LAND

OF

MIGHT

Kumar .

A COMPILATION OF EXCERPTS AND LITTLE KNOWN, UNKNOWN STORIES OF THIS GREAT LAND KNOWN FOR IT’S MYSTICISM BUT UNDOCUMENTED HEROISM. A GLIMPSE INTO WHAT PEOPLE OF THIS LAND ARE, HAVE BEEN, FROM DIFFERENT WALK’S OF LIFE .

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Foreword

This book is a documentation of heroes of India. It is not about ordinary people or tough people. It has been written about people who have crossed the line and lived for something which they felt

needs to be done, however magnanimous it is. Their inner strength and character infalliable.

It is composition of my own research, great articles, documentation of events by different sources. It shows the splendour of large heartedness of some individuals, the works they did and they way

they lived.. Sufficient work has been done to gather the details, proofs of the events. They can be gladly

checked to ascertain the facts.

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CONTENTS

The Bird man of Kheechan

Dr. Shrikant Jichkar

Bishnu Shrestha – Indian Army

Shaitan Singh – True blue valour

Sam “ Bahadur ” Manekshaw

Cherukulathur - A small village and a noble deed

Shyamakanta Bandopadhyay - Tiger Swami

The Lover – Manjhi

Dr. Govindappa Venkataswamy - The Eye Opener

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The Birdman of Kheechan - Gangadharan Menon

Ratanlal Maloo – the man who has single-handedly called over 15,000 Demoiselle Cranes to his little hamlet in Rajasthan from their homes in Mongolia and Eurasia, as annual guests, and created a sanctuary worth visiting almost from negligible number’s. The love and care he showed the birds ensured that their numbers increased year after year as word spread in their home-town .

It all began over 40 years ago when his uncle requested him to return from Orissa, where he was working, just to help his lonely mother cross the magical age of 100. Little did Ratanlal know that it was a decision that would change his life, and the lives of thousands of demoiselle cranes.

Since Ratanlal had precious little to do in the half-asleep village of Kheechan, his uncle entrusted him with a job: feed the pigeons and sparrows and peacocks that frequent a place at the outskirts of the village.

Ratanlal and his newly married wife Sundarbai liked this idea as they were devout Jains who believed that it’s their bounden duty to give alms and to feed birds. Young Ratanlal used to carry a sackfull of grains to the feeding place and his wife used to transfer it into a large vessel and disburse it on the ground at the feeding place.

Initially, for a couple of months, only the usual suspects came to feed: squirrels, sparrows, pigeons, and the occasional peacock. But then in the month of September, he found a dozen of a huge, black and white bird that he had never seen before, feeding with the regulars. On asking the villagers, he was told that they were migratory birds that have been frequenting the farmlands of Kheechan in winter. They were called demoiselle cranes or kurja in Rajasthani.

It was love at first sight. Ratanlalji started observing them closely. To his joy, he realised that their numbers started growing till it reached around 80 in November. But in February, to his horror all of them disappeared overnight.

He had to wait for a year for them to come back. And this time around, there were over 150 of them. Word must have spread in Mongolia and Eurasia that there’s a feast awaiting them in Kheechan, served by this gentle soul called Ratanlal. This number kept on increasing every year, and in the 40 years of his care and conservation, the number became a staggering 15,000 last year.

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The early days were a struggle for Ratanlal, and the later days a bigger struggle. Once the demoiselle cranes started growing in numbers, the local dogs saw these huge three-foot birds as sitting ducks. They used to pounce upon them, either killing them for meat, or leaving them injured. So firstly, Ratanlal got the panchayat to allot him some land on the outskirts of the village, and he coaxed the richer villagers to help him build a 6-foot fence around what he called the Chugga Ghar or the Feeding Home. He then got a granary made to store the grains that started pouring in from fellow Jain traders who were supportive of the cause. He even got a room constructed to house the injured cranes and bring them back to the pink, nay black and white, of health.

On asked, Ratanlal explained the quantity of grains that’s required to feed these birds. What started off as a few innocuous kilos of grains in a year has now become an astronomical 1 lakh kilos annually. In peak season today, an average of around 12,000 demoiselle cranes arrive as state guests from November to February. Look at these amazing stats: A thousand cranes need one hundred kilos of grains per day. For 12,000 cranes that’s 12 hundred kilos. For a month that’s 36,000 kilos. For four months, that adds up to over 1,40,000 kilos. At the rate of Rs. 60 per kilo that works out to over 85 lakh rupees per annum! That’s the kind of money that the Jain community spread across the length and breadth of the planet helps him raise every year. It is a quiet cognizance of his selfless service spread over four decades that helped him generate such enormous goodwill.

Declared as a World Heritage Site by the World Crane Foundation, Kheechan attracts hundreds of Indians and foreigners who come to witness the spectacle of thousands of demoiselle cranes feeding right in the middle of a human settlement. Torbjorn Eriksen, an ornithologist and wildlife photographer from Denmark a visitor said he had seen many congregations of different species of birds across the world, but never one so dramatic.

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Torbjorn explained the sheer ecological significance of Ratanlal’s act of devotion. Because the cranes get the food they need in the Chugga Ghar, they don’t ravage the farmlands of Kheechan and the surrounding villages, thereby making them more endearing and acceptable to humans. Hence there’s no man-animal conflict here, but rather a heart-warming man-animal coexistence.

When reminded Ratanlal that his guests come all the way from Mongolia and Eurasia, he smiled and said, ‘To me it doesn’t matter where they are coming from, and where they are going. What matters to me is that they have entered my life, and they are here to stay.’

As a tractor load of grains was being unloaded, a farmer came with an injured demoiselle crane, attacked viciously by a village dog. As Ratanlal washed its wounds with care and compassion, I remembered what he had told me a while ago when I had asked him if he had any children. He had said, ‘No, I don’t have any. But no, I do have. I have about 15,000 of them!’

