Tata Poothu Raju, now 74, is in high spirits as the nation remembers the Indo-Pakistan war of 1965. A decorated war hero, he has been invited to the golden jubilee celebrations of the war to be held in New Delhi during September 14-21. The photographs lining the wall of his modest house testify to his achievements: receiving the Vir Chakra from Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan, shaking hands with Indira Gandhi and so on.
Born in Nizampatnam in 1940, Mr. Raju was the fourth child in his family. Inspired by his two cousins who were in the Army, he went to a recruitment rally at Guntur in 1958 and made it.
His moment of destiny came on September 5, 1965: As a havildar in the 27 Air Defence Regiment that took part in a sensational rearguard action by the Indian forces he shot down a Pakistani Sabre Jets on the Jammu Tawi bridge.
“We were posted on a hill to protect the bridge. I was carrying an L-60 gun with a capacity to fire 120 rounds from 7,000 ft. It was quite early in the morning when I noticed a couple of fighter jets swooping down on the bridge. I was trained to recognize aircraft and I knew they were Sabre Jets from their wide mouths. After getting the nod from my commanding officer, I aimed at the target and fired. I hit the target. The aircraft came down in a hail of smoke and fire and the pilot was killed,’’ recollected Mr. Pothu Raju.
That was a decisive moment which opened up the enemy line and heavy damage was inflicted on enemy aircraft and battle tanks. The Indian troops went as far as Lahore before intervention by the USA and the erstwhile USSR brought about a ceasefire.
“It was a decisive victory for India. Coming after the painful experience of the Chinese aggression in 1962, this victory was savoured by all. They (the Pakistani army) could do nothing and had to beat a hasty retreat. But we could not proceed further than Sialkot as we were ordered to stop,’’ Pothu Raju said.
The Indian Army recognised his effort and he and another havaldar named Permallu were conferred Vir Chakra medals at a Rashtrapathi Bhavan ceremony by Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan.
Mr. Pothu Raju has fond memories of the day. “As my name was read out, I walked up the podium where the President stood. The President smiled at me. Later, a word was sent to me that the President wanted to see me. I developed cold feet and did not know what to do. Then Gen. J.N Chaudhury accompanied me to the President. Radhakrishnana spoke to me in Telugu and I recounted to him the action on the battlefront. Later, our general introduced me to Prime Minister Indira Gandhi. As she said `namaste', I saluted her and she shook hands with me,’’ Pothu Raju recollected.
He returned to Andhra Pradesh to a hero’s welcome. For 40 days, he was taken around the state and felicitated. A massive public reception was held at Nizam’s College on November 22, 1965 in which chief minister Kasu Brahmananda Reddy was present.
After his voluntary retirement from the army in August 1975, Pothu Raju joined APSRTC as a security inspector and retired as chief security inspector in Guntur in January 1999.
``The Army gave me everything in life. I was praised as a war hero, but I know I was just doing my job,’’ Pothu Raju says.
Havaldar Pothu Raju shot down a Pakistani Sabre Jet and was awarded the Vir Chakra for his heroics in the war
