Amid the challenging terrain of north-western Honduras, where Dr. Kelly’s team faced rugged and steep forest areas cut across here and there by a few trails, a gorgeous tree with cherry-like fruits was discovered. Being about 10 metres (33 ft) high and covered with cream-colored flowers, it was quickly sorted into the Coffee family (Rubiaceae), but it was its further description that took much longer. Eventually, it was named Sommera cusocoana, with its specific name stemming from its so far only known locality, the Cusuco National Park. The study is available in the open-access journal PhytoKeys.
This is a branch of Sommera cusocoana showing flower and developing fruits Credit: A. C. Dietzsch
During a plant diversity study in the Cusuco National Park, conducted by Drs. Kelly, Dietzch and co-workers as a part of a broader survey by Operation Wallacea, an international organisation dealing with biodiversity and conservation management research programmes.
A couple of curious findings in the past decade provide a strong incentive to further work. The place turns out to be not only of high biodiversity, but to also contain rare and hitherto unknown plant and animal species.
For instance, the tree Hondurodendron (from Greek, ‘Honduras Tree’) and the herbaceous plant Calathea carolineae are another two endemic species discovered as a result of the Operation Wallacea survey.
In 2013, two individuals of another unknown, 10-metre high (33 ft) tree with cream-colored flowers and red, cherry-like fruits were found by Daniel Kelly and Anke Dietzsch from Trinity College, University of Dublin, Ireland. The two were aided by local guide Wilmer Lopez.
The multinational collaboration did not stop then and there. Although the scientists quickly figured that the tree belonged to the Coffee family, they needed some additional help to further identify their discovery. Thus, they were joined by two leading specialist in this plant group, first Charlotte Taylor from Missouri Botanical Garden and then David Lorence from the National Tropical Botanical Garden in Hawaii.
It was actually David who was the first to recognise the unknown tree as a member of the Sommera genus, a group of nine known species of trees and shrubs. Later, the team decided to name the new plant Sommera cusucoana to celebrate its singular locality, the Cusuco National Park.
“Sadly, there has been extensive logging in the vicinity in recent years, and we fear for the future of our new species,” the authors stressed. “According to the criteria of the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN), it must be regarded as Critically Endangered.”
“We hope that the publication of this and other discoveries will help to galvanize support for the conservation of this unique and beautiful park and its denizens,” they concluded.
source: http://www.yubanet.com / YubaNet.com / Home> Enviro / by Pensoft Publishers / October 13th, 2015
To reduce man-elephant conflict, especially in Kodagu, the Forest Department is keen to acquire land from people and has joined hands with Wildlife Trust of India (WTI) in this regard.
The department wants to acquire about two kilometre of land belonging to the Huvinkadu and Faith coffee estates, which is part of the Kutta-Tiranahalli corridor, which in turn is part of the Nagarahole-Brahmagiri elephant corridor link. “Elephants use this stretch and we want to acquire it to reduce man-animal conflict,” Manoj Kumar, Chief Conservator of Forests, Kodagu, told reporters here on Friday on the sidelines of a workshop on ‘Dealing with leopards and elephants in human-use landscape’ here organised by Wildlife Conservation Society-India Programme (WCSIP).
“Landowners are demanding Rs 20 lakh for an acre. Hence, we have approached the WTI to map the area, ascertain land width and find out if that is necessary because there is another route through Wayanad which is also frequented by elephants,” he said.
To further reduce man-elephant conflict, the Forest Department will soon hold meetings with officials in forest departments of Kerala and Tamil Nadu on how to strengthen the Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve. The 6,000-sq km biosphere reserve presently houses 6,000-odd elephants. The last meeting in this regard was held in December 2014.
“We will hold meetings with the deputy and assistant conservators of forests of the two states to assess ground reality and undertake research. There is a need to know how many elephants can the biosphere hold and for how long. It’s crucial since this is the only habitat left for elephants. That will also help strengthen corridors,” Kumar added.
Prithviraj Fernando, Trustee and Scientist at the Centre for Conservation and Research, Sri Lanka, stressed the importance of ensuring safe habitats for elephants. “Case studies in India, Malaysia and Sri Lanka have shown that elephant relocation has not been very successful. Relocation is temporary and shifts the problem from one area to another,” he said while speaking on human-elephant interaction.
Fernando, who has been working on elephant conservation in Sri Lanka for many years now, said there was a huge population of jumbos in the island nation, and 70 people and 250 elephants died in conflict every year.
