Lansdowne to be renamed Jaswantgarh

Source: The Hindu

Context : 

1. The town was named after Lord Lansdowne.
2. Now a decision to change the name of town has been taken by Lansdowne Cantonment Board.
3. Proposed name for this hill station is Jaswantgarh.

Lord Lansdowne

• He was a british politician also known as Henry Charles Keith Petty-Firzmaurice.
• During 1888 to 1894, he served as Viceroy of India.
• After this he also served as the Governor General of Canada.
• In UK, He was the Leader of the House of Lords and also served as secretary of State for War and Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs.
• He is given credit for supressing Manipur Rebellion of 1891.
• He also perpetuated divide and rule policy and promoted Hindu-Muslim divide.

Lansdowne Cantonment

1. This cantonment is located in the district of Pauri Garhwal of Uttarakhand
2. In 1886, a decision to raise a separate Regiment of the Garhwalis was taken on the recommendation of Commander-in-Chief India.
3. Kalundanda, a forest area 6,000 feet above sea level was selected as a Cantonment site and centre for the training of Garhwal Rifles.
4. In 1887, Subsequently First Battalion of the Garhwal Rifles moved into Kalundanda.
5. In 1890, this place was named Lansdowne after Lord Henry Lansdowne.
6. It has a total area of 1503.8 acres and a population of 5,667 civilians and military personnel.
7. It is a Category III cantonment.

Rifleman Jaswant Singh

1. Rifleman Jaswantgarh, a member of 4th Battalion of the Garhwal Rifles, is a war hero of 1962 war and a recipient of Maha Vir Chakra.
2. He was awarded the second highest gallantry award due to his role against the People's Liberation Army of China in Battle of Nuranang during 1962 war
3. The battle was fought in the North-East Frontier Agency, current Arunachal Pradesh.
4. During an attack involving Chinese medium machine gun, he volunteered to fight and seized this medium machine gun.
5. In the process he neutralised the Chinese detachment of five sentries but injured seriously.
6. He finally succumbed to his injuries and posthumously awarded Maha Vir Chakra.