BENGALURU, Sep 30: The most unexpected battle in the history of warfare was fought 74 years ago in the mountainous regions of Zojila Pass.
Operation Bison involved the Indian Army pulling off the unthinkable which stopped the Pakistan military to capture the region.
What was the unthinkable, the Indian Army with the help of Madras Sappers (popularly known as Thambis) did.
The best way to know this is to visit the Madras Sappers museum on the premise of the Madras Engineering Group and Centre.
Fortunately, on the occasion of 241st MEG Day, a group of media men were invited to the MEG campus where many monuments and artefacts are preserved including the museum.
According to Army records, a narrow Yak’s road existed between Baltal and Zojila, which was unfit for movement of tanks. An assignment was given to Major MA Thangaraj to widen the road to make the pass fit for tank movement.
The road widening started on 13 September 1948 and completed on October 18.
The Thambis, without giving a damn to the constant firing and shelling by the Pakistan military from Zojila Pass, which was then occupied by them. After the road widening was completed, on November 1, the Indian Army launched the attack on the Pakistan military by deploying the tanks at more than 11000 ft height.
On seeing the tanks approaching, the Pakistan military were flabbergasted and ran for their lives from their respective positions and the battle was won.
Thambis are arguably the best soldiers, a claim well supported by endless stories of valour and courage. Young boys from five southern states post-recruitment undergo a strenuous training at MEG & Centre to get transformed into a tough and skilled soldier popularly known as Sapper.
The Sapper is adept to undertake both combat engineer tasks in the battlefield and also perform skilled trade work tasks both in War and Peace.
Apart from operations and disaster relief tasks, the MEG have been actively participating in the annual Republic Day Parade.
MEG holds the unique distinction of having been awarded the best marching contingent each time they have participated, a total nine times till date.
Since time immemorial, the Madras Sappers have been a power hub of Indian sports in producing elite sportsmen for the Army and the country for decades.
The Sappers boast of having five Dronacharya Awardees, ten Arjuna Awardees, fourteen Olympians along with One Padma Shri Award.
Thambis are the proud winners of all the editions of the inaugural COAS overall sports Championship from the year 1996 to 2004 and Army Sports Championship which was disbanded after the year 2004.
Subsequently, the Thambis won all editions of Dakshin Bharat Championship Trophy introduced in the year 2004. (UNI)
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