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{{Short description|Recipient of Maha Vir Chakra}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2019}}
{{Use Indian English|date=October 2019}}
{{Infobox military person
| honorific_prefix = [[Major General]]
|name=Anant Singh Pathania
| honorific_suffix =[[Maha Vir Chakra|MVC]], [[Military Cross|MC]]
|image=
|alt=
|caption=
|birth_date={{Birth date|df=yes|1913|05|25}}
|death_date={{Death date and age|df=yes|2007|12|19|1913|05|25}}
|birth_place= [[Village]] [[Rey Khas]], [[Tehsil]] [[Fatehpur, Himachal Pradesh Assembly constituency|Fatehpur]], [[District]] [[Kangra, Himachal Pradesh|Kangra]], [[Himachal Pradesh|H.P]] [[India]]
 [[File:British_Raj_Red_Ensign.svg|30px]] [[Punjab Province (British India)]]
|death_place= [[Dharamsala]], [[Himachal Pradesh]], [[India]]
|placeofburial=
|placeofburial_label=
|nickname=
|allegiance={{flag|British India}} (1936–1947) {{flag|India}} (1947–1965)
|branch={{army|British India}} {{army|India}}
|serviceyears=1936–1965
|rank= [[File:Major General of the Indian Army.svg|22px]] [[Major-General]]
|servicenumber = IC-56
| unit =[[13th Frontier Force Rifles]] [[5th Gorkha Rifles (Frontier Force)]]
|commands= [[4th Infantry Division (India)|4th Infantry Division]]
|battles=
{{tree list}}
* [[Waziristan campaign (1936–1939)|Waziristan campaign]]
* [[World War II]]
** [[East African Campaign (World War II)|East African campaign]]
*** [[Battle of Keren]]
** [[Burma Campaign]]
* [[Indo-Pakistan War of 1947]]
** [[Operation Bison (Jammu & Kashmir 1948)|Operation Bison]]
* [[Sino-Indian War]]
{{tree list/end}}
|awards=[[Maha Vir Chakra]] [[Military Cross]]
|relations=
|laterwork=
|signature=
}}

[[Major General]] '''Anant Singh Pathania''' [[Maha Vir Chakra|MVC]], [[Military Cross|MC]] (25 May 1913 – 19 December 2007) was a decorated [[Indian Army]] general; the first Indian to receive a [[Military Cross]] in the Second World War, he was also the first Indian commanding officer of the Gorkha Rifles.<ref name=soldier_core>{{cite news|title=Soldier to the core|url=https://www.tribuneindia.com/2008/20080109/himplus1.htm|access-date=2 September 2018|newspaper=The Tribune (Chandigarh)|date=9 January 2008}}</ref> During the [[Sino-Indian War]] of 1962, he commanded the [[4th Infantry Division (India)|4th Infantry Division]] during a critical stage of the conflict where his leadership was criticised.<ref name="poor_leadership_report"/>

==Early life and career==
Pathania was born the third and youngest son of Lieutenant-Colonel [[Raghbir Singh Pathania]] (1874–1915), an officer in the Jammu and Kashmir princely army, and Raj Devi Dalpatia. He was a member of a distinguished Rajput military and royal clan which had served the Dogra rulers of Jammu and Kashmir for generations. Descended from a cadet branch of the ruling Pathania Rajas of Nurpur, his paternal grandfather, Major-General ''Sardar Bahadur'' Nihal Singh Pathania (1853–1926), had been the commander of the Jammu and Kashmir army, leading them in the 1891 Hunza campaign and in the Black Mountain Expedition; his maternal grandfather Baj Singh Dalpatia had been a general during campaigns in Chitral. Pathania's father was killed during the First World War in Tanganyika while leading the 2nd Kashmiri Rifles during the [[East African Campaign (World War I)|East African Campaign]].<ref name= "pathania_clan"/>

