Rezang La war memorial: First pics of fully-revamped memorial at Sino-India border out

Union Minister Rajnath Singh on Thursday inaugurated a newly-revamped war memorial in honour of the 13 Kumaon regiment that took on the Chinese Army during the historic India-Sino war of 1962. The memorial is being inaugurated to mark the 59th anniversary of the heroic battle.

The Rezang La memorial constructed in Chushul shortly after the war has now been significantly expanded to include an auditorium and photo gallery to honour the heroes of the 13 Kumaon regiment’s Charlie Company that came under a relentless Chinese assault. 

The memorial pillar, on which the names of 109 soldiers who died during the 1962 battle are inscribed, now also includes the names of the 20 war heroes who were martyred in action during the Galwan Valley clash last year. 

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh paid homage at the revamped Memorial of the fallen heroes of the war in Rezang La theatre during the 1962 Sino-Indian conflict. 

Here are the first pictures of the fully-renovated Rezang La memorial that was unveiled by Raksha Manti Rajnath Singh and Chief of Defence Staff, General Bipin Rawat, in a stern message to China. 

Revamped Rezang La memorial

The Rezang La war

Rezangla La, a mountain pass on the Line of Actual Control, was the site of the fierce battle, in which the 13th battalion of the Kumaon regiment fought till the last man to stop Chinese troops from crossing the bridge into the Chushul Valley. In the battle, 114 Indian soldiers were martyred.

The Indian side was led by Major Shaitan Singh, who was awarded a posthumous Param Vir Chakra, India's highest military decoration, for his actions. 

The renovation of the Rezang La war memorial on the Sino-India border started earlier this year, amid ongoing border tensions at the Line of Actual Control (LAC). India had lost 20 soldiers on June 15 last year in the Galwan Valley in fierce hand-to-hand combat with Chinese troops.