Page 270 - Leadership in the Indian Army

Gorkha Rifles had been removed in February 1956, and Major P.J.
Heffernon, the second-in-command, was officiating, till Sagat assumed
command in April 1956. The battalion was still in Dharamsala, and Sagat

set about improving the standard of training and the morale of the troops in
right earnest. As a result, the battalion performed exceedingly well and won
the divisional competitions in football, boxing and skill-at-arms. During an
exercise, while performing the role of an Advance Guard, it moved at such
a blistering pace that the Corps Commander, Lieutenant General (later
General) J.N. Chaudhury commented: ‘The rate of advance by the Advance
Guard was so rapid that it could not be accepted as normal for planning

purposes.’
An interesting incident that occurred during Sagat’s command relates to

the khud race. * 3 Sikh was located nearby, and there was great rivalry
between the two battalions in games and sports. One day, the CO of the
Sikhs remarked that his boys could outpace the Gorkhas anytime, and
challenged them to a khud race. He had probably said it a joke, but Sagat

took the challenge seriously. He invited the Corps Commander and the
Divisional and Brigade Commanders to the race, at which Justice G.D.
Khosla of the Punjab High Court was also present. When the Gorkhas won
the race, the Corps Commander said: ‘Well, there is no doubt as to who is
superior up and down the hills.’ Justice Khosla, for whom it was a unique
experience, remarked: ‘It is the most thrilling sport I have ever seen. To see
a Gorkha coming down the hill is a pleasure indeed.’

The battalion moved in August 1957 to an operational area in the Poonch
sector, in Jammu and Kashmir. In November 1957, Sagat handed over
command of 3/3 Gorkha Rifles to Lieutenant Colonel P. Raghavan and
proceeded to the Infantry School, where he had been posted as a Senior
Instructor. After about a year in this capacity, Sagat was appointed GSO 1
of the Training Team. He was now responsible for the preparation of the

training materials that were used for instruction. This involved the revision
of outdoor as well as indoor exercises and updating the syllabus to
incorporate new concepts and tactical doctrine. In 1959, he was promoted
Colonel and posted to Delhi as Deputy Director, Personnel Services, in the
Adjutant General’s Branch at Army HQ. He now had to deal with a large
number of subjects, such as salaries, pension, ceremonials, welfare, and
terms and conditions of service. He replaced Colonel (later Major General)

D.K. ‘Monty’ Palit, who was promoted and given command of a brigade.