Pathania had two elder brothers, Baldev Singh Pathania (1897–1985), who served as Military Secretary to Maharaja [[Hari Singh]] and who eventually retired as ''dewan'' of the [[princely state]] of Poonch, and Harnam Singh Pathania (1900-?), who became Chief Conservator of Forests in the state.<ref name= "pathania_clan">{{cite book |editor1-last=Brentnall |editor1-first=Mark |title=The Princely and Noble Families of the Former Indian Empire (Volume I: Himachal Pradesh) |year=2004 |publication-date=2004 |page=360 |isbn=81-7387-163-9}}</ref>

Pathania was educated at Ranbir High School in Jammu.<ref name="war_decorated">{{cite web |url=http://twdi.in/node/1224|title=Maj Gen Anant Singh Pathania, MVC, MC (now deceased)|website=The War Decorated India & Trust |access-date=11 November 2018}}</ref> Commissioned into the [[13th Frontier Force Rifles]] on 1 February 1936, he served on the North-West Frontier during the [[Waziristan campaign (1936–1939)|Waziristan campaign]].<ref name="soldier_core"/> As a temporary captain during the [[East African Campaign (World War II)|East African Campaign]], he fought in the [[Battle of Keren]] as a company commander and was awarded a [[Military Cross]] (MC) for his heroism.<ref>{{London Gazette |issue=35221|date=15 July 1941 |page=4110|supp=y}}</ref> According to author Antony Brett: "Although wounded in the face and in both legs, he collected his company headquarters and any other men he could muster, and pushed the enemy out with the bayonet. Only then, and under orders, did he hand over the company to his second-in-command, but the latter, too, was wounded by bomb splinters."<ref name="soldier_core"/>

The citation recommending Pathania for a Military Cross runs as follows:<ref>{{cite web |url=http://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/D7363124|title=Recommendation for Award for Anant Singh Pathania |website=The National Archives (UK)|publisher=UK Government |access-date=5 September 2018}}</ref>

{{blockquote|
22 March 1941

Lieut. (Ty. Captain) ANANT SINGH PATHANIA, 13th Frontier Force Rifles, [[29th Indian Infantry Brigade]], [[5th Indian Division]]

For conspicuous bravery and devotion to duty.

On 17 March 1941, this officer was commanding a flank company which was heavily attacked by at least a battalion of enemy, using mortars, light mortars and grenades. When the enemy succeeded in penetrating the centre of his sector, he led his Company Headquarters and a few men whom he had collected to the counter-attack. He was hit by a grenade on the [illegible] of his steel helmet and temporarily blinded in one eye. He was also wounded in the legs, but he continued to lead his men, firing at the enemy at a few yards range with his pistol. The enemy withdrew and Company's position was re-established. He continued to command his company for another five hours under shell, mortars and small arms fire until ordered to the rear by a senior officer. His actions undoubtedly prevented the development of a very serious situation.
}}

Subsequently posted to Burma, Pathania fought in the Burma Campaign as the first Indian officer to serve as a Brigade Major. In 1945, he was selected as deputy president of the Regular Commission Selection Board over 400 more senior officers.<ref name="soldier_core"/>

==Indian independence and Kashmir war==
At Independence in 1947, Pathania was selected as the first Indian CO of the [[5 Gorkha Rifles|1/5 Royal Gurkha Rifles (Frontier Force)]], his parent unit of the 13th Frontier Force Rifles having been allocated to [[Pakistan]]. As CO, he helped to provide aid for refugees and local residents in Delhi during the post-Partition chaos and rioting.

His battalion was sent to Kashmir during the 1947-48 Indo-Pakistan War, where in November 1948, the Indian Army's advance towards Drass and Kargil was being halted at Pindras gorge. As part of [[Operation Bison (Jammu & Kashmir 1948)|Operation Bison]], then [[5 Gorkha Rifles|1/5 Royal Gurkha Rifles (Frontier Force)]] was deployed to capture the ridge ahead of Pindras, on the north of Gumri Nala; the resulting battle was reportedly the hardest ever fought during the Jammu and Kashmir operations.<ref name="soldier_core"/> Anant not only led several reconnaissance missions but also pressed home the attack on the enemy on 14 November 1948. Despite heavy enemy machine gun fire the 5th Gorkhas achieved their objectives and inflicted heavy casualties. The victory was attributed to Pathania's daring reconnaissance of enemy positions on the eve of battle. In tribute to Pathania, the strategically important mountain top he captured was named "Anant Hill."<ref name="soldier_core"/>

