G. D. Bakshi Explained

Honorific Prefix:Major General
G. D. Bakshi
Birth Name:Gagan Deep Bakshi
Birth Place:Jabalpur, Madhya Pradesh, India
Allegiance: India
Unit:6 Jammu and Kashmir Rifles
Serviceyears:1971–2008
Rank:Major general
Commands: Victor Force
6 Jammu and Kashmir Rifles
Battles:Indo-Pakistani War of 1971 and Kargil War[1]
Awards:See

Major General Gagan Deep Bakshi (born 1950) is a retired Indian Army officer.

Early life and education

Bakshi was born in Jabalpur, Madhya Pradesh.[2] His father was S. P. Bakshi.[3]

He was educated at St. Aloysius Senior Secondary School, Jabalpur.[3] After his schooling, he went to the National Defence Academy at Khadakwasla, Pune.[3]

Career

Bakshi was commissioned in the Indian Army from IMA Dehradun in November 1971. He commanded the 6 Jammu and Kashmir Rifles.

Bakshi was awarded the Vishisht Seva Medal for commanding a battalion in Kaksar, that falls in Drass, Kargil sector during 1987 border skirmishes.[4] Later, he was awarded the Sena Medal for distinguished service in commanding a battalion during counter-insurgency drives.

Bakshi subsequently commanded the Romeo Force (Part of Rashtriya Rifles) during intensive counter-insurgency operations in the Rajouri and Poonch districts of Jammu and Kashmir and succeeded in suppressing the armed militancy in this area.[5]

Bakshi served two tenures at the Directorate General of Military Operations and was the first BGS (IW) at the Northern Command, where he dealt with Information Warfare and Psychological Operations.[6] [7] He retired in 2008.

Controversies

Bakshi has promoted fake news and misinformation on multiple occasions.[8] [9] In 2019, he wrongly claimed that a soldier was jailed in Tihar following a 2014 incident involving the death of a civilian in Budgam, and Mehbooba Mufti as CM had ordered no checking of vehicles. Fact checkers found these claims to be false because Mufti was not a CM at that time and there is no evidence of such an order that prevented checking of vehicles. Lt Gen Deependra Singh Hooda rejected the claim that a soldier was jailed after the Budgam incident.[8]

Bakshi has claimed that more than Quit India Movement, it was Indian National Army (INA) who was responsible in bringing independence to India. Bakshi depends on flawed arguments not supported by academic literature while making these claims.[10] The Print cites his position as a trustee in Netaji Bose INA Trust as one of the reason to downplay Quit India Movement.[9]

In 2021, Bakshi shared images to claim that Pakistani soldiers were killed in Panjshir conflict. This claim was debunked by fact checkers who found the images falsely claimed Pakistani actors working in a military-themed film to be actual soldiers.[11] [12] He is sometimes called on news channels for his views on politics and he often appears on Republic TV, where he frequently defends narrative of Arnab Goswami.[13] His analysis is often criticized by other journalists for having a strong bias favouring the ruling government's agenda.[14] In one debate at Republic TV he was criticized for using profane language.[15]

Another video was surfaced, where he used foul word of Randi Khana (Brothel), Bakshi was heavily criticized for using this foul word.[16]

Bibliography

Awards and decorations

Sena MedalVishisht Seva MedalSpecial Service MedalSangram Medal
Operation Vijay MedalSainya Seva MedalHigh Altitude Service Medal50th Anniversary of Independence Medal
25th Anniversary of Independence Medal30 Years Long Service Medal20 Years Long Service Medal9 Years Long Service Medal

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Major Gen GD Bakshi wants India to prep for another Mahabharata . Catchnews . 19 February 2019 . 20 February 2019 . https://web.archive.org/web/20190220002831/http://www.catchnews.com/bollywood-news/murder-2-actor-prashant-narayana-to-play-this-important-role-in-pm-narendra-modi-biopic-149752.html . live .
  2. Soldiers in the Sun and Snow: A History of the J&K Rifles, The J&K Rifles Regimental Centre Jabalpur, Kishtwar cauldron: The Struggle Against Ethnic Cleansing in Kishtwar, Pentagon Press, New Delhi 2010
  3. Web site: You have seen him on TV, but who is Gen GD Bakshi? . ABP Live . 19 February 2019 . 17 March 2018 . https://web.archive.org/web/20180317023923/http://www.abplive.in/blog/you-have-seen-him-on-tv-but-who-is-gen-gd-bakshi-435502 . dead .
  4. https://sociostory.org/impact-stories/journey-of-maj-gen-g-d-bakshi-in-the-indian-armed-forces
  5. News: Pir Panjal vulnerable despite people's might . 25 September 2005 . Luv . Puri . . 18 February 2019 .
  6. Web site: Promotion System in the Army: Dealing with Peacetime Atrophy . Bakshi . G. D . Institute of Defence Studies and Analyses . 19 February 2019 . 19 February 2019 . https://web.archive.org/web/20190219184954/https://idsa.in/jds/4_4_2010_PromotionSystemintheArmyDealingwithPeacetimeAtrophy_gdbakshi . live .
  7. Web site: India's responses to Pakistan Army's braveness overdrive. salute.co.in. 2 August 2014 . 19 February 2019. 19 July 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20180719235015/https://salute.co.in/indias-responses-to-pakistan-armys-terror-overdrive-2/. live.
  8. Web site: General G D Bakshi makes false claim about Mehbooba Mufti and 2014 Budgam firing. Bakshi . Major General G D . Alt News . 2019-02-18 .
  9. Web site: Singh . Nandita . Maj. Gen. GD Bakshi, shrillest warmonger in the media, hits new low with gaali on Republic TV . ThePrint . 2020-07-04 .
  10. Web site: 'Flawed' argument: Gandhi had minimal role, naval mutinies alone led to Independence . Counterview . 2022-09-11 .
  11. Web site: Ex-Indian army officer shares picture from movie set as 'truth' about Pakistan Army's presence in Panjshir . . 2021-09-12 .
  12. Web site: Misra . Shubhangi . Ex-Indian Army general mocked for sharing image of Pakistani actors as 'soldiers killed' in Panjshir . ThePrint . 2021-09-14 .
  13. Web site: Nandita Singh. 2020-07-04. Maj. Gen. GD Bakshi, shrillest warmonger in the media, hits new low with gaali on Republic TV. 2021-08-31. ThePrint. en-US. 23 January 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20230123211845/https://theprint.in/india/maj-gen-gd-bakshi-shrillest-warmonger-in-the-media-hits-new-low-with-gaali-on-republic-tv/454582/. live.
  14. Web site: Journalism as News Laundering and Bhakti. 2021-08-31. The Wire. 23 January 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20230123211840/https://thewire.in/media/journalism-as-news-laundering-and-bhakti. live.
  15. Web site: 'M*******!!': Twitter in shock as Major Gen GD Bakshi curses on a live show. 2021-08-31. Free Press Journal. en. 23 January 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20230123211844/https://www.freepressjournal.in/india/m-twitter-in-shock-as-major-gen-gd-bakshi-curses-on-a-live-show. live.
  16. Web site: Singh . Nandita . ThePrint . 2020-07-04 . Maj. Gen. GD Bakshi, shrillest warmonger in the media, hits new low with gaali on Republic TV . 2024-08-05 . ThePrint . en-US.
  17. Book: Bose: The Indian Samurai - Netaji and the INA a Military Assessment. K W PUBL PVT Limited. 2016. 9789383649921. India. 384. 3 January 2022. 5 April 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20230405195345/https://books.google.com/books?id=McfrjwEACAAJ&q=9383649925,+9789383649921. live.

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