Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman, who is back in his squadron in Srinagar, is most likely to return to a fighter cockpit any time soon following the final clearance by the Bengaluru-based Institute of Aerospace Medicine (IAM). The 35-year-old IAF officer is all set to undergo a series of tests in the coming weeks, two IAF officials said on the condition of anonymity, according to a Hindustan Times report. Wing Commander Varthaman created history in military aviation by shooting down a Pakistani F-16 during a dogfight with the Pakistan Air Force on February 27, moments before his MiG-21 Bison was hit by an enemy missile forcing him to eject. Experts have hailed it as the first ever kill of an F-16 by a MiG-21 Bison, fighter jets of two different generations. He could be recommended for a Vir Chakra, India’s third-highest war-time gallantry award, the report said.
UPDATE: Indian Air Force transfers Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman out of the Srinagar airbase amid concerns over his security in Kashmir valley. Officer posted to an important airbase in the Western sector.
Indian Air Force transfers Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman out of the Srinagar airbase amid concerns over his security in Kashmir valley. Officer posted to an important airbase in the Western sector. (File pic) pic.twitter.com/RWnlPfR4jV
Lt. Anurag Shukla followed the Chetwode credo that he has learned during his military training. First, the safety, honour and welfare of your country come first, always and every time Second, the honour, welfare and comfort of the men you command come next. Third, your own ease, comfort and safety come last, always and every time. During an Army exercise in Karanpur area in Ganganagar district, a young officer martyred while trying to save a drowning jawan, police said on Friday. While the jawan is said to be serious and is undergoing treatment at a local hospital, Police have kept the body of the 24-year-old Lieutenant-rank officer at the Karanpur mortuary. The Army has ordered a probe into the matter. Lt Anurag Shukla martyred while rescuing drowning men during an Army exercise. He was a resident of Ranchi, Jharkhand. Soldier Shrawanjeet Singh, a resident of Bagar in Punjab is undergoing treatment.
“A war is won, not by dying for one’s country but by making the enemy die for their’s” – Gen. George S. Patton. India and Pakistan relations have been strained and complicated since 1947. Needless to say, the various events since, have only complicated it further. Let’s summarize the happenings of the 4 wars and recognize the sacrifices made, to make up for the unscrupulous deeds of a rogue nation.
The Indo-Pak war of 1947 or The First Kashmir War
The first war fought between India and Pakistan started in August 1947. After independence from the British, states were given choices of joining either India or Pakistan. Kashmir was ruled by Maharaja Hari Singh but consisted the majority of the Muslim population. Hari Singh decided to stay independent instead of joining either of the countries. This decision backfired after Pakistan launched Operation Gulmarg.
According to this operation, 1000 Pashtuns in groups of 20 each would cross into J&K and attack the valley by teaming up with the rebels. The first attacks took place at Thorar and Muzaffarabad(now in PoK). The destruction caused by the tribals made Hari Singh accede Kashmir to India in return for armed assistance. Airlifted troops of the Sikh regiment recaptured areas up to Poonch and Uri. The invaders supported by the Pakistani army continued abducting and looting the citizens of the territories. The year-long battle came to an end with the UN declaring a cease-fire line which gave two-thirds of Kashmir to India and one-third to Pakistan. Hence, India in the first war with Pakistan was considered victorious for defending two-thirds of the region.
The India-Pakistan War of 1965
Between August and September 1965, Pakistan launched Operation Gibraltar which planned on infiltrating 33,000 Pakistani troops into India. They were convinced that the Kashmiri populace would be discontented with Indian rule. To give a befitting reply, Indian troops crossed the international border thereby officially beginning the war. The 3 Jat regiment played a major role in capturing Dograi which was roughly 1 km from Lahore. It is considered one of the bloodiest clashes in India’s military history. Pakistan’s move to capture Amritsar, by moving towards Khem Kharan resulted in Battle of “Asal Uttar” where 97 Pakistani tanks were destroyed. The result was both countries capturing the territory of the other. Being the largest tank battle after WWII, 128 Indian and 150 Pakistani tanks were destroyed.
