Gallant officer (1913-1947)
Dewan Ranjit Rai was born on 6 February 1913 in Gujranwala, now in Pakistan, and was educated at the Bishop Cotton School, Shimla. General P. N. Thapar, former Chief of Army Staff, was his maternal uncle. Faced with invasion by more than 5,000 tribesmen from Pakistan, Maharaja Hari Singh sent an urgent appeal to India on 24 October 1947 for military help. He signed the Instrument of Accession on 26 October, and the Indian Army rushed to Kashmir.
The only unit in Delhi then was 1 Madras. It was considered inappropriate to send it as its commanding officer (CO) was an English man. Instead, 1 Sikh was detailed for the task. The unit was deployed all over Gurgaon for internal security duties and only by late evening of 26 October, battalion HQ with two companies could be assembled at Delhi airport. Major (later Lt General) S. K. Sinha of HQ Delhi and East Punjab Command came to the airport. Latest information of the raiders was not available. Even the information of strength and location of state troops available was as known 36 hours earlier.
The status of Srinagar airfield was not clear. The instructions were to return to Jammu if the Srinagar airfield had been run over. Battalion HQ and two companies took off in Dakota aircrafts at 5.30 a.m. on 27th morning and landed at Srinagar at 9.30 a.m. Immediately on landing, Rai realised that it was imperative to hold and oppose the enemy as far away from the airfield as possible. He planned a series of delaying actions to gain time for additional troops to arrive. Rai sent one company under Captain Kamaljit Singh to Baramula in whatever transport he could get. The other company under Major Harwant Singh MC carried out a flag march in Srinagar city to build up the confidence amongst the people.
Kamaljit saw smoke columns rising in Baramula town and realised that it had fallen to the raiders. It was ransacked by the raiders on 26 October. They could have easily reached Srinagar before the arrival of Indian troops if they had not wasted two days in plunder. Kamaljit took up defences at Mile 32. He had no mines or defence stores, and only a few digging tools. After the flag march, Harwant deployed one platoon each at air field and Sopore Bridge over Jhelum and joined Kamaljit at Mile 32 in the early hours of 28 October. Col. Rai waited at the air field for the remaining unit. He had no communication with his companies as the aircraft carrying the equipment had developed a snag and was diverted to Jammu. He gave instructions for the remaining companies to move to Mile 32 and went there himself. He sent a message to Army HQ to send more troops. The two remaining companies had also reached and Rai went forward next morning to deploy them.
At about 11.30 a.m., a large number of enemy troops supported by machine gun and mortar fire attacked the 1 Sikh position. Bitter fighting ensued and the attack was repulsed. The enemy started an outflanking move and cut off the 1 Sikh position from the rear. Rai decided to move the unit to a position 8 km nearer to Srinagar. He ordered his unit to withdraw to the new position, which they did with skill and in good order. While seeing the last of the rearguard, a stray bullet hit Rai in the head and he was killed instantaneously. A gallant son of India fell. He was awarded MVC (posthumous) and was the first recipient of this award. He was also the first officer to lay down his life for the motherland after Independence. The enemy mounted a series of full blooded attacks to the beat of drums but was unable to dislodge the Sikhs. Rai’s deeds had set the stage for the next battle at Shellatang when the invaders were routed.
Rai’s family had a rough time as the pension took a long time to fructify. His name was missing at the war memorial which came up later in Chandigarh, and was inscribed later due to the efforts of the family.