World's Highest Battle Field

Siachen Glacier is located in the eastern Karakoram range in the Himalayan Mountains. The glacier is the most prominent feature of the Saltoro mountain range, which lies at the extreme northwest of India's Karakorum region.

On the edge of the glacial moraine soldiers live in igloos called Bana or Bhim in Hindi and are served an extravagant menu whilst clothed in the expensive high altitude gear. Supplying troops with a loaf of bread costs two rupees (four U.S. cents) in the plains and 200 rupees on Siachen because it has to be taken by a helicopter. Not any ordinary helicopter but indigenously developed Advanced Light Helicopter (ALH) that can generate lift in the extremely thin air at this altitude. The world's highest helipad also exists here at Sonam, at a height of 21,000 feet. We have also installed the world's highest telephone booth on the glacier.

Ironically, the strategic importance of the glacier, where neither side had troops until 1984, is debatable. After partition in 1947, neither India not Pakistan bothered to extend the line of control between Pakistan and India up to Siachen because no one thought it was worth bothering about.

The Siachen Glacier, located in the eastern Karakoram range in the Himalaya Mountains, is one of the five largest glaciers in the Karakoram, situated at an average altitude of 18,000 feet above sea level. At 78 km long, it is the longest glacier in the Karakoram and second-longest in the world's non-polar areas. Most of the Siachen Glacier falls under the LoC (Line of Control), a hotly contested territory between Pakistan and India. Since 1984, both countries have been fighting intermittently for sovereignty over this region, because of which the Siachen glacier is sometimes called the highest battleground on earth.

The conflict in Siachen stems from the incompletely demarcated territory on the map of this region. After the Indo-Pakistan war in 1971, an agreement was signed between the two countries in 1972, which came to be known as the Shimla Agreement, but it failed to clearly mention who controlled the glacier. UN officials presumed there would be no dispute between India and Pakistan over such a cold and barren region. They were wrong.

In the 1970s and early 1980s, in the pretext of climbing the high peaks on this glacier, Pakistan sent expeditions with permits issued by the Government of Pakistan. The idea was to reinforce claim on the area, as these expeditions arrived with a permit obtained from the Government of Pakistan. In 1984, when the Pakistan army attempted to move into the region, India launched a successful military operation and has since maintained control over all of the Siachen Glacier and its tributaries. Between 1984 and 1999, frequent skirmishes took place between India and Pakistan. However, more soldiers have died in Siachen from harsh weather conditions than from enemy firing. Both India and Pakistan maintain permanent military presence in the region at a height of over 6,000 metres (20,000 ft), and continue to deploy thousands of troops in Siachen.

It is the world's highest battlefield, with troops stationed higher than the most North American, European or African mountains. At 6,300 meters (20,700 feet) India controls these breathless heights at an estimated cost of up to $1 million a day and is reluctant to back off for fear Pakistan might walk in. Yet, there is no doubt the logistical and physical challenge of supplying troops at sub-zero conditions beggars belief. 

However, the 75-km (47-mile) glacier, one of the longest outside of the poles has come to represent a lot more. Here soldiers are left to stare and shoot at each other across the line of control in a complex of trenches and bunkers. Frozen eatables, blurred speeches, frostbites and chilblains are common and plummeting temperatures leave scores dead. Yet plenty of volunteers file along the roads of Jammu and Kashmir up to Siachen in the belief that after serving -- and surviving -- a three-month stretch on the high front line they can expect a boost to their military career.

The fact is the human body continuously deteriorates above 18,000 feet and with winter temperatures of 70 degrees below zero, the inhospitable climate in Siachen has claimed more lives than gunfire. But nothing seems to shake the resolve of governments in the warm capitals far away.

Any talk of a mutual withdrawal from the crippling environment is always referred to in the context of pulling back from the entire line of control -- something both nuclear-armed powers are unlikely to do, say observers.At these dizzying heights, breathing can also be a huge effort and many soldiers suffer from high-altitude pulmonary and cerebral edema, headaches and hypertension. Unlike mountaineers, who usually  climb during the best weather, Siachen soldiers endure the worst the mountains can throw at them, year-round. Avalanches are frequent and terrifying; their  thunder is so great that it's often impossible to distinguish from shelling. Blizzards can last 20 days. Winds reach speeds of 125 miles per hour; temperatures can plunge to minus 60 degrees. Annual snowfall exceeds 35 feet.  During storms, two or three men have to shovel snow at all times. If they stop,  they will never catch up and the post will be buried alive.   

As long as Pakistan and India remain at deadlock over Kashmir, troops will remain on the blizzard-blasted Siachen glacier. It is likely that any eventual withdrawal from Siachen, which has claimed so many lives, will be less painful to give up than any other positions. 

source : Internet

The Idea of India and Pakistan

Foreign Country ~ what makes a foreign country ‘Foreign’? A laymen answer can be the measurement of the geographical distance that makes two countries foreign, instead a more strategic statement could be the measurement in terms of the bilateral relations both the nations enjoy. Going by the latter, it is not very difficult to guess the current relationship status between the two Asian Nuclear Powers – India and Pakistan. India is far more closer to North America as compared to its immediate neighbor Pakistan.

