Amity University conducts a Virtual Seminar to Commemorate the Golden Jubilee Celebrations of the Indian Victory in 1971 Indo-Pak War

New Delhi: Amity University conducted a significant, ‘Student Centric’ virtual Seminar to commemorate the Golden Jubilee Celebrations of the Indian Victory in 1971 Indo-Pak War on the Western & Eastern Front, under the dynamic stewardship of Dr Ashok K. Chauhan, Founder President of Amity Education Group. The Online Seminar was planned with exactitude as a ‘Student Awareness’ Programme by Amity Institute of Defence & Strategic Studies (AIDSS) under its Director General, Lt Gen (Dr) SK Gadeock, AVSM (Retd). The Seminar was very well attended by the faculty and students from Amity Universities, former Chiefs of the Tri-Services, various dignitaries, senior veterans from the Armed Forces and other eminent citizenry from the NCR.

Delivering the Keynote Address, in perspective of the 1971 War, Chief Guest, General V. K. Singh, PVSM, AVSM, YSM, ADC (Retd), Hon’ble Minister of State in the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways & Ministry of Civil Aviation and Former Chief of the Army Staff, said, “The victory in 1971 despite all criticism is the biggest victory of the Indian Armed Forces history. No other nation has been able to show such a military success. We must note the unprecedented level of politico-military synergy in India’s history.”

Expressing pleasure on this occasion, Dr Ashok K. Chauhan, Founder President, Amity Education Group, said, “Amity has a mission to make India a “global Superpower”. People may raise questions but we should have faith in ourselves. The impeccable strategic thinking, planning and execution by the Indian Army is highly commendable and it is a joyous occasion for us as we celebrate this victory’s Golden Jubilee by conducting this informative virtual Seminar.” He welcomed the Chief Guest with great pride and thanked the CDS for accepting the invitation to address the Amity Faculty and student fraternity. He elucidated his magnificent vision with domain intellectualism in organising these Seminars with military oriented knowledge to benefit the students of all the Amity Universities in India and overseas.

Dr. (Prof.) Balvinder Shukla, Vice Chancellor, Amity University Uttar Pradesh, said, “We, as Indians, are proud of our victory of the Indo-Pak War. The Golden Jubilee Celebrations at Amity University are aimed to showcase the valour of our soldiers and strategies that were adopted during the War. She further said that the students must know how competitive intelligence was adopted to win this War, as well as how the three forces of teamwork, coordination, and cooperation worked in a masterly manner and take lessons from the victory.”

This was followed by an educative discourse on the ‘Battle in Hussainiwala Sector highlighting his Personal experiences’ by HE. Lt Gen KM Seth, PVSM, AVSM (Retd), former Governor Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh and Tripura. His Excellency Lt. Gen. KM Seth shared a critical account of Hussainiwala operation and valour of an Arty of Officer Capt Sharma as an eye witness to incident wherein the officer did not leave the post till it was brought down.

The Seminar comprised of three Panel Discussions, with the first Panel Discussion Chaired with the ‘Opening Remarks’ and ‘Overview of the Indo-Pak War on the Western Front’ by Lt Gen DS Hooda, PVSM, UYSM, AVSM, VSM** & Bar (Retd), Co-Founder Council of Strategic Defence Research (CSDR) and former GOC-in-C Northern Command, who presented a north to south account of operations and narrated how the grounds were gained in the northern part of J & K starting from Partapur Sector to Akhnoor. As Northern Army Commander his presentation was most educative, painting most vivid pictures of the operations.

Air Marshal Vinod Kumar Bhatia, PVSM, AVSM, VrC & Bar, Former AOC-in-C Central Air Command, AOC-in-C South Western Air Command and AOC-in-C Western Air Command, explained the deep attacks carried out along with air support given to the land forces on the western front. He gave an account of all the destructions caused to the Pakistan Forces including 26 kills of their fighter planes on the tarmacs.

Mr Shreyansh Aggarwal, Student and Ms. Sakshi Oza of Amity Institute of Defence & Strategic Studies (AIDSS) made presentations on the topics- ‘Advance to Dhaka over the River Meghna in the Eastern Front’ by Lt Gen Sagat Singh, PVSM, a Padma Bhushan awardee GOC 4 Corps and ‘Tangail Airdrop and 2 PARA Operations for Capture of Poongli Bridge over Jamuna River’, respectively. Two students shared their perceptions through very cogent presentations on the ‘Defence of Srinagar Airbase’ and action of Flying Officer Nirmaljit Singh Sekhon, PVC and ‘Battle of Basantar, Shakargarh Bulge’, with gallant actions of 2/Lt Arun Khetarpal, PVC.

The expert comments on ‘Air Operations conducted by the IAF on the Eastern Front’ were very lucidly shared by Air Marshal Bharat Kumar, PVSM, AVSM (Retd), Former AOC-in-C Southern Command and detailed account of the ‘Naval Operations conducted by the Indian Navy on the Eastern Front’ was covered in an interesting manner by Vice Admiral Anup Singh, AVSM, NSM (Retd), former FOC-in-C Eastern Naval Command followed by a Question Answer session.