Since independence, it was the first time the IAF and PAF were involved in combat. Pakistan airdropped SSG commandos into India but only 25 returned with some being killed and others, taken prisoners. By the end, India had approximately 3000 casualties while Pakistan suffered in 3800. The war came to an end after the US and the Soviet Union intervened. Indian and Pakistani Prime Ministers signed the Tashkent Agreement agreeing to withdraw troops by 25th February. The end didn’t see a victory, rather a ceasefire. However, Pakistan narrated to their citizens, fabricated stories of their own victory as usual.
The India-Pakistan War of 1971
The third war unlike the previous two was not fought in or for Kashmir. The first Pakistan elections saw the Awami League lead by a Bengali, coming to power. This didn’t go down well because the cultures of two lands miles apart were strikingly different. To overcome the increased power play by Bengalis, West Pakistan launched Operation Searchlight. East Pakistan saw excessive military deployment and those who stood against West were massacred or arrested including the elected leader Sheikh Mujibur Rehman. The increased violence resulted in the creation of Mukti Bahini. India came into play when it received a high influx(approximately 10 Million) of East Pakistani’s fleeing to India.
With the increased burden on the already failing economy, the then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi felt it was feasible to go to war against West Pakistan. Field Marshal Sam Manekshaw (then COAS General Sam Manekshaw) set out conditions for the war that Indira Gandhi readily agreed to. The PAF’s air strikes in various locations in India was seen as an official declaration of war on December 4. IAF retaliated, while Indian Navy too had done their part. Mukti Bahini supporters were secretly trained by India through Operation Jackpot. The war ended with the largest surrender since WWII, by the Pakistan Eastern Command to the Eastern Command of India. It consisted of 90,000 troops and the instrument of surrender was signed between Lt Gen Jagjit Singh and Lt Gen A.A. Niazi on 16th December 1971.
The India-Pakistan War of 1999 or Kargil War
The winter sees abandoned posts on the Indian and Pakistani side due to severe weather conditions. Pakistan began reoccupying the posts in February 1999, along with a few Indian posts. Local shepherd tipped off the suspected movement of armed men in Kargil. The capture, torture and brutal murder of a patrol team lead by Captain Saurabh Kalia lead to the discovery of well-defended enemy posts on hills deep inside the Indian side of LoC. Thus was launched “Operation Vijay”.
Military mobilisation in Kargil-Dras sectors reached 30,000 in number. Pakistan had the advantage of higher terrains while strategically crucial locations like the National Highway was under direct fire. This turned out to be the first priority and hence capturing Tiger Hill and Tololing was a major advantage for the army. Majority of ridges was captured back by the army within two months of the conflict. By July 1999, Pakistan sought international support but was rejected. The U.S urged Pakistan to remove all troops from the Indian side of LoC. The war came to a halt on 26th July (celebrated today as Kargil Vijay Diwas).
The sour history shared by the two countries don’t seem to come to a halt as Pakistan still continues its infiltration and other operations covertly through state-sponsored terror outfits and another medium. Despite all the trouble from certain neighbour’s of ours, we, Indians are still strong as ever and will continue to fight for our country.
IMPORTANT – Download eBooks for SSB Interview Preparations
IN Ships Kolkata and Shakti are scheduled to arrive Qingdao, China on 21 Apr 19 to participate in the International Fleet Review as part of 70TH Anniversary celebrations of PLA (Navy). International Fleet Review (IFR) is a parade of naval ships, aircraft and submarines, and is organised by nations to promote goodwill, strengthen cooperation and showcase their organisational capabilities. IFR also serves as an ideal platform for world’s navies to showcase their prowess and indigenous ship designing and ship building capabilities in a global/ international arena. The second IFR conducted by India off Visakhapatnam in Feb 2016 saw overwhelming participation of 50 navies with nearly 100 warships. The Indian Navy would be represented in the IFR at Qingdao by indigenously built stealth guided missile destroyer INS Kolkata and fleet support ship INS Shakti. INS Kolkata is equipped with state-of-the-art weapons and sensors to address threats in all dimensions of naval warfare. INS Shakti, a replenishment ship, is one of the largest tankers displacing over 27,000 tonnes and capable of carrying 15,000 tonnes of liquid cargo and over 500 tonnes of solid cargo including victuals and ammunition. The visit of Indian Navy’s most potent destroyer and versatile fleet support ship showcases India’s prowess, reach and sustainability in addition to indigenous ship building capability.
