Pictures are great like
the one below ~ it is picturesque mountainview
of Dras, situated about 60 km
away from Kargil, on the road to Srinagar.
Pic
credit : http://www.namasteindiatrip.com
Popularly known as ‘The
Gateway to Ladakh’, Dras is the coldest inhabited place in India and the second
coldest inhabited place in the world (Siberia being the first). The mountain
village of Dras first came into the limelight in the year 1999, when Pakistan
Army incursions led to the Kargil War with India. It is a great sight or
perhaps a good visit as a tourist, certainly not the best place to live .. ..
especially for those jawans who brave the cold, unfriendly weather conditions
and .. .. and being single and alone with none in vicinity for many kilo
meters, waiting for provisions to be air-dropped once a while – research says
that it could drive tough men mad !! -
and at such heights stands our ARMY JAWANS protecting us – allowing us the
freedom of expression in social media ..
~ and
from there they get redeployed in civil areas when natural calamities or other
disturbances occur – they don’t have a name – they don’t try to claim credit
for what they do – yet they meticulously perform the task bringing in normalcy –
then politicians take over clammering for mikes to claim that they have done
things for the common man !!!
The Indian Army
has time and again lived up to its tradition of valour, heroism, sacrifice and
fortitude. It stands vigil along the border, watchful, prepared for any
sacrifice so that the people of the country may live in peace and with honour.
The Indian Army is that and much more. Spirit of Selfless Sacrifice The tradition is never to question, but to
do or die for the three "Ns"; Naam, i.e.
name-honour- of the unit/Army/Nation, 'Namak'(salt) i.e. loyalty to the Nation,
and 'Nishan', i.e. the insignia or flag
of his unit/regiment/Army/Nation which the soldiers hold afloat willingly.
From
adequate road infrastructure for movement of troops and supplies to new types
of tunnel defences and a high technology surveillance apparatus, India has
moved on from the Kargil war 19 years ago, even though intelligence inputs
suggest that not much has changed on the Pakistani side of the Line of Control
(LoC), writes Economic Times. While
basic facilities like regular water supply and electricity remain a problem,
troops have access to more comfortable lodging and an adequate stocking of
ration and medical equipment during winters so that even posts located at
altitudes ranging from 12,000 feet to over 18,000 feet are not vacated in the
winter season, which lasts for about six to seven months. Made-in-India thermal
insoles, snow goggles, ice axes, boots, mountaineering equipment, and sleeping
bags are to be provided to soliders stationed in Siachen and Doklam. India, spends
Rs 800 crore annually to import extreme Cold Weather Clothing System (ECWCS)
and mountaineering kits, has okayed a project to manufacture specialised
clothing, sleeping kits, and equipment for armymen deployed in the world's
highest and most dangerous battlefield - Siachen. The government has decided to
produce the military equipment indigenously to boost the Make-in-India
initiative.
The Neelam River
originates from Krishansar Lake in the vicinity of Sonamarg and runs northwards
to Badoab village where it meets a tributary from the Dras side and runs
westwards along the Line of Control in Jammu and Kashmir. It is is 245 kilometers long, covers 50 kilometers
in Jammu and Kashmir and the remaining 195 kilometers in Kashmir now occupied
by Pakistan.
It was a
poignant scene at the village of paratrooper Mukut Bihari Meena who died
fighting the militants in Kupwara, when his five-month-old daughter sat on his
coffin and lay on it when his body arrived. The scene left everyone teary eyed
and the Jhalawar district collector penned down an emotional letter to the
girl.
Jhalawar district is one
of the 33 districts of Rajasthan state, bounded
by Kota, Baran, Guna, Rajgarh &
Shajapur districts. The district is part of Kota division. The former ruling
family of Jhalawar belonged to the Jhala family of Rajputs. At Kota Madhu
Singh, a Jhala Rajput became a favorite with the Maharaja, and received from
him an important post, which became hereditary. On the death of one of the Kota
rajas (1771), the state was left to the charge of Jhala Zalim Singh, a
descendant of Madhu Singh. Under his administration, which lasted over
forty-five years, the Kota territory was respected by all parties. In 1838 AD,
British intervention and internal politics resulted with the decision to
dismember the Kota state, and to create the new principality of Jhalawar.
When last
rites of army commando Mukut Bihari Meena, who was martyred in the forests of
Kupwada during an encounter, was carried with full state honours at his native
place, Ladaniya village in the Jhalawar district of Rajasthan – there was the
picture, a very sad one of his 5 month old daughter on the coffin ! turning everyone emotional, leaving onlookers teary-eyed as villagers, representatives of
the Armed Forces and the Rajasthan government paid homage to the brave soldier. The Dist Collector too was present. Mr
Jitendra soni, the Collector of Jalawar Dist penned down an emotional letter to
the infant.. Addressing the letter to Meena’s Aaru, Soni
highlighted how people were emotional seeing the innocent child laying on the
tricolour covered coffin.
“You sat on the coffin and
lied on that without crying. Moments before, you had seen the face of your
father. It was very emotional,” read a line from his letter written in Hindi.
“I and all the Army officers were watching you doing this and I know every one
of us was thinking in our own respective ways but your innocence and your
father were at the centre of our thoughts,” the letter read. “Not only this
area, but the blessings of every responsible and sensible citizen of the entire
country with you. Grow well and make your father’s glorious martyrdom your
pride,” Soni added.
Remember
– let us say this to ourselves, every morning, irrespective of whichever party
rules the Nation – it is the supreme valour, courage and sacrifice of those
Jawans which allow us the liberty of enjoying life, living peacefully – and for
this we are indebted to Indian Army, those nameless Jawans – let us always
respect, love and regard them in every speech and action.
A top Army officer had an
interesting point to make while speaking about the reported alienation of
Kashmiri youth. If everybody is alienated in Kashmir, then why do such a huge
number youth join the Indian Army, Lieutenant General Satish Duo asked. He was
speaking on the sidelines of a passing out parade at the Jammu and Kashmir
Light Infantry Regimental Training Centre at Rangreth. The details given out by the officer comes as
a relief as the Union Home Ministry had recently said that nearly 82 youth from
Kashmir had joined terror groups this year. The numbers joining army is more
than double-fold .. .. ..
Jai Hind, Jai Jawan
With regards – S.
Sampathkumar
25th Aug 2018.
No comments:
Post a Comment