Flights Of Fantasy
[ M Panging Pao ]
Can an Olympics gold medallist be a war hero also? One such rarest of rare combination is Lieutenant Colonel Haripal Kaushik. He became a war hero during the 1962 Sino-India conflict, wherein Chinese forces entered deep into Arunachal Pradesh along many axes, like Taksing-Limeking, Mechukha/Manigong-Tato, Gelling-Tuting, and the Kibithoo-Walong axes and the main Tawang-Bomdila-Rupa axis.
Born on 2 February, 1934, in Jalandhar, Punjab, Haripal Kaushik was an excellent hockey player. He represented India in the 1956 Melbourne Olympics as the vice captain of the Indian hockey team and won the gold medal. After becoming an Olympics gold medallist, he joined the 1st Sikh Regiment of the Indian Army as an officer in 1959. Even after joining the Army he represented India in the 1960 Rome Olympics and won the silver medal.
Lieutenant Haripal Kaushik and his unit were deployed in Bumla area, north of Tawang in Arunachal during the Sino-India war of 1962. Lt Kaushak was commanding a company holding the Tongpengla position along the Sino-India border. At 5 am on 23 October, 1962, the Chinese started attacking with a regiment on the Bumla axis with the intention of breaking through to Tawang. His company’s position was first attacked by a Chinese battalion, but the attack was repulsed, with heavy losses, by his forward platoon.
After the fall of the forward platoon, a second enemy battalion attacked on a wide front, trying to overrun the company position. Lt Kaushik moved from one section position to another under enemy fire, encouraging his troops. He was a source of inspiration to his men, who continued to fight with great determination under his leadership.
Eventually, when under heavy enemy pressure, he was ordered to withdraw. He handled the withdrawal skillfully and managed to pull out all his personnel and weapons, including heavy mortars and medium machine guns.
Throughout the battle, Lt Haripal Kaushik displayed the highest sense of duty, leadership and courage in the best traditions of the Army. For his exceptional courage, tenacity and gallantry during the war, Lt Haripal Kaushik was awarded the third highest gallantry award of the nation, the Vir Chakra. After the war, he rose to the rank of lieutenant colonel.
Post war, Lt Col Haripal Kaushik kept playing hockey at the highest levels. He played for India in hockey in the 1964 Tokyo Olympics and won another gold medal. Thereafter, he won a gold medal during the 1966 Asian Games, and was awarded the Arjuna Award for excellence in sports in 1998. Later, after retirement, Lt Col Haripal Kaushik became a hockey administrator and television commentator.
Such was the versatility of Lt Col Haripal Kaushik that he was a decorated war hero (Vir Chakra), double Olympics gold medallist, Asian games gold medallist and an Arjuna awardee. Salute to Lt Col Haripal Kaushik! (The contributor is retired Group Captain, Indian Air Force)
