Скачать или смотреть 954 Major General Rohit Gupta SM Retd India Voice of the Skilled Vidped 954 Jan 26

In this Vidped, Major General Rohit Gupta SM (Retd.) offers a powerful reflection on what shapes a soldier, how leadership is forged in the Indian Army, and why retired military personnel remain an untapped national asset.

He begins by addressing a common question: why do people join the army? Contrary to assumptions about fanaticism or a desire for violence, he explains that most recruits simply seek a meaningful profession—something “more than ordinary.” What transforms them into soldiers is not initial motivation but the intense training, discipline, and confidence-building that reveal their own capabilities.

Gupta illustrates this transformation through vivid personal anecdotes from his early years as a second lieutenant. Young officers, he explains, are tested by their men—not maliciously, but to determine whether the officer is worthy of being followed into danger. These tests, whether jumping blindly from an armored personnel carrier into filthy paddy water or navigating buffalo-wallow pits, are designed to assess resilience, humility, and composure.

Once an officer proves himself, the troops accept him as their leader, forming a bond that is deep, instinctive, and lifelong.

He recounts a tragic mortar firing accident during his command, describing how he restored confidence in his shaken mortar platoon by personally standing at the edge of the pit and ordering the first rounds to be fired in his presence. This act demonstrated that he would never ask his men to face a danger he himself would not face. Such leadership, he argues, is the foundation of trust and the warrior ethos.

Gupta emphasizes that soldiers are not driven by blind sacrifice but by training, pride, responsibility, and a refusal to be labeled cowards. Their loyalty to their officers and battalion is unmatched, and their native intelligence—distinct from academic learning—makes them exceptionally capable.

He then turns to a critique of civilian society, arguing that India fails to harness the immense potential of retired soldiers. Instead of being integrated into development projects or leadership roles, many are relegated to low-respect jobs. Gupta insists that these men possess discipline, integrity, courage, and a sense of duty that no other segment of society can match. Properly trained and deployed, they could be a transformative force in national development.