The Material Basis of Spirituality. What is Matter? and What is Spirit? If materialism is about the influence of money and material wealth, I would like to use the Power/Force/Energy called Money to talk about Life and Death. The Law of Conservation is applicable to both the living, and the non-living matter. Therefore, it can be stated, Life is neither created nor destroyed. If any person can refute my claim using valid, scientific information, I would give the person a US $1,000 bill as a reward
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 philosophical doctrine of ‘Materialism’ and to interpret human nature and human existence.
This painting the Vitruvian Man ( c. 1492 ) by Leonardo da Vinci displays a spirit of scientific inquiry. What is Man? The understanding of human nature will help to promote the man’s well-being.
What is Man? The motivation for asking this question comes from a statement expressed in Sanskrit language, ‘Sarvesham Swastir Bhavatu’ which seeks the well-being of all human beings of all races, of all nations, of all cultures, and of all religions. The term altruism describes unselfish concern for the welfare of others. It involves human behavior and actions that appear to favor another individual’s chances of survival and reproduction. The thought expressed in the Sanskrit language reveals human nature. Our efforts to support the well-being of man would be affected by our understanding the ‘real’ or ‘true’ nature of man. All religious and cultural traditions make assumptions about human nature. The basic assumption about human nature is that of finding it displayed in feelings, thoughts, actions, and behavior.
If man is viewed as a multicellular organism, we need to discover the human nature of this subject who lives because of the functions of the trillions of cells. Hence, we need to know if human nature is displayed in the functional characteristics that are observable in biotic interactions of cells that constitute the human organism.
The objective of this blog post is to explore the universal principles that determine human nature. Human cultures and religions seek to know human nature as reflected in the man’s thoughts, feelings, moods, actions, and behavior. I seek the knowledge of human nature by describing the characteristics of behavior exhibited by the cells that constitute the human individual.
THE STUDY OF MAN AS A LIVING THING:
Greek philosopher and the founder of Biology Aristotle(384 – 322 B.C.) has observed that there is a science which investigates being as being and the attributes which belong to being in virtue of its own nature.
Greek philosopher and the founder of Biology Aristotle (384 – 322 B.C.) has observed that there is a science which investigates being as being and the attributes which belong to being in virtue of its nature. For a thing to come into being, Aristotle describes four kinds of causes, 1. Efficient Cause, 2. Formal Cause, 3. Material Cause, and 4. Final Cause, the end or purpose for which a thing exists. Aristotle describes corporeal substances are composite of two principles, form, and matter. Matter and Form are the Material and the Formal Cause respectively of what comes to be known as a thing. The matter represents the potentiality of the livng corporeal substance and the form represents the actuality of the living thing. The structure and the behavior of things contribute to their individual being and function. Aristotle did not regard the body and soul as two separate entities as the soul is merely a set of defining features.
I would like to proceed with my presentation keeping the basic criteria that Aristotle would use to know human nature, 1. the human form, 2. the living matter, 3. the human living thing, its nature being a function of its structure and its behavior.
1.The Human Form: In case of man, the human form undergoes changes during every stage of its existence such as infancy, boyhood, youth, adult, and old age.
2. The Living Matter: The living matter or protoplasm continues to live without any apparent changes in its fundamental living properties. The biological functions or the characteristics of the living matter or protoplasm do not evolve or change because of its survival value for the species.
3. The Human Living Thing: The living functions such as consciousness, responsiveness, recognition, communication through signalling, motion, and nutrition are innate properties of the living substance or protoplasm and are not acquired by a learning process. This innate ability of protoplasm to perform functions helps in the development of instinctive behavior that is observed in the organism. It is not surprising to observe that certain important features of human nature are innate rather than learned from experience. There are several factors involved in the development of human nature and in the formation of individual character. We need to recognize the contrast between the innate and the learned, heredity and environment, nature and nurture or social upbringing.
The biological properties such as Motion, and Nutrition, the biological characteristics such as consciousness or awareness of its own condition called existence in a given environment, and the biological nature such as responsiveness, communication, and recognition of other living cells present in its external environment could account for an instinctive behavior pattern observed in all living organisms. This instinctive behavior pattern accounts for the nature of biotic interactions among members of a given biotic community.
To explain human nature, we need to study the character and behavior of man’s corporeal substance or protoplasm and view man as a terrestrial organism represented by a biotic community of trillions of individual living cells and as a natural host to trillions of microbes that inhabit the man’s body and organs such as the gastrointestinal tract. The terms such as spirit or soul must be used by stating its defining features and we need to understand the connection between the feature and the substance that contributes to that feature called soul or spirit that is seen as the vital, animating principle found in all living things.
THE MECHANIST CONCEPT OF LIFE:
There is fundamental distinction between the lifeless and the living, animate and inanimate, living and nonliving matter. The living system cannot maintain its living functions by exclusively using the elementary laws of Physics and Chemistry.
The Mechanist Concept of Life asserts that the phenomena of life are merely processes and transformations obeying elementary laws of Physics and Chemistry. The living system is ultimately reducible to its constituent molecules and atoms. The living cell is a thermodynamically unstable system. This means that without continuous input of energy, a living cell will degrade spontaneously into a nonliving collection of molecules. To maintain life an organism not only repairs or replaces (or both) its structures by a constant supply of the materials of which it is composed but also keeps its life processes in operation by a steady supply of energy. This functional activity of a living cell is called metabolism. Living systems must be supplied energy for continual synthesis of new organic molecules and to replace, or to repair broken organic molecules. We need to explain this functional ability of a living system to acquire energy from its external environment. This ability is not operated by laws of Physics and Chemistry. For example, in Physics, the force by which every mass or particle of matter including photons attracts and is attracted by every other mass or particle is called Gravitation which is the weakest of the four Fundamental Forces operating in nature. A living system does not use the force of Gravitation to attract a substance to use it for its metabolism. Physics explains the process of diffusion and the operation of Osmosis in which a solvent passes through a semipermeable membrane such as the wall of a livng cell, into a solution of higher concentration, so as to equalize concentrations on both sides of the membrane (the osmotic pressure gradient). Osmosis is a relevant biological mechanism but it does not fully account for the energy acquisition by a living cell.
HOW DOES PROTOPLASM ACQUIRES ENERGY?
The Biological Membrane or the Plasma Membrane separates protoplasm of the cell from its environment. It allows a highly controlled exchange of matter across the barrier it poses.
The functional activity called metabolism involves a living system’s continual exchange of some of its materials with its surroundings, principally in the process of building up or destroying its protoplasm. The most striking characteristics of protoplasm are its vital properties of Motion, and Nutrition. By Motion is meant the property which protoplasm has of changing its shape and position by some “intrinsic power” and exhibit amoeboid movement. Ciliary movement or the vibration of hair-like processes from the surface of any cell may also be regarded as a variety of the motion with which protoplasm is endowed.
Nutrition is the “power” which protoplasm has of attracting to itself the materials necessary for its growth and maintenance from surrounding matter. When any foreign particle comes in contact with the protoplasmic substance, it becomes incorporated in it, being enwrapped by one or more processes projected from the parent mass which encloses it. When thus taken up, the foreign particle may remain in the substance of the protoplasm for some time without change, or may be again extruded. The living substance called protoplasm has the “intrinsic power” of motion and uses its power to ingest and to expel foreign particles in the external environment with which it may come into contact. The Biological Membrane or the Plasma Membrane which separates protoplasm of the cell from its environment allows a highly controlled exchange of matter across the barrier it poses; some compounds are able to pass through the membrane easily, others are completely blocked. The screening effect on the substances that enter and leave the cell is perhaps the most important function of the membrane. The actions and behavior of protoplasm, the corporeal substance is dependent upon its innate “power” and may not be attributable to elementary laws of Physics and Chemistry.
SPIRITUALISM AND HUMAN NATURE:
Red Blood Cells provide a very good example of the adaptive subordination of cells to meet the requirements of the Whole Organism. The specialized functions of tissues and organs of human body are possible because of such functional subordination.
The structural differentiation and the functional organization of various organ systems makes man a very complex living organism. This kind of specialized functions of tissues and organs is possible because of adaptive subordination of the cells to the requirements of the Whole Organism. If altruism describes any behavior that appears to favor another individuals’ chances of survival, we can easily recognize this characteristic in the functions performed by the Red Blood Cells. Each Red Blood Cell lives for a very limited life span of its own and during its short period of existence it serves the purpose of the Whole Human Organism with a sense of devotion, with the spirit of cooperation, to provide assistance to all other cells, tissues, and organs of the body in a selfless manner.
I define the term ‘Spiritualism’ as the NATURE of a relationship, a partnership, an association, or bonding between two individual living entities based upon characteristics such as compassion, sympathy, understanding, cooperation, mutual assistance, mutual tolerance, voluntary subservience to provide some benefit to the member participating in the biotic interaction. Spiritualism is innate and is not acquired by learning experience. The man depends upon the protoplasmic substance for his very existence as a human being and to perform the characteristic living functions. The human form becomes the actuality that it represents by the Nature of its spiritual association with the protoplasmic living matter. Man is a spiritual being because of the spiritual nature of his living substance called protoplasm.
The Material Basis of Spirituality. What is Matter? and What is Spirit? If materialism is about the influence of money and material wealth, I would like to use the Power/Force/Energy called Money to talk about Life and Death. The Law of Conservation is applicable to both the living, and the non-living matter. Therefore, it can be stated, Life is neither created nor destroyed. If any person can refute my claim using valid, scientific information, I would give the person a US $1,000 bill as a reward.
The understanding of cancer leads to the understanding of the spiritual substance of the cell.
On December 23, 1971 President Richard Nixon signed the National Cancer Act to direct efforts to conquer the problem of cancer through investment in cancer research and biomedical science. On the occasion of this 40th anniversary of the signing of the National Cancer Act, we need to reflect upon the problem of cancer.
The understanding of cancer leads to the understanding of the spiritual substance of the cell.
Cancer begins with a single mishap or mutation within the nucleus where 23 pairs of chromosomes on which 20,000 to 25,000 genes are scattered. Genes hold the instructions for regulating a variety of cell functions, and proteins carry out the instructions to perform these cell functions.
The understanding of cancer leads to the understanding of the spiritual substance of the cell.
Cancer is a problem associated with abnormal cell proliferation or cell divisions. Cancer study helps us to understand normal functions of cells and to learn about the instructions that tell the cells to grow or to stop growing to make new cells. Normally, cell division begins in response to a signal or instruction received. Cells have circuits or pathways to send instructions. Genes send signals to each other along pathways. When a cancerous cell divides, the new cells receive signals to continue proliferation or cell divisions with the characteristics of immortality. The immune surveillance system may detect the presence of cancerous cells by detecting unique surface marker proteins present on the surface of the cancerous cells and the cells of the immune system neutralize or kill the cancerous cells. The study of cancer provides insight into individual signaling pathways and mutations that are characteristic of cancer.
The understanding of cancer leads to the understanding of the spiritual substance of the cell.
The diagnosis of cancer involves the identification of the cells involved, and their location in the body. For each type of cancer disease, there are many genetic variants. Each cancer has to be defined by knowing the genetic mutation that has affected the individual cell. For example, currently, cancer researchers have identified about 56 sub-types of non-Hodgkin lymphoma. Each sub-type has its own genetic signature. Cancer treatment involves the killing of cancer cells and the therapy may often cause damage or death of healthy cells and tissues. Cancer research is developing targeted therapies that specifically address cellular flaws and spare the normal, and healthy cells, and tissues.
The understanding of cancer leads to the understanding of the spiritual substance of the cell.
Cancer and the theory of human nature:
The understanding of the problem of cancer would help us to answer the question: “What is Man?” We need to know and understand man if we have to fight the problem of cancer. Man is an organism represented by a biotic community of about 100 trillion individual living cells and ten times more of other living organisms that inhabit his gastrointestinal tract. The problem of cancer involves the study of the nature of biotic interactions among members of this biological community. If the members, the individual living cells interact in a manner that show characteristics such as mutual assistance, cooperation, sympathy, understanding, devotion, and functional subservience, man will keep his biological existence and the quality of this existence becomes an attribute of his health and well-being.
SPIRITUALITY MEDICINE – THE ART OF MEDICINE: The integration of Structure and Function describes the Spiritual Basis for Health and Human Existence. By knowing the structure and function of the Red Blood Cell or Erythrocyte, we can establish the facts of Blood Circulation, the reason for the structure of the Heart and Lungs, their motions and their relation to each other and their relation to the Human Being who exists as an Individual with Individuality.
