition and the resistance exerted by the United States.

Swarnim Vijay Diwas Tribute to Prime Minister Mrs. Indira Gandhi. OPERATION EAGLE IS THE CODE NAME FOR MILITARY ACTION THAT INITIATED THE LIBERATION OF BANGLADESH ON NOVEMBER 03, 1971 WITH STRIKES ON THE ENEMY MILITARY POSTS IN CHITTAGONG HILL TRACTS.

I also pay my tributes to all the fallen heroes of the War including the membres of Special Frontier Force, Establishment No. 22, now known as Vikas Regiment.

**Swarnim Vijay Diwas Tribute to Prime Minister Mrs. Indira Gandhi for her leadership in the execution of the Liberation War of Bangladesh.**

Service Number: MS-8466 and MR-03277K Major R. Rudra Narasimham, AMC, Medical Officer, South Column, Operation Eagle, Special Frontier Force.

Swarnim Vijay Diwas Tribute to Prime Minister Mrs. Indira Gandhi. Indian Prime Minister Indira Gandhi and US President Richard Nixon, talking at the White House, Washington D C, USA, November 03, 1971. (Photo by Keystone/Hulton Archive/Getty Images) Barely four months before the start of the 1971 Bangladesh War, documents recently declassified by the Central Intelligence Agency show how US Secretary of State Henry Kissinger wanted to choke India.

The Reality of Self. Mortal vs Everlasting Life

The Lotus Effect - The Nature of Human Existence — **Transient Being vs Eternal Being. The Two Facets of the Human Existence. The Two Facets of the Lotus Flower. Mortal vs Everlasting Life.**

The Experience of Life in the Natural World

**Transient Being vs Eternal Being. The Two Facets of the Human Existence. The Two Facets of the Lotus Flower.Mortal vs Everlasting Life.**

What it is to be a Substance? and What it is to Exist? We need to establish knowledge about the man on a firm basis and the information it provides must be tested for its accuracy and consistency with an external reality. We have to make the fundamental distinction between the living and the non-living matter. The scientific advances of the 19th and 20th centuries reinforced the materialistic position concerning the basic similarity of organic living and inorganic physical matter. The man is viewed as a product of natural evolution and is thought to be subject to the same laws of Physics and Chemistry or mechanistic principles.

We need a methodology to study philosophy and to understand philosophical statements. Logical Positivism, also known as Scientific Empiricism aims to clarify concepts in both everyday and scientific language. It describes analysis of language as the function of philosophy. This analysis of language and of concepts is important to understand questions of belief and ideology which affect what we think we ought to do individually and socially. I would use this method of ‘Applied Philosophy’ to analyze the concept of Spiritual Optics, the Spiritual dimension of the Man’s experience of Life in the Natural World. There are two facets of the man’s experience of his own existence. These are, 1. The Identity which keeps changing or varying over the entire lifetime, and 2. The Individuality which continues to be the same without changing under the influence of time. The man can be presented as the constantly changing or varying, transitory, mortal, physical being on the basis of his Identity and on the flip side there is the dimension of unvarying, unchanging, constant, and eternal being defined by his Individuality.

Botanist Wilhelm Barthlott of the University of Bonn in Germany discovered in 1982 that the lotus leaf has a naturally self-cleaning, water-repellent surface. The secret lies in waxy microstructures and nanostructures that, by their contact angle with water, cause water to bead and roll away just like mercury. Barthlott patented his discovery, calling it the Lotus Effect.

While Barthlott takes credit for his discovery of the waxy surface of the lotus leaf, Indians have known the Lotus, an aquatic plant, for a very long time. Lord Vishnu, the Protector always carries a Lotus flower in his hand, He is generally depicted in images in a lying pose with a lotus springing out of His belly button, His eyes are always compared to the petals of the Lotus flower and His consort Goddess Lakshmi prefers to be seated on top of a Lotus flower. Indians use the Lotus flower for their worship and in Indian Art and Literature, Lotus finds a prominent place and the Lotus is given the official status of the National Flower. Indians are also equally impressed about the waxy nature of the surface of the lotus leaf and they know that the surface causes the water to bead and the drops rollaway with great ease. This phenomenon is very often used to describe the transient nature of human existence. But, the Lotus is the only flower that is constantly held in the hand of Eternal God.

If Identity described by the Phenotype establishes one face of the Coin, the Individuality describes the second face of the same coin and is established by the Genotype. The same Individual with the same Genotype exists as different Individuals with varying features of Identification.

