08/01/2024
A TRIBUTE TO GEN C. KESHAV KARUMBAYA,SM
On 4th January , 2024 our beloved hero Maj Gen C.K. karumbaya's body bid adieu to all of us .He breathed his last at Mysuru. His spirit ,teachings and memories will forever stay with us.
He was born on 3rd December, 1936 at Medikeri in Coorg ,Karnataka and joined fifth Battalion MARATHA LI in January 1958. A tall ,very handsome and dynamic young officer became the central figure among the officers and soldiers of the unit.
In August, 1980 a JCO of mine who was his buddy in 1965 war narrated an incident of the war .
Our Battalion was fighting the Pakistani army in Gadra city area of Pakistan. Due to some tactical military mistakes the Indian army lost in the area and some officers and soldiers were taken as POW (prisoners of war). He narrated the incident ,
"कैप्टन करुमबया साहब तो सबसे बहादुर थे, जब हमको पाकिस्तानी सेना ने चारों तरफ से घेर लिया था तो उन्होंने पाकिस्तान के सिपाही की राइफल छीन कर उसे मार दिया और उनकी गाड़ी छीन कर भाग आए।"
("Captain karumbaya when surrounded by Pakistani army snatched a rifle from a soldier and killed him and drove their vehicle back into safe Indian territory.")
"कई अफसर और जवान कैदी बना दिये गये, पर वे हमारे करूमबया साहब को न पकड़ सके। ऐसे दिलेर थे हमारे साहब!"
("Many officers and soldiers of the unit were taken as prisoners but our Karumbaya Sahab could not be caught .So brave was our Karumbaya Sahab!")
He qualified in the prestigious DSSC( Defence Services Staff Course) and rejoined the battalion as second in command before 1971 Indo- Pak war. The CO was injured and he became the officiating CO during the most crucial part of the war.
In 1987 I as a company commander had finished attack on LTTE camp and during debriefing Sub Tabaji who had been with Karumbaya in 1971 war got up and said,
"साहब आज के आपके अटैक को देखकर 1971 में सुवादी पर करुमबया साहब का पाकिस्तानियों पर हमला याद आ गया।"
(" Seeing today's attack I am reminded of the attack carried out by Maj Karumbaya in 1971.")
I told him to narrate the entire incident for the benefit of all since he had been an eye witness.
"करूमबया साहब 2l C थे ,खबर मिली थी कि पाकिस्तान की एक कंपनी सुवादी ( बांग्लादेश) में डिफेंस लिए हुए है। हमारा पहला हमला फेल हो गया था, पलटन में मायूसी छा गई थी तब करुमबया साहब ऑफशियेटिंग CO होते हुए भी खुद आगे आए और उन्होंने गर्म जोशी से सभी का हौसला बढ़ाया और खुद हमले को लीड किया । जिससे सभी लोगों में जोश भर गया।
बहुत बहादुरी के साथ मुकाबला करते हुए हमने पाकिस्तान को हरा दिया और सुवादी पर कब्ज़ा कर लिया । यह सब सिर्फ करूमबया साहब के साहस , हिम्मत और कुशल नेतृत्व के कारण हो पाया।"
("Maj karumbaya was the 2IC of our unit and our first attack on a
Pakistani company in Suadih (Bangladesh) failed. The soldiers were highly demoralized .Maj Karumbaya motivated the soldiers and himself led the second attack with great valour, determination and leadership in which we captured the Pakistani post.")
He was awarded Sana Medal gallantry in 1971 for his bravery and leadership.
He became the CO of 5 Maratha LI in 1973 at Ayodhya and soon there was news of an Armed revolt by 6th Battalion PAC of UP police in Jahangirabad fort near Lucknow .He like a brave and seasoned military commander after making a full proof plan and necessary tactical preparations walked unarmed into the fort to talk and convince the police personnel not to take law in to their own hands .They tried to capture and imprison him. The brave, agile and athletic person that he was sensing their move jumped over a high fort wall, risking his life and came out safely . There after he ordered firing of a RCL gun shot. The single shot of RCL gun not only pierced the wall of the fort but shattered the morale and confidence of the revolting police personnel . The result was that within an hour all of them surrendered. Thus peace was restored.
