In the celebration of life for an officer of the Indian Army, nothing compares to the time spent in the command of our brave and determined soldiers. What I am going to narrate is one such episode in the Siachen Glacier, where I, as a Major, served as a young Company Commander in my battalion, 3rd Battalion the Rajput Regiment(3 RAJPUT), in the early 1990s.
Majority of the readers, especially those in uniform would be fully aware of the Siachen Glacier. However, for the benefit of all the other esteemed readers, I will briefly recount some salient aspects of the Glacier, without any strategic deliberations, since the article is meant only as a human story.
Geography/Location
Siachen Glacier lies in the Karakoram Range, which is beyond the Ladakh Range, in the Northwest of India. The altitude varies from 12,000 ft to 23,000 ft. It is 75 km long and covers about 10,000 square km of uninhabited terrain. Along with other glaciers in the area, it is an important source of water for the Indus river, which passes through Ladakh and Kargil, and thence into Pakistan Occupied Kashmir (POK).
Background to the Siachen Problem
Jammu and Kashmir, as is well known, acceded to India, in October 1947.Thereafter, Pakistan attempted to wrest J&K from India, by infiltration and other means, which led to the 1947-48 war. Pakistan was comprehensively defeated and at the end of the war, an Agreement was signed between India and Pakistan, known as the Karachi Agreement, which amongst others, delineated the Cease Fire Line(CFL), between India and Pakistan. The CFL, was drawn upto a point called NJ 9842.Due to inhospitable nature of the terrain and the extreme cold glaciated region, in which no man had ever set foot on, the line North of NJ 9842 was not drawn, but was said to be “Running Northwards to the glaciers”.
Pakistan’s mis-interpretation of this line of “Running Northwards to the glaciers”, led to the Siachen problem.
India’s Interpretation
It is a well known, well practised and accepted fact by Armies all over the world that if a line is to be delineated, it has to be along identifiable features on the ground, like along a valley or river or crest line. It’s because these are not imaginary lines, but lines which have to be defended by nations and armies. Therefore, as per accepted norms, India’s interpretation was that the line should run Northwards along the Ridgeline.
Pakistan’s Misinterpretation
Pakistan, on the other hand, due to geo-strategic interests, interpreted the line as a line connecting NJ 9842 to Karakoram Pass. This line cuts across ridge lines and at best can be called an imaginary line, and cannot be logically accepted. This triangular area thus formed is the area under contention. (See Fig 1)
Prevailing Conditions
The degree of difficulty of the Siachen Glacier, the highest battlefield in the world, is quite different, as elucidated below.
- Altitude. Depending upon the Post, the altitude can vary from 16,000 to 21,000 ft.
- Temperature. The temperature could vary from Minus 10 deg C to Minus 30 deg C. And with the wind chill effect it goes down to Minus 60 to 65 deg C.
- Lack of Oxygen. At these altitudes, there is severe lack of oxygen. Even walking a few steps is a herculean task.
- Snow Blizzard. The snow blizzards in these areas are extremely dangerous. The windspeed reaches upto 160 kmh, accompanied by complete white-out conditions. At those times in the blizzards, if you stretch your hand, you won’t be able to see the other side of your hand.
- Living. The living accommodation has to be very special, to withstand the blizzards and extreme cold. Special padded tents and special fibre glass huts, well anchored, are only suitable.
- Clothing. Very special clothing, used by extreme high altitude mountaineers, are required. These include down feather jackets, parkas, trousers, special boots and snow goggles.
- Cooking. At these altitudes, everything is frozen like a rock. Also, nothing cooks without a pressure cooker and takes a long time.
- Water. Water is obtained by melting ice, mostly blue ice.
- Maintenance of Weapons and Equipment. Special care and special provisions are required to keep the weapons and equipment functional.
- Medical Issues. In these extreme conditions, very different medical issues are seen. Though there are very strict medical check ups prior to induction, some of the issues that one faces are; complete dis-orientation, loss of memory, High Altitude Pulmonary Oedema(HAPO),High Altitude Cerebral Oedema(HACO),frost-bites and snow-blindness.
