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<p><b>New page</b></p><div>{{Short description|Indian scout}}<br />
{{Use dmy dates|date=May 2022}}<br />
{{Use Indian English|date=May 2022}}<br />
[[File:Ranchordas Rabari.jpg|thumb|294x294px|Ranchordas Rabari]]<br />
'''Ranchordas Pagi''' (Born: '''Ranchhod Rabari''') (1901–2013) worked as a scout on behalf of the [[Indian Army]]. His story is featured in a 2021 film [[Bhuj: The Pride of India]] where his character of an [[Indian Army]] Scout and [[Research and Analysis Wing|R&AW]] agent is played by [[Sanjay Dutt]].<ref>{{Cite web|last=Service|first=Tribune News|title=When Sanjay Dutt met the soldiers…|url=https://www.tribuneindia.com/news/lifestyle/when-sanjay-dutt-met-the-soldiers%E2%80%A6-293819|access-date=2022-02-24|website=Tribuneindia News Service|language=en}}</ref><br />
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== Early life ==<br />
Pagi was born in a [[Rabari]] family of Pathapur Gathras or Pithapur village in Pakistan, a village bordering near [[Banaskantha district]] of [[Gujarat]]. He migrated to India after [[Partition of India]] in 1947.{{fact|date=May 2022}}<br />
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A border post of [[Suigam]] in [[Banaskantha district]] of Gujarat, at the international border region of North Gujarat was named 'Ranchhoddas Post'. This was the first time that an army post was named after a common man as well as a statue of his was installed.<ref name ="Ranchhodas Post">{{Cite web|url=https://iadnews.in/2021/06/12/the-story-of-ranchordas-pagi-an-unknown-hero-of-india |title=The Story of Ranchordas Pagi: An Unknown Hero of India}}</ref><ref name="bhaskar">{{Cite web |url=http://www.bhaskar.com/news/GUJ-RAJ-OMC-bsf-post-on-name-of-ranchoddas-paggi-in-gujarat-pak-border-5018775-PHO.html |title=1200 पाकिस्तानी सैनिकों पर भारी पड़ गया था यह हिंदुस्तानी हीरो |access-date=2016-07-27}}</ref><br />
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== Pagi ==<br />
Pagi means 'guide', the person who shows the way in the desert. Ranchoddas Rabari, the man in the picture, was affectionately called 'Pagi' by General [[Sam Manekshaw]].<br />
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== Career ==<br />
Ranchoddas Pagi's life changed when, at the age of 58, he was appointed the police guide by the Banaskantha Superintendent of Police, Vanraj Singh Jhala.<br />
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He was recruited by the Indian Army. The Pakistani army captured many villages in the [[Kutch district|Kutch]] area just before the [[Indo-Pakistani War of 1965]].<ref>{{cite book|title=1965 War, the Inside Story: Defence Minister Y.B. Chavan's Diary of India-Pakistan war|author=R. D. Pradhan|year=2007|url=https://books.google.com/books?isbn=8126907622|page=23|isbn=978-81-269-0762-5}}</ref> Pagi went into the captured areas to gather information<ref>General Harbakhsh Singh, War Despatches: Indo-Pak Conflict, 1965, page 122</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.kenfolios.com/unheard-story-of-the-112-year-old-hero-of-indian-army/|title=Unheard story of the 112 year old hero of Indian Army. - KenFolios|date=2015-06-21|newspaper=KenFolios|access-date=2017-02-06|language=en-US}}</ref> from both villagers and his own relatives. This greatly assisted the Indian army.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|last=|first=|date=|title=Centenarian Tracker Ready to Serve Army Again|url=https://www.outlookindia.com/newswire/story/centenarian-tracker-ready-to-serve-army-again/650348|url-status=live|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=2020-06-16}}</ref> In one of his most remarkable achievements, Ranchod Pagi traced the location of 1200 enemy soldiers hiding in the wilderness in utter darkness. He also helped the Indian army capture several key posts during the 1965 and [[Indo-Pakistani War of 1971|1971 wars]] with Pakistan. His efforts during the wars of 1965 and 1971 are said to have saved thousands of Indian soldiers.<br />
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Manekshaw In His Last Times Kept Remembering This Old Man Called 'Pagi'. In 2008, [[Field marshal|Field Marshal]] Sam Manekshaw was admitted to Wellington Hospital, Tamil Nadu. He often kept taking a name 'Pagi-Pagi' during the days of his ill-health and semi-conscious state. The doctors asked one day, "Sir, who is this Paagi?" <br />
