Shaitan Singh

Early life and education

Shaitan Singh Bhati was born on 1 December 1924 into a Rajput family of the Bhati clan in Banasar village, Jodhpur state, Rajputana. His father was Lieutenant Colonel Thakur Hem Singh Bhati. Lt. Col. Singh served in France with the Indian Army during World War I, and was awarded the Order of the British Empire (OBE) by the British government.

Singh studied in the Chopasni Senior Secondary School, Jodhpur up to his matriculation. At school, he was known for his skills as a football player. After completing his schooling in 1943, Singh went to Jaswant College, and completed his graduation in 1947.

Military career

On 1 August 1949, he joined the Jodhpur State Forces as an officer. After the princely state of Jodhpur was merged into India, Shaitan Singh Bhati was transferred to the Kumaon Regiment. He was promoted to captain on 25 November 1955, and took part in operations in Naga Hills and also in 1961 Indian annexation of Goa. On 11 June 1962, he was promoted to the rank of major. Brave.

1962 Sino-Indian War

Main article: Sino-Indian War

There had long been disagreement between India and China over borders in the Himalaya region. To counter the increasing Chinese intrusions into disputed territory, then Prime Minister of India Jawaharlal Nehru asked for strategies for dealing with them. However, the proposal put forward by the Indian Army was rejected. Instead, he approved a plan proposed by a bureaucrat called the "Forward Policy". This called for the establishment of a number of small posts facing the Chinese. Due to the severe rise in public criticism against Chinese intrusions, The PM of India(Jawaharlal Nehru) implemented the "Forward Policy" against the advice of the army. The army's concern was that the Chinese had geographical advantage. Additionally, maintaining numerous small posts would be untenable if the Chinese superior forces attacked. This was ruled out by Jawaharlal Nehru who believed the Chinese would not attack. But the Chinese did, initiating Sino-Indian war in 1962.

Battle of Rezang La

Main article: Battle of Rezang La

During the war, the 13th Battalion of Kumaon Regiment, Charlie ‘C’ company comprising 120 soldiers was positioned in Chusul sector, at a height of 5000 m above sea level, the battalion under the command of Singh was holding a position at Rezang La, and the area was defended by five platoon posts. In the morning hours of 18 November 1962, the Chinese attacked. Indians prepared for an offensive as they saw the Chinese advancing through nullahs in the dim dawn lighting. At 5:00am, as platoons got a better sight of the Chinese, they started firing with light machine guns, rifles, mortar, and grenades, killing many Chinese soldiers.

At 5:40am, the Indians were fired upon by artillery and mortar. Again, around three hundred and fifty Chinese soldiers started to advance through nullahs. No. 9 Platoon held fire until the Chinese were as close as 90 m, and inflicted heavy casualties. As attacks from the vanguard were unsuccessful, around four hundred Chinese troops attacked from the rear. Simultaneously, No. 8 Platoon was fired upon with medium machine guns from the wire fencing of the post, and also received artillery and mortar fire. No. 7 Platoon was attacked by one hundred and twenty Chinese soldiers from the rear. The Indians countered with 3 inch mortar shells and killed many Chinese soldiers. As the last twenty survivors charged towards the post, the Indians jumped out of their trenches and engaged in hand-to-hand combat with the Chinese soldiers. However, the Platoon was soon encircled with the arrival of Chinese reinforcements. Eventually, No. 7 & 8 platoons were left with no survivors.

During the battle, Singh continuously moved from post to post reorganising the defenses and boosting the morale of his men. As he moved between the posts without any cover, he was seriously wounded. While he was being evacuated by his soldiers, the Chinese started to fire heavily on them. Sensing the danger, Singh ordered the soldiers to leave. They placed him behind a boulder, where he succumbed to his injuries. In the battle, the Indian side suffered 114 casualties out of 124, whereas the Chinese side had a casualty of more than 3000 personnel. Singh's body was found at the same boulder. It was brought to Jodhpur and cremated with military honours.

Param Vir Chakra

For his actions at the Battle of Rezang La, on 18 November 1962, Singh was awarded the Param Vir Chakra. The official citation read:

Posthumous legal case

Dues

As of 2021, Singh's family were involved in a legal battle over his pension. Between his death on November 18, 1962 and 1972, his wife received a "normal family pension" of 30% of his salary, despite being entitled to 60%. A family gratuity of ₹4,000 paid in 1963 was recovered by government from her pension in 1964. The government introduced a "liberalised family pension" scheme in 1972, but Singh's wife did not begin receiving this until 1996. The family claims the arrears from 1972 to 1995, as well as an unpaid ₹9,500 gratuity from the same period. Singh's wife died in 2015 and, , the case was being pursued in the Armed Forces Tribunal by Singh's son.

Legacy

Entities named after him

• Shaitan Singh Dweep island: On the occasion of Parakram Diwas on 23 January, 2023, 21 Islands of Andaman and Nicobar were named after 21 PVC awardees, one of the 21 Islands was named after Major Shaitan Singh.

• Shaitan Singh Nagar : Formerly known as Banasar, is a village in Jodhpur district, Rajasthan, India, which was the native village of Major Shaitan Singh and was renamed in his honor after residents petitioned the government.

• Shaitan Singh Nagar Railway station on Jodhpur–Jaisalmer line: The railway station of the village in Rajasthan was also renamed as Shaitan Singh Nagar Railway station near Jodhpur.