**Identity and Individuality are the two sides of the same Coin. The Phenotype establishes the Identity, and the Genotype establishes the Individuality of a Living Cell or of a Living Organism.**

The coins that we use are minted with two different faces and we need to flip the coin to see the face on the opposite side. So also, human existence has its two sides, an eternal entity and at the same time a transient, perishable, temporary, ephemeral, fleeting, and finite entity. I would refer to the following two verses to illustrate this view-point.

THE BHAGAVAD GITA, CHAPTER II, VERSE 13:

“As the embodied soul continually passes, in this body, from boyhood to youth, and then to old age, similarly, the soul also passes into another body at death. The self-realized soul is not bewildered by such a change”.

Since every living entity is an individual soul, each is changing his body at every moment, manifesting sometimes as a child, sometimes as a youth, and sometimes as an old man, the spirit soul however remains the same and does not undergo any change. The individual soul eventually changes the body itself, the soul transmigrates from one body to another body and hence death is viewed as the soul changing bodies from old to new one. According to one’s work in the present life, the living entity experiences enjoyment or suffering with the changing of bodies. This view helps the individual not to lament about death.

SHANKARA’S BHAJA GOVINDAM AND NIRVANA SHATAKAM LYRICS:

The ‘ADVAITA’ school of Indian philosophy was founded by the great teacher Shankara who is popularly referred to as Adi Shankaracharya. He composed lyrics known as Bhaja Govindam (Praise Lord Vishnu, the Protector) in which he describes the transient, ephemeral, and fleeting nature of human life and existence.

Transient Being vs Eternal Being. The Two Facets of the Human Existence. The Two Facets of the Lotus Flower. Mortal vs Everlasting Life.

He compares human life to that of the bead of water drop on the surface of the Lotus leaf. He reminds us to understand that the body’s existence is very temporary and he observes that the entire humanity is suffering due to sickness caused by ignorance which makes people to crave with a sense of attachment and desire to keep their impermanent existence.

Transient Being vs Eternal Being. The Two Facets of the Human Existence. The Two Facets of the Lotus Flower. Mortal vs Everlasting Life.

The very same Adi Shankaracharya in the lyrics known as Nirvana Shatakam describes the individual entity as an embodied Soul. The Soul is eternal but the physical body is temporary and just like the water drop on the surface of the Lotus leaf, the drop could roll away any moment, and the Soul may change bodies sooner than we wish or desire. There is no point in cultivating a sense of attachment to the body as the Soul is not willing to cling to the physical body. Man is a created being, exists as an Individual with Individuality, and has living substance constituted by Chemical Elements that are immortal, imperishable, or eternal. However, Man, the physical being with a shape and form is transient as he is born with a plan for the dissolution of its form.

Simon Cyrene

Wednesday, December 08, 2021. The Miracle of Whole Conception

On Wednesday, December 08, 2021, Whole Dude experienced the Miracle of Whole Conception while looking for items that may give relief from the Cycle of Pain and Bleeding he endures in his quest for Whole Life.

To his great surprise, an angel appears to deliver the instructions from the Heaven as revealed by the prophecy of Ezekiel. The angel spreads cheer to arrest the Cycle; the Cycle of Pain and Bleeding is held in abeyance; the Cycle is on hold as God wants to put a new Spirit within the heart of Whole Dude. The Cycle of Pain will cease as the Spirit of God has to enter his heart. It is a Miracle. Whole Dude experiences immediate relief and feels the quickening as the Spirit impregnates his heart. Whole Dude now knows that the flesh counts for nothing. All that counts is the Spirit of Life that Whole Dude conceives during the Miracle of Whole Conception.

The Concept of Immaculate Conception

The Feast of the Immaculate Conception, which falls on Dec. 8 each year, is one of the Church’s most misunderstood yet beloved feast days. It is also a Holy Day of Obligation. While many think the Immaculate Conception refers to Jesus’s conception by the Virgin Mary, it actually honors the way in which the Virgin Mary’s herself was conceived. (The Feast of the Annunciation on March 25 honors Jesus’ conception).

Through the centuries the Church has become ever more aware that Mary, “full of grace” through God, was redeemed from the moment of her conception. That is what the dogma of the Immaculate Conception confesses, as Pope Pius IX proclaimed in 1854:

The most Blessed Virgin Mary was, from the first moment of her conception, by a singular grace and privilege of almighty God and by virtue of the merits of Jesus Christ, Saviour of the human race, preserved immune from all stain of original sin. (Catechism of the Catholic Church 490-491)

The Concept of Whole Conception-God’s Word is Life

To be born of Water and the Spirit, the man needs the Miracle of Whole Conception. The generative actions of the natural parents leading to the human conception are not good enough for it only gives birth to flesh.

