Ian Cardozo

Major General
Ian Cardozo
AVSM SM
Born (1937-08-07) August 7, 1937[1]
Bombay, Bombay Presidency, British India
Allegiance India
Service/branch Indian Army
Years of service 1954–1993
Rank Major General
Unit 4/5 Gorkha Rifles
Battles/wars
Awards Ati Vishisht Seva Medal
Sena Medal[2]
Spouse(s) Priscilla Cardozo
Children 3
Other work


Major General Ian Cardozo AVSM SM is a former Indian Army officer. He was the first war-disabled officer of the Indian Army to command a battalion and a brigade.[4] He is an amputee due to a war injury.[1]

Early life

Ian Cardozo was born to Vincent Cardozo and Diana (nee de Souza) Cardozo in 1937 in Bombay, Bombay Presidency, British India. He studied at St. Xavier's College, Mumbai.[5]

Military career

Cardozo graduated from the National Defence Academy and then attended the Indian Military Academy, from where he commissioned into 5 Gorkha Rifles.[2]

Indo-Pakistani War of 1971

At the outbreak of the Indo-Pakistani War of 1971, Cardozo was attending a course at the Defence Services Staff College, Wellington. His battalion, 4/5 Gorkha Rifles, was already deployed in the eastern theatre of operations. The battalion's second-in-command was killed in action and Cardozo was ordered to replace him. He arrived at his battalion in time to accompany them on the Indian Army's first heliborne operation during the battle of Sylhet.[6]

After the fall of Dhaka, Cardozo stepped on a land mine and his leg was critically injured. Due to non-availability of morphine or pethidine, and absence of medics, his leg could not be amputated surgically. He subsequently used his khukri to amputate his own leg. Afterwards, his unit captured a Pakistan Army surgeon, Maj. Mohammad Basheer, who operated on Cardozo.[6]

Later career

After his amputation, Cardozo had a wooden leg. Despite this, he maintained his physical fitness levels and beat a number of able-bodied officers in battle physical fitness tests. He then put his case to the Chief of Army Staff at the time, Gen. Tapishwar Narain Raina, who then asked Cardozo to accompany him to Ladakh. After observing that Cardozo could still walk in the mountains through snow and ice, Gen. Raina allowed him to command a battalion. A similar situation occurred when he was to take command of a brigade.[6]

Personal life

Cardozo is married to Priscilla and has three sons.[4] He currently resides in New Delhi.[2]

He served as the Chairman of Rehabilitation Council of India from 2005 to 2011.[7] He is also a marathon runner, and regularly takes part in the Mumbai marathon on his prosthetic limbs.[8][9]

Bibliography

He authored several books on military history of India:-

  • Bhartiya Sena Ka Gauravshali Itihas ISBN 8173155372
  • India in World War I: An Illustrated Story ISBN 9789384898502
  • Lieutenant General Bilimoria: His Life & Times[10]
  • Param Vir: Our Heroes in Battle ISBN 9351940292
  • Paramvir Chakra : Manojpandey ISBN 8174369007
  • Somnath Sharma: Hero of the Battle of Badgam in 1947 who Helped Prevent the Fall of Srinagar ISBN 8174369236
  • Shaitan Singh: Incredible Heroism Displayed by a Small Group Against Hordes of Chinese in the Battle of Rezang La in 1962 ISBN 8174369155
  • The Bravest of the Brave: The Extraordinary Story of Indian VCs of World War I ISBN 9789386141767
  • The Indian Army: A Brief History ISBN 8190209701
  • The Sinking of INS Khukri: Survivor's Stories ISBN 9351940993

See also

References

  1. 1 2 Singh, Aarti (12 Aug 2016). "10 Indian Soldiers Whose Courageous And Patriotic Stories Need To Be Retold". Polkacafe.com.
  2. 1 2 3 PISHAROTY, SANGEETA BAROOAH (13 Feb 2003). "Unknown soldier... to you I bow". The Hindu.
  3. ↑ "Trustees – NCPEDP". NCPEDP. Retrieved 17 May 2017.
  4. 1 2 Claude, Arpi (8 Dec 2011). "1971, A War Hero Remembers". Rediff.com.
  5. ↑ Cardozo, Ian (2003). Param Vir: Our Heroes in Battle. Roli Books. p. 228. ISBN 9351940292.
  6. 1 2 3 Arpi, Claude (8 Dec 2011). "'I cut my leg off and ordered: 'Go and bury it'". Rediff.com.
  7. ↑ "RCI – Annual Reports". Rehabilitation Council of India. Retrieved 16 May 2017.
  8. ↑ Das, Sucharita (22 Jan 2018). "Running for causes". Deccan Chronicle.
  9. ↑ Salvi, Pooja (22 Jan 2018). "Mumbai runs, with all its heart". The Asian Age.
  10. ↑ Filmer, Antonia (30 Jul 2016). "'In the Army, work and play are synonymous'". The Sunday Guardian.
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