Jungle Warfare College Founder Brig. B.K. Ponwar Passes Away
Brig. (Retd.) B.K. Ponwar, founder of Chhattisgarh's Jungle Warfare College, died at the age of 77.
Brigadier (retired) B K Ponwar, founder of Counter Terrorism and Jungle Warfare College in Kanker in Chhattisgarh that trained over 37,000 security personnel in guerrilla warfare to counter Leftwing extremists in the forests of Bastar, passed away at his parental home in Mhow under Indore district in Madhya Pradesh, his family said on Wednesday.
He was also a decorated army veteran of 1971 India-Pakistan war.
He was 77 and is survived by his mother, Devika Ponwar, and two sons, who are currently serving in the Army.
The retired Indian Army officer was a part of cross-border operations in the 1971 war, leading to the birth of Bangladesh.
He had led ambushes alongside Mukti Bahini fighters and played a vital role in the advance towards Dhaka.
He was born on March three, 1949, in Indore.
He was commissioned into the 1st Battalion of the Maratha Light Infantry in December 1969.
During the India-Pakistan war in 1971, he had led enemy positions inside Bangladesh.
He had also served as Commandant of the Army’s Counter Insurgency and Jungle Warfare School in Vairengte in Mizoram.
He was awarded the Ati Vishisht Seva Model (AVSM) and Vishisht Seva Medal (VSM) for exceptional service.
Following his retirement, he was appointed Inspector General of Police by the Chhattisgarh government to use expertise in counterinsurgency to fight the Maoist menace in the state.
In August 2005, he founded the Counter Terrorism and Jungle Warfare College in Kanker in Bastar which had trained over 37,000 security personnel in guerrilla warfare so far to fight the Leftwing extremists in the forests.
The guiding principle of the college was ‘fight the guerrilla like a guerrilla’.
Former chief minister and speaker of Chhattisgarh Assembly Raman Singh expressed condolences over his demise, saying that “His contributions in making our soldiers proficient in jungle warfare and thereby strengthening the security forces will remain unforgettable”.
Chief minister Vishnu Deo Sai also expressed deep grief over his demise.
In a post on X, Chhattisgarh police said that “His contribution to strengthening the security system of Chhattisgarh will remain unforgettable”.