Having experienced the Miracle of Whole Conception, Whole Dude is expecting to deliver on Monday, September 05, 2022, about 271 days after the Miracle of Whole Conception.

**Wednesday, December 08, 2021. The Miracle of Whole Conception. The Expected Date of Delivery is Monday, September 05, 2022.**

Whole Dude will deliver God’s Word on Monday, September 05, 2022.

The Concept of Whole Conception is to deliver a plan for Whole Life.

Matthew 4:4

“But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.”

Earthly Existence is governed by the Unreal Experience of Earth

Earthly Existence is Synchronized by the Creation of Day and Night. The Vitruvian Man c.1492. The painting by Leonardo da Vinci displays the spirit of scientific inquiry. The term Self-Realization describes complete fulfillment or full development of the Self and Man is not complete without full development of God-Connection. God-Realization is not about Faith or Belief in God. It is about understanding the connection between Man, the Energy Consumer, and God, the Energy Controller.

The Man’s Experience of Life in the Natural World

The Beginning. The Story of Creation

**Earthly Existence is Synchronized by the Creation of Day and Night.**

The Holy Bible, The Old Testament, Book of Genesis, Chapter 1 (verses 1,3,4,5,14 and 15) describes the creation of day and night.

In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.

And God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light.

God saw that the light was good, and He separated the light from the darkness.

God called the light “day,” and the darkness He called “night.” And there was evening, and there was morning – the first day.

And God said, “Let there be lights in the expanse of the sky to separate the day from the night, and let them serve as signs to mark seasons and days and years, and let them be lights in the expanse of the sky to give light on the earth.”

Earthly Existence is Synchronized by the Creation of Day and Night. .Are We Living in a Designer Universe? The Geocentric Model describes the Design Effect. Video Credit: NASA, Animation: James O’Donoghue (JAXA)

Explanation: How does your favorite planet spin? Does it spin rapidly around a nearly vertical axis, or horizontally, or backwards? The featured video animates NASA images of all eight planets in our Solar System to show them spinning side-by-side for an easy comparison. In the time-lapse video, a day on Earth — one Earth rotation — takes just a few seconds. Jupiter rotates the fastest, while Venus spins not only the slowest (can you see it?), but backwards. The inner rocky planets, across the top, most certainly underwent dramatic spin-altering collisions during the early days of the Solar System. The reasons why planets spin and tilt as they do remains a topic of research with much insight gained from modern computer modeling and the recent discovery and analysis of hundreds of exoplanets: planets orbiting other stars.

Earthly Existence is Synchronized by the Creation of Day and Night. The First Book of Moses called GENESIS, Chapter 1, verse 4 :”And God saw the light, that it was good; and God divided the light from the darkness.”

Different planets have different rates of rotation. We use Earth’s spin to define coordinate systems for locating objects both on the ground and the sky. The timekeeping system that we use is related to the rotation of the Earth. My human existence in this Universe is synchronized with the rotational spin of the Earth. The spin gives me alternating periods of light and darkness known as Day and Night while the Sun is shining all the time.

Synchronization of the External and Internal Environment of the Living Things

Earthly Existence is Synchronized by the Creation of Day and Night. The First Book of Moses called GENESIS, Chapter 1, verse 14: Then God said,”Let there be lights in the firmament of the heavens to divide the day from the night; and let them be for signs and seasons, and for days and years;”

The Biological Clock – Every living system studied behaves as if it contains a highly dependable clock. The specialized properties of this clock suggest that it involves some unique biological mechanism indissociable from life itself.

Biological Clock is an internal-timing mechanism to synchronize biological functions.

The Biological Clock is a self-sustained internal timing mechanism that controls cyclic patterns, or rhythms, of a living organism. All organisms have this ability to synchronize their existence to events in both their internal or external environment. Because of this internal timing, certain physiological and behavioural events vary in intensity. Such time-dependent variability is expressed as a rhythm, or oscillation, with a frequency equal to that of the underlying biological clock. Biological clocks time the Solar day, the period of the Earth’s rotation relative to the Sun.

Earthly Existence is Synchronized by the Creation of Day and Night. THE ETERNAL LAW OF AGING: THE EPIGENETIC CLOCK, HORVATH’S CLOCK IS A BIOLOGICAL CLOCK TO MEASURE THE AGE OF MOST HUMAN TISSUES, CELL TYPES, AND ORGANS IN THE SAME INDIVIDUAL WHICH CAN HELP IN PREDICTING THE AGING PROCESS.

