Tapishwar Narain Raina

General Tapishwar Narain Raina Padma Bhushan, MVC (24 January 1921 – 19 May 1980), best known as T.N. Raina, was a senior army officer and a diplomat who served as the Chief of the Army Staff of the Indian Army between 1975 and 1978.[3]

General

Tapishwar Narain Raina

Padma Bhushan, MVC
Chief of Army Staff (India)
In office
1 June 1975 – 31 May 1978
Preceded byGeneral G G Bewoor
Succeeded byGeneral O P Malhotra
High Commissioner of India to Canada
In office
February 1979 – May 1980
Preceded byMahboob Ahmad
Succeeded byG.S. Dhillon
Personal details
Born(1921-01-24)24 January 1921
Srinagar, Kashmir
Died19 May 1980(1980-05-19) (aged 59)[1]
Awards Padma Bhushan
Maha Vir Chakra
Mentioned in dispatches
Military service
Allegiance British India
 India
Branch/service British Indian Army
 Indian Army
Years of service1942 – 1978
Rank General
UnitKumaon Regiment
Commands Western Army
II Corps
25th Division
114 Infantry Brigade
14 Kumaon
Battles/warsWorld War II
Indo-Pakistan War of 1965
Indo-Pakistan War of 1971
Service numberIC-1850[2]

Upon retirement, he was appointed as the High Commissioner of India to Canada. He was a recipient of the third highest civilian honour of India, the Padma Bhushan.[4]

Early life and education

Raina was born in a Kashmiri Pandit family on 24 January 1921.[5] He was educated in Ludhiana, where his father, B. N. Raina, had been posted as Head Postmaster.[6] He was married to Marie Antoinette Raina,[7] who was French.

Career

On 12 April 1942, Raina received an emergency commission as a second lieutenant in the 19th Hyderabad Regiment,[8] which subsequently became the Kumaon Regiment.[9] He was a veteran of the Second World War, as well as the 1962 war and 1971 wars.[10]

During the Second World War, while serving as a Second lieutenant, Raina was injured in a grenade accident which resulted in the loss of an eye. He had a glass eye in place for the rest of his career in the army. He was mentioned in dispatches for his service in the Burma Campaign.[11]

He was the Brigade Commander at Chushul in Ladakh during November 1962. He was awarded the Maha Vir Chakra for his handling of the Battle of Chushul.

On 5 January 1965, Lieutenant-Colonel Raina was appointed Brigadier General Staff (BGS) of the XXXIII Corps in West Bengal.[12][2]

On 7 October 1971, Raina was appointed General Officer Commanding of II Corps in the Khulna sector, with the acting rank of Lieutenant General.[13] Raina was awarded the Padma Bhushan for his contributions in the War.

Raina was appointed GOC-in-C, Western Command on 27 October 1973.[14] He served as the Chief of Army Staff of the Indian Army from 1 June 1975 to 31 May 1978.

During his tenure as the COAS, the central government led by Indira Gandhi declared a state of national emergency in India. Before the imposition of the emergency, it is believed that the Prime Minister asked for the Army's support in the venture, but General Raina bluntly told the Prime Minister that the army would not be used to 'further her ends' but obey only those orders of a 'legally construed government.' . This was considered a crucial moment that kept the Indian Army out of politics at a critical juncture.[15]

Raina died on 19 May 1980 in Ottawa, while serving as India's High Commissioner to Canada.[10]

Awards and decorations
Padma Bhushan
Maha Vir Chakra
Sena Medal
Samar Seva Star
Poorvi Star
Special Service Medal
Sangram Medal
Sainya Seva Medal
Indian Independence Medal
25th Anniversary of Independence Medal
20 Years Long Service Medal
9 Years Long Service Medal
1939–1945 Star
Burma Star
War Medal 1939–1945
India Service Medal

Dates of rank
InsigniaRankComponentDate of rank
Second LieutenantBritish Indian Army12 April 1942 (emergency)[8]
LieutenantBritish Indian Army1943 (war-substantive)
2 June 1947 (substantive)
CaptainBritish Indian Army1944 (acting)
LieutenantIndian Army15 August 1947[note 1][16]
CaptainIndian Army12 April 1948[note 1][16]
CaptainIndian Army26 January 1950 (recommissioning and change in insignia)[16][17]
MajorIndian Army12 April 1955[18]
Lieutenant-ColonelIndian Army12 April 1958[19]
ColonelIndian Army29 August 1964[20]
BrigadierIndian Army1962 (acting)
5 January 1965 (acting)[2]
1 May 1965 (substantive)[21]
Major GeneralIndian Army19 January 1966 (acting)[22]
14 October 1967 (substantive)[23]
Lieutenant-GeneralIndian Army7 October 1971 (acting)[13]
20 May 1972 (substantive)[24]
General
(COAS)		Indian Army1 June 1975[25]

