New Delhi: The date November 17, 1962, will forever be etched in golden letters in the military history of India. On this day, Maha Veer Chakra (MVC) awardee Rifleman Jaswant Singh Rawat truly lived up to the epithet ‘Maha Veer’ by laying down his life after single-handedly holding off hundreds of Chinese soldiers for three days in the icy heights of Arunachal Pradesh during the 1962 war between India and China.

Such a shining example of superhuman courage is rare in the global history of warfare.

Rifleman Jaswant Singh Rawat was born on 19 August 1941 to Shri Guman Singh Rawat, in the village of Baryun in the Pauri Garhwal district of Uttarakhand. Rfn Jaswant Singh joined Indian Army on 19 Aug 1960 at the age of 19 years. He was recruited into the 4 Garhwal Rifles of the famed Garhwal Rifles Regiment, known for its gallantry and many battle honors in various operations. During the 1962 Indo-China war, Rfn Jaswant Singh’s unit was deployed in the NEFA region.

Battle of Nuranang: Nov 1962

It was the last phase of the war in November 1962, and the Army units facing the enemy were struggling with a shortage of manpower and ammunition. On 17 Nov Rfn Jaswant Singh’s battalion was subjected to repeated Chinese assaults. A Chinese medium machine gun (MMG) located at a vantage point close to the A company lines was proving to be a dangerous menace. Rfn Jaswant, Lance Naik Trilok Singh Negi, and RFN Gopal Singh Gusain decided to neutralize the threat and went after the Chinese MMG.

When the troops of Garhwal Rifles were given the command to return back from the Battle of Nuranang, a 21-year-old Sepoy from the unit refused to leave the battleground. In a display of rare courage, he held the post and gave a tough time to the Chinese soldiers with his dare-devilry. Rfn Jaswant Singh was martyred in the battle, but fought courageously for three days, and almost to the last man.

Despite wielding weapons much inferior to those of their counterparts in the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) of China, the 4th Garhwal Rifles beat back two charges by the Chinese on their position.

During the third attack, a Chinese medium machine gun (MMG) managed to approach close to the Indian defenses and directed accurate fire at their positions. Rifleman Jaswant Singh Rawat, Lance Naik Trilok Singh Negi, and Rifleman Gopal Singh Gusain volunteered to eliminate the Chinese MMG.

Rfn Jaswant Singh along with his comrades using their best field craft skills crawled towards the bunker housing the MMG. After approaching within 12 meters from the MMG, Rfn Jaswant threw grenades at the bunker, killing a number of Chinese soldiers and capturing the MMG. Rfn Jaswant Singh took the MMG and began crawling back towards the Indian lines but was fatally hit by Chinese automatic fire when nearing safety.

Aided by covering fire from Negi, Rawat and Gusain closed in on the MMG position and neutralized the Chinese detachment of five soldiers with a grenade. However, while returning to the Indian position, Rawat was seriously injured while Gusain and Negi were martyred.

Even after the 4th Garhwal Rifles eventually decided to withdraw, Rawat decided to remain in the position and kept up the fight with the help of two local girls named Sela and Noora. Later, Sela was killed and Noora was captured.

Changing his positions at regular intervals, Rawat brought down accurate fire on the approaching Chinese soldiers and held them off for 72 hours.

The Chinese eventually managed to storm Rawat’s position. The bravery displayed by Rifleman Jaswant Singh Rawat had impressed even his Chinese enemies, who later handed over a brass bust of him along with his severed head to the Indian Army.

Rfn Jaswant Singh was martyred but his daredevil action silenced the MMG and a major threat was neutralized. This turned the course of the battle and eventually the Chinese retreated, suffering a loss of 300 soldiers. Rfn Jaswant Singh was awarded the Maha Vir Chakra for his exceptional bravery, unyielding fighting spirit, and supreme sacrifice. Rfn Jaswant Singh’s unit, 4 Garhwal Rifles was awarded the battle honor Nuranang, the only battle honor awarded to an Army unit in the Sino-Indian war of 1962.

