Death of a War Hero !

Having a good memory is not always a good thing. Here’s a news of sudden and sad demise of Brig. Rattan Nath Sharma, MVC , a veteran of 1971 war with Pakistan almost after forty years , when he earned laurels for himself and the state of Himachal Pradesh, to which he belonged. My memory takes me back to 1971, when as a college going teenager, I felt proud when Photographs of three Army officers from Himachal appeared in the news papers, having been awarded the Mahavir Chakra , the second highest Gallantry Award .The officers were, Lt.Col. Rattan Nath Sharma,( later Brigadier), Lt.Col. K.L.Rattan , who rose to be a Major General , and Major Vijai Singh Mankotia, later a well known name in Himachal politics.About more than seventeen years back, when I was posted at Palampur, I happened to pass by Brig. Sharma's beautiful house , while looking for a suitable residential accommodation. Just about ten days back, media was full of articles about the 1971 war and the country gratefully remembered and paid tributes to all those who contributed to the victory ; and now one of the war heroes is gone
R.I.P. Brig. Sharma !