Page 263 - Leadership in the Indian Army

popular, and his supersession would have had wide-ranging repercussions.
So they adopted another ploy. Due to the extension granted to Manekshaw,
Bewoor’s tenure had been reduced, and he had been Chief just for a year-

and-a-half. To compensate him, it was decided that he should be given a
year’s extension. This would have the added advantage of ensuring that
Prem would retire as a Lieutenant General without technically being
superseded.
When this was announced, there was consternation in army circles. For
Prem, it was a mortal blow, but like a good soldier, he did not utter a word.
There were many who felt that if Bewoor had refused the extension, he

would have considerably enhanced his stature, both within and outside the
service. What is more, he would have thwarted an attempt by politicians
and bureaucrats to play around with senior-level appointments in the army.
It may be recalled that earlier attempts to interfere with top-level
promotions had been scuttled by the army by virtue of the esprit de corps
and camaraderie that prevailed among senior officers. Both Nathu Singh

and Rajendra Sinhji had refused the appointment of C-in-C when it was
offered to them, on the grounds that Cariappa was their senior, thus paving
the way for his promotion.
In July 1974, Prem accepted the chairmanship of the Damodar Valley
Corporation (DVC). True to his word, he did not resign, but proceeded on
his new assignment as a serving officer. With his characteristic vigour and
no-nonsense approach, he got the sluggish behemoth moving, and soon the

results were there for all to see. From 45 MW in August 1974, the
production rose to 700 MW by October 1974, an increase of more than 15
times in just two months. During the 10 months that Prem was at DVC,
production increased twenty-fold, and he became the toast not only of
Calcutta, but the whole of West Bengal. To begin with, the bureaucrats at
DVC had been skeptical about an army officer with no previous experience

being able manage such a large organisation; but Prem Bhagat’s
achievements soon turned them all into his most ardent admirers.
On his very first visit to the office, he insisted on meeting all the staff.
When he shook hands with an old junior employee, the man had tears in his
eyes. When Prem asked him why he was crying, he replied that this was the
first time he had seen the face of the Chairman, let alone shake hands with
him. Very soon, Prem was visiting not only the power plants, but also the

houses where the employees lived. Soon, his arrival at the family quarters