Immediately after partition of India, a meeting was organized by Shri Jawahar Lal Nehru to select the first General of the Indian Army. Leaders and Army officers were discussing to whom this responsibility should be given.
In between the discussion Nehru said, "I think we should appoint a British officer as a General of the Indian Army as we don't have enough experience to lead the same."
Everybody supported Nehru because if the PM was suggesting something, how could they interfere?
But one of the army officers abruptly said, "I have one point, sir."
Nehru said, "Yes, gentleman. You are free to speak."
He said, "You see, sir, we don't have enough experience to lead a nation too, so shouldn't we appoint a British person as first PM of India ?"
The meeting hall was quiet.
Then, Nehru said, "Are you ready to be the first General of the Indian Army ?"
He got the golden chance to accept it but he denied and said, "Sir, we have a very talented army officer, my senior Mr. Kariappa, who is the most deserving among us."
The army officer who raised his voice against the PM was Lt. General Nathu Singh Rathore, the first Lt. General of the Indian Army."
During the 1965 War, Field Marshal Karippa's son an IAF Pilot was shot down in Pakistan .
He was captured and interned as a POW.
Since they had worked together before independence, Ayub Khan informed Kariappa that his son would not be kept in a POW Camp like the other Indian POWs.
But Kariappa politely declined the offer, saying every soldier in the Indian Army was his son.
That is the Professionalism and Character the Military is made of .................
How many today will speak like this??
In between the discussion Nehru said, "I think we should appoint a British officer as a General of the Indian Army as we don't have enough experience to lead the same."
Everybody supported Nehru because if the PM was suggesting something, how could they interfere?
But one of the army officers abruptly said, "I have one point, sir."
Nehru said, "Yes, gentleman. You are free to speak."
He said, "You see, sir, we don't have enough experience to lead a nation too, so shouldn't we appoint a British person as first PM of India ?"
The meeting hall was quiet.
Then, Nehru said, "Are you ready to be the first General of the Indian Army ?"
He got the golden chance to accept it but he denied and said, "Sir, we have a very talented army officer, my senior Mr. Kariappa, who is the most deserving among us."
The army officer who raised his voice against the PM was Lt. General Nathu Singh Rathore, the first Lt. General of the Indian Army."
During the 1965 War, Field Marshal Karippa's son an IAF Pilot was shot down in Pakistan .
He was captured and interned as a POW.
Since they had worked together before independence, Ayub Khan informed Kariappa that his son would not be kept in a POW Camp like the other Indian POWs.
But Kariappa politely declined the offer, saying every soldier in the Indian Army was his son.
That is the Professionalism and Character the Military is made of .................
How many today will speak like this??
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