Jaswant Singh Rawat

Rifleman Jaswant Singh Rawat, MVC (19 August 1941 – 17 November 1962) was an Indian Army soldier serving in the Garhwal Rifles who was awarded the prestigious Maha Vir Chakra posthumously as a result of his actions during the battle of Nuranang in present-day Arunachal Pradesh, India, during the Sino-Indian War.[1]

For other uses, see Jaswant Singh (disambiguation).

Major General

Jaswant Singh Rawat

MVC
Rifleman Jaswant Singh Rawat
Born(1941-08-19)19 August 1941
village Baryun, Dhumakot, Pauri Garhwal, Uttarakhand
Died17 November 1962(1962-11-17) (aged 21)
Nuranang, North-East Frontier Agency, India
(present-day Arunachal Pradesh, India)
AllegianceIndia Republic of India
Service/branch Indian Army
Years of service1
RankRifleman
Unit4th Garhwal Rifles
Battles/warsSino-Indian War
Awards Maha Vir Chakra

Sino-Indian War: Battle of Nuranang

Jaswant Garh War Memorial, Jaswantgarh, Arunachal Pradesh.

During the Battle of Nuranang on 17 November 1962 in the North-East Frontier Agency (now Arunachal Pradesh), the Rifleman Jaswant Singh Rawat was serving in the 4th battalion of 4th Garhwal Rifles regiment. On that day, the 4th Garhwal Rifles had beaten back two People's Liberation Army charges on their position. During a third intrusion, a Chinese medium machine gun (MMG) had come close to the Indian defenses and was firing accurately at their positions. Rifleman Jaswant Singh Rawat, along with Lance Naik Trilok Singh Negi and Rifleman Gopal Singh Gusain volunteered to subdue the MMG.[2][3][4][5] Rawat and Gusain, aided by covering fire from Negi closed within a grenade-throwing distance of the machine gun position and neutralized the Chinese detachment of five sentries, seizing the MMG in the process. However, while returning, Gusain and Negi lost their lives and Rawat was seriously injured, although he managed to return with the captured weapon. The battle resulted in 300 Chinese casualties, whereas the 4th Garhwal Rifles lost two men and had eight wounded.[6]

Rawat's company eventually decided to fall back, but Rawat remained and kept up the fight with the help of two local Monpa girls named Sela and Nura (Noora). Later, Sela was killed and Noora captured. Rushing from position to position, Rawat held off the enemy for 72 hours until the Chinese captured a local supplier, who told them that they were facing only one fighter. The Chinese then stormed Rawat's position, but the exact details of his death are unclear. Some accounts claim that Rawat shot himself with his last round of ammunition; others state that he was taken prisoner and executed by the Chinese. The Chinese commander returned Rawat's severed head and a brass bust of him to India after the war was over.[7] Sela Pass, Sela Tunnel and Sela Lake were named after Sela to commemorate her sacrifice for mother India.[8]

Legacy: Jaswant Garh memorial & post

The bravery of Jaswant Rawat was honored by naming the army post held by him as the "Jaswant Garh post" where he fended off the People's Liberation Army, and Jaswant Garh War Memorial was built at the post.[9][10] Memorial at the army post lies 52 km southeast of Tawang & north of Sela Tunnel on NH-13 Trans-Arunachal Highway's Dirang-Tawang section.

Another honor bestowed upon him is that he continues to serve even after death; he has been awarded promotions as if he is still serving.[11]

Sela, who died helping Jaswant was honored by naming the Sela Pass, Sela Tunnel and Sela Lake in her name.[8] Nuranang Falls was named after Nura.

4th Garhwal Rifles was later awarded the Battle Honour Nuranang, the only battle honor awarded to an army unit during the ongoing war.[12]

The 2019 Hindi movie 72 Hours: Martyr Who Never Died, directed by Avinash Dhyani, is based on the story of Rifleman Jaswant Singh Rawat.[13]

See also

References
  1. "72 Hours: A Movie On Jaswant Singh, The Man Who Saved Arunachal Pradesh From The Chinese but he died..." IndiaTimes. 13 April 2016. Retrieved 12 July 2020.
  2. ANI (18 November 2019). "War heroes of 1962 Sino-Indian war remembered on Nuranang Day". Business Standard India. Retrieved 12 July 2021.
  3. author. "Heroes of 1962 war in Arunachal: Battle of Nuranang | The Arunachal Times". Retrieved 12 July 2021. {{cite web}}: |last= has generic name (help)
  4. "The Story of Rifleman Jaswant Singh Rawat: The Hero Of Nauranang". Stories for the Youth!. 7 July 2021. Retrieved 12 July 2021.
  5. "Rifleman Jaswant Singh Rawat MVC | Honourpoint". 17 November 1962. Retrieved 12 July 2021.
  6. Col J Francis (Retd) (30 August 2013). Short Stories from the History of the Indian Army Since August 1947. Vij Books India Pvt Ltd. p. 53. ISBN 9789382652175.
  7. "Indian Army's 'Immortal' soldier Jaswant Singh Rawat, on duty even after being martyred". 21 October 2021. Retrieved 21 May 2022.
  8. जसवंत-सेला शहीद न हों, इसलिए बनी सेला टनल:1962 जैसे नहीं घुस पाएगा चीन; सड़कों, पुलों और सुरंगों का सुरक्षा जाल तैयार, Bhaskar, accessed 14 June 2023.
  9. Pisharoty, Sangeeta Barooah. "When It Comes to Renaming Places in Tawang, China Is Not Alone". thewire.in. Retrieved 6 June 2017.
  10. M Panging Pao (22 December 2019). "Heroes of 1962 War in Arunachal, Battle of Nuranang".
  11. Talbot, Ian (2016). A History of Modern South Asia: Politics, States, Diasporas. Yale University Press. ISBN 978-0300216592.
  12. Singh Gp Capt, Ranbir (2009). Memorable War Stories. Prabhat Prakashan. p. 27. ISBN 978-8188322664.
  13. "72 Hours...movie on the legendary soldier to be released on Friday". The Pioneer. Retrieved 11 June 2020.

Further reading
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