The conclave sought to connect the country’s rich military heritage with the challenges of the future battlefield through discussions, reflection and informed discourse on warfare.
MEERUT: In a first for the city, Meerut hosted the “Meerut Military History Conclave 1.0” on Thursday under the aegis of Headquarters Paschim UP Sub Area (HQ PUPSA), bringing together military veterans, historians, academicians, serving officers and students on a common platform to examine India’s military past and its relevance to future warfare. The conclave sought to connect the country’s rich military heritage with the challenges of the future battlefield through discussions, reflection and informed discourse on warfare. Distinguished speakers included Dr Amit Pathak, Shiv Kunal Verma, Col Ajay K Raina, SM (Retd), Dr Umrao Singh, Lt Gen AK Singh, PVSM, AVSM, SM, VSM (Retd), and Prof Dheeraj Sharma, Director, IIM Rohtak.
Sessions covered subjects ranging from the 1857 Uprising and India’s First War of Independence to military leadership, the economics of war, future land warfare and the changing character of conflict. Dr Pathak, an author credited with penning down ‘1857 – Living History’, elaborated upon the magnanimity of the biggest conflict within British India and how its leaders like Rao Tula Ram, the king of Rewari, had even sought help from Russian Czar for military support. Shiv Kunal Verma, eminent Indian military historian, filmmaker and author of the Long Road to Siachen, continued, “During 1857 uprising, we were suddenly fighting for a flag which was not a Union Jack; the uprising united Indians like never before.
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Inaugurating the session, Maj Gen Sumit Rana, General Officer Commanding (GOC) PUPSA, said, “Wars do not occur in isolation but there is always an influence of political and geographical situations. He said, “We must get military history studied in detail in the colleges. But it’s the military leadership which has to negotiate its way which is much more challenging than a corporate leadership is. There are lives at stake and also the territories to defend. There are emerging technologies and evolving methods of warfare. It’s the experience and expertise of military leaders of the past, the present and their strategies that help to develop the future. “While much of the history surrounding the uprising was downplayed in our academic books, the villages where the battles were fought still retain those stories in their memories of their residents passed down through generations. We should learn from our history. Col (retd) Ajay K Raina, another military historian, reflected upon the geographical complexities of the Kashmir region and conflict with the neighbouring country. History students from Chaudhary Charan Singh University and young officers also participated, fostering interaction between the military, academia and the younger generation. Download the TOI App.
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