“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”
Late Gen. K.S. Thimayya
I recently watched a movie which I must admit I had no idea about until I looked it up on the internet so that I don’t feel blockish while watching it! I fervently doomscrolled social media to really understand what the movie was about and later, scratching my head thought to myself that why was I so clueless about such an important part of Indian history. The movie I am talking about is ‘120 Bahadur’ starring Farhan Akhtar and directed by Razneesh Ghai. Spolier alert – it is going to leave you all teary-eyed and chest swollen with pride!
The movie is an emphatic tribute to the valor and unparalleled courage of the martyred soldiers of the Charlie Company of 13 Kumaon Regiment in the battle of Rezang La. The battle of Rezang la, also known as the Thermopylae of India, was a 16 hour intense and hellacious battle fought on 18 November, 1962 at sub-zero temperatures and at an altitude of approximately 16,000 ft and is a historic battle of collective bravery and heroism.
The battle, fought in the treacherous and unforgiving terrain of Chushul Valley in Eastern Ladakh is a gripping tale of how 120 soldiers of the Indian Army laid their lives for protecting the perilous and undependable pass of Rezang la situated in the Kailash Range of the mighty Himalayas. Their act of gallantry and intrepidity not only stalled the Chinese at the Rezang La itself, but also averted the possible invasion of Ladakh by the People’s Republic of China.
During the second phase of the Sino-India war in 1962, there was a considerable probability of the Chinese attempting to invade the Chushul sector to get hold of the Chushul airstrip and to ultimately put the kibosh on India’s option of maneuvering its troops to and from the battlefield. In anticipation of the same, the Indian Army’s Charlie Company of 13 Kumaon Regiment commanded by Major Shaitan Singh was deployed at the strategic pass of Rezang la which was crucial in protecting the key Chushul airstrip from a possible attack by the People’s Liberation Army.
The Charlie Company, save for his Commander, comprised of soldiers belonging to the Ahir community who were mainly pastoralists and agriculturists. They hailed from different regions of Haryana. To their disadvantage, these soldiers had never been accustomed to fighting in the higher altitude areas and had just been redeployed from Baramulla which is at height of approx. 5200 ft to Rezang la at a height of approx. 16,000 ft. Though the company was kept at Leh for a short period to help them acclimatize, it still was not adequate in comparison to the soldiers of the Chinese PLA who were natives of the Sinkiang region and had expertise in high altitude warfare.
Furthermore, the terrain being perilous and full of crests, it was unfeasible to deliver artillery support to this region. Our soldiers at Rezang la were equipped with outdated .303 single-action lee Enfield rifles which dated back to the WW2 along with scant ammunition which ran out within a few hours into the battle. The Chinese PLA, on the other hand was enabled with self-loading rifles and ample ammunition with reinforcements running in constantly. In every aspect, the Chinese PLA had an upper hand.
Despite the challenges, Charlie Company under the leadership of Major Shiatan Singh fought the Chinese with utmost fortitude and spunk. The strategy adopted by Major Shaitan Singh was not only tactical in terms of positions of the platoons such that the company formed an arc on the entire ridge facing the enemy, but also involved keeping the morale of the soldiers elevated. The Chinese PLA following the strategy of human wave tactics bombarded the pass with streams of Chinese soldiers hoping to catch the Indian Army unawares, but was rather met with the invigorated soldiers of the Indian Army who, chanting the war cry “dada kishan ki jai” retaliated with such valor and courage that even after running out of ammunition the soldiers charged the enemy with their bayonets and engaged in hand to hand combat.
We all know that India lost the battle of Rezang la, but it is not for this reason that we remember this battle. We reminisce the battle for the indomitable spirit and the undying courage of the soldiers of the Charlie Company who above all were the sons of the soil and laid their lives for defending our country. They fought on empty stomachs, with paltry ammunition, in harsh weather conditions with minimal clothing, operating obsolete communication paraphernalia but their hearts were teeming with bravery and heroism. Heavily outnumbered, they still inflicted great casualties on the Chinese side by killing more than 1300 of their soldiers. They were determined to face the enemy till the last round, last man and last breath and which they did! To the Chinese, who were rattled and shaken to the core, it was more of a pyrrhic victory!
I truly wonder at this kind of heroism. Lionhearted were those martyrs who sacrificed their lives for Bharat mata without batting an eyelid. It is a sacrifice which transcends the limits of duty and uniform. They very well knew that the odds were heavily against them and yet they chose to stand their ground and sacrifice themselves and not ceding even an inch of a territory to the enemy. Such was their valor and bravery!
The Charlie Company was renamed as Rezang La Company after the battle and a war memorial was built in Chushul valley in 1963 where the names of the 114 soldiers have been engraved. It is one of Indian Army’s most decorated units earning 1 Paramvir Chakra, 8 Vir Chakras, 4 Sena Medals and 1 Mention-in-Dispatches for their incredible bravery against overwhelming odds. The memorial stands as a testimony to the grit and fearlessness of the bravehearts. It is an enduring symbol of military heroism. It is an emblem of the unwavering resolve of the Indian Army.
No amount of words can enunciate the sentiments of each and every Indian for the soldier who stands tall facing the enemy each day. It is heartening to realize that I am enveloped by the warmth of my family, whereas, hundreds of miles away, a soldier stands at the border ensuring that the warmth remains unharmed. Let us not forget that his personal sacrifice is the shield of our collective peace!
To the martyrs of Rezang La….
सूरज-सा तेज नहीं मुझमें, दीपक सा जलता देखोगे,
अपनी हद रोशन करने से, तुम मुझको कब तक रोकोगे…
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