CHUSHUL SECTOR- HEROES OF REZANG LA

After retirement, I was packing my belonging to shift to new house as I had to

vacate Government accommodation. I had collected lot papers and photographs during
my years of service .A photograph of my visit to Chushul brought back memories of
Chushul.

I had accompanied Mr Ram Vilas Paswan the then Miniser of Communication,

on his visit to Leh and forward areas of Ladakh during first week of September 2000.
Highlights of trip were visits to Siachen ,Thoise and Daulat Beg Oldi. Incidentally, Mr
George Fernandes was also present at Thoise. After Inauguration of Satellite Earth
station, we moved over to Daulat Beg Oldi. Here the programme was to hand over
Inmarsat telephones to Indo Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) personnel posted at this remote
post. Inmarsat phone would bring them in close contact with families and friends. DOT
as a special gesture to armed forces in Ladakh had provided Inmarsat phones on normal
STD PCO charges. Next day’s programme was to go to Chushul to handover telephones
.Chushul as readers will recall was last village Chima had stopped due to stiff resistance
offered by Indian Army.

Part Map of Ladakh(source Internet)

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 Battle of Rezang La in Chushul sector has a proud place in memory of Indians,
who were demoralized by defeat at hands of Chinese in 1962. Chushul is remembered by
Indians because of heroic resistance offered by Major Shaitan Singh and his jawans of
13th Kamaou Battalion .I did some research on Internet to bring out history of Battle of
Rezang-La in Chushul sector.

Traditional welcome at Chushul air strip

Chushul is at height of about 4300 meters above sea level. It is a small village in a
narrow sandy valley about 40Kms long and 6 Kms wide, flanked by mountains that rise
to over 6000 m. At the northern end touches the Pangong Tso, a deep saltwater lake
nearly a 160 Kms long. It is popular tourist destination for people visiting Leh. Near
Chushul there is a gap in the mountains called the Spanggur Gap that leads to another
beautiful lake called Spanggur Tso which also extends well into Chinese territory.

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 Pangong Tso

During the 1962 Indo-China conflict, 13 Kumaon was deployed in Chushul

sector. The C Company of the battalion led by Major Shaitan Singh held a crucial
position at Rezang La. The company area was defended by three platoon positions and
the surrounding terrain isolated it from the rest of the battalion. This was a massive
feature of 5180 metres. They were deployed over a 2 km frontage with a total of 118
men. The 3 platoons namely 7th was 3000 m north of the pass, 9th led was 1000 m south
of 7th platoons position and 8th platoon was deployed a further 1400 m south with
company headquarters behind them along with the 3 inch mortars. Although they were
well entrenched they did not have mines as well as adequate overhead protection for the
command posts.

Rezang La was attacked on November 18th in the morning. At 0500 hours when
the visibility improved both platoons opened up on the advancing enemy with rifles, light
machine guns, grenades and mortars. The survivors took position behind boulders and the
dead bodies. The enemy subjected Indian positions to intense artillery and mortar fire.
Soon about 350 Chinese troops commenced advance. This time, No.9 Platoon, which
held fire till the enemy was within 90 meters opened up with all weapons in their
possession. Within minutes, the enemy was reduced to a number of dead bodies.

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 Unsuccessful in frontal attack, the enemy comprising about 400 soldiers, attacked
from the rear of the company position. They simultaneously opened intense MMG
(medium machine gun) fire on the No.8 Platoon. This attack was restricted. The enemy
then resorted to heavy artillery and mortar shelling.

An assault group of 120 Chinese then charged the No.7 Platoon position from the
rear. However 3 inch Indian mortar killed many of them. When 20 survivors charged the
post, about a dozen Kumaonis rushed out of their trenches to engage them in a hand-to-
hand combat. Meanwhile, the enemy brought up fresh reinforcements. The encirclement
of the No.7 Platoon was now complete. The platoon, however, fought valiantly till there
was no survivor. No.8 Platoon also fought bravely to the last man and last round.*

Major Shaitan Singh, the Company Commander, displayed exemplary leadership

and courage in the battle of Rezang La. He led his troops most admirably. Unmindful of
his personal safety, he moved from one platoon post to another and encouraged his men
to fight. While moving among the posts he was seriously wounded. But he continued to
fight along with his men.

Major Shaitan Singh was being evacuated by two of his comrades. The Chinese
brought heavy machine gun fire on them. Major Shaitan Singh sensed danger to lives of
his jawans and ordered them to leave him. They placed him behind a boulder on the
slopes of a hill, where he breathed his last. In this action, 109 Kumaonis were killed. The
Chinese suffered much greater losses. After the war was over, the body of Major Shaitan
Singh was found at the same place. It was flown to Jodhpur and cremated with full
military honours and later posthumously awarded Param Veer Chakra.

Major Shaitan and jawans succeeded in blunting the Chinese attack killing about
1000 Chinese. Thereafter, the Chinese did not push further towards Chushul. The story of
valor of Major Shaitan Singh and his men brought sense of pride to Indians in those
depressing days, when Indian armed forces were outnumbered and over run in many of
battles in Eastern and Western Sectors. A small memorial has been erected at Chushul
which says:

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 “How can a Man die Better than facing Fearful Odds,
For the Ashes of His Fathers and the Temples of His Gods”,

To the sacred memory of the Heroes of Rezang La,

114 Martyrs of 13 Kumaon who fought to the Last Man,
Last Round, Against Hordes of Chinese on 18 November 1962.
Built by All Ranks 13th Battalion, The Kumaon Regiment.

* Source : Battle of Chushul by L N Subramanian

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 Major Shaitan Singh

Citation for Award of Param Vir Chakra to

Major Shaitan Singh

CITATION

1. Major Shaitan Singh was commanding a company of an infantry battalion

deployed at Razangala in the Chushul Sector at a height of about 17,000 feet. The
locality was isolated from the main defended sector and consisted of five defended
platoon positions. On 18 November 1962, the Chinese subjected the company
position to heavy artillery, mortar and small arms fire and attacked in overwhelming
strength in successive waves. Against heavy odds, our troops beat back the enemy
attack. During the action, Major Shaitan Singh dominated the scene of operations,
and moved at great personal risk from one platoon post to another sustaining the
morale of his hard-pressed platoon posts. While doing so he was seriously wounded
but continued to encourage and lead his men who, following his brave example,
fought gallantly and inflicted heavy casualties on the enemy. For every man lost by
us, the enemy lost four to five. When Major Shaitan Singh fell disabled by wounds in
his arms and abdomen, his men tried to evacuate him but came under heavy
machine gun fire. Major Shaitan Singh ordered his men to leave him to his fate in
order to save their lives.

2. Major Shaitan Singh`s supreme courage, leadership and exemplary devotion

to duty inspired his company to fight almost to the last man.

Ramesh Lalwani

18.12 2005

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