Tibetan soldier Nyima Tenzin, 51, Company Leader of the Special Frontier Force of the Indian army, died in a land mine blast while patrolling along the border in Ladakh on 29 August 2020. Special arrangement
Tibet Sun Online News
ON THE WEB, 3 September 2020
It has now been confirmed that the Tibetan soldier Nyima Tenzin, rank of Company Leader in the Special Frontier Force under the Indian Army, died as the result of a land mine blast on the night of 29 August, Tibet Sun has reliably learned.
He died while he and his juniors were patrolling on the eastern side of the Panggong lake in Ladakh, on the edge of India’s disputed border with China.
Tibet Sun had earlier reported, when the news was just trickling in, that Tenzin died from a gunshot to his neck from the Chinese soldiers.
A junior soldier Tenzin Loden, 24, was critically injured in the same explosion, and is currently undergoing treatment at the military hospital in Ladakh.
Both these soldiers belonged to the 7th Battalion of the Special Frontier Force (SFF), aka “Establishment 22”, a unit under the Indian army made up of Tibetans. Indian soldiers call them the “Vikas Battalion”.
On Tuesday, an army convoy brought the body of Nyima Tenzin in a coffin draped with the Indian flag, and later adorned with a Tibetan flag, to his home in the Tibetan settlement of Choglamsar, close to Ladakh’s capital Leh. The injured Tenzin Loden is from the same settlement.
Nyima Tenzin had 33 years’ service in SFF. He left behind his wife and three children. Cremation ceremony will take place on the morning of 7 September.
It has been reported that the SFF soldiers launched a counterattack to repel the Chinese intrusion, and conquered the Black Top Hill that had been occupied by Chinese soldiers. More than 30 soldiers of China’s Peoples Liberation Army (PLA) are said to have been injured in the clash.
The Government of India and the Indian army keep silent regarding the Special Frontier Force, which is a covert specially-trained paramilitary unit based in Chakrata, near Dehra Dun, in a mountainous region in northern India. It was established after the Indo-China war in 1962.
The SFF soldiers have fought winning wars for India starting with the 1971 Liberation War of Bangladesh against Pakistan. In 1999 during the Kargil War SFF soldiers captured Tiger Hill from the rival Pakistani soldiers, culminating in victory for India.
Siachen Glacier, the world’s highest battleground, in the Karakoram range at an altitude of 5,753 metres with temperatures of -50 ºC, has SFF soldiers manning the border with Pakistan throughout the year.
The Indian government and the media made no mentions about the Tibetan roles in these wars or reports about the deaths of Tibetan soldiers, or their services in such extreme conditions. The recent clashes against PLA soldiers have received some media attention.
In the past the SFF soldiers had salaries lower than their Indian counterparts. When they retired, they would receive a small lump-sum payment on discharge, instead of pension. Pensions were started after 2009.
However, despite a court order to provide pensions to those who retired before 2009 as well, authorities made discrepancies in the rules. Those who were discharged on medical grounds, widowers of veterans, and those with service of less than 20 years have been discounted from pension schemes. According to the rules, pension is granted to those who have served for 15 years. They are now going from pillar to post to receive pensions like others. Those who retired before 2009 have been given only 45% of what is given to their Indian counterparts.
The only reason this guy stepped on a landmine is because he intruded into the Chinese side. To say otherwise would mean India had allowed China to plant mines on their side, which is quite unbelievable.
WELL DONE TIBET SUN! JOURNALISM IS ALL ABOUT FEARLESS AND BRINGING OUT THE TRUTH, WHAT MAY THE CONSEQUENCES BE, BUT FOR THAT IT SEEM OTHER PSUEDO JOURNALISTS OR MEDIA HOUSE OF TIBET IN INDIA OR DHARAMSALA DOESN’T SEEM TO HAVE BALLS OR COURAGE TO DO THAT.
We appreciate your forefront and boundless journalism unlike others. This is the time when one should write and speak about our Special Frontier Force and their sacrifices made till date. After all these years of services and sacrifices, they aren’t paid equally, recognised, forget about pensions or next to kin benefits of those martyred in action.
We heard case is still going on before Delhi high court for the equal payment of pension for ex special frontier force serviceman. It’s high time now the government of India and its people should recognise the supreme sacrifices these men in uniform has made and still…
Indians now claim that the PLA lost 100s of men in Galwan !!!!!!!
