10. Kargil War

I wrote this article in 2008 to pay my tribute to Kargil War Heroes. The article highlights the impact of Kargil War, fought in 1999, on India’s present.

All the soldiers who have died in the Kargil War were not associated with me but now there loss hurt me. Over years, I have realized that they were mine so what I had not met them at any instance. We shared a relationship so what they were not part of my kinship. I might have realized the association when the war was on, but never took it to next level since I was more worried about my higher education in USA.

They and I both were concerned. They were trying to throw out the ‘rodents’ and I was planning to leave the country. One was determined to die and other was trying to live. There were so much difference between our thoughts but still we shared a common bond. Yeah, to everyone we were citizens of same country. The blood which was spilt on Himalayas never had the same genes as mine but still we were brothers.

I was selfish and they selflessly made the difference to whole Geography of Indian Subcontinent in Indian History. It is there life which we all are living; it is so idiotic of us that we don’t want to accept. I am not sure how many of us remember them. Captain Vikram Batra, Lieutenant Manoj Panday and many like them, we were almost of my age, sacrificed themselves for me. So how they are not my brothers?

Their loss pains me since I am still some human no matter how much little. I was not present to honour them that make me sad. I missed a chance, a golden opportunity to render my tribute to them. They chose death over life not for glory but to protect my identity as Indian. I am an emotional man and their loss will be felt throughout my life so what I have not spent a single moment with them. They were the Indians no matter how hard we try to forget them atleast history won’t let their memories to erode.

No matter how much we live, how much riches we gather we can never share the same glory as them in history. They were my friends since I have wished for their long life, but my limitations I could not do any more. And unfortunately, it was never granted. I cherish to touch the bullet which pierced them since it was the lucky to atleast make a contact with them. And they were above all, who accepted bullets willingly. Come on my fellow brethrens let us remember our heroes so that history does not defile us with a name of ‘Selfish Losers’.