I.K. Gujral, former prime minister
Leila Seth, former chief justice
N.N. Vohra, former home secretary
K.Shankar Bajpai, former ambassador
Arun Bharat Ram, industrialist
Ved Marwah, former governor
R.K.P. Shankardass, Supreme Court lawyer
B.G.Verghese, journalist
When soldiers die on the battlefield, the nation grieves and special relief funds are set up, memorials are built, and donations flood in for the shaheed jawan. But what about those soldiers who sacrifice their lives in peacetime, as they plunge into rescue and relief operations when natural disasters strike? Following the October earthquake in Jammu & Kashmir, the Indian army and air force brought succour and hope to the devastated state with the speed and efficiency of their search-and-rescue missions. When the tsunami struck in December 2004, it was the Indian navy which shouldered the burden of rescue and relief operations, not just in India but also in Sri Lanka.
In the earthquake relief operations in high-altitude areas like Tangdhar, the army and air force managed to evacuate 770 people and rescue another 1,165. But close to 150 Indian military personnel died in the quake—brave men who made the ultimate sacrifice, but whose names will never be counted among our war heroes. In fact, those who sacrifice their lives and extend themselves to help their countrymen do not even find the kind of media attention they rightly deserve.
Luckily, B.G. Verghese, Magsaysay Award-winning journalist and former editor of The Hindustan Times, and seven friends have launched an appeal they call ‘Unknown Indians for the Unknown Soldier’. "We salute those who fall in battle with medals and glory. But where is the recognition for those who die for the country in peace time?" asks Verghese.
The eight friends are not exactly unknown Indians (see list). They include a former PM, a former governor, an ex-chief justice, a retired diplomat, an ex-defence secretary, a leading industrialist and a lawyer. Each has contributed to the fund as a grateful citizen in a spirit they hope will be emulated by others. As former PM I.K. Gujral told Outlook: "I contributed to a cause that should receive everyone’s attention. I did this to discharge my moral responsibility in a small way." Adds Justice Leila Seth, one of the eight, "When we heard of this effort I realised that I, like many others, had ignored those serving the country."
The fund’s first objective is to give scholarships to the children of soldiers who died in the quake relief operations. "Education is the best way to continue the tradition these martyrs gave their lives for," says Verghese. Gujral adds that the choice was simple as "high-value education will add to the lives of the families left behind by these heroes". Former defence and home secretary N.N. Vohra got the Army Wives Welfare Association (AWWA) to administer the fund and distribute donations, arguing that AWWA’s experience, and their close ties with army families, will help them identify and reach the needy families.
The eight friends hope the media and word-of-mouth publicity will help their effort at raising funds. Though, as Arun Bharat Ram, one of the principal donors and chairman of the srf Group, points out, corporate and institutional support would be vital to sustain the fund in the long term. He has urged his peers to "give as they can".
The group is also keen to see the fund established nationwide—it’s currently limited to the army’s Northern Command—and expanded to serve each branch of the armed forces, since the army, air force and navy have all been involved in recent disaster relief efforts. Verghese sums up: "They (the services) have always helped the community when they could have reserved their efforts for military purposes. We want to show them the Indian community is grateful." To contribute please send cheques to: Unknown Soldier Appeal, AWWA, Northern Command, c/o Col Bakshi, Hqrs Northern Command, 56 APO.
