The Battle of Rezang La: A Bright Spot in 1962 India-China War

Why the Battle of Rezang La in News?

On November 2022, the country has recently observed the 60th Anniversary of Rezang La Day. The Battle of Rezang La in 1962 in eastern Ladakh, was India’s one of the remarkable military expeditions.

Why we are talking about The Battle of RezangLa?

• The Rezang La battle was illustrious and ever-inspiring.
• Indeed, in the annals of war the name of 13 Kumaon deserves to be written in letters of gold.
• The Battle of RezangLa, was an epic battle Indian Army ever fought in hostile conditions in eastern Ladakh region.
• RezangLa showed sheer tenacity and valour of the soldiers of ‘Charlie Company of 13 Kumaon Regiment of the Indian Army.

Strategic Importance of Rezang La

• The brightest of the bright spots in the pervasive darkness of 1962 was the Battle of Rezang La in the high Himalayas in Ladakh.
• From the south bank of Pangong Lake in Ladakh, a cluster of high mountains slopes towards the Spanggur Lake. A 2-km-wide clean gap exists in this range known as the Spanggur Gap. The Spanggur Gap joins the Chushul plateau in the west to the Tibetan plateau to the east. The village of Chushul lies west of the Spanggur Gap.
• The Rezang La is located in a massive 16,000-foot-high feature in the narrow gap between the even higher mountains surrounding the strategic village of Chushul and the Spanggur Lake that stretches across both Indian and Chinese territories.
• Rezang La is, therefore, vital for the defence of the crucially important Chushul.
• Any invader reaching there would have had a free run to Leh.

Which company of Indian Army defended Rezang La during 1962 India-China War?

• The 13th battalion of the Kumaon Regiment was entrusted with the defence of Chushul. Its C Company, consisting of 117 men, commanded by a major with the unusual name, Shaitan Singh, was responsible for holding Rezang La.
• He had deployed his three platoons across a two-kilometre frontage deftly with a view to protecting Rezang La from whatever side the Chinese might choose to attack.
• His men were well-entrenched and reasonably well-equipped. But they did not have mines, and the overhead shelter for the command posts was inadequate in sub-zero temperature.

What is the story of the greatest Battle of RezangLa?

• Sixty years ago on the morning of November 18th 1962, fierce fight broke when over Five thousand Chinese with heavy artillery support have attacked Charlie Company, protecting the airfield of Chushul.
• 120 brave soldiers of Charlie Company of 13 Kumaon Regiment led by one of the bravest and finest commanding officer ever Major Shaitan Singh Bhati had delivered the heaviest blow to the Chinese People’s Liberation Army, by killing over thousand Chinese soldiers in the fight.
• In this as many as 114 soldiers of C company died fighting. Five wounded were taken as prisoners.
• All casualties bore multiple bullet and splinter injuries. Not to mention their frozen hands still clutching their weapons but without ammunition. The mortar man died with a bomb in his hand. The medical assistant held a syringe of morphine and bandage.
• A dozen Kumaonis jumped out of their trenches to take them on in hand-to-hand combat.
• This all shows C Company had literally fought to the last man and the last bullet. The Chinese casualties had been removed but there was enough evidence to show that these were many.
• The bravery of Indian soldiers in this battle forced China to declare ceasefire.

(These details, which showing the glory of Charlie Company of 13 Kumaon Regiment and the great Major Shaitan Singh, were given to the battalion headquarters by the three grievously wounded survivors of the C Company who had managed to get there. The real glory and grandeur of the defence of Rezang La became known only three months later when, with the advent of spring, the first Indian party could climb up there.)

Extraordinary will power of the Great Major Shaitan Singh Bhati

• During the Rezang La Battle, Major Shaitan Singh, who was constantly moving from one platoon to the other, was wounded by the Chinese firing.
• Two of his comrades tried to carry him to safety but he told them to put him down behind a boulder and go to fight the enemy.
• Meanwhile Major Shaitan Singh was hit grievously in the abdomen by MMG sniper-fire but refused evacuation and succumbed to injuries.
• He later Martyred on the same spot.
• His body was flown to his village near Jodhpur to be cremated with full military honours.
• For his exemplary leadership and extraordinary courage he was awarded the Param Vir Chakra.
• Major Shaitan Singh Bhati was the second army man to win Param Veer Chakra(the highest gallantry award). Several other men of the company earned the Vir Chakra, also posthumously.

Conclusion

The last stand at Rezang La stands out and exemplifies the embodiment of soldiering – selfless devotion to duty even in the face of death.

FAQs

Q. Who was Major Shaitan Singh Bhati?

Ans. Major Shaitan Singh Bhati was Commanding Officer of Charlie Company of 13 Kumaon Regiment of Indian Army during India-China War.

Q.  Why 13th battalion of the Kumaon Regiment fought at Rezang La ?

Ans. Rezang La was vital for the defence of the crucially important Chushul. As, any invader reaching there would have had a free run to Leh.

Q. Who is the second army man to win Param Veer Chakra?

Ans. Major Shaitan Singh Bhati was the second army man to win Param Veer Chakra.

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