I had the opportunity of meeting him at the Vice President's House in 1956 when I first arrived in Delhi. My uncle, U.S. Mohan Rao, who was the Director of the Publications Division and had published his books when he headed a publishing firm in Mumbai, knew him and used to meet him frequently. He asked me to accompany him on one of his visits.
I recall that during my visit, Dr. Radhakrishnan was sitting on his bed and we were ushered in. There were not many chairs in the room. He asked me to sit in a corner of the bed and be with him. He asked me my background and wished me success in my endeavours.
Those days, important visitors to India used to be hosted at the Sapru House auditorium in the Mandi House. I used to go to Sapru House to read in the library, and whenever he was speaking, I used to listen to him in the auditorium. His speech, every time, was inspiring.
Later, when I joined the Directorate of Public Relations in the Ministry of Defence, I used to accompany the foreign defence college delegations when they called on the President of India, the Vice President of India and the Prime Minister. Each member of the team introduced himself and he would insist that I too introduce myself.
When the India Pakistan War broke out in 1965, India had suffered reverses in the initial phase. I was initially posted to Kutch to cover the operations. Following the cessation of hostilities in that sector, one thought there would be peace. But that was not to be.
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Pakistan sent infiltrators into Kashmir and expected that they would be welcomed by the people of the Kashmir Valley. But that did not happen. People, alerted the Army about the infiltrators, and in the ensuring operations, the Indian Army evicted the infiltrators and captured the Haji Pir Pass.
During the first week of September, Pakistan invaded the Chamb Jaurian Sector and in the initial stages, India suffered many reverses. I was posted as the Public Relations Officer of the Lahore Sector, with my office located in Amritsar.
The Indian Army advanced in the Lahore Sector and when cease-fire was declared after 24 days of war, our troops had occupied the Icchogil Canal on the outskirts of Lahore, Burki and Khem Karan. Pakistani troops had made advanced in Khem Karan earlier, when we pushed them and their armoured columns back, including Patton Tanks. They suffered heavy casualties and we had a graveyard of Patons for the world to see.
Soon after the cease fire was declared, I was told that the President of India would be visiting the forward areas near Burki. I was present when the President's helicopter landed in the area. I vividly recall President Radhakrishnan exclaiming "We are in Pakistan!"
I introduced myself, and the accompanying army hierarchy were surprised. The photograph that I took was released and should be available in the Photo Section of the Ministry of Defence.
Much later, when I was transferred back to Delhi, I heard that during the early days of the war, General J. N. Chaudhury, the then Chief of the Army Staff, had called on the President and told him that it might be necessary to withdraw the Indian Army to the East Bank of the Beas River. In response, the President told him not to lose heart.
The story was that Lt. Gen. Harbaksh Singh, who was the Western Army Commander, was against the withdrawal of the Indian Army. He was proved right.
On the day the cease fire came into effect on 25 September 1965, President Radhakrishnan, in his broadcast to the nation said: "Pakistan assumed that India was too weak or too afraid or too proud to fight. India, though naturally disinclined to take to arms, felt the necessity to defend herself when attacked. Pakistan also assumed that communal disturbances would occur in the country and in the resulting chaos she could have her wary. Her miscalculations must have come to her as a rude shock."
"Rude shocks" have been occurring as far as Pakistan is concerned after the war in 1971, Kargil Operations in 1999 and the proxy wars it has been waging during the last three decades.
On "Teachers Day" every year, I recall the most eminent teacher of India, who was a guide to us for nearly two decades.
Mr. I. Ramamohan Rao is a former Principal Information Officer of the Government of India. He can be reached on his e-mail-raoramamohan@hotmail.com.
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