Piru Singh
Encyclopedia
Company Havildar Major
Piru Singh Shekhawat (20 May 1918 – 18 July 1948) was a Shekhawat
Kachwaha
Rajput
. He was soldier in the British Indian Army
. He died in service during the Indo-Pakistani War of 1947
. He was posthumously awarded the Param Vir Chakra
, India's highest award for valour in the face of the enemy.
operations in summer of 1948, Pakistani raiders mounted a strong counter offensive in the Tithwal sector. The enemy also forced the Indian Army to vacate their forward positions across river Kishanganga. After the setback, Indian troops took position on the Tithwal ridge. At this juncture, 6 Rajputana Rifles was moved from Uri to Tithwal to strengthen the 163 Bde in its impending offensive in the sector. The Indian offensive commenced on 11 July 1948. The operation went on well till July 15. The reconnaissance reports, however, revealed that Pakistan was holding a high feature in the area and that its capture was essential for making any further progress. Further ahead lay another feature also held in strength by Pakistan.
The 6 Rajputana Rifles was assigned the task of securing these two features. The ‘D’ Company was to secure the first feature. The ‘C’ Company was to capture the second feature after the ‘D’ Company had carried out its task. The ‘D’ Company launched its attack on the objective at 0130 hrs on July 18. The path to the objective was about one metre wide with deep ravines on either side. Overlooking this narrow path were the hidden enemy bunkers. The company was subjected to heavy fire and with half an hour it suffered 51 casualties. During this battle, Piru Singh was with the leading section of the company, more than half of which was mowed down by the devastating fire of the enemy. He rushed forward to deal with the enemy medium machine gun post, which was playing havoc with his troops. Enemy grenade splinters ripped open his clothes and wounded several parts of his body. But this did not deter him. He still continued the advance, shouting the battle cry, “Raja Ramchandra Ki Jai” (Victory to Raja Ramchandra). Rushing forward he bayoneted the crew of the enemy MMG, with his own sten gun, silenced the menacing gun and occupied the post. By this time all his companions lay behind either dead or wounded.
Bleeding profusely Piru Singh inched forward to attack the second enemy medium machinegun post. At this juncture a grenade wounded him in the face. The blood dripping from his face almost blinded him. By now all the Sten gun ammunition with him had been spent. He crawled out of the occupied enemy trench and hurled grenades at the next enemy post. He then jumped into another trench, killing two with his bayonet. As Piru Singh emerged out of the second trench to charge on the third enemy bunker, he was hit in head by a bullet and was seen dropping on the edge of the enemy trench. There was an explosion in the trench, which showed that the grenade had done its work. By then Piru Singh’s wound had proved fatal.
Company Havildar Major Piru Singh was awarded India's highest wartime gallantry medal, the Param Vir Chakra, posthumously.
COMPANY HAVILDAR MAJOR PIRU SINGH
6th BATTALION THE RAJPUTANA RIFLES (NO 2831592)
"South of Tithwal, ‘D’ Company, of which No 2831592 Piru Singh, was Havildar Major was detailed to attack and capture an enemy occupied hill feature. The enemy had well dug in positions and had sited his MMGs so as to cover all possible approaches. As the attack advanced, it was met with heavy MMG fire from both flanks. Volleys of grenades were hurled down from enemy bunkers. Company Havildar Major Piru Singh was then with the forward most Section of the company."
"Seeing more than half of the Section killed or wounded, he did not lose courage. With battle cries he encouraged the remaining men and rushed forward with great determination onto the nearest enemy MMG position. Grenade splinters ripping his clothes and wounding him at several places, he continued to advance without the least regard for his safety. He was on top of the MMG position wounding the gun crew with Sten gun fire. With complete disregard to his bleeding wounds he made a mad jump on the MMG crew bayoneting them to death, thus silencing the gun.
"By then he suddenly realized that he was the sole survivor of the section, the rest of them either dead or wounded. Another grenade thrown at him wounded him in the face. With blood dripping from his face wounds in his eyes, he crawled out of the trench, hurling grenades at the next enemy position."
"With a loud battle cry, he jumped on the occupants of the next trench bayoneting two to death. The ‘C’ Company Commander who was directing fire in support of the attacking company witnessed this action."
"As Havilder Major Piru Singh emerged out of the second trench to charge on the 3rd enemy bunker, he was hit in the head by a bullet and was seen dropping on the edge of the enemy trench. There was an explosion in the trench, which showed that his grenade had done its work. By then Company Havildar Major Piru Singh’s wounds had proved fatal."
"He had paid with his life for his singularly brave act, but he had left for the rest of his comrades an unique example of single-handed bravery and determined cold courage."
Havildar
Havildar ) was the Military 'In Charge' of a Fort during the times of Maratha Empire. In the British Indian Army it was equivalent rank to Sergeant, next above Naik, and is still used in the modern Indian Army and Pakistan Army. The cavalry equivalent is Daffadar...
Piru Singh Shekhawat (20 May 1918 – 18 July 1948) was a Shekhawat
Shekhawat
Shekhawat is a sub-clan of Kachwaha Rajputs found mainly in Rajasthan, India. The Shekhawat clan claims descent from the great rajput warrior Maharao Shekha Ji. The Shekhawats were the most prominent among all sub clans of Kachwahas of Jaipur. Shekhawats were the rulers of Shekhawati.-History:The...