In this context, I define the word ‘Spiritualism’ as mutually beneficial interactions between individual living cells of the human organism and the Whole Organism represented by the singularity called man. For example, the Red Blood Cells deliver Oxygen and remove waste products from other cells in the human body displaying the characteristics of a spiritual relationship or partnership. In the problem of cancer, we encounter cancerous cells that fail to display the chracteristics that I have mentioned. The cancer cells behave like an internal enemy; they invade the territory or space of normal and healthy cells and tissues. Cancer grows and causes both structural and functional changes in the tissues and organs where it is located. The cancer cells show the propensity to spread or invade the local and distant parts and sites of the body apart from occupying the place of their origin. Most of our medical interventions aim at destroying these enemy cells that threaten the biological existence of the cancer victim. The cancer variants describe the genetic variations found in the nuclei of cancerous cells and not that of any variation in the cytoplasm of these cells. This corporeal substance found inside the living cells is ‘spiritual’ in its nature where the word ‘spirit’ means the potential for immortality, imperishability, and immutability. This spiritual substance remains unchanged while the cancer disease affects the genes altering the structure and function of genes to deliver normal instructions. Man always comes into existence from a previously existing egg cell and inherits the maternal cytoplasm. Man survives because of the spiritual nature of this inherited maternal cytoplasm. Hence cancer research must explore the spiritual nature of man that has the potential to survive from generation to generation.
Joy in Life, Love and Compassion in Heart:
The understanding of cancer leads to the understanding of the spiritual substance of the cell.
The spiritual well-being of man is reflected as joy in life, love, and compassion in heart. In health care, the term ‘comprehensive care’ describes the preventive, the diagnostic, the curative, the rehabilitative, and the restorative care of the entire person and not merely treating the symptoms of the disease. Cancer like several other disease entities imposes stress upon the human organism. The fear of premature death, the fear of disability or disfigurement, the risks imposed by chemotherapy, radiation, or surgery, the medical costs, and the loss of employment or of employability contribute to psychogenic stress. The human body is further exposed to physical and chemical stress because of the nature of medical interventions. Cancer as a disease causes ‘biotic stress’. The cells of the immune defense mechanism may detect the presence of cancerous cells and initiate a battle to destroy them. This immune response causes internal stress and very often there is no cortical awareness of this inner battle to defend life. The hostile biotic interactions between cancer cells and healthy cells produces a stress reaction which is mediated by the same stress pathways; the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal pathway. A cancer victim would have a better chance to become a cancer survivor if he is stress resistant and has greater stress tolerance. The restorative care in cancer patients must commence as soon as the diagnosis of cancer is made as the body has already experienced the stress reaction before the clinical diagnosis of cancer is made. The understanding of the spiritual nature of man will offer tools to promote stress tolerance and stress resistance.
Man is a Spiritual Being:
The understanding of cancer leads to the understanding of the spiritual substance of the cell. The Banyan Tree inspires the study of imperishable substance.The Banyan Tree presents a peculiar appearance for it has the ability to spread over an extensive area with the help of adventitious roots that grow towards earth from its branches spreading upwards and outwards. The growth and spread of the Banyan Tree is unlike the growth and spread of cancer which serves no purpose.
THE KNOWLEDGE OF THE BANYAN TREE:
The understanding of cancer leads to the understanding of the spiritual substance of the cell.
The Hindu Scripture of The Bhagavad Gita, Chapter XV known as Purusottama Yoga speaks about the nature of the Supreme Person. It metaphorically compares the Supreme Being to the popularly known Fig Tree called Ficus benghalensis. The first verse reads as follows:
The Supreme Lord Krishna said: There is a Banyan Tree which has its roots upwards and its branches down and metaphorically it is imperishable; and the Vedic hymns are its leaves. One who knows this Tree is the Knower of the Vedas (the person attains the Knowledge of the Ultimate Reality or the Supreme being).
The understanding of cancer leads to the understanding of the spiritual substance of the cell.
When we know the Banyan Tree and its apparent imperishable quality, we may understand the true nature of Man. Man is a spiritual being. The truth or falsity of this proposition depends on the fact of man’s having a substance that is of spiritual nature. Such a substance of spiritual kind is perceptible to the senses, is amenable to direct observation, and could be subjected to verification by experimental science. To establish the fact of man’s spiritual nature, it needs reasoning based upon scientific validity. The structure and the behavior of things contribute to their individual being and function. If man has a set of defining features based upon his structure (Human Anatomy), function (Human Physiology), and behavior (Human Behavioral Science), the spiritual nature of man could be proved on theoretical and practical grounds and could be verified by scientific experiments. I am not seeking to discover a soul or spirit that could have existence independent of man’s physical being. However, it will be important to note that it is not possible to conceive of a soul or spirit if it is never associated with its human body. My purpose is that of describing the spiritual nature of human organism and of other living beings. To understand the true nature of human being, we need to ascertain the validity of Knowledge that pertains to the Spiritual Self.
Man is a Mortal Being:
Man’s greatest need is not only to know the world around him but also to know himself better. Man must understand what it is to be a substance and what it is to exist. Man is a physical being or thing with matter and form. The corporeal body of man is composite of two principles; matter, and form. What is called matter is potentiality, and what is called form is actuality. The corporeal substance called protoplasm becomes actuality and is recognized as a living person because of the uniqueness of its genome that operates its living functions and defines its size, shape, color, and external form or morphological appearance. However, life comes into existence only when matter or substance has the ability to acquire energy from its external environment. The human being comes to life when his corporeal substance uses its potential ability and power called ‘Nutrition’ to acquire energy and material from its environment.
The Journey of the Egg Cell. The event called conception or fertilization must be followed by an event called implantation to sustain the life of the embryo and the growth and development of the fetus.
Life begins with fertilization, the union of sperm with egg cell, and this event called conception proceeds to develop a human being after an important event called implantation. The life journey after conception continues if there is a connection between the energy seeking embryo and its maternal energy provider. To exist means that the substance is maintaining a relationship, a partnership, a connection, or association with its source of energy. Man leads energy dependent existence deriving energy and material from nature which supports other living forms with a similar corporeal substance called protoplasm. The mortality of man must be understood as the dissolution of man’s physical form. The dissolution of living man into non-living molecules and physical elements would not alter that potentiality of protoplasm to acquire energy and material to create its own substance. Things in Nature change with Time; but what is called Nature remains unchanged even under the influence of Time. As per The Laws of Conservation of Mass and Energy as described in classical Physics, mass or energy remain constant. The potentiality of living substance to acquire energy and material to form its own kind of substance has remained unchanged or unaffected by major natural calamities and other cataclysmic events. Life forms perish and yet life continues as new life forms. During the billions of years of existence, planet Earth has experienced several minor, and major Extinction Events described in its geological history. The Science of Paleontology offers scientific evidence to support an argument based upon theoretical and practical grounds to propose that the substance called protoplasm could be eternal, immovable, immutable, and indestructible. At a fundamental level, it could be stated that man is a mortal or materialistic being who derives his physical form because of its association with an imperishable substance. During any stage of his existence, the form called man cannot be separated from the eternal nature of its substance.
The relationship between Matter and Form:
The understanding of cancer leads to the understanding of the spiritual substance of the cell. The relationship between Matter and Form.Sequoia sempevirens. Man has officially designated this tree as the State Tree of California State. What is the connection between Man and Plants or Trees? What is the corporeal substance shared or common to all living entities?Sequoia gigantea is a massive tree. A living thing has a form and has matter. We often recognize the form and give it a name. What about the “MATTER” that constitutes the substance of this Living Thing? We need to understand the ‘potentiality’ of the Matter to know the nature of the Form. The Form has no independent existence of its own. The Form lives if and only if it has Matter that is living.
WHAT IS SOUL OR SPIRIT ?
Traditionally, man has been divided into two parts; body, and soul. In common usage, the term soul represents the immaterial aspect of a human being. Soul is further defined as that part of the individual which is considered to survive the death of the body. The term spirit is often used to describe a disembodied soul. On separation from the human body, the soul or spirit has a life of its own, a capacity for independent existence or self-subsistence which describes its immortality.
The Conceptions of Soul:
There are a variety of conceptions about soul or spirit. Some of the traditional conceptions of soul are the following:
1. Soul is the immaterial substance, form, or principle of self-motion, vitality, life force, or life in living things. The insentient body is completely distinct from the sentient soul.
2. Soul describes the Doctrine of the Self, and is considered to be synonymous with the True-Self. In a human being, soul confers the Individuality and its nature of humanity.
3. Soul is often described as a thinking substance and is equated with mind. The soul has knowledge of itself by reflection of its acts. The soul is the knower and it knows the physical, and mental acts of the human body where it resides.
4. Soul is important to maintain, and to preserve life. Soul may not directly participate in the activities of the human body. However, the activities of the human body may have a polluting effect on soul. If the soul is tainted or contaminated by the sinful acts of the body, the soul may obtain purification by its release from the body. Some form of human effort, activity, attitude, and behavior is essential to keep the soul in its natural, pure, and perfect condition.
5. The soul that has experienced the polluting effects by its association with a human body would be forced to experience perpetual reincarnation by a process called transmigration. The soul continues to reside as a prisoner in different bodies until such time it attains its original state or condition of purity and perfection.
6. Soul is a transcendental or noumenal object that is real but not visible and could not be detected by human sensory perception. The human body that is visible is in fact unreal or is a product of sensory illusion.
The relationship between Soul and human body:
Most religions and cultures speak about soul and describe it as some incorporeal or immaterial substance/principle of human life that is distinct from the body. Despite the frequent acceptance of the existence of a soul, different religions and philosophers have developed a variety of theories as to the nature of the soul and its relationship to the human body. There are divergent views about the origin of the soul, when and how it gets implanted into the human body, and the mortality or when and if the soul dies. I would like to share the view that is attributed to Lord Krishna, the avatar or reincarnation of Hindu God Lord Vishnu.
Adhyatma Vidya – The Knowledge of Spiritual Self – The teachings of the Bhagavad Gita
SPIRITUALITY SCIENCE – THE KNOWER – THE KNOWING SELF : INDIAN TRADITION AND OTHER TRADITIONS OF WORLD DO NOT DESCRIBE THE PRECISE ANATOMICAL LOCATION OF SPIRIT, SOUL, OR ATMAN. THIS IMAGE DESCRIBES THE HIERARCHAL RELATIONSHIPS THAT MANAGE MAN’S MENTAL FUNCTIONS.
The word ‘vidya’ relates to acquired knowledge or learned experience derived from studies and teachings imparted by an instructor. The term ‘adhyatma’ pertains to the individual soul, atma, or atman which describes the Spiritual Self. The phrase ‘Adhyatma Vidya’ could be described as the Knowledge of the Spiritual Self.
The legendary IndianSage Veda Vyasa also known as Krishna Dvaipayana was the author of the epic poem The Mahabharata (Great Epic of the Bharata Dynasty). Veda Vyasa is recognized as the compiler of ancient Hindu texts known as Vedas. In the Book VI of Mahabharata, Lord Krishna converses with Prince Arjuna while the warring parties of Pandavas, and Kauravas face off each other at the battlefield of Kurukshetra. Lord Krishna reveals His views about soul, human body and their relationship in “The Song of the Lord” known as ‘The Bhagavad Gita’. These poems of The Bhagavad Gita give a synopsis of the religious thought and experience of India through the ages.
The understanding of cancer leads to the understanding of the spiritual substance of the cell.
The Chapter X of The Bhagavad Gita is titled ‘Vibhuti-Vistara Yoga’ and it describes the divine or transcendental attributes of the Supreme Lord. In verse 39, the Lord claims, “I am the generating seed of all existences. There is no being, moving or unmoving (Chara-acharam) that can exist without Me.”
O Arjun, know Me to be the beginning, middle, and end of all creation. Amongst sciences I am the science of spirituality, and in debates I am the logical conclusion.
The understanding of cancer leads to the understanding of the spiritual substance of the cell.
In verse 32, the Lord proclaims, “….of all the branches of Learning and Knowledge, I am the Knowledge of the Spiritual Self (Adhyatma Vidya).
I am the Samaveda amongst the Vedas, and Indra amongst the celestial gods. Amongst the senses I am the mind; amongst the living beings I am consciousness.
The understanding of cancer leads to the understanding of the spiritual substance of the cell.
