- विज्ञापन -
New Delhi: The 1961 appointment of General Pran Nath Thapar as Chief of the Army Staff remains a subject of historical debate. General Thapar who is father of journalist Karan Thapar and the uncle of historian Romila Thapar, was appointed by Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru. His appointment as Chief of Army staff is viewed as result of his close personal relationship with Nehru, rather than his strategic experience.
Born in 1906 in Jhelum (now in Pakistan), Thapar’s military career began with his education at Daly College and the Indian Military Academy. He distinguished himself during World War II, notably commanding the 4th Indian Infantry Division in Burma. His contributions to the Indian Army included modernizing its structure and helping establish the National Defence Academy in Khadakwasla, Pune, which has since become a key institution for training future military leaders.
Thapar’s appointment at that time as Army Chief met with controversy. General K.M. Cariappa, a legendary figure in the Indian Army, supported General Thorat for the position in place of General Thapar. Cariappa believed that Thorat, with his extensive experience along the China border and his advocacy for forward deployment made him more suitable candidate for the post. Despite this, Nehru overruled Cariappa, reportedly influenced by his personal connection to Thapar.
Thapar’s tenure as Army Chief coincided with the 1962 Sino-Indian War, which revealed significant strategic and tactical deficiencies in India’s military preparedness. Thapar, who lacked experience with the China border, faced intense criticism for his handling of the conflict. Under his leadership, India lost around 40,000 square kilometres of territory to China, and thousands of Indian soldiers lost their lives.
After the disastrous outcome of the 1962 Sino-Indian War, General Thapar offered his resignation, which many saw as a symbolic gesture rather than a genuine step toward accountability. In response, Prime Minister Nehru quickly appointed Thapar as an ambassador, facilitating his retirement abroad. This decision angered many, who felt that Thapar should have been held responsible for the military failures. In Parliament, Nehru defended the territorial losses to China, a position that only intensified public discontent.
Meanwhile, General Thorat, who had been passed over for the position of Army Chief in favor of Thapar, retired from service. His retirement marked the end of a leadership that some believe could have changed the course of the conflict with China. The decision to appoint Thapar over Thorat remains a contentious and debated issue in India’s military history, highlighting the role of political influence in military appointments and its far-reaching consequences.
One often speaks of the Forward Policy decided by the government in 1961, as being the trigger for the war; according to Dalvi, during a meeting in the autumn of 1961: “at which Mr. Menon, General Thapar and General Kaul were present. Studying a map showing recent Chinese incursions, Mr. Nehru is reported to have said that whoever succeeded in establishing a post would establish a claim to that territory, as possession was nine-tenths of the law. He then asked if the Chinese could set up posts why couldn’t we?”
Gen Kaul later claimed that “(Nehru) was told that owing to numerical and logistical difficulties, we could not keep up in this race with the Chinese. …China with her superior military resources could – operationally make the position of our small posts untenable.
Two conclusions came immediately to mind: first, the disaster was entirely of the Indian political leadership’s making, particularly from Prime Minister Nehru and a small clique of sycophants around him (such as VK Krishna Menon, BN Mallik, Gen PN Thapar and Lt Gen BM Kaul).
