UK Asian Voice | 6th May 2017
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Rani Singh, Special Assignments Editor
An Indian Hero; Padma Shri Har Mander Singh This is the story of an Indian hero; a Political Officer who was stationed at a particularly place at a particular time in Indian history. Due to his speedy and specific actions, he was able to rescue and bring to safety in India the leader of the Tibetan people; the Dalai Lama.
The Action
The Place
In 1959, the remote and primitive north east part of India (abutting Tibet, Bhutan and China) was known as the North East Frontier Agency. This area was split into six divisions. The westernmost division was called Kameng, and its headquarters was Bomdila. The area had been neglected so as in all its sensitive border zones, India placed a crack force of officers in charge of various regions. These officers were drawn from the army, the police and the forest service. They had a lot to contend with. Kameng, where Har Mander Singh was in charge, had little running
water and no electricity at that time. In Bomdila, he had rudimentary water pipes made of bamboo constructed to bring cold water to houses, which had to be heated up for bathing. His territory consisted mainly of tribal people, chiefly honest, simple Buddhists; the Monpas. This alpine mountainous region can rise to heights of around 15,000 feet and higher; it is fraught with hazards such as landslides and earthquakes. This is the youngest part of the Himalayas and is still shifting, even today.
Shri Har Mander Singh
In March 1959 the Chinese overran Tibet and launched an attack on its capital, Lhasa, where the young Dalai Lama lived. He was the one the Tibetan people referred to as their precious jewel; their god-king. As the People’s Liberation Army of China began to shell the palace where the Dalai Lama stayed, his cabinet and advisers told him that he needed to leave immediately if he was to survive. The Tibetan leadership asked India to grant asylum to His Holiness the Dalai Lama, his family and his cabinet. The request came to the then Indian Prime Minister, Nehru, who passed an instruction to the north east. His instruction, he knew, had to reach Har Mander Singh. At that time wireless communication was not only dismal, given the dra-
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matic terrain, it also had to The route to the border pass through various stagwould take seven days noring posts before it could mally but time was short get to Bomdila. so Singh figured out that a The most important of relay of ponies would these staging posts was probably work best. Ponies Shillong. But by the time could only travel a certain Singh received any distance, so they would be instructions, it was days changed every 12 kilomelate and often incomplete. tres. Singh, himself did not sleep for three days as he Once Singh had been tried to make the journey informed that a “Dignitary” was likely to in as short a time as possienter his territory, Har ble. Mander Singh con“God placed me tacted his assisin this particular tants across place at this Kameng to God placed me time,” he told move forwards us, “So I simply in this in preparation. did my best to particular He also fulfil my duty. I deployed the was not scared place at this main uniand handling time formed personkings was not a nel existing at new thing for that time there; me.” the Assam Rifles. There were not too many The Meeting of them but he asked them to move towards the borHar Mander Singh met der in order to protect the with the Dalai Lama’s Dalai Lama should he mother and youngest arrive in Kameng. brother first as they Then Singh worked out formed an advance party. which route the Dalai He assured them of India’s Lama was most likely to protection from now on. take if he was to enter The place was Lumla, not India. He could either too far from the Indocome through Bhutan, or a Tibetan border. Then the point further east, or the Dalai Lama arrived with border near Lumla. Singh his tutors and cabinet used local intelligence and members. The Dalai Lama acted entirely on his own was weak from chronic initiative. The last route dysentery and the trauma turned out to be the right of the escape. Nonetheless, one. Singh recalls, “His Singh asked the heads Holiness was very tired but of each village along the he was in very good shape way to the Indian border and he was very happy that to place someone in charge he has entered safe in of organising accommodaIndian territory.” tion for the Dalai Lama For his noble work, and his party, to see to first Singh was awarded a aid and injury, food, and Padma Shri the following religious ceremony. year, 1960.
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