In verse 22, the Lord describes the nature of His connection with the living beings that He creates, “…. and in living beings, I am Consciousness (Bhutanam asmi Chetana).” He also clarifies that Consciousness or Chetana is a different characteristic and separates consciousness from mental functions and mental activities such as thinking skills, intellectual abilities, and sense perception. Mind is traditionally viewed as the major organ of sense perception, seat of thoughts, intellect, emotions, feelings, and self-ego. Chetana is associated with the fundamental living characteristics of a living thing.
The Lord also cites The Vedanata Sutra to make the distinction between the body, the soul, and the Supersoul. The Vedanta, the insights from Vedic Scriptures describe three manifestations of the Supreme Lord’s Energy. These are 1. Annamoya or dependence upon Food for existence, 2. Pranamoya or the manifestation of the living symptoms and life forms, and 3. Jnanamoya or the Knowledge of the distinction between the body the field of activity and the Knower who resides in the body. If a living being needs food for its existence, and performs its living functions in a state or condition called awareness or consciousness, it could be described as the manifestation of the Supreme Lord’s Energy.
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.
The understanding of cancer leads to the understanding of the spiritual substance of the cell.
In Chapter VII titled ‘Paramahamsa Vijnana Yoga’ or Knowledge of the Ultimate Truth, in verse 9 Lord Krishna claims: “I am the life force (Jivanam) of all that lives.” He demonstrates a connection between life and consciousness to describe the spiritual nature of Self.
kṣhetra-jñaṁ chāpi māṁ viddhi sarva-kṣhetreṣhu bhārata kṣhetra-kṣhetrajñayor jñānaṁ yat taj jñānaṁ mataṁ mama
The understanding of cancer leads to the understanding of the spiritual substance of the cell.
The Chapter XIII of The Bhagavad Gita titled ‘Kshetra – Kshetrajna Vibhaga Yoga’ deals with the dichotomy or distinction between the material body, immortal soul, and the Supersoul. It states the view that the material body is called the field of activity or Kshetra. One who knows this body, the field of activity is called the Knower of the Field or Kshetrajna. The Knower of the Field is the Owner of the body. The Supreme Lord is also the Knower of the field of activity in all bodies (verse 3).
The understanding of cancer leads to the understanding of the spiritual substance of the cell.
In this human body, there is another indwelling obeserver, a sanctioner, a preserver, an enjoyer, and indeed ultimate Controller called ‘Paramatama’ or Supersoul. The Supreme Lord or Paramesvaram is residing equally in all living entities (verses 23, 27, and 28 ).
The understanding of cancer leads to the understanding of the spiritual substance of the cell.
Just like the Sun who illuminates the entire living world, the soul within the body illuminates the entire field of activity of the physical body by Chetana or Consciousness (verse 34). This view as stated suggests that consciousness is the proof or the symptom of the presence of the soul.
The understanding of cancer leads to the understanding of the spiritual substance of the cell.
A similar view is shared in Chapter II titled ‘Sankhya Yoga’. The imperishable or indestructible soul pervades or permeates (tatam) the entire physical body (verse 17). What is spread all over the body? Consciousness could be described as spread over the entire body and it leads to the interpretation that the symptom of the soul’s presence is perceived as individual consciousness.
The understanding of cancer leads to the understanding of the spiritual substance of the cell.
The final Chapter XVIII of The Bhagavad Gita titled ‘Moksha-Opadesa Yoga’ comes to an interesting conclusion about the Single Reality that pervades all existence that is divided into innumerable forms. Verse 20 reads as follows:
“Understand that Knowledge by which one undivided, imperishable (Avyayam) reality is seen within all diverse living entities is in the nature of goodness (Sattvikam).”
What is that undivided reality that is imperishable that connects all the diverse, living entities?
The Body-Soul dichotomy:
In the Indian tradition, the individual soul is known as Atma or Atman. The Supreme Soul or the Supersoul is known as Paramatma, Paramesvaram, or Brahaman, the Ultimate Truth and the Reality. However, the concepts about Atma or individual soul vary and Hindus belong to different schools of thought. While the concepts about individual soul are different, there is general agreement among various Indian thinkers and philosophers about the distinction between the material, insentient, and perishable human body and the immaterial, sentient, and imperishable or immortal soul. Soul is independent, and is not attached and it still requires the substance of the corporeal body. However, I am not able to draw that distinction and make that separation from the substance and its function. To describe function, I need the substance. Man lives and functions with consciousness because of the fundamental nature of the corporeal substance called protoplasm, and this substance is apparently imperishable, indestructible, and immortal. We could destroy the physical form of man and of several other living forms, but man or nature and the influence of Time have not demonstrated an ability to destroy this living substance which has survived on planet Earth continuously over billions of years. Man cannot create life and man cannot destroy life. Man can only live or exist because of the spiritual nature of his corporeal substance with which he can not seek separation until the time of his death. The substance has a life of its own and continues to create new substance of its own kind and becomes visible as a living life form with a different identity or morphological appearance.
The Ground Substance of Spiritualism and Spirituality. The vital characteristics, the animating principles of Protoplasm could be known by observing Amoeba proteus. The Living Substance works as an organ of Motion or Movement, as an organ of Nutrition, and as an organ of Reproduction to generate new cells which have a life span of their own. In these physiological functions, I describe the characteristics such as Cognition, Consciousness, Memory, and Intelligence which have a Spiritual role as they bring functional unity and harmony in the interactions between different parts of the same individual organism while it exists in an environment as a member of a biological community.
The basic characteristic of a Living Cell or organism is the presence of consciousness. I recognize a cell as a Living Cell if it displays functions that characterize the presence of awareness or consciousness. The Living Cell or Living Object need not be aware or conscious of the Subject who may be investigating or observing the properties of that Object. The Living Object need to be aware of its own existence and its condition called Living. Atoms and molecules display their properties and interact according to the Laws of Physics and Chemistry. Living organic molecules show individualistic behaviors under experimental conditions that could be repeated and be verified. The Living Cell is very selective and it responds in a variable manner to physical and chemical stimuli. It can communicate or send signals to other Living Cells present in its environment. It responds according to its internal condition in relation to the environment in which it exists. The interactions of non-living physical matter are not goal-oriented. The interactions of Living matter are goal-oriented and they specifically achieve the purpose of sustaining, preserving, defending, and continuing the Living functions.
LIFE AND DEATH IS A CONTINUOUS PROCESS:
When does Life begins? When does Life ends? Every Living Cell is derived from a previously existing Living Cell. Life has not experienced the final event called DEATH. Life continues its act of Living through a function called Reproduction. A given species is considered to be totally extinct only if there is no surviving member to represent that particular species. Death is a programmed event and it gives meaning to the Identity of a Living Object. The dissolution of a single Living Object should not obscure the fact that Life is a continuous process. Life continues as Living Objects get new Identities. It is very reasonable to expect that Life would continue after the death of a given Living Object. People all over the world are a witness to that simple and direct observation. During the Life-Death continuum, the connection between the Creator and the created Living Object is manifested by the biological function called awareness or consciousness. The presence of Soul is evidenced by the presence of consciousness. As long as the Soul is functioning and is united with the physical being, the presence of consciousness could be detected and could be verified.
THE SOUL AND GOD CONNECTION:
The understanding of cancer leads to the understanding of the spiritual substance of the cell.
There has been no clearly defined and universally accepted metaphysical conception of the term Soul. It is a term rarely used with precise definition in philosophy, religion, or common life. In this discussion we face the problem of using words to which no definitive meaning is attached. If I make an attempt to define the word ‘God’, you may even speculate that I may belong to a new religious order. We need to come to a consensus even if an entity called ‘God’ does not exist. We need to formulate a view, a hypothetical view about Soul and test that hypothesis by countering it with a skeptical hypothesis. The Science called Physics deals with the properties, changes, interactions, etc. of matter and energy in which energy is considered to be continuous. In the ultimate analysis, matter is a representation of its energy content. The Science called Biology deals with Life and Life processes. While Life is made up of physical matter, Life processes are not explained by simple mechanistic interactions. However, I am willing to use the principles, the methods, and the tools used by Physics. Molecular Biology explains biological events by studying the molecules within cells; the molecular basis of genetics – Nucleic Acids and its relationship to energy cycling and replication. If this universe is seen as matter and energy, I would define God as the Controller of Force/Power/Energy. All living things are essentially made up of the same kind of living matter and yet they appear to be different. Life could be attributed to ONE common principle which has the ability to be simultaneously different. Each living object comes into a state of existence as a new object, as an original object, one of its own kind, unique, and distinctive. This morphological variation is an attribute of the organic molecules that establish the phenotype or the physical identity of that living organism. Physics provides those powerful tools to see the molecules and to recognize their individualistic behavior. Life comes into existence using a creative principle, and creative mechanisms that need inspiration, and imagination apart from the use of simple mechanistic laws. If Life is governed by the Law of Individuality, I would define God as a Creative Force/Power/Energy.
The understanding of cancer leads to the understanding of the spiritual substance of the cell.
A majority of these life forms that we know and have studied, have synchronized their state of existence with an event that produces alternating periods of light and darkness while that source of light is not being turned ‘on’ and ‘off’. Rather we are forced to experience the effects of an illusion. Sunrise and Sunset is the reality that governs a majority of Biological Rhythms that control the life processes. Illusion is the necessary condition for the biological existence of Life. If Earth’s rotational spin generates this illusion, God uses Force/Power/Energy to cause illusion. In the universe that exists today, to the extent we have verified; there are no two identical celestial objects that exhibit the same rotational spin. In this context, it may be said that the Force/Power/Energy called God has created Earth to provide a home to the life forms that He has created as Individuals. These life forms have the ability called reproduction and yet lack the ability of producing two identical new objects. Sexual or Asexual reproduction always results in the production of new Individuals which could be easily verified by using the Biometric Identification Technology. Even the clones, sharing identical genomes, in reality exist as individuals. This Individuality when investigated by the tools supplied by Physics, it is discovered that the organic molecules behave as Individuals and man is not able to modify that behavior. Under the same experimental conditions, the molecules behave as individuals. When we examine the nature of this biological existence, it indicates that life processes are supported by the provision of energy from an external source. The Living Cell is a thermodynamically unstable system. This means that without a continuous input of energy a Living Cell will degrade spontaneously into a nonliving collection of molecules. This lack of energy independence would direct us to define God as the Power/Force/Energy which delivers Compassion/Mercy/Grace which helps energy acquisition by energy dependent living organisms. Life forms on planet Earth exist depending upon an extraterrestrial source of energy or Cosmic Power/Force/Energy. Life exists because of its ability called ‘Association’. The act of associating, the state of being associated; the companionship, the fellowship, and the partnership is the defining feature of the State or Condition, or Act of Living. Association or patnership between energy seeker and energy provider could be described as God-Connection. Organisms that are single do not live as single cells but develop association with other single cells to form distinct Colonies. Organisms that are multicellular represent an organization of individual cells that are associated having common interests, purposes, sensations, etc., Since association has a purpose, in the context of biological existence, the association or connection, or partnership between the energy seeker, and the energy provider is a meaningful event and not a simple, mechanical, physical event governed by the Laws of Interactions between Matter and Energy. There are Four Fundamental Interactions and they do not regulate or define this Interaction between Living matter and the Cosmic Force/Power/Energy. Living matter uses and exploits energy in a creative manner to build organic molecules and to break down organic molecules. The life processes are very similar and yet the results are totally different. While using energy mostly following a similar metabolic pathway, each organism supports its identity and individuality.
The understanding of cancer leads to the understanding of the spiritual substance of the cell.
SOUL AND DEATH:
The idea of ‘Soul’ always comes in the context of Death. If man is immortal, we will not be spending our time and energy discussing to verify the existence of an immortal principle. The human subject has a limited life span and it arouses a sense of curiosity about the existence of something that could defy Death. I am trying to define the word ‘Soul’ in a manner to promote an understanding that ‘Soul’ is immortal if we look at man as an Association of individual living cells. We need to establish the Identity of that Individual for whose purpose or interest this Association of Individual living cells exists. If we think of Death as a final event, it is not supported by factual evidence. In this Association, death is a daily event. We simply fail to acknowledge this daily event as there is an immortal principle that is escaping this death experience. The Individual thinks that he is alive and sustains his Individuality without getting overwhelmed by the dying process that is continuous. While the human organism is changing its external appearance and identity all the time, the Individuality survives if ‘Soul’ the vital, or operating immortal principle is functioning. The issue or question about ‘transmigration’ of Soul would not arise if every living organism exists strictly as an Individual with an Individuality. As stated before,man has no choice and he must always exist as an Individual even when we use Reproductive Genetic Engineering Technology to produce identical clones with the same genome. The dissolution of matter may not change the Law of Conservation of Energy. If Soul is defined as the God Connection that gives the ability of energy acquisition, the Soul when removed from a physical object to which it has given Individuality, would operate as per the commands of the Controller of Force/Power/Energy. It provides the possibility of carrying the impressions of a previous state of existence into a new state of existence with a new identity and Individuality. During the life span of a given Individual, an association of cells in which death is a daily event, Soul is a continuous principle as its purpose and interest is to maintain Individuality of that Individual.
