A tale of two Sonam Wangchuks

Two Sonam Wangchuks have done India proud in recent times—one a soldier, the other a civilian. Both have fought, or been fighting, battles to save their native Ladakh for India. One got a Maha Vir Chakra and retired as a colonel. The other got a Magsaysay and is in jail.

- By R. PRASANNAN

First about the soldier. Sonam joined the Army in 1987, fought insurgents in the northeast and the LTTE in Sri Lanka, and was posted to Ladakh Scouts as a major when the Kargil war broke out. There he scored the first victory for the Indian Army by capturing Chorbat La, earning an MVC.

The Kargil war was all about saving Ladakh. Pakistanis had occupied the heights in the winter of 1998-99, and were firing at Indian convoys carrying food, fuel and firearms up the highway to Ladakh. Their plan, which was to cut India's main supply line and capture Ladakh, was foiled because two Ladakhi yak-herds alerted the Army about the intrusion. The timely alert enabled India to launch operations before the enemy came in force.