Rezang La

During the Sino-Indian War in 1962, Rezang La was the site of the last stand of the Charlie ‘C’ Ahir company[4][5][6] of 13 Kumaon, consisting of 124 Indian soldiers.[7][8] According to the official Indian history of the war, the Rezang La picket of Charlie company was located at an elevation of 5,500 metres (18,000 ft), 11 km south of the Spanggur Gap, on the same ridge line as Rezang La.[9]

The company was led by Major Shaitan Singh, who won a posthumous Param Vir Chakra for his actions.[10][11][12] From the Indian point of view, Rezang La had the drawback that an intervening feature blocked artillery operation, so that the Indian infantry had to do without artillery cover.[12]

The Chinese employed Human wave attack tactics, sending upto eight waves against the Indian troop positions.[13][14][15] In the action on 18 November 1962, 114 Indian soldiers out of a total of 120 lost their lives, and more than 1000 Chinese troops were killed.[16] A memorial in Rewari, where most of the Ahir soldiers came from, claims that 1,300 Chinese soldiers were killed in the battle.[17] The Indian side was led by Major Shaitan Singh, who was later posthumously awarded Param Vir Chakra, India's highest gallantry award for conspicuous bravery and self-sacrifice in the face of the enemy.

This battle was also important as China declared ceasefire after watching the bravery of Indian soldiers in this battle.

During border standoff in summer, the Indian Army deployed troops along the Line of Actual Control south of the Pangong Tso, including at Rezang La and Rechin La. This was said to give them a commanding view of the Spanggur Gap and China's "Moldo sector" (the deployments around the Spanggur Lake).[18]

The inscription on the War Memorial at Chushul, Ladakh raised by the Indian Army in memory of the soldiers who died in the Battle of Rezang La, reads as below.[19][20] The first four lines are quoted from Horatius, a poem by Thomas Babington Macaulay, member of the Governor-General of India's Supreme Council from 1834 to 1838[21]

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.

Major-General Ian Cardozo writes in his book "Param Vir, Our Heroes in Battle":

When Rezang La was later revisited dead jawans were found in the trenches still holding on to their weapons... every single man of this company was found dead in his trench with several bullets or splinter wounds. The 2-inch mortar man died with a bomb still in his hand. The medical orderly had a syringe and bandage in his hands when the Chinese bullet hit him... Of the thousand mortar bombs with the defenders, all but seven had been fired and the rest were ready to be fired when the (mortar) section was overrun.

General T.N. Raina lauded:[22]

You rarely come across such example in the annals of world military history when braving such heavy odds, the men fought till the last bullet and the last man. Certainly, the Battle of Rezang La is such a shining example.

General K S Thimayya wished for a memorial to be built in Ahirwal region of Haryana in the memory of soldiers who were mostly from this area. He felt generations to come would seek inspiration from the immense courage and valour of their forefathers.[22] Consequently, another Rezang La war memorial was constructed by Rezangla Shaurya Samiti inside Rezang La Park near Dharuhera Chowk in Rewari city in Ahirwal region. Annual memorial function is held by the Samiti in collaboration with district administration, the Kumaon Regiment and family members of those who died at Rezang La also participate. In every special and cultural events in Delhi-NCR and Rewari the two Bravest soldiers Capt. Ram Chander Singh and Hav Nihal Singh, Sena Medal will be chief guest as they tell the story of Rezang La which gives motivation to young generation about valour of Veer Ahirs. Recently on 24 Feb 2023, they were the Chief Guests on Rao Bal Kishan Shaurya Diwas. They also unveiled the portrait of "Rao Bal Kishan".[23]