In a Living Cell, consciousness reflects its external environment and its internal condition or internal environment. The Living Cell knows, it is aware of its state, fact, and act of its Living. The Living Cell makes contact with its environment by using a cell membrane, a biological membrane, or a bio-membrane. If you carefully look at some of the functions of this membrane, you would discern that the Living Cell has consciousness or awareness of these functions. The Biological Membrane behaves in a conscious manner and it is not a simple, physical barrier between the Protoplasm, the Living Substance and its environment. If the term ‘soul’ describes a vital principle, or a source of Knowledge, it provides the information with which these functions could be performed. Some molecules and ions can freely move across this Bio-membrane and some are actively pumped in or out of the Cell that involves expenditure of energy. The Living Cell has the ability to recognize the condition of its nucleus, if the DNA is damaged, the Cell can initiate a process and cause its own dissolution.
Red Blood Cells display functional subordination to serve the purpose of the Whole Organism. Functional differentiation, and Functional Unity are important to support the existence of the Subject or Individual who is in reality an association of trillions of cells.
IDENTITY AND INDIVIDUALITY:
The understanding of cancer leads to the understanding of the spiritual substance of the cell.The understanding of cancer leads to the understanding of the spiritual substance of the cell.
The issue of spirituality, the nature of Soul and consciousness must be explored in the context of arriving at an understanding of man’s Identity and Individuality. If man is viewed as an association of trillions of cells, we need to know the Identity of that Subject who lives because of the functions of the trillions of cells. The purpose of consciousness at cellular level is to foster functional unity of the multicellular organism and to establish it as an Individual. In a multicellular organism, cells have short lives as individuals. The Subject or the whole organism has a life span of its own and it has effects on individual cells. Multicellularity is accompanied by adaptive subordination of all cells to the requirements of the organism as a whole. To achieve proper numerical balance between functionally related cell groups, the death of many cells is necessary for other cells to reach maturity. This programmed cell death plays an important role in embryological development. Such programmed cell death events are essential if the organism as a whole is to develop its normal final form. Waves of genetically driven cell deaths are critical to the proper modeling of organs and organ systems. We need to know and understand that death of cells is a must to establish the Identity and to sustain the Individuality of the human being.
The understanding of cancer leads to the understanding of the spiritual substance of the cell.
The dying process helps man to understand his Individuality. The Individuality is preserved while death is a daily event at the cellular level. The phenotype or the morphological appearance of the human Subject undergoes constant change during the Life journey and yet the Individuality remains unchanged.
The understanding of cancer leads to the understanding of the spiritual substance of the cell.
We recognize the death of this human Subject when his Soul departs from his body. Soul may be stated as an entity which is regarded as being immortal or spiritual part of the person. The Spirit of a dead person generally refers to a principle separate from the body and leading an existence of its own. If Soul is viewed as a Non-thing or Nothingness, it comes into the world of existence by entering the physical being at its conception which becomes conscious or aware of its existence. This consciousness has also existed in a previously existing Living Egg Cell which is the Mother of Life, Energy, and Knowledge. Consciousness by its very nature is immortal, it is eternal, and it has no birth or death. We recognize the arrival and departure of the new product during the Life-Death continuum where the Individuality is unaffected by the changes that are caused by the powerful influence of Time.
The understanding of cancer leads to the understanding of the spiritual substance of the cell.The understanding of cancer leads to the understanding of the spiritual substance of the cell.
UPRISING IN THE LAND OF RISING SUN(1959) AND UPRISING IN MY HEART(1962)
I would like to share the Guest Column titled ‘Dragon’s Familiar Dance’ published in India Today, November 07, 2011. Brahma Chellaney, the author of this article is Professor of Strategic Studies at the Centre for Policy Research, New Delhi.
The word uprising describes the action of rising up and specifically it means an outbreak against a ruler or power or the act of revolt. The Living Tibetan Spirits have witnessed an uprising in the Land of Rising Sun. The Living Tibetan Spirits are conscious of the fact of the flight of His Holiness Dalai Lama to India to lead a life in exile. I am conscious of the fact of Communist China’s attack on India during 1962. Communist China’s brutal aggression has provoked an uprising in my heart. It has stirred me, it caused an intense swelling of emotions and it gave birth to a desire to resist Communist China as best possible. The Living Tibetan Spirits and myself have experienced similar emotions and feelings and share a common desire to resist Communist China and the threat it imposed upon our consciousness. During 1962, I was a young student at Giriraj Government Arts College, Nizamabad, Nizamabad District, Andhra Pradesh, India. The students of Giriraj College had spontaneously reacted to China’s attack and had expressed their sense of resentment and we joined hands and walked on the City streets to express our Unity and Solidarity to defend India. This desire to oppose Communist China has helped me to find an opportunity to join the ranks of Indian Army. On completion of my Basic Medical Officers Command Training( BMOC Course 20/70 ) at Officers Training School, Army Medical Corps Centre, Lucknow, and professional training at Military Hospital Ambala, during my first military assignment, I have joined others who share my desire to fight the Communist Forces. We all know that it is a challenge that needs preparation. While getting trained to gain the ability to move upwards to face the enemy, some people have fallen down. They have fallen with a desire still living in their hearts. My consciousness is aware of this desire and it keeps the Spirits alive in the form of a desire to resist the enemy and to end the illegal occupation of the Land of Rising Sun. The desire to resist your enemy causes feelings of sorrow or dukha like all other human desires. But, the condition called Freedom is not a desire. Freedom is the natural state or condition of human beings and military occupation is a violation or transgression of this natural condition of human existence. There is no choice other than that of revolting against occupation. So, we have accepted the desire to revolt against the enemy seeking the Compassion of Buddha to uplift us from the feelings of sorrow or Dukha.
BUDDHAM SARANAM GACCHAMI.
Rudra N Rebbapragada, Ann Arbor, Michigan, U.S.A. & The Living Tibetan Spirits, Service Information: Service Number: MS-8466/MR-03277K; Rank: Lieutenant/ Captain/Major; Branch: Army Medical Corps/Short Service Regular Commission/Direct Permanent Commission(1969-1984); Medical Officer, South Column, Operation Eagle(1971-1972); Unit: Establishment No. 22, C/O 56 APO. Organization: Directorate General of Security, Office of Inspector General Special Frontier Force, East Block V, Level IV, R. K. Puram, New Delhi – 110 022.
With the 50th anniversary of the 1962 invasion approaching, history is in danger of repeating itself.
Brahma Chellaney The writer is professor of strategic studies
at the Centre for Policy Research, New Delhi GUEST COLUMN India Today, November 7, 2011 As the 50th anniversary of China’s invasion approaches, history is in danger of repeating itself, with Chinese military pressures and aggressive designs against India not only mirroring the pre-1962 war situation but also extending to Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) and the oceans around India. China’s expanding axis of evil with Pakistan, including a new troop presence in PoK, heightens India’s vulnerability in Jammu and Kashmir, even as India has beefed up its defences in Arunachal Pradesh. By muscling up to India, what is China seeking to achieve? The present situation, ominously, is no different in several key aspects from the one that prevailed in the run-up to the 1962 war. ● The aim of “Mao’s India war” in 1962, as Harvard scholar Roderick MacFarquhar has called it, was largely political: to cut India to size by demolishing what it represented—a democratic alternative to China’s autocracy. The swiftness and force with which Mao Zedong defeated India helped discredit the Indian model, boost China’s international image, and consolidate Mao’s internal power. The return of the China-India pairing decades later riles Beijing. ● Just as the Dalai Lama’s flight to India in 1959 set the stage for the Chinese military attack, the exiled Tibetan leader today has become a bigger challenge for China than ever. The continuing security clampdown across the Tibetan plateau since the March 2008 Tibetan uprising parallels the harsh Chinese crackdown in Tibet during 1959-62. ● The prevailing pattern of cross-frontier incursions and other border incidents is no different from the situation that led up to the 1962 war. Yet, India is repeating the same mistake by playing down the Chinese intrusions. Gratuitously stretching the truth, Indian officials say the incursions are the result of differing perceptions about the line of control. But which side has refused to define the line of control? It speaks for itself that China hasn’t offered this excuse. The fact is that Chinese forces are intruding even into Utttarakhand—the only sector where the line of control has been clarified by an exchange of maps—and into Sikkim, whose 206-km border with Tibet is recognized by Beijing. ● The 1962 war occurred against the backdrop of China instigating and arming insurgents in India’s northeast. Although such Chinese activities ceased after Mao’s death, China has come full circle today, with Chinese-made arms increasingly flowing into guerrilla ranks in northeast India via Burmese front organisations. In fact, Pakistan-based terrorists targeting India also rely on Chinese arms. ● China’s pre-1962 psychological war is returning. In recent years, Beijing has employed its state-run media and nationalistic websites to warn of another armed conflict. It is a throwback to the coarse rhetoric China had used in its build-up to the 1962 war. Its People’s Daily, for example, has warned India to weigh “the consequences of a potential confrontation with China.” China merrily builds strategic projects in an internationally disputed area like Pak Occupied Kashmir but responds with crude threats when others explore just for oil in the South China Sea. ● Just as India in the early 1960s retreated to a defensive position in the border negotiations after having undermined its leverage through a formal acceptance of the “Tibet region of China,” the spotlight now is on China’s revived Tibet-linked claim to Arunachal rather than on the core issue, Tibet itself. India, with its focus on process than results, has remained locked in continuous border negotiations with China since 1981—the longest and the most-fruitless process between any two nations post-Second World War. This process has only aided China’s containment-with-engagement strategy. ● In the same way that India under Nehru unwittingly created the context to embolden Beijing to wage aggression, New Delhi is again staring at the consequences of a mismanagement of relations. The more China’s trade surplus with India has swelled—jumping from $2 billion in 2002 to more than $30 billion now—the greater has been its condescension toward India. To make matters worse, the insidious, V.K. Krishna Menon-style shadow has returned to haunt Indian defence management and policy. India has never had more clueless defence and foreign ministers or a weaker Prime Minister with a credibility problem than it does today. In fact, as it aims to mould a Sino-centric Asia, China is hinting that its real geopolitical contest is more with India than with the distant United States. The countries around India have become battlegrounds for China’s moves to encircle India. From a military invasion in 1962 and a subsequent cartographic aggression, China is moving towards a hydrological aggression and a multipronged strategic squeeze of India. China’s damming of rivers flowing from Tibet to India are highlighting Indian vulnerability on the water front even before India has plugged its disadvantage on the nuclear front by building a credible but minimal deterrent. Whether Beijing actually sets out to teach India “the final lesson” by launching a 1962-style attack will depend on several factors. They include India’s domestic political situation, its defence preparedness, and the availability for China of a propitious international timing of the type the Cuban missile crisis provided in 1962. If India does not want to be caught napping again, it has to come out of the present political paralysis and inject greater realism into its China policy, which today bears a close resemblance to a studied imitation of an ostrich burying its head in the sand. (c) India Today.
SPECIAL FRONTIER FORCE – OPERATION EAGLE 1971 – LIBERATION WAR OF BANGLADESH:
A Personal Tribute to Colonel B K Narayan, The Regiment of Artillery, Indian Army.
A Sermon in Kaptai, Bangladesh Ops 1971-72. A personal tribute to 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.”
Prime Minister Indira Gandhi during 1971 initiated the Liberation of Bangladesh with military action in the Chittagong Hill Tracts. The battle plan was code-named Operation Eagle. This was India’s undeclared war on Pakistan that commenced on November 03, 1971, a month prior to India’s official war on Pakistan that was declared on December 03, 1971.
OPERATION EAGLE – GALLANTRY AWARD : The Petition/Grievance about the grant of Gallantry Award is now sent to Mr. Upamanyu Chatterjee, IAS, Joint Secretary, Chief Administrative Officer, Defence Headquarters Training Institute, E-Block, Dalhousie Road, New Delhi for his investigation or decision. It is not understood as to how he can find information about this military action which was executed by the Secretary, Research and Analysis Wing also known as RAW under the orders issued by the Cabinet Secretariat. Service Number:MS-8466, Rank: Captain, Name: R. Rudra Narasimham/R.R. Narasimham, Corps/Service:AMC/SSC – Operation Eagle – Recommendation for Gallantry Award. This Army Officer never held a Civilian appointment or a Civilian position at Armed Forces Headquarters or any Inter-Service Organization.
