What an officer and a gentleman!

In this time and era, we have very few real-life heroes. That is why when we lose one, the sense of personal bereavement is inescapable. Lt-Gen Jagjit Singh Aurora was one such and the outpouring of emotions over his demise has, understandably, a pan-India sweep to it. After all, the black and white picture of Pakistani General AAK Niazi surrendering, along with over 90,000 soldiers, before him during the war for liberation of Bangladesh in 1971 is etched in every Indian’s heart in a million vibrant colours. His chief, Field Marshal Sam Manekshaw, has paid him the ultimate compliment, when he said: “While Jaggi did all the work, I got the baton (of the Field Marshal)”. General Aurora would have protested strongly over this modesty of the other grand old soldier, but it is a fact that the Bangladesh victory owed a lot to him. Instead of a frontal attack, General Aurora planned a strategy of leaving the highways to the well-entrenched Pakistanis and pounding their flanks. This brilliant battle plan of the “thinking General” paid rich dividends, allowing India to post an authentic victory in a long long time.

Enough has already been written about the army prowess of the General. What made him exceptional was his grace and decency. He fought another war with matching passion and devotion. It was for the rehabilitation of the victims of the 1984 riots. He also played an equally important role in getting the allowance of the gallantry award winners enhanced.

There was so much of love and respect for him after the war that he could have occupied any top post but he quietly stepped aside from public eye, except for a stint as a Rajya Sabha member. It is said that when Mr V.P. Singh was looking around for a Sikh to be inducted into the Union Ministry, he turned to General Aurora, but he declined the offer saying that first elections should be held in Punjab. Such men are difficult to find these days.