Vidya Athreya, Senior Research Fellow at WCSIP, spoke on human-leopard interaction and Ranjeet Jadhav, a journalist at Mid-Day, Mumbai, spoke on ‘Reporting human-leopard interactions in Maharashtra: A case study’.
source: http://www.deccanherald.com / Deccan Herald / Home> City / DHNS, Bengaluru – October 10th, 2015
In her few years as an actress, Harshika Poonacha has been a part of Kannada, Kodava and Konkani films and won a state award for her work in Thamasu. Now, with a Telugu film in the offing and with her currently shooting for an untitled multi-lingual thriller, she is set to make her Tamil debut too. Harshika tells us about the challenges the film industry has put forth before she could make headway.
Is branching out of the Kannada film industry to work on films in other languages the only way for a south actress to make a mark today? I don’t think actresses here can be blamed if they work towards making a mark elsewhere. We move out because, at times, filmmakers here fail to see the potential in local, Kannadiga actresses. See the number of films that are being made here each year — most of them have heroines from various other states. This, even when there are so many talented local actresses right here. I have often heard people say that heroines from here are not on par with, say, heroines from Bollywood or other south industries. They say we don’t look glamourous enough or are not bold enough. But that is not true. Actresses here can transform to play any role and I am not speaking for myself when I say that. Take a look at the many actresses from here that have gone on to make a mark in other languages. It is unfortunate that makers tend to notice potential only when an actress has ventured out and proven herself.
Tell us about the multi-lingual thriller you are shooting for… I have been shooting right through the nights for this film at a huge house on the outskirts of Bengaluru for the last one month. It is a thriller, directed by Venugopal,which is being made in four south languages simultaneously. So the cast for all are on the set together as we are required to shoot our scenes one after the other. While it is being made in Kannada too, I am not part of the Kannada version. This will mark my Tamil debut instead, in which I star opposite Mahat Raghavendra.
Do you find yourself facing language issues when it comes to such projects? Going to a school where you have friends who speak so many different languages is a huge advantage. I can speak most south Indian language fluently. While I dub for all my Kannada films, it is up to the director to decide if my Tamil is fluent enough for me to dub. Though, dubbing for your own films does give you an advantage, in terms of portraying your character to the fullest, as well as when you are being considered for State awards. There are not many actresses in the Kannada film industry who can dub for themselves. I am part of three Kannada films that are being shot in the coming year, and I will, of course, dub for all these films myself.
source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / Home> Entertainment> Kannada> Movies / by Kavya Christopher, TNN / October 11th, 2015
What do pretty words do? A lyrical line, a clever turn of phrase, a poetic piece of prose in a book, a page, a passage: what it does is that it gives you a line to note down in a journal of favourite such lines from there and elsewhere. What these words and phrases do is make you remark privately on the poetry in the writer’s prose, applaud her imagination in stringing smart metaphors together, the sorts that make you pause your reading and say ‘ah’. But there is something like too much of a good thing. We have known that for long. And it is this too much of a good thing that threatens to tarnish the gleam in Sarita Mandanna’s Good Hope Road.
Mandanna is a good writer, undoubtedly. Some of her metaphors are very well thought of indeed. “…petrol-over-water colours”, “the sheen of a fin upstream” and suchlike draw a picturesque scene in the readers’ minds, like something at the edges of a detailed postcard. They lend themselves delightfully to a reading aloud, the lyricism as pleasing to the ears as to the mind that recreates every scene in a story as you go along. But the pitfall—and I imagine it is a hard one to avoid falling into—is that the story itself gets clouded by the pretty décor that is sprinkled on every page like sparkly confetti. Which is too often the case with Good Hope Road.
The story’s scope is ambitious and is spread over many decades and a couple of generations, spanning the First World War and ending just at the beginning of the Second. The narrative goes back and forth, shifting between the years and stories and incidents, jerky in some places, but mostly retaining a decent pace. There is Major James Stonebridge, a Yankee from New England, and Obadaiah Nelson, a Louisiana native, who find themselves at the warfront in Paris. Idealistic, brave, loyal and hungry for adventure, as most young men were, they form a deep, and unlikely, friendship. A decade and half later, Stonebridge is a recluse, back home, but lost somewhere still in France’s old war zones. A mirror that he is content to stare into stares back at him an image of a man broken and burdened by a war that changed his generation and the histories of many nations. His anger, his moods are most felt by his son Jim, whose first understanding of his father’s life comes when pretty and privileged Madeleine enters their lives. She won’t let the Major stew in his black mood, drawing him slowly out of his shell.
