India and China resumed diplomatic relations in 1978, but the vexed question of territorial boundaries continues to date. But the tension in Indo-China relation was at its worst when China began its well-planned aggression on Indian soil in the late fifties.

By October, 1962, India was at war with China. In fact, on October 26, 1962, the centre announced that ``India is being put on a war footing to face the Chinese menace.'' Indian president Dr. Radhakrishnan even proclaimed a state of emergency. Following this announcement, India went into hyperactivity in order to put an end to the two-pronged Chinese aggression in the then North Eastern Frontier Agency (now, Arunachal Pradesh) and Ladakh.

Overnight, a 31-member National Defence Council headed by the then Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru was set up to monitor the rapid development at the border. In fact, the Chinese troops made inroads into the Indian territory - they occupied Tawang in NEFA and inched towards Chaushal in Ladakh. The Indian soldiers' progress was severely hampered by lack of warm clothing and difficulty to acclimatize to the hilly and cold ranges where the battles were raging.

To tide over this, the then finance minister Morarji Desai flagged off the National Defence Fund with an appeal to the people to contribute generously in rupees, gold and/or gold ornaments. And, people contributed with patriotic fervour.

Mr S. P. Jain announced a contribution of Rs 5 lakhs to the National Defence Council. Mrs Shanti Prasad Jain donated ornaments etc. of about 200 tolas of gold for the cause. The Times of India collected funds for the National Defence Fund. All collected fund was handed over to the Citizens' Defence Committee, Bombay.