MS-8466 Captain R R Narasimham, AMC/SSC was selected for the grant of Short Service Commission in the Army Medical Corps on 18th September, 1969 in the rank of Second Lieutenant while he was a Final Year M.B.B.S. student at Kurnool Medical College, Kurnool, Andhra Pradesh, India. He joined Army in the rank of Lieutenant on 26th July, 1970. He was promoted to the rank of Captain on completion of training at Military Hospital, Ambala. He was deputed to the Special Frontier Force, a Special Task Force under the Directorate General of Security, Cabinet Secretariat, Government of India. While on deputation, he served as Medical Officer, Headquarters Establishment No. 22 C/O 56 APO from 22nd September, 1971 to 18th December, 1974. This Medical Officer was posted to the South Column Unit of Operation Eagle and served under the Command of Lieutenant Colonel B K Narayan. During 1971, Brigadier T S Oberoi VrC was the Commandant at Headquarters Establishment No. 22 and he was the Commander at Force Headquarters Operation Eagle.
In a written testimonial given by Lieutenant General T S Oberoi, PVSM, VrC, General Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Headquarters Southern Command Pune 411001 dated 14th February, 1983, General Oberoi states that this Medical Officer was closely associated with his organisation during 1971 Indo-Pak War. The Southern Army Commander further comments that this Medical Officer deserves befitting recognition on his relinquishing the Army.
OPERATION EAGLE 1971 – GALLANTRY AWARD – RECOGNITION BY LIEUTENANT GENERAL T S OBEROI, PVSM, VrC, GOC-in-C, Headquarters Southern Command. During 1971, he served as the Commandant of Headquarters Establishment No. 22 in the rank of Brigadier and was the Commander at Force Headquarters Operation Eagle. During 1972, he got promoted to the rank of Major General and served as the Inspector General, Special Frontier Force. He was the Reviewing Officer of my Annual Confidential Report:Officers for the Year 1971-72.
Southern Army Commander General T S Oberoi had categorically stated that this Medical Officer was recommended for a gallantry award for display of gallant qualities in the face of the enemy.
ANNUAL CONFIDENTIAL REPORT:OFFICERS – THE EVIDENCE FOR GALLANTRY AWARD RECOMMENDATION :
THE EVIDENCE FOR RECOMMENDATION OF GALLANTRY AWARD – ANNUAL CONFIDENTIAL REPORT-OFFICERS FOR THE YEAR 1971-72. Lieutenant Colonel B K Narayan, the Initiating Officer had reported the following remarks in his Confidential Report for the Year 1971-72 in respect of Captain R R Narasimham AMC/SSC: “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.” Signed B K Narayan Lt Col dated 13 May 72.
This Medical Officer displayed a great sense of devotion to duty, maturity, physical toughness, and bravery beyond call of duty during Operation Eagle for which he was recommended for a gallantry award. The evidence about this recommendation was included in the Annual Confidential Report : Officers for the year 1971-72 in respect of this Medical Officer. This Annual Confidential Report was initiated by Lieutenant Colonel B K Narayan, Directorate General of Security, Office of Inspector General Special Frontier Force, who had Commanded the South Column Unit of Operation Eagle. The duly completed Annual Confidential Report for the Year 1971-72 was forwarded to Military Secretary’s Branch, Ministry of Defence(Army) and is now held at MS Branch MS4( CR ).
REGISTRATION OF PUBLIC GRIEVANCE:
Government of India, Cabinet Secretariat, Department of Administrative Reforms & Public Grievances has established a web portal to receive Public Grievances at http://www.pgportal.gov.in/ It received a grievance on 24th September, 2011 about the case pertaining to this Medical Officer who had relinquished Service on 10th January, 1984. The Registration Number is MODEF/E/2011/00761. The grievance is received by Shri. Arun Kumar Bal, Joint Secretary ( Estt.&PG ), Room No. 97, Ministry of Defence, South Block, New Delhi 110 001. His contact phone number : 23792043; E-mail : jse@nic.in
This Grievance that was received by Joint Secretary (Estt & PG), Ministry of Defence on 24 September, 2011 was forwarded to an unknown and unspecified Department of Defence on 07 December, 2011. After a long period of time at that unspecified Department of Defence, the Grievance is now forwarded to the Wing of Joint Secretary Training, Chief Administrative Officer, Defence Headquarters Training Institute, E-Block, Tutu Road, DHQ Zone, New Delhi – 110 011, on 17 July, 2012.
Operation Eagle-Gallantry Award : Mr. Upamanyu Chatterjee, IAS, Joint Secretary, Chief Administrative Officer Defence Headquarters Training Institute had received my Petition/Grievance bearing Registration Number: MODEF/E/2011/00761 on 17 July 2012. He is involved in the recruitment and provision of civilian manpower for the Service Hq of Indian Armed Forces. He is the cadre controlling Officer for Armed Forces civilian employees. Kindly explain as to why my Petition/Grievance is forwarded to his Office of JS(Trg) & CAO.OPERATION EAGLE – GALLANTRY AWARD : The Petition/Grievance bearing Registration Number: MODEF/E/2011/00761 has now reached this building on 17 July 2012. This building belongs to Office of Joint Secretary( Training ) & Chief Administrative Officer, Defence Headquarters Training Institute, E-Block, Dalhousie Road, DHQ Zone, New Delhi – 110 011. Kindly explain as to why a Petition/Grievance filed by a former Officer of Indian Army Medical Corps is forwarded to this address.
I am surprised to note that no attempt is being made to verify my Record of Service that is archived at Medical Personnel Records Section(Officers), MPRS(O), Office of the Director General Armed Forces Medical Services, Ministry of Defence, New Delhi – 110 011, to begin a proper inquiry to accept or to reject my Petition/Grievance.
This Indian Air Force Officer, Parvez Jamasji was awarded the Gallantry Award of Vir Chakra for providing air support to our Unit in the conduct of our combat mission in Chittagong Hill Tracts during 1971. He was deputed to Aviation Research Centre and was the pilot of the helicopter that transported my battlefield casualties to the Field Hospital.
Posted by :
Dr. R. Rudra Narasimham, B.Sc., M.B.B.S.,
Service Number: MS-8466. Rank-Captain. AMC/SSC
Medical Officer, South Column, Operation Eagle
Directorate General of Security
Office of Inspector General Special Frontier Force
East Block V, Level IV, R K Puram,New Delhi – 110 022.
Special Frontier Force-Operation Eagle-Gallantry Award :Secretariat Building, Government of India, New Delhi. The Government has to decide the merit in my claim for a Gallantry Award or it may let the Enemy judge my action if it merits any punishment.
Special Frontier Force-Establishment No. 22-Vikas Regiment-Operation Eagle 1971 and the Vietnam War – The Great Eagle ConnectionThe Bald Eagle-The Golden Eagle-Operation Eagle: What is the Connection? Indian Prime Minister Indira Gandhi with the US President Richard Nixon at the White House, Washington, D.C. on November 04, 1971. The US did not sanction Operation Eagle.The Bald Eagle-The Golden Eagle-Operation Eagle: What is the Connection? Indian Prime Minister Indira Gandhi with the US President Richard Nixon in Washington, D.C. on November 03/04, 1971. The US did not sanction Operation Eagle.The Bald Eagle-The Golden Eagle-Operation Eagle: What is the Connection? Indian Prime Minister Indira Gandhi with the US President Richard Nixon in the White House, Washington, D.C. on November 03/04, 1971. The US did not sanction Operation Eagle. The Bald Eagle-The Golden Eagle-Operation Eagle: What is the Connection? Indian Prime Minister Indira Gandhi with the US President Richard Nixon in Washington, D.C. on November 04, 1971. The US did not sanction Operation Eagle.The Bald Eagle-The Golden Eagle-Operation Eagle: What is the Connection? Indian Prime Minister Indira Gandhi with the US President Richard Nixon in Washington, D.C. on November 03, 1971. The US did not sanction Operation Eagle.
Special Frontier Force – Establishment No. 22 – Vikas Regiment – Operation Eagle 1971 and the Vietnam War:
The Great Eagle Connection: THE BALD EAGLE-THE GOLDEN EAGLE-OPERATION EAGLE – WHAT IS THE CONNECTION?
The military action in the Chittagong Hill Tracts that initiated the Liberation of Bangladesh during 1971 is known as Operation Eagle. This military action used the military power of ‘The Bald Eagle’ and is executed by ‘The Golden Eagle’ without getting the formal approval or sanction of the US President.
Operation Eagle was a very modest military confrontation as compared to the Vietnam War. However, a comparison must be made to understand the use of military force to defeat an enemy to obtain a political objective. The Operation Eagle was executed using the US weapons, ammunition, US military radios, medical supplies, assorted tools and equipment, field gear, and U.S. Military Field Rations-Meals Ready to Eat or MREs that the US Army was using in the conduct of the Vietnam War.
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. This is a view of Mizo Hills of India taken from Chittagong Hill Tracts in the foreground.
The military objectives of the Vietnam War could not be accomplished because of the reliance placed upon aerial bombardment to defeat the enemy. Operation Eagle was small in its scope and size. But, it did not rely upon the use of aerial bombardment. We operated on a ‘manpack’ basis, went in search of enemy positions, and directly challenged the enemy at his own post. United States failed to attack the enemy on the ground during the Vietnam War. To defend South Vietnam, the military strategy and planning would call for Infantry attacks on the enemy inside North Vietnam. United States used more bombs as compared to the number of bombs that were dropped during the Second World War and yet could not dislodge the enemy from his entrenched positions. We need to fight and engage the enemy on the ground. Secondly, during Nixon’s presidency (1969-1974), while engaged in War, the President conceded the battle by befriending the Enemy.
Operation Eagle 1971 and the Vietnam War Infantry Weapons and field gear:
OPERATION EAGLE 1971 AND THE VIETNAM WAR INFANTRY WEAPONS, FIELD GEAR AND COMMUNICATION EQUIPMENT. INDIA’S GOLDEN EAGLE SYMBOLIZES THE MILITARY OPERATION THAT WAS WAGED WITH THE MILITARY EQUIPMENT PROVIDED BY THE BALD EAGLE THAT SYMBOLIZES AMERICAN MILITARY POWER.
A military action by Infantry is best understood by examining the weapons that are used. During Operation Eagle 1971 and the Vietnam War, the Infantry used the same kinds of Infantry weapons. We must ignore the sophisticated technology and the firepower of United States Navy and Air Force. The battle must be won on the ground. During Operation Eagle 1971 we used the same Infantry weapons, equipment, and other supplies more effectively in our battle as compared to US Armyin its combat missions against its enemy in Vietnam. We did not use helicopters as gunships or to attack the enemy in support of ground troops. I would like to share some of the photo images of the Infantry Weapons and equipment that were used in the Vietnam War and which I have seen during Operation Eagle 1971.
The General Purpose Machine Gun M60 was designed for use in the Vietnam War was equally useful for 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 carried them on their backs and used them to fire upon the enemy patrols and enemy posts. 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.Rifle is the most basic Infantry weapon. M14 Infantry Assault Rifle was used in Vietnam. During Operation Eagle 1971, I politely refused to use this M14 Rifle as my personal weapon.The men used this Rifle. During Operation Eagle 1971, I could not bring my Sub Machine Gun or SMG and willingly participated in the battle without carrying the M14 Rifle.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 used US Army Cap-Field.A Soldier needs his gun, boots, and clothing to protect himself. During Operation Eagle 1971, I 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.Operation Eagle 1971 and the Vietnam War – The Great Eagle ConnectionOperation Eagle 1971 and the Vietnam War – The Great Eagle ConnectionOperation Eagle 1971 and the Vietnam War – The Great Eagle ConnectionOperation Eagle 1971 and the Vietnam War – The Great Eagle ConnectionShort-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 used the same in Operation Eagle. Two-way voice communications could be easily monitored by the enemy. Fortunately, It posed no problem as the enemy in the Chittagong Hill Tracts had no linguistic experts. I openly communicated with my Unit Commander in my native language of Telugu and there was absolutely no risk of revealing any sensitive information.The Bald Eagle-The Golden Eagle-Operation Eagle: What is the Connection?The Bald Eagle-The Golden Eagle-Operation Eagle: What is the Connection?The Bald Eagle-The Golden Eagle-Operation Eagle – What is the Connection? We used the same military water canteens and water purification pills.The 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 Repellent Cream(DMP), Injectable Tubonic Morphine, tetracycline tablets, Multivitamin tablets, Field dressings, bandages and others. The Kits were not stamped but the contents reveal the place of origin.The Bald Eagle-The Golden Eagle-Operation Eagle – What is the Connection? We used the same tools to accomplish the military mission.Infantry marches on its feet. Boots are the most important equipment apart from Guns. I used Ankle Canvas Boots during Operation Eagle and marched on feet to fight and dislodge the enemy from the Chittagong Hill Tracts. The Canvas Boots lasted for the entire duration of Operation Eagle. They were better than the leather boots that I would use in other operational areas.