Then there is the Bonus March that is sweeping the nation… a reference uncannily, similar to the protests sweeping this nation, for pensions and dues. Mandanna picks up on a little known protest by veterans demanding that the US government give them the bonuses due to them and explores poignantly the way nations ignore their returning soldiers. It is in that sense a story of every nation that has ever been at war. While young men are sent off to the front with fanfare and hailed as heroes, or martyrs, the ones that return are often ignored. Their assimilation into a society that has never seen bombs or been in trenches is an exercise undertaken only reluctantly, half-heartedly, if at all. The book addresses this theme with sensitivity, highlighting the trauma, the depression and lack of a sense of purpose that plagues war heroes. It is not limb or life alone that is affected, but the hidden scars that run dark and deep that Mandanna seeks to shine a torch on. And for all the gloss, the book does do that rather well.
Her attention to detail makes for fascinating reading as well. Skimming over the technical details of war strategies, Mandanna cuts right through to the lives of the soldiers, strangers thrown together by patriotism, adventure or something else. Their camaraderie, the little sharing of a song or a letter, small conversations, these are places where the book offers lovely insight into the human-ness of those that fight a nation’s wars.
source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express / Home> LifeStyle> Books / by Deepa Bhasthi / October 10th, 2015
Centuries-old custom of Kodavas and Jamma land tenure holders in Kodagu
Buta Singh & C. G. Somiah
The issue of Kodavas (a native community belonging to Kodagu district in Karnataka) enjoying the concession to hold guns under the Indian Arms Act without licence along with a few other communities like Amma Kodavas, Kodagu Gowdas, Mapillas also known as Moplah in english, enjoying the special and unique land holding called Jamma tenure, has once again come into public discussion following a PIL filed by one Y.K. Chetan.
Since I had written about it a couple of times in this column, I thought I would ignore it this time but after seeing a letter to the editor written by a Kodava senior advocate of Mysuru, P.D. Medappa, I decided to add my bit to the “gun question” raised frequently by those who are jealous of Kodavas per se and others enjoying the concession in Kodagu. Those who question this privilege bring in such irrational arguments like that this privilege is discriminative in nature in a democracy, it is ultra-virus to the Constitution, it is dangerous to other citizens who do not have the privilege etc.
This privilege issue became so serious about a decade ago when a communal clash in Kodagu resulted in the death of two persons belonging to the Moplah (Malabar Muslim) community. A month after this, Union Home Ministry received a letter from Kerala Chief Minister mentioning the incident and demanding withdrawal of the concession under the Indian Arms Act.
This development at the highest political level had almost led to the withdrawal of the concession but for the intervention of the then Home Secretary C. G. Somiah (who later became the Comptroller and Auditor General of India). C.G. Somiah has written about it in detail in his book titled ‘The Honest Always Stand Alone.’ Let me quote the relevant part from the book:
There was a stray incident of communal disharmony in my home district, Kodagu. It started as a case of eve teasing of a Coorg girl by the youth belonging to the Moplah community, which led to violence and arson in the market area of Virajpet.
The next day a wayside temple was found desecrated and the clashes continued between the two communities resulting in the death of two Moplahs, one of them having suffered gunshot wounds. With a massive show of force, the district administration brought the situation under control and peace returned to the area.
The Moplahs of Malabar in Kerala have lived in peace for centuries in Coorg and they were the main traders of the produce of Coorg — coffee, oranges and spices. They also traded in fish, bringing fish to Coorg from the nearby seaports of Kerala. I was happy that peace had returned to Coorg by the deft handling of the situation by the local administration. A month later we were surprised to receive a letter from the Chief Minister, Kerala, addressed to the Home Minister about the incident and suggesting that gun culture in Coorg had to be curbed. This was to be done by withdrawing the concession under the Indian Arms Act granted to the Kodavas, which permitted them to own guns without a licence under the Arms Act.
The section dealing with the Arms Act was in charge of a Malayali Section Officer and he gleefully supported the proposal, with endorsements from the senior officers, when the file landed on my desk. In the Arms Act enacted by the British Government in India, the Indian Princes and the Kodavas of Coorg owning Jamma land were both exempted from the provisions of the Arms Act. Indira Gandhi, while abolishing the payment of Privy Purses to the Princes whose territories were ceded to India at the time of Independence, got the concession of exemption under the Arms Act enjoyed by them also abolished. This fact was also mentioned in the letter of the Chief Minister of Kerala, who wanted the similar exemption granted to the Kodavas abolished.
