Jotirmay Thapliyal

Tribune News Service

Dehradun, May 31

Kirti Chakra awardee and second World War veteran Lt Col Inder Singh Rawat (104) is no more. He breathed his last in Dehradun during morning hours on Thursday. His last rites were performed in Hardwar later in the day. Col Rawat was awarded Kirti Chakra in 1957 for effective tackling insurgency in the northeast.Hailing from Bageli village in Thalisen block of Pauri Garhwal district, Col Rawat did his primary schooling from the village school. He further went to Khirshu to study middle classes. Later, he went to Pauri town, where he did his high school from a Messmore Missionary school.Joining the forces in other ranks in Garhwal Rifles, he participated in the World War II and was involved in action in East Africa. Through his sheer hard work and determination, he got commissioned in the then Burma Infantry in his forties in the pre-independence era. He later joined Royal Garhwal Rifles after country’s independence.The best of Lt Col Rawat was still to come. In the fifties, then as Major posted with Assam Rifles, he was awarded Kirti Chakra for his ability in effectively tacking insurgency in the northeast. Kirti Chakra was bestowed on him on the independence day of 1957. In 1962 Indo-China war, he successfully commanded the 4 Garhwal Rifles in Arunachal sector.Even after retiring from military service in 1966, Col Rawat was in the forefront working for the welfare of ex-servicemen in the state. He also actively contributed in social causes. Lt Col Rawat was an inspiration for many. That was not due to just his act of bravery as army officer but also because of his physical fitness level. He was active even till his last days. In Feb 2014, he celebrated his 100th birthday with the Garhwal Rifles Officers Association specially felicitating him in grand style.The late Lt Col Rawat is survived by his son Brig RS Rawat (retd). The Rawat family resides in the Race Course locality of Dehradun. Ex-servicemen fraternity and Pauri Garhwal’s Raath Jan Vikas Samiti has expressed grief over passing away of Lt Col Rawat and expressed their condolences to the bereaved family.