Indian Army

Ian Cardozo: Who lead a Team With His Chopped Leg

  • Ian Cardozo, was the first disabled Indian Army officer to command a battalion and a brigade. During 1971 war he was brutally injured by a landmine. But still he fought for his country and fought until Indian Army achieved the victory.
  • He was born in Mumbai in 1937 in a common-man family. He was dedicated since childhood to sacrifice himself for country. He was a normal man but not his dreams were. He decided to offer his blood to his country and found none better option other than Indian army to do so. He prepared himself since his childhood, and took admission in National defence Academy after his school life. He further joined Indian military Academy after graduating from NDA. He performed excellently in his military training.
  • In 1971 war he fulfilled his desire of offering his blood to his motherland. He was one among the 4/5 Gorkha rifles. Even he was member of the first Indian helicopter mission. When he reached the battlefield, he was welcomed by heavy firing from the enemy side. His team was low in food and ammunition, but still he fought bravely until the backup had arrived. He was further assigned to free Bangladeshi prisoners from enemy with the assistance of BSF. They fought wonderfully and won the battle. Now the task was to take the injured Bangladeshi back to the army camp.
1971 India Pakistan War
  • Ian Cardozo decided to took responsibility for the completion of the mission. But he wasn’t aware of the landmines placed there, and he suddenly rested his foot on one of the landmines. He was brutally injured by the blast and just lying down on the bloodshed. One Bangladeshi prisoner notice him and took him back to the Army soldiers, they took him back to the Army camp. But there was no doctor present in the army camp.
  • He suddenly regained his consciousness and was screeching in pain. He then demanded morphine from soldiers, but it wasn’t availabe, he then asked for any other medicine but nothing was there. So he requested the soldiers to cut down his foot, but they all refused to do so due to lack of equipments. He asked them to use his Khukri, but still they refused. So, he himself chopped down his own leg. Even this hadn’t stopped him to fight for his country. He again lead his team , but with medical assistance. And the doctor who was treating him was a Pakistani, who chooses humanity and put aside all the beliefs.
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Dipendra Singh

I had embarked myself on the path of an army officer who will live on his own terms, for a good cause and will embrace the death with glory, whenever it will arrive .

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