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This story is based on what Field Marshal Sam Bahadur himself narrated. In 1971, India had won the war. General Manekshaw was in Dhaka and ordered that Pagi be invited for dinner that day. A chopper was sent. While boarding the chopper, a bag belonging to Pagi remained left on the ground and the chopper was turned back to pick it up. The officers opened the bag before placing it in the helicopter as per the rules and were stunned because it had two rotis, onions and a dish of gram flour (gathiya). One half of the meal was eaten by Sam Manekshaw and the other by Pagi for dinner.<br />
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The guide’s skill was such that after seeing the footprints of the camel, he used to tell how many men are riding on it. By looking at the footprints of humans, he used to guess their weight, their age and how far they must have gone. His estimations had the exactness of a computer analyst.<br />
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In the beginning of 1965 war, Pakistan Army captured 'Vidhkot' in Kutch border in Gujarat. In this encounter, about 100 Indian soldiers were killed. A 10,000 men Indian Army contingent was mobilised and had to reach ‘Chharkot’ in three days. The need for Ranchoddas Pagi was felt for the first time by the army. Ranchordas Pagi took work as a scout on behalf of the Indian Army. <br />
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Due to his grip on the desert paths, he guided the army to the destination 12 hours before the scheduled time. He was personally chosen by Sam Saheb to guide the army and a special post was created in the army, 'Pagi' i.e., the person with knowledge of feet.<br />
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The location and approximate number of 1200 Pakistani soldiers hiding in the Indian border was revealed based only by their footprints, and that was enough for the Indian Army to win that front. <br />
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It is said that he also helped during war at Harami nala at a Channel of [[Sir Creek]] which is a Heaven for infiltrators and Smugglers.<ref name="Harami Nala">{{cite news|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/ahmedabad/harami-nala-sir-is-a-prawn-star/articleshow/50060812.cms |title=Harami Nala}}</ref><br />
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Along with the guidance of the army in the 1971 war, getting ammunition to the front was also part of Pagi’s work. Pagi’s role was important in the victory of the Indian tricolor on the 'Palinagar' town of Pakistan. Sam Sahib himself gave a cash prize of ₹300 from his own pocket.<br />
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Field Marshal Sam Manekshaw died on 27 June 2008, and in 2009 at the age of 108 years, Pagi also took 'voluntary retirement' from the army. Pagi died in 2013 at the age of 112.<br />
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Even today his exploits are a part of Gujarati folk songs. His gallant saga will be sung for ages. Ranchoddas Rabari i.e., our ‘Pagi’ has become immortalized forever in Indian military history due to his patriotism, valor, bravery, sacrifice, dedication and decency.<br />
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== Honours ==<br />
India's [[Border Security Force]] (BSF) has named a border outpost after Ranchhod Pagi. He had been honoured by both the police and the BSF.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://epaper.timesofindia.com/Repository/getFiles.asp?Style=OliveXLib:LowLevelEntityToPrint_TOINEW&Type=text/html&Locale=english-skin-custom&Path=TOIA/2014/05/25&ID=Ar00405 |title=Ranchhod Rabari: The Grand Old Pagi |work=The Times of India |date=25 May 2014 |accessdate=2016-07-27}}</ref> He received several awards including Sangram Medal, Police Medal and Samar Seva Star – for his role in the 1965 and 1971 wars.<ref>{{Cite web|date=2018-06-20|title=This Unsung Rabari Herder From Kutch Played a Key Role in Two Indo-Pak Wars|url=https://www.thebetterindia.com/146487/ranchhod-pagi-rabari-herder-gujarat-bsf-indo-pak-war/|access-date=2020-06-16|website=The Better India|language=en-US}}</ref><ref name=":0" /> In 2007, He was congratulated by current Prime Minister of India and the then chief minister [[Narendra Modi]], Chief Minister of Gujarat in the Independence Day celebration held at [[Palanpur]].<ref name=":0" /><br />
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== References ==<br />
{{reflist}}<br />
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Pagi, Ranchor Das}}<br />
[[Category:1901 births]]<br />
[[Category:2013 deaths]]<br />
[[Category:Indian Army personnel]]<br />
[[Category:Indian centenarians]]<br />
[[Category:People from Banaskantha district]]</div>Bot