The bravery shown by Jaswant Rawat was honored by building a memorial at the post where he fended off the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) of China. The post he held was named “Jaswant Garh”. Another honor bestowed upon him is that he continues to serve even after death; he has been awarded promotions as if he is still serving.

The 4th Garhwal Rifles was later awarded the Battle Honour Nuranang, the only battle honor awarded to an Indian Army unit during the 1962 war.

Award

The citation for the Maha Vir Chakra awarded to him reads:

On 17 November 1962, a battalion of Garhwal Rifles was occupying a defensive position near the Nuranang bridge in NEFA. Rifleman Jaswant Singh Rawat’s company was subjected to a series of attacks by the Chinese forces. The enemy managed to bring forward a medium machine gun very close to one of our platoons and weakened its defenses. Rifleman Jaswant Singh and two other men volunteered to go and destroy the enemy MMG position. They crawled forward and within 10 to 15 yards of the gun, Rifleman Jaswant Singh and the other riflemen hurled grenades on it, killing two Chinese and badly wounding the other. Rifleman Rawat then snatched the MMG and started to return to his position. The enemy opened automatic fire from close range. Rifleman Jaswant Singh was hit on the head and died on the spot, still holding the MMG in his hand.

The exceptional courage and initiative shown by Rifleman J.S. Rawat in the face of intense enemy fire were in the best traditions of our Army.

Legacy

The post where Rfn Jaswant Singh fought his last battle is now named Jaswant Garh. Among the local populace Rifleman, Jaswant is known as Baba Jaswant Singh Rawat. His personal belongings have been kept safe even today at Jaswant Garh. Five soldiers are specially assigned to take care of Rfn Jaswant Singh’s room. Though the room is empty, soldiers place the morning bed tea at 4.30 AM, prepare breakfast at 9 am, and dinner at 7 pm. According to army sources, it is discovered that the bedsheets of his room are found crumpled and his clothes lay scattered in the room.

The people of the army in the local units still believe that Rifleman Jashwant Singh Rawat still guards the post as a spirit and has been guiding Indian soldiers in dreams. He is the only soldier who has been promoted to the rank of Major general after his death. His salary is credited every month and most strange of all, he is even granted official leave on various occasions.

The Housing project of Jaswant Nagar in Dehra Dun has been named after rifleman Jaswant Singh Rawat in his honour.

Legend

• Rifleman Jaswant Singh Rawat of the Fourth Garhwal Rifles infantry regiment is the only soldier in the long history of the Indian army who is known to have risen through the ranks after his death. It is said that the brave Indian soldier had slain a large number of Chinese soldiers with his rifle. But when the Chinese army got the hint that it was not a massive army, but a lone soldier who was holding the post, they decided to retaliate with a vengeance. In the battle between the Chinese troops, Rfn Jaswant was outnumbered, and realizing that his capture was imminent, he shot himself. The Chinese battalion was so furious and hated this Indian soldier that they chopped his head off and took it with them. Later a ceasefire took place between India and China. The Chinese army was so amazed by his courage that they returned the head of the soldier back to the Indian army along with a brass bust in honour of this brave soldier.

• As per the local legend, Jaswant Singh Rawat refrained from leaving his post and decided to single-handedly confront the gigantic Chinese army. The local story goes that he was assisted by two Monpa girls named Sela and Nura, some others say by a village lady by the name of Boom la. They had put guns at various places in such a manner that the Chinese were made to believe that the post had many soldiers. Rfn Jaswant Singh Rawat along with Sela and Nura used to run at different spots and fire at the enemies. The attack of Rfn Jaswant was proving fatal for the Chinese. They were clueless about the size of the Indian army, but a betrayal proved fatal for Rfn Jaswant. The person who was supplying rations to Rfn Jaswant was caught by the Chinese and he revealed all the details of Rfn Jaswant Singh Rawat and his two comrades – Sela and Nura. With a vengeance, the Chinese army retaliated in which Sela was killed in a grenade burst. As per another Legend, Sela died by jumping off from the cliff to avoid getting captured by the Chinese. Sela had an emotional corner for Rfn Jaswant and it was her love for him that she fought till her last breath. In this battle for the nation, even Nura was killed by the Chinese forces.

References:

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