Hence, the statement by our PM Modi and I quote, “You can change your friends but you can definitely not change your neighbors” suddenly has become the talk of the town. 

Let me again frame a statement, ‘The idea of India is stronger than the Indian whereas the idea of Pakistan is weaker than the Pakistani.’ 

Now, what does that mean? Let me do the explanation part now, Pakistan was built on the notion that a religion/faith can be a sufficient basis for nationalism. The notion can be further weakened by the fact that there are multiple Arab nations which share a common faith and to an extent the linguistic similarities (which by any measure supersedes the faith as a basis of nationalism as was the case of Europe). Had the notion been of any mettle there should have been a giant of a country. Hence, faith cannot be the basis of nationalism; it can definitely form the basis of brotherhood.

Also, try to imagine what the forefathers of the two newly independent nations were analyzing about, the ‘Democratic’ form of governance. We have at our disposal 60+ years of experience to judge while their list of contemporaries had likes of Hitler was voted to power in Germany, followed by Mussolini in Italy. The rest need not be explained! I am pretty much sure of their dilemma about the animal called ‘Democracy’.

Whereas India was created on the notions of Modernity, briefly summed up as - Democracy, Right to expression; Right to Equality (of faith); Equality of Gender and finally the Economic Equality. Fair amount of progress has been made on the first three fronts but still a lot needs to be done for the economic equity.

Janhit Mai Jaari

Hi All,
Sharing my grotesque experience for today at the Madiwala Police station, went there to file a "complaint" for a case of a bicycle theft (rockrider 5.1) which occurred b/w 10:30 PM dated 09/09/2013 and 7:00 AM dated 10/09/2013 and unfortunately that bike was mine, it would have completed a whole month today but then there is more to share.

When I came back from my friend's today morning, we figured out what has really happened. First I thought, Decathlon(the store from where I bought my bike) might be able to help me out but then they do not provide the tracker in India <fail>, I suggested them to explore this aspect while returning.

And then, the eventful journey begins, recently the H.S.R Police Station because of renovation was temporarily shifted near Sharjapur(you will find it on your left hand side if you are traveling to Marathahalli just before taking the right turn towards Sarjapur). Initially, they just didn't listen to what I was complaining about having heard the "cycle" word and then after all the drama they asked me to go to the Madiwala Police Station, which covers Sector 7 of HSR layout, my place of residence.

When I came to the concerned authority (Madiwala Station), they again were hula-balloing "about me complaining for a theft for a cycle". But for the monetary value of the bike they were not at all taking it seriously and it was only after they
heard price value they entertained my request.

They asked me to write an application for the same which I had to write 4 times just because they did not find it in "the correct format" only after buying papers for the same, they asked me to bring coffee for few of their men from a nearby inn, get 4 sets of the FIR from another place. After all this and nearly 3 hours, they asked me to wait for another hour or so. Again, went to some clerk who copied the whole FIR from a printed form( I didn't understand why they needed 4 sets of FIRs and then suddenly they needed a hand written one ). Finally, around 8:00 pm, I had a copy of the FIR for which I was running halter-scelter since 4 pm.

There goes my not so serene experience. Remember to ~
1)Go to the right Police Station that actually covers your area.
2)U need to have some orating skills in order to persuade the officers to entertain your request.
3)Buy papers to write in your application.
4)Write the same in the correct format, you can ask the officer in advance to avoid re-writing the whole thing again n again.
5)Get photo copies.
6)Get coffee/chai for the entire thana, don't ask for the reason. Just Do It.
7)Get a copy of the invoice of the product lost; a picture, possibly, can be of great help.
8)Wait endlessly!
9)Above all, listen to their gibberish n non-sense talks.

Hail the Indian Police Services!

Something About The Wall : Rahul Dravid

What according to you makes Rahul Dravid special?

Dravid says - If no one does it, I will do it, which a leader must possess. He showed that during the 2007 CWC,India's nightmare.

The way he carries himself, his conduct both on and off the field.That is SPECIAL :)

People back home deserve a fighting team, from the man himself!

If you had the chance to ask Dravid one question, what would it be?

I had asked what was going on in his mind during the India chase in the 2003 World Cup final against Australia?

India was in deep trouble and he was in the middle having a paper in his hand.

These two questions were part of an ESPNCricinfo quiz contest to be answered in less than 250 words each,lucky winners of which were to get to be a part of Google hangout with the man himself and an autographed Timeless Steel : Rahul Dravid, how awesome is that. Lets see if I am amongst the lucky ones :) fingers crossed.