The Biological Rhythm – Biological Rhythms represent the periodic biological fluctuation in an organism that corresponds to and is in response to periodic environmental change. The most important example of such environmental change is that of the cyclical variations in the relative position of the Earth to the Sun and the immediate effect of this variation is that of night alternating with day or the change from darkness to light. Biological Rhythms that occur once a day are called Circadian(Latin circa:”about,” di: “day,”), Solar day, diel, daily, diurnal(day-active), or nycthemeral rhythm. Circadian rhythms are the most pervasive rhythms regulating many events for every day in the lives of most living organisms. Circadian rhythms are synchronized to an external time-giving stimulus. The external stimulus that is important for most living organisms is that of Sun rise and Sun set, the daily light-dark cycle determined by Earth’s rotation.

The Day Active or Diurnal Rhythm Regulating the Man

Earthly Existence is Synchronized by the Creation of Day and Night: THE HUMAN ORGANISM RUNS ITS LIVING FUNCTIONS AS IF OPERATED BY A PRECISE TIMEKEEPING DEVICE OR BIOLOGICAL CLOCK. MAN’S EXPERIENCE OF TIME IS RELATED TO SUN’S APPARENT MOTIONS IN THE SKY. MAN KNOWS THE REALITY OF TIME BECAUSE OF AN ILLUSION THAT CAUSES DAY AND NIGHT GIVING MAN THE PERCEPTION OF SUN’S APPARENT MOTION WHILE CONCEALING THE REALITY OF SUN’S MOTION IN THE MILKY WAY GALAXY.

Within the 24-hour cycle(circadian), a person usually sleeps approximately 8 hours and is awake 16 hours. In man, the daily alteration of sleep and wakefulness is accompanied by many changes, including activities of the nervous and endocrine systems and the liver and kidneys. Daily variations occur in body temperature, in heart and respiratory rates, and in blood pressure and composition of the blood.There are daily variations in chemical syntheses and in cell divisions.

Earthly Existence is Synchronized by the Creation of Day and Night: There are two kinds of biological responses or rhythms. 1. The activities like Sleep and Wakefulness are related to the fluctuations of physical environment such as darkness, and light, or night and day variation, and 2. The rhythms such as heartbeat, and respiratory rate occur without external geophysical correlates as a consequence of the movements of the Earth.

During the wakeful hours, mental and physical functions are most active and tissue-cell growth increases. During sleep, voluntary muscle activities nearly disappear and there is a decrease in metabolic rate, respiration, heart rate, and blood pressure. The activity of digestive system increases during the resting period, but that of the urinary system decreases. Hormones secreted by the body, such as the stimulant epinephrine(adrenaline) are released in maximal amounts about two hours before awakening so that the body is prepared for activity.

Earthly Existence is Synchronized by the Creation of Day and Night. The Eternal Law of Aging: HUMAN EXISTENCE IS SYNCHRONIZED WITH DAILY CHANGES IN THE EXTERNAL ENVIRONMENT IN RESPONSE TO DAYLIGHT OR DARK.

If a person tries to break the circadian rhythm by ignoring sleep for a number of days, psychological disorders begin to arise.

The Laws of Nature

Earthly Existence is Synchronized by the Creation of Day and Night. THE ETERNAL LAW OF AGING: THERE ARE SEVERAL THEORIES ABOUT SENESCENCE. APART FROM THE MEASUREMENT OF CHRONOLOGICAL AGE, IT WOULD BE VERY USEFUL TO ASSESS AND MEASURE THE BIOLOGICAL AGE OF THE HUMAN ORGANISM AS THAT WOULD HELP TO PREDICT AGE-RELATED CHANGES IN THE STRUCTURE AND FUNCTION AND INVENT INTERVENTION MECHANISMS TO REDIRECT OR REGULATE THE AGING PROCESS.

Diverse aspects of human physiology and behaviour show that human existence is synchronized with the Laws of Nature. When we live in accordance with the law, we get a chance to know the provider of the Law.

Simon Cyrene

**Earthly Existence id Synchronized by the Creation of Day and Night. MAN’S EXISTENCE IS SHAPED BY FLAT EARTH WITH ARCHED DOME EXPERIENCE.**

Whole Dude-Whole Planet-Whole Experience

Earthly Existence-Enjoy the Fragrance.

