Kailash Prasad Pande

Brigadier Kailas Prasad Pandey was born on 4 July 1925 in a prominent family of Madhya Pradesh, with a military history. He studied at Gwalior's Victoria College, now known as Maharani Laxmi Bai Govt. College Of Excellence, where the former Prime Minister of India Shri Atal Behari Vajpayee was his classmate.[2]

Brigadier Kailas Prasad Pandey was commissioned into the Regiment of Artillery in 1945.
During the Indo-Pakistani War of 1971, Brigadier Kailas Prasad Pandey commanded the 61 Mountain Brigade which was deployed in the Eastern sector. He planned his attacks meticulously and led the brigade in successfully taking a number of objectives through intense and heavy combat. Advancing rapidly and covering 40 miles in 72 hours, his brigade achieved a number of victories including Chandina, Daudkhandi and Mynawati. At Mynawati he forced the garrison to surrender and accepted the surrender of the garrison commander Brig Atif of the Pakistan Army, along with 5000 troops and 50 officers.
In recognition of his achievements, and for his demonstration of leadership and bravery in the field, Brigadier Kailas Prasad Pandey was awarded the Maha Vir Chakra, India's second highest gallantry award.[3].

After retirement, he was appointed as Director of Home Guards by the Madhya Pradesh Govt. He was made in-charge of the Red Cross Organization in Bhopal and was responsible for providing relief to the Bhopal Gas Tragedy victims. He was also sent to Jaffna, Sri Lanka as part of a Red Cross delegation in 1988.

Brigadier Kailas Prasad Pandey passed away on 4 February 2010 in Deolali, Maharashtra.

Indo-Pakistani War of 1971