I am the son of a farmer — my father grows jowar, wheat, green gram — but I wanted to join the army. There were two officers from my village who were ex-NDA and they inspired me. I joined the Sainik School in Bijapur and got through the NDA written and medical test in my second attempt.
I am the Sergeant of one division in my squadron. I am in charge of 30 cadets and have to ensure discipline. I am in my fifth term and have enjoyed the training — yes Camp Rover, which is a rigorous endurance test, was tough — but it has been a very good time for me here.
The infantry is my choice, it is very respected, you get maximum respect from your men, you get decorated for bravery and you face the enemy. It is dangerous but if life is dangerous it doesn’t mean we have to be afraid of it.
People respect those who are in the defence services, which in itself is motivational. In my village, they treat me very well and it feels very good. I miss village life for the humanity that people have and for its cleanliness.
I think we need to concentrate more on our villages, the cities are progressing faster and villages are being left behind. We need better water supply, electricity and education. We need to educate our farmers because it is them that need to be educated more.
Success doesn’t only mean that you have to be a Bill Gates — it also means steps like improving your family and your village.
source: rediff.com