पुण्यो गन्ध: पृथिव्यां च तेजश्चास्मि विभावसौ |
जीवनं सर्वभूतेषु तपश्चास्मि तपस्विषु || 9||

puṇyo gandhaḥ pṛithivyāṁ cha tejaśh chāsmi vibhāvasau
jīvanaṁ sarva-bhūteṣhu tapaśh chāsmi tapasviṣhu

puṇyaḥ—pure; gandhaḥ—fragrance; pṛithivyām—of the earth; cha—and; tejaḥ—brilliance; cha—and; asmi—I am; vibhāvasau—in the fire; jīvanam—the life-force; sarva—in all; bhūteṣhu—beings; tapaḥ—penance; cha—and; asmi—I am; tapasviṣhu—of the ascetics

BG 7.9: I am the pure fragrance of the Earth, and the brilliance in fire. I am the life-force in all beings, and the penance of the ascetics.

WHAT IS MATTER ?

To understand existence, it is very important to know about the nature of matter. Matter, either living or nonliving is made up of basic building blocks known as atoms. All atoms contain particles called electrons that carry a negative electrical charge. At the center of the atom lies the atomic nucleus which is composed of two types of particles; the proton which carries both mass and a positive electric charge, and the neutron which has about the same mass as a proton but is electrically neutral. Protons, neutrons, and electrons are the constituents of ordinary matter. But these are only three of a vast number of similar particles which differ only in a few properties such as their mass, electrical charge, and their stability against spontaneous decay. Protons, and neutrons are part of a much larger family of similar objects which are collectively called nucleons. Many of these fundamental particles are combinations of elementary particles popularly known as Quarks.

THE FOUR FUNDAMENTAL INTERACTIONS

Any influence that causes a collection of particles to undergo some change is known as Fundamental Interaction.

All known physical interactions of matter occur through the agency of four basic physical or fundamental kinds of forces. These Four Fundamental Forces, in decreasing order of strength are, the Strong Nuclear, the Electromagnetic, the Weak Nuclear, and the Gravitational Force. Each force has a characteristic strength and a range or distance over which they can exert their effects. The Strong Nuclear force is the strongest force known in nature. Its range is about a distance of 10 to the power of (-)13 cm. It weakens rapidly with distance. The particles of the atomic nucleus are tightly bound by the Strong Nuclear force. The Weak Nuclear force is involved in nuclear decay processes and in interactions involving the fundamental particles called neutrinos. If the Strong Nuclear force between two protons is assigned a strength of 1, then the Electromagnetic, Weak Nuclear, and Gravitational forces between the same two protons have relative strengths of 10 to the power of (-)2, 10 to the power of (-)5, and an incredibly small 10 to the power of (-)40. Thus the effect of Gravitational force on interactions among particles of atomic size is negligible. The Electromagnetic attractive force between a proton and an electron is several (10 to the power of 40) times greater than the Gravitational force at the same separation.

GRAVITATIONAL FORCE

Earthly Existence. Enjoy the Fragrance. Isaac Newton formulated the theory to explain Gravitation as the Force that causes apples to fall from trees.

Gravitation has several basic characteristics that distinguish it from the other Fundamental Interactions. First, it is universal, affecting all forms of matter and energy in essentially the same way whereas all the other interactions directly affect only certain types of particles, for example, Electromagnetic force affects only charged particles. Second, Gravitation is always ‘attractive’, since it interacts with mass-energy which is always positive, whereas Electromagnetic forces can either ‘attract’ or ‘repel’. Third, Gravitation is a long range interaction. Electromagnetism is also long-range, but the Strong and Weak Nuclear forces generally operate only within a distance, the size of an atomic nucleus. Fourth, Gravitation is the weakest of the Four Fundamental Forces with negligible effect on elementary particles.

**Earthly Existence. Enjoy the Fragrance. Sir Isaac Newton and the discovery of Gravitational Theory.**

Sir Issac Newton made the most significant contribution to Gravitational Theory when he perceived (1666) that the orbit of the Moon depended on the same type of force that causes an apple to fall on Earth. According to Albert Einstein’s Theory of Relativity, Gravity affects all forms of matter and energy, all of which move in Space-Time (SPACE-TIME CONTINUUM).

