In October 1947, Pakistani soldiers disguised as members of tribal lashkars attacked Jammu & Kashmir and soon established their stranglehold over vast areas. The first to fall were prosperous cities like Muzaffarabad, Mirpur, Kotli and several others, both in Jammu as also Kashmir regions.
It was only after October 26, 1947, that the Indian Army intervened when Maharaja Hari Singh signed the Instrument of Accession (IoA) to join India. The Kashmir valley was saved in the nick of time due to unparalleled bravery of the troops of 1 Sikh who landed at Srinagar airport in Dakotas on October 27 morning. They stood their ground, and defended the airport till more Indian troops landed, repulsed and pushed back the marauding Pakistanis. The vast Poonch and Rajouri districts of the Jammu region were not so lucky as they fell into enemy hands.
For several months, they remained with the Pakistanis and even today large parts of them are with the enemy. At that critical juncture, the Indian Army did not have enough troops for induction into these battles. An extraordinary soldier that he was, Brigadier Usman defended and fought valiantly in the Naushera sector of Rajouri. His ingenuity was at display when he recruited 12- to 16-year-old boys from Nowshera area to work as volunteer dispatch riders! These boys worked in what was called Bal Sena and their immense contribution to the Army’s task was acknowledged by then Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru.
The Bal Sena, a group of local boys aged 12 to 16, served as dispatch runners for the Indian Army in the critical moments of these battles. Pandit Nehru honoured the Bal Sainiks, presenting them with gramophones, watches, and the opportunity to join the Indian Army. Baldev Singh was one such Bal Sainik who enlisted in the Indian Army on November 14, 1950, and served the nation with dedication and valor for nearly three decades. He rose to become a Havaldar and a legendary warrior. He had volunteered to join the Bal Sena Force at the age of 16 and later fought multiple wars with Pakistan.
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