He moved the battalion to Sikkim (Nathula )and under his command the unit was declared the best trained and administered battalion for two years consecutively, a unique achievement. He finished his command and went for Higher Command Course in May 1977.
I was lucky to be commissiond into the Battalion in December , 1979. We as newly commissionned officers into Maratha Regiment were invited to the Officers' mess of second Maratha LI at Dehradun. The words of then CO, Lt Col kalkat ( later Lt Gen ) of that unit still echo in my ears. Shaking my hand he said ,
"Congratulations! You are joining Keshu's Battalion."
I said ,
"No , sir I am joining 5 Maratha LI."
Still holding my hand he said,
"Yes, that is called Keshu's Battalion."
What an aura of that man! While we all get our identity from the Battalion, here was an officer who was giving identity to the Battalion.
I had the good luck of serving under him in Regimental Centre from November 1985 till February 1987 when he was the Centre Commandant at Belgavi. I tried to emulate and imbibe his soldierly qualities, social conduct and aspired to be like him .
The lessons learnt from him helped me immensely during my operational tenures as Company Commander in Sri Lanka and Ladakh and as Commanding Officer in Jammu and Kashmir .
I very fondly recall the call that I got from him ( He as Maj Gen was the additional MS at Army Head Quarter) in November 89 on radio set while I was operating in jungles of Sri Lanka.
"Lalit heartiest congratulations to you for qualifying in Staff college exam. I am very happy that after a wait of ten years an officer from our Battalion will go to Wellington."
While doing Staff College Course at DSSC Wellington , I was narrated a very interesting story by an officer Maj Ram from Raj Rif. He told me that he was commanding a company at a remote post in Kargil when the news came that Brigade Commander , Brig Karumbaya ( commander of 121 Infantry Brigade ) would visit the post. He said,
"I received Brig Karumbaya and he after meeting the jawans told me that he would be returning to the post within an hour .He was surprised as that day there was a visit of a very senior general in the Brigade Headquarter.
Brig Karumbaya returned to the post in helicopter carrying many snow boots and coat parkas. It turned out that he had noticed the poor condition of the snow boots and coat parkas of the soldiers on the post. He went back, rescheduled the programme of the visiting general and from Ordinance unit got brand new snow boots and coat parkas for the soldiers.
Such was his boldness and concern for the soldiers that for him ,career was secondary.
In early 1999 I sought his blessings before assuming the command of 17 Rashtriya Rifles .He gave me some very valuable tips on command and officer - men relationship . I told him sir ,my utmost desire is that my unit be called Chamola's Battalion as 5 Maratha LI during your command was called Keshu's Battalion . He laughed out loud and blessed me.
My ultimate desire was fulfilled, when in July 2008 Sub Vijay Kumar of 17 R.R. called me on phone and said ,
"साहब आज मुझे कमेंडेशन कार्ड मिला है । आर्मी कमांडर साहब ने मुझसे हाथ मिलाकर कहा,
" साहब मुझे बहुत खुशी है कि आप चमोला साहब की बटालियन से हैं।
("Sir, today I received the Commendation Card and the Army Commander while congratulating me told me that he was happy that I was from Chamola's Battalion.")
I once again spoke to Gen Karumbaya and told him how happy I was that I had lived up to the desire of my hero .
In 1991 he was posted as chief instructor and Deputy Commandant of IMA Dehradun. I used to go often to his office and house to meet him. He was gracious enough to grace my younger brother's marriage.
He retired in December 1991 and settled in Mysuru . I was frequently in touch with him and in June 2017 I along with my wife Neeta and Brig and Mrs Nandkumar visited him at his farmhouse. He was doing many great social works for the upliftment of people in Mysuru.
In 2022 when I received "Lifetime Achievement Award ",the first call was from Mrs Dechu Karumbaya and she said,
"Lalit this call I am making on behalf of Keshu. He personally wanted to congratulate you but since he is not well I am conveying his best wishes and congratulations on winning this award."
His blessings and love was much greater than the award .
His body may not be on the earth but his blessings and love will keep inspiring me and all people associated with him .
He will always remain my "MILITARY HERO "and INSPIRATION.
Long live the memory , teachings and the values set by Gen C.Keshav Karumbaya ,SM
"JAY HIND , JAi BHARAT"