Pathania was awarded the Maha Vir Chakra (MVC) for his efforts. The official citation reads:<ref>{{cite web |url=http://gallantryawards.gov.in/Awardee/anant-singh-pathania-mc |title=Maha Vir Chakra - Lt. Col. Anant Singh Pathania, MC |website=Gallantry Awards (Ministry of Defence)|publisher=Government of India |access-date=3 September 2018}}</ref>

{{blockquote|
Lt-Colonel ANANT SINGH PATHANIA, MC (IC-56), 1 Bn. The 5th Gurkha Rifles

The fine achievement of 1/5 RGR during the ZOJILA operations was due entirely to the courage and fine leadership of Lt-Colonel PATHANIA.

The hardest battle fought by the infantry was in breaking the well-fortified enemy position on [the] 'ANANT' feature. The success of this operation was due entirely to Lt-Colonel PATHANIA's personal reconnaissance of the enemy defence and in finding the most suitable routes for the attack of his Bn. on [the] night [of] 14/15 November 1948. Throughout the reconnaissance stage and during the attack, this officer personally led his men. He was a source of great encouragement to his men.}}

==Subsequent career and the 1962 Sino-Indian War==
On 14 October 1949, Pathania was promoted to acting brigadier and assigned to supervise the integration of the Saurashtra and Kutch princely state forces into the Indian Army.<ref name="brig_com"/> From 1952 to 1956, he served as Director General, Military Intelligence (DGMI) before being given command of a brigade in 1956.<ref name="soldier_core"/> On 1 July 1959, he was promoted to acting major-general and given a divisional command,<ref name="actg_maj_gen"/> with promotion to substantive major-general on 13 December 1960.<ref name="maj_gen"/> He commanded the [[National Cadet Corps (India)|National Cadet Corps]] (NCC) as its Director-General from 6 October 1961 until November 1962.<ref>{{cite news |title=Part I-Section 4: Ministry of Defence (Army Branch) |page=299 |date=11 November 1961 |publisher=The Gazette of India}}</ref><ref name="soldier_core"/>

At the outbreak of the [[Sino-Indian War]] in autumn 1962, Pathania was still Director-General of the NCC. In November, when fighting resumed in [[Arunachal Pradesh]], he was abruptly recalled to active service with only a few hours notice. He was given command of the [[4th Infantry Division (India)|4th Infantry Division]], to replace Major-General Niranjan Prasad under whom the division had been badly defeated at [[Namka Chu]] in the [[Tawang district]]. In 2012, ''[[The Indian Express]]'' discovered that four pages of a 40-page covering note to the still-classified [[Henderson Brooks–Bhagat Report]], a review of the Indian Army's performance during the conflict, mentioned that then-Defence Minister [[V. K. Krishna Menon]] had been directly involved in reshuffling senior generals, including Pathania. According to the ''Express'', sources mentioned the Report particularly singled out and harshly criticised Pathania's appointment and the performance of the 4th Infantry Division under his command.<ref name="poor_leadership_report">{{cite news |last=Samanta |first=Pranab Dhal |date=14 October 2012 |title=Poor military leadership, not equipment, led to 1962 debacle: Report under wraps |url=https://indianexpress.com/article/news-archive/web/poor-military-leadership-not-equipment-led-to-1962-debacle-report-under-wraps/ |work=The Indian Express |location=New Delhi |access-date=11 November 2018 }}</ref> The Report noted that despite Pathania not having commanded troops for a considerable time, he was still appointed a division commander.<ref name="poor_leadership_report"/>

