Colonel Colonel (abbreviated as Col., Col or COL) is a senior military officer rank used in many countries. It is also used in some police forces and paramilitary organizations. In the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries, a colonel was typically in charge ...

Chewang Rinchen MVC & Bar, SM (Kalon Tsewang Rigdzin, 1931 – 1997) was a highly decorated officer in the

Indian Army The Indian Army is the land-based branch and the largest component of the Indian Armed Forces. The President of India is the Supreme Commander of the Indian Army, and its professional head is the Chief of Army Staff (COAS), who is a four ...

from the Union territory of

Ladakh Ladakh () is a region administered by India as a union territory which constitutes a part of the larger Kashmir region and has been the subject of dispute between India, Pakistan, and China since 1947. (subscription required) Quote: "Jammu a ...

. He was the youngest ever recipient of the Maha Vir Chakra, the second highest Indian gallantry decoration, for his role in the defence of Ladakh in the First Kashmir War. He received the Maha Vir Chakra for a second time after

Indo-Pakistani War of 1971 The Indo-Pakistani War of 1971 was a military confrontation between India and Pakistan that occurred during the Bangladesh Liberation War in East Pakistan from 3 December 1971 until the Pakistani capitulation in Dhaka on 16 Dec ...

, for his role in the conquest of the Turtuk and Tyakshi (a small village of the Chorbat. valley), in what came to be known as the Battle of Turtuk. He was one of only six Indian service personnel to have the Maha Vir Chakra twice. He was awarded a

Sena Medal The Sena Medal is awarded to members of the Indian army, of all ranks, "for such individual acts of exceptional devotion to duty or courage as have special significance for the Army." Awards may be made posthumously and a bar is authorized for s ...

for gallantry in the

1962 India-China War The Sino-Indian War took place between China and India from October to November 1962, as a major flare-up of the Sino-Indian border dispute. There had been a series of violent border skirmishes between the two countries after the 1959 Tibet ...

. and Mention in dispatches for gallantry in the

Indo-Pakistani War of 1965 The Indo-Pakistani War of 1965 or the Second Kashmir War was a culmination of skirmishes that took place between April 1965 and September 1965 between Pakistan and India. The conflict began following Pakistan's Operation Gibraltar, which was d ...

Early life

Chewang Rinchen was born in the village of Sumur in Nubra in 1931 in an illustrious family. One of his ancestors had the title of "Lion of Ladakh" for his bravery and his mother was known as "Mother of Nubra Valley" for her compassion. Rinchen was educated in Sumur by a Ladakhi Christian missionary by name Stanzin. At age 13, he attracted the attention of a ''kalon'' (duke) of Ladakh, who took him to

Leh Leh () ( lbj, ) is the joint capital and largest city of Ladakh, a union territory of India. Leh, located in the Leh district, was also the historical capital of the Kingdom of Ladakh, the seat of which was in the Leh Palace, the former ...

for secondary education. Four years later, the First Kashmir War started, placing Ladakh in grave jeopardy from the raiders from

Gilgit-Baltistan Gilgit-Baltistan (; ), formerly known as the Northern Areas, is a region administered by Pakistan as an administrative units of Pakistan, administrative territory, and constituting the northern portion of the larger Kashmir region which has ...

Military career

Rinchen joined the Nubra Guards in 1948 and served in the Indo-Pakistani War of 1947 alongside Indian Army units. Fighting in the Nubra Valley, he was promoted through the ranks and was awarded a Mahavir Chakra for bravery. He was the youngest recipient of the award.

Maha Vir Chakra

The citation for the first Maha Vir Chakra awarded to him reads:

Between wars

Rinchen also served in the 1962 India-China War, where he was awarded a

. On 1 April 1964, he was granted a permanent commission in the regular Indian Army with the rank of

second lieutenant Second lieutenant is a junior commissioned officer military rank in many armed forces, comparable to NATO OF-1 rank. Australia The rank of second lieutenant existed in the military forces of the Australian colonies and Australian Army until 1 ...

(seniority from 21 August 1962), and relinquished his commission in the Jammu and Kashmir Militia. He was promoted to lieutenant on 21 August 1964.

Bar to Maha Vir Chakra

In the

, Rinchen, now a major in the Ladakh Scouts, led the capture of the Chalunka complex of the Pakistani Army and the strategic outpost of Turtuk. For these actions, he was awarded a bar to his MVC, being one of only six Indian soldiers so honoured. This battle was known as the Battle of Turtuk. The citation for the second Maha Vir Chakra awarded to him reads:

Later career

Promoted to the substantive rank of major on 6 February 1978, Rinchen retired from active service with effect from 1 May 1980, when he transferred to the reserves. On 1 October 1983, he was re-employed and assigned to command 246 Transit Camp with the local rank of lieutenant-colonel, while serving with the Jammu and Kashmir Rifles. Rinchen finally retired as a full colonel in 1984.

Legacy

The Indian Army has named an army shopping complex after him in

. On 21 October 2019 Defense Minister Rajnath Singh inaugurated the Col Chewang Rinchen Setu, India's highest altitude all-weather permanent bridge, in eastern Ladakh just 45 km from border with China. The 1400-ft long bridge on Shyok River, at 14,650 ft is strategically located on the

Darbuk–Shyok–DBO Road The Darbuk–Shyok–DBO Road (DS-DBO Road/DSDBO Road), also called the Sub-Sector North Road, is a strategic all-weather road in eastern Ladakh in India, close to the Line of Actual Control with China. It connects Ladakh's capital city Leh, v ...

between Leh and Karakoram Pass.

Personal life

Chewang Rinchen married Shema Choskit Dolma of Leh Khangsar, an aristocratic family from Leh.He had 4 siblings and one of Rinchen's younger brother P. Namgyal is a former Union Minister and Member of Parliament (Lok Sabha).

Notes

Citations

References

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External links

Kashmir Sentinel
{{DEFAULTSORT:Rinchen, Chewang 1931 births 1997 deaths Indian Army officers Indian military personnel of the Indo-Pakistani War of 1971 People of the Indo-Pakistani War of 1947