I recorded an appropriate note in the file explaining the rationale why this concession was granted to the Kodavas in the first place and also the fact that possession of a gun (which is worshipped) is as sacred to the Kodava inhabitants of Coorg, as it was sacred for a Sikh to possess a kirpan (sword). Buta Singh, Home Minister, readily agreed with me and a suitable reply was sent to the Chief Minister of Kerala. The age-old custom and right of the Kodavas was thus safeguarded.”
Before I revert to the ‘gun question,’ let me allude to the casual, even callous manner the IAS, IPS, KAS and other higher officers work, blindly following the note their subordinates write on the case file. That’s why a citizen fails to get justice and is driven to law courts where many times getting justice is rather dicey!
Here in this gun case, just because C.G. Somiah, as the Home Secretary, took special interest, may be himself as a son of Kodagu, justice was done. Otherwise, one Malayali (Keralite) Section Officer would have succeeded in getting the gun privilege abolished.
Nearer home, let me narrate one instance where injustice was done to Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan (BVB). To cut a long story short, the High Court ordered that BVB should not construct the school building on land granted for playground. But BVB’s school building plan was approved by MCC after collecting about Rs. 8 lakh as fee. Following High Court order, BVB asked for refund of Rs. 8 lakh since it was not going to construct the building as per High Court order. Three successive MCC Commissioners went by the all important ‘note’ written on the file by the Joint Director, Town Planning and wrote back saying no refund is possible.
BVB, a Charitable Organisation, sought legal opinion paying a heavy fee. The legal opinion, running to a few pages clearly said that BVB is entitled for refund since it was the High Court that barred BVB from constructing the MCC approved building. The legal opinion also quoted some High Court decisions in support of its opinion.
The BVB for the nth time approached the MCC with this legal opinion through its advocate. Now, BVB is waiting for a decision after over two years…
Anyway, I have heard that sometimes dog wags the tail but many times it is the tail that wags the dog! Amen.
To revert to the ‘gun question,’ I entirely agree with advocate P.D. Medappa, who has mocked at the PIL and explained the reason that entitled the Kodavas by race and other Jamma land tenure holders to get this concession — religious tradition and the need to protect themselves and their crops from the wild animals that filled the thick, rain forests of the early centuries.
Tailpiece: The truth is that it was neither the 1857 Arms Act by the British nor the 1959 Arms Act of Independent India that should be discussed here. Both these Acts relate only to Kodavas and other Jamma land tenure holders getting concession. The core issue, according to advocate P.D. Medappa is that the Kodavas possessed their own brand of gun known as ‘Tharikal Thok,’ apparently a country-made weapon, which they worshipped along with other traditional weapons like the sword, dagger, bow and arrow, shields and spears even before the Lingayat Rajas came to Kodagu. The Britishers in their fair sense of justice merely respected the sentiments of Kodavas. Hence, it has been part of their religious practice for centuries and now, a right under the Constitution.
e-mail: kbg@starofmysore.com
source: http://www.starofmysore.com / Star of Mysore / Home> Abracadabra…Abracadabra / by K.B. Ganapathy / Saturday – October 10th, 2015
Prelude: In 1965, Pak under Field Marshal Ayub Khan having acquired modern aircrafts, tanks and other armament from USA, as a member of SEATO, planned to wrest J&K from India militarily. They imagined that the Indian Armed Forces were a demoralised lot after the drubbing we got from China in 1962 and political leadership had gone weak after Nehru’s death. Pakistan thought that it was a historic opportunity for them to use force against India to attain their objective.
Pak started off with a diversionary attack in Rann of Kutch and followed it up with ‘Op Gibralter’ to infiltrate a large force, led by officers into Kashmir Valley to disrupt communication, cause panic and take over the administration. Both these were not only defeated by Indian Armed Forces but they captured strategic Haji Pir Pass which was used by them for infiltration. Undaunted, they on 1st Sept. 1965, launched ‘Op Grand Slam’ with two major offensives along Chamb – Jurian and in Punjab along R. Beas to cut off J&K from the rest of India.
Mobilisation and Concentration
India lost no time in declaring Emergency and countering with ‘Op Riddle.’ My Battalion (Bn), 5 MARATHA LI had arrived in Baroda (Vadadora) a few days earlier after a long tenure in North East and was in the process of settling down, when at night on 1st Sept., we got orders to mobilise and move to Ahmedabad for further orders. As we were short of transport, we requisitioned some civil vehicles and moved out before the people of Baroda woke up.
