The ultimate sacrifice

Reading about the Kargil war heroes in the papers and watching stories on TV, I wonder how brave a person can be. A letter from a solider to his family, knowing that when it reaches them, he will not be alive -- I wonder how a person can prepare for death and even joke about it? How is it that that they do not feel fear, something common to almost everyone... something which drives many of us to astrologers and fortune-tellers. They surely are made of sterner stuff. I admire them for their spirit and courage and more so, their families, who face these ordeals every day, not knowing whether their son will return alive from the battlefield.

I remember a newspaper photograph from the Kargil war, which had reduced me to tears -- of a lady officer saluting the coffin of her husband wrapped in the national tricolour. I wonder what emotions she must have felt at that time. Was she allowed to show them? Could her grief be made public? Did she have children who would never see their father again?

Most of the Kargil martyrs were young men. I recall reading about them in the newspapers 10 years ago. One of them wrote a letter to his family, saying he would be enjoying with the 'apsaras' by the time it reached them.. Showing admirable spirit, an injured young soldier urged his colleagues to move ahead.. I remember the words he had used - 'yeh dil maange more'.

Watching the soldiers' families on TV last night, I wonder how brave people can be, how do they prepare to defend the country... People think army men enjoy many benefits. So what? Army men also lay down their lives for the country.. Can we give up our comfortable lives to live in sub-zero temperatures day in and day out, in peace time, and during conflict, fight bloody wars and possibly never see our families again. Our soldiers are special. They deserve our respect. And so do their families, who send their sons to the army again and again, taking pride in being the parents of martyrs. Like an army officer says in the film Lakshya, no solider wants war, he is just guarding his nation. Making the ultimate sacrifice...