Some Lesser Known Facts About Jadunath Singh Rathore

• Naik Jadunath Singh Rathore was an on-duty soldier in the Indian Army who is well known in the course of history for the Battle of Tain Dhar. Jadunath Singh Rathore was awarded India’s highest gallantry award the Param Vir Chakra for his decisive role during the Indo-Pakistan War of 1947-48. Jadunath died after receiving multiple gunshot wounds to his head and chest during the Battle of Tain Dhar.

• Jadunath belonged to a very poor, agrarian family. His family could not afford Jadunath’s further studies, as a result of which, he had to drop out of his school at a very young age.

• Jadunath began helping his parents in doing farm-related work. He grew up to be a renowned wrestler in his village.

• On 21 November 1941, at the age of 25 years, Jadunath Singh Rathore was enlisted in the British Indian Army’s Rajput Regiment. As a young soldier, he served on the Eastern front and fought against the Japanese forces during the Second World War.

• In 1942, while fighting against the Japanese forces in Burma (now Myanmar); his unit forced the Japanese troops to withdraw all the way back to Donbaik.

• The Japanese forces soon regrouped and attacked the advancing Indian forces, because of which, Jadunath’s 7th Rajput Regiment was cut off from the main allied forces’ column.

• Having fought their way back to the allied safe lines, Jadunath’s unit attacked and captured the Akyab islands from the Japanese hands.

• During the later phase of the Second World War, Jadunath was a part of the force, which was responsible for thwarting back the Japanese aggressors out of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands.

• After the end of the Second World War, and after India attained its freedom, Jadunath was moved to the Kashmir region 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 was an ardent devotee of Lord Hanuman, and just like him, Jadunath Singh had vowed to follow the path of Brahmacharya, and hence remained unmarried.

• Every year, February 6 is celebrated as Noushera Day; to honour Naik Jadunath Singh Rathore and his fellow soldiers who fell during the battle of Tain Dhar.
  

  A memorial was erected atop Tain Dhar ridge to honour Jadunath Singh Rathore and his fellow comrades who laid down their lives during the Battle of Tain Dhar

• Naik Jadunath Singh Rathore became the second recipient of the coveted Param Vir Chakra in the history of independent India.