Excelsior Correspondent
LEH, July 25: Ladakh comes up with a seven feet high statue of twice Maha Vir Chakra (MVC) awardee and hero of battle of Turtuk, Colonel Chewang Rinchen at his native Sumoor village in Leh, officials said on Monday.
The statue was inaugurated in a ceremony at Sumoor village by Brigadier Padam Thakur, Commander 102 Infantry brigade, they said.
Around 150 villagers including his relatives, friends, his daughter Dr Phuntsog Angmo, brother Tsultim Nurbu, sister Phunchok Angmo besides Tegar Councillor, Rigzin Lhundup among others were also present on the occasion.
The total cost of the statute and upcoming park is Rs seven lakh.The bust of the statute was sculpted by Tsering Gurmet Kungyam, they added
Col Rinchen was born on November 11, 1931 at Sumur village, Nubra Valley in Ladakh region, and is known as the ‘Lion of Ladakh’ for his extraordinary acts of courage in defending Leh and Partapur sector.
He was a highly decorated officer in the Indian Army from the Union territory of Ladakh and was the youngest ever recipient of the Maha Vir Chakra, the second highest Indian gallantry decoration, for his role in the defence of Ladakh in the first Kashmir War 1947-48.
He received the 2nd Maha Vir Chakra after Indo-Pakistan War of 1971 for his role in the conquest of the Turtuk and Tyakshi, in what came to be known as the Battle of Turtuk, the officials said.
He was one of the only six Indian service personnel to have been awarded Maha Vir Chakra twice.
He was also awarded a Sena Medal for gallantry in the 1962 India-China War and mention in dispatches for gallantry in the Indo-Pakistan War 1965.
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