The harbour stay of IN Ships will be marked by interaction between personnel of participating navies, courtesy calls to various dignitaries of PLA (N) and Government officials, professional exchanges and various sporting events. Ships will be opened for visits by PLA (Navy) personnel and local populace to showcase Indian Navy’s prowess and India’s ship building capability. The ships are likely to sail in the evening of 22 APRIL to participate in the Naval Parade of ships scheduled to be reviewed by the Chinese President Xi Jinping on 23 April.
The Service Selection Board (SSB) tests the overall personality of an individual. Thus, one should be prepared to face questions that pertain to their respective area of studies. Since there are many entries in the technical field for both men and women such as UES and TGC, it is imperative to be brushed up on your technical knowledge. The Interviewing Officer expects an engineering student to know well about his/her area of expertise. The following are a collection of questions from each branch that have been asked in SSB and some that are basic questions that each candidate must study and go for SSB. Do not mug up the answers! Learn the concepts so that any questions in and around the subject can also be answered by you.
The reply of Uri terror attack was a befitting one from the brave men of Indian Army. There are brave men, then there comes the bravest of brave. When 4 Jaish-e-Mohammad terrorists attacked the Army’s 12th Brigade in Uri sector on September 18, as many as 19 Indian soldiers lost their lives. Sixteen of those soldiers belonged to 6 Bihar, while three belonged to 10 Dogra. The following surgical strike was conducted by the Para units in which the troops included the crack Ghatak platoons of the very same 6 Bihar and 10 Dogra battalions in a flanking role for the attack on enemy territory. One of the objectives of Ghatak platoon of these units was to accompany the Special Forces and ensure a sense of revenge is achieved by these units.
Ghatak are specialized elite infantry platoons within Indian Army units. Their primary role and purpose is to be heavily armed spearheads or shock troopers in case of an operation or a conflict.
They are composed of the most physically fit and motivated soldiers in an infantry battalion. With their main role as the shock troopers within the battalion they are trained to flank around their enemy and attack them from the rear without needing any support from the rest of the battalion.
We can say they’re first unit to attack in any war.
Role of Ghatak Platoon
They can undertake direct raids on enemy artillery positions, air fields, supply dumps and headquarters and can also direct artillery and air attacks while behind the enemy lines.
They are also trained in heliborne assault , mountain warfare , rock climbing , demolitions, close quarter battles , and also in administrative and logistical roles.
Composition of Ghatak Platoon
A Ghatak Platoon is usually 20-men strong, consisting of a commanding Captain, 2 non-commissioned officers and some special teams like marksman and spotter pairs, light machine gunners, medic and radio operator. The remaining soldiers act as assault troopers.
To train them for their purpose they undergo training at Commando Training Course in Belgaum, Karnataka where the soldiers are evaluated through speed marches in battle gear ranging from 20 to 60 km, carrying their rifles and 20 kg of weight in their rucksacks.
They are armed with INSAS Assault Rifles , AKM Assault Rifles , Pika General Purpose Machine Gun , M4 Carbine , B&T MP9 Submachine Gun , TAR-21 Assault Rifles , Carl Gustav Recoil-Less Rifle , SVD Dragunov Sniper Rifle , MP5 Submachine Gun and INSAS Light Machine Guns. Depending on the mission, they may carry other items like ropes, climbing gear, grenades, rocket launchers, laser target designators and night vision equipment.
Special Forces vs Ghatak Platoons
One thing to note is that they are not a special operations force nor a Special Forces unit like Para SF of the army.
Unlike the Paras, Ghataks do not have to go through the rigorous probation plus they may not be tasked with specific SF tasks like sabotage, foreign internal defense, Counter Terrorism/CQB, LRRP(long range reconnaissance patrols).
