During the de-escalation process underway in the Galwan Valley, a violent face-off took place between India and China on Monday night with casualties on both sides. At least 20 Indian soldiers, including Commanding Officer, had attained martyrdom in the violent clashes with the Chinese troopers in Eastern Ladakh’s Galwan Valley. China has reportedly suffered more than 40 casualties, but there is no confirmation on the same from the Chinese side, although China has accepted that their soldiers also died and injured in the clash. The killing of the Indian soldiers marks the Indian Army’s worst losses since the Kargil War in 1999 and signifies the most intense military combat between India and China since 1967 when India lost around 80 soldiers while over 300 Chinese army personnel were killed in the confrontation.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Wednesday said India will always remain indebted to its soldiers who lost their lives in Ladakh’s Galwan protecting the country’s territory, and their bravery reflects the commitment towards the motherland. In a series of tweets, Shah said the pain of losing the brave soldiers at Ladakh’s Galwan cannot be put in words, while Defence Minister Rajnath Singh has said that the bravery and sacrifice of the soldiers who were martyred in clashes with the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) will not be forgotten.
A website named jammukashmirnow.com gives us the list of our heroes who laid down their lives upholding the best traditions of Indian armed forces and protecting the sovereignty and integrity of our country.
Colonel Bikumalla Santosh Babu
Colonel Bikumalla Santosh Babu was martyred in a violent clash on Monday night. The martyred colonel hailed from Hyderabad, Telangana. Martyr Colonel Santosh Babu was in the 16-Bihar Regiment and was posted on the Line of Actual Control (LAC) for the past one and a half years. The colonel was a student of Sainik School Korukonda and had later joined the NDA, followed by IMA. In 15-years, Col Babu had got four promotions.
Col Santosh’s body will arrive at Shamshabad airport on Wednesday and travel to Suryapet by road, where his last rites will be performed.
Martyr Havildar Palani
Passion and poverty had driven the martyred 40-year-old Indian Army soldier K Palani from Kadukkalur village in Ramanathapuram district to join the armed forces at the age of 18. Palani had been serving the Army for the last 22 years.
Palani was the elder son of the farmer couple Kalimuthu and Logambal at Kadukkalur village in Tiruvadanai taluk of Ramanathapuram district. He is survived by his wife P Vanathi Devi (35) and two children- a son aged 10 and a daughter aged 8.
The brave havildar had planned to retire from the army next year. Palani’s mortal remains are expected to reach his native village in a couple of days.
Martyr Jawan Kundan Ojha
Sepoy Kundan Ojha hailed from the village of Dihari of Sahibganj district in Jharkhand. Sepoy Kundan was in the Bihar 16 Regiment serving the Indian Army for the last 8 years. Ojha was blessed with a baby girl seventeen days ago. He died even before he could see his daughter.
Kundan is survived by his father, wife and three siblings – two brothers and a sister.
Martyr Naib Subedar Naduram Soren
Naib Subedar Naduram Soren was a resident of Mayurbhanj district of Odisha. After completing Class 12 from Rairangpur College, Soren joined the Army to fulfil his lifelong dream, in 1997, his elder brother Doman Majhi said.
Soren is survived by his wife and three school-going daughters.
“We all feel shattered. Nanduram was an asset for the family as well as the village. He was loved by all for his friendly nature,” his elder brother said.
Martyr Naib Subedar Mandeep Singh
Naib Subedar Mandeep Singh who was killed on the LAC in the Galwan Valley standoff in Ladakh was the sole breadearner of his family comprising of his aging mother, wife and two children. Singh had left his village after a nearly month long holiday only two weeks ago. Administration officials said his body is expected to reach Patiala tomorrow.
Martyr Naib Subedar Satnam Singh
Naib Subedar Satnam Singh who also hailed from Gurdaspur in Punjab state had served the Army for the last 25 years. He is among four soldiers belonging to the state who attained martyrdom.
Martyr Havildar Sunil Kumar
Havildar Sunil Kumar was a resident of Patna in Bihar.
