SURYAPET: A statue of Colonel Bikumalla Santosh Babu, who died in the Chinese army attack at Galwan Valley in eastern Ladakh in last year, was unveiled at his hometown in Suryapet by Telangana IT Minister K T Rama Rao on Tuesday also marking the anniversary of the deadly skirmish between the Indian and Chinese soldiers.

Colonel Babu a commanding officer of the 16 Bihar regiment, was among 20 Indian soldiers who laid down their lives in the fierce hand-to-hand combat on June 15 last year in the Galwan Valley, an incident that marked one of the most serious military conflicts between the two sides in decades.

It maybe recollected that the Telangana government gave Rs 5 crore as ex-gratia to Santosh Babu's family, besides a government (Group-I) job to his wife and a residential plot in Hyderabad. Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao had personally visited the residence of Col Babu and offered condolences.

భారత్ ‌- చైనా సరిహద్దులో విధులు నిర్వర్తిస్తూ అమరుడైన వీర జవాన్ కల్నల్ సంతోష్ బాబు విగ్రహాన్నిసూర్యాపేట కోర్టు చౌరస్తాలో ఆవిష్కరించిన మంత్రులు శ్రీ @KTRTRS, శ్రీ @jagadishTRS. ఈ కార్యక్రమంలో పాల్గొన్న కల్నల్ సంతోష్ బాబు కుటుంబసభ్యులు. pic.twitter.com/tovPc5JbOE
— TRS Party (@trspartyonline) June 15, 2021

The Chief of Army Staff Gen MM Naravane on Tuesday led the force in hailing the valour of the 20 soldiers who laid down their lives while defending the country's territorial integrity in the face of "unprecedented" Chinese aggression at the Galwan Valley in eastern Ladakh a year ago.
On the first anniversary of the deadly clashes, the Army said the supreme sacrifice of the soldiers while fighting the adversary in the "most difficult" high altitude terrain will be "eternally etched" in the memory of the nation.

Colonel Santosh Babu was awarded the Mahavir Chakra posthumously by the Indian Army.

15 Jun 2020#Galwan

Colonel Bikumalla Santosh Babu displayed conspicuous #gallantry, exemplary #leadership and firm determination in the face of the enemy in the best traditions of the #IndianArmy. Posthumously awarded #MahaVirChakra https://t.co/f38Xia9slX pic.twitter.com/5IAvcnYlXq
— ADG PI - INDIAN ARMY (@adgpi) June 15, 2021