At Ahmedabad, the GOC of 11 Inf Div. Maj. Gen. Naveen Rawlly, MC told us that our 30 Inf Bde was to carry out an offensive into Sind as a diversionary attack, in order to attract Pak reserve Division in W. Punjab and that we should move post-haste to our Concentration Area between Barmer and Gadra Road (Rajasthan). Thanks to the patriotism of the way side civil petrol stations, who supplied fuel to us merely by accepting written receipts, we were able to move non-stop and reach our destination the very next day — a distance of about 400 km; but we had to wait two more days for other units of the Bde to fetch up and prepare for the battles ahead. With just 7 years service, I was the senior most Coy Commander (C Coy) in my Bn and was the only officer in the Bde, trained in commando operations. Much was expected of me and I was confident of living up to the expectations.
Offensive commences
On 6th Sept., Brig Buppy Guha gave his orders for the capture of Gadra City, a medium sized town 5 kms inside Sind by the Bde. As per the intelligence provided by Muslim smugglers operating in the area, only Pak Rangers were operating against us and there were no regular Army in the area. The attack was to be launched next morning and my Coy was to infiltrate behind the enemy as a preliminary operation and establish a block behind Gadra City, before the attack.
My Coy was the first to cross the Sind border soon after sun set. We moved in single file with myself in front with compass in hand for navigation. We moved fast for about 14 kms to find a suitable place and by 4 am, I selected a place on track Gadra City — Kokrapara which was their nearest Railway Station close to the border. At dawn, I heard firing in Gadra City signifying that our Bde attack had started as planned. The escaping enemy could use any route in the open desert; but luckily 7 Pak soldiers walked into our ambush, unaware of our presence. We could have killed them; but they capitulated without any resistance. They were regular soldiers from Baluch Regiment and they had been in that area training in desert warfare for quite some time. This was contrary to the earlier information given by the smugglers, who were obviously pro-Pak. These were the first batch of PsOW captured by our Bde, who gave us valuable information. We treated them humanely as per Geneva Convention.
Advance towards Kokrapara and Air Attack
After the capture of Gadra City by the Bde, my Bn linked up with me and we were ordered to advance towards Kokrapara. As the track was unfit for heavy vehicles, we took only few 1 tonners to carry essential ammunition and water. As we were advancing, our column was attacked by two Pak Sabre 86 aircrafts due to which one our ammunition vehicle was blown up. From then on till the end of the war these aircrafts kept attacking us with impunity as our own IAF could not spare a single aircraft to our Sector!
By last light we reached a village called Sakarbu, with a biggish sand dune feature next to it where we firmed in. Next day, except my Coy, the rest of the Bn was withdrawn to Gadra City for its defence. Seeing us, the poor villagers of Sakarbu wanted to flee but I advised them that we were not a threat to their safety and they could lock up their houses, take their valuables and in an organised manner go towards Pak leaving behind few guards. I assured them that we had come there to meet the aggression of the Pak Army on our sacred land and we have no enmity but only goodwill towards them. I can never forget their expression of gratitude and their blessings “Kuda ap sab ko bala kare” (May God bless you all).
Aborted raid on Dali
A day later, my Coy too was pulled back to Gadra City to carry out a raid on Dali, which was a known enemy position in the interior. I was allotted trained camels from Rajasthan Armed Constabulary (RAC later converted into BSF) to carry 3 inch mortars and MMGs with ammunition and water. We moved cross-country away from the track to avoid air attacks. Enemy aircrafts did overfly, but could not notice us as our camels just sat down and froze like well-trained soldiers! This was my first experience with camels — they could move on the desert in the scorching heat without water for days. When we were in the striking distance of Dali and planning the raid at night, I had an urgent message to call off the raid and rush back to Gadra City to deal with a serious situation !
Clearing of Pak Road Block at Khadin
When I returned to Gadra City, I was told that an enemy motorised column was successful in entering Indian territory and capturing a RAC Post at Khadin which was half-way between Gadra Road, our nearest Indian Railway Station and Munabao, where the old defunct Railway line entered Pak territory. They had effectively cut off 3 GUARDS and B Coy from my Bn which were operating in Munabao. A squadron-less two troops of tanks from Skinners Horse (Sherman Tanks) under Maj. Chopra was to join us, to clear the enemy block at Khadin. We moved piggy back on the tanks. It was agreed between us that when we contact the enemy, we would jump off from the tanks, move on a flank to assault, while the tanks would take hull down position to give us covering fire. Unfortunately, four of the tanks got bogged down in the sand and we had to march on foot.