Ratanlal explained to me what he had observed in these birds over the years. They spend the night in a salty landscape called Malhar Rinn, about 25 kms from Kheechan as the crane flies. And just before the sun wakes up, they fly to the sand-dunes overlooking the Chugga Ghar. After the entire flock of a few thousands collect on the dunes, they slowly march towards the Chugga Ghar that’s a kilometre away. Here they wait outside the enclosure patiently, for almost an hour. Meanwhile a group of about 30 of them encircle the place, making sure it’s safe to land. Once the leader of this group lands, the entire entourage follows. And then all heaven breaks loose! Waves after waves of these beautiful birds land inside. First the ones that are close to the enclosure, and then the ones that have lined up all the way up to the dunes. But the discipline they show has to be seen to be believed. Though there would be about 4 to 6 thousand of them on any given day, at any given point in time there won’t be more than about 500 of them inside the enclosure. It’s only when the groups inside fly away that the groups outside enter.

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Ratanlal told me that for many years it was an anonymous leader who used to be the first one to land. But since the last 11 years, there has been a change of guard. The leader now is a crane referred to locally as ‘langda’, as it has a limp leg. He is instantly recognizable as his leg dangles in the air as he hovers around the Chugga Ghar, and then lands on one leg!

The demoiselle cranes, after a sumptuous meal, fly off to the two lakes at the periphery of the village: Vijaysagar Lake and Raatdi Naadi. Here they sip the blueness of the lake and then gobble copious quantities of the pebbles that lie on the lakeshores. Ratalal explained the reason for this strange habit. Since the grains they eat are whole grains, these pebbles act as grinding stones and make it easier for them to digest them. Then they have a dip in the lake, and the more romantic among them indulge in ballet-like mating dances. Just before sundown, they call it a day. And fly off to Malhar Rinn to spend the night standing on one leg. This routine continues till March, when one day, without any warning, they fly off to the land of their birth, in the thick of the night.

On the 7th of July 2011, Ratanlal too flew away from this world in the middle of the night, just like his feathered friends.

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Dr. Shrikant JichkarSeptember 14, 1954 – June 2, 2004

Dr. Shrikant Jichkar was born in a farming family in Maharashtra .Dr. Shrikant Jichkar was a man of staggering academic, professional achievements. Most of his degrees were with first merit . Let’s see what his academic achievements were :

Began as a Medical Doctor (MBBS and MD)

He did his Law (LL.B.) with Post-graduation in International Law (LL.M.) and then,

Masters in Business Administration (DBM and MBA)

Master’s in Journalism (B.Journ)

He did his Masters in ten subjects.

M.A. (Public Administration)

M.A. (Sociology) 

M.A. (Economics)

M.A. (Sanskrit)

M.A. (History)

M.A.(English Literature)

M.A. (Philosophy)

M.A. (Political Science) 

M.A. (Ancient Indian History,Culture and Archaeology)

M.A (Psychology).

He got his D. Litt (Doctor of Letters) in Sanskrit , the highest of any Degree in a University.

Gold Medals – 28 in his studies,between 1973 and 1990, he has written 42 University Examinations each ever summer and every winter.

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In 1978 , wrote the IPS (Indian Police Service) examination and got into it, resigned and

In 1980 , wrote the IAS (Indian Administrative Services) examination and got into it. resigned in four months and then !

Became the Youngest MLA in the country at 25 , after he contested his first election in 1980, to the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly .

became Member of Rajya Sabha (1992–98) .

He became a powerful government Minister holding 14 portfolios at a time at a state. He was on important committees of the state and central government, including the Parliamentary Standing committee on Finance; the Patents Committee; the Planning Board; the Resources Mobilization Committee; the Taxation Reforms Committee, and the High Power Committee on Irrigation and Transport.

and of course he is in the Limca book of records for being the most educated man in india .

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Bishnu Shrestha – Indian Army

Shrestha-- boarded the train at Ranchi in Jharkhand, the place of his posting--was in seat no. 47 in coach AC3, returning home following voluntary retirement from the Indian army . As his express train roared through the darkness of the jungles of West Bengal, this soldier was quietly, looking out the window into the calm stillness of the night sky. The 35 year old veteran was finally on his way back home, having just retired from his position as a Naik (Corporal) in the 7th Battalion of the 8th Gurkha Infantry – a famous, heroic regiment, a unit in which Shrestha's own father himself had served.

After having spent a good part of his adult life fighting foes and charging enemy positions, he was looking forward to finally seeing an end and settling down, building a family in the quiet mountains of his homeland. On this evening he was on the Maurya Express, a passenger train sharing it's name with a “ King of might - “Chandragupta Maurya”, enjoying the serenity of the indian night.

Around midnight, the mighty locomotive ground to a halt unexpectedly, sending passengers lurching forward in their seats. The band of robbers, some of whom were travelling as passengers, stopped the train in the Chittaranjan jungles in West Bengal around midnight.

And then, from a side doors more armed thugs leapt into the train from the jungle beyond. They started stealing wallets, tearing jewelry from the necks of old women, snatching laptops and cell phones, and waving knives in the faces of terrified hostages.

Naik Bishnu Shrestha just sat there quietly. “They started snatching jewelry, cell phones, cash, laptops and other belongings from the passengers,” Shrestha recalled, not saying anything even when the thugs took his own wallet, he remained silent. He knew they over numbered.

The robbers started to strip an 18-year-old girl sitting next to him and tried to rape her right in front of her parents. The girl saw him and cried for help, she said ´You are a soldier, please save a sister´. He just moved into action moved by the call. He did not care any more of the number of dacoits that were there . Shrestha recalled. “I prevented her from being raped, thinking of her as my own sister”. He then took out his khukuri and took on the robbers.

Shrestha leapt to his feet, drawing the ultimate symbol of gurkha warrior skills the “Khukri

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– a traditional gurkha knife” with one fluid motion. He flew across the train car, grabbing the would-be rapist from behind in a sleeper hold, pulled him up off the girl, and used him as a human shield while he lunged out and slashed one of the sword-swinging thugs,. One of them, unwilling to stab in the direction of his own boss, instead took the impotent route and tried to cut the girl, slashing his knife wildly at her neck, but the girl escaped, only took a minor wound before Shrestha dropped him dead with one more quick Khukri strike. With the robbers in the immediate vicinity disposed of, he took control of the attacker and fought on .

