{{short description|Specialized military training institution of the Indian Army}} {{redirect|HAWS|the surname|Haws}} {{Use dmy dates|date=July 2019}} {{Infobox university |name = High Altitude Warfare School |image_name = Indian Army - High Altitude Warfare School ( HAWS).jpg |image_size = 300px |motto = |mottoeng = |established = {{start date and age|11 December 1948}}<ref name=mod-training>{{cite web|url=http://www.mod.nic.in/rec%26training/|title=Recruitment and Training|publisher=Ministry of Defence, Government of India|access-date=2011-10-28|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111120204200/http://www.mod.nic.in/rec%26training/|archive-date=20 November 2011|url-status=dead}}</ref> |type = [[Military academies in India|Defence Service]] Training Institute |Carnegie Class = |head_label = Commandant |head = |deputy head = |city = [[Gulmarg]] |District = |state = [[Jammu and Kashmir (union territory)|Jammu & Kashmir]] |country = {{IND}} |undergrad = |postgrad = |staff = |affiliations = |campus = |mascot = |free_label = |free = |colors = |website = |}} The '''High Altitude Warfare School''' ('''HAWS''') is a [[National security|defence service]] training and research establishment of the [[Indian Army]]. In 1948, the Indian Army established a ski school in Gulmarg that later became the High Altitude Warfare School, which specialises in snow–craft and winter warfare.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/defence/high-altitude-warfare-school-where-indian-jawans-are-trained-to-survive-in-siachen/articleshow/50968653.cms|title=High Altitude Warfare School Where Indian jawans are trained to survive in Siachen|newspaper=The Economic Times |date=11 July 2018 |last1=Hooda |first1=Deepshikha }}</ref> It is located in an area which is prone to avalanches. Selected soldiers from the US, UK, Germany and other countries visit regularly for specialist training.<ref>{{cite news |last=Pandit |first=Rajat |date=1 May 2004 |title=High-altitude warfare school takes global aim |url=http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/High-altitude-warfare-school-takes-global-aim/articleshow/651951.cms |newspaper=[[Times of India]] |location=New Delhi |access-date=9 February 2015}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.army.mil/article/109823/arctic_army_officer_excels_on_indias_high_ground|title=Arctic Army officer excels on India's high ground|website=www.army.mil|date=23 August 2013 |language=en|access-date=2018-12-18}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2010/feb/08/kashmir-avalanche-kills-indian-soldiers|title=Kashmir avalanche kills Indian troops at high-altitude training camp|agency=Associated Press|date=2010-02-08|work=The Guardian|access-date=2019-01-05|language=en-GB|issn=0261-3077}}</ref>
==History== The birth of High Altitude Warfare School (HAWS) of Indian Army in 1948 can be directly attributed to the loss of [[Gilgit-Baltistan]] in the [[Siege of Skardu]] to Pakistan in [[Indo-Pakistani War of 1947–1948|1947–1948 Indo-Pakistani War]]. The school was established in December 1948 by [[General (India)|General]] [[Kodendera Subayya Thimayya|K S Thimayya]], then holding the rank of [[Brigadier]]. It was initially known as the ''19 Infantry Division Ski School''. During the winter of 1949–1950, the school was redesignated as a Command Establishment and renamed as the ''Winter Warfare School''. On 8 April 1962, it was upgraded to a Category A Training Establishment and adopted its current name.<ref name=mod-training/>
==Training== HAWS offers two training programmes, the Mountain Warfare course and the Winter Warfare course. The former course is conducted in [[Sonamarg]] between May and October each year. The latter course is conducted in Gulmarg between January and April. The two courses train personnel in High Altitude warfare, [[counter intelligence]] and survival skills. Ice-craft is taught at Machoi across Zojila. Army personnel deployed to the [[Siachen Glacier]] and to other high altitude forward posts on the [[Himalaya]]n borders go through the courses.<ref name=upi-snow>{{cite news|url=http://www.upiasia.com/Security/2010/01/22/indias_snow_warriors/4083/|title=India's snow warriors|publisher=UPI Asia|date=2010-01-22|access-date=2011-10-23}}</ref>