Notes
  1. Upon independence in 1947, India became a Dominion within the British Commonwealth of Nations. As a result, the rank insignia of the British Army, incorporating the Tudor Crown and four-pointed Bath Star ("pip"), was retained, as George VI remained Commander-in-Chief of the Indian Armed Forces. After 26 January 1950, when India became a republic, the President of India became Commander-in-Chief, and the Ashoka Lion replaced the crown, with a five-pointed star being substituted for the "pip."

References
  1. http://indianarmy.nic.in/Site/FormTemplete/frmTemp1PTC2C.aspx?MnId=JDVp5MdpeiA2FxK7HbGXkA==&ParentID=7PyXNARie53Sgis+r/ml3A==
  2. "Part I-Section 4: Ministry of Defence (Army Branch)" (PDF). The Gazette of India. 27 February 1965. p. 107.
  3. "General Tapishwar Narain Raina - Bharat Rakshak - Indian Army & Land Forces". www.bharat-rakshak.com. Retrieved 1 June 2020.
  4. "Padma Awards" (PDF). Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India. 2015. Retrieved 21 July 2015.
  5. Indian Army List for July 1942. Government of India Press. 1942. pp. 600(s2).
  6. Little Known facts about Ludhianvis The Tribune, Dated 25 June 2000
  7. Fauji Beat The Tribune, Dated 25 November 2003
  8. Indian Army List for July 1942. Government of India Press. 1942. p. 1580.
  9. "The Courage of 13 Kumaon". Indianexpress.com. 20 February 2012.
  10. "Chief of Army Staff". Indian Army Official Website. 19 June 2012. Retrieved 19 June 2012.
  11. "No. 37558". The London Gazette (Supplement). 7 May 1946. p. 2222.
  12. Obituary to a Hero India Defence
  13. "Part I-Section 4: Ministry of Defence (Army Branch)". The Gazette of India. 1 July 1972. p. 955.
  14. "Part I-Section 4: Ministry of Defence (Army Branch)". The Gazette of India. 23 February 1974. p. 235.
  15. Militarism in India:The Army and Civil Society in Consensus by Apurba Kundu Archived 30 September 2006 at the Wayback Machine
  16. "New Designs of Crests and Badges in the Services" (PDF). Press Information Bureau of India - Archive. Archived (PDF) from the original on 8 August 2017.
  17. "Part I-Section 4: Ministry of Defence (Army Branch)". The Gazette of India. 11 February 1950. p. 227.
  18. "Part I-Section 4: Ministry of Defence (Army Branch)" (PDF). The Gazette of India. 2 July 1955. p. 131.
  19. "Part I-Section 4: Ministry of Defence (Army Branch)" (PDF). The Gazette of India. 27 August 1960. p. 217.
  20. "Part I-Section 4: Ministry of Defence (Army Branch)" (PDF). The Gazette of India. 13 November 1965. p. 583.
  21. "Part I-Section 4: Ministry of Defence (Army Branch)" (PDF). The Gazette of India. 2 April 1966. p. 211.
  22. "Part I-Section 4: Ministry of Defence (Army Branch)". The Gazette of India. 26 March 1966. p. 193.
  23. "Part I-Section 4: Ministry of Defence (Army Branch)". The Gazette of India. 3 February 1968. p. 76.
  24. "Part I-Section 4: Ministry of Defence (Army Branch)". The Gazette of India. 19 August 1972. p. 1226.
  25. "Part I-Section 4: Ministry of Defence (Army Branch)". The Gazette of India. 5 July 1975. p. 867.
Military offices
Preceded by
Gopal Gurunath Bewoor		 Chief of Army Staff
1975–1978		 Succeeded by
Om Prakash Malhotra
Preceded by
M L Thapan		 General Officer Commanding-in-Chief Western Command
1973–1975		 Succeeded by
Inderjit Singh Gill
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