Freedom comes at a cost, says Kargil veteran

Thiruvananthapuram: “Freedom comes at some cost. And there are people who have given their lives for our tomorrows,” says now-retired Major Prince Jose.
Twenty-one years ago, when the Kargil War broke out, a team comprising Major Prince was entrusted with a mission to cut the enemy lines of maintenance. The soldiers faced their first resistance at Sando Top in Drass sector. They had to scale an ice wall.
“While preparing for the climb, we had a brief sighting of around 30 enemy soldiers climbing towards Sando Top from the glacier. We screamed for artillery support and the artillery poured fire,” says Major Prince.
Almost near the top of the ice wall, an artillery shell of the enemy landed amidst the team. The explosion threw him off the slope and he landed around 300 feet downhill, injuring his head. Still, he continued with the operation and went on to lead one more assault on Zulu Top and took command of the high outpost. The fall had left Major Jose with 75% disability and he had to leave the Army after a service of 14 years.
As the country observes the 21st anniversary of its triumph in Kargil War on July 26, the soldiers who took part in the conflict have come a long way but given a chance, many of them are willing to be on the frontline again.
A Kottayam native, Major Prince is an alumnus of Sainik School, Kazhakootam. After completing graduation from S B College, Changanassery in BSc physics, he joined the Army. In the Army, he found a mentor in Captain Paul Bastine, an infantryman in the Jat regiment, who specialized in deep-sea diving. A member of the 9 Para (SF), an elite unit of special forces, Captain Paul died while carrying out an underwater feat. The incident led Prince to join special forces unit. “I was deployed for various counter intelligence operations at Kashmir, before the Kargil war began,” says Major Prince.
Major Prince now works at a private firm in Bahrain. His family, including his wife and two children are in Kochi.
“Given a chance I am ready to serve in the army again. I would be glad if my children decide to choose the same path,” says Major Prince.