Over the next twenty minutes, Corporal Bishnu Shrestha raced through the aisles giving those dacoits a hard time , lunging, dodging, knife fighting dangerously. He took on the entire train – 40 men trying to pounce, in the thin passage ways of the train, killing three and wounding eight more seriously with a ferocious series of swings even after. He took a bad sword blow that severed a major artery and veins in his left hand, he continued fighting with his kukri, all the while bleeding.

The sight of him fighting was too much for those weak thugs, and once they realized that they weren't just beating up schoolchildren and robbing old ladies for their wedding rings and were instead facing a real man, they dropped all their loot and ran away. The wounded robbers were held by the passenger’s. The whole thing was over in about 20 minutes. When the train stopped in the next station, police and emergency personnel there, treated the

wounded and rushed Shrestha to the hospital.

Bishnu Shrestha was temporarily un-retired from the Gurkhas for the purposes of being promoted and subsequently awarded two medals for bravery and awesomeness. His former unit also awarded him honourably with a silver-plated kukri. The Indian Government also awarded him the bounty that was on the heads of this vicious gang and gave him incentives.

Ultimately, Bishnu Shrestha doesn't need any thanks for doing what he needed to do. The family of the girl he saved too, offered him a reward , but he never took it .He said it best, responding to reporters "Fighting the enemy in battle is my duty as a soldier.  Taking on the thugs on the train was my duty as a human being."

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“ death is better than being a coward ” – gurkha moto

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Shaitan Singh “123” – TRUE BLUE VALOUR

When the survivors of Rezang La told the commanders what had happened, they were not believed, but asked to clear their senses from battle shock. Then the survivor had to ask them to check the facts at the battle site to prove their details. It was Shaitan Singh, born on December 1, 1924 at Jodhpur in Rajasthan and his troops which had caused all this unbelievable mess . His father was Lt Col Hem Singh Bhati.

In the 1962 Sino-Indian War, The 'C' Company of the battalion, led by Singh, held this crucial position at Rezang La, a pass on the south-eastern approach to Chushul Valley

in Ladakh, in the state of Jammu and Kashmir, at a height of 5,000 metres (16,404 feet). Ramchander Yadav was the Radio man of the company. The company area was defended by three platoon positions and the surrounding terrain isolated it from the rest of the battalion.

It was the end of a cold winter night, with light snow falling. The icy winds howling through Rezang La were biting and benumbing. More than the thin air and cold, the location of Rezang La had a more serious drawback. It was unavailable to Indian artillery because of the terrain, which meant that they had to fight without the protective comfort of the cannons, big guns. In the time of 1962 helicopters and such a transportation was unthinkable in all locations. In the dim light of the morning, the Chinese were advancing through nullahs(gaps between heightend land mass) to attack No.7 and No.8 platoon positions.

The Indian Army troops fell on their prepared positions to face the Chinese offensive. At 05:00 when the visibility improved, both platoons opened up on the advancing Chinese with rifles, light machine guns, grenades and mortars. Indian artillery could, however, not be used. The nullahs were littered with dead bodies. The survivors took position behind boulders and the dead bodies. The Chinese, though they failed the first frontal attack, did not go back. They subjected the Indian positions to intense artillery and mortar fire at about 05:40 with vengeance. Soon, about 350 Chinese troops commenced advance through the nullahs. This time, No.9 Platoon, which held fire till the enemy was within 90 metres opened up with all weapons in their possession. Within minutes, the nullahs were again full of dead bodies, mainly of the Chinese. This was a plan by Shaitan singh to give the enemy a surprise.

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Unsuccessful in frontal attack, the enemy then approximately 400 strong attacked from the rear of the company position. They simultaneously opened intense medium machine gun fire on No.8 Platoon. Long before the preparations were done to take care of this attack. Shaitan singh had made arrangements so that nobody could climb up from behind and attack. As expected this attack was contained at the barbed wire fencing of the post.

The Chinese then resorted to heavy artillery and mortar shelling. An assault group of 120 Chinese also charged No.7 Platoon position from the rear. However, Indian Army 3-inch mortar killed many of them. When 20 surviving chinese charged the post, Havildar Surja Ram sent message, it is the time they will fight hand to hand. Out of ammunition, weaponry about a dozen Kumaoni’s rushed out of their trenches to fight the armed chinese with their hands and bayonet knives. Meanwhile, the Chinese brought up fresh reinforcements. The encirclement of No.7 Platoon was sadly complete. The platoon, however, fought valiantly till there was no survivor. No.8 Platoon also fought bravely to the last round.

Singh displayed exemplary leadership and courage in the battle of Rezang La. By all accounts, he led his troops most admirably against an immense foe. Unmindful of his personal safety he moved from one platoon post to another and encouraged his men to fight. While moving among the posts he was seriously wounded, by a sniping Chinese MMG but he continued to fight alongside with his men. He ordered his radio man, Ramchander Yadav to be alive, to go to the base tell and them what happened and how the indians had fought .

While he was being evacuated by two of his comrades, the Chinese brought heavy machine gun fire on them. Singh sensed danger to their lives and ordered them to leave him there. Company Havaldar Harphool Singh said to Ramchander yadav, do not let the chinese get their hands on Major saabs body. Yadav the decribed the remaining as “ So I opened the sling of the rifle and tied Major saab to myself with the belt, joining our bodies together at the waist. And then, slowly, I started to roll. .

There was very little life left in him. After about 10 yards, there was gravelly ground, and I started rolling down faster. I rolled for 400 yards, and then there was a nullah, after that boulders again. After rolling for 400 yards, I stopped near a boulder to catch my breath. I was thinking that the Company headquarters are below, so I should try to somehow get a couple of people from there to help me, so I can take saab down. But when it was 8.15pm by his watch, I noticed that the Major saab was no longer alive. Because Major saabs watch ran by his pulse, and when the

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pulse stopped, the watch stopped. I took off the Majors gloves, and slid his body between boulders to hide it, so that it remained safe until someone could return to fetch it” .

Ramchander Yadav explained how some of his colleagues fought hand to hand when they were out of ammunition, When company 7 was out of ammunition they ran forward With bayonets, and attacked the incoming enemy. What they did to the Chinese, earned their respect.

