Key Officers in 1971

Photos of some of the senior BSF and Indian Army officers who were in charge during the Bangladesh Liberation War

Brig. B.C. Pande briefing COAS Gen. Sam Maneckshaw and other officials in Tripura

An officer briefs K.F. Rustamji (DG, BSF) and Gen. Sam Manekshaw (COAS) in an Indian Army signals office

(L–R) Brig. B.C. Pande, Golak Majumdar (IG, BSF), a senior air force official, Lt Gen. J.S. Aurora, Abu Sayeed Chowdhury and Col M.A.G. Osmani

(L-R) DG-BSF K.F. Rustamji, Maj. Gen. B.N. ‘Jimmy’ Sarkar of the Indian Army with Abu Sayeed Chowdhury, second president of Bangladesh and Col Osmani (defence minister and chief of Bangla Desh Forces)

The IG-BSF, Western Frontier, Ashwini Kumar (on the left) with Indian Army officers in 1971

(L-R) Maj. Gen. BF Gosalves, Lt Gen. J.S. Aurora and IG-BSF V.K. Kalia at Srinagar (Tripura) in July 1971

(L-R) Lt Col A.K. Ghosh, Maj Zia Rahman, Maj Gen B.F. Gonsalves, Brig. Shant SIngh in Chandgazi (East Pakistan) liberated zone

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Rustamji at a test-firing of BSF-made rockets

Sheikh Mujibur Rahman honours K.F. Rustamji after war in Dacca

The President of India honours K.F. Rustamji (DG-BSF) with the Padma Bhushan for his overall contribution during the Bangladesh Liberation War.

The first time that a civilian was decorated with the Param Vishisht Seva Medal (PVSM), which is a military honour

Ashwini Kumar was awarded the third-highest civilian honour for a very crucial contribution to the India-Pakistan War