TSEWANG RIGZIN
LEH: Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council (LAHDC) Leh’s Councillor from Chushul Constituency, Konchok Stanzin has written to the Prime Minister, Narendra Modi to honour Tsetan Namgyal, 77, with a national level recognition for his service as a porter to Param Vir Chakra Lieutenant-Colonel Dhan Singh Thapa of during the 1962 Sino-Indian War.
Tsetan Namgail served as the porter for Dhan Singh Thapa who was then a Major and has been popularly known as Major Dhan Singh Thapa as an outpost named Sirijap-1 was held by a platoon of ‘C’ Company under the command of Major Thapa when the Chinese attacked on 20th October 1962.
According to sources as the forward posts were lost to China in the war, Tsetan Namgail was also jailed in China for six months and 26 days along with several Indian soldiers. He is a resident of Yourgo village at the border in Chushul Constituency of LAHDC Leh and is still known by the name of Major Dhan Singh Thapa’s porter. The porter had not got any recognition and assistance either from the government or the army over the decades.
“After repeated requests made to the army, the Ladakh based 14 Corp of the army gave him recognition of 1962 Major Dhan Singh Thapa’s porter and since then he has been receiving little ration and medical assistance which is very meager as compared to contribution to the nation. Still he is living alone and making everything himself,” Konchok Stanzin asserts making it an appropriate case to put up before the Government of India for due recognition.
It is pertinent to mention that Major Dhan Singh Thapa was in command of a forward post in Ladakh. On 20th October it was attacked by the Chinese in overwhelming strength after being subjected to intensive artillery and mortar bombardment. Under his gallant command, the greatly outnumbered post repulsed the attack, inflicting heavy casualties on the aggressors. According to sources the enemy attacked again in greater numbers after heavy shelling by artillery and mortar fire under the leadership of Major Thapa, his men repulsed this attack also with heavy losses to the enemy.
“The Chinese attacked for the third time, now with tanks to support the infantry. The post had already suffered large numbers of casualties in the earlier two attacks. Though considerably reduced in number it held out to the last. When it was finally overrun by overwhelming numbers of the enemy, Major Thapa got out of his trench and killed several of the enemy in hand-to-hand fighting before he was finally overpowered by Chinese soldiers,” Major Thapa’s citation cites.
Major Thapa’s cool courage, conspicuous fighting qualities and leadership were considered in the highest traditions of Indian Army. Param Vir Chakra was later awarded to Major Dhan Singh Thapa for his heroic operations during the Sino Indian War.