Sometimes the bayonets would not work , the Chinese were wearing thick parkas(heavy protective clothing) and the bayonets could not penetrate them. I saw our men, stabbing repeatedly with their bayonets, and the blade would not go through. Then they fought with bare hands. One Havildar Singh Ram just grabbed them by their necks and smashed their heads together and against rocks. He was a wrestler... Bahut tagda pehelwaan tha. He could catch people like me by the scruff of our necks and say, cmon, heat the milk. I was his boxer. Before the Chinese left, they sank a bayonet in the ground near his head, and put a helmet on top. They gave him izzat, samman, they kept a note there. I have seen that note”. Such was the respect even among soldiers, described Yadav.

In this action, 109 Kumaonis out of a total of 123 were killed. Of the 14 survivors, 9 were severely injured. The Chinese suffered more than a thousand casualities.

As Ramchander Yadav said Major’s body, his gloves with his blood were exactly found hidden in the rocks; in the Company every jawan with bullet wounds on his chest facing the enemy, no wounds on their backs; nursing assistant Dharam Pal, who put bandages on 32 wounded soldiers, and he died while bandaging his comrades with his bandages; The jawan, holding the light machine gun, and he had bullets in his chest, dead...but the machine gun had not fallen from his hands even when he was dead, he was clasping the machine gun. And the jawan throwing the grenade, dead, with the grenade still in his hands, the Chinese could not take the grenade off his hand. Many with their bayonets in their hands, in a crouching position attacking stance, bullets in their chest, dead. The cold weather and ice had frozen their bodies just as when they were dead.

Maj. Gen. Ian Cardozo, a Vir Chakra winner, writes in his Param Vir Chakra- Our heroes in Battle, that “When Rezang La was later checked dead Jawans were found in the trenches still holding on to their weapons, frozen .. every single man of this company was found dead in his trench with several bullet or splinter wounds. The 2-inch mortar man died with a bomb still in his hand. The medical orderly had a syringe and bandage in his hands when the Chinese bullet hit him... Of the

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thousand mortar bombs with the defenders all but seven had been fired and the rest were ready to be fired when the (mortar) section was overrun".

A memorial in Rewari where most of the Ahir soldiers of the regiment came from, states that 1700 Chinese soldiers were killed in the battle on that day. There is an another one in Ladakh built by all staff. Today because of the fight put up and stopping the momentum of the chinese, the chinese had to rethink about the war and Ladakh retained as part of india. After the ceasefire, the body of Singh was found, dead from the bullet wound and the frozen with cold. It was flown to Jodhpur and cremated with full military honours. Singh was awarded Param Vir Chakra, the highest wartime gallantry medal, posthumously, for his leadership and devotion to duty.

Rezang La battle memorial in Ladakh

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Sam “Bahadur” Manekshaw

It was during the World War II that a young captain in the 4/12 Frontier Force regiment, Indian Army, was leading his battalion as a Company Commander against the invading Japanese. A raging battle on the Sittang Bridge near Sittang River in Myanmar kept both the sides on their toes. The young company commander, even though severely injured with multiple wounds in the stomach caused by light machine gun's bullets, was encouraging hi troop; coercing them and fought until the battle was on

their side. When the forces arrived at the scene and saw the severely wounded company commander, Major General D.T Cowan quickly took off his own Military Cross and pinned it to this commander while he was still alive, saying "A dead person cannot be given a Military Cross". This young commander was Sam Manekshaw aka Sam Bahadur (Sam the Brave). He was immediately taken to the hospital. With 9 bullets in his lungs, liver, and kidney. He was not expected to survive, almost declared dead when brought to the hospital but then the Subedar caught the doctor by the scruff of the collar forced to treat him or bear the consequences and he lived on to be India's first Field Marshal till the age of 94 .

Sam Manekshaws name became Sam Bahadur by a funny incident. Once Sam Manekshaw asked a Gurkha soldier in parade“what his name

was” unable to pronounce the tough parsi name “Sam Hormusji Framji Jamshedji

Manekshaw” and in tension the soldier said “Sam Bahadur, sir”so it started. His love for Gorkha’s and Punjabi’s is well noted. Sam Manekshaw was born on 3rd April, 1914 in Amritsar, Punjab, to Parsi parents mother Heerabai and father, Hormusji Manekshaw, a doctor by profession. Sam means “the brave” in parsi , he was named “Sam Hormusji Framji

Jamshedji Manekshaw”.

He liked good looking girls and was colour conscious stylishly. When he went as commadant of the Staff College in Wellington, he got into trouble in the mid 1950s because he put up photographs of the (British) queen in his room ! Somebody made a complaint and there was an inquiry held by the then vice chief (Lieutenant) General (P P ) Kumaramangalam and he was later exonerated.

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He was fearless. When he was a major, with the Sikh company in Burma, they had a promotion meeting for the appointments of lance naik to naik. He didn’t approve of one name in the list, because he said he was a rascal. Sam was informed of the threat to his life from the rogue soldier, who said he would kill him. So Sam Manekshaw told his senior subedar — ‘Unko march karna hai’.He was marched before Sam and he asked him — ‘You are going to kill me? Here’s my pistol, now come on shoot me.’ That man was so taken aback that he marched out meekly. Sam appointed him as personal guard. That night the same soldier was standing outside Sam’s tent guarding. That was the sort of man he was.

A quintessential soldier, he once told the cadets at the Indian Military Academy, "You will not have wealth, you will not have riches, but you will have respect, you will be the soldier of this great Army”.

Once the premier Indira Gandhi reportedly confronted him to ask about rumours, that he was planning to take over the country from her in a coup. He said jokingly "Don't you think I would be a worthy replacement for you, madam prime minister? You have a long nose. So have I. But I don't poke my nose into other people's affairs." Like a good officer, he was blunt and gentleman to the core .

The temperament and perspicacity with which Manekshaw handled the planning and administrative issues that had crept up after the country's partition, was remarkable. Shortly after when Pakistan invaded Kashmir; he was made the colonel in charge. The success of the operations of 1947-48 is largely attributed to him for he showed exceptional strategic and battle skills during the military operations.

