This page is a dedicated to those courageous Indian soldiers who fighting against incredible odds brought honor in the face of defeat; giving blood and body for country; resisting and protecting Indian territorial sovereignty. 

JAI HIND!  -=-=- JAI JAWAN!

GOC Eastern Command, Lt. Gen. H. R. S. Kalkat, dedicated the memorial, which is nestled among picturesque snow-capped peaks overlooking the imposing Tawang-Chu valley and called on the jawans to emulate the feat of those who sacrificed their lives in war.

Recalling their sacrifices, Lt. Gen. Kalkat said the jawans stood their ground against the Chinese assault for 31 days, fought bravely and gave up their life for the honour of the nation. They fought valiantly despite inadequate logistics back-up, which made them fight in cotton uniforms at sub-zero temperature and with just 50 rounds of ammunition per rifle, he said.

The 40-foot-high multi-hued war memorial to the unsung heroes, designed by the Army and constructed at a cost of about Rs 15 lakh, was dedicated in the presence of civilians and Army personnel, whose band played patriotic song eulogising the warriors’ sacrifices. Blessed by Dalai Lama in 1997, the imposing structure in a stupa design is locally called ‘Namgyal Chortan’ and has names of 2420 dead soldiers etched in gold on 32 black granite plagues. The memorial is flanked by two memorial halls –– one housing the personal articles of the martyrs and the other would be used for sound-and-light show depicting their heroic deeds, Army sources said.

The representatives of the regiments which fought the battle was present on the occasion as a symbol of the past.

The Kameng frontier division of the erstwhile North East Frontier Agency (NEFA) roughly corresponds to the present Tawang district of Arunachal Pradesh. It had witnessed the bitterly fought battles of 1962 Sino-Indian conflict. Though the nation that time had to undergo a humbling experience but the same cannot be said of the gallant soldiers who set new milestones of valour. Against the most damning odds, soldiers fought with antique rifles, 50 rounds of ammunition and cotton uniforms but with a brave heart within. They stood their ground against the on-coming cohorts of the enemy and died with the guns blazing and with a bullet in the chest.

On January 18, 1999 the construction of the war memorial was carried out by hundreds of monks with the active participation of the locals and government officials. In keeping with the local religious sentiments, idols of Lord Buddha, scriptures, ornaments, jewels, valuables and other items were deposited. The war memorial was even blessed by Dalai Lama, who sent holy scriptures and idols of Arya Avlokiteshwara and Lord Buddha personally blessed by him. These have been deposited in the vaults of the stupa. The memorial is certainly be a pride of Tawang after the famous monastery and will not only remind the glory of brave acts of the heroes of 1962, but will touch the hearts of every visitor as at the base of the memorial it is written: "How can man die better than facing fearful odds, for the ashes of his father and the temples of his Gods."