1 MAJOR PVC

Major Shaitan Singh

Shaitan Singh was born on 1 December 1924 in a family of Bhati clan in Banasar village, district, . His father was Lieutenant Colonel Hem Singh. Singh studied in the Chopasni Senior Secondary School, Jodhpur up to his matriculation. At school, he was known for his skills as a football player. After completing his schooling in 1943, Singh went to Jaswant College, and completed his graduation in 1947. On 1 August 1949, he joined the Jodhpur State Forces as an offcer.

After Jodhpur was merged into , Singh was transferred to the . He was promoted to captain on 25 November 1955, and took part in operations in Naga Hills and also in 1961 Indian . On 11 June 1962, he was promoted to the rank of major.

There had long been disagreement between India and China over borders in the Himalaya region. To counter the increasing Chinese intrusions into disputed territory, then asked for strategies for dealing with them. However, the proposal put forward by the was rejected. Instead, he approved a plan proposed by a bureaucrat called the "Forward Policy". This called for the establishment of a 2 number of small posts facing the Chinese. Due to the severe rise in public criticism against Chinese intrusions, Nehru implemented the "Forward Policy" against the advice of the army. The army's concern was that the Chinese had geographical advantage. Additionally, maintaining numerous small posts would be untenable if the Chinese superior forces attacked. This was ruled out by Nehru who believed the Chinese would not attack. But the Chinese did, initiating the Sino-Indian War.

During the war, the 13th Battalion of Kumaon Regiment, Charlie ‘C’ company comprising 123 Ahirs was positioned in Chusul sector, at a height of 5,000 metres (16,000 ft) above sea level, the battalion under the command of Singh was holding a position at , and the area was defended by fve platoon posts. In the morning hours of 18 November 1962, the Chinese attacked. Indians prepared for an offensive as they saw the Chinese advancing through nullahs in the dim dawn lighting. At 5:00 am, as platoons got a better sight of the Chinese, they started fring with light machine guns, rifes, mortar, and grenades, killing many Chinese soldiers.

At 5:40 am, the Indians were fred upon by artillery and mortar. Again, around three hundred and ffty Chinese soldiers started to advance through nullahs. No. 9 Platoon held fre until the Chinese were as close as 90 metres (300 ft), and inficted heavy casualties. As attacks from the vanguard were unsuccessful, around four hundred Chinese troops attacked from the rear. Simultaneously, No. 8 Platoon was fred upon with medium machine guns from the wire fencing of the post, and also received artillery and mortar fre. No. 7 Platoon was attacked by one hundred and twenty Chinese soldiers from the rear. The Indians countered with 3-inch (76 mm) mortar shells and killed many Chinese soldiers. As the last twenty survivors charged towards the post, the Indians jumped out of their trenches and engaged in hand-to- hand combat with the Chinese soldiers. However, the Platoon was soon 3 encircled with the arrival of Chinese reinforcements. Eventually, No. 7 & 8 platoons were left with no survivors. During the battle, Singh continuously moved from post to post reorganizing the defenses 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 fre heavily on them. Sensing the danger, Singh ordered the soldiers to leave. They placed him behind a boulder, where he succumbed to his injuries. In the battle, the Indian side suffered 114 casualties out of 124. Singh's body was found at the same boulder. It was brought to Jodhpur and cremated with military honors.

For his actions at the Battle of Rezang La, on 18 November 1962, Singh was awarded the . The offcial citation read:

Major Shaitan Singh was commanding a company of an Ahir infantry battalion deployed at Rezang La in the Chusul sector at a height of about 16,000 feet. The locality was isolated from the main defended sector and consisted of fve platoon-defended position. On 18 November 1962, the Chinese forces subjected the company position to heavy artillery, mortar and small arms fre and attacked it in overwhelming strength in several successive waves. Against heavy odds, our troops beat back successive waves of 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 inficted heavy casualties on the enemy. For every man lost to us, the enemy lost four or fve. When Major Shaitan Singh fell disabled by wounds in his arms and abdomen, his men tried to evacuate him but they came under heavy machine-gun fre. Major Shaitan Singh then ordered his men to leave him to his fate in order to save their lives. Major Shaitan Singh's supreme courage, leadership and exemplary devotion to duty inspired his company to fght almost to the last man.