My dear Army Personnel,
You have made the supreme sacrifice for our beloved Mother India. I can proudly say there is no greater honor than laying down one’s life for one’s nation. Yet, as I salute your bravery, I also realize you are more than a soldier destined for that final sacrifice. You are a son to loving parents (perhaps their only son, making your loss all the more profound), a companion and soulmate to a strong, dignified woman, a cherished sibling to a spirited brother or mischievous sister, and a devoted father to a treasured child. Despite all these roles, you chose the life of a soldier, fully prepared for any sacrifice.
I know I must thank both you and your family for allowing all of us Indians to be your extended family. Because of your sister, who painfully let go of her brother, I can celebrate Raksha Bandhan with mine. Because of your children, who lost their father, my children still hold mine by the hand to walk their first steps. Because of your mother, who lost her very reason to live, my mother continues to delight in her child’s embrace. Because of your loving father, who performed the final rites for his son, other fathers in our country receive that sacred duty from their sons. Even as I write this, I recall the grief of Varadarajan Uncle, father of Major Mukund Varadaraja, Ashok Chakra (P), with whom I have been in constant contact. Dear father, my words can never truly ease your sorrow, but I hope they remind you that we remember Mukund Anna—every single day.
Most of us are content to watch celebrities on a screen, while the olive-green uniform is simply a color we admire from afar. You, however, chose to wear it with your head held high. There were many other ways you could have lived in comfort, yet you chose a life short in years but filled with tremendous pride. While we lounge in air-conditioned rooms, clutching gaming consoles, you marched through the snow cradling a rifle. We are of the same generation, sharing the same age—but look how differently our paths have been shaped by your extraordinary commitment.
I am sure that somewhere, up above, you read this through the countless eyes of your fellow Indians whom you saved. As you read, please stand by your loved ones, guiding them through their pain as they miss and mourn you every day. On behalf of so many of us who forget your sacrifice and allow Mother India to slip into the clutches of harmful influences, please accept our apologies. On behalf of the few who understand your family’s pain, accept our deepest gratitude.
I cannot promise that Indians will never again fall for these damaging influences—“bad” can mean anything against our country—but I can promise that a few of us will refrain and inspire others to do the same. Let us each take a step toward the India you envisioned, the India for which you gave your life. Though your family members will never stop longing for you, some of us have begun to see your reflection in every Indian for whom you fought. We will do our best to help everyone realize the true magnitude of your sacrifice. May that day arrive soon—until then, please do not rest in peace.
With tearful gratitude and unending pride,
A Proud Indian, Weighted with Sorrow
