Saluting our Heroes: The “Param Vir Chakra” series

This post was prompted by a winding but thought-provoking conversation I had this summer with a friend and his cousin – a young serving officer in the Indian Navy. We talked politics, Jammu & Kashmir, 26/11, bribery, corruption and Pakistan…until talk got around to attitudes of young people towards the army and the general lack of interest in a career in the armed forces.

The young naval officer felt that at least part of the blame lies with our attitudes towards “heroes”. As a society and as a nation, we rarely honour our men and women in uniform and do not value their valour enough. He pointedly asked me, how many of us can name even five Param Vir Chara awardees, let alone all of them? I confessed I could not.

That question has been haunting me for the last several months.

Last weekend, I decided that the heroes deserved a series of their own. Starting next week, I will write a post on each one of our Param Vir Chakra receipients – the bravest of the braves.

Today, a little bit of background on the award itself.

From the Indian Army website:

The Param Vir Chakra is awarded for most conspicuous bravery or some daring or pre-eminent act of valour or self sacrifice, in the presence of the enemy, whether on land, at sea, or in the air. The decoration may be awarded posthumously.

It is India’s highest military decoration and comprises a medal and a ribbon.

The medal has India’s national emblem appears in the center surrounded by replicas of Indra Dev’s “Vajrayudha” on four sides. The other side of the medal has an image of Chhatrapati Shivaji’s sword Bhavani.

param_veer_chakra.

As some of you may know/remember, the “Vajrayudha” was fashioned out of Rishi Dadhichi’s bones (spine) to kill “Vritrasura” who had a boon “whereby he could not be killed by any weapon that was known till the date of his receiving the boon and additionally that no weapon made of wood or metal could harm him“. Rishi Dadhichi selflessly sacrificed himself so that the Devatas could use his bones to make the Vajra and defreat Vritra.  There are two interesting versions of this story for those who want to read more – here and here.

Sage Dadhichi’s story is narrated even today as an example of supreme sacrifice for the good of the society.

Next week, the first of our Heroes in “Saluting our Heroes”, the series.

Related Posts:

An Open Letter to Mr. Unnikrishnan

“Jo shahid hue hain unki, zara yaad karo qurbani…”

Of Stars and Martyrs, Munnabhai vs. Manish Pitambare

UPDATE:  The first in the series: Saluting our Heroes: Maj Somnath Sharma, PVC

Here is the end-result! https://satyameva-jayate.org/2011/07/02/pvc-book/ and a short video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YgoQKzg1OhQ

B Shantanu

Political Activist, Blogger, Advisor to start-ups, Seed investor. One time VC and ex-Diplomat. Failed mushroom farmer; ex Radio Jockey. Currently involved in Reclaiming India - One Step at a Time.

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13 Responses

  1. Ashutosh says:

    Shantanu,
    Wonderful effort- esp on the PVCs. I would ask readers to pay particular attention to the story of 2nd. Lt.Arun Khetarpal of 17 Horse- it is a story I heard as a child at the family dinner of a one-to-one tank battle between a Brigadier of the Pakistan Army and him at a place called Basantar.

    There is now a wikpedia page on him too- I urge readers of this blog to read the epilogue in the entry.

    I am particularly proud of our Cavalry (now Armoured Corps)- readers also note that 17 Horse- also known earlier as Poona Horse has give us 2 PVCs!

    Best wishes,
    Ashutosh

  2. B Shantanu says:

    …and while on national heroes, please don’t forget Sardar Patel.

  3. Dirt Digger says:

    Great post on our fearless soldiers. There was a TV series once on the PVC winners. does anyone know if its online?

  4. Patriot says:

    Super idea, Shantanu – look forward to the series.

    Thanks

  5. Amitabh Soni says:

    I would like to take this opportunity to salute my father who retired from the army as a Brigadier.

    My father volunteered for field postings (in forward/border areas ). For us this meant living in separate family accommodations for years. We used to see him once a year for a month or so. As a fauji’s sons it meant small 2 room accommodations, no sevadaar/orderly “bhaiya”, no staff car or Jonga (Nissan Patrol) no invitation to parties etc. Shopping on bikes from the CSD canteen. Of course otherwise the army took great care of us.

