Lieutenant General Madan Mohan Lakhera (retd), former Governor of Mizoram and former Adjutant General of the Indian Army, passed away on June 29 in Uttarakhand. He was 87. His death marks a significant loss for the military fraternity, especially the Fourth Battalion of the Kumaon Regiment (4 Kumaon), which he commanded and with which he served in war, as well as for Uttarakhand, a state that contributes heavily to the armed forces.
Early Life and Military Career
Born in 1937 in the village of Jakhand, Tehri Garhwal, Lakhera was an alumnus of the Rashtriya Indian Military College, Dehradun, and the National Defence Academy, Khadakwasla. He was commissioned in June 1958 and participated in the 1961 Liberation of Goa campaign, the 1965 and 1971 India-Pakistan wars, and several counter-insurgency operations in Jammu and Kashmir.
As a Lieutenant Colonel, he commanded 4 Kumaon in Jammu and Kashmir from December 1975 to July 1978. The battalion is renowned for being the first to receive the Param Vir Chakra, India's highest gallantry award, which was awarded posthumously to Major Somnath Sharma for his actions during the Battle of Badgam on November 3, 1947.
Governorship and Later Roles
Lakhera served as the 8th Governor of Mizoram from July 2006 to September 2011. Prior to that, he was Lieutenant Governor of Puducherry from July 2004 to July 2006 and also held additional charge as Lieutenant Governor of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands from February 2006 to December 2006. He was the first person from the Garhwal region to be appointed as a Governor.
The Legacy of 4 Kumaon
The 4 Kumaon battalion, also known as the Fighting Fourth, has a storied history. Raised in 1788 to maintain order in Berar and safeguard the northern frontiers of Hyderabad, it has participated in numerous campaigns in India and overseas. After Independence, it was reorganized from the 4th Battalion of the 19th Hyderabad Regiment.
The battalion is closely associated with India's first Param Vir Chakra. During the Battle of Badgam, Major Somnath Sharma, despite a plaster cast on his left hand from a hockey injury, led his company against around 700 infiltrators. His last message to Brigade HQ was: "The enemy is only 50 yards from us. We are hopelessly outnumbered. I will not withdraw an inch, but fight to the last man, last round." According to the citation, his leadership delayed the enemy for six crucial hours, allowing reinforcements to secure positions at Hum Hom. Sepoy Dewan Singh Danu was awarded the Maha Vir Chakra in the same battle.
Two successive Chiefs of Army Staff—General SM Shrinagesh (1955-1957) and General KS Thimayya (1957-1961)—had also served with the battalion in its earlier incarnation.
Operation Meghdoot and Siachen
In 1984, 4 Kumaon spearheaded the induction of Indian troops into the Siachen Glacier under Operation Meghdoot, pre-empting Pakistani attempts to seize strategic heights. The battalion, commanded by Lt Col DK Khanna and supported by Ladakh Scouts, undertook a perilous march across the snowbound Zoji La pass, carrying full battle loads and maintaining radio silence. Major RS Sadhu led the first column to establish positions on the glacier, while Captain Sanjay Kulkarni secured Bilafond La, a 17,880-foot pass. Captain PV Yadav's columns secured other key heights along the Saltoro Ridge. By the mission's end, about 300 Indian troops were entrenched on the glacier's crucial peaks and passes. When Pakistan launched Operation Ababeel in April 1984, its forces found the Indian Army already in control of all major passes and commanding heights.
