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India and China fought a bitter border war in 1962, with Chinese troops advancing deep into Arunachal Pradesh and inflicting heavy casualties. China still occupies 40,000 square kilometres of Indian territory in Jammu and Kashmir and lays claim to a wide swathe of territory in Arunachal Pradesh. Needless to say, Arunachal Pradesh remains a highly sensitive area and access is restricted.
The Indian Army's defeat by the Chinese in the border war of 1962 was a national humiliation, never mind the culpability of Nehru and his advisers in mishandling the situation. The nation reacted with an unprecedented surge of patriotism. The restructuring and expansion of the armed forces fortuitously helped in blocking Pakistan's surprise attack in 1965. In 1965 and 1966, there were clashes between Indian and Chinese forces in the Nathu La area of Sikkim, resulting in scores of casualties on both sides.
But then peace descended for another 15 years or so. However, the border between the two countries defined by an undelineated Line of Actual Control(LAC), resulted in claims and counter-claims. In the early '80s, India decided to defend Tawang in any future conflict. Also, the Indians actively patrolled the LAC and the Chinese occupation of the Sumdorong Chu pasturage, north of Tawang. The matter was further complicated by the passage of a bill creating Arunachal Pradesh, a territory that China claims in its entirety. Simultaneously, there was another development. As part of Exercise Chequerboard, the army re-occupied the Hathung La ridge, across the Namka Chu rivulet, a quarter century after they had been pushed off it. Had it been a gradual move, the Chinese may not have been alarmed, but Indian Army chief General K. Sundarji staged the event with a characteristic touch of military panache, airlifting an entire brigade to nearby Zimithang. The Chinese panicked and when they moved their forces forward, there were eyeball-to-eyeball confrontations along several parts of the LAC. A torrent of tough talk from Beijing unnerved the mandarins in New Delhi, but the army insisted on standing firm. The result paradoxically was a thaw. Foreign Minister N.D. Tiwari visited Beijing in May 1987 to assure Chinese leaders that Indian intentions were benign. Both sides decided to take up talks with renewed urgency and the following year, Rajiv Gandhi visited Beijing, returning Zhou Enlai's '60s visit. Five years later, the two sides signed the agreement on maintaining peace and tranquillity along the LAC. Ten meetings of a joint working group and five of an expert group to determine where the LAC lies have taken place but the pace of progress has been tardy to say the least. (India Today 1998) The 1962 war with China which was mainly fought in the Kameng sector(Tawang) of Arunachal Pradesh, had been a subject that was mostly avoided in discussions within military circles. Officially, too, military historians had shied away from chronicling the winter war. But recently, all that has changed. On January 18, 1999 the construction of the Tawang War Memorial was carried out by hundreds of monks with the active participation of the locals and government officials. In keeping with the local religious sentiments, idols of Lord Buddha, scriptures, ornaments, jewels, valuables and other items were deposited. The war memorial site was even blessed by Dalai Lama in 1997, who sent holy scriptures and idols of Arya Avlokiteshwara and Lord Buddha personally blessed by him. These have been deposited in the vaults of the stupa. 
In November 1999, GOC Eastern Command, Lt Gen H.R.S. Kalkat, dedicated the memorial, which is nestled among picturesque snow-capped peaks overlooking the imposing Tawang-Chu valley and called on the jawans to emulate the feat of those who sacrificed their lives in war. Recalling their sacrifices, Lt Gen Kalkat said the jawans stood their ground against the Chinese assault for 31 days, fought bravely and gave up their life for the honour of the nation. They fought valiantly despite inadequate logistics back-up, which made them fight in cotton uniforms at sub-zero temperature and with just 50 rounds of ammunition per rifle, he said. The 40-foot-high multi-hued war memorial to the unsung heroes, designed by the Army and constructed at a cost of about Rs 15 lakh, was dedicated in the presence of civilians and Army personnel, whose band played patriotic song eulogising the warriors’ sacrifices. The imposing structure in a stupa design is locally called ‘Namgyal Chortan’ and has names of 2420 dead soldiers etched in gold on 32 black granite plaques. The memorial is flanked by two memorial halls, one housing the personal articles of the martyrs and the other used for "sound-and-light" show depicting their heroic deeds. Indeed, the war memorial, apart from the 300-year old Buddhist monastery in Tawang town, has become a tourist attraction. At the entrance, a plaque saying "A nation that does not honour its dead warriors will perish" lends an air of seriousness to the place. The war memorial was the first real attempt by the Army to honour those who died fighting a vastly superior and well-prepared enemy. Lt Gen D.B. Shekatkar, commander of the Tezpur-based IV Corps which looks after the Chinese frontier in this crucial sector, said, "Once we decided to construct this war memorial, the first task was to find the names and ranks of all those who made the supreme sacrifice. It was a tough task but the brigade staff was up to the task." In fact, Major Minhas of the Korea brigade reveals, "It took us almost a year to obtain the exact names and ranks of all those who died in this sector." In a way, the army was trying to overcome the shame that the nation as a whole felt during those turbulent days. A retired general says, "Nothing can be farther from the truth than the general perception about the 1962 conflict with China -- that Indian soldiers fled with their tails between their legs. The blame for the debacle must lie squarely on the political and military leadership of that time. However, ordinary soldiers gave up their lives, in the only way they would like to - fighting the enemy." The general is right. Several memorials along the Tawang-Tezpur road through which the Chinese came up to the present-day Assam testify to the bravery of the soldiers.  Rifleman Jaswant Singh Rawat, MVC Take the case of Jaswant Singh Rawat of the Garhwal Rifles. 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 the rampaging Chinese for three days single-handedly. He was helped by two local girls -- Sela and Nura -- during the heroic battle that ended after the Chinese discovered the post was being defended by a solitary soldier. So enraged were the attackers that they 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 honour the brave Indian soldier, is now installed at the site of the battle, a location now known as Jaswantgarh. Army personnel passing by this route, be it a general or a jawan, make it a point to pay their respects here. The two girls have also been honoured. The highest pass on this road(at a height of 13,700 feet) is named after Sela and a small hamlet in the vicinity is known as Nuranang. And these are not isolated incidents.  Subedar Joginder Singh, PVC At Bumla, the last Indian post in this sector, there is a memorial for Subedar Joginder Singh, who was among the first to die fighting the advancing Chinese. All the soldiers posted on this border post pay their respects at the memorial before pressing ahead. Every Indian soldier believes that the blessings of these dead warriors are with him. Added an officer, "These tales of valour serve to inspire the troops who are on a difficult assignment." (Rediff.com 29/10/2002) |