The first serious attack came on the 23rd of June at 0450 hours.
26 Pakistani casualties were reported that day.
The Indians had lost 1 man, but this wasn’t the last attack.
In June Pakistan attempted another attack but it was thwarted by the Indians.
In August 1984 2 more attacks were mounted by Pakistan
but they were foiled on both accounts, and Pakistan suffered 30 odd casualties.
Mighty pleased and filled with pride,
She sent Capt. Sanjay Kulkarni to Europe for a break for his efforts and bravery.
While Sanjay Kulkarni was celebrating in Europe
Siachen had once again come into the centre of Pakistan’s politics.
Gen. Zia-ul-Haq downplayed the significance of the loss,
trying meanwhile to wrest back the passes, but failing repeatedly.
Pakistan’s repeated efforts, however, to occupy the ridges
forced India’s hands to counter the move by manning all possible heights themselves.
By November 1984, Northern Command knew that troop deployment would be permanent
and the expansion of the area of deployment a necessity.
Three years later…By 1987 3000 soldiers had been deployed on Siachin.
This included Air Defense, Artillery, Signals,
Infantry Batallions, 6 Cheetah and 2 Mi8 helicopters, 4 AN-32 aircraft and the Army service corps.
Meanwhile Mrs. Indira Gandhi had been assassinated in October 1984,
and India had a young and untested PM in Rajiv Gandhi.
Lt. Gen. Hoon was now the DGMO (Director General Military Operations),
Brigadier Channa heading the Brigade of Guards Regimental Centre and Kamptee,
Gen. Chibber had retired
and Captain Kulkarni had gone to NDA.
On 18th April 1987, almost 3 years to the day when operation Meghdoot began
a Medium Machine Gun on the Quaid post
in Pakistan opened fire on the Sonam post about 1500 metres below and killed 2 Indian soldiers.
The Indians were caught by surprise.
Helicopters ferrying supplies to Sonam and Amar post started coming under
frequent fire from the Quaid post.
Brig Naugyal calls for an urgent meeting with his second in command, Col AP Rai.
It was decided to send a recce team to Quaid post- a 10 man party under Lt. Rajiv Pande.
But how were they going to scale up Quaid Post?
The Quaid post was located northwest from Sonam post in Pakistan’s side, looking directly at it.
It was a narrow ridge
with a bunker on top in an excellent position for observation.
No firing from helicopters could affect Quaid post because of the narrow ridge,
it made a small target.
Climbing it was the only option
but the climb was at 90 degree at a time when one side of the post turns into an ice wall.
The task was set for officer Rajiv Pande.
India lost 10 brave lives that day.
The Indian HQ had realised that Quaid post would have to be captured
even if it was in Pakistani territory.
So Operation Rajiv was launched in the memory of the brave officer Rajiv Pande.
The Story of officer Rajiv and his party’s bravery spread throughout the base.
Every soldier wanted to be a part of Operation Rajiv.
A company of 50 men was selected
with Major Virendra Singh as commander and Capt Anil Sharma as second in command.
Naib Subedar Bana Singh, hand-picked by his CO for the challenging assignment, led the last attack.
It was exactly at eleven minutes after noon on 26 June 1987
when the final phase of “Operation Rajiv” was launched.
Bana Singh remembers there was a single, deep bunker on the top, as they crested the peak.
foul weather, and the heavy snowfall, and their success in warding off
the previous two efforts by the Indians to capture the post.
The Pakistanis became complacent
A few Pakistani soldiers jumped off the ridge and lived to tell the story.
Quaid post was now India’s
and Bana Singh and his team rounded up the bodies of 6 SSG soldiers
and brought them back according to the Indian army’s moral code.
These bodies were later handed over to Pakistan in Kargil.
The battle was won. But the war is still on.
Operation Meghdoot went on to be the longest running operation conducted by the Indian army.
A secret mission to secure territory turned into a fight on the highest battlefield in the world,
in a place never heard of before.
Operation Meghdoot became a pioneer in war tactics in sub-zero temperatures,
where valour is more valuable than weapons.
It was the fruit of an excellent partnership between the army and the air force.
The names of Col Kumar, Brig. Channa, Capt. Kulkarni, Bana Singh and Lt. Gen Hoon
have been permanently etched in its history
but Siachen has also been a battleground that
has been witness to thousands of tales of bravery from Indian soldiers.
Today Operation Meghdoot is cited as an example of fast action
and unconventional methods of warfare adopted by the Indian army
and has a proud place in the army's list of victories.
