Altitude, subzero temperatures, a lack of resources, and harsh circumstances - everything stood against the 120 Indian Army soldiers stationed at 18,000 feet in Ladakh's -20 degree Celsius temperatures at the Rezang La Pass during the India-China War of 1962, except their courage and determination.
They were 120, but their goal was one - not to cede Indian territory to the Chinese troops who outnumbered them from the outset. This was the Battle of Rezang La.
On the morning of November 18, 1962, the Charlie Company of the 13 Kumaon Battalion, Kumaon Regiment, led by Major Shaitan Singh, fought a massive Chinese assault at the Rezang La Pass in Ladakh.
This true story is so extraordinary that it might seem unbelievable - only it isn't. Reports suggest that between 1,300 and 5,000 Chinese soldiers, aided by heavy artillery, attacked the Indian side.
The Battle of Rezang La was fought literally to the death by 120 brave Indian soldiers of an all-Ahir company whose war cry, "Dada Kishan Ki Jai", echoed through the heights, inspiring them to fight against insurmountable odds. Remarkably, most of these soldiers hailed from the plains of Haryana.
The battle delayed the Chinese advance and secured a critical strategic point, becoming a symbol of courage and sacrifice in India's military history. It also saved the Chushul airfield, thereby preventing a possible Chinese occupation of the entire Ladakh region in 1962. The Battle of Rezang La was the only bright spot in an otherwise devastating war for India.
Major Shaitan Singh, along with 113 soldiers, was killed in action. He was posthumously awarded the Param Vir Chakra for his extraordinary leadership and bravery.
Of the few who survived, five wounded soldiers were taken prisoner but later escaped. One was sent back - Major Shaitan Singh had ordered Honorary Captain Ramchander Yadav to return so that he could live to tell the tale that became legend. His name may have been "Shaitan" (devil), but for the Chinese Army he was a nightmare, and for his men, an angel - even godlike in his courage.
In an interview with The Print, Captain Ramchander Yadav recalled that unlike the others in the company, Major Shaitan Singh was not an Ahir; he was a Rajput from Rajasthan.
"When the going gets tough, the tough get going" is not just a phrase when it comes to the Battle of Rezang La. That's exactly what happened on the morning of November 18, 1962.
"The Major said if we have to withdraw, then do it. But the jawans and the JCOs said, 'We will not leave Rezang La. We have the blessings of Lord Krishna.' The Major said, 'I am with you, and I am a Yadav too - so what if my name is Bhati?'" Captain Ramchander Yadav recounted.
Captain Yadav tried to save Major Shaitan Singh's life by tying himself to the Major's body with his belt so they could move together. After rolling down the slope for about 400 yards, he stopped near a boulder to catch his breath.
"I thought that the company headquarters were below, so I should try to get a few people to help take saab down. But when it was 8.15 by his watch, I noticed the Major was no longer alive. His watch ran by his pulse - when the pulse stopped, the watch stopped too. I took off the Major's gloves and slid his body between boulders to hide it, so it would remain safe until someone could retrieve it."
When Captain Yadav reached Delhi for debriefing, many commanders initially refused to believe what had happened at Rezang La. The feat of 120 Indian soldiers killing thousands of Chinese troops seemed superhuman.
When an Indian search party visited the battlefield on February 10, 1963, they found the frozen bodies of the men still holding their guns - some even clutching grenades - having taken bullets on their chests.
Besides the Param Vir Chakra awarded to Major Shaitan Singh, eight Vir Chakras, four Sena Medals, and one Mention-in-Dispatches were awarded to the soldiers of Charlie Company.
When Lata Mangeshkar sang Ae Mere Watan Ke Logon, it captured the spirit of how the Battle of Rezang La unfolded.
The song, penned by Kavi Pradeep and composed by C. Ramchandra, moved Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru to tears when Mangeshkar performed it. Ae Mere Watan Ke Logon paid tribute to Indian soldiers who were killed in action during the 1962 India-China War.
Farhan Akhtar's 120 Bahadur is also a reminder for Indians so that they never forget the supreme sacrifice of the 120 soldiers of the C Company of the 13 Kumaon Regiment who each killed at least 10 Chinese to protect the post of Rezang La in the inhospital Ladakh over 60 years ago.
