Brig Advitya Madan

When ‘Baaj’ Tamed Tiger Hill

January 31, 2024

It was December 1986. I had just earned my single star as a rookie Second Lieutenant bubbling with youthful vigour with stars in my eyes. I was appointed as ‘Alpha Company’ second-in-command and was directed to report to my company commander; Major MPS Bajwa nicknamed ‘Baaj’ in the entire Indian Army....

15 Punjab: The saviour of Ladakh

January 26, 2024

By the time, India earned its independence, the ‘Rajindra Sikhs Infantry’ (RSI), now known as 15 Punjab, had tasted the blood during the First World War and SecondWorld War pulverising its enemies on foreign lands. It lived up to its reputation of ‘Har Maidan Fateh’ (Every battleground will be captured)....

RENDEZVOUS WITH THE HERO OF LONGEWALA

January 18, 2024

14th September 1997 has indeed cast an indelible imprint on my mind. I was attending the prestigious Staff course at Wellington. It was the first time the routine weekly movie got screened on three consecutive days back to back. You guessed it right. It was the Bollywood blockbuster, ‘Border’ based...

‘Minimize casualties during operations’

January 5, 2024

Being an infantarian, who has carried severely wounded colleagues on his shoulder after deadly encounters with terrorists, it gives me immense pain when I read about the fatal casualties, losing competent commanding officers, young officers and motivated soldiers in counter-insurgency operations. The defaulters on our side, if any, shouldn’t be...

Chance Encounters With Manekshaw

December 28, 2023

The moment the ‘Teaser’ for the latest blockbuster, ‘Sam Bahadur’ started doing the rounds on social media, I was the first one to rush to book the ticket for the ‘first-day first-show’ for my entire family. I couldn’t wait to show my family the man who was much larger than...

Salute to Simplicity and Adaptability of an Indian Soldier

December 21, 2023

It was mid-summer in 2007. I was holding the reigns of 15 Punjab, tasked with a peacekeeping role in the beautiful country of Lebanon. We were rubbing shoulders with several other European contingents. The Force Commander was an Italian; Major General Graziano. Though the Israel – Lebanon war had ebbed...

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