Joginder Singh War Memorial at Bum La
Bum La (Arunachal Pradesh): In memory of the Indian soldiers who laid down their lives in defending the country during the 1962 India-China border war, Joginder Singh War Memorial at Bum-la in Arunachal Pradesh was inaugurated on Friday. This coincides with the day on which the Battle of Tongpen-la (Bum-la) took place in 1962.
The war memorial, named after Subedar Joginder Singh of 1st Battalion of the Sikh Regiment, was inaugurated by the daughter of Sub Singh, Kulwant Kaur, in the presence of the Arunachal Pradesh chief minister, Pema Khandu.
Sub Singh received the country’s highest wartime gallantry award, Param Vir Chakra, in the Eastern Theatre during the 1962 war. The Sikh warrior had halted and repulsed the invading China’s People’s Liberation Army twice at Tongpen-la in Bum-la axis when the enemy was heading to capture Tawang on October 23, 1962 before he was injured and captured by the PLA.
Sub Singh succumbed to his injuries in PLA captivity.
Born on September 26, 1921 at Mahalakalan in Moga district of Punjab, Sub Singh joined the British Indian Army in 1936 and served in the 1st Battalion of the Sikh Regiment.
The spokesman for the Tezpur-based Defence PRO, Lieutenant Colonel Harsh Vardhan Pande, said, ‘‘Under the patronage of the Arunachal Pradesh government and with efforts of the chief minister, a war memorial has been constructed at Bum-la, where Subedar Joginder Singh made the supreme sacrifice.’’
Khandu asserted that the war memorial was a befitting tribute to Sub Singh and his comrades who made the supreme sacrifice in the 1962 war.
The general officer commanding of the 5th Mountain Division (aka “Ball of Fire”), Major General GS Kular, expressed his gratitude to the chief minister for his initiative and assured him that Indian Army is fully prepared for any contingency.
On the occasion, the state’s health minister, Alo Libang; agriculture minister, Tage Taki; Lum La MLA, Jombey Tashi; Dirang MLA, Phurpa Tsering; Tawang MLA, Tsering Tashi; Arunachal Pradesh director general of police, RP Upadhyaya; security adviser to Arunachal Pradesh government, Maj Gen SC Mohanty; Ball of Fire Division GOC, Major General GS Kular; and the commander of the Tawang Brigade, Brigadier VK Jagtap were also present during the inauguration event.
