LT COL KAMAN SINGH, MVC

                                              Kaman Singh, the man who was born to lead.

          He was born on 23 April 1917 to Dafadar Vijai Singh Pathania, a Dogra Rajput from Ladori village of Nurpur town in Kangra District of Himachal Pradesh (then East Punjab). Dafadar Vijay Singh had served with 23rd Cavalry during World War I in the Mesopotamia Campaign.

         Young Kaman Singh continued the family tradition and joined Indian Army as a Sowar in Hodson’s Horse on 23 April 1935. He served with Hodson horse till Jun 1937 and after that he was sent to Kitchner’s College, Nowgong for military training to seek entry in to Indian Army as an officer. Soon he was selected for IMA, Dehradun along with 12 cadets including Tikka Khan (who later became General and commanded Pak Army} Kaman was sent to Indian Military Academy in July 1939 for military training after 18 months of rigorous training.    

       On December 22, 1940, he was commissioned into the 5th Battalion the Dogra Regiment till April 1941 and was transferred to 17th Dogra. During this tenure, he participated in World War II in the Burma Campaign from 1944 to 1945 and for his deeds, he was awarded Mention in Despatches and from May 1946 to July 1947, he served under South East Asia Command. In July 1947, he was transferred again, and this  time to 4th Dogra.  

       In October 1947, the war broke out and on 16 January 1948 Major Kaman Singh was transferred to the 3rd battalion the Royal Garhwal Rifles where he was the 2IC of the unit for a month.  On 16 February 1948, at the very young age of 31 years, LT Col Kaman Singh took over the command of 3rd Royal Garhwal Rifles from Lt Col LS Negi and commanded the battalion in Uri Sector.

        During war operations, the 3rd Royal Garhwal Rifles was given the task of capturing Trehgan Ridge. Lt Col Kaman Singh led from the front and attacked against heavy enemy resistance. Again, on 17 Jun he was given the task of carrying out an attack with his battalion less two companies on a strongly held enemy position on the Buni Ridge, Tithwal.  In the heavy enemy fire, the attack was carried out.

       Soon, Kaman Singh and his men were left with very little or no ammunition, Kaman Singh had only one bullet left in his revolver which he had kept for himself in case if he got captured but suddenly, he saw a Lt Col of Pak Army named Qadar Khan, he shot him dead and the enemy troops fled as their CO was killed.

        Soon, reinforcements came and the enemy also put three successive counter attacks with large numbers of troops. All these attacks were thwarted by the Gharhwali with heavy losses to the enemy. Throughout the operation. Lt Col Kaman Singh’s command was highly professional and his example of leading from the front, bravery and courage were of an exceptional order which led him to win the second highest gallantry award the Mahavir  Chakra. 

       The 3rd Battalion under the leadership of Lt Col Kaman Singh participated in the 1947-48 operations with distinction. They won the battle Honour of Tithwal and became one of the most decorated battalions of the Indian Army in any one operation won 1 MVC, 18 VrC, 1 Ashoka Chakra Cl III and 19

        Mention in Despatches. From 10 Aug 1949 to 10 Aug 1950, he was sent to Infantry School Mhow as Instructor Class A, OC Weapons Wing. Lt Col Kaman Singh became one of the finest Commanding Officers of his time at such a young age. His leadership skills and strategic planning were of the top quality.

        In early fifties when militancy in Nagaland started to grow, Kaman Singh was handpicked to command the 6 Kumaon at the age of 33 and on 18 August 1950 he was transferred to 6 Kumaon in Shillong where his unit took part in anti- insurgency under control in Naga Hills.  In his tenure, 6 Kumaon and Officers like HS Virk DSO, MVC and 2/Lt Shaitan Singh {later PVC} served under him. 

       His tenure as CO 6 Kumaon completed on 3 May 1953 and soon he took over the command of  6 Assam Rifles in Agartala on 4 June 1953, where he continued to take part in anti- militancy operations.

       At a young age of 39 he had already commanded 3 different units and later on 3 July 1956, he was chosen to take over the command of 3 Kumaon Rifles and was posted in Uri Sector in J&K.  On 15 July 1956, during a visit to a High Altitude Post, he had tea on his way and just in a few minutes he collapsed and he sacrificed his life for the honor of the country at the young age of 39 years.Igh ltitude post he had dte on klnhis wy land jjust in a few minmutes he lkcolllapased and sacrificedfnhislife klfor sthe k

       The name of Lt Col Kaman Singh, MVC lives on in the form of KAMAN AMAN SETU, the crossing point opened up between J&K and POK. He is not only remembered as a great soldier and leader but also as a person of kindness and charity, whenever he used to go home on leave, he would spend his  salary on doing charity and helping the poor at village Ladori.

·                         Lt Col Kaman Singh was married to Mrs. Dayawanti, who passed away on 21 Sep             2020 at the age of 96 years and the couple was blessed with three sons and one daughter             named Lt Col NS Pathania, Lt Col DS Pathania, Mr. Kamaljit Singh Pathania, Mrs. Sarita           Rana. Both of his sons who were in the Indian Army, participated in the 1971                   Bangladesh Liberation War.. 

                  Kaman Bridge was damaged by an earthquake in October 2005 and it was repaired            and the administration and the Govt forgot the historic deeds of the Great Soldier and                  renamed the bridge as Aman Setu substituting the name Kaman with Aman hurt the                    sentiments of many people including the family of Lt Col Kaman Singh, MVC. After a lot         of efforts from the family of Lt Col Kaman Singh, the name of the bridge was restored to           its original name Kaman Aman Setu.

     Lt Col Kaman Singh left a great legacy behind and he will be remembered as one of the finest Commanding Officers of the Indian Army.