Under Pathania, the 4th Infantry Division was hastily reconstructed and under the IV Corps, assigned to defend fallback positions along the Se La-Senge-Dhirang axis in Arunachal Pradesh. This would allow the Army to fight an intense defensive campaign and make it difficult for the Chinese army to sustain operations.<ref name="poor_leadership_report"/> On 14 November, the Chinese forces launched a general offensive in the eastern sectors along the front, resulting in the defeat of an Indian brigade at [[Walong]]. IV Corps commander Lieutenant-General [[Brij Mohan Kaul]] had left his headquarters for Walong on 12 November, only departing with his surviving troops on 16 November.<ref name="retreat_rout">{{cite news |last=Malhotra |first=Inder |date=19 September 2011 |title=How the retreat turned into a rout |url=https://indianexpress.com/article/opinion/columns/how-the-retreat-turned-into-a-rout/ |work=The Indian Express |access-date=11 November 2018 }}</ref> In Kaul's absence, Pathania panicked and contacted the Corps HQ requesting permission to withdraw from his positions at the [[Sela Pass]]. Despite Kaul's staff issuing a clear order to Pathania forbidding withdrawal from Se-la, Pathania continued to persist for an immediate withdrawal and spoke to Kaul after his return to the IV Corps HQ. In response, according to Kaul's chief of staff A. M. Vohra, Kaul issued ambiguous and unclear orders to Pathania. Though General [[Pran Nath Thapar]], the Chief of Army Staff, and the [[Eastern Command (India)|Eastern Command]] army commander Lieutenant-General L. P. Sen, along with Director of Military Operations Palit had arrived at Tezpur to boost Kaul's morale, and though Palit pleaded with both Thapar and Sen to convince Pathania against withdrawing from Se-la, neither general wanted to interfere with Kaul's corps.<ref name="retreat_rout"/>

As a result, though Kaul repeatedly attempted to contact his division commander, during the night of 17 November Pathania withdrew two battalions from Se-la though neither had engaged the Chinese troops. He also closed his divisional HQ at Dirang Dzong and fled with his troops towards Assam. At the same time, the Chinese had rapidly infiltrated the Indian positions around [[Bomdila]], encircling and ambushing the remaining Indian troops as they chaotically withdrew.

In almost every book or article written on Sino-Indian war 1962, he has been criticized for the retreat of 4th Div.

Brigadier Hoshiar Singh, the commander of 62 Brigade who had withdrawn from Se-la only after being threatened with court-martial, was killed in one ambush.<ref name="retreat_rout" />

[[Hoshiar Singh (Brigadier)]] who retreated on 18 November was massacred along with 32 others by Chinese on 23 November 1962 at Phudung (two days after the cease fire was announced).

After his panicky retreat, Pathania wrote to [[Harish Chandra Sarin]], then a joint secretary in the Defence Ministry, and requested another chance to fight, even as an ordinary soldier at the front.<ref name="poor_leadership_report" />

==Later life==
Pathania retired from the Army in January 1965, after being on deputation to the Ministry of Education as Director-General of the National Discipline Scheme, devised to foster national integration and discipline among students. As a retired general officer, he continued to serve in this capacity until finally retiring in July 1967, first settling at [[Jammu]] before moving to a residence at [[Dharamsala]]. In his final years, concerned about shortfalls of officers in the Indian Army, he delivered a message to youngsters that they should "serve in the world's best fighting force. There is nothing greater than wearing the uniform of the Indian Army." He died at his Dharamsala home on 19 December 2007, aged 94.<ref name="soldier_core"/>

==Personal life==
Pathania was married to Uma Katoch, who survived him.<ref name="soldier_core"/> The couple had four children, Major-General Narayan Singh Pathania (b. 8 April 1945), Indu (b. 15 March 1948), Meenakshi (b. 23 August 1951) and Vasudev Singh (b. 2 July 1953).<ref name= "pathania_clan"/><ref name="war_decorated"/>

