Rajnath opens Rezang La memorial. Remember the epic battle from 1962 India-China war

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Thursday inaugurated a revamped war memorial at Rezang La in eastern Ladakh. Rezang La was the site of an epic battle where Indian troops valiantly fought the Chinese military in 1962.

The memorial is dedicated to the brave Indian soldiers who laid down their lives in the Battle of Rezang La.

Chief of Defence Staff Gen Bipin Rawat also accompanied the defence minister during his Ladakh visit.

Army Chief Gen MM Naravane was not able to attend the event at Rezang La as he is on a five-day visit to Israel.

The memorial has been inaugurated on the 59th aniversary of the epic battle. 98 brave men from the Charlie company of 13 Kumaon Battalion led by the legendary Major Shaitan Singh laid their lives in defence of the Chushul-Dungti-Leh axis in Ladakh sector.

According to the official history of the 1962 war, the Chinese attack on the isolated post of 1800 feet Rezang La began at 4am on November 18.

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The company led by Major Shaitan Singh fought valiantly till 10 pm with only 14 out of 112 men surviving to tell the tale. But the brave Indian men inflicted so many losses on nearly 400 PLA troops that the Chinese took no prisoners of war at Rezang La.

The Indian Army had occupied a number of mountain peaks in Rezang La region in August last year following China's aggressive posturing and failed attempt to intimidate Indian troops.