Brigadier B.K. Ponwar, Jungle Warfare Pioneer, Dies at 77

Brigadier (Retired) Basant Kumar Ponwar, founder of the Counter Terrorism and Jungle Warfare College in Kanker, Chhattisgarh, died at the age of 77 in Mhow in Madhya Pradesh. He was a veteran of the 1971 India-Pakistan War and served in the Indian Army from December 1969 after commissioning into the 1st Battalion of the Maratha Light Infantry.

Military Career and Service Record

Brigadier Ponwar served as Commandant of the Army’s Counter Insurgency and Jungle Warfare School in Vairengte, Mizoram. He also oversaw the inaugural Indo-US exercise Yudh Abhyas in 2004, which is a bilateral military exercise between India and the United States.

Counter-Insurgency and Jungle Warfare Training

The Counter Terrorism and Jungle Warfare College was established in August 2005 in Kanker in the Bastar region of Chhattisgarh. The institution trained more than 37,000 security personnel in guerrilla warfare and jungle operations.

Awards, Roles and Personal Background

Brigadier Ponwar received the Ati Vishisht Seva Medal and the Vishisht Seva Medal for distinguished service. After retirement from the Army, he was appointed Inspector General of Police by the Chhattisgarh government for operations against Maoist insurgency.

Important Facts for Exams

• The 1971 India-Pakistan War ended with the surrender of Pakistani forces in Dhaka on 16 December 1971.
• The Mukti Bahini was the Bangladeshi guerrilla force that fought alongside Indian forces during the 1971 war.
• The Counter Insurgency and Jungle Warfare School is located at Vairengte in Mizoram.
• The Ati Vishisht Seva Medal and Vishisht Seva Medal are Indian military awards for distinguished service.

Legacy and Family

Brigadier Ponwar is survived by his mother, Devika Ponwar, and two sons, both serving in the Indian Army. Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai and former Chief Minister Raman Singh expressed condolences after his death.