Dadh villagers decide to install martyr's statue on their own

Ravinder Sood

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Palampur, February 12

After running from pillar to post for the past 10 years to set up a statue of martyr Major Som Nath Sharma, residents of Dadh village have decided to raise funds from the public and install it on their own.

Major Som Nath Sharma was martyred in Kashmir in 1947 while leading his unit to Badgam village for evicting Pakistani raiders from the Srinagar airport. For his exceptional bravery, he was posthumously awarded the country’s first Param Vir Chakra, the highest gallantry award.

Since no member of the martyr’s family now lives in his native Dadh village, therefore no school, college or any other institute has come up in his memory in the past 75 years.

However, his small statue installed in Palampur after the Kargil War in 2001 is also in a bad shape. In 2011, the Prem Kumar Dhumal government had announced to set up a memorial at his native Dadh village.

However, the Dhumal government was changed in 2012 and the new Congress one did not show any interest in setting up the statue of the martyr.

Rajinder Chaudhry, a resident of Dadh village, who has been fighting for the installation of the martyr’s statute or memorial gate for the past 10 years, says despite assurances, no funds have been given for the statue. He had met former Chief Ministers Jai Ram Thakur, Prem Kumar Dhumal and Virbadhra Singh in this regard, but in vain. “Now, we will raise funds from the public and set up the martyr’s statue at Dadh village,” Chaudhry added.

Major Som Nath Sharma was born on January 31, 1923, at Dadh village, 15 km from Palampur. He belonged to a military family wherein his father, brothers and a sister served in the Army. He went to Sherwood College in Nainital and at the age of 10, enrolled in the Prince of Wales Royal Military College, Dehradun, before joining the Royal Military Academy on February 22, 1942.

On November 3, 1947, Major Somnath Sharma and his company was ordered to reach Badgam village to take charge of the situation there.

His left hand was already injured and in a plaster cast. However, he insisted on being with his company in the combat. A group of 500 raiders approached Badgam from Gulmarg and soon surrounded the company from the three sides. Major Sharma’s company was under heavy fire and in mortar bombardment, sustained heavy casualties.

Dharamsala SDM Shilpi Beakta said a proposal for the construction of Major Som Nath Sharma’s memorial in Dadh village was under consideration with the state government. “However, no funds have been released.”