Operation Eagle-Special Frontier Force-Honours and Awards Representation

**OPERATION EAGLE IS THE NAME OF BATTLE PLAN APPROVED AND SANCTIONED BY PRIME MINISTER INDIRA GANDHI TO INITIATE LIBERATION OF BANGLADESH WITH MILITARY ACTION IN THE CHITTAGONG HILL TRACTS.**

Operation Eagle initiated the Liberation of Bangladesh with Military Action in the Chittagong Hill Tracts. Major General Sujan Singh Uban, Inspector General Special Frontier Force was the Commander of this Operation in the Chittagong Hill Tracts.

OPERATION EAGLE – HONOURS AND AWARDS REPRESENTATION:

MS-8466 CAPTAIN R R NARASIMHAM AMC/SSC – OPERATION EAGLE-GALLANTRY AWARD- THE REPRESENTATION IS ABOUT THE RULES AND CONDITIONS THAT WERE USED BY INDIA’S PRIME MINISTER TO FORMULATE THE ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA TO RECEIVE DUE RECOGNITION AND SANCTION OF MILITARY HONOURS AND AWARDS WITH OR WITHOUT ANY AFFILIATION TO THE MINISTRY OF DEFENCE OR INDIAN ARMY.

Shri. B V Ramarao, PhD, IRSE (Retd) of Visakhapatnam, India, on 25th October, 2011, sent a letter of representation to the Honourable Prime Minister of India and Honourable Raksha Mantri ( Defence Minister) seeking the sanction of Gallantry Award of Vir Chakra that was recommended to Personal Number. MS-8466, Rank.Captain. R. R. Narasimham, AMC/SSC for his display of gallant action inside enemy territory while participating in Operation Eagle during 1971. Shri. B V Ramarao received a response from Military Secretary’s Branch, New Delhi. The letter reads as follows:

This reply from Military Secretary’s Branch (Army) clearly reveals the unwillingness of Indian Army to find the citation that was initiated by Lieutenant Colonel B K Narayan, the Commander of South Column Unit, Operation Eagle. The citation was duly reviewed and authenticated by Brigade Commander, Brigadier T S Oberoi and was duly approved by Force Commander Major General Sujan Singh Uban, Inspector General of Special Frontier Force as required by the rules and conditions established by the Prime Minister of India who had formulated the eligibility criteria for giving recognition and for granting Military Honours and Awards to the participants of Operation Eagle irrespective of an individual’s affiliation to the Ministry of Defence or Indian Army. Ministry of Defence and Indian Army had no role in this decision made by the Prime Minister of India and they have no vested authority or power to change the rules of Operation Eagle and the grant of Military Honours and Awards to the participants of Operation Eagle.

The remarks made by Lt Col B K Narayan on May 13, 1972 in my Annual Confidential Report for 1971-72 are as follows:”A very conscientious and Tough MO who worked hard during the Bangladesh OPs. He did very well and showed Maturity which was beyond the call of duty. I have recommended this Officer for a gallantry award for which he deserves eminently. He is physically Tough and cheerful. Is a fresh entrant with less than 2 years of Service and yet he displayed capability and confidence.

Testimonial by Lieutenant General TS Oberoi, PVSM, VrC, General Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Headquarters Southern Command, Pune – 411 011:

Southern Army Commander General T S Oberoi served as the Commandant Headquarters Establishment Number. 22 during Operation Eagle in the rank of Brigadier and was promoted to the rank of Major General and served as the Inspector General of Special Frontier Force after the successful execution of Operation Eagle 1971-72.

REMARKS OF PERSONAL NUMBER MS-8466 CAPTAIN R R NARASIMHAM, AMC/SSC, MEDICAL OFFICER, SOUTH COLUMN UNIT, OPERATION EAGLE:

The rules of eligibility for the grant of Military Honours and Awards to the participants of Operation Eagle were established by the then Prime Minister of India. The rules have not stated that the Honours and Awards are conferred within a specific period from the date of the act. The citation to confer the award of Vir Chakra was initiated by the South Column Unit and it was duly reviewed by Brigadier T S Oberoi, the Brigade Commander at the Force Headquarters, and Major General Sujan Singh Uban, Inspector General Special Frontier Force, the Formation Commander and was submitted on time to the Medical Directorate, Medical Branch, Director of Medical Services (Army), Adjutant General’s Branch, Army HQ, MoD, New Delhi for appropriate further action. The Military Secretary’s Branch(Army) must ask the Medical Directorate (Army) to forward this citation for consideration of an award by the Army HQ Honours and Awards Committee. To receive this Gallantry Award, the Prime Minister of India had established specific rules and conditions and even Indian Civilian Officers including Shri. Sujan Singh Uban, Dr. Ramesh Chandra, the Senior Medical Officer, Shri. G B Velankar, Assistant Company Commander, S.F.F., and Shri. Tarachand Pande, Assistant Company Commander, S.F.F., who had participated in Operation Eagle received Military Honours and Awards. In my opinion, the rules of the game cannot be changed by Defence Minister/Defence Ministry or Indian Army HQ or the Military Secretary’s Branch (Army) MoD. The decision to grant Military Honours and Awards was made by the Prime Minister of India and the decision was communicated to all the participants of Operation Eagle in the formal official briefings held at the Force Headquarters prior to operational deployment in the Chittagong Hill Tracts. The Government of India and the Prime Minister of India have the duty and responsibility to defend the sanctity of an official decision made by Srimati. Indira Gandhi in the discharge of her official duties.