Kachwaha
Kachwaha
Kachwaha are a Suryavanshi Kshatriya clan who ruled a number of kingdoms and princely states in India such as Alwar, Maihar, Talcher, while the largest kingdom was Jaipur which was founded by Maharaja Sawai Jai Singh II in 1727...
Rajput
Rajput
A Rajput is a member of one of the patrilineal clans of western, central, northern India and in some parts of Pakistan. Rajputs are descendants of one of the major ruling warrior classes in the Indian subcontinent, particularly North India...
. He was soldier in the British Indian Army
British Indian Army
The British Indian Army, officially simply the Indian Army, was the principal army of the British Raj in India before the partition of India in 1947...
. He died in service during the Indo-Pakistani War of 1947
Indo-Pakistani War of 1947
The India-Pakistan War of 1947-48, sometimes known as the First Kashmir War, was fought between India and Pakistan over the princely state of Kashmir and Jammu from 1947 to 1948. It was the first of four wars fought between the two newly independent nations...
. He was posthumously awarded the 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....
, India's highest award for valour in the face of the enemy.
Service
Company Havildar was enrolled in the 6 Rajputana Rifles on 20 May 1936. During the Jammu and KashmirJammu and Kashmir
Jammu and Kashmir is the northernmost state of India. It is situated mostly in the Himalayan mountains. Jammu and Kashmir shares a border with the states of Himachal Pradesh and Punjab to the south and internationally with the People's Republic of China to the north and east and the...
operations in summer of 1948, Pakistani raiders mounted a strong counter offensive in the Tithwal sector. The enemy also forced the Indian Army to vacate their forward positions across river Kishanganga. After the setback, Indian troops took position on the Tithwal ridge. At this juncture, 6 Rajputana Rifles was moved from Uri to Tithwal to strengthen the 163 Bde in its impending offensive in the sector. The Indian offensive commenced on 11 July 1948. The operation went on well till July 15. The reconnaissance reports, however, revealed that Pakistan was holding a high feature in the area and that its capture was essential for making any further progress. Further ahead lay another feature also held in strength by Pakistan.
The 6 Rajputana Rifles was assigned the task of securing these two features. The ‘D’ Company was to secure the first feature. The ‘C’ Company was to capture the second feature after the ‘D’ Company had carried out its task. The ‘D’ Company launched its attack on the objective at 0130 hrs on July 18. The path to the objective was about one metre wide with deep ravines on either side. Overlooking this narrow path were the hidden enemy bunkers. The company was subjected to heavy fire and with half an hour it suffered 51 casualties. During this battle, Piru Singh was with the leading section of the company, more than half of which was mowed down by the devastating fire of the enemy. He rushed forward to deal with the enemy medium machine gun post, which was playing havoc with his troops. Enemy grenade splinters ripped open his clothes and wounded several parts of his body. But this did not deter him. He still continued the advance, shouting the battle cry, “Raja Ramchandra Ki Jai” (Victory to Raja Ramchandra). Rushing forward he bayoneted the crew of the enemy MMG, with his own sten gun, silenced the menacing gun and occupied the post. By this time all his companions lay behind either dead or wounded.
Bleeding profusely Piru Singh inched forward to attack the second enemy medium machinegun post. At this juncture a grenade wounded him in the face. The blood dripping from his face almost blinded him. By now all the Sten gun ammunition with him had been spent. He crawled out of the occupied enemy trench and hurled grenades at the next enemy post. He then jumped into another trench, killing two with his bayonet. As Piru Singh emerged out of the second trench to charge on the third enemy bunker, he was hit in head by a bullet and was seen dropping on the edge of the enemy trench. There was an explosion in the trench, which showed that the grenade had done its work. By then Piru Singh’s wound had proved fatal.
Company Havildar Major Piru Singh was awarded India's highest wartime gallantry medal, the Param Vir Chakra, posthumously.
Citation
"South of Tithwal, ‘D’ Company, of which No 2831592 Piru Singh, was Havildar Major was detailed to attack and capture an enemy occupied hill feature. The enemy had well dug in positions and had sited his MMGs so as to cover all possible approaches. As the attack advanced, it was met with heavy MMG fire from both flanks. Volleys of grenades were hurled down from enemy bunkers. Company Havildar Major Piru Singh was then with the forward most Section of the company."
"Seeing more than half of the Section killed or wounded, he did not lose courage. With battle cries he encouraged the remaining men and rushed forward with great determination onto the nearest enemy MMG position. Grenade splinters ripping his clothes and wounding him at several places, he continued to advance without the least regard for his safety. He was on top of the MMG position wounding the gun crew with Sten gun fire. With complete disregard to his bleeding wounds he made a mad jump on the MMG crew bayoneting them to death, thus silencing the gun.
"By then he suddenly realized that he was the sole survivor of the section, the rest of them either dead or wounded. Another grenade thrown at him wounded him in the face. With blood dripping from his face wounds in his eyes, he crawled out of the trench, hurling grenades at the next enemy position."
"With a loud battle cry, he jumped on the occupants of the next trench bayoneting two to death. The ‘C’ Company Commander who was directing fire in support of the attacking company witnessed this action."
"As Havilder Major Piru Singh emerged out of the second trench to charge on the 3rd enemy bunker, he was hit in the head by a bullet and was seen dropping on the edge of the enemy trench. There was an explosion in the trench, which showed that his grenade had done its work. By then Company Havildar Major Piru Singh’s wounds had proved fatal."
"He had paid with his life for his singularly brave act, but he had left for the rest of his comrades an unique example of single-handed bravery and determined cold courage."