UNSUNG HEROES
P. V. Laxmi Prasad
We have heard
of people who have contributed largely to the cause of society. We have heard
of people who have served us in the fields of politics, education, science and
technology, medicine, literature, agriculture, fine arts, music and other
related areas. We have heard of people
who have sacrificed their lives in the struggle for freedom. Still more to go in this list, we have those
brave heroes who work day in and day out along the borders of our country. We celebrate SWATANTRA DIWAS &
GANATANTRA DIWAS every year to cherish the memories of those who have either
contributed their mite or laid down their lives for the nation. Be it armed personnel or freedom fighters,
they are unsung heroes today despite their heroic deeds. They are true patriots, brave citizens,
immortal souls and above all, the most loving and admiring children of mother
India.
It is
recalled that great sacrifices can be made by great souls only. They are born great and their greatness lies
in the root of sacrifices they have made.
A sacrifice can be in the form of money, property and sincere service
but the sacrifice of life for the mother land is something greater and higher
than any gift of God. They are great
souls because they have dedicated their lives to the cause of freedom, peace
and happiness for their fellow countrymen.
How many of us remember the day when Sukh Dev, Raj Guru and Baghath
Singh were hanged to death in the Lahore prison in undivided India? Freedom for India was granted only after
their hanging on the midnight of 14 August, 1947. Do we officially celebrate their death anniversaries as we
sincerely and solemnly celebrate those of politicians? Does the day of their hanging still remain
an abstract idea or a concrete reality?
Is it genuinely covered in the media at all? How many children of tomorrow will remember the sacrifices made
by the greatest sons of India? Why shouldn’t we introduce them in the
textbooks? The incomparable sacrifices
made by these heroes are outweighed and outshone by those of politicians. Do we really know the day when Major
Padmaphani Acharya laid down his life
in the service for the mother land in the Kargil battle in 1998? Isn’t his message forgotten today? It is recalled that he has left behind a
deathnote reminding his fellow countrymen something noble and ideal to
emulate. He cited an incident from the
Mahabharatha and reminded how Lord Krishna led Arjuna from the front in the Kurukshethra
battle. Do the children of today tell
us the names of those martyrs as they tell with ease and confidence the names
of cricketers and filmstars? When they
continue to be unsung heroes in the present, what about those in the coming
generations? How many of the older
generation vividly remember the great army officer, Major General Chowdhary,
who was instrumental in merging the erstwhile Nizam State into Indian
Union? Isn’t it a matter of ingratitude
for a nation that has not yet confirmed the death of Netaji Subhash Chandra
Bose? Netaji was a patriot of patriots
and the pride of India who secured a place of honour in the hearts of his
countrymen. Michael Edwards said of
Netaji in glowing terms, “only one outstanding personality took a different and
violent path and in a sense, India owes more to him than to any other man –
even though he seemed to be a failure”.
After having believed that Gandhi could not get independence with his
non-violent path, Netaji started his Indian National Army. We have another great patriot who is better
known as “Iron man of India”. He was
the first union Home Minister to represent Independent India. Who else but the people of erstwhile Nizam
state could remember the atrocities and brutalities of the Razakar
movement? Had this brave man not taken
a timely action, the number of killings would have been beyond human
imagination and the merger of princely states into Indian union could not have
been a reality. India would have been a
different state today had he taken over the reins of government. Sardar Patel cannot be forgotten by any of
us.
There was
again this discrimination between the extremes and the moderates in the Indian
freedom struggle. The notion that
‘people don’t divide themselves but they are divided’ seemed to exist there
right from the days of freedom struggle.
A distinction based on the ideology was accordingly made between
them. While the extremists adopted a
tit-for-tat policy, the moderates believed in the principles of peace,
non-violence, satyagraha and peaceful means of protest. The extremists, regrettably, face this
discrimination in every aspect of ritual followed posthumously. Moreover, the moderates have secured their
rightful place in society in every respect.
But the kind of treatment meted out to the extremists makes an absolute
mockery of their sacrifices. But the
kind of treatment meted out to the extremes makes an absolute mockery of their
sacrifices. They have not been treated
on par with the moderates in respect of wide publicity, media coverage and
above all posthumous services. Is this
the way that we, as fellow countrymen, salute the martyrs, honour the brave,
express solidarity and support the welfare of their families? Offering an all-religion prayer, guard of
honour, paying floral tributes, presenting gallantry awards and confering
highest civilian awards do not make their souls rest in peace. They leave behind some exemplary work to be
carried into the next generation. It is
highly regrettable that political assassinations attract large scale media coverage
leaving these sacrifices in darkness.
How far is it
justified for a nation which boasts of having made the greatest of
sacrifices? Are we merely confined to
giving lectures on platforms? We tend
to remember and forget them once we celebrate Independence Day, Armed Forces
Day and Martyrs, Day every year. What about the ideals behind these
sacrifices? A grateful nation
definitely owes an answer to this question.
Their acts of bravery, heroism and sacrifice go unsung and their message
goes unheard in the next generation.
Let noble souls be treated with due respect which they fully
deserve. Let their ambitions and
memories be carried fully into succeeding generations. Let it
be the duty of the State, the right of the citizen and the responsibility of the media to focus
and to bring to light, from time to time, their sense of duty, devotion,
dedication, commitment and motto of service.
Then only, we shall be proud of calling ourselves a grateful nation to
sincerely pay glowing tributes to the legendary heroes of India.
We continue to remember the moderates,
We continue to forget the extremes.
What a pity it is! How selfish we have become!
Oh Bravo! Salutations to you—then, now and hereafter.