Capt Sanyal: Young officer who towed a tank with tractor amid heavy firing

 

THE Corps of Electronics Mechanical Engineers (EME) of Indian Army has been an epitome of dedication to duty since its inception. It has lived to its motto ‘Where valour, technology and innovation is a tradition’, in every war that India fought including the 1971.

The Hitavada, on Friday, interacted with a brave wife who explained the act of courage and valour of her husband who served in EME and was part of the

1971 war.

“When Field Marshal Sam Manekshaw announced the war, my husband was a young officer and was posted in a battalion in Binnaguri of Jalpaiguri district in West Bengal. At that time, he was in Nagpur on leave and after getting the order he immediately joined his battalion,” said Chandra Sanyal, wife of Capt Ranjit Sanyal, SM.

As a student of Institute of Science, Nagpur, Capt Sanyal had been a good NCC cadet, an ace sportsman and was the Best Rope in the Himalayan Mountaineering Institute in Darjeeling, said Chandra.

Capt Sanyal’s father Siddheshwar Sanyal was a pioneer and founder of explosives in India. Siddheshwar Sanyal owned the first production of explosives in India in Nagpur near Kamptee Road. Capt Sanyal could have been there working under his father, but he was determined to join Indian Army, said Chandra.

While talking about his act of valour that decorated Capt Sanyal’s uniform with Sena Medal (SM), Chandra Sanyal said, “Capt Sanyal, then Lieutenant, was sent to fight for his country to Chandipur in the battle of Hilli. He was in a troop under Maj S Sarkar. In that region, one of our Indian tanks was hit by enemy shelling and it was immobilised.”

Maj Sarkar asked his troop if anyone could retrieve our tank to the Indian side from the (Contd from page 1)

enemy territory. Capt Sanyal volunteered to get it back. Hilli was so well defended by Pakistan soldiers that every hour, every inch of ground was fortified, said Chandra.

“Capt Sanyal immediately noticed a tractor in the battlefield and he got it in front of the tank very cautiously while the enemy kept firing at him. With the help of a strong chain he attached the immobilised tank to the tractor and recovered the tank as he tugged it by driving the tractor with force into the Indian side,” recalled Chandra.

“Later on, for this courageous act he was honoured Sena Medal by President V V Giri in 1973-74. By the time, he had became Captain,” said Sanyal.

Capt Sanyal had served in 72 Mountain Division, EME School Vadodara, and 147 Field Workshop. He completed engineering degree from College of Military Engineering, Pune.

In 147 Filed Workshop in Delhi, Capt Sanyal manufactured the first India-made tank injectors. Earlier, India used to purchase these injectors for 270 Russian tanks from Russia by paying huge amount. Capt. Sanyal manufactured these injectors to minimise the cost.

“Capt Sanyal participated in the Indo-Pak war with bravery and also was the part of Operation Savage which is a secretive military operation,” said Sanyal.

Due to some personal issue, Capt Sanyal left his service prematurely with honour and at the age of 59 he left for his heavenly abode.