Further, Ghataks lacks extra qualifications that is needed by SF like HALO/HAHO, Combat divers(both essential for infiltration), demolitions, signal courses which are conducted only for SF at the SFTS(Special Forces Training School).
Famous Ghatak Commandos:
Grenadier Yogendra Singh Yadav of 18 Grenadiers (Param Vir Chakra)
The 11 member ‘Himalayan Heights Motorcycle Expedition’ which was flagged off from Karu (Leh) on 07 April 2019 traversed the challenging terrain of Eastern Ladakh, across the Chang La pass and has reached the mighty ‘Karakoram Pass’ situated at an altitude of 18,176 feet on the Karakoram Ranges on 16 April 2019. The joint Motorcycle Expedition which comprises six Indian Army personnel from the Army Service Corps, four from Royal Enfield and one from Himalayan Motorsports Association is being undertaken in the year when the Fire & Fury Corps is celebrating 20th Anniversary of Kargil Vijay Diwas, which marks the victory of the Indian Armed Forces over Pakistan in 1999. This unprecedented feat over hazardous and unforgiving terrain with temperatures as low as -40C coupled with freezing winds, is a remarkable tribute to the immortal courage and bravery of the Indian Army. In a rare gesture of encouragement for the expedition members, Lt Gen YK Joshi, General Officer Commanding, Fire and Fury Corps reached the Karakoram Pass to meet and motivate the riders.
Speaking on the occasion, Lt Gen YK Joshi lauded the efforts of the team especially the two Women Officers from the Army Service Corps and the woman member of the Royal Enfield team who proved equal in strength, skill and spirit to the other members.
The Ladakh region was witness to the unparalleled valour, indomitable courage and immortal tales of sacrifice during the Kargil War in 1999. The Himalayan Heights Expedition undertaken by the Army Service Corps, Royal Enfield and Himalayan Motorsports Association demands similar attributes and is a salute to ‘Remember, Rejoice & Renew’ the spirit of fortitude, bravery and adventure of the Indian Army.
On the basis of the results of the COMBINED DEFENCE SERVICES EXAMINATION (I), 2019 held by the Union Public Service Commission on 3rd February, 2019,7953 candidates with the following Roll Numbers (with names) have qualified for being interviewed by the Service Selection Board of the Ministry of Defence, for admission to (i) Indian Military Academy, Dehradun 148th Course commencing in January, 2020 (ii) Indian Naval Academy, Ezhimala, Kerala, Course commencing in January, 2020 (iii) Air Force Academy, Hyderabad (Pre-Flying) Training Course (207 F(P)) commencing in January, 2020 (iv) Officers Training Academy, Chennai 111th SSC Course (NT)(for Men) commencing in April, 2020 and (v) Officers Training Academy, Chennai, 25th SSC Women (Non-Technical) Course commencing in April, 2020.
The candidature of all the candidates, whose Roll Numbers (with names) are shown in the lists below, is provisional. In accordance with the conditions of the admission to the examination, they are required to submit the original certificates in support of age (Date of Birth), educational qualifications, NCC (C) (Army Wing/Senior Division Air Wing/Naval Wing) etc. claimed by them along with attested copies thereof, to Army Headquarters, A.G.’s Branch/Rtg./CDSE Entry Section for males and SSC Women Entry Section for women candidates, West Block-III, Ground Floor, Wing 1, R.K. Puram, New Delhi-110066 in case of IMA/SSC as their first choice and to IHQ of MoD (Navy), DMPR (OI &R Section), Room No. 204, ‘C’-Wing, Sena Bhawan, New Delhi110011 in case of Navy as their first choice, and to PO 3 (A) Air Headquarters, ‘J’ Block, Room No. 17, Opp. Vayu Bhawan, Motilal Nehru Marg, New Delhi-110011 in case of Air Force as their first choice. The original Certificates are to be submitted within two weeks of completion of the SSB Interview and not later than 13th November 2019 for AFA and not later than 01st January 2020 for IMA and not later than 01st January 2020 for admission to NA (1st April 2020 in case of SSC only). The candidates must not send the original Certificates to the Union Public Service Commission.
