Jaswant Singh Rawat
Encyclopedia
Rifleman
Jaswant Singh Rawat was an Indian soldier who won the Mahavir Chakra Bravery Award.
It was the final phase of the Sino-Indian War
in November 1962. Even as his company was asked to fall back, Jaswant Singh remained at his post at an altitude of 10,000 feet and held back Chinese soldiers for three days single-handedly. It is presumed that he shot himself when he realized that he was about to be captured. It is alleged that the Chinese cut off Jaswant Singh's head and took it back to China. However, after the ceasefire, the Chinese commander, impressed by the soldier's bravery, returned the head along with a brass bust of Jaswant Singh. The bust, created in China to honor the brave Indian soldier, is now installed at the site of the battle, a location now known as Jaswantgarh. Jaswant Singh's saga of valor and sacrifice continues to serve as an inspiration to all army personnel posted in this sector. It is claimed by some that he killed more than 300 Chinese Soldiers in the war. He was escorted by one lady of the local village named Bum La during the War
Army
personnel passing by this route, be it a general or a jawan, make it a point to pay their respects here. Jaswant, who was awarded a Mahavir Chakra for his bravery is not the only soldier to be honored thus. There are several memorials built along the way. One of them in fact is right on the border at Bumla honoring Subedar Joginder Singh
who won a posthumous Param Vir Chakra
for his bravery.
Rifleman
Although ultimately originating with the 16th century handgunners and the 17th century musketeers and streltsy, the term rifleman originated from the 18th century. It would later become the term for the archetypal common soldier.-History:...
Jaswant Singh Rawat was an Indian soldier who won the Mahavir Chakra Bravery Award.
It was the final phase of the Sino-Indian War
Sino-Indian War
The Sino-Indian War , also known as the Sino-Indian Border Conflict , was a war between China and India that occurred in 1962. A disputed Himalayan border was the main pretext for war, but other issues played a role. There had been a series of violent border incidents after the 1959 Tibetan...
in November 1962. Even as his company was asked to fall back, Jaswant Singh remained at his post at an altitude of 10,000 feet and held back Chinese soldiers for three days single-handedly. It is presumed that he shot himself when he realized that he was about to be captured. It is alleged that the Chinese cut off Jaswant Singh's head and took it back to China. However, after the ceasefire, the Chinese commander, impressed by the soldier's bravery, returned the head along with a brass bust of Jaswant Singh. The bust, created in China to honor the brave Indian soldier, is now installed at the site of the battle, a location now known as Jaswantgarh. Jaswant Singh's saga of valor and sacrifice continues to serve as an inspiration to all army personnel posted in this sector. It is claimed by some that he killed more than 300 Chinese Soldiers in the war. He was escorted by one lady of the local village named Bum La during the War
War
War is a state of organized, armed, and often prolonged conflict carried on between states, nations, or other parties typified by extreme aggression, social disruption, and usually high mortality. War should be understood as an actual, intentional and widespread armed conflict between political...
Army
Army
An army An army An army (from Latin arma "arms, weapons" via Old French armée, "armed" (feminine), in the broadest sense, is the land-based military of a nation or state. It may also include other branches of the military such as the air force via means of aviation corps...
personnel passing by this route, be it a general or a jawan, make it a point to pay their respects here. Jaswant, who was awarded a Mahavir Chakra for his bravery is not the only soldier to be honored thus. There are several memorials built along the way. One of them in fact is right on the border at Bumla honoring Subedar Joginder Singh
Joginder Singh (Subedar)
Subedar Joginder Singh Sahnan , a Saini Sikh, born in Moga, Punjab was a Subedar in the Indian Army who distinguished himself by winning Param Vir Chakra, the highest war time gallantry award of Indian Army that any soldier can aspire for. On 28 September 1936, he was enrolled in the 1 Sikh...
who won a posthumous Param Vir Chakra
Param Vir Chakra
The Param Vir Chakra is India's highest military decoration awarded for the highest degree of valour or self-sacrifice in the presence of the enemy. It can be, and often has been, awarded posthumously....
for his bravery.