Shaitan Singh

Major Shaitan Singh Bhati, PVC (1 December 1924 – 18 November 1962) was an Indian Army officer and recipient of India's highest military decoration, the Param Vir Chakra. Singh was born in Rajasthan. On completing his graduation, Singh joined the Jodhpur State Forces. He was transferred to the Kumaon Regiment after the princely state of Jodhpur was merged into India. He took part in operations in the Naga Hills and also in the 1961 Indian annexation of Goa.

During the Sino-Indian War, 13th Battalion of Kumaon Regiment was stationed in the Chushul sector. C Company, under the command of Singh, was holding a position at Rezang La. In the morning hours of 18 November 1962, the Chinese attacked. After several unsuccessful attacks from the front, the Chinese attacked from the rear. The Indians fought until their last rounds, before eventually being overpowered by the Chinese. During the battle, Singh continuously moved from post to post reorganizing the defences and boosting the morale of his men. As he moved between the posts without any cover, he was seriously wounded, and later succumbed to his injuries. For his actions on 18 November 1962, Singh was awarded the Param Vir Chakra.

Early life

Shaitan Singh was born on 1 December 1924 in a Rajput family of Bhati clan in Banasar village, Jodhpur state, Rajputana. His father was Lieutenant Colonel Hem Singh. Lt. Col. Singh served in France with the Indian Army during World War I, and was awarded the Order of the British Empire (OBE) by the British government.

Singh studied in the Chopasni Senior Secondary School, Jodhpur up to his matriculation. At school, he was known for his skills as a football player. After completing his schooling in 1943, Singh went to Jaswant College, and completed his graduation in 1947. On 1 August 1949, he joined the Jodhpur State Forces as an officer.

Military career

After the princely state of Jodhpur was merged into India, Singh was transferred to the Kumaon Regiment. He was promoted to captain on 25 November 1955, and took part in operations in Naga Hills and also in 1961 Indian annexation of Goa. On 11 June 1962, he was promoted to the rank of major.

1962 Sino-Indian War

There had long been disagreement between India and China over borders in the Himalaya region. To counter the increasing Chinese intrusions into disputed territory, then Prime Minister of India Jawaharlal Nehru asked for strategies for dealing with them. However, the proposal put forward by the Indian Army was rejected. Instead, he approved a plan proposed by a bureaucrat called the "Forward Policy". This called for the establishment of a number of small posts facing the Chinese. Due to the severe rise in public criticism against Chinese intrusions, The PM of India(Jawaharlal Nehru) implemented the "Forward Policy" against the advice of the army. The army's concern was that the Chinese had geographical advantage. Additionally, maintaining numerous small posts would be untenable if the Chinese superior forces attacked. This was ruled out by Jawaharlal Nehru who believed the Chinese would not attack. But the Chinese did, initiating Sino-Indian war in 1962.

Battle of Rezang La

During the war, the 13th Battalion of Kumaon Regiment, Charlie ‘C’ company comprising 114 Ahirs and Other soldiers was positioned in Chusul sector, at a height of above sea level, the battalion under the command of Singh was holding a position at Rezang La, and the area was defended by five platoon posts. In the morning hours of 18 November 1962, the Chinese attacked. Indians prepared for an offensive as they saw the Chinese advancing through nullahs in the dim dawn lighting. At 5:00am, as platoons got a better sight of the Chinese, they started firing with light machine guns, rifles, mortar, and grenades, killing many Chinese soldiers.

At 5:40am, the Indians were fired upon by artillery and mortar. Again, around three hundred and fifty Chinese soldiers started to advance through nullahs. No. 9 Platoon held fire until the Chinese were as close as , and inflicted heavy casualties. As attacks from the vanguard were unsuccessful, around four hundred Chinese troops attacked from the rear. Simultaneously, No. 8 Platoon was fired upon with medium machine guns from the wire fencing of the post, and also received artillery and mortar fire. No. 7 Platoon was attacked by one hundred and twenty Chinese soldiers from the rear. The Indians countered with mortar shells and killed many Chinese soldiers. As the last twenty survivors charged towards the post, the Indians jumped out of their trenches and engaged in hand-to-hand combat with the Chinese soldiers. However, the Platoon was soon encircled with the arrival of Chinese reinforcements. Eventually, No. 7 & 8 platoons were left with no survivors.

During the battle, Singh continuously moved from post to post reorganizing the defenses and boosting the morale of his men. As he moved between the posts without any cover, he was seriously wounded. While he was being evacuated by his soldiers, the Chinese started to fire heavily on them. Sensing the danger, Singh ordered the soldiers to leave. They placed him behind a boulder, where he succumbed to his injuries. In the battle, the Indian side suffered 114 casualties out of 124, whereas the Chinese side had a casualty of more than 3000 personnel. Singh's body was found at the same boulder. It was brought to Jodhpur and cremated with military honors. Chinese captured the five injured (who later escaped) and one man Captain Ramchander Yadav who had hidden Shaitan Singh's body within boulders came back to tell the story. Three months later after snow melted Red Cross recovered his body with his gun still in his hands at that very location.

Param Vir Chakra

For his actions at the Battle of Rezang La, on 18 November 1962, Singh was awarded the Param Vir Chakra. The official citation read:

Legacy

In 1980s, the Shipping Corporation of India (SCI), a Government of India enterprise under the aegis of the Ministry of Shipping, named fifteen of its crude oil tankers in honour of the PVC recipients. The tanker MT ''Major Shaitan Singh, PVC'' was delivered to SCI in 1985, and served for 25 years before being phased out. On the occasion of Parakram Diwas on 23 January, 2023, 21 Islands of Andaman and Nicobar were named after 21 PVC awardees, one of the 21 Islands was named after Maj Singh. Rajasthan Government named a colony in Jaipur after Singh. People of Banasar, Singh's home village, had petitioned the government to rename their village as Shaitan Singh Nagar, which was accepted and bears that name today. The railway station of the village in Rajasthan is also renamed as Shaitan Singh Nagar Railway station near Jodhpur.
Balidan Stambh, the war memorial in Jammu, Jammu and Kashmir (union territory) in 2009 paid tribute to him by inscribing his name on the pillars erected in semi circumference for the martyrs of the 1962 war. His name is displayed near the amar jawan jyoti (Eternal Flame) and as relief mural on the circumference wall with the Param Vir Chakra awardees who attained martyrdom in J&K.

On popular culture

In 1988, Major Singh's character was portrayed by Bollywood actor Pankaj Dheer on an episode of Param Vir Chakra TV Series which was aired on DD National. A graphic novel titled ''Param Vir Chakra by Amar Chitra Katha'' dedicated their 9th story written by Aparna Kapur and drawn by Sundarlal in 2015. A movie starring Shehzaad Khan as Shaitan Singh directed by Pankaj Sehgal was released in 2017.
A graphic novel titled ''Param Vir Chakra Shaitan Singh'' by Roli Books written by Ian Cardozo and drawn by Rishi Kumar in 2019 A Hindi-language war drama television series 1962: The War in the Hills based on Rezang La war aired on Disney+ Hotstar in 2021. Bollywood Actor Farhan Akhtar will perform the role of Maj Shaitan Singh on his upcoming Hindi Biographical movie 120 Bahadur.

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{{DEFAULTSORT:Singh, Shaitan
Indian military personnel killed in action
Recipients of the Param Vir Chakra
1924 births
1962 deaths
People from Jodhpur
Military personnel from Rajasthan
People of the Sino-Indian War
Indian Army officers
Indian State Forces officers