He Lost His Father At 6 In The Kargil War, 19 Years Later He Is A Lieutenant In Same Battalion

kargil

Despite everything that our country has been disagreeing on lately, there is one matter we still have a unified respect for. That of our soldiers. These brave men and women, leave behind their homes, friends and families, heading towards terror-prone territories, to help defend their nation. Not only is this hard on them for the harsh conditions they put themselves in, but also on their families who have to live with constant uncertainty and worry for their dear ones.

And one of the most heartbreaking scenes is when these fighters lay down their lives for the safe-keeping of the nation. In many cases, we’ve witnessed tear-jerking moments wherein their young wives and children have had to light the pyres of these martyrs.

Bachan Singh, a lance naik in the 2nd Battalion of Rajputana Rifles, is one such martyr. He was killed at Tololing, in Kargil, on the night of June 12, 1999.

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He left behind his wife and 2 sons. His eldest son Hitesh Kumar was just six years old when he heard the news of his father’s demise. That very day he vowed to join the army just like his father.

19 years later, Hitesh saw all his hard work pay off as he passed out from the Indian Military Academy in Dehradun, as a lieutenant in the Indian Army.

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The achievement is even special to him and his family as he will be serving in the same battalion as his late father. Soon after his passing out parade, Hitesh paid tribute to Bachan’s memorial in the Civil Lines area of Muzaffarnagar.

Speaking to Times Of India, Hitesh says:

“For 19 years, I dreamt of joining the Army. It became my mother’s dream too. Now I want to serve my country with pride and honesty.”

Kamesh Bala, the martyr’s wife and proud mother to Hitesh, was in tears as she spoke of them both.

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Recounting having to raise 2 sons without their father, she says:

“It has been a difficult life since Bachan was martyred. I dedicated my life to raising my two sons. Today I am proud that Hitesh was commissioned into the Army. His younger brother, Hemant, is also preparing to join the Army. There is nothing more I could ask for.”

Rishipal Singh, who served alongside Bachan, remembers him as a brave soldier. He recounts the fatal day as:

“When our battalion was attacked at Tololing, he was shot in the head and died on the battlefield. We lost 17 soldiers that day, including Maj Vivek Gupta from Dehradun. I am glad Bachan’s son has received his commission. His father would have been proud of him.”

This brave family’s story has been gaining much praise on social media, with even stars reaching out to extend their congratulations to Hitesh.

Preity Zinta sent out her regards to the family with this tweet:

Major Surendra Poonia also shared a picture of the news on the microblogging site, expressing his pride in Hitesh:

https://twitter.com/MajorPoonia/status/1006029270710288385

The story of this family is truly inspiring. Hitesh has done his father’s memory justice by working hard towards his dream. And his mother is the very picture of an army wife and mother, even now biting down on her pain and taking pride in her son’s achievement. Way to go, Hitesh. You’ve made us all proud!

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