A HERO IS WHAT A HERO DOES

The recent Sino-Indian tension at the Border has brought focus back on our soldiers. Today, these Army children introduce us to their fathers, their true heroes – and ours too

By Rhea Lodhiya

♦ HETAL VANKAR, 22,
FASHION DESIGN STUDENT
FATHER: (RETD) JAYANTIBHAI VANKAR, HAVALDAR

MY FATHER: I was raised with sincerity by my father. Having been retired for about a year now, we have been spending a lot more time together. When he was on duty, he would come home for one or two months in a year. Our conversations were restricted to phone calls, ones that wouldn’t last very long. He has always taught me to be kind to others, and also made sure I knew how to solve my own problems. We have a great rapport and I have always felt that he is like a friend, someone I can talk about anything under the sun. Thanks to him, everyone at home is disciplined, punctual and continues to maintain fitness.


ARMY LIFE: During vacations, I would go to army camps to see how things were done. I remember when I was in grade three or four, he showed me the workings of his gun, that is a fascinating memory. When I was younger, I wanted to follow in my father’s footsteps and join the army, but gradually, I developed an interest in fashion design.


♦ MANOHAR SINGH RAJPUROHIT, 21,
STUDENT
FATHER: SHEL SINGH RAJPUROHIT, SUBEDAR-MAJOR


MY FATHER: You could say our routine follows dad’s. He is up at five, runs, does some drills, yoga, basic exercises and then goes to work. Very little of his time is spent at home, but this might change as he is to retire soon. His interest in sports has had a huge influence on me, I have practised handball, basketball, horse-riding, swimming and much more. We learn from what we see, and my punctuality has come from watching him.

ARMY LIFE: According to me, a primary difference between normal and Army School is the latter’s importance on sports and physical fitness. I even used to play sometimes with dad and his colleagues and that taught me a lot. His transfers meant I was exposed to many cultures including those of Ladakh and Assam. I finished my graduation in computer science from St Xavier’s College and my father inspired me to join the army and I am currently preparing for the CDS exam.


♦ MOHINI KATARIYA, 23,
LLB STUDENT
FATHER: (RETD) HASMUKH KATARIYA, HAVALDAR


MY FATHER: I was only 13 or 14 years old when my father retired. Now I am 23, and he still is as disciplined a man as he was when he was in the army. Army life never left my father, and he is always ready to go back to work.

In fact, he recently said: ‘If they call me, I will go. He served in the Kargil war and often tells us about that time, how despite there being no absence of amenities, it was extremely challenging to live in that atmosphere. After retirement, it felt weird to have him at home all the time, but it was then that I realised what it is like to have a father and we gradually bonded. Despite being from a background where it is not ideal for girls to work, my father has always encouraged me to indulge in sports and join defence.

ARMY LIFE: We used to move a lot, but that stopped when I was young. I am currently pursuing law because it interests me, but I plan to prepare to join the Air Force next year.


♦ TANAZZ ANKLESARIA PIR, 32,
SELF-EMPLOYED
♦ FREYAAN ANKLESARIA, 30,
ARCHITECT
FATHER: (RETD) BRIG JAHANGIR ANKLESARIA


OUR FATHER: He has always been a very determined man, if he puts his mind to something, he will achieve it. You will never hear him say, ‘I can’t do this’. Perhaps, it was this grit that he braved volatile areas like the Siachen glacier and Kunj sector (Jammu and Kashmir, where he was placed during the Kargil War). As an infantry officer, one is placed in the cantonment for about two years, and for the next two or three years, he is placed on the Border areas where tensions are high. While growing up, we did miss his presence, but there was never a fear about dad being on the Border. Both our parents made sure that we were never scared.

Once, the two of us jumped off the train and Tanazz fractured her arm. We went to the doctor, got things patched up and our parents told us that this is how we grow stronger. Something you cannot miss in this kind of upbringing is the value system, you learn to value discipline, and this comes with a kind of courage and self-respect.

ARMY LIFE: The only constant in army life is moving. By the time Tanazz was 25, we had moved 22 times. Tanazz did wish to join the army. However, a knee injury ruined her chances.


♦ RIA RANI, 22,
JOURNALISM STUDENT
FATHER: BIKASH MANJHI, WARRANT OFFICER POSTED IN AMRITSAR


MY FATHER: We (army kids) are raised in a very disciplined, set-up system. My father is very punctual, systematic and thorough. I have been a disciplined individual, but only to an extent. Papa has a fixed set of beliefs and I have my own, so there is some difference in opinion. But he has always been understanding. My traits of being independent, adaptable and punctual — I owe it all to him. He enabled me to be brave because he is brave. I want to pursue journalism and recently, I was in a low phase thinking of exams and entrances. It was my father who gave me a reality check and told me that I was his daughter and was capable of achieving anything that I wanted in life.

ARMY LIFE: Camps are relatively clean, secure and disciplined places. What I have always admired the most is that army camps accommodate people from all parts of the country, and instead of race, religion or caste, being from defence is your only identity inside.


♦ SUMAN KUMAR YADAV,
PREPARING FOR GOVT EXAMS, COMPLETED BSC IN CHEMISTRY
FATHER: SUDIN KUMAR YADAV, HAVALDAR POSTED IN JAMMU AND KASHMIR


MY FATHER: It is a great feeling to have an army man as my father. The lockdown was the first time that he spent three months with us, we had a great time bonding together. He has always been strict with my brother (who is currently preparing for army examinations) and I; in fact, we got cell phones only when we entered college.

I am told that when I was one or two years old, dad was in Jammu and Kashmir, and rarely was any communication possible. At the time, mom and dad used to write letters to each other. He is posted there again, and left on June 3. The conditions he has to live in are extremely challenging, and on top of that, listening to all the news going around, it is very scary. But we understand that this is his duty.

ARMY LIFE: We would move very often, and it was difficult because it changed everything. But we could always see that dad was motivated by his duty towards the nation. My first priority was the army, but I can’t because I am bespectacled. So, I decided to prepare for IAS.