Page 265 - Leadership in the Indian Army

was allergic. During his 10-month stint at DVC, he had endeared himself to
everyone, and there was genuine grief at his passing among the workers as
well as their families. In fact, his name had become a household word in

Calcutta; thanks to him, Calcuttans had almost forgotten about power cuts.
Prem had written his last will and testament on 16 September 1968.
Characteristically, he ended with the following lines:

…Finally, I wish to thank officers and men of the Army for all the happiness that has been given
to me. I would place on record the happiness that I have derived from my family and my wife.

Prem’s biography, written by Mathew Thomas and Jasjit Mansingh, carries
a foreward by Sam Manekshaw, in which he wrote:

As a senior officer the characteristics I admired in him, both as a Staff Officer and Commander,
were his friendliness, outgoing and fun-loving attitude, his generosity, loyalty to his subordinates
and colleagues, his outspokenness, and that he did not mince his words. He was well read,
militarily sound and a thinker. I had considered him as my NATURAL SUCCESSOR as the
Army Chief, but then the Government must have felt it would be uncomfortable having two
successive strong Army Chiefs. SO THE ARMY MISSED A FIRST-RATE CHIEF.

Prem Bhagat is still remembered fondly, not only by all those served under
him, but even those who had met him only once. He was truly a soldiers’
general, who always had his feet firmly on the ground. He took enormous
risks, not for personal gain, but for the welfare of his troops. He did not
believe in regulations and red tape, and often cut through them like

bulldozer. He wanted to get things done quickly, and did not worry if he
trod on a few toes, especially those of the auditors. To his eternal glory, it
can be said that he lived by the maxim of Field Marshal Lord Chetwode,
and always kept the interests of the country uppermost, followed by those
of his men. His own were last, always and every time.