The second Indo-Pak war of 1971 again saw the strategic brilliance of Sam in action It was a dangerous field. West Pakistan was in monsoons at that time and any movement on those areas was wading through land bodies which suddenly disappear to become waterbodies with no land in sight. At the point when india was fighting on the eastern side and the western side too. It is said that there was a difference of opinion between the Prime Minister Indira Gandhi and Manekshaw as when should be the timing of the action and he was fixed, offered to resign from the post if his plans were not accepted. Indira Gandhi accepted his plans and the result was evident in 93,000 Pakistani soldiers that were surrendered in a short span of just 14 days with minimum indian casualities.

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Indira Gandhi asked Manekshaw to go to Dhaka, the capital of the new nation, to accept the surrender of the Pakistani forces, but he declined the honour, which he said belonged to the eastern army commander, Lieutenant General Jagjit Singh Aurora who handled the operations there. It was the sort of gesture that marked him out as a great leader, respected by all who served under him or came into contact with him.

Once during the 1962 War, he sent a box containing bangles & a letter saying, "If your men do not wish to fight, this is the best medal you can wear." This was sent to the CO of a battalion who did not wish to enter into conflict with the Chinese. However, in the coming weeks the CO & his battalion proved their grit by battling it out with the Chinese & conducted many successful operations. When Manekshaw learned this, he sent a letter back to CO saying "Please send back the box containing bangles, as this is not for you and your men .

In one of his leadership lectures he said, a ‘Yes man’ is a dangerous man. He is a menace. He will go very far. He can become a minister, a secretary or a Field Marshall but he can never become a leader nor, ever be respected. He will be used by his superiors, disliked by his colleagues and despised by his subordinates. So discard the ‘Yes man’at first sight.

He was frank and outspoken. His famous lines during the dark days in india polity, he said “ I wonder whether those of our political masters who have been put in charge of the defence of the country can distinguish a mortar from a motor; a gun from a howitzer; a guerrilla from a gorilla, although a great many resemble the latter ”

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Cherukulathur - A simple Kerala Village with World’s highest percentage of organ donor’s

Cherukulathur, a nondescript agrarian village in Kozhikode district is grabbed headlines across the world after 1,500 of its inhabitants have taken a pledge that they will donate their organs after death.

After its successful ride to grab the title of being the State’s first village to have the maximum concentration of people willing to donate their eyes, the Cherukulathur village in Peruvayal panchayat is going to embark on another voluntary initiative to encourage organ donation among citizens.

As many as 1,500 consent letters signed by people in and around the region will be handed over to the authorities concerned at a special function at the village on Sunday.

This is the first time that a village in Kozhikode district was coming forward to support an organ donation drive. It was being encouraged by the State government and the medical fraternity. For few months, the villagers were busy attending special awareness seminars on the subject.

It was on February 12, 2012 that a formal declaration on making Cherukulathur an ‘organ donation friendly village’ came from the citizens’ forum there. Workers of the K.P. Govindankutty Memorial Library and Reading Room in the village took the lead role and decided to complete the consent letter collection drive in one year.

The support of the grama panchayat too was there to make the drive a success.

K.P. Govindankutty and K.R. Subrahmanyan, who coordinated the programme, say “it was the first time in their State that a village had come forward with so many consent letters for organ donation”.People cooperated with the initiative as they were given proper awareness classes on the need to protect human lives, they added.

Simple office-bearers of the library, with the support of the panchayat, invited special trainers and people from the medical fraternity to steer the public awareness campaigns and seminars organised the programme. Both the aged and the young were sensitised on the topic. The coordinators do continue on such initiatives and more enrolments are made.

It was in 2003 that Cherukulathur first made its entry by collecting over 1,500 consent letters for eye donation. The project, inaugurated by writer M.T. Vasudevan Nair, had come in for praise then.

The project, launched with the support of some senior citizens, subsequently got the backup of the youth. Official sources said over 140 persons had so far got the benefit of the eye donation

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campaign.They have handed over their consent letters to the officials of the cooperative Government Medical College, Kozhikode in the presence of noted dancer and social activist Mallika Sarabhai and Jnanapith winner M T Vasudevan Nair. .

In 2003, the villagers had decided to donate their eyes after death and to the college authorities and started calling their village “Sampoorna Neethradana Gramam” ( Complete eye-donating village).The pledge materialised within hours after handing over the letter of consent.

A simple village and a noble deed . .

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Tiger Swami .

Born originally as Shyamakanta Bandopadhyay on Tiger swami got his name from his deeds . Shyamakanta Band- opadhyay’s family hailed from Fulia, nadia district, of west Bengal, was born in 1852. His father Shashibhushan Bandopadhyay was a clerk at the Tripura court. After Shyamkanta’s college education he got appointed the body guard of Maharaja Birchandra Manikya Bahadur of tripura due to his strong build. Later he left the job and joined Barishal Zilla School as a gymnasium trainer. Soon he left that job too.

In those days, there was an abundance of tigers, hearings of tigers and tiger sighting’s were common and being the homeland of the Royal Bengal Tiger’s, in west bengal . . it was even more common. Shyam Kanta decided early on during his childhood that he would fight tigers, it was a childish dream. He wanted to defeat and bow down the tiger which attacked, killed people, was a terror . But he was born weak bodied than other children. He went on with his dream and didn’t leave it. It took him a good many years to strengthen himself. After joining college he trained in Pehelwani( Indian system of natural wrestling ) at the Akhara of “Adhar Ghosh” at Lakshmibazar, present day Dhaka in Bangladesh. There were many herculean wrestler’s at that time but the feat decided by Shyama kanta was a bit above the level but the training continued. What made him go ahead, do it is unknown .

Coming to works, he was said to be so strong that he would go into the jungles and knockout tiger’s comfortably ! He was the only one who could go and walk around in the forest’s fearlessly, other than the Tiger. It is said there is a difference between captive tiger’s in the zoo’s, circus and the tiger’s from the forest in their vigour and fighting instinct, They are unmatchable in qualities.

