Ganju Lama

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Ganju Lama
Birth nameGyamtso Shangderpa
Born22 July 1924
Sangmo, Kingdom of Sikkim
Died1 July 2000 (aged 75)
Gangtok, Sikkim, India
Allegiance British India
 India
Service/branch
Years of service1942–1968
Rank
Subedar Major
Unit
Battles/warsWorld War II
  • Burma Campaign
Awards

Subedar Major Gyamtso Shangdarpa, VC MM ADC (22 July 1924 – 1 July 2000) better known as Ganju Lama was born in the Kingdom of Sikkim on 22 July 1924 to Shangdarpa parents of the Bhutia Community. The etymology of the name "Ganju Lama" tells us that during the Chogyal period, sons of the Shangdarpa clan were expected to serve as monks. He enlisted in the British Indian Army in 1942 at the age of seventeen, as a rifleman in the 1st battalion, 7th Gurkha rifles. The Gurkha regiments were in dire need of manpower and would accept anyone who closely resembled a Gurkha. He is the only Bhutia recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth
forces.

Enlistment

Ganju Lama was born in Sangmo, southern

7th Gurkha Rifles, near Imphal.[1]

Victoria Cross

Ganju Lama was nineteen years old, and a

7th Gurkha Rifles, in the Indian Army during World War II
.

On 12 June 1944, near Ningthoukhong, India, 'B' Company was attempting to stem the enemy's advance when it came under heavy machine-gun and tank machine-gun fire. Ganju Lama, "on his own initiative with great coolness and complete disregard for his own safety", took his PIAT anti-tank weapon and crawled forward. Despite a broken wrist and two other serious wounds to his right leg and left hand he then moved forward, succeeded in bringing the weapon into action within 30 yards of the enemy tanks, knocking out two of them (a third was taken out by an anti-tank gun). He continued forward and used grenades on the tank crews who were trying to escape. Not until he "had killed or wounded them all did he allow himself to be taken back to the Regimental Aid Post" to have his wounds dressed.[2]

A month earlier, during operations on the Tiddim Road, Ganju Lama's regiment had surprised a party of Japanese and killed several of them. He was awarded the

London Gazette after his Victoria Cross, appearing on 3 October 1944, almost a month later.[4]

Later life

After India gained its independence, he joined the Indian 11th Gorkha Rifles, retiring in 1968, to become a farmer in Sikkim. He was appointed honorary ADC to the President of India for life.[5] He died at Gangtok following a battle with cancer on 1 July 2000, aged 75.[6]

His Victoria Cross is displayed at The Gurkha Museum in Winchester, England along with those of other Gurkhas.[7]

A memorial in his memory (Ganju Lama War Museum) has been constructed at Sherathang in East Sikkim district of Sikkim.[8]

See also

Notes

  1. ^ a b c Parker 2005, p. 201.
  2. ^ "No. 36690". The London Gazette (Supplement). 5 September 1944. pp. 4157–4158.
  3. ^ Parker 2005, pp. 201–202.
  4. ^ "No. 36730". The London Gazette (Supplement). 3 October 1944. p. 4572.
  5. ^ "Ganju Lama, VC - Telegraph". The Daily Telegraph. London. 3 July 2000. Retrieved 11 January 2013.
  6. ^ "A Tribute to World War II Hero" (PDF). Press Information Bureau of India - Archive. 5 July 2000. Retrieved 7 February 2020.
  7. ^ The Gurkha Museum
  8. ^ Ojah, Oineetom (6 December 2019). "Finally, a statue & museum to honour Sikkim's war hero Ganju Lama". EastMojo. Retrieved 28 March 2021.

References

External links

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