Gunner Jagmal Singh

Gunner Jagmal Singh hailed from Bambuliya Kalan village of Itawa tehsil of Kota District in Rajasthan and was born on  03 August 1939. Son of an army veteran, Thakur Jodh Singh and Smt Karn Kanwar, he had two brothers Jagdish Singh and Shambhu Singh as his siblings. Gnr Jagmal Singh joined the Indian Army on 03 Aug 1959 at the age of 20 through the Kota recruitment office and was selected into the Artillery Regiment. After his selection, he underwent rigorous training at the Artillery Training Center in Nashik, Maharashtra.

Following his successful training, he was posted to the prestigious 5 Field Regiment, one of the oldest and most renowned artillery units of the Indian Army. Around the time when he was completing his training, the Indo-China War began. At that time, Gnr Jagmal Singh was on leave visiting his village, Bambuliyan Kalan. While seated at the home of his family friend, Jaynarayan Sharma, he heard war updates on All India Radio. During this period, both BBC and All India Radio were the primary sources of information. The Army announced the cancellation of all leaves and directed soldiers to report back to duty immediately. During that era, travel relied heavily on trains, and the nearest railway station was approximately 15 kilometers from the village. The villagers bid farewell to Gnr Jagmal Singh with traditional drums and fanfare as he walked to the railway station. From the Allahabad headquarters, he was deployed to the war zone on the Arunachal Pradesh border, where the Indian Army was engaged in fierce combat against Chinese forces in the treacherous terrains of Tawang.

Indo-China War- 21  Nov 1962

During the 1962 Indo-China war, Gunner Jagmal Singh's unit, 5 Field Regiment, was initially deployed in the strategic and heavily contested Tawang area in Arunachal Pradesh. This region, characterized by its treacherous mountainous terrain and extreme weather, became the epicenter of intense battles between Indian and Chinese forces. The Indian Army faced overwhelming odds as they fought to protect the nation's sovereignty in the face of a well-equipped adversary. Despite the challenges, Gnr Jagmal Singh, fueled by youthful vigor and an unwavering commitment to his motherland, stood out for his commendable bravery and dedication. His enthusiasm for serving the nation was evident in his every action. Without prior combat experience, he rose to the occasion with remarkable skill and determination. His proficiency with artillery was remarkable; he utilized the limited resources at his disposal to inflict significant damage on enemy forces. 

On November 21, 1962, in the unforgiving and rugged passes of Tawang, Gnr Jagmal Singh, alongside 109 brave soldiers of his battalion, faced relentless enemy assaults. Despite being outnumbered and under heavy fire, they held their ground with valour and fought till their last breath, defending their position against overwhelming odds. In this heroic battle, Gnr Jagmal Singh made the ultimate sacrifice, blending his spirit with the very air of this sacred land. At just 23 years of age, this courageous son of India laid down his life in service to the nation, embodying the highest ideals of duty, sacrifice, and patriotism. His legacy, along with the sacrifices of his comrades, remains etched in the history of the Indian Army as a testament to their bravery in the face of insurmountable challenges. 

Gnr Jagmal Singh is survived by his brother Shri Shambhu Singh and two grandsons. 

• An organisation named, " Amar Shaheed Jagmal Singh Smriti Manch" has been formed by Shri Sidharth Sharma from Gunner Jagmal Singh's village in his honour. The organisation is building a memorial in the village in the memory of Gunner Jagmal Singh.