During early sixties, while I was serving in a Mountain Artillery Regiment, (pack) located at a high altitude in Sikkim, the state was suddenly struck by a cloud burst of high intensity. The cloud-burst casued resulting in a massive devastation owing to large scale landslides and flash floods. Three batteries of my Regiment were deployed immediately in an operational role at Nathula, Chola and North Sikkim. I being the second-in-command of the Regiment was officiating as the Commanding Officer (CO), as my CO had been posted out and his replacement was yet to come.

The situation was quite grim. Sikkim was cut off from the rest of the country. All roads were washed away and there was a great loss of life and property. A large number of villages and hamlets were washed away by the gushing flood waters and the surviving ones were marooned.

In view of the serious situation, the civil authorities there had requested help from the Army. Sikkim state then was not integrated into India and was being ruled by the King Chogyal. I received orders to render all help and assistance to the marooned people. Rations and the others essential items were to be supplied. I immediately contacted my Battery Commanders and after apprising them of the situation, asked them to prepare and formulate their relief and rescue missions immediately.

The tough and sturdy Mule Mountain Artillery, (Mule MA) meant for carrying heavy artillery gun pieces to the difficult and rugged terrain swung into action. I along with my senior JCO, all available jawans with the Mules MA loaded three to four bags of atta, rice, cooking oil, kerosene and left on foot to North Sikkim, which was the worst affected. It was raining heavily and the weather was quite hostile. With the famous Rang-Rang iron bridge over the mighty Teesta river having been washed away, the only option available to us was to go over the range of hills. It was pitch dark. I had formed an advance party amongst us and were equipped with powerful torches, digging equipment like picks, shovels and long iron crow bars to clear the track for the hefty mule to cross over. As we started climbing one hill after another, we had to be extra cautious about the risk of falling boulders due to continuous downpour. On our way up we could see the rubble of broken houses scattered along the slopes. Slowly and steadily, we were pushing ahead with zeal and determination. The loaded mule led by physically tough driver mule could be seen climbing the hills with courage and fortitude. When we reached the top of the hill, we could hear cries of marooned people who were either perched on their roof tops or clinging on to the fallen trees. We struggled to reach out to those people in the difficult situation. Our brave jawans had fanned out and were rendering first aid to the sick and injured on the way. They also were distributing food and other items. After ascending and descending the range of hills for about eight hours, we reached a thickly populated village on the other side of the hill. Large scale devastation was visible as more than half the village had been washed away and there was maximum loss of life and property. On seeing us, a young couple came rushing to us wading through the slush and mud. The couple had come from Paris to meet their parents living in that village. Their only son aged about three years had been washed away by the gushing flood waters. They were terror-stricken and were in a terrible mental shock. We started looking around in all the directions. Suddenly, we spotted the boy lying entangled on a thick branch of a fallen tree which was half submerged in Teesta river down below. Three of us, taking the rope along, started rolling down the hill encountering thorny bushes, stones and boulders. On reaching the river bank, we formed a human chain, tying each of us with the rope and one end of the rope was tied firmly to a big boulder to act as an anchor. One by one, we all jumped into the fast flowing Teesta. The water was very cold. After struggling for some time to find a foot-hold, we finally caught hold of a hanging branch of the tree and were able to rescue the boy from the tree branch where he lay unconscious. The boy was brought out and was administered first-aid and a doze of XXX rum. The re-union of the boy with his parents was a very touching and unforgettable scene.

For the next one week we kept on carrying out relief and rescue missions in the villages. Later, King Chogyal of Sikkim sent a letter of appreciation.