By Tsering Dhundup
DHARAMSHALA, Sept 5: A road in Bir Tibetan Settlement in northern Indian state of Himachal Pradesh has officially been named in memory of Tibetan soldier Kalsang Dorjee who died during an Indian army operation in 2003. The inauguration ceremony took place on Saturday where MLA of Baijnath and Chief Parliamentary Secretary, Shri Kishori Lal attended the event.
Sepoy Kalsang Dorjee, bearing Army Service number 69729 served in Bravo Company, 3 Vikas, Special Frontier Force (SFF). The soldier who hailed from Bir Tibetan settlement sacrificed his life in the line of duty during an operation at point 4438 on the Line of Actual Control (LAC) at Sub Sector Battalik, “OP RAKSHAK,” in Jammu and Kashmir on October 12, 2003, at the age of 23.
Tibetans laying their lives during action while serving in the Special Frontier Force (SFF) of the Indian Army is not new; Late Special Frontier Force (SFF) Deputy leader Tenzin Norbu went missing during duty at Siachen Glacier, believed to have lost his life in a sudden avalanche. Another hero, late SFF soldier Nyima Tenzin, tragically passed away in a landmine explosion during an operation in 2020.
The Special Frontier Force, also known as the ’22 establishment,’ is an elite paramilitary force formed in 1962, comprising Tibetan refugee recruits by India. Over the years, SFF soldiers have played vital roles in numerous critical operations, including Operation Eagle (securing Chittagong hills during the Bangladesh War of 1971), Operation Meghdoot (securing the Siachen glacier in 1984), and Operation Vijay (against Pakistan at Kargil in 1999), among others where many have died. Their latest exploits in Ladakh near the Indo-Tibetan border made national and international headlines last year.
Tenzin Namgyal, the head of the society registrar BTS told Phayul that the project in honour of Shaheed Kalsang Dorjee was diligently pursued by the heads of the Bir Tibetan Society. Their efforts culminated at the end of January when they obtained the necessary permissions from the authorities to bestow this tribute. The installation of a gate was also executed in accordance with the relevant laws.
During the inauguration ceremony, MLA Kishori Lal underscored the deep bond between the Indian and Tibetan communities, emphasizing the spirit of brotherhood that unites them. Local dignitaries and members of the local Indian community were present to pay their respects and witness the road’s official dedication to the memory of Sepoy Kalsang Dorjee.