Our Company Experiences
Our company inducted to the Posts in the Glacier very well and with the operational responsibility now resting with us, we were fully charged up to fulfil the tasks. However, within a few days of our taking over, the weather started packing up. Consequently, no replenishment of rations could be done, but consumption obviously continued, thereby denuding our limited ration stocks. Replenishment of rations and supplies to the Posts were indeed challenging. It was Post 2(at a lower altitude) which was replenished by helicopter from Base Camp. From Post 2, one had to travel on the glacier, which was full of crevasses, then climb the ice wall to reach the Main Post. In an area, where even walking a few steps is challenging, one can fathom how seriously difficult it was to carry a jerrycan of oil, weighing about 40-45 kgs, up the slope of ice wall of 60 to 65 degrees, on a rope, at night. It was only possible because of the dogged determination and the toughness of our valiant troops.
Here, lifeline of the Glacier must be mentioned—it’s kerosene oil. K.oil is the only item which does not freeze at the glacier temperatures. It’s one item, which is needed for everything, from heating blue ice to make water, to preparing food or to warming water for the feet.
Under these weather conditions, with no replenishment, to survive, we had to limit consumption of rations. We later restricted ourselves to having just one meal a day, and that too only one spoon of rice. For about 45 days the weather did not clear. And the rations, especially the lifeline-k.oil was running out. My Post was on the last jerrycan of k.oil.
Everyone in the Base Camp, including my Commanding Officer, was aware of this challenging situation. Though physically nothing could be done, but, their moral support, which indeed counts a lot, was with us, which strengthened our determination.
Under this white-out and totally cut off conditions, one needs to appreciate what it was like. Rations running out, no replenishment possible, restricted to the small space of the Post for such a long period in vast whiteness and the enemy threat. But it was essential to keep everyone’s spirits high and never to talk about the condition except some jokes. It was entirely due to the inherent strength of the Indian soldier and our comradeship, that we emerged successful. After all, to complete one’s operational tasks, one has to be alive first.
At this stage, one of my officers from a forward post, with three men, braved the blizzard at serious personal risk, brought us one jerrycan of k.oil, which saved us.
During this white-out conditions we faced another challenge. One of my men, was evacuated from another location to my Post, suffering from HAPO. I had a medical officer with me, who used to live in my tent, and we kept the soldier also in my tent, and we looked after him with whatever we could do. But tragically, the soldier did not survive.We could not send his mortal remains down to Base Camp for the last rites, as the weather was still packed. In true tradition of the Indian Army, where we honour our fallen heroes, we respectfully kept his mortal remains with us for 18 days, next to my tent.
Since a lot of dis-orientation and hallucination takes place in these areas, we had to hold ourselves together through prayers and good thoughts to meet the challenge. And my brave men never gave up and we held together. In the labyrinth of prevailing thoughts, we managed to remain focused on survival and completion of given tasks.
After about 45 days when the weather cleared, and I was to send the patrol down to Post 2 to bring up rations, on popular request we decided to bring our personal letters first, which had accumulated. On that day, I received 25 letters from my wife. And I didn’t read them all in a go, but enjoyed one or two letters everyday for next few days.
Those days can never be forgotten. Even after 35 years, the men who were with me, call me or invariably meet at our Battalion Raising Days or weddings etc and share jokes and good thoughts. It’s a lifelong bond which only our Army and Regiments can provide.
Conclusion
To conclude I wish to mention that what I have narrated is not only an experience of one person or a group of soldiers. It’s the saga of every Indian soldier—the grit, determination, and bravery displayed.
While some stories emerge, majority of them don’t, and our soldiers quietly and without fanfare do what the country expects of them. Amongst the stories untold are also the sacrifices and the challenges that every Fauji family, the wives and the children, face, to make us successful.
It’s a tribute to the Indian Soldier and the families.
