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{{Short description|Indian Army general}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2019}}
{{Use Indian English|date=October 2019}}
{{Infobox military person
| honorific_prefix = [[Lieutenant-General]]
| name = Lionel Protip Sen
| honorific_suffix = [[Distinguished Service Order|DSO]]
| image =
| alt =
| caption =
| birth_date = {{Birth date|df=yes|1910|10|20}}<ref name="Indian_Army_List_45"/>
| death_date = {{Death date and age|df=yes|1981|09|17|1910|10|20}}
| birth_place = Calcutta, [[Bengal Presidency]], [[British Raj|British India]] (now [[Kolkata]], [[West Bengal]], India)<ref name="DSO_cite"/>
| death_place =
| placeofburial =
| placeofburial_label =
| nickname = Bogey
| allegiance = {{flag|British India}} (1931-1947) {{flag|India}} (1947-1965)
| branch = {{army|British India}} {{army|India}}
| serviceyears = 1931–1965
| rank = [[File:Lieutenant General of the Indian Army.svg|22px]] [[Lieutenant-General]]
| servicenumber = AI-77
| unit = 16/10 [[10th Baluch Regiment|Baluch Regiment]] [[8th Gorkha Rifles]]
| commands = GOC-in-C, [[Southern Command (India)|Southern Command]] GOC-in-C, [[Eastern Command (India)|Eastern Command]] [[161st Indian Infantry Brigade]]
| battles = [[World War II]]
*[[Burma Campaign]]
**[[Battle of Hill 170]]
[[Indo-Pakistan War of 1947]] 
[[Sino-Indian War]]
| awards = [[Distinguished Service Order]]
| relations =
| laterwork = authored ''Slender was the Thread''
| signature =
}}

[[Lieutenant-General]] '''Lionel Protip "Bogey" Sen''' [[Distinguished Service Order|DSO]] (20 October 1910 – 17 September 1981) was a decorated [[Indian Army]] general. He served as the [[Chief of General Staff (India)|Chief of the General Staff]] during 1959–1961 and commanded the [[Eastern Command (India)|Eastern Command]] during 1961–1963. He was the general responsible for countering the Chinese invasion of [[North-East Frontier Agency|NEFA]] during the [[Sino-Indian War]] of 1962. Sen is also the author of ''Slender was the Thread'', a military history of the [[Indo-Pakistani War of 1947–1948]].

==Career==
A [[King's Commissioned Indian Officer]] (KCIO), Sen attended the [[Royal Military Academy Sandhurst]] and was commissioned a second lieutenant in the British Indian Army on 27 August 1931.<ref>{{London Gazette|issue=33748|supp=|page=5624|date=28 August 1931}}</ref> He was formally appointed to the Indian Army as an officer with the [[10th Baluch Regiment]] on 26 October 1932 (seniority from 29 January 1931).<ref>{{London Gazette|issue=33924|supp=|page=2043|date=24 March 1933}}</ref> He was promoted lieutenant on 29 April 1933,<ref name="lt_gazette"/> and to captain on 29 January 1939.<ref name="capt_gazette"/>

During the Second World War, Sen fought in the [[Burma Campaign]] with the 16th Battalion of 10 Baluch. In early 1945, his battalion took a prominent role in the [[Battle of Hill 170]], during which he was awarded the [[Distinguished Service Order]] (DSO).<ref>{{London Gazette|issue=37349|supp=y|page=5574|date=13 November 1945}}</ref> The citation recommending Sen for the DSO (which was not published) noted:<ref name="DSO_cite">{{cite web |url=https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/D7370259|title=Recommendation for Award for Sen, Lionel Protip. Rank: Sub Captain, Temporary Major, Acting Lieutenant Colonel |website=The National Archives (UK)|publisher=UK Government |access-date=20 October 2019}}</ref>

<blockquote>
...In spite of the greatest difficulties Lt-Col Sen held firmly on to his precarious positions, and the final success of the whole operation was in no small measure due to his dashing assault and tenacious defence. Throughout, he has proved himself a gallant leader of a gallant Battalion and an inspiration to every officer and man under his command.
</blockquote>

As the Baluch Regiment, Sen's parent regiment, was among those regiments allotted to Pakistan following Indian independence, Sen transferred to the 8th Gorkha Rifles. During the [[Indo-Pakistani War of 1947–1948]], he was promoted to acting brigadier and commanded the [[161st Indian Infantry Brigade]], receiving a mention in dispatches.<ref>{{cite web|title=Defence-Press Note|url=http://pibarchive.nic.in/archive/ArchiveSecondPhase/DEFENCE/1948-JAN-JUNE-DEFENCE/PDF/DEF-1948-04-09_208.pdf|website=Press Information Bureau of India - Archive|date=9 April 1948|access-date=15 February 2020}}</ref> On 16 March 1955, Sen was promoted acting major-general and appointed Director of Military Training (DMT).<ref name="maj_gen_actg"/> He was appointed [[Master-General of the Ordnance (India)|Master-General of the Ordnance]] (MGO) on 8 May 1957,<ref>{{cite news |title=Part I-Section 4: Ministry of Defence (Army Branch) |page=129 |date=25 May 1957 |publisher=The Gazette of India}}</ref> and was further appointed Colonel-Commandant of the Army Physical Training Corps on 26 September.<ref>{{cite news |title=Part I-Section 4: Ministry of Defence (Army Branch) |page=280 |date=9 November 1957 |publisher=The Gazette of India}}</ref>

