–By Neeraj Rajput

From Infantry, he volunteered to join Para-SF, instead of his tenure in the comfortable office of South Block, he opted to fight the enemy during the Kargil war that too without ‘acclimatization’… receiving the title of ‘Colonel’ from his fellow soldiers while he still at the lower rank of Major… Such is the personality of ‘Rambo’ of the Indian Army. A real character, the story of which has been published in the form of a book by author Colonel Ashutosh Kale, himself a retired officer of the Indian Army.

Colonel Kale’s book has been included in ‘Hot New Release’ soon after its release. Who is this ‘Rambo’ after all? According to Colonel Kale, the ‘Rambo’ of his book is not a fictional character from Hollywood but a military officer who laid down life for the motherland around 25 years ago.

During his short 10 years of service in the Indian Army, he performed daring acts of bravery and real adventure that he was given the title of ‘Rambo’. The Kargil war (1999) ended only after the operation carried out by him. Due to his indomitable courage, sheer bravery, leadership in adverse circumstances and supreme sacrifice while fighting against the dreaded terrorists in Kashmir, he was posthumously awarded the nation’s biggest gallantry medal of peace time, ‘Ashok Chakra’.

Major Sudhir Kumar Walia is the ‘Rambo’ of Colonel Kale’s book. Major Walia, who joined the Jat Regiment of the Indian Army in 1988, immediately became a part of the IPKF i.e. India Sri Lanka Peace Keeping Force. But as soon as he returned from there, Major Walia applied to join the Para-SF Regiment and then he became a part of the elite ‘9 Para’. During his service in Para-SF, the Major (then Captain) was posted in Kashmir and was awarded the Sena Medal (Gallantry) for anti-terrorist operations.

During the Kargil war in June-July 1999, Major Walia was posted in South Block in the Capital Delhi as ADC to the then Army Chief, General Ved Prakash Malik (1997-2000). Colonel Kale in his book explains that being the ADC (Aide de Camp) to the Chief of Army Staff (Army Chief), Major Walia was getting all the information related to the Kargil war. In such a situation, sitting in the AC room of South Block, his blood started boiling. He wanted to go to Kargil and throw out Pakistani soldiers and infiltrators. In such a situation, Major Walia requested Army Chief General Malik to go to the battlefield. General Malik himself was surprised that at a time when the young officers and soldiers of the Indian Army were making supreme sacrifice to drive out the enemy from their soil, Major Walia himself was ready to risk his life.

When Major Walia got a chance to go to Kargil, he reached the high hills of Kargil to fight without acclimatization. After conquering Tiger Hill, it was very important to capture Zulu Top (5200 meters) of Mushkoh Valley Sector. Major Walia and his comrades accomplished this feat through ‘rock climbing’. Major Walia and his companions reached Zulu Top and drove the enemy out from Indian territory.

With the conquest of Zulu Top, India declared complete victory in the Kargil war and thus the war ended with Major Walia’s operation. When the war ended, Major Walia was asked why he did not go through the one-week training required to acclimatize for high altitude terrain and weather of Kargil. Major replied, ‘Child of the hill’ does not need this. Actually, Major Walia was originally a resident of Kangra district of Himachal Pradesh. In such a situation, there was no special need to acclimatize them for deployment in the mountains.

After the end of the Kargil war, Major Walia immediately went for deployment in Kashmir, where infiltrators coming from Pakistan and Afghanistan had started increasing terrorism in the valley. During deployment in Kashmir, due to Major Walia’s tactics, agility and intelligence, everyone in the army started calling him ‘Colonel’. However, at that time he was a Major rank officer.

In August 1999, when about 20 Afghan terrorists tried to infiltrate into the Hafruda forests of Kupwara (Kashmir), Major Walia along with his comrades was tasked to neutralise them. According to army records, Major Walia and his comrades had killed 09 terrorists. But during the gun-fight, Major Walia was hit by several bullets. Despite getting injuries, he remained at the operation site overseeing the gun-fight against the terrorists. He was ready to go to the hospital only after the operation was over. Major Walia was taken to the base hospital in Srinagar via helicopter but he died mid-air. For his bravery, indomitable courage and devotion to duty, the government posthumously awarded Ashok Chakra to Major Walia.

Colonel Kale gives a very precise answer on why Major Walia has been named ‘Rambo’ in his book. According to Colonel Kale, “The one who has anger of Parashuram, courage like Abhimanyu, determination like Arjun and understanding like Shri Ram is called Rambo.” Colonel Kale believes that all these qualities were ingrained in Major Walia. By writing this book ‘Rambo’ on the occasion of the silver jubilee year (25 years) of the Kargil war, Colonel Kale has paid a true tribute to Major Walia which will continue to inspire the coming generations. Last month (17th May), former Army Chief General Malik (retd) himself officially released the book published by ‘Srishti Publishers’ in Delhi.

Himself being an army veteran, Colonel Kale has done justice to the character of Major Walia. As such, he has included fine details of war and counter-insurgency operations. Even, the family details of Major Walia has been kept minimum emphasising more on his military (macho) character. This year, India is celebrating the silver jubilee of the Kargil war fought against Pakistan along the icy heights of Line of Control (LOC). The book is a befitting tribute to Major Walia as well as more than 500 brave-hearts who had made supreme sacrifice during Kargil war to regain the territory lost to Pakistan Army. 

The book reviewer is a Senior War Correspondent & Editor of Final Assault.

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