19 October 1962 | Remembering a defender of Ladakh
On 19 October 1962, Havildar Saroop Singh of the 14th Battalion, Jammu and Kashmir Militia, made the supreme sacrifice while defending the Indian position at Bhujang in Ladakh during the India-China War.
Born on 15 April 1921 in Koteri village, Poonch district, Jammu and Kashmir, he was the son of Kishan Singh. He joined the Jammu and Kashmir Militia on 15 April 1948 and served during a period when the defence of the region's mountainous frontier demanded endurance and determination.
In October 1962, as hostilities with China intensified, the 14th Battalion was deployed in Ladakh. The remote positions in the sector were difficult to reinforce and sustain, exposing their defenders to isolation, harsh weather and the challenges of high-altitude warfare.
On 19 October, Chinese troops attacked the position at Bhujang with automatic weapons and mortars. The Indian defenders faced a numerically superior force and heavier firepower. Havildar Saroop Singh continued fighting in the defence of the post until he was overpowered.
For his courage and determination in the face of overwhelming odds, Havildar Saroop Singh was posthumously awarded the Maha Vir Chakra. His gallantry remains part of the history of the Indian Army's defence of Ladakh during the 1962 war.
The Honour Post pays tribute to Havildar Saroop Singh, Maha Vir Chakra, honouring his courage, devotion to duty and supreme sacrifice in the defence of the nation.
