Ravi Datt Mehta
Encyclopedia
Ravi Datt Mehta was a brigadier
in the Indian army
. He died in the suicide bombing of the Indian Embassy
in Kabul
while serving as India's Defence Attaché to Afghanistan
on July 7, 2008.
brahmin
s, an Indian community noted for its tradition of military service
Indian Express states that he was a math wizard in his younger days. He joined the Indian Army
in 1976 and went on to become a highly rated officer. His selection as Defence Attaché in Kabul is said to have followed an intensive screening process that shortlists the candidate pool to unofficially the "top three" officers of the Indian Army, prior to making the final selection for the job .
He had proficiency in many languages including Pashto, Mandarin and Tibetan
. His work as defence attache in Kabul was praised in both Indian media and Pakistani media. In the words of a columnist of the Dawn newspaper, he was:
It is speculated that he was targeted, allegedly by the Taliban and the ISI, due to his significant role in training the Afghan army and his close monitoring of the re-established links between Pakistan's Inter Services Intelligence (ISI) and the Taliban. He was said to have a "good relationship" with Afghan defense minister Abdul Rahim Wardak. Brig. Mehta had earlier also served as the head of the Indian Army's Intelligence Corps in the state of Jammu and Kashmir
.
near his childhood home is now named after him. He is also slated to be posthumously awarded the Kirti Chakra
, India's second-highest peacetime gallantry award. His funeral was attended by Chief of Army Staff
General Deepak Kapoor
, Chief of Naval Staff
Admiral Suresh Mehta and Chief of the Air Staff
Fali Homi Major
.
Brigadier Mehta's wife was also working in Afghanistan for empowerment of women during his stay there. Brigadier Mehta has a son who is also serving in the Indian Air Force
as a fighter pilot.
Brigadier
Brigadier is a senior military rank, the meaning of which is somewhat different in different military services. The brigadier rank is generally superior to the rank of colonel, and subordinate to major general....
in the Indian army
Indian Army
The Indian Army is the land based branch and the largest component of the Indian Armed Forces. With about 1,100,000 soldiers in active service and about 1,150,000 reserve troops, the Indian Army is the world's largest standing volunteer army...
. He died in the suicide bombing of the Indian Embassy
2008 Indian embassy bombing in Kabul
The 2008 Indian embassy bombing in Kabul was a suicide bomb terror attack on the Indian embassy in Kabul, Afghanistan on 7 July 2008 at 8:30 AM local time. The bombing killed 58 people and wounded 141. The suicide car bombing took place near the gates of the embassy during morning hours when...
in Kabul
Kabul
Kabul , spelt Caubul in some classic literatures, is the capital and largest city of Afghanistan. It is also the capital of the Kabul Province, located in the eastern section of Afghanistan...
while serving as India's Defence Attaché to Afghanistan
Afghanistan
Afghanistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, is a landlocked country located in the centre of Asia, forming South Asia, Central Asia and the Middle East. With a population of about 29 million, it has an area of , making it the 42nd most populous and 41st largest nation in the world...
on July 7, 2008.
Early life and Military career
R.D. Mehta was born into a family of MuhiyalMohyal
Mohyal is the name of an endogamous ethnic group that originates from the Gandhara region and consists of seven Brahmin lineages of that area that left the usual priestly occupation of Brahmins long ago to serve as soldiers and in government services.The...
brahmin
Brahmin
Brahmin Brahman, Brahma and Brahmin.Brahman, Brahmin and Brahma have different meanings. Brahman refers to the Supreme Self...
s, an Indian community noted for its tradition of military service
Indian Express states that he was a math wizard in his younger days. He joined the Indian Army
Indian Army
The Indian Army is the land based branch and the largest component of the Indian Armed Forces. With about 1,100,000 soldiers in active service and about 1,150,000 reserve troops, the Indian Army is the world's largest standing volunteer army...
in 1976 and went on to become a highly rated officer. His selection as Defence Attaché in Kabul is said to have followed an intensive screening process that shortlists the candidate pool to unofficially the "top three" officers of the Indian Army, prior to making the final selection for the job .
