It is a true and a very inspiring story of a Veer Nari Smt Bimla Rana w/o Late Lance Naik Inder Rana of 6 Kumaon Regiment. The brave heart was martyred during Kargil operations. The Veer Nari was only 21 years old then with two daughters and a son. The eldest Meenakshi was all of six years old. The second daughter Ritu was just 2 1/2 years old and the youngest son Kuldip was only a year and a half. The Veer Nari did not get any support from her inlaws and other relatives. She had no place to stay with her three young children. She had no wherewithal to look after her children or educate them.
The Kumaon Regiment runs a War Widows’ Hostel at the Regimental Centre at Ranikhet. She approached the Centre Commandant for accommodation in the hostel which was immediately accepted. Smt Bimla Rana started to recreate her and her children’s life. She put Meenakshi in the Govt School at Ranikhet. Meenakshi started her education in this Hindi Medium School. She always used to say _”Mein fauj men jaaoonga_. _Mein fauji banoonga_.” This used to have a strange effect on Smt Bimla Rana. She used to imagine Meenakshi as a L/Nk of 6 KUMAON like her late husband. Little did she realise that fate had much more in store for her and her children. Meenakshi kept nurturing her ambition of joining the Army. Smt Bimla Rana would cry in isolation how could a girl become a Sepoy. Being uneducated she was unaware of the Women Entry Scheme.
One day in a Veer Nari Welfare Meet she discussed her problem with the Centre Commandant’s wife. The Centre Commandant’s wife arranged a meeting with her husband. The Commandant explained the details of the Women Entry Scheme to her and said that to achieve this Meenakshi needed to study in an English Medium School. Smt Bimla Rana was taken aback by this information. How could a poor uneducated widow afford to get her daughter educated in an English Medium School? But the resolve of Meenakshi kept on motivating her. Meenakshi was an intelligent student. After she completed her fifth class Smt Bimla Rana with the help from the then Centre Commandant got the application for admission of Meenakshi in Ashok Hall Girls Residential School in Ranikhet. This proved to be a turning point in the life of Smt Bimla Rana and her children.
Meenakshi being intelligent, cleared her admission test and got admission in Ashok Hall Girls Residential School. She completed her 12th with 90 percent marks and decided to do her graduation from DU. She applied for SRCC and got admission there. After completing her B Com from DU she applied for the Women Entry Scheme and got through in the first attempt. After completing her training at Officers’ Training Academy, Chennai, she got commissioned in the Army Ordnance Corps.
Today I met Lt Meenakshi Rana at Kumaon Regimental Centre with her proud mother, her younger sister Ritu Rana who is pursuing Hotel Management from Institute of Hotel Management and Catering Technology, Kufri, Shimla and her brother Kuldip Rana who is pursuing his B Sc from Hansraj College, New Delhi. I share this inspiring story of a Veer Nari as a tribute to her and salute her. May her story inspire all Veer Naris. May Lance Naik Inder Rana’s soul Rest in Peace. I am sure he must be smiling sitting fully satisfied with his family’s achievements. If you liked this story and feel that it is worth sharing, please do so and let the world know about the firm resolve of this bravest of the brave Veer Nari to settle her and her children’s lives.
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