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Lieutenant
Nawang H. Kapadia
December 15, 1975 – November 11,2000
Lt Nawang Kapadia, who was
commissioned on September 2, 2000 in the Fourth Battalion
the Third Gorkha Rifles, died while gallantly fighting Pakistan
based terrorists in the jungles of Rajwar in Kupwara district
of Srinagar on 11th November 2000.
The happiest day in twenty
four year old Mumbai-born Nawang’s life was when he joined
the Officers’ Training Academy at Chennai. His parents,
well-known mountaineers Harish and Geeta, encouraged him to
the fullest in spite of the cynical views of others. It was
a proud moment indeed at the Passing Out Parade on 2nd of
September 2000 when his family and friends saw him receiving
his Lieutenant stars on commissioning to the prestigious Fourth
Battalion The Third Gorkha Rifles. After a brief visit home,
Nawang proceeded to the Regimental Centre at Varanasi from
where he joined his Battalion on 29th Oct 2000 . The Battalion
was, during this period, continuously involved in operations
against foreign terrorists who had infiltrated and were in
the process of establishing their bases in the Kupwara area
of Jammu and Kashmir.
Nawang was immediately involved
in these operations where his qualities of heart and mind
as well as his abundant courage were a beacon to the troops
under his command.
On the 10th of Nov the Battalion
received information of a large number of terrorists hiding
in the notorious jungles of Rajwar near Kupwara. Search and
destroy operations were immediately launched with Nawang leading
his own platoon. At approximately 11 am, a large hideout was
discovered by the Battalion and Nawang’s platoon came
under fire from a group of eight to ten terrorists in the
vicinity. Havaldar Chitra Bahadur got a burst in the stomach
and fell mortally wounded. At this stage, Nawang instinctively
rushed to rescue Chitra Bahadur, firing his weapon ,under
the covering fire of his comrades. A terrorist who was hiding
in the nearby foliage fired at Nawang. In the crossfire, Nawang
got a bullet in the face and died, leading his troops in the
highest tradition of valour and sacrifice.
The encounter has resulted
in the killing of two terrorists of the Al Omar Tanzeem, a
Pakistan based organization, with reports of two others grievously
wounded and likely to have died. Large quantities of arms
and ammunition have been recovered. The fight lasted over
over 36 hours. Lt Nawang Kapadia died in the highest traditions
of the Indian Army, living up to the ethos and standards of
his Battalion, which earlier had lost two officers like him
in counter insurgency operations in 1983-85 and again performed
gallantly, despite severe casualties, in the Batalik Sector
of Kargil.
Nawang Harish Kapadia was
born on December 15, 1975, in Mumbai three years after his
elder brother, Sonam . As his surname indicates, theirs is
a family of traditional cloth merchants, of a community that
has a scarce presence in the Defence Services.
From his early childhood,
Nawang had imbibed the best adventurous talents of his parents,
both of whom have many achievements under their belt. Sonam
and Nawang were named after famous Sherpa mountaineers; ironically
both are Gorkha names. Nawang means “leader of men”,
a very apt name for an able soldier.
Nawang did his initial schooling
at New Era School and subsequently at the St. Xavier’s
Boys’ Academy. All through his student days, Nawang was
always a free-spirited lad, spending a lot of time on the
sports’ field and displayed leadership qualities from
a young age. With such a fun-loving and carefree attitude,
he was always making new friends, many of whom developed and
maintained close and loving bonds with the entire family.
He did his B. Com. from Jai Hind college, Bombay. In college,
his interests included trekking, hiking, mountaineering (which
of course, was in his genes), sports, martial arts and music.
He enjoyed life to the maximum, and it was most evident in
his passion for food. When it came to eating, no one could
match him. Nawang could out-eat anyone and at anytime.
Lt Nawang Kapadia’s sacrifice
will remain a shining light to inspire future generations.
The city of Mumbai should be proud of its son who lived his
life here and leaves behind a sorrowing family and a large
circle of friends.
He was cremated with military
honours on Tuesday 14 November, 2000.Nawang lies in peace,
having chosen a career as he desired and dying for the country,
trying to save a life, in best traditions of the army.
mail us for "The Khukri
of Honour Badge" at info@defenceindia.com
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A tribute
from a reader
A Tribute to the Real Hero...
'Mission accomplished, Sir' were this real hero's last words
Friday 2 January 2004 when the whole India was still coming
out of the hang-over of New Year Bash a Young Indian Army
officer's heroics went unnoticed. Unlike Screen heroes, army
officer Lieutenant Triveni Singh played the "real hero"
at the Jammu railway station as he gunned down the militants
in a virtual one-to-one battle on Friday night before laying
down his life.
Reaching the spot within 10 minutes of the attack, Singh
and his quick reaction team of "Ghatak commando's"
cordoned off the station and employed "zigzag methodology"
to come at a close range of the militants.
Risking his life, Lt. Triveni Singh faced indiscriminate
firing and lobbing of grenades and succeeded in killing one
of the militants to take charge of the "uncontrollable"
situation. The second militant, dressed in a combat dress,
while trying to escape threw a grenade at Singh but the
seriously injured officer stood up and killed him.
"Mission Accomplished," Singh said and saluted
the GOC before he laid down his life.
Mission accomplished but life shattered at Home in Pathankot
where his father Capt. Janmej Singh (retd) and his ever loving
mother was busy planning for there only son's marriage due
in March 2004. The agony of loosing there Brave son can not
be explained or shared with.
In this small world, where we have lost a brother fighting
bravely for the safety of the common people, I'm forwarding
this mail as a Tribute to Late Lieutenant Triveni Singh, let
us not let his sacrifice go unnoticed.
Thanks for your time.........
Jai Hind !!
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A Tribute