Sagat Singh

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Sagat Singh (Hindi: सागत सिंघ) was an Lt General in Indian army whose participation in liberation of Goa and later in Bangladesh made him a legendary figure. The General Officer had held prestigious command and staff appointments in the course of his illustrious career.

He was born at a small Village - Moda in Churu district of Rajasthan in 1918. He was commissioned in the Jaipur State Forces. On amalgamation of the State Forces in 1950 he joined Third Gorkha Rifles. He commanded the Second and Third Battalions of the Third Gorkha Rifles. In September 1961 He was promoted to the rank of Brigadier and posted as the Brigade Commander of India’s only Parachute Brigade, the 50th. The Parachute Brigade led by him played a prominent part in liberation of Goa and his men were the first to enter Panjim on Dec 19th, 1961.

As a Major General he commanded a Mountain Division and later a Communication Zone where he played a pivotal role in taking counter insurgency operations in Mizoram. For his distinguished services he was awarded the PVSM . In December 1970 he took over the command of HQ 4 Corps as a Lieutenant General.The Corps made the famous advance to Dacca over the River Meghna during Bangladesh Liberation War in 1971 . He witnessed in Dacca the signing of the surrender instrument by General Niazi.

For his leadership and command for the race to Dacca the Government of India honored Sagat Singh through an award of Padma Bhushan, Sagat Singh being the only other corps commander besides T N Raina and Sartaj Singh to be so awarded in 1971.

Sagat Singh retired from the army on 30th November 1976.He had a personal tragedy in 1976 .His son Captain Digvijay Singh died in a jeep accident in Poonch in May 1976.

He died at Army Hospital Research & Referral,New Delhi on September 26,2001.

[edit] See also

Meghna Heli Bridge

[edit] Further reading

Col. C L Proudfoot Flash of the Khukri : History of the 3rd Gorkha Rifles Regiment,Vision Books
Air Chief Marshal P C Lal, My Years with the IAF , Lancer International
Maj. Gen. Afsir Karim The Story of India’s Airborne Troops Lancer International
Siddiq Salik Witness to Surrender Vikas Publications
Maj. Gen. Sukhwant Singh The liberation of Bangladesh Vikas Publications
Maj. Gen. Lachman Singh Lehl Victory in Bangladesh Natraj Publications

[edit] External links

Remembering Sagat Singh (1918-2001) by P.V.S.Jagan Mohan - www.bharat-rakshak.com
Memorial Service for General Sagat Singh - Press Information Bureau

Indo-Pakistani War of 1971

History

Operations and Battles

History
•Partition of India
•History of Pakistan
• Indo-Pakistani Wars
• War of 1947
• War of 1965
• Operation Searchlight
• Bangladesh Liberation War
• Mukti Bahini
• Research and Analysis Wing
• Mitro Bahini
• Operation Jackpot. Indian Army, Summer 1971
• Operation Jackpot. Bangladesh Navy, Autumn 1971

Battles of the 1971 War:
• Battle of Atgram Complex
• Battle of Garibpur
• Battle of Boyra
• Operation Chengiz Khan
• Battle of Longewala
• Battle of Hilli
• Meghna Heli Bridge
• Tangail Airdrop
• Battle of Basantar
• PNS Ghazi
• Operation Trident
• East Pakistan Air Operations, 1971
• INS Khukri
• more...

Political and military leaders
India	Indira Gandhi • Sam Manekshaw • K P Candeth • J S Aurora • Gopal Gurunath Bewoor • J.F.R. Jacob• Sagat Singh• M L Thapan• T N Raina• Sartaj Singh• N C Rawlley• K K Singh • Kuldip Singh Chandpuri •Kulwant Singh Pannu
Pakistan	Zulfikar Ali Bhutto • Yahya Khan •A. A. K. Niazi • A. O. Mitha • Gul Hassan Khan • Rao Farman Ali • Sahabzada Yaqub Khan • Tikka Khan
Bangladesh	Sheikh Mujibur Rahman • Tajuddin Ahmed • Muhammad Mansur Ali • A. H. M. Qamaruzzaman • M. A. G. Osmani • Ziaur Rahman • Khaled Mosharraf
Valour
India	L/Nk Albert Ekka ^†• Fg Off N.J.S. Sekhon^†• 2nd Lt Arun Khetarpal^†• Maj Hoshiar Singh
Pakistan	Major Muhammad Akram^†• Plt Off Rashid Minhas^†• Major Shabbir Sharif ^†• J/Swr Muhammad Hussain^†• L/Nk Muhammad Mahfuz^†
Bangladesh	Eng off Ruhul Amin^†• Flt Lt Matiur Rahman^†