Jagjit Singh Aurora
Lieutenant General Jagjit Singh Aurora, PVSM (also Jagjit Singh Arora) (13 February 1916 – 3 May 2005) was an Indian Army General Officer who was the General Officer Commanding-in-Chief (GOC-in-C) Eastern Command during the Bangladesh Liberation War and the Indo-Pakistani War of 1971. He organised and led the ground forces campaign in the Eastern Front of the war, which led to an overwhelming defeat of the combined Pakistan Armed Forces in East-Pakistan that led to the creation of Bangladesh.
Jagjit Singh Aurora | |
|---|---|
Aurora (left) taking Pakistani instrument of surrender in 1971 | |
| Born | 13 February 1916 Kala Gujran, Jhelum District, Punjab, British India (now in Punjab, Pakistan) |
| Died | 3 May 2005 (aged 89) New Delhi, India |
| Allegiance | British India India |
| Service/ | British Indian Army Indian Army |
| Years of service | 1939-1973 |
| Rank | Lieutenant General |
| Service number | IC-214 |
| Unit | 2nd Punjab Regiment (until 1947) Punjab Regiment (after 1947) |
| Commands held | Eastern Army |
| Battles/wars | Burma Campaign, World War II Indo-Pakistani War of 1947 Sino-Indian War Indo-Pakistani War of 1965 Nathu La and Cho La clashes Indo-Pakistani War of 1971 |
| Awards | Param Vishisht Seva Medal Padma Bhushan Bir Protik |
As the General commanding the Indian and Bangladesh Forces in the Eastern theater, Gen Aurora received the surrender from the Governor of East Pakistan and Commander of the Eastern Command of the Pakistan Army, Lt Gen A. A. K. Niazi.
After retirement from the Indian Army, he joined Akali Dal and served as a Member of Parliament in the Rajya Sabha.