Once when Shyamakanta was travelling in the province of Cooch Behar on a holiday, the prince of the province invited him. He somehow didn’t like the invitation . He was one of the sons of king “Maharaja Nripendra Narayan”.The prince doubted the abilities of the Shyamakanta and insulted him. he said “you are a rice eating, city weakling, how can you do such a feat, defeating the Bengal tiger . . you are an impostor, who fights opium fed tigers from the circus and cheats people ! He was given a time of one week to get ready and fight the prince’s newly caught wild tiger “ Raja Begum”. He was warned to prove his skill or his name would be spoiled in the whole country

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terribly. He would be declared a fake. In those day’s name and honour were more important in life, that is what people lived for . Shyama Kanta was raging furiously and he took the challenge. The remaining part of the story is from the man himself, to two kids who came to visit him. one of whom became a great saint called Yogananda and settled down the US.

“My servant further said to me that the prince was in his element as manager of the bout between man and beast. He had supervised the erection of a storm-proof pavilion, designed to accommodate thousands. Its center held Raja Begum in an enormous iron cage, surrounded by an outer safety room. The captive emitted a ceaseless series of blood-curdling roars. He was fed sparingly, to kindle a wrathful appetite. Perhaps the prince expected me to be the meal of reward!

“Crowds from the city and suburbs bought tickets eagerly in response to the beat of drums announcing the unique contest. The day of battle saw hundreds turned away for lack of seats. Many men broke through the tent openings, or crowded any space below the galleries.”

“Amidst piercing sound-explosions from Raja Begum, and the hubbub of the somewhat terrified crowd, I quietly made my appearance. Scantily clad around the waist, I was otherwise unprotected by clothing. I opened the bolt on the door of the safety room and calmly locked it behind me. The tiger sensed blood. Leaping with a thunderous crash on his bars, he sent forth a fearsome welcome. The audience was hushed with pitiful fear; I seemed a meek lamb before the raging beast.

“In a trice I was within the cage; but as I slammed the door, Raja Begum was headlong upon me. My right hand was desperately torn. Human blood, the greatest treat a tiger can know, fell in appalling streams. The prophecy of the saint seemed about to be fulfilled.

“I rallied instantly from the shock of the first serious injury I had ever received. Banishing the sight of my gory fingers by thrusting them beneath my waist cloth, I swung my left arm in a bone-cracking blow. The beast reeled back, swirled around the rear of the cage, and sprang forward convulsively. My famous fistic punishment rained on his head.

“But Raja Begum’s taste of blood had acted like the maddening first sip of wine to a dipsomaniac long-deprived. Punctuated by deafening roar, the brute’s assaults grew in fury. My inadequate defense of only one hand left me vulnerable before claws and fangs. But I dealt out dazing retribution. Mutually

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ensanguined, we struggled as to the death. The cage was pandemonium, as blood splashed in all directions, and blasts of pain and lethal lust came from the bestial throat.

“‘Shoot him!’ ‘Kill the tiger!’ Shrieks arose from the audience. So fast did man and beast move, that a guard’s bullet went amiss. I mustered all my will force, bellowed fiercely, and landed a final concussive blow. The tiger collapsed and lay quietly.

“Raja Begum was vanquished at last. His royal pride was further humbled: with my lacerated hands, I audaciously forced open his jaws. For a dramatic moment, I held my head within the yawning deathtrap. I looked around for a chain. Pulling one from a pile on the floor, I bound the tiger by his neck to the cage bars. In triumph I moved toward the door.

“But that fiend incarnate, Raja Begum, had stamina worthy of his supposed demoniac origin. With an incredible lunge, he snapped the chain and leaped on my back. My shoulder fast in his jaws, I fell violently. But in a trice I had him pinned beneath me. Under merciless blows, the treacherous animal sank into semiconsciousness. This time I secured him more carefully. Slowly I left the cage.

“I found myself in a new uproar, this time one of delight. The crowd’s cheer broke as though from a single gigantic throat. Disastrously mauled, I had yet fulfilled the three conditions of the fight—stunning the tiger, binding him with a chain, and leaving him without requiring assistance for myself. In addition, I had so drastically injured and frightened the aggressive beast that he had been content to overlook the opportune prize of my head in his mouth!

“After my wounds were treated, I was honored and garlanded; hundreds of gold pieces showered at my feet. The whole city entered a holiday period. endless discussions were heard on all sides about my victory over one of the largest and most savage tigers ever seen. Raja Begum was presented to me, as promised, but I felt no elation. A spiritual change had entered my heart. It seemed that with my final exit from the cage I had also closed the door on my worldly ambitions.

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The same year in 1899, he left to become a monk. He was initiated by Nabin Chandra Chakrabarty( also called Tibbetibaba), a vedantic monk who renamed Shyamakanta as ″Soham Swami″ and then Sohom swami set up his Ashram at Bhaowali near Nainital in uttarakhand state . People always called him by the name of Tiger Swami knowing his past. Bhagat singh referred to “Common Sense” the book written by sohom swami in one of his writing’s . One of his students was Jatindranath Banerjee” the freedom fighter who was acquainted with Bhagat Singh. Tiger Swami left his body at Bhaowaliat in his Nainital ashram on 6th december 1918. The history of Tiger Swami is well known in areas of cooch behar and recorded in the history of the royal family .

Some of his lines were “"A number of men have physical power such as mine, but still lack in cool confidence. Those who are bodily but not mentally stalwart may find themselves fainting at mere sight of a wild beast bounding freely in the jungle. The tiger in its natural ferocity and habitat is vastly different from the opium-fed circus animal! "Many a man with herculean strength has nonetheless been terrorized into abject helplessness before the onslaught of a royal Bengal.”

"Mind is the wielder of muscles. The force of a hammer blow depends on the energy applied; the power expressed by a man's bodily instrument depends on his aggressive will and courage. The body is literally manufactured and sustained by mind. Through pressure of instincts from past lives, strengths or weaknesses percolate gradually into human consciousness. They express as habits, which in turn ossify into a desirable or an undesirable body. Outward frailty has mental origin; in a vicious circle, the habit-bound body thwarts the mind”. That is how humans go .

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Manjhi - The Lover

Dasrath Manjhi, a landless farmer from India, made history after he spent over two decades chiseling away at a mountain with rudimentary tools, in order to create a road for his community, when the Government refused to.

