A Martyr Remembered

Lt. Ashok Mutgikar

Sir,

It was exactly 47 years ago on Dec. 16, 1971 the Indo-Pak war ended with the liberation and birth of Bangladesh.

A few days before that, may be a month or two, a youngster came to me for some ailment when I was working in Dr. Kamala Raman’s Nursing Home. Somehow I still remember his face vividly as a trim pleasantly mannered youth of early twenties. He had enrolled as a 2nd Lieutenant in the Indian Army.

After the end of the 11-day war, I was deeply saddened to hear the news that this boy, 2nd Lt. Ashok Mutgikar succumbed to the enemy bullets. He was the eldest son of Prahlad Rao Mutgikar who was working in Railways, Mysore. The 93-year-old Rao resides with his third son Mukund Mutgikar in Mysore. His second son Dr. Mohan also lives in Mysore.

After his early education in Hubli and Gulbarga, Lt.Ashok graduated from Sarada Vilas College, Mysore, as his father got transferred. He was a brilliant sportsman captaining Table Tennis, Hockey and Tennis teams of his college. Being an Officer of the NCC Wing of his College he got qualified to enter the Army as 2nd Lieut. His first posting was at Jammu border where he was privileged to man the Russian Tanks in the Chamb sector during the Indo-Pak war which was fought simultaneously at East Pakistan also. A letter written to his father from his Commanding Officer Lt. Col. M.K. Menon says that Ashok continued his action of firing his machine gun despite serious multiple bullet injuries hit by an air attack. The Lt. Col. has showered all his appreciations for the brave and gallant way Ashok fought [See letter below].

Within a few days after Lt. Ashok’s heroic departure, the then Mysore Municipal Council headed by one Jogi Siddayya promptly named the Circle near RTO Office in his memory [See Deccan Herald clipping]. But unfortunately his name has disappeared sometime back and replaced by some other name now. To remember Lt. Ashok Mutgikar I pray the City Corporation authorities to restore it in honour of his martyrdom. I thank Mukund Mutgikar for providing the photo and documents.