From combat to Covid, sacrifices of Military Intelligence officers now find place at Satark Heroes Park in Pune

His and galore different specified stories were shared during the inaugural lawsuit of India’s archetypal Satark Heroes Park, dedicated to 40 martyred soldiers of the Military Intelligence Corps astatine Wanowrie, Pune connected Saturday.

The parkland was constructed and developed by Roadway Solutions India Infrastructure Limited successful collaboration with the Military Intelligence Training School and Depot (MINTSD). It features a Wall of Valour, showcasing busts of 40 martyred soldiers from 1962 to 2020, and includes a cemented level inscribed with the Military Intelligence Corps Geet.

Standing successful beforehand of Senchuwa’s bust, Ganesh Mandal Chaurasia (83), a retired railway authoritative from Munger territory successful Bihar, introduced the communicative of his son, Major Mukesh Chaurasia, who was posted successful the Eastern Command Liaison Unit successful Assam. Both Chaurasia and his junior, Senchuwa, were posted successful the aforesaid portion and died successful 2005.

Meera Chaurasia, a gazetted main successful a Bihar school, recalled her son’s aboriginal enthusiasm for the Army. “He already knew what helium wanted to bash and started preparing for the Army portion helium was inactive successful school. Major became gis nickname erstwhile helium cleared the NDA exam aft the property of 17,” she said.

Similar emotions were echoed by Madhu Tirupathi, lad of Captain Veluswamy Tirupathi, who was posted successful Nagaland. Although Madhu was conscionable seven-years-old erstwhile helium mislaid his father, helium recalled that earlier moving to Nagaland, his begetter had received a transportation bid to Pune. “He cancelled the bid and chose to enactment successful the tract successful Nagaland due to the fact that helium didn’t privation to enactment successful an office,” said Madhu.

Pointing to the bust of havildar Kuriyan V T, Madhu said, “They were ‘buddies’ who ever went connected ambush operations together. But successful April 2003, they went unsocial connected a mission…After 2 days, their bodies were recovered mutilated. I returned location from schoolhouse to find a assemblage gathered astatine my house.”

Tirupathi and Kuriyan were serving successful Nagaland for the Internal Security Group nether Operation Orchid. They sacrificed their lives during an onslaught by Naga militants and were posthumously awarded the Sena Medal for their bravery.

Sunita Mehta, woman of Brigadier Ravi Datt Mehta, was voluntarily moving alongside her hubby successful Kabul, Afghanistan, successful 2008 erstwhile helium made the eventual sacrifice. Brigadier Mehta was killed successful a termination bombing astatine the Indian Embassy successful Kabul connected July 7, 2008, portion serving arsenic India’s Defence Attaché. “Kabul was a precise disturbed area, and terrorists attacked their vehicle…When the conveyance reached the embassy gate, helium took the afloat interaction himself. If the explosive-laden conveyance had entered the compound, the full embassy would person been destroyed,” she said.

Sunita, a unpaid astatine Kabul University, was serving with the Government of India’s permission. Brigadier Mehta had served successful the Army for 32 years and had been successful Kabul for 5 months erstwhile the onslaught occurred. He was posthumously awarded the Kirti Chakra, the nation’s second-highest peacetime gallantry award. He is survived by his wife, lad Udit Mehta (an IAF officer), and girl Bhavya Mehta.

In different enactment of busts stood Leena Bajaj, wearing an Indian Army uniform, honoring her husband, Captain Jitesh Bhutani, who was killed during an anti-insurgency cognition connected November 15, 2003, successful Shopian, adjacent Srinagar. “I consciousness similar I’m an hold of him,” said Bajaj, who present serves successful the Indian Army’s Bombay Engineering Group (BEG) arsenic an acquisition officer. Before joining the Army successful 2005, Bajaj was a module subordinate astatine Allahabad University. She joined Bhutani successful 2002.

Bajaj recalled however Colonel Arvind Thakur, Bhutani’s commanding officer, encouraged her to articulation the Indian Army arsenic an acquisition officer. “He said that alternatively than serving successful the civilian assemblage arsenic an educationist, you should beryllium successful the Indian Army and service there,” she said.

Among the martyrs, subedar Rakesh Kumar was 1 of the astir recent, having sacrificed his beingness during Covid-19 pandemic connected October 14, 2020, portion serving with HQ 39 Mountain Division, Northern Command, during Operation Snow Leopard successful Ladakh. He had served successful the Indian Army for 26 years. His daughter, Palak Kumar, who precocious cleared the NEET exam, credited her occurrence to her father’s encouragement and affirmative outlook towards life. “My begetter was ever optimistic and handled everything with a affirmative attitude,” she said.

Palak’s parent Suman shared that they are from Kangra territory successful Himachal Pradesh. “It had been 8 months since helium had been posted there, and we were waiting for him to instrumentality location owed to the pandemic.”

The lawsuit was inaugurated by Ameet Gadhoke, MD of Roadway Solutions India Infrastructure Ltd., and Lieutenant General PK Chahal, Commandant of MINTSD.