Lt. Gen. Kunhiraman Palat Candeth has been in command of Indian Army’s Western division during the Liberation War. He commanded the Indian Army in the states of Rajasthan, Punjab and Kashmir where large tank battles took place. These battle were challenging since Pakistan had the American Patton tanks, far superior to the Indian variants. However, Indian skill and training won out against better equipment, as Pakistan lost most battles and a lot more tanks compared to India.
Rameshwar Nath Kao was the chief of the Research and Analysis Wing (RAW), India’s intelligence-gathering service. He is known as the architect of Bangladesh’s liberation from Pakistan. The agency, led by him, retrieved valuable information about Pakistan’s armed forces during the 1971 War which proved a great aid in Indian and Mukti Bahini military operations.
Vijay Diwas 2020: Remembering The Heroes of 1971 War Who Led India To Victory Over Pakistan indiatimes.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from indiatimes.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
Updated Dec 16, 2020 | 06:32 IST
The war had become inevitable after Pakistan launched a genocidal campaign against Bengalis in East Pakistan and millions of refugees fled into India. Field Marshal Sam Manekshaw with senior Army officers (Photo courtesy ADG PI - INDIAN ARMY/Twitter) 
Key Highlights
PM Indira Gandhi asked the Chief of Army Staff General Sam Manekshaw to get ready for war while she herself launched a diplomatic charm offensive in world capitals
Mukti Bahni fighters from East Pakistan were trained by India and fought against the brutal Pakistani army
Realising that Pakistan was heading for disaster, the U.S. Seventh Fleet dispatched its Task Force 74 to the Bay of Bengal