Salute to the man who cut off his own leg during 1971 war

Major General Ian Cardozo was injured in the battle of Sylhet in Bangladesh in the 1971 war with Pakistan when he stepped on a landmine.

New Delhi: Some stories can never be forgotten. In 2011, Major General Ian Cardozo, who was a young major in the 5 Gorkha Rifles in the 1971 war with Pakistan, told his story to a website, which is still etched on memories.

The Gorkha Rifles officer was injured in the battle of Sylhet in Bangladesh in the 1971 war with Pakistan when he stepped on a landmine.

General Cardozo then cut off his badly wounded leg with his own khukri and became the first disabled officer in the Indian Army to command an infantry battalion and then a brigade. He was later awarded a Sena Medal for gallantry.

Recalling the event, the author of The Sinking of INS Khukri -- Survivors Stories and Param Vir -- Our Heroes In Battle said a Bangladeshi saw him losing a leg.

The brave Indian asked the doctor if he could be provided some morphine or pethidine. And when he did not get any of the analgesic or any instrument, General Cardozo cut his leg with his own khukri. He then ordered someone to bury it.

Hats off to this Mumbai native.

The Indian Army today commemorated the Vijay Diwas with traditional solemnity, marking the Indian Armed forces victory over Pakistan in the 1971 Indo-Pak War.

On this day in 1971, about 93,000 Pakistani soldiers surrendered to the Indian forces. This historic victory led to creation of Bangladesh.