The Assault that changed the tide of the battle

Some memories of war never fade. Even after more than five decades, the events of 4th Dec 1971 in the Tangdhar Sector of J&K remain as vivid to me as that cold morning in the mountains.

I was a young officer then, leading an ad hoc commando platoon of the 8th Battalion, The Rajputana Rifles. On the evening of 3rd Dec 1971, as war was declared, our CO, ordered an immediate attack on two objectives: Ghasla Top and Ring Contour.

Through the night, our companies moved along narrow mountain tracks. By early morning, Ghasla Top had been captured. But Ring Contour stood firm, heavily defended and firing relentlessly. Our leading company could go no further.

At first light, I received orders to attack. It was an unusual task. We were a small commando platoon, asked to assault a strongly held position – in broad daylight, across difficult terrain and a suspected minefield. But hesitation was not an option.

Taking a steep and lesser-known route, I led my men forward. From a distance, the enemy position seemed quiet. Believing we had an opportunity, I ordered the charge. What followed was a moment I will never forget.

We rushed through the minefield and straight into the enemy bunkers. In those first few minutes, we managed to overrun several positions. But soon the enemy regrouped. Heavy machine-gun fire came down on us. We began taking casualties. Ammunition started running low. Some of our weapons even failed at a critical moment. Yet, there was no question of pulling back.

We held our ground and closed in, fighting hand-to-hand, shouting our war cry— “Raja Ramchandra Ki Jai!”—with everything we had left. I remember urgently calling for reinforcements. Soon, Bravo Company reached us. Together with the leading troops, we launched one final assault. This time, the enemy could not hold.

At 9.20 am on 4th Dec 1971, we stood on Ring Contour. The Tricolour was raised, and the objective was ours. The capture of Ring Contour opened the gateway to the Lipa Valley in POK, enabling further operations.

Looking back today, I do not remember the fear as much as I remember the resolve of young soldiers who refused to give up despite the odds.

That day, we lived the spirit of our regimental motto:
“Veer Bhogya Vasundhara” — The brave shall inherit the earth.

This is not just my story. It belongs to every soldier who fought there – many of whom never returned. It is for them, and for the generations that follow, that this memory must be told.

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