Chain Singh, MVC

Biography

Naik Chain Singh was born on 19 October 1931 in Bhaini Bangar village in the Gurdaspur district of Punjab, the son of Shri Sadhu Ram. He was enrolled into the Punjab Regiment on his birthday in 1951, at the age of exactly twenty years. During his early service he was posted to various locations with differing terrain and operational conditions. By 1962, when war with China broke out, he had already completed more than a decade of service and had grown into a battle-hardened and dedicated soldier. During the Sino-Indian War of October 1962, Naik Chain Singh's unit was deployed in the North East Frontier Agency (NEFA), the principal theatre of the conflict. Commanding a section of 9 Punjab in the Tsangle area, his platoon was ordered on 9 October to move forward and reinforce a vital position at Tsengjong, north of the Namkha Chu river. A second platoon joined them during the night, bringing the strength of the post to fifty-six men, but the troops had only limited ammunition and little time to prepare their defences. On the morning of 10 October, around 500 Chinese soldiers concentrated near the post and opened up with guns and mortars. Though greatly outnumbered, Naik Chain Singh and his men inflicted heavy casualties and repulsed the first assault. When a determined attack came from all sides and the ammunition ran low, the section was ordered to withdraw. Ordering his rifle group back, Naik Chain Singh took over a light machine gun to give covering fire. Grievously wounded by an enemy burst, he continued to man the gun to enable his comrades to withdraw safely, until a second burst struck him in the head and killed him on the spot. For his exceptional courage, leadership and supreme sacrifice he was awarded the Maha Vir Chakra.