Kundapur: Her Sons Risk Their Lives So That We May Live Free

By Aishwarya Beejady
Daijiworld Media Network - Kundapur (RD/CN)
 
Kundapur, Aug 15: As Indians, we proudly proclaim that ours is a free country, that we have the freedom to live, to express ourselves, to move around and do so without feeling threatened. A large part of the credit for this freedom goes to our unsung heroes, our soldiers, who put their lives to risk so that we may live.

The memories of the terrorist attack on the Taj Hotel, Mumbai, on November 26, 2008, are still afresh in the minds of Indians. A total of 166 people including personnel of the armed forces and civilians perished that day. Twenty-eight nationals of 10 different countries were among those who died.

Major Sandeep Unnikrishnan, a native of Karnataka and a member of the commando force, sacrificed his life for the country. The lone Pakistani terrorist Ajmal Kasab who was captured alive is in prison.
 
What few people know is that a member of the armed forces and a native of Kundapur was also involved in the operation led by the country’s elite National Security Guards (NSG) during the Mumbai attack.

It is the story of a mother who gave both her sons to the service of the nation, and proudly so. 

One of her sons, twenty-five-year-old Prabhakar, a resident of Tekkatte, near here, is employed with the bomb disposal squad of the Indian Armed Forces in its engineering division. He was one of the brave soldiers who was engaged in the cross fire between the terrorists. The people of his village were joyous on knowing that he was safe. Prabhakar is currently on vacation in his village and reminisces about the commando operation at the historic Taj Hotel.
 
When Daijiworld correspondent met Prabhakar at his house recently, he politely requested that his role in the operation not be highlighted. He said, “I am employed as a member of the bomb disposal squad in the Indian Armed Forces. We have done our duty to work for the nation risking our lives. I have memories of the bravery of Major Sandeep Unnikrishnan. I have no idea whether Kasab will get capital punishment or not. It’s up to the judiciary,” said Prabhakar.

Prabhakar is the eldest son of late Baccha Mogaveer and Jalaja Mogaveer, residing at Harapanakere in Tekkatte village, near here. He lost his father in his childhood. Baccha had supported his family by working in an eatery. Jalaja was distressed at her husband’s untimely demise and had to bear the responsibility of taking care of their three children, daughter Jyoti and sons Prabhakar and Sudhakar.

It was her sheer grit and confidence and work as a daily wager that sustained her three children. Prabhakar, who is blessed with the attributes of his mother Jalaja, aspired to serve in the Indian Armed Forces. Jalaja’s father-in-law Shekar Mendon supported Prabhakar in realising his dream.

Prabhakar pursued his engineering training in the Indian Army at Bangalore soon after his II PUC which he completed in Tekkatte. He was posted in Srinagar after his training and was inducted as a member of the bomb disposal squad which was operational in the border at Jammu and Kashmir. He was a member of the bomb disposal squad led by Vishal Sharma during the Mumbai attack. Prabhakar is now posted in Punjab.
 
His brother, twenty-three-year-old Sudhakar, also serves in the signalling division of the Indian Armed Forces. He joined service two years ago and is posted in the border area of Punjab. Sudhakar was injured in a road mishap while travelling from his native village to Mangalore. The road mishap occured at Uppoor, near here, when the bus that he was travelling in rammed into a truck. He was first treated at KMC Hospital, Manipal, and later admitted to the Military Hospital in Punjab. He regained his health and completed training at Jabalpur and now serves at the army base in Ambala. Prabhakar thanked Dr Anil Bhat of KMC Hospital for his timely treatment.
 
Jalaja, who is not highly educated, is proud that both her sons are serving the nation. She was in agony when both wanted to join the armed forces. She wanted them to be at her side as she was shattered by her husband’s untimely death. However, Jalaja is proud of her sons and happy that she bore brave sons. The local voluntary organization ‘Tekkatte Friends’ felicitated Jalaja recently for her great sacrifice to the nation. Although the number of youth from the coastal district joining the nation’s country’s armed forces is declining, Jalaja has set an example to other parents to encourage their sons to join the armed forces.

Celebrating Freedom: