Major Rama Raghoba Rane (then a Second Lieutenant) was an Indian Army officer who fought in the First Indo-Pak War of 1947. Rama Raghoba Rane was awarded India’s highest gallantry award, the Param Vir Chakra, for carrying out his mission under heavy enemy fire, which was very important for the capture of the Rajali district of Kashmir. Rama Raghoba Rane became the first living recipient of Param Vir Chakra in the history of the country.
Wiki/Biography
Rama Raghoba Rane was born on Wednesday, June 26, 1918, in Chendia village, Karwar district, Karnataka (he died at the age of 76). As a child, Lane had difficulty attending area schools because his father had a transferable job. As a young man in the 1930s, he was deeply influenced by Mahatma Gandhi’s call for young people to demand freedom from British rule. Rama Raghoba Rane began participating in movements related to the Non-Cooperation Movement. When his father learned of his ties to the movement, Raine was sent back to his ancestral village in Chendia. On July 10, 1940, 22-year-old Rama Raghoba Rane decided to join the British Indian Army, at the height of World War II. He was conscripted into the Bombay Engineer Regiment and as a new recruit he was awarded the Commander’s Rod for his outstanding performance during training.
family and caste
Rama Raghoba Rane was born into the Konkan Kshatriya Maratha family.
Parents and siblings
Father
His father’s name is Raghoba P. Rane, a police constable in the Uttar Kannada district of Karnataka.
Mother
His mother’s name is Devika Devi.
wife
On February 3, 1955, he married Rajeshwari Devi.
Rajeshwari Rane, wife of Major Rama Raghoba Rane, PVC
children
He is survived by three sons and a daughter.
Major Rama Raghoba Rane with his wife and children
address
He lives at 23, Uashwant Nagar, Rane Circle, Ganeshkhind Road, Pune, Maharashtra – 411007, India.
Profession
during world war ii
Rama Raghoba Rane joined the army as a non-commissioned officer. Soon after completing his training, he was promoted to the rank of Naik. During World War II, he was transferred to the Eastern Front to fight against the Japanese troops advancing into Burma (now Burma). He was a member of the 28th Field Company Engineer Regiment. After a failed British campaign to regain control of Arakan Province, Japanese attacks forced British Commonwealth troops to retreat to safer areas.
ordered to stay
Neck Wren and a few men were ordered to stay in place, cover the retreating troops, and destroy some key assets. They were promised that they would be evacuated with help from the British Indian Navy, but this help never came. This resulted in Wren and his men crossing the river alone at Buthidaung. Relying on his skill and bravery, Lane successfully evaded the Japanese troops patrolling the river bank. They managed to get back to safer defences, and Rama Raghoba Rane was promoted to the rank of Havildar for his actions.
Facilitating promotion and service in the Indian Army
During World War II, Wren was promoted again. Wren was appointed governor-general and given the title of Jamedhar (present-day Subedar). After India’s independence, Raine decided to stay with the newly formed Indian Army. He was awarded a short-service commission and promoted to second lieutenant.
1947-48 Indo-Pak War
After recapturing Jhajjar and Nushera from Pakistan, the next move of the Indian Army is to seize and ensure the security of the Rajali area. The 4th Dogra Battalion attacked and captured the Bawali Ridge, 11 kilometers north of Nushra. In order to stop the Indian advance, the retreating enemies laid mines and huge pine trees as obstacles along the road. This prevented the infantry and armored squadrons from advancing. Rama Raghoba Rane commanded the 37th Assault Field Company, whose mission was to clear obstacles so that the column could advance safely. On April 8, 1948, while clearing obstacles, the Pakistani army began violent bombing of Indian positions, killing two soldiers and injuring five others, including Rane. Despite the injury, he continued to clear obstacles. In doing so, Wren and his team came under sporadic enemy machine gun fire, meaning the enemy could see them. Still, Lane and his team managed to clear the way. Wren realized that the road ahead was still very dangerous for the tanks, so Wren and his men worked through the night to create a safer diversion lane for the tanks to advance. On April 10, 1948, the troops of the 4th Dogra Battalion only walked 13 kilometers before they encountered a roadblock again. Within two hours, Wren and his men had cleared the way for the troops to advance. Heavy enemy fire blocked all avenues to clear the minefield, and Wren used a tank to hide behind, evading Pakistani machine gun fire, and used explosives to blow the roadblock into smithereens. His actions between April 8 and 11, 1948, contributed greatly to the army’s advance towards Rajjali. Raine not only saved Indian soldiers but also saved the lives of many civilians.
Excerpts from the Indian Army’s official Param Vir Chakra’s quote on Major Rama Raghoba Rane are as follows:
Ignoring machine gun fire, Lieutenant Lane, supported by a tank unit, once again began clearing the roadblock. Through sheer force of will, he cleared this hurdle at 0630 hours. The next thousand yards were a mass of barricades and blown-out embankments. That’s not all. The enemy machine-gunned the entire area, but with superhuman efforts, calm courage and exemplary leadership despite being wounded, and with complete disregard for personal life, he cleared the way. “
Career continued after the war
Rama Raghoba Rane was promoted to Lieutenant on January 14, 1950. On January 14, 1954, he was further promoted to the rank of captain. By the time he retired in 1968, Rama Raghoba Rane had become an Army Major. Even after his retirement, he remained a member of the Indian Army until 1971 when he was re-employed in the Army.
Captain Rama Rajoba Ranel
Awards
Major Rama Raghoba Rane was awarded the Param Vir Chakra for displaying outstanding courage without regard to personal safety in the face of the enemy.
On Republic Day 1950, Major (then Lieutenant) received the Param Vir Chakra from the then President Dr. Rajendra Prasad.
Honors and Qualifications
- The Indian Shipping Corporation has named one of its crude oil tankers MT Lt. Rama Raghoba Rane, PVC, in memory of the brave soldier.
- His bust stands in the Naval Warship Museum INS Chapal in Karwar.
The bust of Major Rama Raghoba Rane is installed at INS Chapal Naval Warship Museum
die
He died of natural causes at the Command Hospital, Pune, Maharashtra, on July 11, 1994, at the age of 76.
Facts/Trivia
- Rama Raghoba Rane and his team worked continuously for 12 to 17 hours to clear the roadblocks.
- His contribution resulted in the death of 500 Pakistani invaders, not only saving innocent civilians but also driving the invaders out of the area.
- While serving in the Indian Army, Rama Raghoba Rane was mentioned five times in reports for his exemplary devotion to duty.
- The Param Vir Chakra of Rama Raghoba Rane was handed over to the Engineer Group Center in Mumbai by his wife Rajeshwari Devi.
The wife of Major Rama Raghoba Rane performed the medal handover ceremony to the Bombay Corps of Engineers
- Wren’s wife used to call him “Saheb.”
- Before his death, Raine requested that his body be cremated at the Engineer Group Center in Mumbai.
- During World War II, Wren shot down a Japanese aircraft with a medium machine gun in Burma.
- Wren was very interested in outdoor activities and various types of sports.
- During the communal riots in Calcutta in 1962, Lane often went deep into the rioting streets at night to control the rioting crowds.
Categories: Biography
Source: HIS Education