As an aside, does anyone believe that PRC lost 100 men?
This is also a PLA strategem – to let the Indian Cowards gloat – AND NOT TAKE BACK THE OCCUPIED LAND. The Chinese know the Indian Psyche – the psyche of cowards and weasels.
Even in the 1962 rape, by the PLA – the Indians talked of 10000 dead PLA soldiers – and the PLA and PRC, just kept mum !
It is the PLA policy – to allow the Indians to gloat – as the PLA knows the DNA of the Indians ! They will gloat in public and in private – THEY CONCEDED THE LAND TO THE PRC – which is what the PRC always wanted.
The Indians are LYING. There are many more dead and many more are POW and MIA. The PLA is also lying – and their casualties should be near ZERO. The encounter happened on PLA land – and would have been over very soon. Killing 20 men with spikes, is easy chowmein, with Beijing Steamed Duck.
The PLA calculus is that – Indians will gloat over 100/1000 PLA dead (which is a lie) and forget the land taken over by the PLA – in the noise of the lies. They bet that Indians will be conned by the cheap bravado of their politicians ! dindooohindoo
They bet right ! Bingo !
NO ONE IN THE INDIAN MEDIA IS TALKING OF THE LAND ! THEY SALIVATE OVER THE FAKE NEWS OF THE CHINESE PLA DEAD IN GLOBAL TIMES. WHAT IS GLOBAL TIMES ? IT IS LIKE HAARETZ – A MOSSAD OUTPOST !
Sample the DNA of the Indian weasels – They say that PLA has taken over land – WHICH INDIA CLAIMED AS ITS OWN. They say that it was NOT India’s OWN LAND ! Touche !
If PLA is on the heights and the Indians went into PLA zone, for talks – how can 100 PLA be killed ?
At night ? With Night Vision Goggles and Thermal cameras ? Ate there knife
wounds, or wire wounds or stone wounds…
CCP fitty cent.
It’s time for India to discard the obsolete “strategic autonomy” and instead integrate with other partners. Communist China is coercing all countries to its agenda of achieving hegemony. It is using paramilitary forces, militarising disputed features, lands and seas by exploiting its influence of trade and economic levers.
It uses coercive tactics short of war to make its adversaries kowtow to its demand, We are seeing this on the Indo-Tibet border with India. India must have a new doctrine to shape India’s strategic environment. This includes the capacity to deter against India’s interest. India has always thought that when it comes to the Himalayas, it will be only India to face the enemy.
This thinking has let Indian leaders to be compliant to the Chinese until now. Just as India sought assistance from the US in 1962 and America did come to India’s aid, it will do the same now.
The deployment of Tibetan paratroopers and seizing strategic locations is not only land reclamation but it also enhances India’s military power. Power projection is part of the psychological war of dominance and India must show spine to stand its ground and push back Chinese expansionism.
The SFF is a secretive Tibetan military outfit under the PM and RAW. Right from its inception in 1962, it was meant to collect intelligence behind enemy lines and fight the Chinese. This institution must be given a new lease of life and train young Tibetans who are willing to fight for Tibet.
They are best suited for the high altitude warfare since they are used to cold climatic conditions. Besides, either because of their racism or their cowardice, the Chinese have a mortal fear of Tibetans as knife wielding barbarians. They are also aware that Tibetans are a very fierce people.
Nyima Tenzin is dear child of India and Tibet. We always have great respect for Tibet. May be for some political reasons, India may not disclose full details about SFF, but Tibetans are my own brothers and Sisters. We love you.
I think after Modi became PM the pension scheme modified. If you have solid proof about I would ask you to inform Tibet Exile Govt. Via them it will go to PM. Undoubtedly we consider Tibetans as our own blood brothers and sisters. I feel that it was the blunder of then ruled Politicians of India to do nothing for Tibet. Either they were unprepared or dumb about what was going to happen from PLA. If RSS has secret agenda to free Tibet, slowly they will do it. Waiting to see a ‘Free Tibet’ that will be a spiritual realm for the world.
Please start a way to send money to the families of the Tibetan martyr. I suggest an approach to someone like Akshay Kumar or Sonu Sood should be a way to start with.
Be careful in future. You have incorrectly reported the incident. The brave soldier died of a land mine blast while on active duty. I believe you should remove the earlier news article still posted in page.