**Earthly Existence. Enjoy the Fragrance. For consideration of earthly existence, Gravitation can be explained as a Force of Attraction.**

Gravity is by far the weakest known force in nature and therefore plays no role in determining the internal properties of everyday matter. Gravitational force becomes appreciable only when at least one of the attracting masses is very large, typically of planetary size. A Gravitational force exerted by the Earth on the Moon keeps it in a circular motion about the Earth. The trajectories of planets in the Solar System are determined by the Laws of Gravity. The revolution of the Earth in relationship to the Sun, the motion of the Sun around the center of the Milky Way Galaxy, and the geometric structure of the universe itself are the results of the Gravitational force. Because of its long reach and universality, Gravity plays a central role in shaping the structure of stars, galaxies, and the entire universe. Hence, it would be correct to claim that Gravitational force is the most pervasive and dominant force in the universe.

TERRESTRIAL GRAVITATION

Terrestrial Gravitation is the force that tends to draw all bodies in the Earth’s sphere toward the center of the Earth. The fall of bodies released from a height to the surface of the Earth and the weight of resting bodies at or near the surface are the most familiar manifestations of Terrestrial Gravitation.

Earthly Existence. Enjoy the Fragrance. The Constitutive and the Regulative Principles of earthly human existence. The man is the Object of his own experience. The Body Mass is the Constitutive Principle. Terrestrial Gravitation is the Regulative Principle. The man may or may not acknowledge the operation of the Regulative Force or Power that gives the experience of his Body Mass.

Because of the Gravitational force exerted by the Earth’s mass, all bodies have a weight or downward force of gravity proportional to their mass. The word gravity is derived from the Latin word ‘gravitas’ which means weight or heaviness.

Atmosphere, the nearly transparent envelope of gases that surrounds the Earth, profoundly influences the environmental, and the climatic conditions on the planet’s surface. Life could not exist without the physical and chemical processes involving the atmospheric gases. Terrestrial Gravitation is the force that holds the atmosphere in its place.

EARTHLY EXISTENCE

The earthly human existence is possible only because of the Four Fundamental Interactions of matter. All living entities are energy dependent. The primary source of energy is Sun. The Strong Nuclear, the Weak Nuclear, and the Electromagnetic Force Interactions are involved in the burning of Sun’s hydrogen fuel to provide the energy that the man needs for his earthly existence. According to the Laws of Nature, this source of energy would eventually bring about disastrous consequences to earthly existence. The Sun continues to spend its abundant hydrogen fuel and the fuel supply is not everlasting.

The Gravitational Force maintains earthly existence in two ways. Firstly, it maintains Earth’s relationship with Sun and secondly, it firmly holds the Earth’s atmosphere in its place. The most important effect of Gravity is that it provides us the Subjective experience of our own body weight which helps to appreciate the physical reality of our earthly existence.

EARTHLY FRAGRANCE

**Earthly Existence-Enjoy the Fragrance. Earth’s Soil can generate an aroma of its own which the man can experience very easily.**

Soil is the earthen material that covers land surfaces and is formed by the action of natural physical, chemical, and biotic forces on the rocks and minerals on the Earth’s surface. Among its many important functions, soil serves as a substratum of plant life. It provides the terrestrial home for land based animals and humans.

**Earthly Existence-Enjoy the Fragrance.**

This surface layer of Earth has a characteristic fragrance of its own. It could be described as a sweet smell, a pleasant odor. It is not fruity, flowery, or spicy. The volatile compounds that generate this odor should reach our noses and the gas molecules should get dissolved in the nasal mucus and activate the receptors of smell or olfactory sensation.
To perceive this scent, the soil should not be too cold and frigid. At cold temperatures, the odor generating chemicals do not get vaporized. The soil should not be too hot, as excessive heat tends to destroy these scent chemicals. The Earthly fragrance is best appreciated after rain showers and also during the Spring Season. This fragrance is unique and makes planet Earth a special place. This scent is original. In nature, all products such as flowers, fruits, and herbs which are fragrant could be easily identified as the fragrance and its source are connected. The individual components of the soil are not the direct source of earthly fragrance.The physical, chemical, and biotic factors that interact to generate this fragrance are not available on any other celestial body in the universe that we know today.The Four Fundamental Forces are united in their purpose to produce this new and original product. The originality of Earth’s fragrance could be deemed as an act of creation.

Simon Cyrene

The Cosmic Connection between the Living and the Nonliving Matter

**Earthly Existence and the Cosmic Connection. SUN GOD, LORD SURYANARAYANA, LORD OF SKY AND WATER, SAVITA – THE COSMIC FATHER**

WATER FOR LIFE

Water is vital to life, participating in virtually every process that occurs in all living creatures. All living things consist mostly of water, for example, the human body is about two-thirds water. The contents of a living cell known as cytoplasm by its composition is about 70 to 90 percent water. The versatility of water as a universal solvent is essential to living organisms. Earthly life depends upon aqueous solutions that are used for carrying out biological processes such as circulation, and digestion.