WAR AND PEACE – A FAILURE OF U.S. DIPLOMACY:
United States failed in Vietnam as it failed to develop a clear vision to achieve its goal of resisting and containing the expansion of Communist Power in Southeast Asia. The U.S. efforts to stop the spread of Communism got derailed by Dr. Henry Kissinger who chose the option of backstabbing people who support the United States in its global mission to oppose Communism using diplomacy and military power. U.S. gave away a lot during the Paris Peace Talks basically defeating the accomplishments of its military and literally ridiculing their sacrifices. The several concessions given to the Peoples’ Republic of China to win its cooperation failed to stop the flow of military assistance to North Vietnam.
The establishment of US-China relations gave no advantage to the United States for its War in Vietnam. United States added insult to its own injuries by seeking the support of Communist China to attack India across its Himalayan frontier in the North East Frontier Agency in a vain bid to stop India in its efforts to liberate Bangladesh during 1971.
President Nixon and Dr Henry Kissinger failed in their attempt to block the launching of Operation Eagle, the Bangladesh Ops of 1971.Operation Eagle 1971 and the Vietnam War – The Great Eagle Connection. Nixon-Kissinger in Peking befriending the Enemy.During 1971, Richard Nixon and Dr. Kissinger played on the Sino-Soviet Split. United States moved to normalize trade with China. Dr. Kissinger and President Nixon visited Peking(Beijing) to befriend Communist China. Did it stop China from delivering military assistance to North Vietnam? Did this famous meeting stop Hanoi’s EASTER OFFENSIVE in March 1972?President Nixon met Communist China’s Prime Minister Chou Enlai. Did this act of friendship help the US Army in the Vietnam War? Could it stop Communist North Vietnam from launching its major invasion of South Vietnam during March 1972? Using this friendship, both President Nixon and Dr. Kissinger tried their best to stop India from Liberating Bangladesh during 1971. This Nixon and Chou Enlai friendship did not stop the Liberation of Bangladesh which India initiated with Operation Eagle in the Chittagong Hill Tracts.Dr. Kissinger’s diplomatic initiatives totally fail the US Policy in Southeast Asia. Communist China remains a huge military threat in this region and United States fails in its mission to curb the expansion of Communist Power.
THE BALD EAGLE AND THE GOLDEN EAGLE – THE GREAT EAGLE CONNECTION:
The Bald Eagle and the Golden Eagle came together as Operation Eagle.
My Unit participated in Operation Eagle during 1971-72 to gain practical experience of Infantry Combat Operations to fight against Communists in a future battle.
The Operation Eagle 1971-72 was inclined towards peace. It intended to deliver peace to the people of Bangladesh who declared their independence from Pakistan during March 1971.
The War in Vietnam is over and yet the threat of Communism still persists in Southeast Asia. To deliver peace to people of Southeast Asia, the United States must learn from its failure in Vietnam. The failure was not that of the US Army which willingly sacrificed the lives of over 58,000 of its fighting men and women. The US political leadership had failed the US military mission in Vietnam. United States must seek assistance from the people of Southeast Asia and fight its enemy on the ground and dislodge the enemy in a ground battle.
Operation Eagle and the Vietnam War. Major Survendra Singh Negi, The Grenadiers was a Company Commander in my South Column Unit during Operation Eagle, in the Chittagong Hill Tracts.Operation Eagle 1971 and the Vietnam War.
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 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 knownas Republic of Bangladesh.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.THE EAGLE CONNECTION: THE BALD EAGLE – THE GOLDEN EAGLE – OPERATION EAGLE – WHAT IS THE CONNECTION?The Bald Eagle which represents the United States as a Military Power has a lesson to learn from its Vietnam War experience. United States has to still find military interventions to stop the growing military threat of Communist Power in Southeast Asia. People of Southeast Asia are willing to fight the Communists and why should the United States ignore the offer of our friendship and willingness to challenge and confront the Communists on the Battlefield? Operation Eagle. The military action to initiate the Liberation of Bangladesh involved the use of this US Marine Corps Service Rifle.Operation Eagle 1971 and the Vietnam War – The Great Eagle Connection
THE UNITED STATES – TIBET RELATIONS-THE LIVING TIBETAN SPIRITS :
Bodhisattva – Avalokiteshvara – The originator of Tibetan people. His Holiness Dalai Lama is believed to be the spiritual emanation of Avalokiteshvara.
According to Tibetan legend and tradition, Tibetan people had originated from Avalokiteshvara or Bodhisattva, one enlightened in essence. There are several reincarnations of Bodhisattva. Avalokiteshvara represents Bodhisattva as reincarnated person of Compassion. The Tibetan Spiritual and Temporal Leader known as Dalai Lama is believed to be the reincarnation of a long line of “tulkus” who descend as the spiritual emanation of the Bodhisattva Avalokiteshvara In Tibetan Buddhism, the term “tulku”, represents a particularly high-ranking Lama( a man of wisdom, a teacher, or Guru ), of whom the Dalai Lama is one. A “tulku” can choose the manner of his( her ) rebirth or reincarnation. The succession is maintained by the discovery of a child, born soon after the death of a Dalai Lama, into whom the spirit of the deceased is believed to have entered. In Tibetan Buddhism, other high-ranking Lamas such as the Panchen Lama also survive as reincarnated spirits. In 1578, the Mongol Ruler Altan Khan conferred the title of ‘DALAI’ on visiting Sonam Gyatso, a Tibetan Lama( who had become the 3rd Dalai Lama) and applied this title retrospectively to the two previous hierarchs, Gendun Drup and Gendun Gyatso. The name Gyatso is attached to all other reincarnated Dalai Lamas. The present 14th Dalai Lama is known as Tenzin Gyatso.
THE INSTITUTION OF DALAI LAMA :
The Institution of Dalai Lama is important to preserve Tibetan Political Identity. The Government of Tibet is represented by this Seal of Ganden Phodrang.Tenzin Gyatso, the 14th Dalai Lama has now relinquished his temporal powers and Tibetans have elected a Prime Minister to run their Government. However, the succession of Dalai Lama is an important issue. His Holiness is the symbolic embodiment of the Tibetan National Character, and he is the central focus of Tibetan Cultural Identity.Lhasa is the cultural and historical Capital of the Land of Tibet. The reincarnation of the Spirit of Dalai Lama may happen at a place according to the manner chosen by the present Dalai Lama. The child, a male or a female could take birth inside occupied territory of Tibet or in a place where Tibetan exiles currently live. United States and India must demand to establish their Consular Services at Lhasa to protect the cultural and religious rights and practices of Tibetans and of Tibetan Buddhism.Tenzin Gyatso, the 14th Dalai Lama has now relinquished his temporal powers and Tibetans have elected a Prime Minister to run their Government. However, the succession of Dalai Lama is an important issue. His Holiness is the symbolic embodiment of the Tibetan National Character, and he is the central focus of Tibetan Cultural Identity.
Lhasa is the cultural and historical Capital of the Land of Tibet. The reincarnation of the Spirit of Dalai Lama may happen at a place according to the manner chosen by the present Dalai Lama. The child, a male or a female could take birth inside occupied territory of Tibet or in a place where Tibetan exiles currently live. United States and India must demand to establish their Consular Services at Lhasa to protect the cultural and religious rights and practices of Tibetans and of Tibetan Buddhism.
Peoples’ Republic of China after its illegal occupation of Tibet, with a view to consolidate its power and hold on Tibetan society, initiated a policy of selecting its own candidates as the reincarnated Lamas to effectively destroy the traditions of Tibetan Buddhism. United States has finally decided to intervene in this abuse of Human Rights in the Land of Tibet. To restore the religious freedom, and to defend the rights of Tibetans to preserve their culture and traditions, United States would like to play a more visible role inside Tibet. Most recently, United States has demanded that it must have a U.S. Consulate in Lhasa, Tibet. I speak on behalf of ‘The Living Tibetan Spirits’ and they have received this news with a sense of joy. The Tibetan Spirits who live with me are not entitled to rebirth or reincarnation. However, I am conscious of their wishes and their desire to preserve the Institution of Dalai Lama. I am pleased to share an article titled ‘Initial US moves to Prevent Beijing Imposing its Dalai Lama on Tibetans’ by B Raman, published by Southasiaanalysis.Org.
THE SPIRITS OF SPECIAL FRONTIER FORCE:
Special Frontier Force is a multinational defense plan to establish Freedom and Democracy in occupied Land of Tibet.
Initial US moves to Prevent Beijing Imposing its Dalai Lama on Tibetans By B. Raman 8/8/2011 The Chinese, who have already been annoyed by the meeting of President Barack Obama with His Holiness the Dalai Lama in the Map Room of the White House during His Holiness’ recent visit to the US, have reasons to be further irritated and concerned over the directive on July 20 by the US House Foreign Affairs Committee to the US Secretary of State that China should not be allowed to open any more Consulates in the US until Beijing allowed the US to open a Consulate in Lhasa. 2. The Foreign Relations Authorization Act Fiscal Year 2012 passed by the Committee said: “The Secretary shall seek to establish a United States consulate in Lhasa, Tibet, to provide services to United States citizens traveling in Tibet and to monitor political, economic, and cultural developments in Tibet, including Tibetan areas of Qinghai, Sichuan, Gansu, and Yunnan provinces and, until such consulate is established, shall not permit the establishment in the United States of any additional consulate of the People’s Republic of China”. 3. There is reportedly a pending request from the Chinese Foreign Office for permission to open Chinese Consulates at Atlanta and Boston. Now, these two may not materialise unless and until Beijing allows the US to open a Consulate at Lhasa. 4. India should emulate the US and should not allow Beijing to open any more Consulates in India until it permits India to open a Consulate in Lhasa. We have a much stronger case than the US for a Consulate in Lhasa. 5. Non-Governmental supporters of His Holiness in the US have organised an exhibition in the US to educate the public about the Panchen Lama. They also intend to start a movement to ensure that the Chinese do not disregard the Tibetan traditions in imposing their own Dalai Lama on the Tibetan people when His Holiness is no more. The Chinese interference in the traditional religious practices of the Tibetans in order to impose their own Dalai Lama and Panchen Lama on the Tibetan people could become an important issue in the future interactions between Washington and Beijing relating to Tibet and His Holiness. 6. While passing the resolution on a US Consulate in Lhasa, the House Foreign Affairs Committee also expressed serious concerns over the increasing suppression of religious freedom in Tibet and directed representatives of the United States Government to call for a cessation of all interference by the Government of the People’s Republic of China in the reincarnation system of Tibetan Buddhism during exchanges with officials of the Government of the People’s Republic of China. 7. The Panchen Lama nominated by the Chinese authorities after arresting the Panchen Lama selected by the representatives of His Holiness the Dalai Lama, was to tour in Tibet during July to attend functions held in Tibet to mark the 60th anniversary of the occupation of Tibet by the Chinese People’s Liberation Army and the 90th anniversary of the founding of the Communist Party of China. According to latest reports from Tibet, he did not undertake the tour which was deferred indefinitely without giving any reasons. 8. The Nepalese Police arrested on August 5,2011,Thinley Lama, the new volunteer coordinator of the Tibetan Refugee Welfare Office in Kathmandu, after he had held a news conference in which he called for the protection of the human rights of the Tibetan refugees living in Nepal. There has been intense pressure on the Nepalese Government by Beijing to ban what is projected as the anti-China activities of the refugees. In the first week of July, the Nepalese Police, under pressure from the Chinese Embassy, tried to prevent the refugees from celebrating the birthday of His Holiness. Thinley Lama is a Nepal resident and acts as the representative of His Holiness in Nepal. 9. Human Rights groups have condemned the action of the Nepal Police in detaining Thinley Lama and appealed to the international community to intervene to stop the persecution of Tibetan refugees by the Nepalese authorities under pressure from Beijing. 10. They allege that the Chinese Embassy has been more aggressive in urging Nepal to take action against Tibetan refugees since last month when a new Chinese Ambassador to Nepal, Yang Houlan, assumed office. China says there are no Tibetan “refugees,” but only illegal immigrants. 11. It has been reported that as a quid pro quo for curbs on the activities of the refugees by the Nepalese authorities, Beijing has offered financial assistance for the development of the tourist infrastructure in Nepal, including for the development of the infrastructure at Lumbini, the birth place of Buddha. 12. In the meanwhile, reliable reports from Tibet say that the Chinese authorities refrained from taking any action against about 5000 Tibetan monks, who defied the orders of the authorities and held a meeting at Lithang Gonchen in the Sichuan Province from July 15 to 24, for discussions to promote Tibetan cultural values and national unity.Initially, the Chinese authorities tried to prevent the meeting, but when the monks expressed their determination to go ahead with it, they did not intervene. 13. All the proceedings were held in the Tibetan language and all the participants were required to dress typically like Tibetans. There were discussions not only on religious, social and cultural issues, but also on the need to preserve the Tibetan language and the unity of Tibetans living in Tibet’s traditional three provinces of U-Tsang, Kham, and Amdo—all now occupied by China. The monastery of Lithang Gonchen, which hosted the meeting, had sent invitations to over 100 other monasteries—both in Kardze and in neighboring prefectures—to take part. About a half of them participated. 14. Representatives also came from the Kirti monastery, in Kardze, from where about 300 defiant monks were arrested and moved to re-education camps in March this year following an incident of self-immolation by a young monk to protest against the Chinese rule. The Chinese have continued to reject requests from international human rights organisations for permission to visit the detained monks of the Kirti monastery. (The Writer Is Additional Secretary (Retd), Cabinet Secretariat, Govt. Of India, New Delhi, And, Presently, Director, Institute For Topical Studies, Chennai, And Associate Of The Chennai Centre For China Studies.