Sen was promoted to acting lieutenant-general on 1 August 1958,<ref name="lt_gen_actg"/> and to the substantive rank on 29 January 1959.<ref name="lt_gen_subs"/> On 8 May 1961, he was appointed GOC-in-C, Eastern Command,<ref>{{cite news |title=Part I-Section 4: Ministry of Defence (Army Branch) |page=128 |date=20 May 1961 |publisher=The Gazette of India}}</ref> in which capacity he served during the Sino-Indian War the following year. After the conflict, Sen was appointed GOC-in-C, [[Southern Command (India)|Southern Command]], on 10 May 1963.<ref>{{cite news |title=Part I-Section 4: Ministry of Defence (Army Branch) |page=209 |date=22 June 1963 |publisher=The Gazette of India}}</ref> He retired from this posting on 8 May 1965, after nearly 34 years of service.<ref>{{cite news |title=Part I-Section 4: Ministry of Defence (Army Branch) |page=306 |date=12 June 1965 |publisher=The Gazette of India}}</ref>

Sen died in 1981.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.indianarmy.nic.in/writereaddata/documents/pensioner/Family_Pensioners%20AI%20EC%20RC%20TC.xls|title=Indian Army - List of Family Pensioners (AI, EC, RC, TC) |website=Indian Army |access-date=20 October 2019 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20120226132633/https://www.indianarmy.nic.in/writereaddata/documents/pensioner/Family_Pensioners%20AI%20EC%20RC%20TC.xls| archive-date =1 January 2021| url-status = dead}}</ref>

==Personal life==
In 1939, he married [[Kalyani Sen|Kalyani Gupta]].<ref name="C&MG.Nov1939">{{cite news |date=2 November 1939 |title=Allied army chiefs in France |page=9 |work=Civil & Military Gazette |location=Lahore |url=https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0003221/19391102/148/0009 |url-access=subscription |via=British Newspaper Archive}}</ref> Their first daughter, Radha, was born in 1941,<ref name=Pass1949>{{cite news |title=Inwards Passenger Lists.; Class |work= UK and Ireland, Incoming Passenger Lists, 1878-1960
|date=1949|url=https://www.ancestry.co.uk/discoveryui-content/view/28697775:1518?tid=&pid=&queryId=5f69ca6e5dd9c645a4c29c57aeb4281b&_phsrc=cYQ3&_phstart=successSource|via=ancestry.co.uk|url-access=subscription}}</ref> and [[Mala Sen|Mala]] in 1947.<ref name=Roy2011/><ref name=EEWM/> The marriage ended in divorce in 1953.<ref name=Roy2011>{{cite news |last1=Roy |first1=Amit |title=The woman who tamed a bandit |url=https://www.telegraphindia.com/entertainment/the-woman-who-tamed-a-bandit/cid/391084 |access-date=18 November 2022 |work=www.telegraphindia.com |date=27 May 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221119072237/https://www.telegraphindia.com/entertainment/the-woman-who-tamed-a-bandit/cid/391084|archive-date=19 November 2022}}</ref><ref name=EEWM>{{cite web |title=Mala Sen: Writer and race equality activist |url=https://eastendwomensmuseum.org/blog/mala-sen-writer-and-race-equality-activist |website=East End Women's Museum |access-date=18 November 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221119071950/https://eastendwomensmuseum.org/blog/mala-sen-writer-and-race-equality-activist|archive-date=19 November 2022}}</ref>

