Brig Rajinder Singh among greatest Dogra warriors: MLC

Tribune News Service

Jammu, June 14

Paying tributes to Brig Rajinder Singh on his 118th birth anniversary, Member of Legislative Council (MLC) Vikramaditya Singh said he was among the greatest Dogra warriors and his supreme sacrifice must never be forgotten.

Recalling his past, Vikramaditya said after graduating from the Prince of Wales College, now the GGM Science College, Jammu, Brig Rajinder Singh had joined the State Forces as a Commissioned Officer. After having commanded 6 JAK Rifles, Kashmir Brigade, Brig Rajinder Singh was chosen by Maharaja Hari Singh to replace Maj Gen HS Scott as the Chief of Army Staff of the J&K State Forces on September 24, 1947.

Paying tributes and homage to all men of the J&K State Forces who sacrificed their lives from the time of Maharaja Gulab Singh, the founder of the state, Vikramaditya said, “we must never fail to remember brave Indian soldiers and the great martial traditions of the Dogras, as history has failed to do justice to them.”

Vikramaditya said his father, Dr Karan Singh, often recalled when, as a young man, he was present at the time when Maharaja Hari Singh called Brig Rajinder Singh and gave him orders to defend Srinagar from the advancing Pakistani forces till the last man and last bullet.

The MLC added that from October 23 to 26, 1947, with only 100 men at his disposal, Brig Rajinder Singh held back over 5,000 invaders. He and his men laid down their lives. For this, Brig Rajinder Singh came to be known as the “Saviour of Kashmir” and was awarded the first Gallantry Award of independent India.

Braveheart remembered

The Yuva Rajput Sabha celebrated the 118th birth anniversary of Brig Rajinder Singh in Jammu on Wednesday. Sabha president Rajveer Singh along with other members gathered at Brig Rajinder Singh Chowk and garlanded the statue. Speaking on the occasion, Rajveer said it was because 

of Brig Rajinder Singh’s supreme sacrifice that J&K was able to successfully crush the invaders from Pakistan in 1947. He said the braveheart, with only a handful of soldiers, defended the state capital and a large region from going into the enemy’s hands. Brig Rajinder Singh was also awarded the highest honour of Maha Vir Chakra.