He had proficiency in many languages including Pashto, Mandarin and Tibetan
Tibetan language
The Tibetan languages are a cluster of mutually-unintelligible Tibeto-Burman languages spoken primarily by Tibetan peoples who live across a wide area of eastern Central Asia bordering the Indian subcontinent, including the Tibetan Plateau and the northern Indian subcontinent in Baltistan, Ladakh,...
. His work as defence attache in Kabul was praised in both Indian media and Pakistani media. In the words of a columnist of the Dawn newspaper, he was:
- "an affable defence attaché who was popular with Indian expatriates and local Afghans alike"
It is speculated that he was targeted, allegedly by the Taliban and the ISI, due to his significant role in training the Afghan army and his close monitoring of the re-established links between Pakistan's Inter Services Intelligence (ISI) and the Taliban. He was said to have a "good relationship" with Afghan defense minister Abdul Rahim Wardak. Brig. Mehta had earlier also served as the head of the Indian Army's Intelligence Corps in the state of Jammu and Kashmir
Jammu and Kashmir
Jammu and Kashmir is the northernmost state of India. It is situated mostly in the Himalayan mountains. Jammu and Kashmir shares a border with the states of Himachal Pradesh and Punjab to the south and internationally with the People's Republic of China to the north and east and the...
.
Legacy and honours
A road in his hometown SimlaShimla
Shimla , formerly known as Simla, is the capital city of Himachal Pradesh. In 1864, Shimla was declared the summer capital of the British Raj in India. A popular tourist destination, Shimla is often referred to as the "Queen of Hills," a term coined by the British...
near his childhood home is now named after him. He is also slated to be posthumously awarded the Kirti Chakra
Kirti Chakra
The Kirti Chakra is an Indian military decoration awarded for valour, courageous action or self-sacrifice away from the field of battle. It may be awarded to civilians as well as military personnel, including posthumous awards. It is the peacetime equivalent of the Maha Vir Chakra...
, India's second-highest peacetime gallantry award. His funeral was attended by Chief of Army Staff
Chief of Army Staff of the Indian Army
The Chief of the Army Staff is the commander and usually the highest-ranking officer of the Indian Army. The position is abbreviated as COAS in Indian Army cables and communication....
General Deepak Kapoor
Deepak Kapoor
General Deepak Kapoor PVSM, AVSM, SM, VSM, ADC was the 25th Chief of Army Staff of the Indian Army, appointed on 30 September 2007 and Chairman, Chiefs of Staffs Committee appointed on 31 August 2009....
, Chief of Naval Staff
Chief of Naval Staff of the Indian Navy
The Chief of the Naval Staff is the commander and typically the highest-ranking officer in the Indian Navy. The position is abbreviated CNS in Indian Navy cables and communication...
Admiral Suresh Mehta and Chief of the Air Staff
Chief of the Air Staff (India)
The head of the Indian Air Force is known as the Chief of the Air Staff . The position was held by an Air Commodore , by an Air Vice-Marshal and by an Air Marshal . In 1965, the position was upgraded to that of an Air Chief Marshal...
Fali Homi Major
Fali Homi Major
Air Chief Marshal Fali Homi Major served as the eighteenth Chief of the Air Staff of the Indian Air Force taking office on April 1, 2007, and becoming the first helicopter pilot in the service to be promoted to the office of Chief...
.
Brigadier Mehta's wife was also working in Afghanistan for empowerment of women during his stay there. Brigadier Mehta has a son who is also serving in the Indian Air Force
Indian Air Force
The Indian Air Force is the air arm of the Indian armed forces. Its primary responsibility is to secure Indian airspace and to conduct aerial warfare during a conflict...
as a fighter pilot.