John Aguiar
Lt Col Austin Collaco (Retd) is a former officer of the Indian Army who served with the Bihar Regiment for over two decades. He hails from Chorao. Due to family reasons, he completed his education in different parts of India, including Punjab and Mumbai. This exposure helped him adapt easily to varied environments.
During his college years, he joined the National Cadet Corps as a Naval Cadet. In 1981, he represented his Directorate at the Republic Day Camp, which strengthened his interest in a career in the Armed Forces. He later cleared the UPSC examination and the Services Selection Board at Allahabad.
In December 1985, he joined the Indian Military Academy in Dehradun. He was commissioned through the 77th Regular Course and posted to the Bihar Regiment. The regiment is known for its discipline and operational experience, particularly in demanding combat conditions.
During his service, Collaco was deployed in several sensitive areas. One of the most important phases of his career was during the Kargil War in 1999. As a trained mountain warfare officer, he took part in operations aimed at regaining key positions at high altitude. The conditions during the conflict were extremely harsh, requiring physical endurance and careful planning.
Apart from Kargil, he was involved in counter-insurgency operations in the Northeast. He operated in Assam during intelligence-based missions and faced armed encounters with ULFA militants. He also served along the Indo-Myanmar border and in Arunachal Pradesh. These postings required long tenures in remote areas and constant operational readiness.
Because of his experience in mountain warfare, Collaco was appointed as an instructor at the High Altitude Warfare School in Gulmarg. He later served as officer-in-charge at the Siachen Base Camp. In this role, he was responsible for training and preparing soldiers before their deployment to the Siachen Glacier. This included ensuring they were physically fit and mentally prepared for extreme weather and terrain.
He retired from the Indian Army in 2011. After retirement, he joined public service in Goa. He was one of the founding officers of the Goa Human Resource Development Corporation, established under the leadership of the late Manohar Parrikar. During its early years, he helped in framing policies, setting up training systems and establishing administrative procedures.
Currently based in Panaji, Collaco remains actively involved with the veteran community in Goa. He regularly attends ‘Kargil Vijay Diwas’ programmes and speaks at colleges and educational institutions. Through these interactions, he shares his experiences and encourages young people to consider careers in the Armed Forces.
Collaco’s life reflects a continued commitment to service. His journey shows that responsibility to the nation does not end with retirement from the uniform.
