About this stamp
The Highest Battlefield
India Post issued this ₹5 stamp on 25 October 2019 in honour of the soldiers who hold the Siachen Glacier, often called the highest battlefield in the world. In the Balti language sia means wild rose and chen place: the wild roses that grow near the snout of the glacier give it its name.
The Glacier
The glacier runs about 76.4 km south-east from Indira Col to the source of the Nubra River, between the Saltoro Ridge to the west and the Karakoram to the north and east. The Saltoro Range has four important passes: Sia La, Bilafond La, Chulung La and Gyong La. The area lies between 12,000 and 21,000 feet and is under snow all year.
Operation Meghdoot
Before 1984 neither India nor Pakistan held the area. In 1983–84, according to India Post, Pakistan raised a force to occupy the Saltoro watershed; India pre-empted it with Operation Meghdoot, launched on 13 April 1984, and has held the glacier since. The soldiers who serve there, the Siachen Warriors, have won one Param Vir Chakra, one Ashok Chakra, five Mahavir Chakras, eight Kirti Chakras and 35 Vir Chakras among other awards. More than 1,050 have died there from the weather and enemy action.
On the Stamp
Two roped soldiers climb across the ice of the glacier, on a blue background. It was designed by Gulistaan; 600,238 were printed by wet offset at the Security Printing Press, Hyderabad.
For More Information
Read more here:
