Ramesh Singh Tanwar — state’s youngest Shaurya Chakra awardee

Col Dilbag Dabas (Retd)

Grenadier Ramesh Singh Tanwar, the only son of his parents, was born on January 5, 1971, at Khedi Talwana village in Mahendragarh district of Haryana. 

He was a second generation soldier. His father Thakur Agan Singh Tanwar served in the 17 Rajputana Rifles (Sawai Man) and retired in the rank of a Havildar. 

After Class XII from Government Senior Secondary School, Kanina, Ramesh was enrolled in 15th Battalion of The Grenadiers Infantry Regiment on November 27, 1988. Khedi Talwana, inhabited predominantly by Rajputs of Tanwar gotra, incidentally, has a very unique distinction. It is home to maximum number of Chakra awardees from Haryana — one Victoria Cross (Subedar Ram Sarup Singh), one Vir Chakra (Subedar Sardul Singh) and one Shaurya Chakra (Grenadier Ramesh Singh). No wonder this village is referred to by the villages around as a nursery that nurtures the military bravehearts. 

The busts of a number of decorated martyrs near the village bus stand speak volumes of the martial traits of Tanwar Rajputs of Khedi Talwana.

By 1990, Pakistan had set the scene for a ‘proxy war’ in Kashmir. It had whipped up communal frenzy in the valley assisted by some religious fundamentalists. The homegrown militancy in Kashmir resulted in a large-scale exodus of Hindus from the valley and also complete breakdown of law and order. To stop the situation from getting out of control, the government of India decided to deploy the Army in Kashmir valley since the region was fast becoming the hotbed of militancy. The 15th Grenadiers was the first infantry battalion to be inducted in Kashmir valley for counter-militancy operations. The most difficult part of the operation was to discern militants from within the local residents. The battalion treaded cautiously and slowly but steadily gauged the modus operandi of militants and began the operations in earnest, with utmost restraint to avoid collateral damage. During its deployment in the valley, the battalion carried out some very successful operations. During one of its operation in early October 1990, Grenadier Ramesh Singh, for his bravery and valour of a high order, was awarded the Shaurya Chakra, posthumously. 

Grenadier Ramesh Singh Tanwar of Khedi Talwana in Mahendergarh district, at just 19 years and 9 months, became the youngest Shaurya Chakra awardee from Haryana, and possibly the youngest in the entire Indian Army.

Bravery account recorded in battalion’s war diary reads...

“In the month of October, 1990, 15th Grenadiers was deployed along the Line of Control (LoC) in Kupwara district of Jammu & Kashmir. On October 19, 1990, a tip-off from local informers revealed that a group of foreign militants from across the LoC are expected to cross over to Indian side and spread terror in villages in the hinterland. Immediately, the Ghatak Platoon of the battalion was put on alert to apprehend or eliminate militants. Grenadier Ramesh Singh was with the support group of the Ghatak platoon, which was to cover the operation of the assault group. On October 20, 1990, the battalion's forward observation post in Kupwara sector noticed some suspicious movements across the LoC.

At 10.30 am the next day, while moving forward, the assault group was heavily fired upon by the militants resulting in two fatal casualties. Grenadier Ramesh Singh dashed forward and gave covering fire to the assault group by engaging militants with his light machine gun. In the fire fight, Grenadier Ramesh Singh got a machine gun burst on the thigh and he fell. Though grievously injured, however, undeterred and to take the revenge for his fallen comrades, he crawled forward to an advantageous firing position and brought down accurate fire killing two militants. When spotted by militants, Ramesh crawled to another position and killed one more militant and wounded one. Realising the stiff opposition from Grenadiers, the remaining militants fled the scene. However, during indiscriminate firing by fleeing militants, a burst of fire caught Grenadier Ramesh Singh on the chest and the brave Grinder died on the spot. It was due to the attrition caused by Grenadier Ramesh Singh on the militants and effective covering fire to the assault group of the Ghatak platoon that a major attempt by militants to cross over was thwarted. In this operation, Grenadier Ramesh Singh displayed raw courage, strong determination and gallantry of a high order, for which he was awarded the Shaurya Chakra, posthumously.”

About the award

• Shaurya Chakra was established on January 4, 1952, as the ‘Ashok Chakra Class 3’ with the awards effective from August 15, 1947. The statutes were revised on January 27, 1967, and the decoration renamed ‘Shaurya Chakra’. 
• It is awarded for gallantry of high order other than in the face of the enemy. It is awarded to civilians as also to the military personnel and may also be awarded posthumously. 
• The award of decoration carries with it the right to use ‘SC’ as a post-nominal abbreviation.
• Among 2,143 Shaurya Chakras awardees in the country so far, 131 are the sons of the sacred soil of Haryana

(The writer is a veteran Gunner, 6 Field Regiment)