In an age where American Marines and their British equivalents are celebrated all over the world, it is important for us to know about Indian commandos. From Airborne forces to combat battles in Assam, Manipur, and Africa, Col. Rajeev Bharwan shared all his incredible experiences. Getting to know the great experience of people from the special force and their stories of combat is just an honor. From their fight for survival to battles in extreme situations, this blog has everything.

 

We have spoken a lot about special forces on The Ranveer Show. Colonel Rajeev represents the airborne forces. In this episode, he shared his experience of battling in combat situations in Assam, Manipur, Nagaland, Jammu, and Kashmir.

 

Life In Combat

“I have been to Assam, Manipur, and Nagaland. I have always been good at combat and training. My posting was always in such areas where I was involved in such actions. The situations were always about the question of life and death. You have a great responsibility for getting your whole group back”.

 

Fighting In Urban Area

“Fighting in a built-up area in military terminology is one of the most difficult operations. Build-up area means places like Mumbai, J&K, and Manipur. The structure and design of each house are different. If it is a multi-story building, it is very difficult”.

 

Condition Of Manipur

“I started in the year 1999. My first posting was in Manipur. We had backup operations every day, and I was the youngest officer from the Assam rifles to be posted there. When I landed there, the locals asked me whether I was from India. They didn’t consider themselves Indian back then. Hindi movies, the Hindi language, were banned. Life is anyways hard on mountains. Most young people were just fascinated by the weapons and wanted to feel powerful”.

 

Most Difficult Operation

“In my initial days in the northeast, we had to enter into some house. We were aware there were people, but we didn’t know if they had weapons. We have assumed all the situations. But when we opened the door, the guy was standing with a weapon pointed at us. I went blank for a second. To my luck, the weapon did not work. He was also shocked, and while he tried to fix it, I came back to my senses and hit him, and we had him.”

 

Assam Rifles

“In Assam rifles, people work till the age of 60. We never used maps and GPS, and everyone knew the routes very well. They knew every corner, how we could reach earlier, and what could be the casualties”.

J&K Situation

“It is easy to have an opinion and can be changed easily. So don’t go by what the media or documentaries present. You require a team to change things. Now, important sections have been evoked, and the condition is improving. As a military person, I know it is going to be good. I have seen Pakistani flags there. I have seen a board that read Indian army and dogs not allowed. There are changes, and it is going to improve.”

Indian Army Is The Best

“Indian army is the best. History has been a testimony as our soldiers are the only capable soldiers who can survive on water, jaggery, and a handful of Channa. The country is always first for us. They don’t even think of family when duty calls. Our boys are the best.”

Airborne Forces

“Airborne forces are forces that work from the air. The working methodology, reach, and penetration is unparallel. In airborne, everyone can jump out, irrespective of the terrain. You need a lot of practice and a strong heart.”

 

Drinking Muddy Water?

“There was an operation, and as per the input, the journey was 3 hours. But it took us 36 hours because what you see on the map and the actual condition on the ground are very different. A lot of them were exhausted and dehydrated. We drank muddy water. There were leeches. Eighteen hours of going and eighteen hours coming back. But once we finish the task, the motivation level is very high”. 

 

How To Get Into Airborne

“First, you have to volunteer. Then you have to undergo probation, then you need to do a para course. On the ground, you have to prove your worth”.

 

Scariest Experience During Airborne

“Once, during one of our operations, we encountered something that hasn’t happened in history.  In aircraft, when you are jumping, there is a chord attached to your parachute. A hook is on the cable, which is in the aircraft. The cable broke down during one of our operations. They thought their parachute would open, but it didn’t. And, coming from a 1000ft. They were in the same position I had thought. All three passed away, but till the end, they followed all the instructions I taught them during the training sessions. We then boarded the plane and jumped off again so that no one has the fear as such things will keep happening.” 

 

Survival

“Eating snake is a part of commando training, as there are chances that life will throw at you. You have to survive and eat anything available. So you don’t have a luxury. It is not a matter of choice. It is a matter of survival.”

 

Condition Of Africa during 2007-2008

“We had gone to Africa as a United Nations peacekeeping force. People there had nothing to eat, but they carried weapons. Life had no value. It was one of the worst places to stay. The lands were absolutely barren. They were surviving on whatever was available. Water was costlier than oil. They used to even eat from medical waste. They just were trying to survive. When people don’t understand the water crisis. They should be sent there for just one week to understand the importance of water.”

Important Lesson

“There was an adventure camp in Manali. The students who came in were in the eleventh or twelfth grade. On the first day, some officer’s daughter said she wanted to eat Maggie or something. I told them the food was ready. The other officers insisted so we arranged. The next day, I gathered everyone in the auditorium and showed them pictures of a person drinking urine from a kettle. Few of the girls started crying seeing that scene. Then I explained to them those were actual photos. Then I showed them the picture of food that was wasted a day before. They realized the idea. Even now, I ensure that no food is being wasted”.

 

Last Message

“A message to all the aspirants who try into force and haven’t got selected, I just want to say it is not about uniform. I understand the craze. But a soldier is always by heart not by the uniform.”

 

Read Next:

Major Avinash Sahani- His Experience as a SPECIAL FORCE Veteran

Important Lessons To Learn From Air Force Veteran

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