    However, as I grew up being away from my father virtually for years, I realized that a nation like India that has seen centuries of slavery needs to ensure that it borders are solidly & perfectly sealed. Sealing them quite often with our blood was also worthy. We were lucky that, though once a year my father did come back to us. Unlike, many of our friends who used to live with us in SF (Separate Family) accommodations did not see their fathers ever again, (including my wife’s father).
    I learnt a lot from my father’s life & am still learning. In fact I owe my “being” to him. Not just genetically but being a human being in a broader sense…. One of the most important things I learnt was ” Valiant’s die but once”…..
    Like all fauji kids we were was also conditioned to tackle fear..the one line I remember loud n clear yet…”fauje ke bete hokar darte ho ?!…..” If my father knew we were afraid of anything…small things like bathing with cold water etc…he would actually make us do it. Just to remove the fear and prove that nothing really harms us ! “Fear is the wrong use of imagination” I remember him saying…..At that time we used to hate him for that “training” and lectures.

    Now we cherish and value those memories so much…In the UK things like those would become “child protection” cases. However, my father would say , “There are three ways of dealing with situations. First, the right way, second the wrong way. The third is the army way, which is neither.”

    I just hope someday I become like him…even though being a “bloody civilian” !

  6. B Shantanu says:

    Thanks Ashutosh, Patriot, DD and Amitabh…

    ***

    @ DD: Not sure if it is available online (some snippets may be on YouTube). It was called “Param Vir Chakra” and was directed by Chetan Anand.

  7. संदीप नारायण शेळके says:

    Shantanu,
    Can I help in this?

    On the same grounds can we have a series of posts dedicated to the suicides of our ‘Annadatas'(Farmers).
    I’m not comparing one with another but this section (probably the largest) is being abandoned by society and no one is listening to their concerns leave apart the help.

    I feel that Jawan and Kisan are of prime importance to any society.

    Jai Jawan! Jai Kisan!
    Jai Hind!

  8. B Shantanu says:

    @ Sandeep: pl send me an email and let us discuss this offline.

  9. Aparna Bhatnagar says:

    Shantanu
    I would like to pay my thanks personally. The information about Arun Khetarpal has moved me like anything. I salute Lt. Arun and his parents who could cultivate the spirit of do or die. I woulid like to know more about his family back ground. Who was that great mother ? Did he had sibling to share with or he was the single child of Brigadier M.L. khetarpal.

  10. B Shantanu says:

    Aparna: Please dont say thanks. This is the least I could have done to help keep his memory alive…Please share this link with your friends and family too…

    Re. his family, while doing my research, I came across this link that mentions his younger brother. Pl have a look.

    P.S. I hope you also managed to read the story of Major Hoshiar Singh, the other “Param Vir” in the Battle of Basantar.

  11. mahesh parmane says:

    shantnu,
    patriotism is not a natural feeling of human being. It is purposly encouraged by beneficiaries of our society. war stories differ from actual occurance. heroism is kept added day by day in such stories. personally i feel one fine day human will come together forgetting all bounderies.

  12. Poornima Thapa says:

    Shantanu,

    WOW …I admire your spirit and convictions I am Col Singh Dhan Thapa’s daughter and have been thinking of compiling all that I know of him but had not been able to get down to it. Kudos to you and Salute to all the Heroes and all the unsung Heroes of India …like my Father would say ” The Medal was not for him alone” It represented recognition of the valour of all the soldiers who fought bravely to defend their motherland in the harshest of climate facing the worst of enemies right in the front”

    Regards and Best Wishes

    Poornima Thapa

  13. B Shantanu says:

    Poornima: Thank you for your kind words..This is the least I could do – to remember men like your father and many more before and after him..

    By the way, the entire series is now available as a book via flipkart and others..

    Flipkart: http://www.flipkart.com/saluting-our-heroes-9382359915/p/9789382359913

    Infibeam: http://www.infibeam.com/Books/saluting-our-heroes-param-virs-bharat-shantanu-bhagwat/9789382359913.html?utm_term=978-93-82359-91-3_1_1

    IndiaPlaza: http://www.indiaplaza.com/saluting-our-heroes-shantanu-bhagwat/books/9789382359913.htm