The 80-kilometre long Galwan river and the adjoining valley in the north-eastern part of Kashmir, where both Indian and Chinese troops have been in confrontation since early May, are named after the explorer from Leh, Ghulam Rassul Galwan.
From a young age, Ghulam Rassul enjoyed exploring new areas and going out on adventures. In 1890, when Rassul was only 12 years old, he accompanied Captain Francis Edward Younghusband on his expedition to Yarkand.
By the time he was 21, he had followed the previously unknown Galwan river through its course in north-eastern Ladakh.
Later, he was appointed as the caravan in-charge of a British expedition to northern areas of Chang Chenmo valley and was a part of several other French, Italian and British expeditions. Rassul owes his knowledge of two languages, Chinese and English, to these expeditions.
In the introduction to Rassul’s autobiography, Servant of Sahibs, Francis Edward Younghusband wrote, “And he was sensible of the beauty of the great mountains… He came out of the very poorest. He started as a simple village lad. But in every situation he behaved like a gentleman.”
In Rassul's autobiography, he wrote about his unique legendary explorations and his life as a self-taught Ladakhi explorer. He also talks about his family and describes his grandfather as a Robin Hood-like figure who looted from the rich and helped the poor.
In his last years, Rassul was appointed as the Aksakal of Ladakh or Chief Native Assistant of the British Joint Commissioner, which controlled trade of goods and movement of caravans coming from Tibet, mainland India and Turkistan.
His spirited journey is still sung in the valleys of Ladakh and continues to live on through his name.