Rajnath Singh to pay homage at Rezang La memorial in eastern Ladakh today

Ajay Banerjee

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, November 17

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh will pay homage at the Rezang La memorial on November 18, the same day the battle of Rezang La was fought 59 years ago. During the India-China war in 1962, the Indian Army had held back an assault by China’s People’s Liberation Army at Rezang La in eastern Ladakh. At an altitude of 18,000 ft and located smack at the Line of Actual Control, Rezang La saw the epic battle on November 18, 1962.

The battle lasted 18 hours. Starting from 4 am on November 18, 1962, till about 10 pm that night, the ‘C’ company of 13th Battalion of the Kumaon Regiment of the Army held its ground. Commander of the ‘C’ company Major Shaitan Singh was conferred Param Vir Chakra. Eight more received Vir Chakra while four others Sena Medal. The 13 Kumaon received ‘The Battle Honour Rezang La’.

A ‘History of the Conflict with China, 1962’, produced by the Ministry of Defence and released for restricted circulation in March 1993 says, “The fight at Rezang La was hard and bitter. It was littered with the dead Chinese.... The Indian soldier was defeated but not disgraced in Ladakh.” The ‘C’ Company of the 13 Kumaon was outnumbered by the force brought in by the Chinese. “The company had 112 men of all ranks and only 14 survived,” says the MoD-published account of the war.

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