Major Shaitan Singh The Forgotten Hero Of Indo-China War 1962

In 1962 when Dalai lama took refuge in India,China started clash with India in LAC( Line of actual control) and then former prime minister pandit Jawaharlal Nehru neglected the clash and former defence minister V.K Krishna Menon proposed forward policy. The army's concern was that the Chinese had geographical advantage . Additionally, maintaining small posts would be difficult but, still Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru approved forward policy. This was ruled out by Jawaharlal Nehru who believed that the Chinese would not attack but Chinese did by initiating Indo-china war on 20th October 1962. During the war, the 13th battalion of kumaon regiment , Charlie company comprising of 114 ahirs and other soldiers were positioned in chushul sector at a height of 16,000 feet above sea level. The battalion under the command of Major Shaitan Singh was holding a position at Rezang la , and the area was defended by five platoon posts. In the morning hours of 18th November 1962, the Chinese attacked and Indians prepared for an offensive attack as they saw Chinese soldiers advancing through nullahs. In the dim dawn lighting. At 5:00 am as platoons got a better sight of the Chinese soldiers, they started firing with light machine guns, rifles, mortar and grenades killing many Chinese soldiers. At, 5:40am Indians were fired upon by artillery and mortar. Again, around 350 Chinese soldiers started to advance through nullahs. No.9 platoon held fire until the Chinese soldiers were as close as 90 meters and inflicted heavy casualties. As attacks from the vanguard were unsuccessful, around 400 Chinese troops attacked from the rear. Simultaneously, No.8 platoon was fired upon with medium machine guns from the wire fencing of the post, and also received artillery and mortar fire. No.7 platoon was attacked by 120 Chinese soldiers from the rear. The Indians countered with 3 inch ( 76mm) mortar shells and killed many Chinese soldiers As the last 20 survivors charged towards the post. The Indians jumped out of their trenches and engaged in hand to hand combat with the Chinese soldiers. But, soon the platoon was surrounded by Chinese reinforcements. Gradually, No.7 and 8 platoons were left with no survivors. During the battle Major Shaitan Singh continously moved from post to post reorganizing the defence and boosting the morale of his men . As, he moved between the posts without any cover he was seriously wounded. While he was being evacuated by his soldiers. The Chinese started to fire heavily on them. Sensing the danger, Major Shaitan Singh ordered his soldiers to leave.They placed him behind a boulder where he succumbed to his injuries. In, the battle the Indian side suffered 114 out of 124 whereas, the Chinese side suffered more than 3000 casualties. Major Shaitan Singh's body was found at the same boulder. It was brought to Jodhpur and cremated with full military honors. Chinese captured the five injured soldiers and later, they escaped and one man named Captain Ramchander Yadav came back to tell the story. In this battle not even a single soldier had got bullet in the back, every soldier had got bullet in his head or in his chest and even Chinese also accepted that they could not capture even a inch of this region.