Bot at 08:24, 14 March 2022

2022-03-14T08:24:59Z

New page

{{Short description|Indian army officer, recipient of Maha Vir Chakra}}
{{More citations needed|date=March 2022}}
{{Infobox military person
| honorific_prefix = [[Major General]]
| name = Harish Chandra Pathak
| honorific_suffix = [[Maha Vir Chakra|MVC]]
| birth_date = 30 Jun 1934
| birth_place = [[Mhow]], [[India]]
| death_date = 22 June 2015 (Aged 81)
| death_place = [[New Delhi]], [[India]]
| nickname =
| birth_name =
| allegiance = {{Flag|India}}
| branch = {{army|India}}
| serviceyears =
| rank = [[File:Major_General_of_the_Indian_Army.svg|20px]] [[Major General]]
| servicenumber =
| unit = [[Sikh Regiment|8 Sikh LI]]
| commands = IC-7114<ref>{{cite book |title=Indian Armed Forces Yearbook |date=1971 |publisher=Indian youth. |page=481 |url=https://www.google.co.in/books/edition/Indian_Armed_Forces_Yearbook/K2rfAAAAMAAJ |language=en}}</ref>
| battles = [[Battle of Fatehpur]] - [[Indo-Pakistani War of 1971]]
| awards = [[File:Maha_Vir_Chakra_ribbon.svg|35px]] [[Maha Vir Chakra]]<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://gallantryawards.gov.in/Awardee/harish-chandra-pathak|title=LT COL HARISH CHANDRA PATHAK MAHA VIR CHAKRA|publisher=Indian Army, Govt of India official website}}</ref>
| spouse =
| signature =
| website = 
| module =
}}

[[Major General]] '''Harish Chandra Pathak''', [[Maha Vir Chakra|MVC, AVSM]] (30 Jun 1934 – 22 June 2015) was an officer of the [[Indian Army]], who belonged to the [[SikhLI Regiment]]. He was awarded the [[Maha Vir Chakra]], India's second highest award for gallantry in the face of the enemy, during [[Battle of Fatehpur]], [[Indo-Pakistan War of 1971]].

==Early life and education==
[[Major General]] Harish Chandra Pathak was born on 30 June 1934 in Mhow. His father was a respected lawyer and Magistrate in British India. General Pathak is an alumnus of the National Defence Academy and was commissioned in the Indian Army as a Second Lieutenant in December 1954.

==Military career==
During the [[Indo-Pakistani War of 1971]], then Lt Col H.C. Pathak was commanding officer of [[Sikh Regiment|8 Sikh LI]], which was tasked of capturing Fatehpur, a well-fortified position held by Pakistani troops. During the attack, the overwhelmingly superior Pakistani troops were able to inflict heavy casualties on the assaulting Indian troops through intense and accurate artillery and small arms fire. Lieutenant Colonel Pathak, disregarding his personal safety and displaying high courage, personally led the charge and captured the objective after fierce hand-to-hand fighting. The enemy launched two fierce counterattacks, inflicting heavy casualties on his men. He continued to hold fort, provide leadership under extreme circumstances and beat back both the counterattacks,while also inflicting heavy casualties on the enemy.<ref>{{cite news |date=29 November 2013|title=1971 War: The tale of the unusual victory|url=http://www.indiandefencereview.com/media/1971-war/nggallery/image/the-sweet-scent-of-victory-in-the-air|newspaper=Indian Defence Review}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://twdi.in/node/1442|title=Maj Gen Harish Chandra Pathak, MVC|publisher=The War Decorated India & Trust}}</ref>

For his gallantry and leadership, Lt Colonel H.C.Pathak was awarded the [[Maha Vir Chakra]], India's second highest Award for Gallantry in the face of the enemy.

This battle was part of the Battle of Fatehpur, one of the major battles of the 1971 war.

Lt Colonel H.C.Pathak later rose to the rank of Major General. In 1984 he was awarded an Ati Vishist Seva Medal by the President for distinguished service. He died on 22 June 2015 due to natural causes.<ref>{{cite news |date=15 July 2015|title=Lt Col (Maj Gen) HC Pathak|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Lt-Col-Maj-Gen-HC-Pathak/articleshow/48079640.cms|newspaper=The Times of India}}</ref>

He is survived by his wife Mrs Kanta Pathak, daughter Ms Shabnam Singh and son Mr Rohit Pathak.

==See also==
* [[Indo-Pakistani War of 1971]]

==References==

{{reflist}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Pathak, Harish Chandra}}
[[Category:Recipients of the Maha Vir Chakra]]
[[Category:Indian Army personnel]]
[[Category:Indian generals]]
[[Category:1934 births]]
[[Category:2015 deaths]]

{{India-mil-bio-stub}}
{{India-bio-stub}}

Harish Chandra Pathak - Revision history

Bot at 08:24, 14 March 2022