All the candidates who have successfully qualified in the written exam are required to register themselves online on the Indian Army Recruiting website joinindianarmy.nic.in within two weeks of announcement of written result. The successful candidates would then be allotted Selection Centres and dates, of SSB interview which shall be communicated on the registered email ID. Any candidate who has already registered earlier on the site will not be required to do so. In case of any query/Login problem, e-mail be forwarded to [email protected].
In case, there is any change of address, the candidates are advised to promptly intimate directly to the Army Headquarters/Naval Headquarters/Air Headquarters as the case may be. The Union Public Service Commission have a Facilitation Counter near Examination Hall Building in its Campus. Candidates may obtain any information/clarification regarding this examination on working days between 10.00 AM to 5.00 PM, in person or over telephone No.011- 23385271, 011-23381125 and 011-23098543 from this Facilitation Counter. Candidates can also obtain information regarding their result by accessing UPSC website http://www.upsc.gov.in. The marks-sheet of candidates who have not qualified, will be put on the Commission’s website within 15 days from the date of publication of the final result of OTA (after conducting SSB Interview) and will remain available on the website for a period of 30 days.
Update on 17 April 2019: AFCAT 01/2019 Supplementary Exam for the candidates who could not appear at examination centres in Jammu on 16 & 17 Feb 19 (where the exam was cancelled due to curfew) is scheduled on 29th & 30th April 2019. Admit cards are being e-mailed to the concerned candidates. Due to the imposition of Curfew in Jammu city and the associated difficulties faced by candidates, the Online AFCAT scheduled on 17 Feb 2019 at examination centres located in Jammu city has been called off. The Revised date for all the candidates called for examination on 17 Feb 2019 at centres located in Jammu city (Exam centre code 222, 223, 224 & 225) and for those candidates who could not appear on 16 Feb 2019 at their centres is updated. AFCAT 01/2019 Supplementary Exam for the candidates who could not appear at examination centres in Jammu on 16 & 17 Feb 19 (where the exam was cancelled due to curfew) is scheduled on 29th & 30th April 2019. Admit cards are being e-mailed to the concerned candidates.
AFSB and venue selection for candidates who have qualified afcat 01/2019 is now opened. Candidates may login to their account and choose afsb date and venue. The link will be available till 12 mar 2019 23:59 hrs. Those who do not exercise their option will be alloted the same by system afterwards. Call letter is under revision and will be made available soon.
Internet is full of questions that are usually asked in the SSB interview and the follow-up answers are also on many websites. If you are going to prepare for the SSB interview then you would have to understand that the assessors at the SSB never judge you based on a fixed parameter that applies to all of the candidates. Each candidate that comes to the SSB has a different basic profile and background that varies in many aspects such as education, finance, family, type of city and opportunities. They are assessed on these parameters, their reaction and decisions in the past as well as in current life and on their own performance solely. SSB isn’t a typical examination in which you have to compete with other candidates and rather in this exam, you have to touch the bar that is expected from your profile. The interview technique as called “VAACHA” is among the core technique to assess a candidate and usually, an interview lasts between 45-60 minutes. Since, the interview technique focuses entirely on your current life, past decisions and achievements, future plans and of course, you are looked for the necessary OLQs. This way it becomes very important that you prepare for the interview in a streamlined way so that you can stick to your original plan. Any deviation in the form of questions, for which you aren’t prepared for, will make you nervous or will ask for unwarranted and divided attention.
I guess we don’t want that to happen and that’s why we will discuss some points that will elaborate you about the appropriate ways in which you can take your SSB interview preparation. These points are the usual points that most of the candidates failed to keep in track and their interview preparation usually go haywire as they prepare in a zigzag manner. Any preparation for an exam requires a detailed strategy and for that, you need to work upon that in a systematic manner. The detailed and elaborated interview technique in the SSB is unlike any other interview where you are tested for your skills but here you are tested for your personality.
