Bathinda: An over 70-year-old edition of ‘The London Gazette,’ the official journal of the then British government, has become a part of the Naib Subedar Nand Singh Memorial at Bathinda. The Indian Army, in a befitting tribute to the gallant soldier, put a replica of the citation, showcasing the life sketch of the soldier on his 105th birth anniversary.The replica of the citation where the British King approves the bestowing of Victoria Cross on Naib Subedar Singh, then an acting Naik in 11Sikh regiment, will now be part of his memorial at one of the busiest roundabouts in Bathinda, earlier known as Fauji Chowk. It was rechristened as Shaheed Nand Singh Chowk.The replica has been put among various pictures depicting bravery of the Naib Subdedar on the left side of his life-size statue. On another pedestal on right side of the statue, a 25 pounder gun used during the World War-II in 1944 at Burma front has been placed.The Army made both these articles part of the refurbished statue of the soldier in an impressive ceremony organized on Monday, coinciding with his 105th birth anniversary. Nand Singh was born on September 25, 1914 at Bahadurgarh village, which was earlier in Bathinda, and is now in Mansa district.Hundreds of Army officials, including three lieutenant generals, their family members paid tributes to the Naib Subedar, also known as Jemadar Nand Singh, while remembering the supreme sacrifice made by him. He not only got the Victoria Cross for exemplary courage but also got second highest bravery award Maha Vir Chakra (posthumously) for courageously fighting against Pakistan in Kashmir in December 1947.Army officials recalled how Naib Subedar Singh, despite being seriously wounded, fought against the Japanese in March 1944 as being a British Indian army soldier and again on December 12, 1947 against Pakistan before laying down his life. He was hero of the hand-to-hand combat against Pakistanis. While fighting in the World War-II in 1944 at Arakan in Myanmar, he had single handedly captured three trenches held by the Japanese. Despite his injuries, he killed seven enemies with his rifle bayonet. At Uri in Kashmir in December 1947, while fighting for the 11 Sikh Regiment, Naib Subedar Singh evicted the enemy from the bunkers. He was engaged with the enemy in hand-to-hand combat and had killed five of them before a burst from enemy machine gun killed him.“A memorial devoted to Naib Subedar Singh was built at Uri in Kashmir as ‘Saviour of Kashmir’ and his statue was built at Bathinda with bayonet in hands, which has now been refurbished. The Army has shown interest in paying him a befitting tribute by putting his statue on a busy intersection of Bathinda, which will motivate youngsters in adopting Army as a career,” said his maternal granddaughter Ravneet Kaur, who was present on the occasion.

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