Karam Singh

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For the Sikh historian (1884–1930), see Karam Singh (historian).

Barnala, Punjab, British India
Died20 January 1993(1993-01-20) (aged 77)
Sehna, Barnala, Punjab, India
Allegiance British Raj
 India
Service/branch British Indian Army  
Honorary Captain
Service number22356 (enlisted)[1]
JC-6415 (junior commissioned officer)[2]
Unit1st Battalion (1 Sikh)
Battles/wars

Indo-Pakistani War of 1947

AwardsParam Vir Chakra
Military Medal

honorary captain
before his retirement in September 1969.

Early life

Karam Singh was born on 15 September 1915 in the village of

primary schooling in his village, in 1941, he joined the Army.[5]

Military career

On 15 September 1941, he enrolled in the 1st battalion of the

Indian flag for the first time after independence in 1947.[3]

War of 1947

In the aftermath of the independence of India in 1947, India and Pakistan fought over the

Tithwal.[8] That village, being on the Line of Control in the Kupwara Sector, was a strategically important point for India.[9]

On 23 May 1948, the

counter-attack to recapture the area. The Indian troops, unable to withstand the attack, withdrew from their positions to the Tithwal ridge, preparing to regain their positions at the right moment.[10]

As the battle at Tithwal continued for months, the Pakistanis grew desperate and launched a massive attack on 13 October, hoping to drive the Indians from their positions. Their primary objective was to capture the

Lance Naik[a] Singh was commanding a 1 SIKH forward post.[11]

Although outnumbered ten-to-one by the Pakistani troops, the Sikhs repelled their attacks multiple times. With their

trenches.[11]

During the fifth wave of attacks, two Pakistani soldiers closed on Singh's position; Singh jumped out of his trench and killed them with his bayonet, greatly demoralizing the Pakistanis. Singh and his men then successfully repelled three more enemy attacks before the Pakistani troops finally retreated, unable to capture their position.[11]

Param Vir Chakra

Singh's statue at Param Yodha Sthal, National War Memorial, New Delhi

On 21 June 1950, Singh's award of the

gazetted
. The citation read:

Tithwal in Jammu and Kashmir was captured on 23 May 1948. After that date, the enemy made numerous attempts to recapture Richmar Gali, and thence Tithwal. On 13 October 1948, coinciding with Eid al-Adha, the enemy decided to launch a brigade attack to retake Richmar Gali, and bypassing Tithwal, advance into the Srinagar Valley. Lance Naik Karam Singh was commanding a section at Richmar Gali. The enemy commenced its attack with heavy shelling of guns and mortars. The fire was so accurate that not a single bunker in the platoon locality was left unscathed. Communication trenches caved in. Bravely, Lance Naik Karam Singh went from bunker to bunker, giving succor to the wounded and urging the men to fight. The enemy launched eight separate attacks that day. In one such attack, the enemy managed to obtain a foothold in the platoon locality. Immediately, Lance Naik Karam Singh, who was severely wounded by then, with a few men, hurled himself in a counter-attack and evicted the enemy after a close quarter encounter which accounted for many enemy dead, having been dispatched by the bayonet. Lance Naik Karam Singh proved himself to be a dauntless leader of men in crisis. Nothing could subdue him and no amount of fire or hardship could break his spirit.

— Gazette Notification: 2 Pres/50, 21.6.50, [12]

On 10 January 1957, now a

Indian flag for the first time after independence in 1947.[3]

Later life

Singh

died on 20 January 1993 in his village, and was survived by his wife, Gurdial Kaur, and children.[3]

Other honours

In the 1980s, the

crude oil tankers in honour of the PVC recipients. The tanker MT Lance Naik Karam Singh, PVC was delivered to SCI on 30 July 1984, and served for 25 years before being phased out.[15] The government also built a memorial in his honour at the District Administrative Complex in Sangrur.[5]

Notes

Footnotes
  1. ^ Lance naik is equivalent to lance corporal.
Citations
  1. ^ Cardozo 2003, p. 45.
  2. ^ a b "Part I-Section 4: Ministry of Defence (Army Branch)" (PDF). The Gazette of India. 19 October 1957. p. 263.
  3. ^ a b c d "Family of second Param Vir Chakra recipient to auction medal". The Hindu. Retrieved 17 April 2017.
  4. ^ a b Cardozo 2003, pp. 44–45.
  5. ^ a b c "Death anniversary of Hony Capt Karam Singh today". The Tribune India. Retrieved 17 April 2017.
  6. ^ The London Gazette. 16 May 1944. Supplement: 36518. p. 2271
  7. ^ Shapiro, Jacob N.; Fair, C. Christine. "Understanding Support for Islamist Militancy in Pakistan" (PDF). Princeton Education. Princeton University. p. 79. Archived from the original (PDF) on 12 September 2014. Retrieved 11 October 2017.
  8. ^ Mikaberidze 2011, pp. 393–395.
  9. ^ Srivastava, Mihir (31 July 2014). "In the Line of Fire". Open Magazine. Open Media Network Pvt. Ltd. Retrieved 11 October 2017.
  10. ^ a b Chakravorty 1995, p. 60.
  11. ^ a b c Chakravorty 1995, p. 61.
  12. ^ Cardozo 2003, pp. 45–46.
  13. ^ "Part I-Section 4: Ministry of Defence (Army Branch)" (PDF). The Gazette of India. 31 October 1964. p. 444.
  14. ^ "Part I-Section 4: Ministry of Defence - Extraordinary Gazette of India". The Gazette of India. 26 January 1969. p. 2.
  15. ^ Raj 2009, p. 179.

References

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