THE PROBLEM OF TIBET : A PERSPECTIVE OR A DISTANT VIEWPOINT OF THE LIVING TIBETAN SPIRITS :
The Land of Tibet – India blinks while Tibet got gobbled
In this 1956 photo the First Prime Minister of India, Jawaharlal Nehru is seen with his daughter Indira Priyadarshini who later became the Third Prime Minister of India. Nehru blinked while Communist China gobbled Tibet. To add insult to this injury, India had also signed a treaty with Communist China ignoring the act of its military aggression. India came to its senses after China’s brutal invasion of its Himalayan frontier in 1962.
The word ‘gobble’ describes the characteristic throaty sound made by a male turkey bird. It also describes the act of swallowing as in eating quickly and greedily. Tibet was snatched up, eagerly seized by Communist China while India and other members of international community blinked, ignored, and condoned a blatant act of military aggression. Very often, people blame Tibetans for their own misfortune. They describe as to how Tibet chose to ignore its external relationships and had remained isolated without seeking help for timely foreign intervention. However, to deal with the menace posed by Communist China, most countries including India, and the United States of America are willing to use Tibetans as their pawns in the chaotic game of international diplomacy. I agree that Tibetans have miscalculated the threat posed by Communist China and did not seek help to contain Communist Expansion. Even if that threat had not existed, it would be prudent to seek friendly relations with other nations to promote international understanding and harmony. If Tibetans had failed themselves and did not defend their vital national interests, I am unwilling to punish them for this lapse or lack of vision. Freedom is their natural right and military occupation of the Land of Tibet is a violation. The military action of Communist China is unjust and cannot be sanctified under International Law. I would ask readers to view the problem of Tibet with feelings of sympathy and understanding. We can get together, we can act together, and we can collectively challenge the military power of Communist China. Tibet is not asking for separation from Peoples’ Republic of China. Tibet wants to exist in its natural state or condition called Freedom. The fact of military occupation is unnatural and illegal and must be changed.
I am pleased to share this article titled ‘Remembering India’s Capitulation on Tibet’ written by Ajai Shukla in Business Standard. Kindly review the same.
Rudra N. Rebbapragada, Ann Arbor, Michigan, U.S.A.
Service Information:
Name: R. Rudra Narasimham/R.R. Narasimham, Service Number: MS-8466/MR-03277K; Rank: Lieutenant/Captain/Major; Branch: Army Medical Corps/Short Service Regular Commission & Direct Permanent Commission(1969-1984); Unit: Headquarters Establishment Number. 22, C/O 56 APO. Designation: Medical Officer(1971-1974). Organization: Special Frontier Force.
An article in The New York Times last Saturday speculated that Beijing would try to legitimise its hand-selected (and therefore illegitimate) Panchen Lama, Gyaltsen Norbu, by sending him to study in the Labrang Monastery in Xiahe at the somewhat advanced age of 21. Xiahe is in China’s Gansu province, but in the Amdo region of traditional Tibet, which the communists carved up between five Chinese provinces bordering the Tibetan Autonomous Region (TAR). Gyaltsen Norbu badly needs the credibility of Labrang Monastery; he was declared the 11th Panchen Lama by Chinese authorities, six months after they arrested the 11-year-old Gedhun Choekyi Nyima, who had been declared the 11th Panchen Lama by the Dalai Lama in Dharamsala, following traditional Tibetan practice. Most Tibetans believe Gedhun Choekyi Nyima (often called “the youngest political prisoner in the world”) is the legitimate 11th Panchen Lama, while Gyaltsen Norbu is disparaged as “the Chinese Panchen Lama”. This typically clumsy Chinese manoeuvre is a mere sideshow to the big story in Tibet, which is a six-month long security lockdown that has gone largely unreported in the world press. The lockdown, which has involved mass repression of Tibetans and hundreds of preventive arrests, was triggered by Beijing’s determination to celebrate the 60th anniversary of the “peaceful liberation of Tibet”, which took the form of the 17-Point Agreement (full form: Agreement of the Central People’s Government and the Local Government of Tibet on Measures for the Peaceful Liberation of Tibet). The 17-Point Agreement, through which Lhasa bowed to Beijing’s sovereignty on May 23, 1951, was India’s capitulation more than Tibet’s. After the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) marched into Tibet in October 1950 and destroyed the Tibetan army, India’s army chief, General (later Field Marshall) K M Cariappa declared that India could spare no more than a battalion (800 men) to block the Chinese invasion alongside the Tibetans. Then New Delhi refused to back Lhasa’s request for the United Nations to adopt a resolution against the Communist invasion. With global attention focused on the Korean War, and with India hoping to mediate between China and the US-led coalition, India feared that sponsoring Tibet’s reference to the UN would damage its leverage with China. And with Washington and London allowing New Delhi to take the lead on this issue (India, after all, was most affected by events in Tibet) China was allowed to subjugate Tibet unopposed. New Delhi’s submissiveness obtained even less for India than it did for Tibet. The first words of the first clause of the 17-Point Agreement (“The Tibetan people shall unite and drive out imperialist aggressive forces from Tibet”) directly targeted India. New Delhi was the “imperialist” force that maintained – continuing British practice since 1903 – a military garrison in Gyantse, Tibet, across the Himalayas from Sikkim. Three years later, India formalised its capitulation to Beijing. The Panchsheel Agreement of 1954, which recognised Chinese sovereignty over Tibet, bound India to withdraw its entire presence from Tibet. Some of the ground ceded in that diplomatic blunder has been gradually clawed back by India. This began in 1959, when India granted refuge to the Dalai Lama and permitted the setting up of a Tibetan government-in-exile. Tens of thousands of Tibetan refugees who have trickled in over the years and continue to do so even today have set up a support base for an alternative government to the Beijing-dominated one in Lhasa. Hundreds of Tibetan monks have been allowed to set up an ecclesiastical ecosystem, central to Tibetan politico-religious belief, which parallels the Tibetan system that they left behind. In and around Bangalore and Mysore are the mirror images of the mighty monasteries – Sera, Ganden and Drebung – that were smashed during China’s “democratic reforms” and the Cultural Revolution in the 1960s. Not least, India retains a core of Tibetan fighting capability in the secretive Establishment 22, manned by Tibetan volunteers who would be more than happy to be unleashed against the Chinese in their homeland. These steps, though, are just enough to annoy China without doing what would be necessary to seriously worry Beijing. India’s reluctance to flash its teeth, and to instead keep reassuring Beijing that the Tibetan exiles are on tight leash, does little to keep alive the sense of hope that Tibetans here need for continuing their fight. New Delhi’s willingness to carry out preventive arrests of Tibetans on the eve of Chinese visits creates apprehension that India can be pressured in the same way as Nepal, which China pressures into brutal police repression of Tibetan exiles. Nor has Tibet’s global icon, the Dalai Lama, struck any strategic notes in his quest for international support. Brushed off by New Delhi like a distant relative who has stayed too long, and avoided by foreign leaders as a political minefield, His Holiness has been reduced to engagement with second-rung celebrities like Richard Gere and support from dodgy divas like Paris Hilton and Sharon Stone. His marginalisation has been carefully orchestrated by Beijing, which reacts ferociously whenever any head of government proposes to meet the Dalai Lama. And when anyone risks Beijing’s ire, as President Obama did in meeting the Dalai Lama last month, the conversation always begins with a careful public repudiation of Tibetan independence. Sadly, India, despite all the levers it holds in Tibet, follows that same cautious path. The hopelessness that has seeped through the Tibetan exile community in India manifests itself in a growing rejection of the Dalai Lama’s “Middle Path”, which involves a non-violent engagement with Beijing about Tibetan autonomy rather than independence. India’s many angry Tibetan youngsters are held back for now by their enormous respect for the 14th Dalai Lama, but his passing on will create a problem for China that will be far more potent than the legitimacy of the 11th Panchen Lama. If New Delhi looks ahead and calibrates its response inventively, it may go some way towards recreating the leverage in Tibet that it lost in the 1950s.
The Prime Minister whom I knew. The first posting of my Indian Army Career took me to the Prime Minister’s Cabinet Secretariat.OPERATION EAGLE – BANGLADESH LIBERATION WAR OF 1971
SPECIAL FRONTIER FORCE – OPERATION EAGLE 1971 – THE CHITTAGONG HILL TRACTS – BANGLADESH LIBERATION WAR:
The late Prime Minister of India, Mrs. Indira Gandhi initiated the Liberation of Bangladesh during 1971 by planning and executing the battle plan of ‘Operation Eagle’, the military action in the Chittagong Hill Tracts. In recognition of outstanding contribution to the country’s War of Liberation, Bangladesh conferred posthumously on Indira Gandhi the ‘Swadhinata Sammanona'(Freedom Honor Award), the highest State Honor.
Operation Eagle. Bangladesh Liberation War of 1971. President of Bangladesh, Zillur Rahman gave the ‘Swadhinata Sammanona’, the Freedom Honour Award to Sonia Gandhi, the daughter-in-law of late Indian Prime Minister Indira Gandhi.
At a function held at Bangabhaban(President’s House), Dhaka on Monday, August 01, 2011, President Zillur Rahman gave the ‘Freedom Honour Award’, the highest State Honor to Sonia Gandhi, the Chairperson of United Progressive Alliance( UPA ), the leader of India’s Congress Party. Bangladesh’s Prime Minister Sheikha Hasina, State Minister for Liberation War Affairs Captain(Retired) A B Tajul Islam, other cabinet ministers, and dignitaries were present at this function.
I had asked Government of India to give its permission to disclose the battle plan of Operation Eagle, the military action in Chittagong Hill Tracts during 1971 which had initiated the Liberation of Bangladesh.
Dr. R. R. Narasimham, B.Sc., M.B.B.S.,
Service Number MS-8466 CAPTAIN AMC/SSC
Medical Officer South Column Operation Eagle 1971
Headquarters Establishment Number. 22 C/O 56 APO.
Operation Eagle – Gallantry Award: Flight Lieutenant Parvez Rustom Jamasji, Indian Air Force Helicopter Pilot provided airlift to the battle casualties in the conduct of Operation Eagle, Bangladesh Ops in the Chittagong Hill Tracts.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.A Personal Tribute to Colonel B K Narayan, The Regiment of Artillery, Indian Army.
A Sermon in Kaptai, Bangladesh Ops 1971-72. A personal tribute to 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.”
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.
THE LIVING TIBETAN SPIRITS SPEAK ABOUT THE GREAT PROBLEM OF TIBET :
THE GREAT PROBLEM OF TIBET IS THAT OF ITS ILLEGAL OCCUPATION.