HAWS is the nodal instructional facility for specialised training and dissemination of approved doctrines in mountain, high altitude and snow warfare. The training programs at HAWS are open to personnel of the armed forces of friendly countries.<ref name=toi-haws>{{cite news|url=http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2004-05-01/india/28343844_1_army-hq-vairengte-foreign-armies|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121103045428/http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2004-05-01/india/28343844_1_army-hq-vairengte-foreign-armies|url-status=dead|archive-date=2012-11-03|title=High-altitude warfare school takes global aim|date=2004-05-01|work=[[The Times of India]]|access-date=2011-10-28}}</ref><ref>{{Citation|last=ADGPI-INDIAN ARMY|title=THE MOUNTAIN WARRIORS|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gWcsrWsv11U |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211215/gWcsrWsv11U |archive-date=2021-12-15 |url-status=live|access-date=2019-01-05}}{{cbignore}}</ref> [[File:U.S. Army Capt. Mathew Hickey leads the way up a steep slope while on his way to winning an endurance test during training at the Indian Army's High Altitude Warfare School.jpg|thumb|U.S. Army Capt. Mathew Hickey (left), with the 2nd Battalion, 377th Parachute Field Artillery Regiment, 4th Infantry Brigade Combat Team (Airborne), leading the way up a steep slope while on his way to winning an endurance test during training at the Indian Army's High Altitude Warfare School, 2013]] HAWS also trains Indian Armed Forces personnel for winter sports such as snowboarding, alpine skiing and Nordic skiing. The school recently added facilities to allow the Indian Army ski team to train at night.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.tribuneindia.com/news/jammu-kashmir/a-first-night-ski-training-facility-at-gulmarg-resort/707315.html|title=A first: Night ski training facility at Gulmarg resort|work=The Tribune|access-date=2019-01-04}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/defence/high-altitude-warfare-school-where-indian-jawans-are-trained-to-survive-in-siachen/articleshow/50968653.cms|title=High Altitude Warfare School: Where Indian jawans are trained to survive in Siachen|last=Hooda|first=Deepshikha|date=2018-07-11|work=The Economic Times|access-date=2019-01-05}}</ref>
== Media == The [[Discovery Channel|''Discovery'' Channel]] created a documentary series detailing the military training program at HAWS. This documentary was part of a larger series on the Indian Armed Forces, titled ''Veer by Discovery''.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL03W8AlrexrqZvnr0gVL0EklPanGrqxzo|title=High Altitude Warfare School Full Episodes {{!}} Veer by Discovery|date=2018-10-31|website=YouTube|access-date=2019-01-04}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCAkYgW-5XG5uPyaO9PD_I5A/about|title=Veer by Discovery|date=2017-12-06|website=YouTube|access-date=2019-01-04}}</ref>
==See also==
=== Alumni ===
* [[Chhering Norbu Bodh|Cherring Norbu Bodh]] * [[Jagdish Singh (cross-country skier)|Jagdish Singh]] * [[Ranveer Jamwal]] * [[Narendra Kumar (mountaineer)]]
=== Of related interest === * [[High Mountain Military School]], France *[[Mountain Leader Training Cadre]], United Kingdom *[[Mountain Warfare Training Center]], USA *[[Army Mountain Warfare School]], USA *[[Mountain Warfare Training Camp Michael Monsoor]], USA *[[Hatsavita Mountain Warfare Training Centre]], Russia *[[List of mountain warfare forces]] * [[Mountain warfare]]
==References== <references/> {{Indian military academies and colleges}}
{{Coord| 34.291100453682155 | 75.32456900160886 |display=title | region:IN }} {{authority control}} [[Category:Indian Army]] [[Category:Military academies of India]] [[Category:Military education and training in India]] [[Category:1948 establishments in India]] [[Category:Mountain warfare training installations]]