• Shaitan Singh Colony in Jaipur: Rajasthan Government named a colony in Jaipur after Singh.

• Major Shaitan Singh, PVC tankers: In 1980s, the Shipping Corporation of India (SCI), a Government of India enterprise under the aegis of the Ministry of Shipping, named fifteen of its crude oil tankers in honour of the PVC recipients. The tanker MT Major Shaitan Singh, PVC was delivered to SCI in 1985, and served for 25 years before being phased out.

Memorials

National War Memorial's Param Yodha Sthal, a dedicated area within the memorial complex which honors Param Vir Chakra awardees, India's highest wartime gallantry award, and includes a bust and a bronze relief of each of 21 recipients, has Shaitan Singh's bust and a bronze relief.

Chushul War Memorial at Chushul town itself: is a war memorial dedicated to Major Shaitan Singh's company in the Chushul plains. It was renovated and rededicated by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on 18 November 2021. The upgraded complex includes a museum and mini-theatre.

Rezang La War Memorial at Tsaga village: 12 km south of Chushul.

Rezang La War Memorial at Rezang La (demolished): However, a smaller memorial at the exact site where Major Singh's body was found was reportedly dismantled in late 2023. This was done in the aftermath of 2020–2021 China–India skirmishes to create a buffer zone along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) as part of a disengagement agreement with China, a move which drew criticism. The larger, renovated memorial at Chushul renovated by Rajnath Singh remains intact.

A square in Jodhpur city commemorates him with his statue.

Inscriptions

Amar Jawan Jyoti (Eternal Flame), near India Gate and adjacent to the National War Memorial, has his name inscribed among the martyred war heroes.

Balidan Stambh, the war memorial in Jammu, Jammu and Kashmir (union territory) in 2009 paid tribute to him by inscribing his name on the pillars erected in semi circumference for the martyrs of the 1962 war.

In popular culture

Books

• Param Vir Chakra by Amar Chitra Katha (2015): a graphic novel by Amar Chitra Katha dedicated their 9th story to Shaitan Singh written by Aparna Kapur and drawn by Sundarlal.

• Param Vir Chakra Shaitan Singh (2019): a graphic novel by Roli Books written by Ian Cardozo and drawn by Rishi Kumar.

• Major Shaitan Singh, PVC: The Man In Half Light (2023): a complete biography by Jai Samota.

Television

• Param Vir Chakra TV Series episode on Shaitan Singh (1988): Pankaj Dheer played the role of Shaitan Singh in an episode which was aired on DD National.

• 1962: The War in the Hills (2021): a Hindi-language war drama television series based on Rezang La war, featuring Abhay Deol, is available on Disney+ Hotstar.

Films

• PVC Major Shaitan Singh, a 2017 film starring Shehzad Khan as Shaitan Singh was directed by Pankaj Sehgal.

• 120 Bahadur (2025), Farhan Akhtar plays the role of Maj Shaitan Singh.

Notes

Footnotes Citations

References

References

1. Samota, Jai. (2023-12-15). "Major Shaitan Singh, Pvc: The Man In Half Light {{!}} A Complete Biography: Major Shaitan Singh, PVC: The Man In Half Light {{!}} A Complete Biography: Tribute to a War Hero". Prabhat Prakashan.
2. (9 June 1956). "Part I-Section 4: Ministry of Defence (Army Branch)". The Gazette of India.
3. (25 January 2008). "Param Vir Chakra Winners Since 1950". Bennett, Coleman & Co. Ltd..
4. (18 November 2016). "55 Years Ago, 120 Men Saved Ladakh From China. This Is The Story Of The Greatest Last Stand Ever At Rezang La!".
5. [https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/jaipur/family-of-1962-war-hero-still-waiting-for-their-dues/articleshow/85021336.cms Family of 1962 war hero still waiting for their fmaily dues], timesofindia.indiatimes.com, 4 Aug 2021.
6. (24 January 2023). "21 Andaman islands named after Param Vir Chakra awardees". Indian Express.
7. "Shaitan Singh Nagar Railway Station".
8. "IMO: 8316613".
9. (November 18, 2021). "Raksha Mantri Shri Rajnath Singh dedicates to the Nation renovated Rezang La Memorial at Chushul in Ladakh". Press Information Bureau.
10. (December 28, 2023). "Creation of LAC buffer zone forces demolition of 1962 war hero Major Shaitan Singh's memorial". The Telegraph (India).
11. "A Monument of Sacrifice". Daily Excelsior.
12. Puri, Reena. (2015). "Param Vir Chakra". Amar Chitra Katha.
13. Cardozo, Ian. "Param Vir Chakra Shaitan Singh". Lotus.
14. [https://www.amazon.com.au/Major-Shaitan-Singh-PVC-Biography/dp/9355626096 ''Major Shaitan Singh, PVC: The Man In Half Light'', a complete biography], Amazon, accessed 1 Aug 2025.
15. "Independence Day Special: 8 Patriotic Indian TV Serials That Were Way Better Than the Present Saas-Bahu Saga". Lokmat Times.
16. "1962 The War in the Hills review: Hotstar owes us a Vacation in the Hills for suffering through Abhay Deol's awful show". Hindustan Times.
17. "120 Bahadur': Farhan Akhtar to play Major Shaitan Singh PVC in his next next war-drama; 'Don' Ranveer Singh REACTS". Times Of India.