THE REAL HERO Palash Dixit, XI A

THE REAL HERO

Palash Dixit, XI A

We all are safe and sound in our homes because of our brave army men. They stay away from their families in tough and life risking conditions just for the safety of our motherland. It was a great opportunity and experience to interview one of such great personality.

We all watch movies that show the great work and sacrifice of the Indian arm force but it’s just a piece of entertainment for us. For retired Lt. Col. Girish Basargekar these were not just movies, they ignited a spark in him that inspired him to join the Indian Armed Force. He saw his uncle working for the Indian Army and heard him talking about his experiences, he saw their uniform with all the badges on it and all this somehow motivated him to join the Defense Forces. Being in the Army, he did all the things he never thought of doing as a normal citizen. He saved people at the time of natural disasters and was awarded twice for the same. Not only that but he also killed 4 militants and was awarded for his bravery. Though, his satisfaction was complete only when he had won the trust & affection of all his men! He served the army for 20-25 years, protected the boundaries and made the required infrastructures.

Being in army had its share of hardship; he had to live alone, without his family for many years. Unfortunately, at times, he also had to see his men die in the line of action. Despite all the odds he managed to gather some great experiences and memories. The most memorable and satisfying moments for him were when he killed the militants, saved the civilians and made satisfying infrastructural design. For all this he had to go through very tough training where he learned firing, endurance marches and all the other required lessons to become the protector of the nation. He did his engineering and entered army through the technical graduate course; he was able to bond with his course mates while training.

We all sit in our homes and pass comments about the situations at the border areas but when you hear it from a person who has seen the actual situation there, it’s really different. When asked about the present situations in Kashmir, the retired army man said that it was a good decision but the consequences will be faced sooner or later and our government should be ready to face them. At last he mentioned his concern on terrorism by pointing out the problems like unemployment and help that they get from across the border.

He encourages youngsters to join the Army. He says, you should have courage to face the coming challenges and adventures. One should be motivated enough to join the army because it’s challenging to be a part of the team of the real heroes of our nation!