Survival in the 1971 War: Ex-Paramilitary Medical Chief Shares a Gripping Race Against Time

Bhubaneswar:

“The Indian Army bunker was just five kilometers from the battlefield. You could hear the cries of wounded soldiers inside while they were being treated. In just 15 minutes, they were ready to go back into battle,” remembers Dr. Rajendra Nath Samantaray. He was the first medical director for paramilitary forces in India and recounts his experiences during the 1971 war against Pakistan in an interview with ETV Bharat.

Once a captain, Dr. Samantaray didn’t fight in the traditional sense, but he was always in the thick of it, providing medical care to soldiers. His memories of that conflict are vivid and intense. After completing his internship at SCB Medical College in Cuttack in 1970, he joined the Armed Forces on October 5, 1971—just two months before the war began.

An Army bunker near Tura, about 30 kilometers from what was then East Pakistan (now Bangladesh), became a hub for treating injured soldiers. Dr. Samantaray was one of the few doctors on duty in that bunker, which faced a steady stream of wounded soldiers.

“Injured soldiers would come in with gunshot wounds and burn injuries,” he shares. His commitment to his country meant treating these soldiers so they could get back into combat as soon as possible. “We had to prioritize who could return to fight and who needed to go to a field hospital. Sometimes 40 or 50 soldiers would arrive at once, so we worked swiftly—administering first aid, conducting minor surgeries, and managing anesthesia to remove bullets.”

While some soldiers were quickly patched up and sent back to the frontlines, others with severe injuries were transported to hospitals in Guwahati, Kolkata, or even Delhi by air ambulance. Dr. Samantaray found the emotional strain of treating these soldiers challenging, saying, “It was a race against time, yet nobody seemed scared. We were all united in our fight for the country. Words can’t capture that moment.”

After the fighting ended, there were about 93,000 Pakistani soldiers who became refugees. It was also their responsibility to provide care for these war prisoners. “We were trying to rehabilitate everyone, but resources were limited. We sometimes didn’t have enough supplies for the multitude of injured,” he recalls, reflecting on a particularly harrowing incident. He describes attempting to save a Pakistani soldier whose chest had been blown open, with his heart visibly pumping. “There was no bone or flesh left in that area. We tried to keep him alive for seven days,” he adds, illustrating the dire circumstances they faced.

Dr. Samantaray received several commendations for his service, including the Eastern Star and Western Star War Medals, as well as the prestigious President’s Police Medal.

This story sheds light on the personal sacrifices and challenges faced by medical professionals during wartime. Their on-the-ground experiences reveal not just the brutality of conflict but also the incredible resilience of those who serve their country—be it on the battlefield or behind the scenes offering crucial medical care.

Amid recent discussions about the impact of war on mental health, stories like Dr. Samantaray’s become more relevant. According to a 2021 study by the Indian Journal of Psychiatry, military personnel are at a higher risk for mental health issues due to prolonged exposure to trauma and stress. This highlights the importance of understanding and addressing the emotional toll on those who serve.

In the end, the courage of medical personnel in war settings like Dr. Samantaray’s proves that in times of conflict, hope and humanity can still thrive.



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1971 INDIA PAKISTAN WAR, INDIA PAKISTAN TENSIONS, INDIA PAKISTAN WAR SITUATION, RACE AGAINST TIME PARAMILITARY MEDICAL DG RECOUNTS SCARY EXPERIENCE DURING 1971 INDIA PAKISTAN WAR