If you're looking for some motivation, stories don't get much more inspirational than that of Dasrath Manjhi. 53 years ago, he set out to carve a 1mk-long path through a rocky hillside, all by himself, in order to make it easier for his fellow villagers to access schools, markets and neighboring villagers. “This hill had given us trouble and grief for centuries. The people had asked the government many times to make a proper road through the hill, but nobody paid any attention. So I just decided I would do it all by myself,” Manjhi told Indian newspaper Tehelka, in 2007. He sold his goats to purchase chisel, rope and a hammer. People would call him mad and eccentric spirited with no idea of his plans. Unfazed by his critics’ with just his chisel, hammer and shovel, this legendary man turned what was once a precarious one-foot-wide passage into a 360 ft-long, 30 ft-wide road accessible by bicycle and motorcycle. The hill kept the region’s villages in isolation, forcing people to trek through dangerous terrain for hours just to reach their lands or the nearest market town. Children had to walk eight kilometers to reach school, but thanks to Dasrath Manjhi’s handmade road, that distance has been reduced to one kilometer, and people from over 60 villages now use it everyday. .

But what empowered a single man to accomplish such a monumental task? For Dasrath it was the love for his wife. “My wife, Phaguni Devi, was seriously injured while crossing the hill to bring me water; I worked then on a farm across the hills. That was the day I decided to carve out a proper road through this hill,” the farmer said. Sadly, his beloved wife didn't get to see the fruits of his labor, as shortly after the accident she fell ill and died, because she couldn’t be taken to the hospital in time. The tragic loss only made the ambitious man more focused on his task, and fellow villagers remember seeing him “ hacking at the hill day and night as if he were possessed”. But with the passing years, his motivation changed. “My love for my wife was the initial spark that ignited in me the desire to carve out a road. But what kept me working without fear or

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worry all those years was the desire to see thousands of villagers crossing the hill with ease whenever they wanted,” Manjhi said in an interview.

Although you’d expect people to jump in and help someone working for the entire community, it wasn't Dasrath Manjhi’s case. At first, people ridiculed him and called him mad for taking on such a herculean task, but as time went by, and the unfazed farmer continued to split the troublesome hill in half, he started getting some help. “Though most villagers taunted me at first, there were quite a few who lent me support later by giving me food and helping me buy my tools,” he remembered. The day came when he stepped through a flat passage — about one-km long and 30-feet wide — to his dream, ‘the other side of the hill’.Now, all the people of the Gaya district have nothing but gratitude for the “mountain man” who single-handedly made their lives so much easier.

“What I did is there for everyone to see. When God is with you, nothing can stop you,” Dasrath Manjhi once said. I am neither afraid of any punishment from any government department for my work nor am I interested in any honour from the government.” It took him 22 years to fulfill his self-imposed task, but it granted him immortality…

In July 2010, director Manish Jha announced a film, Manjhi, based on the life of Dashrath Manjhi. The film is produced by Sanjay Singh, who previously produced Udaan (2010).Dashrath Manjhi's story was shown on Aamir Khan's show Satyamev Jayate.Nawazuddin Siddiqui has been cast in the lead role in the film Mountain Man, which is based on Manjhi's life. In Mandara, a Kannada film by Jayatheertha, newcomer Srikanth plays the role of Dashrath Manji, who inspires the young hero's love.

The work on Manjhi’s dream project of a pucca road, named Dasrath Manjhi Road, is still in progress.

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When Manjhi had met Nitish Kumar at a janata durbar in July last in Patna, the chief minister stood up in reverence to the man with Himalayan resolve and made him sit on the Chief Minister’s chair.The state government had allotted a five-acre plot to Manjhi in Karjani village, which he donated for construction of a hospital. Dasarath Manjhi left the world gloroiuslusly on 17th August, 2007 . The government has recently announced to name the hospital after Manjhi.

If the shining TajMahal was a symbol of love by Shah Jahan, Manjhi’s work through the mountain has definitely outshone the Tajmahal by his hardwork and commitment.

the completed and usable road after finishing works by the government

***

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Dr. Govindappa Venkataswamy

Dr. Govindappa established Aravind eye Hospital in Madurai . His instititions work’s are

- does cataracts surgeries at 500 Rupes ( 10 $ approximately )

- provided eyesight to more than a 10,00,000 people though surgeries

- On a slow day, Aravind hospital treats 400 patients

- Offering free services to all who need it, with absolutely no criteria for availing for free service

- the hospital still manages a gross margin of 40%. This is despite the fact that almost 70% of its patients paying nothing, and it does not depend on donations or government grants

- achieved perfection in the never-perfect and always-compromised world of Medical business

- students and physicians from around the world come to teach, study, observe, practice and boost their experience

Venkataswamy founded the Aravind Eye Hospital at Madurai. Begun as an eleven-bed hospital manned by four medical officers, it is now one of the largest facilities in the world for eye care. His works were through social contributions and volunteership.

His legacy was from October 1, 1918 – July 7, 2006 .

Padma Shri in 1973 Helen Keller International Award, 1987 Medal of the Presidency of the Italian Republic. Raja-Lakshmi Award for the year 2001 from Sri Raja-Lakshmi Foundation, Chennai.

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Lifetime Service Award from the International Agency for the Prevention of Blindness, 1982 Pisart-Lighthouse for the Blind Award, 1992 Susruta Award, Asia Pacific Academy of Ophthalmology, 1997.

A number board at the Aravind hospital

Aravind eye hospital in Madurai .

