Bhubaneswar: Veteran Army officer Lt Gen (retd) KP Dhal Samanta, who had played a valiant role in 1971 and Kargil wars, died Monday at a hospital in New Delhi following a prolonged illness. He was 70. One of the most illustrious military generals that Odisha has produced, KP Dhal Samanta he is survived by wife and a son.
A host of dignitaries including Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik and Union Petroleum and Steel Minister Dharmendra Pradhan mourned the demise of the former Army officer, who was very proud of his Odia legacy.
“Odisha mourns the loss of one of its most illustrious sons, Lt Gen (retd) KP Dhal Samanta. He was a veteran of 1971 War, Op Blue Star, Siachen & Kargil War. A proud alumnus of Sainik School, BBSR retired as DG of Rashtriya Rifles India’s main counter insurgency force in J&K,” Naveen Patnaik tweeted.
“Pained to learn about the demise of Retd Lt Gen KPD Samanta. A proud proponent of Odisha, its culture and values within the Armed Forces, Shri Samanta was one of the finest military generals that Odisha has produced. A veteran of military operations, his death is a huge loss,” said Pradhan.
Many others including Odisha ministers, academicians, researchers and defence analysts also expressed deep grief over the demise of Lt Gen Samanta and said his death was a big loss for the country.
A product of the first batch of Sainik School Bhubaneswar, Lt Gen KP Dhal Samanta had retired as Director General of the Rashtriya Rifles, Indias premier counter insurgency force deployed in Kashmir.
Commissioned at the young age of 19 to the Regiment of Artillery, Gen Samanta fought in the 1971 war on the eastern front and was awarded the ‘Poorvi Star’. He was among the veterans invited regularly to Bangladesh as a mark of honour for their valiant efforts in the liberation of Bangladesh.
Later in his career, he participated in ‘Operation Blue Star’ and the fight against terrorism in Punjab. He then went on to command an artillery regiment in the world’s highest battlefield, the Siachen Glacier.
During the 1999 Kargil war, Samanta was instrumental in helping deploy the Bofors guns in difficult conditions. The act tilted the course of the war in India’s favour.
Gen Samanta earned a considerable reputation in roles involving aid to civil authority. As Sub-Area Commander of Bihar, Jharkhand & Odisha, he contributed immensely in providing aid during various disasters and formulating policies on disaster management besides managing military assets in the three states.
On retirement, KP Dhal Samanta was was made Member of the then newly created Armed Forces Tribunal in Kolkata before setting down in Bhubaneswar 2014 onwards.
PNN & Agencies