==Awards and decorations==

{| style="margin:1em auto; text-align:center;"
|
|{{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=Dso-ribbon.png|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_-_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;"
|-
|colspan="2"|[[General Service Medal 1947]]
|[[Indian Independence Medal]]
|-
|[[Distinguished Service Order]]
|[[1939–1945 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]] || 27 August 1931 (seniority from 29 January 1931)
|-
|align="center" |[[File:British_Army_OF-1b.svg|35px]] || [[Lieutenant (British Army and Royal Marines)|Lieutenant]] || British Indian Army || 29 April 1933<ref name="lt_gazette">{{London Gazette|issue=33948|supp=|page=3877|date=9 June 1933}}</ref>
|-
|align="center" |[[File:British_Army_OF-2.svg|35px]] || [[Captain (British Army and Royal Marines)|Captain]] || British Indian Army || 29 January 1939<ref name="capt_gazette">{{London Gazette|issue=34610|supp=|page=2013|date=24 March 1939}}</ref>
|-
|align="center" |[[File:British_Army_(1920-1953)_OF-3.svg|35px]] || [[Major (United Kingdom)|Major]] ||British Indian Army || 25 August 1940 (acting)<ref name="Indian_Army_List_45"/> 25 November 1940 (temporary)<ref name="Indian_Army_List_45"/> 1 July 1946 (substantive)<ref name="maj_gazette">{{London Gazette|issue=38069|supp=|page=4286|date=12 September 1947}}</ref>
|-
|align="center" |[[File:British_Army_(1920-1953)_OF-4.svg|35px]] || [[Lieutenant colonel (United Kingdom)|Lieutenant-Colonel]] ||British Indian Army || 22 November 1944 (acting)<ref name="Indian_Army_List_45">{{cite book|pages=167–168|title=Indian Army List for October 1945 (Part I)|publisher=Government of India Press|year=1945}}</ref>
|-
|align="center" |[[File:British_Army_(1920-1953)_OF-3.svg|35px]] || Major || [[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 ||Indian Army || 1947 (temporary)<ref name="insignia" group="note"/><ref name="1950_promotions"/>
|-
|align="center" |[[File:British Army (1928-1953) OF-6.svg|35px]] || [[Brigadier (United Kingdom)|Brigadier]] ||Indian Army || 1947 (acting)<ref name="insignia" group="note"/><ref name="1950_promotions"/>
|-
|align="center" |[[File:British_Army_(1920-1953)_OF-5.svg|35px]] || [[Colonel (United Kingdom)|Colonel]] ||Indian Army || 1947 (temporary) 1 January 1950 (substantive, with seniority from 29 January 1949)<ref name="insignia" group="note"/><ref name="1950_promotions">{{cite news |title=Part I-Section 4: Ministry of Defence (Army Branch) |page=70 |date=24 June 1950 |publisher=The Gazette of India}}</ref>
|-
|align="center" |[[File:Colonel_of_the_Indian_Army.svg|35px]] || [[Colonel]] || 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:Brigadier_of_the_Indian_Army.svg|35px]] || [[Brigadier]] || Indian Army || 29 January 1952 (substantive)
|-
|align="center" |[[File:Major_General_of_the_Indian_Army.svg|35px]] || [[Major general#India|Major General]] || Indian Army || 16 March 1955 (acting)<ref name="maj_gen_actg">{{cite news |title=Part I-Section 4: Ministry of Defence (Army Branch) |page=86 |date=30 April 1955 |publisher=The Gazette of India}}</ref> 29 January 1956 (substantive)<ref name="maj_gen">{{cite news |title=Part I-Section 4: Ministry of Defence (Army Branch) |page=36 |date=25 February 1956 |publisher=The Gazette of India}}</ref>
|-
|align="center" |[[File:Lieutenant_General_of_the_Indian_Army.svg|35px]] || [[Lieutenant general#India|Lieutenant-General]] || Indian Army || 1 August 1958 (acting)<ref name="lt_gen_actg">{{cite news |title=Part I-Section 4: Ministry of Defence (Army Branch) |page=278 |date=13 December 1958 |publisher=The Gazette of India}}</ref> 29 January 1959 (substantive)<ref name="lt_gen_subs">{{cite news |title=Part I-Section 4: Ministry of Defence (Army Branch) |page=115 |date=16 May 1959 |publisher=The Gazette of India}}</ref>
|-
|}

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

==References==
{{reflist}}

{{S-start}}
{{s-mil}}
{{Succession box
| before = [[Joyanto Nath Chaudhuri]]
|title = [[General officer commanding#Usage in the Indian Army|General Officer Commanding-in-Chief]] [[Southern Command (India)|Southern Command]]
| years = 1963–1965
| after = Moti Sagar
}}
{{succession box
|before = [[S. P. P. Thorat]]
|title = [[General officer commanding#Usage in the Indian Army|General Officer Commanding-in-Chief]] [[Eastern Command (India)|Eastern Command]]
|years = 1961–1963
|after =[[Paramasiva Prabhakar Kumaramangalam]]
}}
{{succession box
|before = S. D. Verma
|title = [[Chief of the General Staff (India)|Chief of the General Staff]]
|years = February 1959–8 May 1961
|after =[[Brij Mohan Kaul]]
}}
{{S-end}}

[[Category:1910 births]]
[[Category:1981 deaths]]
[[Category:British Indian Army officers]]
[[Category:Companions of the Distinguished Service Order]]
[[Category:Indian Army personnel of World War II]]
[[Category:People of the Indo-Pakistani War of 1947]]
[[Category:People of the Sino-Indian War]]
[[Category:Indian generals]]
[[Category:Indian Army personnel]]
[[Category:Graduates of the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst]]
[[Category:Indian Companions of the Distinguished Service Order]]

Lionel Protip Sen - Revision history

Bot at 09:16, 27 November 2022