References :

For - The Birdman of Kheechan

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http://www.dnaindia.com/lifestyle/report-the-hand-that-fed-the-cranes-in-rajasthan-1582953

http://www.travelworldexperiences.com/newsletter/september2013/destination-of-the-month.html

For - Dr. Shrikant Jichkar

"Rajya Sabha Members - Brief Biodata". Rajya Sabha Secretariat, Government of India. Retrieved 2009-12-30

Marathi vishakosh

http://www.indiatvnews.com/politics/national/at-glance-late-dr-shrikant-jichkar-india-most-qualified-person--18010.html

http://www.timescontent.com/tss/showcase/related/photos/c1/Dr_Shrikant_Jichkar/1/r/Dr-Shrikant-Jichkar.html

http://www.thehindubusinessline.in/2004/06/04/stories/2004060400782000.htm

http://bharatuntoldstory.tumblr.com/post/83301358388/dr-shrikant-jichkar-holds-the-record-for-indias

http://creativerules.com/meet-indias-most-qualified-person-ever-dr-shrikant-jichkar/

For - Bishnu Shresta “ Indian Army ”

"LIST OF PERSONNEL BEING AWARDED GALLANTRY / DISTINGUISHED SERVICE AWARDS ON THE OCCASION OF REPUBLIC DAY 2012 SENA MEDAL (Gallantry) Entry 54. 5753917A NK BISHNU PRASAD SHRESTHA, GORKHA RIF". The-indian-army.blogspot.in. Retrieved 2014-01-03.

http://www.telegraphindia.com/1100904/jsp/bengal/story_12895050.jsp

http://www.thehimalayantimes.com/fullNews.php?headline=India+to+honour+Pokhara+youth+for+chivalry&NewsID=272686

"A Gurkha soldier, who fought 40 train robbers, to be felicitated in the Republic Day of India, XNepali, 16 January, 2011". Xnepali.com. 2012-04-28. Retrieved 2014-01-03.

"Lone Nepali Gorkha who subdued 40 train robbers, Jan 13, 2011". Archives.myrepublica.com. 2011-01-13. Retrieved 2014-01-03.

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"Govt's special honor for gallant Gorkha, Jan 13, 2011". Archives.myrepublica.com. 2011-01-13. Retrieved 2014-01-03.

For - Shaitan Singh “True Blue Valour”

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/topic/Major-Shaitan-Singh

http://archive.indianexpress.com/news/-nobody-believed-we-had-killed-so-many-chinese-at-rezang-la.-our-commander-called-me-crazy-and-warned-that-i-could-be-courtmartialled-/1023745/

http://www.bhaskar.com/article/RAJ-JOD-param-vir-chakra-major-shaitan-singh-4348326-PHO.html

http://www.dnaindia.com/india/report-widow-of-1962-war-hero-still-lives-on-1986-pension-1384742

http://ibnlive.in.com/news/1962-indochina-war-saluting-the-brave-men-who-fought/300639-3.html

http://www.tribuneindia.com/2012/20121221/harplus.htm#2

http://indianarmy.nic.in/Site/FormTemplete/frmTemp5P11C.aspx?MnId=/4MNPruBGWscKTrriBl71Q==&ParentID=CqcFxBL/TV8WUKNUX8Vh7A==

References for - Sam “ Bahadur ” Manekshaw

London Gazette , Issue 35532, pg 1797 (date 21 April 1942). Accessed on 3 June 2011. http://www.mumbaimirror.com/news/india/A-soldiers-general/articleshow/15824703.cms http://www.economist.com/node/11661408?story_id=11661408 http://www.hindu.com/2009/03/10/stories/2009031050300300.htm http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/The-legacy-of-Sam-Bahadur-Manekshaw-lives-on/

articleshow/33175580.cms http://www.newindianexpress.com/nation/V-K-Singh-Remembers-Sam-Bahadur-Indias-First-

Field-Marshal/2014/04/03/article2147519.ece http://www.ndtv.com/article/india/remembering-sam-manekshaw-india-s-greatest-general-on-

his-birth-centenary-503729

References for - “Cherukulathoor - A small village and a noble deed”

http://www.kpgmlibrary.in/?page_id=378 http://www.mathrubhumi.com/english/news/kerala/cherukulathoor-

declared-complete-voluntary-organ-donors-village-132603.html http://groundreport.com/this-kerala-village-has-a-unique-eye/

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References For - Shyamakanta Bandopadhyaya “ Tiger Swami ”

The first edition of Autobiography of a Yogi. The first edition, which is in the public domain according to Project Gutenberg has more recently been reprinted by a number of publishers.

Autobiography of a Yogi. Nevada City, CA: Crystal Clarity Publishers. 1995 [1946]. 481 pages. ISBN 1-56589-108-2. LCCN 99165624.

Autobiography of a Yogi. Mumbai: Jaico. 1997 [1946]. 498 pages. ISBN 978-81-7224-660-0. OCLC 796041504.

Autobiography of a Yogi. Gardners Books. 2003 [1946]. ISBN 978-81-207-2524-9. OCLC 221178768.

Autobiography of a Yogi. New Delhi, India: Sterling Publishers. 2003 [1946]. ISBN 978-81-207-2524-9.

Online refernces :

http://www.yoganandaji.org/board/showthread.php?t=7381

References for Manjhi – the Lover

hindustantimes.com

http://indiatoday.intoday.in/story/aamir-khan-satyamev-jayate-dashrath-manjhi-village/1/344410.html

http://www.dnaindia.com/india/report-mountain-man-dies-with-unfulfilled-dreams-1116306

http://thisgivesmehope.com/2013/08/04/749-dashrath-manjh-moved-the-mountain/

http://bhushan.quora.com/Dashrath-Manjhi-%E2%80%93-The-Man-Who-Moved-a-Mountain-The-Mountain-Man

References for - Dr. Govindappa Venkataswamy

http://www.rdasia.com/dr-v-s-enduring-vision ( Readers Digest October 6th – 2010 ) Padma Awards Directory (1954–2009)" . Ministry of Home Affairs http://www.oteurope.com/ophthalmologytimeseurope/Cataract+Clinical/The-life-of-an-

inspirational-ophthalmologist/ArticleStandard/Article/detail/389300

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http://www.aravind.org/tribute/The%20hindu.htm http://www.dnaindia.com/report.asp?NewsID=1046349 http://www.ascrs.org/Awards/Govindappa-Venkataswamy-MD.cfm http://www.accessh.org/publication/Article/14#.U4_7UnaQlY4 http://healthcare.financialexpress.com/200901/50pathfinders07.shtml http://ryanpyle.photoshelter.com/image/I00009qhNT1NGAb8 http://www.oteurope.com/ophthalmologytimeseurope/Cataract+Clinical/The-life-of-an-

inspirational-ophthalmologist/ArticleStandard/Article/detail/389300