WHEN THE GENTLEMAN OFFICER LEAVES THIS WORLD….
A soldier and a saint, a man of integrity, a hard taskmaster, an empathetic, polite person for whom seva was Dharma has created a vacuum in his passing away, a vacuum difficult to fill. To appreciate the achievements and encourage the abilities of his subordinates came naturally to him. Earning laurels in the services where he headed the helm of extraordinary appointments did not stop him from staying on the path of seva as he did not think twice before cleaning the wounds of sick people, feeding the poor people on the congested roads of old Delhi, or would not bat an eyelid before picking up a broom to clean the dirty streets where poor people were being fed. The same person then moved on to an appointment at the UN Headquarters standing tall beside the UN Secretary-General, Kofi Annan, as a Military Advisor in Peacekeeping Operations. The distinguished carrier did not go to the head of this senior officer of humble demeanour and polite nature who had also served as a Sector Commander with the UN Mission in Sierra Leone earlier.
He managed to make a place in the hearts of the men he commanded and even with the youngsters who had not served with him, visible from the tributes which flooded the social media groups after his demise recently. A life of learning and growing for people who came in touch with him will stay long after he left this world. His legacy will continue to inspire future generations, and he will live on through the hard work of people who he mentored and guided during his lifetime. Apart from being a guide and mentor professionally and personally for us, he was a spiritual pathfinder where his seva bhav motivated us to tread the same path, thus changing our lives completely. His ways of living left an indelible impression on the lives of the people he interacted with in his lifetime.
Whether in service or after retirement, such brave gentlemen of the forces impact the lives of the people they interact with and continue to do so after they depart from this world.
The acts of bravery are far from few, and each one is a poignant tale of courage and patriotism. An incident comes to mind when one hears the story of a commanding officer who laid down his life protecting the nation fighting the insurgents. The life of this decorated officer, who volunteered to command the insurgency-laden area in Jammu and Kashmir, came to a standstill on that fateful day. Cry of Long Live amongst the sea of people in his native village, who had gathered there to pay their respects to the martyr, the josh in the air reminded me of the famous Hindi poem,
“शहीदों की चिताओं पर जुड़ेंगे हर बरस मेले।
वतन पर मरनेवालों का यही बाक़ी निशाँ होगा॥”
जगदंबा प्रसाद मिश्र 'हितैषी'
Amongst this sea of people were the faujis, some regiment ones, some senior officers and some course mates who came to pay their respect to the martyr apart from the whole village. His mother will not get her son back, but she will always have the back of these men in uniform. There is also no doubt that even his wife, left alone to be both parents to her children, will have unconditional support from the forced families. The heart-wrenching news has changed her life forever while her children are too young to understand the gravity of the grim situation. While walking behind the coffin amongst the sea of people, I felt we were all walking in the traditional slow march, a tribute to the fallen soldier. His six-year-old son donning a combat dress, saluting his father one last time, brought tears to our eyes. Oblivious to reality, he still sends voice messages on his father's mobile number, entreating him to return before going on a mission. This gentleman officer was deeply involved in the rehabilitation of strayed youth, empowering women and fostering a sense of community in the lives of people in those areas. His dedication to improving their lives extended beyond his military duties.
These men in uniform impact the lives of people beyond the military arena and speak volumes about their towering personalities, their legacy continues to live forever.
