By Tenzin Lhaksam,
Phayul Reporter
Dharamsala, October 17 – A Tibetan soldier lost his life while defending Indian borders on October 11. Kelsang Dorjee, 24, a Tibetan soldier of Vikas III, was stationed with 14 Corps at Battalic Sector, near the Line of Control. He was shot in exchange of firing between Pakistan and India near the LOC.
Kelsang Dorjee breathed his last at 1.50 AM on 11 October. His body was brought from Ladakh on the 12th to Chandigarh. The body was kept at the Allaha cantonment between Palampur and Baijnath till 15th since 14th was not fit for his cremation according to Tibetan astrology.
On the morning of 15th, his body was brought to Bir Tibetan settlement and kept in the community hall for the public to pay their last respects to the martyr.
He was then cremated at the crematorium of the Tibetan settlement in the presence of Lt. Col. Pema of the Special Frontier Force and the Commanding Officer from the Allaha cantonment, Ven. Yeshi Chodak, additional secretary of the Department of Security, settlement officers of Bir Tibetan settlement and Chauntra Tibetan settlement.
24 rounds of gun salute were shot in the air as a guard of honour. The sight of Tibetan national flag and the Indian national flag flapping side by side gave pride to the local Tibetans who attended the funeral of the young Tibetan youth whose sacrifice once again proved that the Tibetans are ever grateful to India, their adopted country.
The only son of Dawa of Bir Tibetan Woollen works society, Kelsang had been in the army for four years.
