Lt Gen Harbaksh Singh cremated

NEW DELHI, NOV 15: ``In 1965 after winning the war against Pakistan, India was returning Pakistani territory. My father ordered that all ...

NEW DELHI, NOV 15: “In 1965 after winning the war against Pakistan, India was returning Pakistani territory. My father ordered that all mosques that had been damaged in shelling be repaired, repainted and offered prayers before handing them back.”

This is how Harmala Gupta, daughter of Lieutenant General Harbaksh Singh, former Army commander western command, who passed away on Sunday remembers him. He was 85. As the bugles sounded the Last Post, the mortal remains of Lt Gen Harbaksh Singh were consigned to flames with full military honours at the Brar square cremation ground on Monday. The pyre was lit by his elder son-in-law Dipankar Gupta. General Singh is survived by his wife and two daughters Harmala and Deepa.

Lt Gen Singh, had been awarded a Padma Vibhushan, Padma Bhushan and a Vir Chakra for gallantry and had commanded the western command for six years from 1963 to 1969, leading India to victory in the western theatre in the 1965 Indo-Pak war.

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“He came from a distinguished family of soldiersand had the unique distinction of participating in battle as a young platoon commander, a company commander, a Batallion, Brigade and then as the Army commander. He had been taken a prisoner of war for more than three years in the second world war,” Brig (retd) Kanwaljit Singh, a cousin said. “His father Captain Harnam Singh was a doctor in the Army and even his elder brother Lt Gen Gurbaksh Singh was an Army officer,” Paramvir Singh, a nephew said.

Several senior Army officers, both serving and retired were present at the cremation ground to pay respects to the late general who was given a 21 gun salute.