[FinanseMikky]

Indian Army celebrates Hajipur Day commemorating 68 Mountain Brigade's bold day light offensive capturing 18,600 feet high Hajipur pass on 28 Aug 1965.

The Haji Pir bulge opposite Gulmarg were some of the key routes for Pakistani infiltration and it dominated the Indian side as they were high mountains. General Harbaksh Singh, Western Army Commander decided to capture the pass with a pincer movement. It involved the 19 Division advancing from the North and 25 Division providing the Southern thrust. 1 Para in conjunction with the rest of 68 Brigade and supported by artillery was tasked to capture important features on both sides of the Haji Pir Pass and make the enemy position untenable and capture the pass itself making possible the Uri-Poonchh link-up.


On August 25, Major Ranjit Singh Dayal, the second-in-command led a two-company group to an unsuccessfully attack on the 9,591-foot high feature of Sank. The second attempt resulted in capture of Sar and Ledwali Galli by noon on the 26th. 1 Para's CO, Lt Col Prabhjinder Singh asked for the nod to capture the pass.


The brigade commander, Brigadier ZC Bakshi, took the bold decision to go for Haji Pir. Braving inclement weather and rough terrain, a company minus of 1 Para, under the Major Dayal, ultimately took the 8,652-foot high pass on the morning of the 27th, exploiting to capture a higher feature, the ring contour strongly held by the Pakistani Army's 20th Punjab on the 30th. A number of counter-attacks by the enemy were beaten off by the Paras.

Other references to the capture of Hajipir Pass are:

As per narration of Operation Grand Slam - September 1965, by RD Pradhan, the Private Secretary to the Defence Minister, in his memoirs "Debacle to Revival" in 1998 (Page 251)

"By the first week of August, the infiltrators had not achieved their objective. In order to raise the guerrilla's morale and spark the support of the local population, Pakistan undertook a limited offensive against Chhamb in the Jammu area. As a counter offensive, in the northern sector, Indian troops crossed the CFL and captured Kargil Heights thus securing the safety of the Leh-Srinagar road. Further, in order to hit the infiltrators' bases, India decided to cross the CFL on the western sector and capture two strategic areas in POK the Hajipur Bulge and the Kishanganga Bulge. The operations began on 23 August and four days later, an Indian column led by Major Ranjit Singh Dayal (later Lieutenant General) made a final heroic assault and captured the 18,600 feet high Hajipur pass. The Pakistanis were ill-prepared to defend these strategic areas in POK and the Indian offensive unnerved them. By the end of August, Pakistan had failed to achieve any success and President Ayub was under pressure to do something to check the loss of further territory and avoid military humiliation." Another narration states : Major General Swarup Singh Kalaan earned his Maha Vir Chakra (MVC) on 5th August, 1965.

He was in command of the 19 Infantry Division in the Uri-Baramula-Gulmarg Sector. The first report of Pakistani infiltration was received in his area. He planned and executed operations to hunt the infiltrators, capture their bases and block routes of infiltration. In order to capture the Hajipur Pass and the subsequent link-up towards Poonch, he himself led his troops against the well entrenched Pakistan Army posts. They managed to throw out the enemy from their well guarded positions. He succeeded in his mission by showing exemplary leadership, determination and courage in the best traditions of the Indian Army.