Officer & A Gentleman - Jagjit Singh Aurora

In olive green attire, he was a war hero liberating a shackled populace. As a politican, he fought for a people wronged in the 1984 riots.

Lt Gen (Retired) Jagjit Singh Aurora was the face of India's military power in 1971 when 93,000 Pakistani troops laid down arms before him in Dhaka in the biggest-ever war surrender

Born in February of 1916 at Kale Gujaran village in Jhelum district, now in Pakistan, Gen Aurora had his schooling at Mission School in Rawalpindi before he joined the Indian Military Academy (IMA) in Dehra Dun.

His father Diwan Singh was an engineer in Jhelum (now in Pakistan) and mother a Sikh woman of Burmese origin.

Once dubbed as the best dressed man in the country for his impeccable dressing sense, Aurora was commissioned into the Indian Army in the first battalion of the 2nd Punjab Regiment in 1939.

He saw action in 1947-48, in 1948 Kashmir operations, when he led the same battalion in Pir Kalewa region of Rajouri district. Later, he commanded a brigade in the same sector.

He served in various staff appointments before being promoted to the rank of a Colonel and was posted as the Deputy Commandant of the Infantry School, Mhow. In February 1957, he was given the command of a brigade.

After attending a course at the National Defence College in 1960, he was appointed the Brigadier General Staff of a Corps Headquarters in the Eastern Sector.

Being promoted as a Major-General in February in 1963, Aurora was given the command of an Infantry Division. Later next year, he became the Director of Military Training at Army Headquarters.

He assumed charge of Deputy Chief of Army Staff in June 1966 with the rank of Lieutenant-General, the post which he held till April 1967. Then he was posted to the Eastern Sector as GOC of a Corps Headquarters. He took over as GOC-in-C, Eastern Command in 1969.

Historic moment

Gen Aurora decided the entire defense strategy for the battle. His main motive was to reach Dhaka in a short time where the army had established its defences. With the battle cry “Leave the highways and follow the by-ways” he moved along with his troops towards Dhaka. Within 13 days of the war Indian army forced Pakistan to lay down arms in Dhaka, then an Islamabad-administered territory.

East Pakistan fell to the Indian Army and Bangladesh was born.

Lt General A. A. K. (“Tiger”) Niazi, Commander of the Pakistani Forces in East Pakistan (Now Bangladesh) signing the surrender document for Lt Gen Jagjit Singh Aurora. Watching the ceremony are Vice Admiral N Krishnan (FOC-in-C Eastern Naval Command), Maj Gen K V Krishna Rao (GOC, 8 Div - Behind the Vice Admiral), Air Marshal H C Dewan (AOC-in-C, Eastern Command) , Lt Gen Sagat Singh (GOC, IV Corps), Maj Gen J F R Jacob (Chief of Staff, Eastern Army Command) and Maj Gen Gandharv Nagra (GOC, 101 Communication Zone)

Gen Niazi finally signed in instrument of surrender on December 16, 1971 as 93,000 of his troops laid down arms.

Gen Aurora also became a key campaigner for justice for the victims of the 1984 riots. He was deeply pained with the sikh riots and strongly condemned the them. He had set up a Sikh Forum and the Citizens’ Justice Committee, comprising top judicial celebrities, to press for justice to the victims. After his death one of BRF member Dr. Subhash Thareja had published a full page advertisement as a salute to him and a condolence to the victims of 1984 riots.

Here’s the link for the same

http://www.bharat-rakshak.com/Temp/thankyousir.pdf

Gen Aurora became a Rajya Sabha member in 1987 from Punjab. However in one of the rediff chats he says that he did not really enjoy his sojourn. He says that

“My six years in the Rajya Sabha were interesting though not as satisfying as the army service. The main reason being we did a lot of talking on some vital and quite often on points which did not merit much importance. On the whole, the achievements were very few. In the army even going on manoueveres carrying out sham-fighting gives greater satisfaction.”


He was awarded Param Vishisht Sewa Medal in 1971 and Padma Bhushan in 1972. He was also a member of the National Integration Council

About Indian Army

He felt the there is a dearth of brave and young people in the Indian army. He says “…government has to make the army more attractive, not only by giving larger pay and other emoluments but by giving the army officers the prestige that they deserve. I may mention that during the British days, a union commission officer when he went to visit any office he was offered a chair to sit down and due notice was taken of his problem which was expeditiously solved. Today, army officers are not given the status and prestige they deserve. This must be put right and more facilities provided to them to be able to live with their families if we want to improve the leadership of armed forces.”

He was as soldier who fought for 2 countries. The significance of keeping one’s head cool during war is very high. After his death one of the newspapers in Bangladesh quoted

“The late General lived for another 34 years, after achieving that glorious victory. It is a shame that independent Bangladesh did not give him due honour in his life time. However, we should not allow this military hero to slip into oblivion, for that entails the grave risk of forgetting the momentous events of December 1971. Our condolences for the bereaved family members of the late General.”

About Indian politics

Gen. Aurora believed that Indian politics is going through a bad phase However the Indian politicians are not as bad and as unprincipled as Pakistan politicians. He said that they should give due respect and recognition to the Indian army and its other 2 professional services (Navy and Air force).

I salute to this turbaned Sikh who with his gentle personality will prove as an inspiration to each and every Sikh .