Only late in the evening, we contacted the enemy, who fired their mortars, 106 RCL (Anti tank) and MMGs at us from a high ground astride the track behind the Khadin village. A few thatched huts in the village were burning due to Pak fire and in the dark their tracer bullets were flying all over our heads. It was a spectacular sight to behold as though we were witnessing a Diwali extravaganza, even though the situation was grim with one of my jawan lying wounded due to the shelling. Due to darkness, the three tanks which managed to reach the area were useless, as they did not have night fighting capability. However, their mere presence could have scared the enemy.
We carried out aggressive patrolling on the flanks at night due to which the enemy got panicky and fled in the cover of darkness with their vehicles. Their vehicles had balloon tyres to move on the desert unlike ours. My company occupied the post without opposition by midnight. In the morning, Maj. Chopra without my knowledge, informed the Brigade from his wireless set that we had succeeded in clearing the road block and he was getting back to retrieve his tanks.
As for me, we had not yet accomplished the mission fully as the enemy had withdrawn only up to Sakarbu height, which was previously held by us and directing artillery fire on us. We had to evict them from there to ensure that route to Munabao was safe. So, I requested my Bn to send me mortars and MMGs for attack on them next night and myself took a small patrol towards Sakarbu using sand dunes as cover, to plan attack. Strangely, I saw and heard them scooting from there too during mid-day. After ensuring the position was abandoned by them, I used my initiative, in the absence of communication failure with the Bde, to handover Khadin Post to RAC personnel who were in hiding not far away during Pak occupation and had rejoined us after it was recaptured by us.
Thereafter, I moved my Company to occupy Sakarbu, which was tactically more important for us. The route to Munabao was thus opened and it was now safer. Next day, the Bde sent a coy of 1 Garh Rif to relieve my Coy at Sakarbu and was called back to Gadra City. I thought it was to give us time to rest and recoup but alas it was not to be!
My last Mission: When I reached Gadra City, our new Bde Cdr, Brig. Summanwar complimented me for my Coy’s action at Khadin and Sakarbu but said that he had sent composite force with 17 MADRAS, a part of my Bn under my CO and a Coy of 1 Garh Rifs, inland towards Dali to capture more areas. They had captured Jasse ke Par, Dali and Pirani ki Par; but as there was a complete breakdown of communication with them, he was anxious to know about the situation on that front. He, therefore, wanted me to take a strong patrol mounted on 1 ton vehicles with mors and MMGs to bring back correct information, so that he could plan further operation.
I had Capt. Sardesai from my Bn to assist me as my second in command. It took the whole night to get the ASC vehicles and patrol ready. We could set out only in the morning with me in the lead vehicle and Capt. Desai in the last. We had to move dispersed due to the threat of air attack. As I was nearing Dali, I could hear a lot of firing there which made me move faster than the speed of my convoy behind. From a higher ground, I descended on a flatter area which was being overlooked by a high sand dune short of Dali.
On the skyline I noticed some figures. I saw through my binoculars to find that they were wearing Khaki uniform — they were unmistakably Pakistanis! The best I could do was to halt my convoy at higher ground left behind and take up a defence. So, I instructed the driver to reverse the vehicle and I got down to have a better look at the enemy. Just then, they fired artillery at us and unfortunately one shell fragment hit my right leg and it started bleeding. Nk Shinde, who was with me while helping me back into the vehicle, saw an enemy jeep mounted with 106 RCL less than 70 yds away and he fired at it with his rifle. The enemy crew, obviously scared, reversed into a depression, fortunately never to raise their heads again.
As I got back into my vehicle, we saw another enemy MMG mounted jeep trying to encircle us from a flank; but we managed to escape by driving fast back to the higher ground, where Capt. Sardesai was waiting for me. Fortunately, my wound was not life-threatening. While my wound was being bandaged to stop the bleeding, I could discuss the situation with Capt. Sardesai. We decided to deploy the patrol into a defensive position. I planned to get back to Gadra City to personally brief the Bde Cdr and attend to my wound.
