Akshay Kumar appeared in Mission Raniganj: The Great Bharat Rescue, which was released to theaters on October 6, 2023. The film, created by the talented Vipul K. Rawal, is based on the actual event that happened at the Mahabir Colliery in Raniganj in November 1989. In this incident, they miraculously saved 65 miners from a flooded coal mine. Let’s delve into Mission Raniganj Real Story.
Is Mission Raniganj a true story?
Yes, it depicts the true account of Jaswant Singh Gill, a brave man in real life who, in 1989, brought back 65 coal miners enslaved inside a submerged mine in West Bengal’s Raniganj.
In the movie, Akshay Kumar’s character takes after mining engineer Jaswant Singh Gill.
Who was Jaswant Singh Gill?
Mining engineer Jaswant Singh Gill gained notoriety for his valiant rescue exertion. Gill, who was born in Sathiala, Amritsar, in November 1939, finished school at the Khalsa School. He continued his studies, eventually graduating from the Indian School of Mines in Dhanbad, Jharkhand, with a BSc (Honors) degree. Gill joined Coal India Limited in 1973 and worked there until 1998, when he retired as engineer-in-chief. Gill was given the nickname “Capsule Gill” after the rescue was accomplished.
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In 1991, President Ramaswamy Venkataraman gave Gill the “Sarvottam Jeevan Raksha Padak” in acknowledgment of his valiant deed. Up until his untimely demise in November 2019, Gill kept up his social welfare work. His wife, two sons, and two daughters are all that are left.
Incident of Raniganj Coalmine in 1989
A number of explosions shook the Mahabir Colliery in Raniganj, West Bengal, on November 13, 1989. Someone accidentally triggered an upper seam of the mine during the incident, which caused significant flooding. About 232 miners were working that night in the uppermost, 320-foot-deep section of the coal mine, blasting coal out of the ground.
The 161 miners close to the lifts were immediately rescued, but the remaining 71 became stranded in the borewell. Six miners tragically drowned as the mine shafts filled with water, trapping the 65 individuals who survived below ground.
A telephone connection from the borewell to the surface alerted authorities to the 71 trapped miners. They organized a rescue team right away. The water continued to circulate and return to the surface through cracks despite efforts to lower the water level by putting in several submersible pumps in the mine. The oxygen levels in the mine were also dropping, making the situation even more dire.
At the time, Coal India Limited in Raniganj appointed Jaswant Singh Gill as the Chief General Manager ED (Safety and Rescue), while he was also a member of the fourth rescue team.
What Inspired Gill to Create a Capsule?
To rescue the 65 miners trapped in Mahabir Colliery, Jaswant Singh Gill conceived the idea of a steel capsule measuring 7 feet in height and 22 inches in diameter. This capsule was designed to rescue the miners one by one by lowering it through a newly created borehole leading to the mine.
According to Gill’s son, he revealed, “My father initiated a groundbreaking concept that had solely existed in theory. He created a steel capsule, measuring 7 feet in height and 22 inches in diameter, and inserted it into a freshly dug borehole, enabling the rescue of each miner individually.
Initiating the rescue effort at 2:30 am on November 16th, they constructed the steel capsule in 72 hours. Gill insisted on entering the capsule himself to free the trapped miners, displaying extraordinary courage in the process. Gill entered the capsule and triumphantly rescued all 65 miners by 8:30 am after overcoming initial resistance from the top Coal India Limited officials. One round trip of the capsule used to take 15 minutes, but the addition of a 12-tonne crane significantly decreased that time to just 3 minutes.
In Raniganj, the rescue effort captivated the attention of about 20,000 people. His courageous decisions, leaving a lasting impact, earned Jaswant Singh Gill the title of a true hero.
