Half Sleeves: A Short Story of Unknown Heroes

“Cross the Road carefully beta, look to your right and to your left to ensure there is no traffic coming when you cross the road”. These were Mama’s word written by Sameer’s mother to him in her first letter to Sameer when he landed in the border areas of Kashmir. She had no idea about the terrain the border areas, where the biggest highway was a foot track only one person could walk.
These days it is easy to get the picture of the area sent through your mobile phones, but I am talking about early 80s when mobile phones were not even invented, and the best means of communication was our inland letter only.
Mother’s love for her son is unmeasurable, specially if you are the only son of a widow. Full of instructions the letter would mention as to how important was for him to wear a half sleeve sweater to protect from the cold weather of Kashmir, least realizing that it might not be enough to beat the cold in high altitudes of Kashmir specially in winters. Nonetheless, instructions came almost in each letter and during our relaxation time, Sameer would laugh at those instructions.
Sameer was the baby of our team, the youngest officer. A quite man from hailing from the city of Umrao Jaan, he was a professional singer at Lucknow Radio Station before joining the military service. As is customary in Lucknow, he always used the word “Hum” means “We” instead of “Main” or “I”, giving an impression that he always had another guy with him, and thereby confusing us.
Sameer was an exceptional singer and was only means of our entertainment during the dinner time or whenever we got free time to ourselves. He was specially fan of Jagjit Singh and could sing as well as the famous man. I remember asking Sameer to sing “Kal Chaudavi kee Raat thee” several times. These melodious gazals became most romantic when we used to sit down on a rock in the moon light night outside our bunkers during the summers.
Sameer came from the town of Umrao Jaan, and was actually a radio singer before donning the olive green to serve the nation.
Another member of our team was Yogesh, a tall handsom man, Yogesh had joined the unit about a year before Sameer Arrived. Yogesh was born two months after his father had made supreme sacrifice fighting the enemy where he was awarded Mahavir Chakra posthumously. Always an angry young man, Yogesh could accomplish any task no matter how difficult it was. There was nothing impossible for him. He always took pride in every task assigned to him, and hated the friends across the international border.
I remember, when we were moving from peace station to Kashmir, we were given a send off at Delhi. There his mother also attended the function. As we finished the dinner, his mother walked up to me, and told me, I quote: “please bring my son back alive”, unquote, Instantaneously, I uttered “Sure”. That was a tall promise made short after we danced on song “Aaj Gaa Lo Muskura Lo” especially considering the nature of our mission in Kashmir.
I still remember our first day at Border Area in Kashmir. We were to replace a highly decorated battalion of Sikh Regiment that had done very well during their tenure. We were given a warm welcome by the battalion, and a Bara Khana was organized for our Party. Both Sameer and Yogesh were very upbeat, as they liked the field posting where some action was involved. They danced with the Sikh Soldiers. Bhangra was extremely energetic and the war cry “Jo bole so Nihal, Sat Sri Akal” sent cold waves through our spines. We could imagine the plight of enemy when facing our brave Sikh Soldiers. Both Sameer and Yogesh danced that would give Hrithik Roshan and Shahid Kapoor run for their money.
Beautiful innocent valleys in Himalayan region are extremely beautiful. There are three enemies we were to fight, the friends across the line of control, the terrorists and the mother nature. And the fourth one, enemy within, which is most dangerous. When the snow will turn red no body knew. We have to be careful, cautious and alert all the time, a task easier said then done.
The life was relatively peaceful during the winter except odd avalanches, fear of getting electrocuted, and slipping into crevasses. When it was heavy snow fall, we have to get up during the night and remove the snow from bunker tops to prevent it from collapsing. The other challenge was continuous intake of tinned food, leading to lack of appetite.
As the summer approached and snow started melting, the landscape turned green, and infiltration routes opened. We were having a great success with young officers like Sameer and Yogesh charged up to do whatever it took to win every encounter.
Everything was going on smoothly, when enemy was able to cause a serious damage to one of our convoy in which we lost about 8 people. That was a great shock to us. We wanted to give befitting reply to the enemy, and finally our request was accepted to carry out some destruction across the line of control.
The task was difficult, moving in high altitude area, at night crossing the line of control and then laying mines on enemy’s routes of maintenance and putting demolitions on a crucial bridge. Yogesh volunteered to lead the mission. He was also probably most suitable candidate for the task. Yogesh was visibly charged up, and raring to go to fulfill the traditions of his family and meet the high standards set by his father for him even before he was born. A set of ten best trained soldiers was selected. I gave Yogesh everything he asked for this mission. As Yogesh got busy in his preparations, I remembered the promise I made to his mother at Delhi.
I called Sameer and Sub Ram Kumar and told them to prepare for extricating Yogesh’s party should surprise be lost. I told them that no matter what happens, in case of an encounter, Yogesh must be brought back alive. Sameer’s party left at an interval of 45 minutes following Yogesh’s party, but was to stay on our side of Line of Control.
Yogesh was a soldier of exceptional quality. He turned off his radio set as he approached close to the line of control since it was making a hush noise. With no communication with Yogesh, it was a sleepless night for me. I was getting frequent calls from brigade to give progress of the operation. But I had no information. In such situation you only think of worst. Thoughts of our party being ambushed were coming to my mind and along with was coming picture of Yogesh’s mother and my promise to her. Yogesh was able to achieve completed surprise, and was able to complete his task, but a soldier falling from a rock on way back gave away surprise and enemy sprang into the action. With all the route of exfiltration under fire, Sameer’s party moved towards the line of control and tried to put enemy head down. Yogesh was surprise by the quickness of the support received by him. Both Sameer and Yogesh were in communication and Yogesh was able to exfiltrate safely with minor injuries to few soldiers. Sameer’s party was not so lucky. Sameer got a bullet in his neck, and on hearing this my first thought was whether or not he will be able to sing in future. Sub Ram Kumar did his best to get Sameer out of enemy fire. He did well to provide first aid and move back as fast as possible to get medical help to Sameer, but death was much faster than Sub Ram Kumar’s speed.
As we were removing his belongings, I found a half sleeve sweater in his pack. I learnt that he always carried that half sleeves sweater with him even in summers. As I moved out of medical bunker, in the wee hours of morning, I could see Chaudvi Ka Chaand in he sky. I could see Sameer smiling from the sky and telling us to cross the road carefully. Sameer was awarded Vir Chakra for his devotion to duty. There was a pride in the eyes of his mother as she received the award from the President of India. Years have passed since Sameer left us. Sameer lives in our heart, and the memories of listening to Sameer singing those Gazals brings shivers in our body. Chaudvi ka Chand does not look good any more.