After thanking Nk Shinde (without whose help, unmindful of his own safety, I would not have been alive today!) and dictating a situation report to be sent to the Bde, I left for Gadra City and reached there at night. Brig. Summanwar personally met me in the vehicle. After explaining what had happened, I recommended that a stronger reinforcement should be sent to help our beleaguered force at Dali and beyond. He discussed this with the Div. Cdr. and instructed 2IC of my Bn, Col. Sable to take the balance of my Bn with additional troops to stabilise the situation. It was nice of the Bde Cdr to take personal interest to arrange a hot dinner for me and evacuate me in an ambulance.
Cease Fire and After
While being evacuated, I was informed that night on 23rd Sept., India had declared unilateral cease fire. After two weeks of hospitalisation at Ahmedabad MH to tend to my wound, I was given a month’s sick leave to go home to Madikeri, where my parents were anxiously waiting for me. However, with the permission of my father, who had served in Burma as an Army Doctor during World War II, I voluntarily got back to my Bn at Gadra City, 15 days before my leave was to expire.
Taking advantage of the unilateral declaration of cease fire, Pak wilfully had tried to grab some unoccupied area of ours in Rajasthan, which led to skirmishes and casualties on both sides. By the time I returned, the situation had stabilised. Our Bde had achieved its objective, against heavy odds by capturing large area in Sind, which came in handy during the negotiation which followed after Tashkent Agreement. My CO, Col. Rattan Singh was designated to attend a flag meeting with Pak to finalise the plan for vacating the captured areas by us. He took me with him and he was pleasantly surprised to find that his counterpart, the Pak Col. was an old course-mate of his at the Indian Military Academy, Dehradun! After recognising, they hugged each other and the meeting ended amicably!
By a coincidence, my Coy which was to enter first into Pak territory was also the last to vacate it. In this senseless war, where there were no winners or losers, the loss of Lt. Ronald Serrao, our Intelligence Officer, who was killed at Dali after the Cease Fire and our gallant JCOs and men, was too overwhelming.
After the war, my Bn moved to Jodhpur where our Bde became a part of newly raised 12 Inf Div, which was to specialise in Desert Warfare. Under the new GOC, Maj. Gen. Satinder Singh, we trained hard and developed concepts peculiar to desert warfare, which paid us handsome dividends during the 1971 War with Pak.
Conclusion
In this war, we learnt how not to wage a war! My Bde was launched into battle poorly equipped and trained in desert warfare without any air support. Battalions are meant to fight as a homogeneous whole; but we were frequently split into coys and pls columns and mixed up with other bns deep into the desert without administrative backing. This was a major flaw in the conduct of war at Bde level. Yet, we achieved more than what was expected of us.
In sum, the 1965 War, which Pak imposed on us ended in a stalemate but taught secular India never to trust our religiously indoctrinated neighbour. In 1971, we did better mainly because of the powerful personality of our then Army Chief, Field Marshal SHFJ Manekshaw, who had a direct access to the Prime Minister bypassing bureaucrats in the Ministry of Defence but emerging India can no longer depend upon such personalities. We should take institutional measures backed by appropriate allotment of finances to safeguard our internal and external security.
It is high time that the unbroken legacies set by our first Prime Minister, to appoint Defence Ministers who lack basic knowledge of Military, have a Ministry of Defence wholly staffed by bureaucrats who enjoy all authority without responsibility and not integrating the three Services, namely, the Army, the Navy and the Air Force under one Chief of Defence Staff to fight future wars should be ended. I do sincerely hope that our politicians and influential sections of our people, who as a rule never send their sons into the Armed Forces, realise their responsibility towards the Nation and take positive steps.
Jai Hind.
source: http://www.starofmysore.com / Star of Mysore / Home> Feature Articles / Saturday – October 10th, 2015
Pashu Bhagya, the state government’s scheme aimed at providing subsidy for farmers for daiy farming and to set up cattle, sheep, poultry and piggery units has been implemented in Kodagu district.
The scheme will benefit small and marginal farmers in leading a self-sufficient life. Small and marginal farmers are entitled to a subsidy of 25 per cent on an investment of Rs 1.20 lakh per unit availed from banks. Farmers belonging to the Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe communities will be entitled 50 per cent subsidy.
Department of Animal Husbandry Deputy Director, Dr C Nagaraj said, a pair of cow will be provided under the scheme to each beneficiary and the unit cost is fixed at Rs 1.20 lakh. Under piggery unit, four pigs can be reared and the unit cost is Rs 94,000. For sheep rearing, 11 can be reared under the scheme. For poultry unit, 500 fowls can be rearerd and the unit cost is Rs 85,000.