Martyr Havildar Vipul Rai
Havildar Vipul Rai was a resident of Meerut city of Uttar Pradesh. Shaheed Vipul Rai was in the army for the past 17 years.
Martyr Nayak Deepak Singh Gaharwar
Nayak Deepak Singh Gaharwar (30) was a resident of from Faranda village in Rewa district of Madhya Pradesh. Deepak Singh was in the army for the last 8 years. About 15 days back, Gaharwar told his family members that he would return when the situation gets back to normal after the Covid-19 lockdown.
His wife, Rekha, works as a teacher at a Navoday school. The couple got married in November last year. Deepak Singh’s elder brother Prakash Singh also serves the Army and is posted at the India-Pak border in Rajasthan.
Martyr Jawan Rajesh Orang
The oldest of three siblings, Rajesh Orang joined the Army in 2015. Subhas, his father, is a marginal farmer in Belgoria village in Mohammedbazar police station area in Birbhum district, of West Bengal. Rajesh’s mother Mamata had been hoping to get him married when he came back on a holiday next. “He came home on leave a few months back and talks were on for his wedding,” she said.
On Monday night, he died of injuries in combat with the Chinese army at Galwan Valley in Ladakh region, his father Subhas was informed.
Martyr Jawan Ganesh Ram Kunjam
Ganesh Ram Kunjam was among the 20 soldiers who laid their lives fighting for India on Monday. Ganesh Ram Kunjam, who belonged to Kutrutola village of Charama block in Kanker district has joined the army in 2011 and was posted in the India China border barely a month ago. Kunjam had decided to join the army soon after his class 12 exams.
His family was planning his marriage somewhere next year. His family was informed about his death by authorities.
Martyr Chandrakanta Pradhan
Chandrakanta Pradhan belonged to a tribal family, living in Kandhamal district’s Raikia block of Odisha. He had joined the Indian Army in the year 2014. It is being reported that Pradhan had last visited home around two months ago.
Martyr Jawan Ankush Thakur
21-year-old Sepoy Ankush Thakur laid his life fighting for his country. Thakur, a resident of Karohta village in Himachal Pradesh, was posted to the Punjab Regiment in 2018. His father and grandfather had also served in the Indian Army. Thakur has a younger brother who is studying in Class 6.
According to an official spokesperson at Simla, Ankur’s body would be given a state funeral Wednesday.
Martyr Sepoy Gurbinder Singh
The family of Sepoy Gurbinder Singh (22), who attained martyrdom on the Indo-China border in Galwan Valley, were planning his marriage as he had been engaged during his last vacation.
Gurbinder Singh, a resident of Tolawal village near Sunam was recruited in the army two years ago. He is survived by his parents, an elder brother and a sister.
“We got a call in the morning that Gurbinder has been martyred and his body is likely to reach on Wednesday night or Thursday. People are pouring in. My father and I are finding it tough to keep the news from my mother, who loved her youngest son the most,” Gurpreet Singh, elder brother of Gurbinder, said.
Martyr Sepoy Chandan Kumar
Chandan Kumar was from Bhojpur, Bihar. he had joined the Army three years ago in 2017.
Martyr Sepoy Kundan Kumar
Sepoy Kundan Kumar also hailed from Saharsa town in Bihar. Shaheed Kundan Kumar was in the army for the last 8 years.
Martyr Aman Kumar
Aman Kumar who hailed from Samastipur district of Bihar was recruited in th Army in 2014.
Martyr Jai Kishore
Being amognst the 20 soldiers who lost their lives on Monday night, Jai Kishore joined the Army in 2018. He belonged to Vaishali district of Bihar.
Martyr Sepoy Ganesh Hansda
Ganesh Hansda hailed from East Singhbhum district of Jharkhand. He was recruited in the Army only two years ago.
Martyr Jawan Gutej Singh
Gutej Singh was a resident of Mansa district of Punjab. Shaheed Gurtej was also admitted to the Army in 2018, two years ago.
India pays tribute to the Bravehearts who made the ultimate sacrifice during the violent face-off with China in Galwan Valley on Monday night (15 June).
