Daulat Singh, 9 Sikh's treasure

Brig IS Gakhal (Retd)

Havildar Daulat Singh was sent out in April 1964 to raise 9 Sikh. Diminutive in frame (by Sikh regimental standards), Daulat was an extremely resourceful soldier. There was no task he could not accomplish, and such characters in a newly raised battalion are of prime focus whenever given a task.

When an officer told him, “Hav Daulat, kampany layee 16 picketan chahidiyan (Need 16 long angle iron pickets for the company)”, he would reply: “Saab, labh layanwan ge, par baad wich kithon ayeeyan eh na puchiyo (Saab, we shall find them, but do not later question us on the source).”

Daulat was like the present-day e-commerce operators’ delivery, always on time. He thus progressed to become Senior JCO of Bravo Company (Major KC Bali was the Company Commander) when 9 Sikh was deployed in Tutmari Gali in Jammu and Kashmir during the 1971 Indo-Pak war.

Starting on December 3 that year, the battalion excelled in the operations and captured Lipa valley (46 sq km) on its own till the ceasefire was announced. The 9 Sikh suffered many casualties. Sub Daulat Singh himself suffered an LMG burst on the right midriff, needing immediate evacuation. For two days, the helicopter services were not available mainly because of the weather.

The medical officer decided to evacuate him without further delay. Strapped to a saddle astride a mule, Sub Daulat Singh moved to Tutmari Gali. The medical officer had called the Medical Aid Post (MAP), located half-way to the battalion headquarters, informing them that if Daulat Saab arrived alive, administer morphine, give coffee to drink and move him on without delay. This conversation was overheard by Subedar Saab.

As the mule climbed to the pass, Sub Daulat Singh let out a loud jaikara, “Bole So Nihal Sat Sri Akal”, to announce that he was alive. Soon, he was on his way to Radha Post, the battalion headquarters. As he approached Radha Post, Sub Daulat Singh belted out another jaikara, this time loudly responded to by the Subedar Major and the jawans waiting to receive him. The jaikaras continued for a while till Daulat was loaded onto the ambulance and on his way to Military Hospital, Srinagar.

Many months later, Sub Daulat Singh was discharged from the Military Hospital and given sick leave, with movement order for the Sikh Regimental Centre at Meerut. He was downgraded medically and restrictions were imposed on his posting in the hills or high-altitude areas. Here is where the story becomes interesting.

Sub Daulat Singh reported back to the unit and insisted that he must go back to Bravo Company for his farewell ‘bara khana’, followed by one in the Battalion JCO Mess. Despite his medical restriction, Sub Daulat Singh moved across Tutmari Gali to Bravo Company on foot, attended the ‘bara khana’, came back to Radha Post where he was dined out from an ad hoc JCO Mess, and then went his way.

Subedar Daulat Singh retired some years later with the Honorary Captain rank. That was not all. After retirement, he served as the administrative officer with the Border Roads Organisation in Joshimath area in Uttarakhand, throwing his medical category restrictions out of the window.

Even today, he never fails to attend a get-together of 9 Sikh. Long live Capt Daulat Singh, a living relic of 9 Sikh.