Indian Army Chief Honours Lieutenant General P.S. Bhagat at Memorial Lecture

The inaugural Lieutenant General P.S. Bhagat Memorial Lecture took place at the Manekshaw Centre, with Army Chief Manoj Pande praising Lieutenant General Bhagat as an exceptional professional and prolific writer. The event, organised by the United Service Institution of India (USI), focused on the Legacy of Lieutenant General Prem Bhagat - A Visionary and Strategic Leader. This lecture marked the establishment of the Lieutenant General P.S. Bhagat Memorial Chair of Excellence at USI, announced by General Pande on 14 October.

Former Army Chief General (Retd) V.P. Malik delivered a keynote address during the lecture, sharing insightful anecdotes from Lieutenant General Bhagat's remarkable journey, starting from his early days as a second lieutenant to his tenure as Chairman of the Damodar Valley Corporation (DVC), stated the defence ministry. The event was attended by General Pande, former Army chiefs General (Retd) V.N. Sharma and General (Retd) M.M. Naravane, along with veterans, serving officers, and civilians, who sought inspiration fromLieutenant General Bhagat's enduring legacy that has indelibly shaped the history of the Indian Army.

General Pande highlighted Lieutenant General P.S. Bhagat's exceptional contributions, stating, ‘Late Lieutenant General P.S. Bhagat, who served as the first General Officer Commanding-in-Chief of the re-raised Northern Command, was an outstanding professional and a prolific writer’. He also shared Lieutenant General Bhagat's extraordinary achievements, including being the first Indian soldier to be awarded the prestigious Victoria Cross in World War II for his unwavering determination in clearing minefields under enemy fire for 96 continuous hours, despite encountering mine explosions and sustaining injuries.

General Pande fondly mentioned another incident wherein Lieutenant General Bhagat, as an army commander in Lucknow in September 1971, saved the city by strategically using trucks loaded with stones and boulders to block the breach in the Gomti River. Local newspapers hailed him as ‘the saviour of Lucknow’ for his heroic efforts.

The next edition of the Lieutenant General P.S. Bhagat Memorial Lecture is scheduled for April 2024, with Lieutenant General (Retd) K.T. Parnaik, Governor of Arunachal Pradesh, having consented to deliver the keynote address. The event promises to be another opportunity to honour and commemorate the legacy of this esteemed military leader.