NEW DELHI, Feb 5:
Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and Army chief Gen Bipin Rawat today paid homage to Captain Kapil Kundu, who was killed in heavy Pakistani shelling along the Line of Control in Jammu and Kashmir.
The mortal remains of the officer, who died in the line of duty yesterday, barely six days before his 23rd birthday, was flown to Delhi in a Dornier aircraft.
Sitharaman paid respects by laying a wreath on the tricolour-wrapped coffin, which was laid at the Palam Air Force Base after the aircraft reached around 6.20 PM.
Earlier, Minister of State for Defence Subhash Bhamre and Rawat also paid tributes to the soldier of the 15 Jammu and Kashmir Light Infantry (JAKLI), by laying wreaths.
The Defence Minister later met the sister and other family members of Kundu, who had arrived in Delhi, to take the body of the officer to his hometown in Haryana.
His body was later carried in an ambulance, on way to his Ransika village in Pataudi in Gurgaon district.
“The body of Ramavtar was sent to Gwalior,” a Defence official said.
Captain Kundu, who would have turned 23 this Saturday, always believed that it was more important for life to be large, rather than long.
And the valiant youngster from Gurgaon’s Ransika village, who sacrificed his life braving Pakistani shelling in Jammu and Kashmir’s Rajouri district yesterday, followed his belief with action as hundreds gathered here to pay their last respects to him.
“Kapil always said life should be large and not long. He was my brave son and I am a proud mother whose son has made the supreme sacrifice for our country. If I had one more son, I would send him too for national duty in the Indian Army,” the young captain’s 52-year-old mother Sunita Kundu said.
Sunita Kundu lost her husband Lala Ram Kundu when Kapil Kundu was just 15. Now pain and anger rage inside her heart at having lost her son.
“We urge the Government to conduct a surgical strike on Pakistan and avenge such incidents. Had my son lived another 15-20 years, he would have done more for his nation. I believe his life will not go waste,” Sunita Kundu said fighting back her tears.
Kapil had spoken to her just a couple of days back. He was excited about his posting in the Rajouri sector, she said.
“He was fond of life and full of adventure. He loved nature. He used to write poetry to express his feelings for his country. He always used to say country is supreme,” she said.
Family members recall that Kapil Kundu was not just a brilliant student but also very patriotic. He was commissioned in National Defence Academy (NDA) in 2012.
The Army Captain’s elder sister Sonia said that only till the other day they were busy planning his birthday.
“I spoke with my brother. He said that everything was going good and he would come home on his birthday,” she said.
Like everytime, Kapil had told his two sisters -Sonia and Kajal – but not their mother about his plan to come home on his birthday.
“He told me that he was visiting the family on February 10 and as usual but asked me not to tell this to anyone as he wanted surprise our mother,” said Sonia Kundu, who repeatedly broke down.
The family had planned a grand party and a visit out of station.
“We did not know that all planning and excitement would turn to tears as only his body would turn up,” the Army Captain’s sister said.
In Ransika, where Kapil Kundu was the idol for many youngsters, a pall of gloom descended. After the death of her husband, Sunita Kundu had raised her three children in their native village.
Kapil Kundu studied at the Divine Dale International School in Pataudi.
“His body was scheduled to come in his native place at 5 PM but due to some delay, it was taken to Delhi’s Palam airport and would be taken to Pataudi any time. His family members would perform his last rite today night,” R S Sangwan, District Public Relation Officer said.
The young Army Captain was among the four Army personnel who were killed yesterday in heavy Pakistani shelling along the LoC in Poonch and Rajouri districts of Jammu and Kashmir.
His commitment reflected in one of his last posts on Facebook. “Run. If you cannot, then walk. If you cannot, then crawl. But do not stop until you achieve your goal,” the doughty soldier had written. (PTI)
Trending Now
E-Paper
Follow our WhatsApp channel