Major General (Retd.) Goverdhan Singh Jamwal addresses 3rd Kunwar Viyogi Memorial Lecture
Major General (Retd.) Goverdhan Singh Jamwal today addressed the 3rd Kunwar Viyogi Memorial Lecture titled: ‘Truth about Invasion of the Valley and the Saviour of Kashmir’ at the 7th Annual Kunwar Viyogi Utsav 2022. The event held at the Police Auditorium today also saw Former Deputy Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir Dr Nirmal Singh as its special guest.
Maj General Jamwal was also honoured with the Kunwar Viyogi Shaurya Samaan for his valour and his valuable contribution to the nation by KVM Trust founder Poonam Singh Jamwal and Trust Chairman Goverdhan Singh Jamwal. Dogri sensation Sonali Dogra performed at the event as she paid glowing tributes to Sahitya Akademi Awardee Kunwar Viyogi on whose name the Trust is instituted.
During his talk, Maj General Jamwal gave detailed account of what transpired during the infamous invasion of the valley by Pakistan on October 22, 1947 and how Dogra pride Brigadier Rajinder Singh Jamwal, MVC, the true Saviour of Kashmir with a handful of 150 soldiers fought against a 1000 invaders from Pakistan for three continues days and liberated Kashmir.
He revealed that the plan to invade the valley was constructed by the British two months prior and executed with the help of Pakistan. Their Mission Kashmir, codenamed Operation Gulmarg saw thousands of tribal mercenaries and Pakistan Army regulars invading the Valley. They over ran outposts manned by Maharaja Hari Singh’s forces in Muzaffarabad and other places as they marched to Srinagar for final assault.
Maj General Jamwal recalled while the invasion was taking place the Maharaja did not have a large army at his disposal. To make matters worse, he realised that his Muslim soldiers, who were fighting alongside Hindu Dogra troops, joined the Pakistani invaders and began attacking the Maharaja’s forces. Finally on 22 October 1947, the Maharaja ordered his Chief of Army Staff Brigadier Rajinder Singh to defend Jammu and Kashmir until Indian troops arrived. The Maharaja told Singh, “Save the state till the last man and the last bullet”.
The true son of the soil, did just that! With a handful of men from Badami Bagh cantonment in Srinagar and nearby establishments they reached Uri on October 23, 1947. He along with his men fought for 3 days and prevented the invaders from capturing the valley. The time was enough for diplomatic decisions to be taken and for the Indian Army to arrive and defeat the invaders.
Major General Jamwal regretted that while the nation has witnessed Dogra valour and sacrifices in the likes of Brig Rajinder Singh, their names have today been forgotten in the pages of history. “Its time to reclaim our Dogra pride and acquaint the youth with their heroes,” said Mr Jamwal.
Ayushman Jamwal, Senior News 18 Editor and Trust member curated the event. While addressing the audience he said that our textbooks need to feature the valour of Dogra heroes who are responsible for uniting the nation. “Be it General Zorawar Singh who expanded India’s footprints till Afghanistan to Brig Rajinder Singh who saved the Crown of India, Dogra sacrifice has unified the nation in more than one way and its time that the Dogras reach out and rebuild themselves,” he said.
Meanwhile, Sonali Dogra, recipient of 2021 Kunwar Viyogi Innovation Award for her soul steering Dogri Song Baabal paid glowing tributes to Kunwar Viyogi. She enthralled the audience with songs penned by Kunwar Viyogi. Sonali, a singer of international repute recently launched “Folk Studio Melodies’, a platform that serves as a platform for many talented singers of J&K who perform songs in Dogri, Kashmiri, Gojri, Bhaderwahi and Pahari folk music.
