Apurba Kumar Bardalai

Apurba Kumar Bardalai (born 4 April 1956), is a retired Major General from the Indian Army. He holds a PhD from Tilburg University, where he is a Member of the Department of Organisation Studies.[1] He is also a Distinguished Fellow at the United Service Institution of India, New Delhi.[2]

Major General

Apurba Kumar Bardalai

VSM
Apurba Kumar Bardalai in 2021
Nickname(s)Tony, Bardi
Born (1956-04-04) 4 April 1956
Allegiance India
Service/branch Indian Army
Years of service1977 – 2014
Rank Major General
Service numberIC-34421P
UnitRajput Regiment
Commands heldIndian Military Training Team
22nd Infantry Division
82nd Moutain Brigade
15th Battalion The Rajput Regiment
AwardsVishisht Seva Medal

Early life and education

Apurba was born in 1956 to Hirendra Kumar Bardalai, a Gazetted Officer in the Government of Assam. As his father was in a transferrable job, he completed his schooling in various places in Assam, India, completing his schooling at the Cotton Collegiate Higher Secondary School, Guwahati in March 1972. He joined the 50th Course of the National Defence Academy, Khadakwasla in June 1973.

Career
Apurba Kumar Bardalai with the former President of Lebanon, Michel Suleiman

Having completed his training at the Indian Military Academy, Dehradun, Apurba Kumar Bardalai was commissioned into the 15th Battalion, the Rajput Regiment on 11 June 1977. He commanded his battalion on the Siachen Glacier in Operation Meghdoot, a Mountain Brigade along the India-China border in Arunachal Pradesh and an Infantry Division in the plains of Western India.

Apurba Kumar Bardalai has served on foreign assignments on four occasions - as a Brigade Major in the Indian Peace Keeping Force, Sri Lanka, a United Nations Military Observer in the United Nations Angola Verification Mission I & II, Deputy Head of the Mission & Deputy Force Commander at the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon[3][4] and as the Commandant of the Indian Military Training Team at Bhutan.[5] He has also been a Staff Officer at the Army Headquarters, responsible for the deployment of Indian Army personnel on United Nations peacekeeping missions globally. He is a graduate of the Infantry School, Mhow, Defence Services Staff College, Wellington (India) and Army War College, Mhow.

Bardalai as an unarmed United Nations Military Observer in UNAVEM II during national elections of Angola.

Writing

Specialising in United Nations peacekeeping, Defence and Security, Apurba Kumar Bardalai has published one book, a PhD Thesis and several Journal Articles and other academic research material in his field.

Books
  • Changing Security Scenario: Implications for UN Peacekeeping, Knowledge World for United Service Institution of India, 2006.[6]
  • United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon: Assessment and Way Forward, 2021 (PhD Thesis, soon to be published).[7]

Journal Articles and Other Research Material
  • UNIFIL: The many challenges of successful peacekeeping, Journal of Defence Studies, 2016.[8]
  • UNPKO and Military Contributions: Challenges and Opportunities for Asia-Pacific Governments, Journal of the United Service Institution of India CXLVII.[9]
  • United Nations Peacekeeping Operations: Causes for Failure and Continuing Relevance, Journal of Defence Studies.[10]
  • UN Peacekeeping Operations: Perspective of an Indian Peacekeeper, The United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon Multiple Perspectives on a Multinational Peace Operation, ed. Aoun, Elena. Brussels: Peter Lang, 2018.[11]
  • A Conceptual Framework for Assessing Traditional Peace Operations, Journal of Defence Studies, 2019.[12]
  • India and Humanitarian Assistance in Post Conflict Peace Building, CLAWS Issue Brief, 2015.[13]
  • Doklam and the Indo-China Boundary, Journal of Defence Studies, 2018.[14]
  • Face Off at Doklam Plateau: Implications for Indo and Bhutan Science and Technology Forum, Manipal University, 2017.[15]
  • India China Relation: Is there a thaw?, Science and Technology Forum, Manipal University, 2017.

Honours and decorations

For his dedication to duty as the Commander of a Mountain Brigade, Apurba Kumar Bardalai was awarded the Vishisht Seva Medal on Republic Day, 2008.[16][17]

Vishisht Seva Medal Special Service Medal (Operation Rakshak)
Siachen Glacier Medal Operation Parakram Medal Sainya Seva Medal High Altitude Service Medal
Videsh Seva Medal 50th Anniversary of Independence Medal 30 Years Long Service Medal 20 Years Long Service Medal
9 Years Long Service Medal UNAVEM I Medal UNAVEM II Medal United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon Medal

Dates of rank
Insignia Rank Component Date of rank
Second Lieutenant Indian Army 11 June 1977[18]
Lieutenant Indian Army 11 June 1979
Captain Indian Army 11 June 1980
Major Indian Army 11 June 1988[19]
Lieutenant-Colonel Indian Army 1 April 1995
Colonel Indian Army 23 May 1996
Brigadier Indian Army 8 December 2005
Major General Indian Army 1 May 2010

References
  1. "Members of Department of Organisation Studies". Tilburg University. Retrieved 10 October 2021.
  2. "USI of India Faculty". United Service Institution. Retrieved 14 October 2021.
  3. "NEW UNIFIL DEPUTY FORCE COMMANDER ASSUMES CHARGE, 05 MAY 2010". United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon. 2010. Retrieved 14 October 2021.
  4. "UN in Beirut Observes a Minute of Silence for Haiti Victims". United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia. 2010. Retrieved 14 October 2021.
  5. "Round Table Discussion on 'India-Bhutan Relations: Recent Developments and Implications'". Vivekananda International Foundation. 2017.
  6. "Changing security scenario : implications for UN peacekeeping / A. K. Bardalai". National Library of Australia. Retrieved 16 October 2021.
  7. "United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon: Assessment and way forward". Tilburg University.
  8. "UNIFIL: The Many Challenges of Successful Peacekeeping". Journal of Defence Studies. 10. 2016.
  9. "UNPKO and Military Contributions: Challenges and Opportunities for Asia-Pacific Governments". Journal of the United Service Institution of India. CXLVII (607). 2017.
  10. "United Nations Peacekeeping Operations: Causes for Failure and Continuing Relevance". Journal of Defence Studies. 12 (4). 2018.
  11. The United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon - Multiple Perspectives on a Multinational Peace Operation. Bruxelles, Bern, Berlin, New York, Oxford, Wien. 2018. ISBN 9782807602496.
  12. "A Conceptual Framework for Assessing Traditional Peace Operations". Journal of Defence Studies. 13 (4).
  13. "India and Humanitarian Assistance in Post Conflict Peace Building". Centre for Land Warfare Studies Issue Brief. 2015.
  14. "Doklam and the Indo-China Boundary". Journal of Defence Studies. 12 (1). 2018.
  15. "Face Off at Doklam Plateau: Implications for India and Bhutan". Science Technology & Security Forum. 2017.
  16. "List of Awardees, Republic Day 2008". Indian Army Website. Retrieved 14 October 2021.
  17. "Republic Day gallantry and other Defence decorations". Press Information Bureau, Government of India. 2008. Retrieved 14 October 2021.
  18. "The Gazette of India, New Delhi, Saturday, Augutst 25, 1979 (Regular Army, Permanent Commission - to be 2/Lts - Page 15 of 22)" (PDF). Gazette of India Website. Retrieved 16 October 2021.
  19. "The Gazette of India, New Delhi, Saturday, September 9, 1989 (Page 20) (Captain to be Major)" (PDF). Gazette of India Website. Retrieved 16 October 2021.
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