Water is the most common substance on Earth covering more than 70 percent of the planet’s surface. About 97 percent of the Earth’s water is in the oceans, 2 percent is permanently frozen as polar ice caps, and glaciers, and most of the reminder about 1 percent consists of groundwater or surface streams, rivers, and lakes. The abundant sea water being too salty is of no direct use to the terrestrial forms of life. For earthly existence, the vast majority of plants, animals, and human beings depend upon water that reaches the ground as precipitation from the sky.

THE WATER CYCLE OR HYDROLOGIC CYCLE

The Greek philosopher of nature, Anaxagoras (500 – 428 BC) who lived in Athens, provided the earliest description of the hydrologic cycle, stating that the Sun lifts water from the sea into the atmosphere, from which it falls as rain. The Roman architect and engineer Marcus Vitruvius (1 st century BC) described that the groundwater is derived from rain and snow by infiltration of the soil.

The hydrologic cycle is the process by which water circulates continuously between the atmosphere and the surface of the Earth, falling as precipitation, evaporating or transpiring from vegetation back into the atmosphere, or collecting as surface runoff via streams and rivers and flowing to the sea, there to evaporate again into the atmospheric portion of the cycle. It involves the continuous circulation of water in the Earth-Atmosphere system. The most important processes involved in the water cycle are evaporation, condensation, precipitation, and runoff as streams and rivers. Evaporation involves the transfer of water in the liquid state from the surface of the Earth to the gaseous or vapor state in the atmosphere. The main factors affecting evaporation are solar radiation (the source of heat/temperature), humidity, and wind speed. The radiant energy from the Sun also melts the snow and ice to perpetuate the surface runoff that we recognize as streams and rivers.

THE SUN GOD, LORD SURYANARAYANA, VYOMANATHA (LORD OF SKY AND WATER), SAVITA – THE COSMIC FATHER

All living entities upon Earth are energy dependent and they thrive by drawing the material energy from nature. Sun is the cosmic source of energy for earthly life. Apart from energy, the Sun is the source of freshwater for all terrestrial life. Sun’s role in the hydrologic cycle could be compared to the role heart plays in the human circulatory system. Human heart is considered to be a vital organ as it works like a mechanical pump to circulate purified blood which sustains all the essential functions of the entire body. Just like the human heart, the Sun provides the energy, which very much like a mechanical pump, lifts water from the oceans into the atmosphere and during this process of evaporation the salt water is transformed into purified fresh water. This water vapor is the most important component of Earth’s atmosphere and it provides the opportunity for our earthly existence. Being the source of energy, and of fresh water, it is appropriate to describe the Sun as the Cosmic Father. His heat may put us to trouble, arouse our sense of thirst, but His rains quench our thirst. Indian Cultural traditions recognize Sun as SAVITA which means Cosmic Father and He is often described as the provider of great rains, and as a friend of waters that flow across the land surface. Earthly existence is simply impossible without this harmonious relationship between the Cosmic Sun and earthly living creatures.

A HYMN TO THE SUN GOD

Earthly Existence and the Cosmic Connection. A hymn to the Sun God.

In the epic poem of RAMAYANA, sage AGASTYA taught LORD RAMA the hymns to worship the Sun God who is also known as ADITYA, RAVI, DIVAKAR, PRABHAKAR, MITRA,BHASKARA and other names. The hymns are known as ‘ADITYA HRUDAYAM’. The Sun illuminates the external world, and the same illumination could also dispel the darkness, the ignorance from our hearts, the inner world.

Life is a condition that describes Synchronized Existence, the synchronization of activities, the connection between energy dependent life functions and its Source of Power.

He is the Lord of the sky and water. He dispels darkness and ignorance. He had obtained the essence of Vedic Scriptures (Rig, Yajur, and Saama) and hence is the Master of Knowledge. He is the provider of great rains, and He is the friend of waters that flow across the land. He quickly traverses the celestial plane and we see Him moving over the Vindhya mountains.

