6 February 1948: " Remembering the Braveheart: PVC Jadunath Singh on Martyrdom Day in Indo-Pak War of 1947-48"

Jadunath Singh, PVC (21 November 1916 – 6 Feb 1948) was an Indian Army soldier who was awarded the Param Vir Chakra, India’s highest military decoration for his actions in an engagement during the Indo-Pakistani War of 1947.

Born on 21 November 1916, in the village of Khajuri near the town of Shahjahanpur in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh. He was the son of Birbal Singh Rathore, a farmer, and Jamuna Kanwar. He was the third of eight children, with seven brothers and a sister. Though Singh studied up to fourth year standard in a local school in his village, he could not continue his education further due to his family’s economic situation. He spent most of his childhood helping out his family with agricultural work around the farm.

Singh enlisted in the British Indian Army in 1941 and served in the Second World War. He later took part in the Indo-Pakistani War of 1947 with the Indian Army. In February 1948, with the rank of naik, he was in command of a nine men strong picket in Tain Dhar, lying to the north of Naushahra, that was placed to counter advancing Pakistani troops.

6 February 1948

After the end of the Second World War, and after India attained its freedom, Jadunath was moved to the Jammu and Kashmir to support India’s war efforts against Pakistan in 1947. Jadunath was deployed at the strategically important, Tain Dhar, a post that was snatched from the hands of the Pakistani invaders.

On 6 February 1948, the Pakistani forces launched a ferocious counterattack on picket number 2, which was being commanded by Naik Jadunath Singh.There were a total of three waves of massive counterattacks by the Pakistani forces on Jadunath’s post. Naik Jadunath Singh Rathore had a total of 27 troops in his section which were under his command, including a light machine gun. The picket’s machine gunner was wounded grievously, as a result of which the machine gun could not function effectively and provide fire to the defending troops. Jadunath Singh, though himself being wounded, jumped on the machine gun and took control of the situation. He thwarted the attacking Pakistani forces, which had reached the walls of the picket and were about to overrun the position.

By the time the second wave was dealt with, Jadunath Singh had lost his entire section to the enemy’s devastating fire. He very well knew that the Pakistanis will not give up that easy; so he prepared for the third and the final wave of the counterattack. Upon the beginning of the enemy’s third wave of attack, Jadunath Singh left the safety of his bunker and charged straight at the enemy, all by himself, taking the last stand.

Looking at Jadunath’s single-handed bayonet charge, the enemy fled into disarray, as they could not comprehend what was actually going on. During the entire course of action, Jadunath was shot twice, fatally, as a result of which he succumbed to his injuries. His main motive was to engage the enemy till more reinforcements could arrive and take over the situation, and laid down his life in a successful attempt to achieve it.

Naik Jadunath Singh Rathore became the second recipient of the coveted Param Vir Chakra in the history of independent India. Every year, February 6 is celebrated as Naushahra Day; to honour Naik Jadunath Singh Rathore and his fellow soldiers who fell during the battle of Tain Dhar.