Capt Rameshwar Thapa, Nepal’s first civilian pilot to command a Russian Mi17 helicopter, played a pivotal role during the country’s Maoist insurgency
When you think of rotary wing aircraft in Nepal, some names will crop up: Tula Bahadur Thapa, Narain Singh Pun, Madan KC, all Army Colonels, but among civilians a pioneer is Capt Rameshwar Thapa, the first Russian Mi17 helicopter pilot who trained the then Royal Nepal Army on Mi17 and was later requisitioned by Security Forces during the Maoist People’s War. Let’s call the Captain, RT who has written the English version of his book in Nepali, Barud Mathi Uddaa titled Into The FIRE, a book ‘based on hard facts’. It encapsulates the Maoist insurgency that aimed to capture the state: they came perilously close to doing it. But for RT’s heroic efforts, on April 8, 2005 in saving Khara, the epic battle waged by Maoists, by flying in 20 Special Force Rangers after an SOS- ‘if no reinforcements in 20-30 minutes, Khara will go’. Despite his helicopter being hit by Maoists on surrounding hills he made a second attempt in a vertical descent to land reinforcements at base camp. Khara was a battle for prestige and honour for both sides, especially Maoists but Rangers saved the day. At the time, I had written reams on the first and second Khara battles, describing Khara II’s criticality.
RT rightly calls Khara the turning point, for soon after, their defeat at Khara Maoists sued for peace: choosing ballot over bullet. They signed the 12-point agreement in New Delhi in November 2005 which led to the political transformation of Nepal – restoration of democracy and mainstreaming of Maoists. The rest, of course, is history. Into the Fire essentially covers the personal experiences of a co-pilot elevated to Pilot in Command as Mi17 initially had pilots from Russia and Central Asian Republics. Their mission was rescue, relief, reinforcements, casualty evacuation and acting as morale boosters. The Maoists were terrified of helicopters which were later ingeniously improvised by RNA as armed platforms to drop 81 mm mortar bombs and Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs). Many battles in both east and west Nepal are described mainly from the humanitarian angle of saving lives and security posts at great personal risk. RT turns out to be a cat with nine lives having taken numerous hits and a life-threatening crash landing near Everest Base Camp. Initially, he joined Everest Air which was regularly supplying helicopters to the police as they had none; later, he flew for the Armed Police Force and RNA.
King Gyanendra who had usurped power first in 2002 and done a coup in 2005, did not allow the RNA to aid or assist the police which suffered on account of it. He did not even allow PM GP Koirala to use it to break the siege of the Holleri post when 76 policemen were taken hostage. Koirala had to resign but Holleri was an avoidable blot on police’s unprofessional record. The Army was only pressed into service after Maoists during a ceasefire and talks attacked Army barracks in November 2001 at Dang. RT explains the politics underpinning the King’s embargo on RNA. Flying for the army RT became an ‘enemy of the Maoists’ and was advised to send his family abroad for their safety.
Major encounters revive memories of fighting, their horror, ferocity and barbarity. Villages and towns have not forgotten the atrocities committed by both sides. RT has narrated several human interest stories like once evacuating a female Maoist who later became a minister and married a fellow Maoist minister. There is a conversation with elders in a village who tell him that they prefer to give their daughters to RNA rather than letting Maoists take them away to join the movement.
His underground life at Oasis Hotel in Nepalgunj is cloak-and-dagger stuff. RT has not shied away from writing about RNA’s November 2004 Pandaun, Kailali ‘propaganda’ attack under the lyricist Divisional Commander, Gen Rajendra Thapa. The Army claimed it had killed 200 to 300 Maoists whereas only 4 to 5 bodies were found ( Maoists had an honour code not to leave behind any bodies). One of the Army’s self-afflicted disasters was enacted at Pili in August 2004 when an Engineer Regiment was ordered to crash-build a road for King Gyanendra’s visit. Their prize was a huge cache of explosives stored at Pili for road construction. Nearly 160 soldiers were killed as RT conducted casualty evacuation flights.
Elsewhere he mentions current President Ramchandra Poudel writing an article in Kantipur daily titled ‘Maobadi Paradise: Nirmal Nivas’, which was Prince Gyanendra’s residence. Having been as ‘busy as a bee’ in the People’s War, as a 24X7 helicopter pilot, his life changed after violence ceased. He mentions India’s constructive role in the peace process. In his post-conflict avatar, RT became an aviation company czar, a media mogul – with newspapers, radio and TV – and an interest in politics. His list of awards will fill a page. So will his contribution to corporate social responsibility. Into The Fire: was released in Delhi last month to a packed house. Striking in the book is the note written by Janardhan Sharma- who was the architect of the Khara debacle-while recently Nepal’s Finance Minister. Sitting next to me on the dais RT was a picture of modesty and humility, few people realised his crucial role in the People’s War. Immodestly I could not resist mentioning my book The Royal Nepal Army: Meeting the Maoist Challenge released in 2005. But his is a first-hand account.
(The writer, a retired Major General, was Commander, IPKF South, Sri Lanka, and founder member of the Defence Planning Staff, currently the Integrated Defence Staff; the views expressed are personal)
