IT Correspondent
Mumbai, Nov 19:
Renovated Rezang La Memorial at Chushul in Ladakh was dedicated to nation by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, commemorating the 59 th anniversary of victory of the troops of Charlie Company of 13 Kumaon regiment, in the Battle of Rezang La, on Thursday.
The Charlie Company had defeated the Chinese forces and had defended the Rezang La and the surrounding areas located at over 16,500 feet on the Kailash Ranges in Eastern Ladakh, on November 18, 1962.
The Memorial was constructed in 1963, at an altitude of over 15,000 feet, right at the India-China border to honour the troops of Charlie Company. The decision to renovate the Memorial was taken by Singh during his visit to Leh in June this year and the renovated memorial was ready within three months.
Singh paid homage to the gallant Indian soldiers who fought the Battle of Rezang La and laid wreath at the Memorial. He said, that the courage and sacrifice of the Charlie Company will always inspire future generations and described the memorial as an epitome of the determination and fearless spirit of the bravehearts of the country.
He congratulated all those who worked tirelessly for the renovation of the monument. The e project of memorial was spearheaded by the troops of Chushul Brigade, the very same formation under which the Armed Forces had defended the Ladakh sector in 1962.
It was a saga of unparalleled bravery as Major Shaitan Singh and 113 soldiers made the supreme sacrifice, fighting one of the world’s rarest “last man, last bullet” battles. Major Shaitan Singh was bestowed with the “Param Veer Chakra”, posthumously.
The renovated complex includes a double-storied museum, a mini-theatre to screen a special documentary on the battle, a large helipad and various other tourist amenities. The memorial, located very close to the Pangong Lake in Ladakh, is set to become a major tourist attraction in the coming years.
Ladakh Lt Governor RK Mathur, Ladakh MP Jamyang Tsering Namgyal, CODS General Bipin Rawat, Vice Chief of Army Staff Lt Gen CP Mohanty, GOC-in-C, Northern Command Lt. Gen. YK Joshi and other military officials were present.
Those associated with 13 Kumaon, including wheel chair bound Brig RV Jathar (Retd), who had participated in the battle as a Captain, Major Shaitan Singh’s son Narpat Singh Bhati and the family of the then CO, of 13 Kumaon, Lt Col HS Dhingra and others attended the event and were felicitated.
Attestation Parade for 130th Batch of recruits
In another development, the recruits of the 130th Course at the Guards Regimental Centre(GRC), Kamptee, Nagpur in Maharashtra were attested as soldiers of the Indian Army and were administered the oath to protect the nation even at the peril of life, on Thursday.
The occasion was marked by an impressive Passing Out Parade at the Centre. It was for the first time in the history of GRC the parade was reviewed by an Air Force officer, Air Marshal Shashiker Choudhary. On the occasion Recruit Kumawat Narendra Maduram hailing from Thane in Maharashtra was adjudged the Best Recruit. Air Marshal Choudhary, in his address exhorted the recruits to commit themselves to the service of the Nation physically, mentally and in all dimensions.
Exercise “Prasthan” in Western Offshore area
In the meanwhile, an offshore security exercise, “Prasthan” was conducted in the Offshore Development Area (ODA) off Mumbai on Tuesday, under the aegis of Headquarters Western Naval Command.
It was conducted on the MHN platform of ONGC located about 94 nm west of Mumbai. Conducted every six months, the exercise is important to ensure the offshore security and to integrate the efforts of the Indian Navy, Indian Air Force, Coast Guard, ONGC, the Port Trust, Customs, the state fisheries department and the Marine Police, to refine SOPs and response-actions to a variety of contingencies in the ODAs. On the occasion the contingencies such as terrorist intrusion, bomb explosion, major fire, oil spill, man overboard, casualty evacuation, loss of control of vessel and mass evacuation were exercised.
