Bot at 12:31, 8 October 2022

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{{Short description|Indian Army general (1934–2019)}}
{{Infobox military person
| honorific_prefix = [[Indian Army ranks|Lieutenant-General]]
| name = Francis Tiburtius Dias
| honorific_suffix = [[Param Vishisht Seva Medal|PVSM]], [[Ati Vishisht Seva Medal|AVSM]], [[Vir Chakra|VrC]]
| image = FRANCIS TIBERIUS DIAS.jpg
| image_size =
| alt =
| caption =
| native_name =
| native_name_lang =
| birth_name =
| nickname = Dick Dias<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.aviation-defence-universe.com/lt-gen-ft-dias-dies-indian-army-loses-a-living-legend/|title=Lt Gen. FT Dias dies : Indian Army loses a living legend|website=www.aviation-defence-universe.com}}</ref>
| birth_date = {{birth date|df=yes|1934|10|04}}
| birth_place = [[Poona]], [[Maharashtra]]
| death_date = {{Death date and age|df=yes|2019|01|26|1934|10|04}}
| death_place = [[Pali Hill]], [[Bandra]], [[Mumbai]]
| placeofburial = [[Church of Our Lady of Mount Carmel, Bandra|Church of Our Lady of Mount Carmel]], [[Bandra, Mumbai]] {{coord|19|3|0|N|72|49|41|E|display=inline}}
| allegiance = {{flag|India}}
| branch = {{army|India}}
| serviceyears = 1954-1992
| rank = [[File:Lieutenant General of the Indian Army.svg|15px]] [[Indian Army ranks|Lieutenant-General]]
| servicenumber = IC-7044
| unit = [[11th Gorkha Rifles]]
| commands = [[File:IA Southern Command.svg|25px]][[Southern Command (India)|Chief of Staff Southern Command]]
| battles = [[Indo-Pakistani War of 1965]] [[Indo-Pakistani War of 1971]] [[Operation Cactus-Lilly]]
| battles_label =
| awards = [[File:Param Vishisht Seva Medal ribbon.svg|25px]][[Param Vishisht Seva Medal]] [[File:Ati Vishisht Seva Medal ribbon.svg|25px]][[Ati Vishisht Seva Medal]] [[File:Vir Chakra ribbon bar.svg|25px]][[Vir Chakra]]
| memorials =
| spouse = Selda Dias
| relations = [[Ivan Dias|His Eminence Ivan Dias]] Dr Olaf J Dias, Mr Ralph J Dias
| laterwork =
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}}

[[Lieutenant-General]] '''Francis Tiburtius Dias''', [[Param Vishisht Seva Medal|PVSM]], [[Ati Vishisht Seva Medal|AVSM]], [[Vir Chakra|VrC]] (14 October 1934 – 16 January 2019) was an [[Indian Army]] officer, who was involved in the [[Indo-Pakistani War of 1971]].

==Early days==
Dias was born in 1934 into a Goan<ref>{{cite book | title=Profiles of Eminent Goans, Past and Present | author=Vaz, J. Clement}}</ref> family having [[Portugal|Portuguese]] ancestry. He is the elder brother of Cardinal [[Ivan Dias]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://zenit.org/articles/pope-sends-telegram-for-death-of-indian-cardinal-ivan-dias/|title=Pope Sends Telegram for Death of Indian Cardinal Ivan Dias|date=20 June 2017|publisher=}}</ref>

==Military career==
Francis T. Dias joined the [[Gorkha regiments (India)|Gorkha Regiment]] in 1954 as a [[second lieutenant]].

==Vir Chakra==
The citation for the [[Vir Chakra]] awarded to him reads:
{{Quotation|{{center|'''CITATION''' 
'''(Lieutenant Colonel Francis Tiburtius Dias)''' [[File:Vir-chakra.png|150px]]}}}}
Lieutenant Colonel Francis Tiburtius Dias was commanding a battalion of 11th Gorkha Rifles during the operations against Pakistan in the Eastern Sector. On 12 December 1971, he was ordered to capture a well prepared position held by an enemy infantry battalion. Again, on 13 December, the battalion was assigned the task of capturing two bridges held by the enemy in strength. And finally on 14 December 1971 the battalion was assigned the task of capturing a portion of Bogra Town. Under his leadership, the battalion carried out all the tasks successfully, inflicting heavy casualties on the enemy. After contacting the enemy defences at Mahasthana, he infiltrated between the enemy's forward defended localities, raided the enemy battalion headquarters, and captured the officer commanding along with other officers. He also thwarted enemy efforts to blow up bridges. It was due to him that the battalion contributed to a great extent in clearing Bogra Town and taking a large number of prisoners.

Throughout this operation, Lieutenant Colonel Dias displayed gallantry, professional skill and leadership of a high order.<ref>Gazette Notification: 94 Pres/72,19-8-72; Operation: 1971 Cactus Lily; Date of Award: 12 Dec 1971</ref>

==References==
{{reflist}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Dias, Francis}}
[[Category:1934 births]]
[[Category:2019 deaths]]
[[Category:People from Pune]]
[[Category:Indian generals]]
[[Category:Recipients of the Vir Chakra]]

Francis Dias - Revision history

Bot at 12:31, 8 October 2022