October 1962 mein jab China ki People Liberation Army ne Laddakh par attack kiya tha tab Indian Army ke company commander Major Dhan Singh Thapa ko bhi inhi sab mushkilo ka saamna karna pada tha.
Major Thapa abhi abhi Nagaland ki apni posting se vaapas ghar aaye the, or ghar aane ke turant baad unhone Laddakh ki posting chun Li thi. Major Thapa ke iss decision se unki wife Shukla Thapa naraaj thi, tab Major Thapa apni wife samjhate hai ki “ halaat hi kuch ese hai ki China ke sath kbhi bhi ladayi ho sakti hai or ek fauji ke liye apne desh ke liye ladne ki Khushi se badhkar or kuch nhi ho sakta”. Tab Shukla apne pati se kehti hai “ aap ye kyu bhool jaate hai ki AAP akele nhi hai, aapki ek family bhi hai”. Tab Major Thapa kehte hai “ Shukla sawaal mera ya meri family ka nhi hai, mere Desh ka hai. Agar mene bahaduri ke sath dushman ka saamna Kiya to desh ka sabse bada medal Paramveer Chakra mere seene par hoga”. Itna sun ne ke baad Shukla Thapa apne pati Major Thapa ko Khushi se Vida karti hai.
Laddakh pahuchne ke baad Major Dhan Singh Thapa ko Sirijap 1 post ki command saunpi jaati hai. Sirijap 1 post Pangong lake ke northern kinaare par 8 Gorkha Rifles ki 1st Battalion ke jariye sthapit ki gayi ek post thi. Major Thapa ko 1st battalion ki D company ke 28 soldiers ke saath milkar Sirijap 1 post ki suraksha karne ka task diya gaya tha. Chusul Airfield ki suraksha ke point of view se Sirijap 1 post India ke liye strategically kaafi important thi. Major Thapa jab Sirijap 1 post par pahunche to unhone dekha ki unke soldiers ke pass trench khodne ke liye khudaayi ka samaan nhi hai. Major Thapa ne apne soldiers ko motivate Kiya, jiske baad sabhi soldiers apni Khukri ki madad se Laddakh ki pathrili jameen par trenches khodne lagte hai. 19 October 1962 ki Sirijap 1 post ke pass kaafi jyada numbers mein Chinese forces ke troops aa jaate hai. Major Thapa ko apne senior se orders milte hai ki, kisi bhi keemat par Indian Army pehle fire nhi karegi. Or 20 October ki subah jaisa Major Thapa ne socha tha vaisa hi hua, Chinese forces raat ke andhere mein unki post ke pass aa chuki thi. Major Thapa apne soldiers ko ready to fire positions mein taiyaar hone ke orders dete hai. Major Thapa apne soldiers se kehte hai “ 1 soldier 1 goli, 1 goli 1 dushman or 1 bhartiya sainik 30 Chinese sainik”.
Iske turant baad hi Chinese forces apna pehla attack karti hai jisme vo artillery or mortars se Sirijap 1 post par fire karti hai. Artillery fire se mile cover ka fayda uthakar Chinese forces post ki taraf badhne lagti hai, jabtak artillery fire band hua, tab tak 600 Chinese soldiers Sirijap 1 post se 150 meters ki duri par kr chuke the. Jaise hi Chinese soldiers D company ke saamne aaye, vaise hi D company ke soldiers ne unke upar light machine guns or rifles se fire karna shuru kar diya , jisse kai saare Chinese soldiers maare gaye. Chinese ke pehle attack ko Major Thapa or unke soldiers ne nakaam kar diya tha, lekin attack khatam hote hote Chinese soldiers post se ab sirf 90 meters ki duri par the. Vahin Chinese artillery ne bhi kai Indian soldiers ko maar diya tha or D company ke communication ko bhi destroy kar diya tha.
Major Thapa apne second in command Subedar Min Bahadur Gurung ke saath baar baar ek jagah se dusri jagah jaa jakar defence ko adjust karte hai or apne soldiers ka morale bhi boost karte hai. Lekin jaise jaise time beet ta jata hai, Chinese forces artillery fire ke cover mein post ki taraf badhti jati hai. Aur ab Chinese soldiers Sirijap 1 post se sirf 50 meters ki duri par pahunch chuke hote hain.
To Kya Major Thapa rok paayenge dushmano ko ? Kya Major Thapa honge veergati ko prapt ? Jaanenge iss blog ke agle part mein.
