A courageous warrior with "strategic brilliance" and a "master of high-altitude warfare" who led multiple historic campaigns into the Tibet region is how senior army officers and military historians described the legacy of General Zorawar Singh on Friday. It was also announced on the occasion that a "chair of excellence" has been established in his honour at Delhi-based think-tank Centre for Land Warfare Studies (CLAWS).
The "chair of excellence" has been established by Jammu and Kashmir Rifles regiment.
Jammu and Kashmir Rifles regiment and CLAWS hosted a symposium on the legendary military general's life and legacy at Manekshaw Centre at Delhi Cantonment.
The event got underway with a keynote address by Colonel of the Regiment of Jammu and Kashmir Rifles & Ladakh Scouts, Lieutenant General M P Singh, followed by presentations by a panel of speakers. Army Chief General Upendra Dwivedi attended the event as a chief guest. Lieutenant General Singh in his keynote address said that General Zorawar's rise was "purely merit based".
He was a "military genius" who is known for his ability to conduct "high-altitude warfares", the officer said.
General Zorawar's saga is of courage and "strategic brilliance", he added.
The military experts, who addressed the gathering, described his campaigns in Tibet in the 19th century as one of the most "audacious and ambitious" military campaigns in history. General Zorawar was a "master of high-altitude warfare" was the refrain at the symposium.
The military general was born in 1786 in Kehlur in Bilaspur, which falls in today's Himachal Pradesh. His campaigns in Tibet took place in the first half of the 19th century.
CLAWS Director General, Lieutenant General Dushyant Singh (retd.), spoke about the establishment of the "chair of excellence". He described General Zorawar as an "astute strategist" who was driven by an "unwavering will to achieve victory at any cost".
A highlight of the symposium was General Dwivedi unveiling of two books, one being -- 'The Warrior Gurkha' on the life and legacy of Param Vir Chakra awardee, Lieutenant Colonel Dhan Singh Thapa, written by his daughter Madhulika Thapa. Lieutenant Colonel Thapa was from the first battalion of Eight Gorkha Rifles (now 3rd Battalion the Mechanised Infantry Regiment), an Army official said.
'A Kashmir Knight and the Last 50 Years of the Princely State of J and K' authored by Lieutenant General Ghanshyam Singh Katoch (retd.) was also released on the occasion.
These literary works add depth to the understanding of India's military history and the enduring heritage of the Indian Army, officials said.
Lieutenant General Katoch (retd), who will head the new chair at CLAWS, later during an interactive session with the audience, said.
"This chair has been set for a year and work will take place on bringing out a book on General Zorawar which is planned to be released next year."
In addition, General Dwivedi felicitated the winners of the Field Marshal Sam Manekshaw Essay Competition 2024, which was earlier organised by CLAWS under the theme 'India's National Security and Emerging Challenges'.
