The Hindu : Special forces personnel get commendation certificates

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Saturday, Jun 22, 2002

National

National

Special forces personnel get commendation certificates

By Our Special Correspondent

NEW DELHI JUNE 21 . Marking a break with convention, the Chief of Army Staff, S. Padmanabhan, today handed over commendation certificates to special forces personnel who did better than their counterparts, including Special Air Service (SAS) from Britain, the American Rangers and defending champions, South Africa, in an international endurance and tactical competition held in Bostwana. Normally, the Chief of Army Staff's commendation certificates are presented on Army Day.

India did not participate in the inaugural competition held in South Africa but began preparations in earnest this time, selecting two teams of two officers and four other ranks each after sifting through 80 volunteers.

The venue for the exercises was Jodhpur since its terrain moderately matched that of the competition in North Western Botswana.

Overcoming the disappointment of injury to paratrooper, Moolchand, while he was making the mandatory landing from an aircraft, both teams received a morale-booster by winning the first event — a 35-km endurance march through loose ankle-deep sand with the full kit.

The full team led by T.R. Krishnadas was first, followed a minute later by Animish Ranade's paratroopers but since the latter's team was one short due to the injury to Moolchand, it got only 70 per cent of the marks.

The night was spent in the open and food restricted to the rations in 20-kg backpacks.

This was the trend for the next two nights as well.

The next morning saw Capt. Krishnadas and his men taking the top spot in a 10-km navigation event through the jungles and bushes of the famous Kalahari game reserve.

A few hours later, the Indian teams took the first and second positions in the 10-km casualty evacuation event in which teams carry a 50-kg cement block on a stretcher in addition to the normal combat load.

The forces did not do as well in the gun and pistol firing events, but their overall performance ensured them the top position. V.S. Salaria and V.J.S. Pandher were the managers for teams led by Capt. Krishnadas and Capt. Ranade, respectively.

Members of the teams from the West were better built and had superior equipment but they were not so good when it came to endurance courses.

On the other hand the discipline and functioning of the teams from Botswana and South Africa were similar to the Indian Army, reminisces Capt. Krishandas.

The men will join their units where a round of celebration awaits them for proving to be the best special forces men in the world.

Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

National