J.P. Dalvi’s Followers (13)

J.P. Dalvi

Born

in Basra, Iraq

July 03, 1920

Died

October 01, 1974

Genre

History

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Brigadier John Parashram Dalvi was an Indian Army officer. During the Sino-Indian War of 1962, he was the commander of the Indian 7th Brigade, which was destroyed, leading Dalvi to be captured by the People's Liberation Army on 22 October 1962.

Dalvi was commissioned into the Baluch Regiment. To the end of World War II he served with the regiment's 5th Battalion. He took part in Field Marshal Sir William Slim's pursuit of Japanese Army. From October 1944 to March 1945 he saw fighting with 19th Indian Division notably at the Crossing of the Irrawaddy. For his services he was mentioned in despatches for gallant and distinguished service.

In 1945 he was selected to join the staff of General Sir Montagu Stopford, GOC XXXIII Corps and later GOC-in Brigadier John Parashram Dalvi was an Indian Army officer. During the Sino-Indian War of 1962, he was the commander of the Indian 7th Brigade, which was destroyed, leading Dalvi to be captured by the People's Liberation Army on 22 October 1962.

Dalvi was commissioned into the Baluch Regiment. To the end of World War II he served with the regiment's 5th Battalion. He took part in Field Marshal Sir William Slim's pursuit of Japanese Army. From October 1944 to March 1945 he saw fighting with 19th Indian Division notably at the Crossing of the Irrawaddy. For his services he was mentioned in despatches for gallant and distinguished service.

In 1945 he was selected to join the staff of General Sir Montagu Stopford, GOC XXXIII Corps and later GOC-in-C of 12th Army Burma

In 1947 he was posted as instructor to Indian Military Academy, Dehradun. He was then moved to 5 Gorkha Rifles as 2nd in command. In 1949 Dalvi was attached with Brigade of the Guards. In 1950, he was selected for Staff College, which he graduated in 1951. He then commanded the 4th Battalion, Brigade of the Guards and later 2nd Guards.

In October 1960 he was given an accelerated promotion to be appointed as Brigadier Administration to XV Corps. In January 1962, he was given the Command on 7th Infantry Brigade in NEFA and fought in the Sino-Indian War. He was taken Prisoner of War on 22 October 1962 and was repatriated in May 1963.

On his return to India, he authored a book about the 1962 war, titled The Himalayan Blunder: The curtain raiser to the Sino-Indian War of 1962. The book was banned in Indian almost immediately on its release, but this ban was later lifted. His book is in direct contradiction with the book authored by his erstwhile commanding officer, Brij Mohan Kaul. In his book Brig. Dalvi bitterly described about his return to India:

We landed in Dum Dum airport in Calcutta on May 4, 1963. We were received cordially, appropriately. But the silence there was disquieting. I realized later. We had to prove we weren't brainwashed by Chinese ideology. We had to prove we were still loyal to India. My own army maintained a suspicious distance. The irony cannot be harsher: this treatment from a country, which for more than a decade had brainwashed itself into holding the Chinese baton wherever it went.

He died of cancer in 1980. ...more

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J.P. Dalvi’s books

Average rating: 4.3 · 1,242 ratings · 130 reviews · 2 distinct works • Similar authors

	Himalayan Blunder: The Angry Truth About India's Most Crushing Military Disaster by J.P. Dalvi, Frank Moraes (Foreword) 4.30 avg rating — 1,241 ratings — published 1969 — 17 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Himalayan Blunder (Vols.1) it was amazing 5.00 avg rating — 1 rating	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars

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Quotes by J.P. Dalvi (?)

“While the Indian people maintain a large standing Army they are perhaps unique in the world, in that, few of them have any understanding or experience of war. We are apt to panic or indulge in extreme emotionalism in a crisis. It is only by understanding the ramifications of war that we can resist hustling Government and the Army to undertake rash military ventures. However indignant we may be, we just cannot stop the rains or bulldoze mountain passes from our path. We cannot wish our enemies away. We cannot create dumps with a conjuror’s flourish. Military operations are cool, calculated, and deliberate actions. Haste is the enemy of military planning. These statements which are cliches in Europe and America where most adults have rendered national service, had to be learnt the hard way by us.”
― J.P. Dalvi, Himalayan Blunder: The Angry Truth About India's Most Crushing Military Disaster

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“After the subjugation of Tibet, especially after 1959, the continued preparations were clearly aimed at India and yet we failed to heed all the transparent evidence of the massive Chinese build-up.”
― J.P. Dalvi, Himalayan Blunder: The Curtain Raiser to the Sino Indian War of 1962

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“It is intolerable that those who brought us to the sorry pass of October 1962 should dare to sit in judgement on the brave men who were never given a chance; never given the tools; never given the time, and never given the leadership to prepare for any sort of military operation of war.”
― J.P. Dalvi, Himalayan Blunder: The Curtain Raiser to the Sino Indian War of 1962

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J.P. Dalvi’s Followers (13)

J.P. Dalvi

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