Two-time gallantry awardee shares family’s love for olive green

Avneet Kaur

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Jalandhar, April 9

Serving the country as a fauji runs in my blood, says Col Mandip Grewal (retd), whose family has been serving the Army for about 150 years.

While he’s the fourth generation of the Grewal clan to have joined the Army in 1981, his son Sagardeep Singh Grewal is the fifth generation officer currently posted as Assistant Commandant (MO), Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) in Leh.

Col Grewal says from his great grandfather to father to his four brothers and sisters and his extended family like his brother-in-law, everyone has their roots linked to the defence forces and had served the Army or are still serving in one way or another.

A soldier to the core, his house at Sofi Pind here in Jalandhar Cantt, is no less than a military museum having medals, citations, mementoes and insignias of formations he and his family served. But what catches the eye is the ‘Wall of Courage’ in his bedroom, which is festooned with images of his great grandfather, grandfather and father. The wall also has a sword and other weapons used by his great grandfather during World War I.

Not just this, his entire house is decorated with age-old sculptures, artefacts which he bought from different states during his postings or tours and weapons hung everywhere on the walls.

Sharing his family’s legacy, Col Grewal said: “The legacy of serving in the armed forces started with my great-grandfather Risaldar Major Uttam Singh, who was part of the 4th Hodson Horse. His four sons then carried forward the legacy and joined the Army. One of his sons and my grandfather Risaldar Major Amar Singh, who, too, was a part of Hodson Horse, fought World War I.”

He said his father Major Kuldip Singh joined the Army in 1938 and was a part of Bengal Engineers Group. He fought World War II.

“I joined the Army in 1981. My first posting was in Khrew in Kashmir and last posting was here in Jalandhar only. I was part of the Dogra regiment. I commanded two units in North East and Kashmir and was awarded Sena Medal twice for my exemplary services,” he said.

He said: “I wanted to follow in the footsteps of my father and grandfather. It was a matter of great pride for me. During my commissioning in Kashmir, one of my seniors questioned me why I joined the Army, to which I proudly replied ‘serving nation as an Army officer runs in my blood’. Despite having cleared the IRS (Indian Revenue Service) exam, I chose to be in the Army because I had this feeling of giving back to society and to my nation.”