In 1971, Sepoy C. Kandasamy’s unit, 18 Madras, was deployed in the southern Rajasthan sector during a period of grave national crisis. India was compelled to go to war with Pakistan following the large-scale atrocities committed by the Pakistani Army in its eastern wing, which led to an unprecedented influx of millions of refugees into India. The sheer magnitude of this humanitarian crisis made armed conflict unavoidable. Consequently, India found itself engaged in a two-front war—on the eastern front, which culminated in the liberation of Bangladesh, and on the western and northern fronts to counter Pakistani military offensives.On the western front, the Rajasthan sector assumed considerable strategic importance. Indian forces in this region included the 11 Infantry Division and the 12 Infantry Division, while the opposing Pakistani forces comprised the 18 Infantry Division, supported by additional brigades and paramilitary elements. Indian operational plans envisaged a bold double thrust: the 12 Infantry Division advancing along the Longewala–Rahim Yar Khan axis, and the 11 Infantry Division along the Barmer–Naya Chor axis. However, these plans were disrupted when Pakistan launched a major armoured assault on Longewala on the night of 3 December 1971. This attack was resolutely repulsed by determined Indian ground forces, ably supported by effective air strikes from the Indian Air Force, resulting in heavy losses to the enemy and shifting the momentum decisively in India’s favour.
Amid these developments, 18 Madras, operating under the 11 Infantry Division, launched offensive operations on 4 December 1971. The battalion rapidly overran Pakistani border posts and, maintaining relentless momentum, advanced nearly 45 kilometres into enemy territory, establishing contact with the Naya Chor defences by 11 December. By 16 December 1971, after a gruelling advance of over 40 miles across harsh desert terrain under constant threat of enemy fire, the battalion reached Hingora Tar, just two kilometres short of Umarkot. Sepoy C. Kandasamy was an integral part of this forward deployment and shared in the hardships and dangers of sustained combat operations in the desert theatre. At this critical juncture, Captain Shankar Shankhapan Walkar, the battalion’s Mortar Officer, played a vital role in supporting the advancing troops with effective firepower. On 16 December 1971, as the battalion consolidated its positions at Hingora Tar, it came under intense and sustained enemy shelling. Amidst this heavy bombardment, Sepoy Kandasamy displayed exemplary courage, composure, and devotion to duty, continuing to perform his responsibilities under extremely perilous conditions. During the course of this fierce engagement, he sustained grievous injuries. Despite the best efforts to save him, he succumbed to his wounds, making the supreme sacrifice in the highest traditions of the Indian Army. The operations in this sector came at a heavy cost to 18 Madras. Alongside Captain S.S. Walkar and Sepoy C. Kandasamy, 21 other brave soldiers of 18 Madras made the supreme sacrifice during these operations, including Sub AP Sreedhara Dass, Nb Sub NN Krishnan, Hav A P Ponnappan, Nk M Mani, L Nk SA Narayan, L Nk Panoly Govi, Sep M Muthaiah, Sep Amir Miyan, Sep GV Pillai, Sep Rajan, Sep NCM Appachu, Sep Sampathu, Sep RG Krishna Kurup, Sep Gajendran, Sep Shaik Mahaboob, Sep MA Kasinathan, Sep Arasan Raju, Sep Basav Rajappa, Sep J Ganesan, Sep Revan Siddappa and Sep V Somasekharan.
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