India’s true Heroes Part-3
Continuing from yesterday, today I bring you people who became legends
- Jaswant Singh Rawat
Rifleman Jaswant Singh is a considered to be a legend in the Indian army. He was part of the fourth Battalion of the Garhwal Rifles. During the 1962 Indo-Chinese war the company was asked to retreat from their position. Jaswant insisted on staying back and fighting off the Chinese. All the other soldiers retreated and Jaswant was left alone to deal with enemy. What he did then is truly inspirational and brave. He got some help from two Monpa tribal girls named Sela and Nura. Together they set up weapons at separate points and maintained a volume of fire that fooled the Chinese into believing that they were faced with a huge battalion.
The Chinese were left frustrated and this went on for 3 days. Finally the Chinese managed to capture the man who was supplying rations to Jaswant. On learning that he would be captured soon, he shot himself in the head. The Chinese were so incensed to find that they had been fighting a lone soldier all this while that they cut off Jaswant’s head and carried it back to China.
2. Brigadier Kuldip Singh Chandpuri
Brig. Kuldip Singh is one of the few who needs no introduction. Chandpuri was recruited into the Indian Army in 1962, and commissioned from Officers Training Academy in 1963 into the 23rd Battalion of The Punjab Regiment. He is best known for leading his 120 soldiers to protect the post against 2000–3000 strong assault force of the Pakistani 51st Infantry Brigade, backed by the 22nd Armored Regiment, in what is known today as the Battle of Longewala. He held them off all night till the Air force arrived in the morning. Kuldip Singh Chandpuri and his men inflicted heavy casualties on the enemy, and forced them to retreat, leaving behind twelve tanks. He was awarded the Maha Vir Chakra for his bravery.
3. Brigadier Mohammed Usman
Born in Bibipur, Uttar Pradesh, this man of steel joined the Indian army in 1934. During the Indo-Pakistan war of 1947/48, Brigadier Usman repulsed a fierce attack on Naushera and Jhangar, two highly strategic locations in Jammu and Kashmir, and was named by his fellow soldiers ‘The Lion of Naushera.’
At the time of the Partition, he was made the offer of becoming the Chief of the Pakistani Army but he chose to stay in India. He left the Baloch regiment of Pakistan and was inducted into the Dogra regiment in India. After the Battle of Naushera, where the Pakistanis suffered heavy casualties at his hands, the same country that had courted him to become the chief of the army, now went ahead and placed prize money of Rs. 50,000 on his head.
Brigadier Usman was not just a fierce soldier but also a compassionate man. He never got married and used to donate a large part of his salary to support poor children and pay for their education. This inspiring and exemplary officer of the Indian Army died on July 3, 1948, defending Jhangar. His last words were, “I am dying but let not the territory we were fighting for fall to the enemy.”
He was awarded the Maha Vir Chakra posthumously for his great courage and leadership.
4. Subedar Yogendra Yadav
This Persons bravery is best described by his Param Vir Chakra Citation.
GRENADIER YOGINDER SINGH YADAV 18 GRENADIERS (2690–572) Grenadier Yogender Singh Yadav was part of the leading team of a Ghatak Platoon tasked to capture Tiger Hill on the night of 3/4 July 1999. The approach to the top was steep, snowbound and rocky. Grenadier Yogender Singh Yadav, unmindful of the danger involved, volunteered to lead and fix the rope for his team to climb up. On seeing the team, the enemy opened intense automatic, grenade, rocket and artillery fire killing the Commander and two of his colleagues and the platoon was stalled. Realising the gravity of the situation, Grenadier Yogender Singh Yadav crawled up to the enemy position to silence it and in the process sustained multiple bullet injuries. Unmindful of his injuries and in the hail of enemy bullets, Grenadier Yogender Singh Yadav continued climbing towards the enemy positions, lobbed grenades, continued firing from his weapons and killed four enemy soldiers in close combat an silenced the automatic fire. Despite multiple bullet injuries, he refused to be evacuated and continued the charge. Inspired by his gallant act, the platoon charged on the other positions with renewed punch and captured Tiger Hill Top. Grenadier Yogender Singh Yadav displayed the most conspicuous courage, indomitable gallantry, grit and determination under extreme adverse circumstances.
After a broken leg, a shattered arm and almost 15 bullet wounds, Sudebar Singh was taken to the hospital where it was assumed that he may become a martyr. Param Vir Chakra was announced for his invincible spirit, determination and action beyond the call of the duty, posthumously, but it was found that he was recovering in the hospital and he was awarded the P.V.C. by the then President K. R. Narayanan.
5. Second lieutenant Arun Khetarpal
Arun Khetarpal was born in Pune, Maharashtra on 14 October 1950. His father Lt Col (later Brigadier) M. L. Khetarpal was a Corps of Engineers officer serving in the Indian Army and his family traced a long history of military service.
During the 1971 Indo-Pak war, 2nd Lt. Arun Khetarpal’s 17 Poona Horse was ordered to construct a bridge across Basantar river, in the Shakargarh region near the international border with the 47th Indian Infantry Brigade. After building it, engineers were to crack the enemy mine-field. Half-way through, the enemy raided. Even though the mine fields were partly cleared, the regiment advanced, not having considered what laid ahead. By the first light of December 16th, 1971, the army established a link-up at the bridge for the tanks to pass. At 8am, a Pakistani regiment, sufficiently armoured, confronted the Indian troops. Our troops being outnumbered, the Commander of the squadron requested assistance from 2nd Lt. Khetarpal, who was close to the battle-field.
As soon as the request was relayed, Kheterpal got into enemy’s neck to clean it all! On the way, he overran some strong points and captured many soldiers. During this, his group’s second tank was attacked and the commander was killed, leaving him alone fighting the Pakistanis.
But Kheterpal single-handedly went on to ambush the area with his tank. The tank battle followed and 2nd Lt. Khetarpal destroyed four tanks. The Pakistanis then wrecked the other two following tanks and also bombed his tank, flaming it up. Khetarpal, not giving it up, went on to destroy rest of the tanks; after which his own tank blew up. The fearless officer met his death refuting the enemy to step on his land. His act denied the enemy the breakthrough they wanted. He was awarded the Param Vir Chakra for his bravery.
to be continued
#TVI
