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Kamlesh, who studied in 12th, wanted to serve the country by joining the army. To make the dream come true, he used to go out secretly from the family at 4 in the morning. Mother Keshari Devi did not want her son Kamlesh to join the army. The father himself was a soldier. He fought the 1965 and 1971 wars with Pakistan.
Father used to explain to mother that just as you go to the temple and worship God, in the same way we protect Mother India by joining the army. The mother’s heart did not agree, in the end the father had to bow down to the mother’s love and stubbornness.
Keshari Devi says, “It was morning. We were all sitting in the verandah of the house. After running, son Kamlesh came home and came to us and said that I have to go to join the army. I refused, son. He stood still for a moment, then took hold of his feet and said, “Mother, I have to protect the motherland. Don’t refuse this time.”
Keshari Devi says, “Tears flowed from my eyes after listening to my son. This time I couldn’t refuse. He blessed his son by placing his hand on his head. Kamlesh went and returned only after being admitted.”
The Kargil war ended on 26 July 1999. In this war that lasted for 3 months, 527 Indian soldiers were martyred. In the second part of the story of Kargil War Heroes, we will talk about Kamlesh Singh, the brave soldier of Ghazipur.
Before going to Kargil, Kamlesh had promised elder brother Ram Shabd Singh that where his father defeated the Pakistani army. I will also come there by unfurling the tricolor.
Kamlesh’s father Ajnath Singh was a captain in the army. Explains, “The son was admitted to the Indian Army’s Corps of Electronics and Mechanical Engineers (EME) on July 31, 1985, at the age of 19. He was posted at 457 FRIP Bathinda. After training, most of the duties were done with VIPs. .
On the evening of 7 June 1999, his unit was asked to go to Kargil. There he was attached with the Rajputana Rifles. His posting took place at the top of the strategically important Tiger Hill in the Kargil War.
This is the peak of Tiger Hill where the decisive battle of Kargil war was fought.
Before moving on let’s know about Tiger Hill…
Tiger Hill is in the Dras sector and before the Kargil war, the Indian Army did not go there everyday for patrolling. Tiger Hill is at an altitude of 5,307 meters i.e. 17,410 feet. Tiger Hill is very close to National Highway 1D. This route connects Kargil in Ladakh with Srinagar and the rest of the country.
Occupying Tiger Hill means the entire highway is in your eyes. The enemy wanted to separate Leh from the rest by capturing the highway. In the last week of April 1999, Pakistan captured Tiger Hill.
On 15 June 1999, Rajputana Rifles attacked aggressively to capture this peak. Cannons were roaring from all sides. The soldiers of the Indian army were continuously moving forward on the target.
Now again let’s talk about Kamlesh’s bravery…
Lived in Jamnagar with father, but kept a relationship with the village till his death
Father Ajnath Singh told, “His posting was in Jamnagar, Gujarat. He took the family with him from the village. Kamlesh did his early studies there. After retiring, he came to the village. So he did his intermediate studies from Ghazipur. While living in the city. His association was always with his village itself.
After martyrdom, the body of Kamlesh was brought to his village on 16 July 1999. Thousands of people had gathered to bid their last farewell to their son.
Where the father fought the 1965 war, the son was martyred
83-year-old father Ajnath Singh, recalling an incident in 1965, said, “The place where I fought against Pakistan, at the same place, on Tiger Hill, the son gave martyrdom on June 15, 1999 and brought laurels to the district. Being a father It is sad to be a soldier but also proud to be a soldier that my son was martyred while serving the country and became immortal forever.
His memory haunts every moment, but people proudly salute the son’s martyrdom. One son in the name of the country, hundreds of sons are sacrificed. For his valor, bravery and indomitable courage, the then President of India KR Narayanan had awarded the son the Sena Medal posthumously.
The father said, “Kamlesh fought with the enemies despite being hit with a piece of bomb. The people of the village used to call the son Tiger. He was really a tiger.” He said, “The son, despite being hit by a piece of bomb, fought with the enemies and showed indomitable courage.”
Mother did not want son to join army
Keshari Devi is the mother of Kamlesh Singh. Age has crossed 80 years. There are wrinkles on the face now. It is difficult to see even without wearing glasses. As soon as Kamlesh’s name was taken, tears started flowing from under the glasses. His throat swelled while talking about the martyred son.
Hearing his words, it seemed as if all the actions of the son were going on in front of him like a film. The mother said that it has been 23 years since martyrdom. There is not a day when a son is not missed. It is difficult to spend a day, but what to do, life and death is not in your hands.
Mother worships her son like a god every day. Not a day has passed in 23 years when he is not remembered.
She told, “The husband was in the army. But he did not want to let the son join the army. The son was preparing for recruitment in the army. When he refused, he held his leg. He persuaded me for several days. The son said- Army uniform. Wearing it is a dream. Bless you to serve the motherland. Said with full eyes – then could not refuse the son.
Keshari Devi said, “Kamlesh was the second of four brothers. They were married on May 13, 1989. But there was no child. The daughter-in-law went to her maternal home after the son was martyred. Didn’t meet for 22 years. I am at my last stop. I want to meet for the last time.”
Shaheed Kamlesh Singh was posthumously awarded the Sena Medal. His wife Ranjana Devi receiving the Sena Medal.
(This story is done by Vikas Singh. Vikas is doing an internship with Dainik Bhaskar.)