Where legends never die: Story of helmet, a hero and wars India remembers

In a drawing room at a house in Jalandhar, there is a helmet with two bullet holes in it – it’s called the “The Unknown Soldier".

The helmet belonged to one of the Indian soldiers who valiantly fought China at the Dhola Post in the historic 1962 battle of Thagla Ridge – marking the start of the 1962 Sino-Indian war. At the village of Kangniwal in Jalandhar, where drone debris was found just days ago, the legend of martyr Kewal Singh is still fondly recalled, a soldier who killed seven to eight Chinese soldiers with just a rifle’s butt after he ran out of ammo and martyred in the process.

As former soldiers, war veterans and residents, who were boys in 1962 and 65 and 71 (Indo-Pak wars), spotted drones for the first time, it woke up in them a spirit last felt years ago.

Hailing from Pandori village in Kapurthala and witnessing the 1962 Sino-Indian war as an eight-year-old kid, Major General Balwinder Singh (retd), had been posted (then as Captain) at the Dhola Post in 1986, as Company Commander (Engineer) of the Infantry Brigade, to thwart a Chinese incursion.

The General said, “The Indian troops posted at the Dhola Post had been caught offguard by a major Chinese onslaught in 1962, but the handful of men bravely held off the initial Chinese assault despite many casualties. We had only heard tales about them. While deputed at the post in 1986, we saw several skeletons and a helmet which had two bullet holes in it. Our brigade’s operation was successful. But I brought back the helmet with me, named it “The Unknown Soldier". He has accompanied me wherever I go. It fills me with humility and pride for our forces."

Having witnessed the 1962 war as a kid at his village Pandori and 1971 war as student at Amritsar (often sighting Pak planes flying overhead), the General says, “The war dynamics have completely changed in 2025. Warfare now is based on real time information and unprecedented accuracy. We have all witnessed drone warfare above our skies for the first time. The real time information earlier was all manual – depending on men on the ground. What, however, remains unchanged is the courage of Indian forces, who responded firmly to the Pak offensive everytime. Recent exchanges yet again underscored India’s military strength."

Kangniwal historian Chiranji Lal Kangniwal said, “I was in Jalandhar during the 62 and 71 wars. In the Sino-Indian war, soldier Kewal Singh, hailing from Kotli Than Singh, married to our village’s girl, got very famous after he was martyred upon killing several Chinese soldiers with a rifle butt, when he ran out of bullets. Many government events were held at the village in his honour and songs were sung. In those wars, bombs were dropped at Gadaipur (now Industrial Focal Point) and Alamgir near Bhogpur where many people died."

Sandeep Singh, grandson of Lt Gen Bikram Singh who hailed as “Hero of Ladakh", said, “I have been bred on tales of my father’s valour. The recent escalation has showed us the strength of our forces. However, the social media mess was uncalled for. Being insulated from the war has made people non-serious over situations like this. People joked and violated blackouts. The armed forces are the backbone of our country, they must be respected."

Sandeep’s grandfather Lt Gen Bikram Singh was among the five top defence personnel of the country who lost their lives in the tragic Poonch copter crash on November 22, 1963, the day US President John F Kennedy was assassinated.

Jalandhar