A Tale of 21 February by Lt Gen. Satish Dua

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Martyred Captain Pawan Kumar.

I will never tire of telling this tale.
I’ll do it every 21st February.
You’ll like it too…

Martyred Captain Pawan Kumar, Capt Tushar Mahajan & L/Nk Om Prakash

‘Sir I want to be with the boys’ said a 24 year old officer, refusing to go home on sick leave when I met him at Base Hospital at Srinagar with a jaw broken by a stone pelting crowd, as he was returning with his team after a successful encounter with terrorists. Bemused, I looked at this young 24 yr old boy, who wanted to return to his ‘boys’ each of whom were trained Special Forces Soldiers, all older than him and more experienced. He was younger than my younger son, and impulsively I broke protocol and ruffled his hair and said ‘Happy Hunting Son.’

Captain Pawan Kumar (File Photo)

Within a week, I saluted his mortal remains in a casket. I was overwhelmed.

It was huge operation. The biggest hostage situation during my tenure as GOC Chinar Corps in Kashmir, where terrorists had occupied a six storeyed building in Pampore on the outskirts of Kashmir. These BRAVEHEARTS rescued over 60 hostages safely, all Kashmiri men and women. But they paid a heavy price… of their own lives..

BRAVEHEARTS rescued over 60 hostages safely from this Building.

Captain Pawan Kumar, Capt Tushar Mahajan & L/Nk Om Prakash, all commandos were martyred.

While I narrated Pawan’s story as I’d met him, others were no less brave. In fact, there are always several unsung heroes in operations, those who acquit themselves with bravery, but everyone cannot be awarded gallantry medals.

Lt Gen. Satish Dua (Right) pay tributes to BRAVEHEARTS.

Let me surprise you with a bigger hero. Read ANI tweet below about what Capt Pawan’s father, Mr Rajbir said at his cremation! ‘I had one child. I gave him to the army. No father can be prouder.’

Our young leaders do us proud.
Always!
But fathers are no less!!

Salute!
Respect!
Overwhelmed!
JAI HIND

( From the Facbook wall of Indian Army’s Lt Gen. (Rt.) Satish Dua )