Page 316 - Leadership in the Indian Army

On the night of 20/21 September, 6 Dogra launched their attack and the
forward companies managed to capture their objectives. But the enemy
brought down effective artillery fire, causing some disorganisation, and

Bakshi ordered a company of 19 Punjab to pitch in. This was on of the most
expensive battles of the campaign, with three officers losing their lives—
Major Lalli of 6 Dogra, Major Ranbir of 19 Punjab, and the artillery FOO
from 164 Field Regiment. In addition, one JCO and 32 OR were also killed.
The list of wounded included five officers, three JCOs and 80 OR.
By this time, Pakistan had launched a full-scale attack, code-named
GRAND SLAM, in the Chhamb-Akhnur sector, and the conflict between

India and Pakistan had escalated into a full-scale war. The focus shifted to
the plains of the Punjab, where the decisive battles of the 1965 war were
fought. On 23 September, a ceasefire was declared after a resolution in the
UN Security Council, and hostilities came to an end. As a result of the
agreement signed in Tashkent between President Ayub Khan of Pakistan
and Prime Minister Lal Bahadur Shastri of India, troops of both countries

had to withdraw to positions held by them before 5 August 1965. For the
second time, Hajipir pass, captured at great cost, was returned to Pakistan.
In March 1967, Bakshi was posted as Brigadier General Staff, HQ Eastern
Command, in Calcutta. Lieutenant General Sam Manekshaw was the Army
Commander, and he found Bakshi to be a pragmatic, efficient and
competent staff officer. At that time, Eastern Command was engaged in
building up defences in the North-east, which had become the Indian

Army’s top priority after the debacle of 1962. The situation in the Naga and
Mizo Hills had also begun to deteriorate, and this too required deft
handling. Bakshi did not stay in Eastern Command for very long. In
December 1967, he was selected to do the course at the Imperial Defence
College, London. This was a prestigious course, on which only highly rated
officers of the rank of brigadier were sent. He stayed in London for a year

and qualified on the course with distinction. The Imperial Defence College
has now been renamed the Royal College of Defence Studies, and one
Indian officer is still nominated on the course, even though India now has
its own institution of the same level, called the National Defence College,
in Delhi.
On his return from England in February 1969, Bakshi was posted to the
Military Training Directorate at Army Headquarters. In June 1969, he was

promoted Major General and appointed GOC 8 Mountain Division in