“I asked for my khukri & cut off my leg”-Ian Cardozo

Major General Ian Cardozo was a young soldier in the Indian Army during the 1971 war with Pakistan. During the war he stepped on a landmine and had to cut off his badly wounded leg with his own khukri. Talking about the extraordinary circumstances under which this happened and went on to become the first disabled officer in the Indian Army to command an infantry battalion and a brigade. A story the stuff legends are made of.

Major General Ian Cardozo was a young major in the 5 Gorkha Rifles in the 1971 war with Pakistan. In a swift military offensive, India defeated Pakistan within 13 days, liberated a region and led to the creation of Bangladesh.

Yet, through sheer will power and determination, he did not let his disability come in the way of his duty as a soldier and went on to become the first disabled officer in the Indian Army to command an infantry battalion and a brigade.

Awarded a Sena Medal for gallantry, General Cardozo spoke to Claude Arpiabout the historic war .