Lest We Forget! Indian Soldiers Who Fought The Battle Of Rezang La In 1962

The post-independence Indian history boasts of the bravery of Indian soldiers who had sacrificed their lives for their motherland. The Rezang La is situated at the height of 18,000 feet, along the Line of Actual Control.

On November 18, 1962, over 2,000 Chinese troops attacked the 114 Indian soldiers of 13 Kumaon, serving under the command of Major Shaitan Singh, who was posthumously rewarded with the most prestigious gallantry award, the Param Vir Chakra. India lost to the Chinese side in the 1962 Indo-China war, but the battle of Rezang La was the only bright spot, owing to the ferocious fight Indian brave hearts put forward.

114 Indian Soldiers Killed Over 1,300 Chinese Troops

All 114 Indian soldiers fought the Chinese side till the last man was down. They had refused to leave the pass, and even in death, their bodies were found holding onto bayonets and grenades. Several government reports suggest that nearly 1,300 Chinese soldiers were killed that day. From the Indian perspective, an intervening feature in the past prevented the Artillery from reaching the soldiers, who had nothing to take shelter in.

Major General Ian Cardozo wrote in his book, "Param Vir, Our Heroes in Battle", "When Rezang La was later revisited dead jawans were found in the trenches still holding on to their weapons... every single man of this company was found dead in his trench with several bullets or splinter wounds. The 2-inch mortar man died with a bomb still in his hand. The medical orderly had a syringe and bandage in his hands when the Chinese bullet hit him... Of the thousand mortar bombs with the defenders, all but seven had been fired, and the rest were ready to be fired when the (mortar) section was overrun."

Memorial For Indian Soldiers At Chushul

The Indian Army built a war memorial at Chushul in Ladakh in memory of the valiant lives lost in the Rezang La battle of 1962. Today, Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, along with senior officials of the Indian Army, is set to inaugurate the revamped Rezang La memorial and celebrate larger than life bravery of the soldiers of the Indian Army.

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