Tawang War Memorial: Honoring the unsung heroes of the 1962 India-China War

The Tawang War Memorial, a pride of Tawang, is a 40-foot high memorial dedicated to the martyrs of the 1962 Sino-Indian war. This memorial, locally referred to as the ‘Namgyal Chortan’ has names of 2420 dead soldiers etched in gold on 32 black granite plaques.


This war memorial, blessed by the Dalai Lama is nestled among picturesque snow-capped peaks overlooking the imposing Tawang-Chu valley. This scenic location ensures that the tourists get a chance to soak in the pristine nature, while admiring the deeds of the Indian soldiers.


The memorial is flanked by two memorial halls – one housing the personal artifacts of the martyrs, while the other is used for a sound and light show in the evening that depicts the heroic deeds of the martyrs.


As one spends more time inside this memorial, you will get to understand the fact that the jawans stood their ground against the Chinese assault for 31 days before giving up their life in honor of the nation. The jawans fought valiantly despite inadequate logistics back-up, which made them fight in cotton uniforms at sub-zero temperatures and with just 50 rounds of ammunition per rifle.


This pride of Tawang is bound to touch the heart of every visitor and makes for a great visit while on a holiday to Tawang.