Many of us officers and men have seen operational service along our Northern and Eastern Borders. To maintain vigil along these vast, rugged mountainous borders, we have trudged along on LRPs, carrying a rucksack full of provisions and spare clothing. These LRPs ranged from seven days to 20 plus days, at times for upto a month. Notwithstanding the rigours and hardships, the LRPs gave us vivid memories of walking through dense bamboo jungles, and tackling the blood sucking leeches. Lit cigarette butts and salt were the prized weapons to tackle these silent parasites. While walking through these forests, we sometimes spotted a leech stuck on the neck of the comrade in front of us, and the quick anti – leech drill took care of the menace. At times, we were caught in downpours, and had to slog on with the heavy rain drenching us, while leeches fell down on our burly frames along with twigs and slush. To add to the happy situation, the tracks would turn slippery, with water channels running along the tracks, as we waded through them. After a hard day’s walk on one such LRP, our ‘band of brothers’ halted for the night – as I removed my soggy jungle boots, I found myself gazing at ‘red socks’. A couple of leeches had been at work, and the cigarette butt was immediately lit. Fortunately, the blood loss was not too serious, and I could continue on the LRP.
As I look back at those times, we were never disheartened or distressed, in fact our young minds considered these as challenges, and we were filled with a sense of accomplishment after an LRP. We saw new areas, new meadows, new pastures and nature at its pristine best along the slopes of the Himalayas. There was cool mountain breeze to fill our lungs with sheer joy, and at times icy cold winds made our teeth chatter. At times, we trudged across snowclad slopes. Our hill troops were masters in ‘living off the land’, and fresh bamboo shoots were expertly cooked – an exceptionally delicious vegetable to rejuvenate tired limbs. All in all, the Indian soldier takes such perils in his stride. I recall a famous credo in the Commando Wing at Belagavi, “When the going gets tough, the tough get going”. An apt description for the Men Of Steel of the Indian Army.