व्योमनाथस्तमोभेदी ऋग्यजुः सामपारगः।
घनवृष्टिरपां मित्रो विन्ध्यवीथीप्लवङ्गमः॥ १३
Transliteration:
vyomanāthastamobhedī ṛgyajuḥ sāmapāragaḥ।
ghanavṛṣṭirapāṃ mitro vindhyavīthīplavaṅgamaḥ॥ 13
English translation:
He is the Lord of the firmament and ruler of the sky, remover of darkness. the master of the three Vedas Rig, Yaju, Sama, he is a friend of the waters (Varuna) and causes abundant rain. He swiftly courses in the direction South of Vindhya-mountains and sports in the Brahma Nadi.
Hindi translation:
सूर्य अंतरिक्ष के स्वामी, आकाश के शासक, अंधेरे के विद्वान, तीन वेदों रिग, यजुर एवं साम वेद के स्वामी है । भारी वर्षा के कारण भी यही है, या भगवान वरुना के दोस्त हैं । ये विंध्या रेंज को पार कर ब्रह्मा नदी को भी पार कर लिया है ।

Simon Cyrene

EARTHLY EXISTENCE AND THE COSMIC CONNECTION.

A Personal Tribute to Lieutenant Colonel B K Narayan, The Regiment of Artillery, Indian Army. An Islamic Scholar Who Served in Olive Green Uniform. The Imam of Friday Prayer in Kaptai on December 17, 1971.

SPECIAL FRONTIER FORCE – ESTABLISHMENT NUMBER. 22 – OPERATION EAGLE – LIBERATION WAR OF BANGLADESH 1971:

My father created the SFF, I commanded it

LEE FALK’S PHANTOM:

THE PHANTOMS OF CHITTAGONG: THE FIFTH ARMY IN BANGLADESH

THE UNTOLD STORY OF THE FIFTH ARMY:

THE ORGANIZATION OF MEDICAL SUPPORT IN THE BATTLEFIELD:

THE MEDICAL PLAN FOR THE FIFTH ARMY IN BANGLADESH:

A SHOCKING SURPRISE AND A COURAGEOUS RESPONSE:

THE MEDICAL EVACUATION – A MEMORABLE FOOT JOURNEY:

THE EXPERIENCE OF ‘MADHURYA’ (SWEETNESS) AND A CHAKMA EYEWITNESS:

Was I predestined to help the Chakma patient?

SPECIAL FRONTIER FORCE – OPERATION EAGLE – LIBERATION WAR OF BANGLADESH 1971:

Vir Chakra (VrC)

Vishisht Seva Medal (VSM)

Sena Medal (SM)

1971 War in the Eastern Front – A View from Army Headquarters

The Experience of Life in the Natural World

THE LOTUS EFFECT-THE TWO FACETS OF LOTUS FLOWER

TWO FACES OF THE COIN – TWO FACETS OF EXISTENCE:

THE BHAGAVAD GITA, CHAPTER II, VERSE 13:

SHANKARA’S BHAJA GOVINDAM AND NIRVANA SHATAKAM LYRICS:

The Concept of Immaculate Conception

Through the centuries the Church has become ever more aware that Mary, “full of grace” through God, was redeemed from the moment of her conception. That is what the dogma of the Immaculate Conception confesses, as Pope Pius IX proclaimed in 1854:

The most Blessed Virgin Mary was, from the first moment of her conception, by a singular grace and privilege of almighty God and by virtue of the merits of Jesus Christ, Saviour of the human race, preserved immune from all stain of original sin. (Catechism of the Catholic Church 490-491)

The Concept of Whole Conception-God’s Word is Life

Matthew 4:4

The Man’s Experience of Life in the Natural World

The Beginning. The Story of Creation

Synchronization of the External and Internal Environment of the Living Things

The Day Active or Diurnal Rhythm Regulating the Man

The Laws of Nature

पुण्यो गन्ध: पृथिव्यां च तेजश्चास्मि विभावसौ |जीवनं सर्वभूतेषु तपश्चास्मि तपस्विषु || 9||

WHAT IS MATTER ?

THE FOUR FUNDAMENTAL INTERACTIONS

GRAVITATIONAL FORCE

TERRESTRIAL GRAVITATION

EARTHLY EXISTENCE

EARTHLY FRAGRANCE

WATER FOR LIFE

THE WATER CYCLE OR HYDROLOGIC CYCLE

THE SUN GOD, LORD SURYANARAYANA, VYOMANATHA (LORD OF SKY AND WATER), SAVITA – THE COSMIC FATHER

A HYMN TO THE SUN GOD

पुण्यो गन्ध: पृथिव्यां च तेजश्चास्मि विभावसौ |
जीवनं सर्वभूतेषु तपश्चास्मि तपस्विषु || 9||