Army
Major Shaitan Singh
Major
Died
18 Nov 1962
Honours
Param Vir Chakra
About
13 Kumaon company commander who led the defence of Rezang La against overwhelming Chinese forces during the 1962 war, fighting to the last round.
Full Story
Major Shaitan Singh commanded C Company, 13 Kumaon, in the defence of Rezang La at 16,000 feet on 18 November 1962. Facing an assault by a vastly larger Chinese force, he moved between posts under fire to rally his men and was fatally wounded while doing so. Of the roughly 120 men in his company, most fought to the death rather than retreat. He was posthumously awarded the Param Vir Chakra.