==Awards and decorations==

{| style="margin:1em auto; text-align:center;"
|{{Ribbon devices|number=0|type=award‐star|ribbon=Maha_Vir_Chakra_ribbon.svg|width=106}}
|{{Ribbon devices|number=0|type=award-star|ribbon=India_General_Service_Medal_1947.svg|width=106}}
|{{Ribbon devices|number=0|type=award-star|ribbon=Indian_Independence_medal_1947.svg|width=106}}
|{{Ribbon devices|number=0|type=award‐star|ribbon=Military_cross_BAR.svg|width=106}}
|}
{| style="margin:1em auto; text-align:center;"
|{{Ribbon devices|number=0|type=award‐star|ribbon=India_General_Service_Medal_1936_BAR.svg|width=106}}
|{{Ribbon devices|number=0|type=award-star|ribbon=Ribbon_-_1939-45_Star.png|width=106}}
|{{Ribbon devices|number=0|type=award-star|ribbon=Ribbon_-_Africa_Star.png|width=106}}
|{{Ribbon devices|number=0|type=award-star|ribbon=Ribbon_-_Burma_Star.png|width=106}}
|{{Ribbon devices|number=0|type=award-star|ribbon=Ribbon_-_War_Medal.png|width=106}}
|}
{| class="wikitable" style="margin:1em auto; text-align:center;"
|-
|[[Maha Vir Chakra]]
|colspan="2"|[[General Service Medal 1947]]
|[[Indian Independence Medal]]
|[[Military Cross]]
|-
|[[India General Service Medal (1936)]]
|[[1939–1945 Star]]
|[[Africa Star]]
|[[Burma Star]]
|[[War Medal 1939–1945]]
|}

