Dewan Prem Chand

Dewan Prem Chand (14 June 1916 – 3 November 2003) was an Indian Army officer. He served as Force Commander of United Nations peacekeeping missions in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Cyprus, Namibia and Zimbabwe.

Dewan Prem Chand was born on 14 June 1916 in Muzaffargarh, British Raj to Dewan Khem Chand and his wife, members of a wealthy Punjabi dewan family. After an initial education at the Bishop Cotton School in Shimla, he studied at the Government College University in Lahore. In late 1934 Chand enrolled in the Indian Military Academy in Dehradun, where he performed well academically. While on holiday in Srinagar, Chand and some of his fellow cadets attempted to go swimming in one of the local lakes, which was marked with signs reading "No Indians Allowed" and "Europeans Only", only to be turned away by white boatmen. The following day they rode shikaras into the lake. When the boatmen attempted to stop them, the cadets boarded their craft and threw them into the water. Other boaters converged and fought with the cadets until an elderly man intervened. Chand and his comrades left after removing the segregationist signs and extracting an assurance that they could swim in the lake.

Chand was commissioned into the British Indian Army in 1937. He was attached to the 1st battalion Dorset Regiment 24 February 1938. He was accepted for the Indian Army and posted to the 5th battalion 10th Baluch Regiment on 24 February 1939. His seniority as Second Lieutenant was antedated to 31 January 1937 and he was promoted Lieutenant 30 April 1939. He served during World War II.

Lieutenant General Chand commanded United Nations forces during two of their most sensitive peacekeeping operations, and also what is widely acknowledged as the United Nations most successful mission in Namibia.

Katanga in the Congo (1962)

Lieutenant General Chand commanded troops in the United Nations Operation in the Congo in the breakaway Republic of the Congo (Léopoldville) province of Katanga in 1962 during the Congo Crisis. He was awarded an Indian medal for distinguished service, Vashisht Seva Medal for this operation.

Cyprus (1970-76)

Lieutenant General Chand commanded United Nations forceson the divided island of Cyprus, from 1970 to 1976. He was responsible for organising the escape of Makarios III from Cyprus during the 1974 coup that overthrew him. The same year, he protected Nicosia International Airport from the Turkish invasion of Cyprus. The UN remained in control of the airport. In December 1976 UN Under-Secretary-General Brian Urquhart wrote a poem in his farewell message to Chand to commemorate his service with UN peacekeeping.

Rhodesia (1977)

The following year, he was called out of retirement to act as the UN secretary general's personal observer in Rhodesia, when discussions began to end Ian Smith's unilateral declaration of independence.

United Nations Transition Assistance Group

In 1989 the UN created the United Nations Transition Assistance Group to oversee the withdrawal of South African forces from Namibia and ensure free elections. At the behest of the members funding most of the mission, the original 7,500 troops envisaged in the initial deployment was cut down to 4,650. Prem Chand was appointed commander of the operation, but expressed concerns that the reduced force would be unable to fulfill its duties. Nevertheless, the cost-cutting measures prevailed. Prem Chand arrived in Windhoek in late February with an advance group of peacekeepers.

On 3 November 2003 he died at the age of 87. He had been honoured with the Param Vishisht Seva Medal and the UN Peace Medal.