I speak on behalf of ‘The Living Tibetan Spirits’ who had given their mortal lives in the hope of evicting the illegal occupier from the Land of Tibet. Occupation is not a natural condition and hence it would remain a problem. Apparently, China got transformed into a huge economic and military power and hence, the problem of Tibet is great. The greatness of the problem would not dampen my hopes and expectations about the future of Tibet. I am not seeking separation of Tibet from China. Tibet is not a part of China and separation is not the issue. I am supporting the view of ‘The Living Tibetan Spirits’. Freedom is a natural state or condition known to Tibetans over centuries of their existence as a Country with its own history and traditions. This historical experience of the people cannot be wiped out by decades of brutal, illegal, military occupation. By removing the military forces from the Land of Tibet, China could initiate a process of healing and restoration of normal conditions inside Tibet.
I am pleased to share this article published by Claude Arpi from Rediff.com
Dr. R. Rudra Narasimham, B.Sc., M.B.B.S.,
Kurnool Medical College, Kurnool, Andhra Pradesh, India,
M.B.B.S., Class of April, 1970.
A top US diplomat in China was apparently summoned to convey Beijing’s [ Images ] ‘strong indignation’ over President Barack Obama’s [ Images ] meeting with the Dalai Lama: it amounted to ‘gross interference’ which would damage bilateral ties, said Beijing.
Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Ma Zhaoxu objected ‘sternly’, saying, “The encounter had not only hurt the feelings of Chinese people,’ but he demanded that the US start to seriously consider China’s stance and ‘immediately adopt measures to wipe out the baneful impact and cease to connive and support anti-China separatist forces that seek ‘Tibet independence’.
The meeting between the Dalai Lama and Barack Obama was, however, not that crucial because the US is not in a position to influence China in any way, especially on its ‘internal’ policies.
A few days ago, Xinhua placidly analysed the possibility of the US going bankrupt, saying, “No one wants to see the US breach its debt obligations, but everyone has to be prepared in case it happens… any US ‘action to repudiate its debts will benefit [the US] at a cost to others.”
Beijing knows perfectly well that it can only be the loser.
“In the current situation, only by repudiating its debts can the US rapidly decrease its debt ratio and reduce its heavy debt burden, so as to have consumption recover,” said Xinhua.
It added, “The world’s countries will have nothing to say but acknowledge their bad luck if the US defaults on its debt. If the default causes the collapse of bond prices and the skyrocketing of commodity prices, those who suffer will be countries with foreign exchange reserves and industrial manufacturing countries.”
In other words, China!
This is also why even though Beijing can’t do much about the US debt (and about its own money in US coffers), the Communist leadership is certainly not ready to listen to Washington when it concerns its ‘internal’ affairs’.
The US, even if it manages to escape the debt trap, does not anymore have the clout (or the muscle) to impose anything on China.
But there is something else; during the last few months, the world media, and particularly the US press, highlighted the ‘democratic’ wind coming from Dharamsala and applauded the Dalai Lama’s self-retirement.
The logical next step for a nation promoting democracy in North Africa or the Middle East would have been to invite the ‘elected’ leader of the Tibetan diaspora along with the Dalai Lama.
But no, Washington prefers to receive the Dalai Lama and ignore Dr Lobsang Sangay, the new ‘elected’ Kalon Tripa. It is more convenient to receive a ‘religious’ leader.
Then, in case China sees red, Washington can always say that it was a non-political encounter.
More interesting is the trip of the Chinese Vice-PresidentXi Jinping to Tibet [ Images ]. It is the highest level visit to the restive region since 2001, when the then Vice-President (today President) Hu Jintao went to celebrate 50 years of the ‘liberation’ of Tibet. Tibet Information Network then reported, ‘Several thousand Tibetans were required to be present at the main anniversary ceremony on July 19, which was attended by Hu Jintao in the Potala Square, surrounded by armed security personnel.
‘Others, including children, students and monks, were required to form part of various delegations welcoming the official visitors to Lhasa,’ it said.
That was 10 years ago.
Strangely, on Tuesday, in a lead article, Xinhua merely said, ‘Central government delegation arrives for Tibet’s 60th anniversary of peaceful liberation,’ adding, ‘A delegation of China’s central government arrives in Lhasa, capital of southwest China’s Tibet Autonomous Region, on July 17, 2011.
‘The delegation came to attend the celebrations marking the 60th anniversary of Tibet’s peaceful liberation,’ it adds.
Is it not strange that Xi Jinping’s name is not even mentioned? Why?
Let’s not forget that in 15 months’ time, Xi Jinping will be China’s president, as well as the Communist Party of China’s general secretary and chairman of the all-powerful Central Military Commission.
While Xi’s name is mentioned in secondary articles, it is intriguing that his name did not figure in the lead article.
It probably has something to do with a not-so-smooth succession and the announced-and-later-denied death of his mentor, former President Jiang Zemin.
Chinese ways are sometimes difficult to grasp.
Apart from the old ‘Tibetan’ guard (Raidi, Pagpalha), Vice Premier Hui Liangyu and more, interesting for India [ Images ], General Chen Bingde, the People’s Liberation Army’s boss, travelled with Xi.
Xi’s visit to Tibet has obviously made many nervous. An article in Asia News affirms, ‘Beijing is afraid of more anti-China protests and has increased its control over its borders with Nepal ahead of the visit.’
Is it really the reason why on July 12, Beijing announced a closure of the Tibet-Nepal border, mainly targeting ‘foreigners, especially Americans, Indians and Europeans, who could sympathise with the Tibetan activists. According to local media, Beijing’s decision has resulted in a sharp drop in tourist reservations.’
Another interesting aspect of Xi’s visit to Tibet is that Xi Zhongxun, the vice-president’s father who was a vice-premier himself, played a relatively positive role in Tibet in the 1950s, till he was purged in September 1962 (he wrote that the Panchen Lama was right in his assessment of the situation in Tibet where lakhs of people died during the Great Leap Forward).
When the communists came to power in 1947, Xi Zhongxun was deputy political commissar of the North West Field Army commanded by Marshal Peng Dehuai.
Later Xi was elevated to the post of political commissar of the army which entered north-western Tibet in 1949.
While Xi Zhongxun had a military background, he was very close to the late Panchen Lama (and later to the Dalai Lama). When the former passed away in mysterious circumstances in 1989 in Shigatse, Xi wrote his obituary in The People’s Daily.
Strangely, very little has been written about Xi Jinping and the Tibet connection. Probably Xi Jinping does want to highlight this ‘connection’ a year before his elevation to the top of the party and some links to his past seem to have been removed.
In any case, the vice president’s visit to Tibet should not be seen as negative and there is no reason for the West to support large-scale protests.
On the contrary, Xi Jinping should be encouraged to see for himself the tense situation in the Himalayan region, at a time when the official propaganda continues to hammer on that the Tibetans are happy and liberated.
A white paper on The Liberation of Tibet recently released by the State Council’s Information Office affirms, ‘The 60 years following Tibet’s peaceful liberation have proved that Tibet, as an inseparable part of China, shares its destiny with the motherland, and its development is also impossible without that of China.’
Going through the paper, one discovers astonishing information: ‘After the founding of the People’s Republic of China in 1949, Tibet was peacefully liberated,’ it reads.
It goes on to say, ‘Under the leadership of and with special care from the Central People’s government, and through democratic reform, the founding of the autonomous region, socialist construction and the reform and opening-up, Tibet abolished serfdom and theocracy, become a modern, democratic socialist society, achieved rapid and comprehensive economic and social development, and embarked on the road to modernity.’
Nobody is fooled, either about the ‘democratic socialist society’ or the serfdom. The words just do not tally with ground reality.
Why should Tibet be closed to foreigners for such a ‘special celebration’ if life is so rosy and if Tibetans are so grateful to the ‘motherland’?
As the White Paper was released, the Tibetan Centre for Human Rights and Democracy announced that the Kardze County People’s Court in Eastern Tibet had sentenced 13 Tibetans out of those arrested after a demonstration.
The TCHRD further stated that on July 5, 2011, the Public Security Bureau arrested Pema Rinchen, a famous writer from his house in Drango County of Kardze Prefecture.
‘On July 6, 2011, the second day of his arrest, he had to be taken to the Drango county hospital for emergency treatment, because he was reportedly savagely beaten by the police after his arrest,’ a report read.
‘On hearing the news, his family members rushed to hospital. However, several policemen were standing guard outside his hospital room and refused to allow his family to see him,’ it said.
Recent examples of the violent demonstrations, particularly in Kirti monastery, confirm that Beijing has a big problem on its table.
What is flabbergasting is that Beijing continues to publish photos of ‘happy Tibetans’ enjoying life under their benevolent and compassionate ‘motherland’.
Let us hope that Xi Jinping will be able to grasp the situation and follow in the footsteps of his father, a moderate and open-minded leader.
Dr. Manmohan Singh, current Prime Minister of India. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)The Battle Plan of Operation Eagle 1971-Chittagong Hill Tracts must be disclosed.OPERATION EAGLE(1971)- MILITARY ACTION IN CHITTAGONG HILL TRACTS: PERMISSION FOR DISCLOSURE OF THE BATTLE PLAN. The battle plan had originated and was sanctioned by Prime Minister of India at the Secretariat Building, South Block, New Delhi.
SPECIAL FRONTIER FORCE – OPERATION EAGLE:
To: manmohan@sansad.nic.in Subject: The Battle Plan of Operation Eagle – Permission for disclosure Date: Thu, 21 Jul 2011
From, R.Pratap Narayan,
To:
Dr. Manmohan Singh Honourable Prime Minister of India, Prime Minister’s Office, New Delhi – 110 011.
Attn: Prime Minister’s Office – Shri. Amar Dass, Section Officer.
Respected Sir,
Subject:- The Battle Plan of Operation Eagle – Permission for Disclosure.
References:- 1. My representation dated 24/5/2011. 2. PMO ID No. 6/3/2011-PMP3/298009 dated 16/6/2011.
3. MoD ID No. 3533/2009/D( Cer ) dated 01 July 2011. 4. Integrated HQ MoD(Army), Military Secretary’s Branch ID No. A/45101/REP/MS( X ) dated 08 July 2011.
1. Military Secretary’s Branch, Integrated HQ MoD( Army ) in its letter ID No. A/45101/REP/MS( X ) dated 08 Jul 2011 had rejected my representation dated 24/5/2011 regarding my brother’s petition to receive a Gallantry Award that was duly recommended by Special Frontier Force which operated under the Command of Major General Sujan Singh Uban, Inspector General SFF, Directorate General of Security, R. K. Puram, New Delhi. As per the decision made by the Prime Minister of India, the Battle Plan of Operation Eagle had included the eligibility criteria for receiving Service Medals and Decorations. My brother is eligible to receive this Gallantry Award because he had participated in Operation Eagle as a Citizen of India. For example, foreign nationals like Bangla refugees who had also participated in Operation Eagle are not entitled to receive Service Medals and Decorations.
2. The Military Secretary, MoD( Army ) while rejecting my representation had also claimed that this battle action took place nearly 39 years ago. However, it must be noted that the Military Secretary has not mentioned the date or dates of this battle action. It appears that the MS Branch is not aware of this basic information or the MS Branch is deliberately concealing information with an intention to deny the grant of this Gallantry Award to an Indian National who had participated in military action on the basis of his Citizenship.
3. In the history of Republic of India, for the very first time, the Prime Minister of India had planned and had personally executed this kind of military operation( Op Eagle ) drawing assistance from nontraditional fighting elements from the Directorate General of Security.
4. Because of the historical importance of Operation Eagle, it would be in public interest to disclose the details of the Battle Plan. Since this Battle Action took place a long time ago, it is assumed that Government of India has no objection if the Battle Plan is disclosed to the People of India.
5. If you have any concerns in this matter, kindly inform me.
Thanking You,
Yours Faithfully,
R.Pratap Narayan. Hyderabad. 21 st July, 2011.
This letter from Ministry of Defence again fails to mention my Unit affiliation and does not reveal the name of the military act called Operation Eagle. Public have a Right to Information about the Battle Plan of Operation Eagle.
This letter from Ministry of Defence again fails to mention my Unit affiliation and does not reveal the name of the military act called Operation Eagle. Public have a Right to Information about the Battle Plan of Operation Eagle.This letter from Ministry of Defence again fails to mention my Unit affiliation and does not reveal the name of the military act called Operation Eagle. Public have a Right to Information about the Battle Plan of Operation Eagle.A Personal Tribute to Colonel B K Narayan, The Regiment of Artillery, Indian Army.
A Sermon in Kaptai, Bangladesh Ops 1971-72. A personal tribute to 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.”
Whole Dude - Whole Spirituality 