==Dates of rank==
{|class="wikitable" style="background:white"
! Insignia !! Rank !! Component !! Date of rank
|-
|align="center" |[[File:British_Army_OF-1a.svg|35px]] || [[Second lieutenant#United Kingdom & other Commonwealth countries|Second Lieutenant]] || [[British Indian Army]] || 1 February 1936<ref name="Indian_Army_List_47"/>
|-
|align="center" |[[File:British_Army_OF-1b.svg|35px]] || [[Lieutenant (British Army and Royal Marines)|Lieutenant]] || British Indian Army || 24 February 1937<ref name="Indian_Army_List_47">{{cite book|pages=205E|title=Indian Army List|publisher=Government of India Press|year=1947|edition=August 1947; Special}}</ref>
|-
|align="center" |[[File:British_Army_OF-2.svg|35px]] || [[Captain (British Army and Royal Marines)|Captain]] || British Indian Army || 1940-20 April 1942 (acting) 21 April 1942 (temporary)<ref name="Indian_Army_List_47"/> 3 February 1943 (substantive)<ref name="Indian_Army_List_47"/>
|-
|align="center" |[[File:British Army (1920–1953) OF-3.svg|35px]] || [[Major (United Kingdom)|Major]] ||British Indian Army || 21 April-31 August 1942 (acting)<ref name="Indian_Army_List_47"/> 1 September 1942 (temporary)<ref name="Indian_Army_List_47"/>
|-
|align="center" |[[File:British_Army_(1920-1953)_OF-4.svg|35px]] || [[Lieutenant colonel (United Kingdom)|Lieutenant-Colonel]] ||British Indian Army || 8 March 1945 (acting)<ref name="Indian_Army_List_47"/> 8 June 1945 (temporary)<ref name="Indian_Army_List_47"/>
|-
|align="center" |[[File:British_Army_OF-2.svg|35px]] || Captain || [[Indian Army]] || 15 August 1947<ref name="insignia" group="note">Upon independence in 1947, India became a [[Dominion of India|Dominion]] within the British [[Commonwealth of Nations]]. As a result, the rank insignia of the [[British Army]], incorporating the [[Tudor Crown]] and four-pointed [[Order of the Bath|Bath Star]] ("pip"), was retained, as [[George VI of the United Kingdom|George VI]] remained Commander-in-Chief of the [[Indian Armed Forces]]. After 26 January 1950, when India became a [[Republic of India|republic]], the [[President of India]] became Commander-in-Chief, and the [[Lion Capital of Asoka|Ashoka Lion]] replaced the crown, with a five-pointed star being substituted for the "pip."</ref><ref name="insignia_designs"/>
|-
|align="center" |[[File:British_Army_(1920-1953)_OF-4.svg|35px]] || [[Lieutenant colonel (United Kingdom)|Lieutenant-Colonel]] ||Indian Army || September 1947 (temporary)<ref name="insignia" group="note"/>
|-
|align="center" |[[File:British Army (1920–1953) OF-3.svg|35px]] || [[Major (United Kingdom)|Major]] ||Indian Army || 1948 (substantive)<ref name="insignia" group="note"/><ref name="brig_com">{{cite news |title=Part I-Section 4: Ministry of Defence (Army Branch) |page=286 |date=25 February 1950 |publisher=The Gazette of India}}</ref>
|-
|align="center" |[[File:British_Army_(1920-1953)_OF-5.svg|35px]] || [[Colonel (United Kingdom)|Colonel]] ||Indian Army || 1949 (acting)<ref name="insignia" group="note"/><ref name="brig_com"/>
|-
|align="center" |[[File:British Army (1928-1953) OF-6.svg|35px]] || [[Brigadier (United Kingdom)|Brigadier]] ||Indian Army || 14 October 1949 (acting)<ref name="insignia" group="note"/><ref name="brig_com"/>
|-
|align="center" |[[File:Major_of_the_Indian_Army.svg|35px]] || Major || Indian Army || 26 January 1950 (recommissioning and change in insignia)<ref name="insignia_designs">{{cite web|title=New Designs of Crests and Badges in the Services|url=http://pib.nic.in/archive/docs/DVD_38/ACC%20NO%20807-BR/HOM-1950-01-06_484.pdf|website=Press Information Bureau of India - Archive|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170808193914/http://pib.nic.in/archive/docs/DVD_38/ACC%20NO%20807-BR/HOM-1950-01-06_484.pdf|archive-date=8 August 2017|df=dmy-all}}</ref>
|-
|align="center" |[[File:Lieutenant_Colonel_of_the_Indian_Army.svg|35px]] || [[Lieutenant-Colonel]] || Indian Army || 1952<ref>{{cite news |title=Part I-Section 4: Ministry of Defence (Army Branch) |page=241 |date=1 November 1952 |publisher=The Gazette of India}}</ref>
|-
|align="center" |[[File:Colonel_of_the_Indian_Army.svg|35px]] || [[Colonel]] || Indian Army || 3 February 1953<ref>{{cite news |title=Part I-Section 4: Ministry of Defence (Army Branch) |page=44 |date=23 February 1957 |publisher=The Gazette of India}}</ref>
|-
|align="center" |[[File:Brigadier_of_the_Indian_Army.svg|35px]] || [[Brigadier]] || Indian Army || 3 February 1958 (substantive)<ref name="brig_subs">{{cite news |title=Part I-Section 4: Ministry of Defence (Army Branch) |page=80 |date=5 April 1958 |publisher=The Gazette of India}}</ref>
|-
|align="center" |[[File:Major_General_of_the_Indian_Army.svg|35px]] || [[Major general#India|Major General]] || Indian Army || 1 July 1959 (acting)<ref name="actg_maj_gen">{{cite news |title=Part I-Section 4: Ministry of Defence (Army Branch) |page=208 |date=29 August 1959 |publisher=The Gazette of India}}</ref> 13 December 1960 (substantive)<ref name="maj_gen">{{cite news |title=Part I-Section 4: Ministry of Defence (Army Branch) |page=245 |date=16 September 1961 |publisher=The Gazette of India}}</ref>
|-
|}

==Notes==
{{reflist|group=note}}

==References==
{{reflist}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Pathania, Anant Singh}}
[[Category:1913 births]]
[[Category:2007 deaths]]
[[Category:People from Kangra district]]
[[Category:British Indian Army officers]]
[[Category:Recipients of the Maha Vir Chakra]]
[[Category:Recipients of the Military Cross]]
[[Category:Indian Army personnel of World War II]]
[[Category:People of the India–Pakistan war of 1947–1948]]
[[Category:People of the Sino-Indian War]]
[[Category:Indian generals]]
[[Category:Military personnel from Himachal Pradesh]]
[[Category:People from Punjab Province (British India)]]
[[Category:Frontier Force Regiment officers]]
[[Category:Indian recipients of the Military Cross]]
[[Category:20th-century Indian royalty]]

Anant Singh Pathania - Revision history

OlivaGabel6 at 07:08, 19 March 2026