Lieutenant Colonel Kushal Chand, MVC, was an officer of the Indian Army and one of the notable officers associated with the defence of Ladakh during the Indo-Pakistan War of 1947-48.
He was born on 26 September 1919 at Gemoor Khar in Lahaul, then part of Kangra district in the Punjab Province of British India and today within Lahaul-Spiti district of Himachal Pradesh. He belonged to the ruling family of Lahaul and was the elder son of Thakur Mangal Chand.
Kushal Chand was commissioned into the 2nd Battalion, Dogra Regiment (2 Dogra) on 15 September 1941. During the Indo-Pakistan War of 1947-48, he volunteered to proceed to Ladakh along with a small group associated with 2 Dogra.
In February 1948, Kushal Chand was one of two officers who volunteered to go to Leh to assist in raising a local militia force and organising the defence of the Ladakh Valley. He served as second-in-command of the group led by Thakur Prithi Chand.
With only a small force consisting of a platoon of Jammu and Kashmir State Forces and 20 Dogra volunteers, Kushal Chand conducted guerrilla operations against the advancing Pakistani forces. His small force deliberately created the impression that a much larger Indian force was present in the area.
One of the notable actions took place at the Khaltsi Bridge. Kushal Chand and one companion held the bridge for approximately 24 hours. During the night, while his companion provided covering fire from the opposite bank, Kushal Chand crawled down to the bridge and set it on fire. The destruction of the bridge delayed the enemy's advance for approximately another week.
Throughout the Ladakh operations, he repeatedly travelled between forward positions and Leh despite the absence of reliable communications. His force operated with severe shortages of rations, ammunition and artillery support, yet continued to delay and disrupt the enemy advance.
For his courage, leadership and personal daring during the defence of Ladakh, Major Kushal Chand was awarded the Maha Vir Chakra. The award was gazetted on 26 January 1950.
Kushal Chand was promoted to Lieutenant Colonel in 1953 and subsequently took command of the 9th Battalion, Dogra Regiment. After completing his command tenure, he was deputed to serve as an Indian member of the International Armistice Commission for Indochina.
On 9 April 1957, while serving in the Indochina mission, Lieutenant Colonel Kushal Chand was killed when a Laos Air Service light aircraft crashed near Sam Neuam, Laos. His death occurred years after the 1947-48 war and was not a battlefield death associated with his Maha Vir Chakra action.