The target under dairy farming in Kodagu district is 78 beneficiaries. This includes 42 general, seven SCs and three STs. The target of beneficiaries for sheep rearing is 88. Fifty one beneficiaries will be given subsidy for taking up piggery.
The target for poultry unit is 20 beneficiaries in the districts, he added.
source: http://www.deccanherald.com / Deccan Herald / Home> District / Madikeri – DHNS, October 08th, 2015
Decides to submit memorandum to the Centre to retain the status.
A resolution was passed to submit a memorandum to the Centre, seeking to maintain the existing status on firearm rights enjoyed by Kodavas and Jamma land holders at the zilla panchayat general meeting convened by Zilla Panchayat president Chodumada Sharine Subbaiah at Old Fort Hall in Madikeri on Thursday.
Raising the issue, member Shanteyanda Ravi Kushalappa said that the Kodavas and Jamma land holders have been using rifles from generations. But, an appeal filed in the court, against the exemption rights has hurt the sentiments of people, she said.
Zilla Pancahayat president said that a report will be submitted to the Union Home Ministry, seeking the retention.
ZP former president B Shivappa said, the ration cards are being cancelled in many villages in Somvarpet expressing discontent over the move.
World Food Day
Sharine Subbaiah said that all department officials strive towards the meaningful observation of ‘World Food Day’ and towards creating awareness against the wastage of food, especially in the hostels in the districts.
Member Kaddi Sundar pointed out that the roofs of anganwadi buildings in Moornadu are leaking and demanded that the buildings A child has succumbed to death recently , due to a road accident and road widening is the need of the hour in the area, he said.
Zilla Pancahyat vice president Beena Bollamma said that the protective walls along Madikeri-Bhagamandala road are on the verge of collapse and directed the Public Works Department officials to take immediate measures, in the wake of upcoming Tula Sankramana at Talacauvery.
DCF Yedakundulu said that the government has released Rs 5.5 crore towards the control of wild elephant menace and elephant trenches have been dug and solar fences have been erected in the reserve forest.
The meet decided to form three teams in three taluks to inspect the afforestation work by the Forest Department. Meanwhile, Kodandera Bond Ganapathy urged the Forest Department to provide the names of the locations where saplings have been planted.
The DCF replied that the information will be provided according to the New Forest Act.
Bond Ganapathu also told the members to provide information on the work of drinking water projects worth Rs 25 lakh in each ZP limits. The list of works should be submitted by the respective zilla panchayat members, towards the action plan.
Members Biddanda Usha Devamma, Indira, Babbira Saraswathi, M S Venkatesh, Boppanda Bollamma Nanaiah, Venkappa Poojary, Geeta and Mani Nanjappa were present.
source: http://www.deccanherald.com / Deccan Herald / Home> District / Madikeri – DHNS, October 09th, 2015
Raj Chengappa, Group Editorial Director of India Today was today elected the President of Editors Guild of India while chief editor of online daily ‘The Citizen’, Seema Mustafa was elected as the treasurer.
Prakash Dube, Group Editor, Dainik Bhaskar was elected as the General Secretary.
The new office bearers were elected at the general body meeting today, a statement by the Guild said.
source: http://www.ptinews.com / Press Trust of India / Home> National / New Delhi – September 26th, 2015
Deputy Commissioner Meer Anees Ahmmed directed the officials to gear up for the upcoming Tula Sankramana event at Talacauvery scheduled to be held on October 17.
Chairing a preparatory meeting on Tuesday, he asked officials to ensure drinking water supply and construct temporary toilets and maintain cleanliness at Talacauvery where thousands of devotees are expected to take part.
The DC also asked officials to make lighting arrangements at the site as the event will be held at midnight and to clear the weed grown on either side of Madikeri-Bhagamandala-Talacauvery, Napoklu-Bhagamandala road and to ensure cleanliness placing waste bins at various locations in Talacauvery.
He directed the revenue officials to conduct revenue and pension adalats and respond to the grievances of the public. “There are complaints about delay in the issuance of income and caste certificates. The issue needs to be rectified at the earliest. The applications received under the old age pension, Sandhya Suraksha yojana, widow pension, Manaswini, Maitri and other schemes should be cleared at the earliest,” he added. Additional DC M Sathish Kumar said there is a need to dispose of the applications filed seeking voter IDs within a short time frame.
source: http://www.deccanherald.com / Deccan Herald / Home> District / DHNS – Madikeri, October 07th, 2015
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