Retired Rear Admiral Sanjeev Kapoor is one of the fortunate naval officers who got a rare opportunity to command the same ship, INS BEAS, which his father, Commodore BK Kapoor had the privilege of commissioning as her commanding officer in 1960 at New Castle upon Tyne in the UK

In the Army, the powers that be try and accommodate officers in the same regiment that their father’s had been. Traditionally, they also get the legitimate opportunity to command the same regiment commanded by their father. I am not sure if such a tradition exists in our Air Force. In the Navy there was no such tradition because of the limited life of ships.

Back in 1984, I recall I was standing by to commission the Cadets Training Ship Tir as her Training Commander (Designate) and I was hoping to command a ship. Subsequently I took the courage to go up to my then Commanding Officer (Designate) Captain Madhvendra Singh (later our CNS) and requested him if it would be possible for me to command INS Beas which had been commissioned by my father (Commodore BR Kapoor). His spontaneous response was an encouraging “Why not” and straightaway he shot out a DO letter to the Chief of Naval Staff, Admiral Tahiliani. INS Beas a Leopard class frigate had been commissioned on 24 May 1960 at New Castle upon Tyne in the UK.

At the time of commissioning I was at Scindia School. Surprisingly in these days of Facebook, a classmate located me and reminded that we were classmates by mentioning that my father was in the UK to commission INS Beas. Needless to say that going to the UK in the 60’s was considered a unique experience.

INS Beas formed a part of the Western Fleet for many a decade and also participated in the Indo Pak war of 1971 when I served on board the ship as a Sub Lieutenant. I was the Torpedo and Anti submarine (TAS) officer. But by the time I was appointed to command the INS Beas, she was a part of the First Training Squadron based at Kochi. I became the 28th Commanding Officer of the ship. It created history in the Indian Navy in 1986 and if I am not wrong a historical fact world over wherein a father and son had the privilege of commanding the same ship. My dad called up to congratulate me when I assumed command. His advice was simple, he categorically stated that I must always keep an eye on the compass. On assuming command the same afternoon I got a signal from Headquarters SNC directing me to shift berth in a hot move. Having navigated Betwa I was not too concerned but had to take the responsibility. The manoeuvre was carried out and pronto I got a signal from TS1. My erstwhile Captain a BZ.

My wife was still in Mumbai,the first evening on the ship was lonely just as it would obviously be. Dad called again the next day to ask the usual stuff a father asks his son. He too was proud and had nostalgic memories of his own.

Beas was built by Vickers Armstrong in the UK. As Naval Adviser in London in 1994 I tried to visit the yard but it had changed owners.

Just like my dad I too was a navigating officer,s the difference being that he did the course in the UK and I at Kochi.

It was very thoughtful of Admiral L Ramdas to invite my father to do the honours when Beas was decommissioned at Kochi on 23December 1992.
The Beas has been commanded by two former Chiefs of Naval Staff, Admiral L Ramdas and Admiral Arun Prakash. Admiral Sureesh Mehta the present CNS had also been at the helm. Except Admiral Ramdas they were all present when the new INS Beas was commissioned at GRSE Kolkata on 11 July 2005.

I was glad to know that Cdr Das, son of Rear Admiral SK Das (Retd) has been in command of Trishul which his father had the privilege to command. I sincerely hope for the longetivity of our ships so that there are many more such instances of shared history.

REVISITING KARGIL TEN YEARS DOWN THE LINE (NAVREET MILTON)

Ten years down the memory lane, deafening noise of explosives, roaring fighter planes and wails for those who died in the Kargil war reverberate in the snowy peaks where the bitter war was fought. Nightmares of the Kargil War still haunt the people of Kargil as the memories are still fresh. Many dear ones were orphaned and many martyrs were born; their deeds of bravery never cease to be retold over and over again. This history of regimental ethos shall pass down from generation to generation not only in army parlance but also in respective village folklore. “Though ten years have gone by since the night when the artillery guns first boomed along with the roar of fighter aircrafts, I have yet to come to terms with the bloodshed and change this war has brought into our lives, a change which we could have done without,” says Rashid Ahmad, a local from Dras, very bluntly.

“Our generation and the one that is growing before our eyes is still haunted by the noise of the guns, the fumes, the dust of the exploding shells and innocent locals tripping over our own mines laid for the enemy,” says Gulam Rashid who was a mute witness to the happenings.

Banazir, then a young bride who had dreamt of becoming a mother lost everything when her husband became handicapped. “I have been earning my bread and butter in Kargil for the last thirty five years but I cant get over the tears rolling down the cheeks of my twelve year old girl who was a student in Suru Valley School. She lost her speech momentarily when she was attending class that day, splinters shattered the panes of the classroom and killed three of her classmates,” narrates the husband.

Rahman remembers the only hotel which was being run, where all the journalists came and stayed. He mentions that he too wanted to leave this place to a more secured one. People were living in fear and shock over the sudden war. Bombs used to land unexpectedly.

Kaksar, 17 kms from Kargil lies close to the border and was badly affected during the war. Locals vividly recall, “we were all busy in our fields as we were cultivating our lands. I remember it was 6 or 7th of May when we heard the sounds of heavy shelling, there was panic amongst the villagers and we didnt know what to do.”

“Time passed and in the midst of the night the villagers decided to move out of the village and take shelter in Kargil. We all collected at Kaksar bridge and spent the night there. In the following days we moved to Kargil in trucks.” Those were traumatic times, there was no accommodation, children were crying for food and there was restlessness amongst every individual. There were sentimental attachments amongst the elders of the village who didnt want to leave their houses even under heavy shelling. Haji Ali 98, who is the oldest man of Kaksar, with barely any teeth, a wrinkled and withered face has dark memories still visible in the pain of his eyes. He narrates slowly, “my grandson, Hamza insisted that I move out of the village but I told him that if I have to die then why not here only, where I have lived my life, with my cattle who- are just like my children- have given me so much. At this juncture I cant betray them.”

Tears rolled down his wrinkled face when he mentioned his younger brother Skakur, who got a small splinter in his back which he didnt realize. “When he told me that he is in pain and asked me to examine his back, I found that there was a small splinter and as I asked him to turn around I realised that he is no more. He had died in my arms. I curse myself that I couldnt save him.” Haji Ali again breaks down in fresh tears. Hamza, his grandson, joined in at this point. He mentions that the villagers had lost everything, all their cattle died - some with splinters, some due to hunger and fear. On their return to the village after the war, they found just the bones of animals and even some family members who had stayed back as they wanted to serve the Indian army.

Hamza talks proudly of the involvement of the villagers - many youngsters assisted the soldiers by carrying their luggage, ammunition and other items to the posts. It would be worth mentioning that the people of Kargil hav written a song which conveys the saga of the Kargil war and the sacrifice of the soldiers.

The song was played during the tenth anniversary ceremony of OP VIJAY. The wordings are, “Aa vajaye more tome Hindustan, aa vajaye more daulat aa vajaye , na more shohrat aa vajaye,” Here the local is saying that, “when I went to the peaks of Tiger hill, I met so many different kinds of people fighting for their country.” The essence of the song is that, “we dont need property, or wealth, what we need is our Hindustan.”