Vir Chakra (VrC)

Naik Sowam Singh was the Section Commander of a leading section of the company sent out of a fighting patrol in Jundwara area in Kashmir Valley on 13 February 1948. The area was difficult and deeply snow bound. When the patrol reached 

Koralpur, it ran into an enemy ambush. The enemy opened up with heavy automatic fire thus pinning the patrol to the ground. Another enemy party, some 80 men strong, tried to attack the leading section from the other flank shoutingwar cries : "Maro Nara Haidri - Pakistan Zindabad".

Naik Sowarn Singh ordered his section to turn to his flank and himself rushed to his LMG group. Taking the gun himself, he started spraying bullets from his hip and also shouting on top of his voice "Bole So Nihal- Sat Sri Akal". His section mowed down the enemy who had taken up sitting positions over an open stretch of deep snow. The enemy fled in all directions but were caught in the deep snow. Hardly anyone could escape. Suddenly he was hit in the head by a bullet. He fell down and in his delirium kept shouting, "Kill them. Die here but do not let them go back alive:" This inspired his men and they stood their ground in spite of their having lost their leader. 

Naik Sowarn Singh's great courage, leadership and devotion to duty was instrumental in inflicting shattering defeat on the enemy which was ten times the number of his section. His gallant action has been a source of great inspiration to the men in his company who now have a saying "ifyou have to die, die like Sowarn Singh".