Rezang La

Rechin La which was called Rezang La in the English language sources in the 1960s, is a mountain pass on the Line of Actual Control between Indian-administered Ladakh and the Chinese-administered Spanggur Lake basin. The pass is located on the watershed ridge of the Chushul Valley, on its east. China claims that the ridge is the boundary between the two countries, but India's claim line is further east.

About 3 km southeast of Rechin La (33.4144°N, 78.8748°W) on the same ridge is a pass leading to an adjacent valley, which China recognizes as Rezang La.

About 3 km northwest of Rechin La (33.444°N, 78.83°W) is a pass that was the site of a major battle of the 1962 Sino-Indian War. The "C" Company of India's 13 Kumaon battalion( pure Ahir battalion), made of Ahir soldiers, fought to the last man in an effort to block the Chinese PLA troops from crossing the ridge into the Chushul Valley. Indian sources claim that over 1500 PLA troops were killed by Indian forces.

During the 2020–2021 China–India skirmishes, these passes were again the site of a major face-off between the two nations' armies.

Toponymy
The old survey maps of the region label two adjacent valleys leading to the Spaanggur Lake as "Rezang Lungpa". (See Map 1.) The pass at the head of the western valley (33.4188°N, 78.8494°W) at an elevation of 16420 ft is labelled "Rezang La". The pass at the head of the eastern valley (33.3888°N, 78.929°W), unlabelled in the survey map, is at a much higher elevation of 20670 ft.

In 1963, the Government of India used the name "Rezang La" for pass marked on the survey map, the one at the head of the western valley. References to "Rezang La" in the literature on Sino-Indian War in English language, presumably refer to this pass.

Chinese sources use the name "Rechin La" for the western pass pass, which has also been adopted by the Indian news media in 2020.

Geography


Rechin La as well as the present Rezang La are mountain passes on the ridge line adjoining the Chushul Valley, which China claims as its border. India's claimed border is further east, and it coincides with the border shown on most British and international maps prior to Indian independence. The Line of Actual Control (LAC) resulting from the 1962 Sino-Indian War coincides with the Chinese claim line in this region.

To the north of Rechin La along the LAC are various strategic hill peaks, Mukhpari, Magar Hill, and (after Spanggur Gap) Gurung Hill. To the south of Rezang La is Mount Sajum. (Map 2)

The Chushul village and Indian military post are 27 km northwest of Rezang La.

1962 battle of Rezang La
During the Sino-Indian War in 1962, Rechin La (then called Rezang La) was the site of the last stand of the Charlie "C" Ahir company  of 13 Kumaon, consisting of 124 Indian soldiers. According to the official Indian history of the war, the Rezang La picket of Charlie company was located at an elevation of 5500 m, 11 km south of the Spanggur Gap, on the same ridge line as Rezang La.

The company was led by Major Shaitan Singh, who won a posthumous Param Vir Chakra for his actions. From the Indian point of view, Rezang La had the drawback that an intervening feature blocked artillery operation, so that the Indian infantry had to do without artillery cover.

The Chinese employed human wave tactics, sending up to eight waves against the Indian troop positions. In the action on 18 November 1962, 114 Indian soldiers out of a total of 120 lost their lives, and more than 1000 Chinese troops were killed according to Indian sources. A memorial in Rewari, where most of the Ahir soldiers came from, claims that 1,300 Chinese soldiers were killed in the battle. The Indian side was led by Major Shaitan Singh, who was later posthumously awarded Param Vir Chakra, India's highest gallantry award for conspicuous bravery and self-sacrifice in the face of the enemy.

This battle was also important as China declared ceasefire after watching the bravery of Indian soldiers in this battle.

2020 border standoff
During border standoff in summer, the Indian Army deployed troops along the Line of Actual Control south of the Pangong Tso, including at Rezang La and Rechin La. This was said to give them a commanding view of the Spanggur Gap and China's "Moldo sector" (the deployments around the Spanggur Lake).

Rezang La War Memorial at Chushul
The inscription on the War Memorial at Chushul, Ladakh raised by the Indian Army in memory of the soldiers who died in the Battle of Rezang La, reads as below. The first four lines are quoted from Horatius, a poem by Thomas Babington Macaulay, member of the Governor-General of India's Supreme Council from 1834 to 1838

How can a man die better, Than facing fearful odds, For the ashes of his fathers, And the temples of his gods. To the sacred memory of the heroes of Rezang-La 114 martyrs of 13 Kumaon who fought to the last man last round against hordes of Chinese on 18 November 1962. Built by all ranks 13th Battalion the Kumaon Regiment.

Major-General Ian Cardozo writes in his book Param Vir, Our Heroes in Battle: "When Rezang La was later revisited dead jawans were found in the trenches still holding on to their weapons... every single man of this company was found dead in his trench with several bullets or splinter wounds. The 2-inch mortar man died with a bomb still in his hand. The medical orderly had a syringe and bandage in his hands when the Chinese bullet hit him... Of the thousand mortar bombs with the defenders, all but seven had been fired and the rest were ready to be fired when the (mortar) section was overrun."

General T.N. Raina lauded: "You rarely come across such example in the annals of world military history when braving such heavy odds, the men fought till the last bullet and the last man. Certainly, the Battle of Rezang La is such a shining example."

Rezang La War Memorial at Rewari


General K S Thimayya wished for a memorial to be built in Ahirwal region of Haryana in the memory of soldiers who were mostly from this area. He felt generations to come would seek inspiration from the immense courage and valour of their forefathers. Consequently, another Rezang La war memorial was constructed by Rezangla Shaurya Samiti inside Rezang La Park near Dharuhera Chowk in Rewari city in Ahirwal region. Annual memorial function is held by the Samiti in collaboration with district administration, the Kumaon Regiment and family members of those who died at Rezang La also participate. In every special and cultural events in Delhi-NCR and Rewari the two "bravest soldiers", Capt. Ram Chander Singh and Hav Nihal Singh, Sena Medal, will be chief guests as they tell the story of Rezang La, which gives motivation to young generation about valour of Veer Ahirs. On 24 February 2023, they were the chief guests on Rao Bal Kishan Shaurya Diwas. They also unveiled the portrait of "Rao Bal Kishan".

Transport
National Highway 3 is the closest NH for this location. One can reach to via Loma Bridge/Loma ITBP Check Post and Mahe Bridge. Both built over Indus river. Distance is 170 km. It meets to Miru, where proposed Bhanupli–Leh line will connect.