Make a timeline of your life events:
We all are aware that the interview is all about our events and decisions in our life that has taken place and our future decisions that we will take based on our past experiences. Now, to gather complete information about yourself, you are required to note down all the major events of your life and concerned decisions affecting your future choices in a place. Starting from your class 10th result followed by the stream selection, class 12th result, results in competitive examinations, type of college allotted, branch or stream selection, placement or no placement, job profile, further competitive exams if any etc., should be kept at one place as umpteen number of questions will come out of your single decision made by you in the past. Sit at one place and think about these events and you will find that there will be a reason behind each one of them that will answer the questions of the interviewer such as what, why, when, how and where.
Make a list of your achievements in concerning fields:
Since you have noted down all of your life decisions and events at one place, this should be followed by assessing all of your achievements in the fields of academics, sports, CCA activities, positions of responsibilities that you have held in the past. Your current achievements in the recent past in your job or in competition examination life such as handling a big project or clearing a good examination for an esteemed post in any department should also be highlighted. The logic behind writing down these achievements is to boost your confidence as well as showcasing your credibility in front of the interviewer. Since the armed forces hold an “old school” and “traditional” thought process that’s why areas such as academics and sports are held in high regard. Your performance in these areas is evidence that you have been a good and sincere student and you can be trusted upon based on your previous consistent performances. They also need to see that if you can handle multiple things at once and that’s where your CCA activities involvements come into the picture as that ensure that this candidate doesn’t buckle under pressure and can handle many things simultaneously. Similarly, your performance at your workplace and competitive examinations tell about your seriousness regarding your future and current decisions and how well you are aware of the basics of your profile.
Raise questions from your decisions and satisfy yourself:
As stated in the earlier point, you should be able to raise questions from every major life event and achievements of yours as it will help you in realizing the true reasons that you can tell the interviewer. What, why, how, when and where are the basic five questions that arise out of everything that you will mention in front of the interviewer. For example, if you will tell him that you have chosen the science stream after your class 10th then the follow up question will be about the reasons for your decision, the results you got from your decision, future implications if thought any and their sustainability along with other minor evaluations that will be drawn from that single decision of yours. Remember, the interviewer, however friendly he may seem, is there to unveil the mask that you are trying to put on and that’s why it is suggested to not put any. The answers pertaining to every decision of yours must satisfy you in the first place because if you can’t convince yourself about the reasons for your decisions then how can you convince a man whom you have just met.
Introspect and improvise:
Now, that you have arranged all the relevant questions in a place, try to seek their answers in a systematic manner. You won’t get right answers in the first time as you know yourself just as the next person knows you because in a daily routine we don’t emphasize on knowing ourselves in the manner SSB want us to. You will have to put a lot of time and efforts to write down the answers to the questions with the help of your friends, teachers, colleagues and family. The collective responses by these people can help you in determining your qualities that you are unknown about as well as your weaknesses that you don’t want to admit. With the time, you will start getting the answers in the right manner as your mind will adapt to the responses and it will carve out the necessary information suitable for the interviewer to know about you. This sort of improvisation will help you in the long run and it comes based on your previous attempts or with the gradual understanding of your nature and behaviour.
Don’t mask the weaknesses rather work on them:
It is evident that we all have weaknesses and strengths while many of us are aware of them, some of us aren’t aware of these. When I was going to give my first SSB, I sat down to explore myself and it was very shocking for me to not even know the basic questions about my personality i.e., my strengths and weaknesses. With time and growing attempts, I came to know about them in the context of SSB and life but it will help you if you work upon them in advance. Usually, when we first note down our strengths and weaknesses then they are superficial and sounds vague but when we explore more, we tend to realize the hidden meanings and patterns behind them. After sorting out these points, you should focus on them in an individual manner. People, often, hide their weaknesses and think that it will leave a negative impact on the interviewer but they don’t realize that every human have weaknesses and the crucial thing is that whether you are trying to turn them into your strengths or not. You don’t have to mask your weaknesses and should rather work upon them as the interviewer wants to know what you are doing to eliminate your weaknesses.
These points hold a deeper meaning when seen in the context of the SSB interview technique as most of us focus only on the questions and not on the motives and underlying meaning behind these questions. All the questions that are asked from us are pertaining to our life and that way the interviewer can know a lot about our qualities. Some points are remaining that will help you in covering up other elements of the interview preparation and will be posted in the next article of the same topic.
