The Nawang I Knew

                                            October 2020

By Wing Commander C M Jaywant (retd) Shurya Chakra

Shekhar Masa; as Nawang called him is the married to Nawang’s mother’s sister. From an early age he had an influence on Nawang to serve the country and dedicate oneself to protecting her citizens As a fellow solider he understands the drive to serve the country and become part of a cause larger than self. He writes about his unique bond as Nawang makes up his mind to join the Army.

My earliest memories of Nawang, at the time I was engaged to Sheela(Nawang’s Mausi), are of a happy child with an impish smile. The same face comes to mind when he visited us at Air Force Station Hindon when we celebrated his 3^rd or 4rth birthday. Harish (Nawang’s father) was away on an expedition and we received a telegram from him that read, “Happy birthday to None”. It foxed us until we realised the last word was supposed to be ‘Nonee’ which was Nawang’s pet name.

Young Nawang’s excitement was in saluting all the Defence Security Corps guards who walked by our house with guns slung over their shoulders.

I also recall, one day, he got covered all over with tar: he had gone to play on the road which was being resurfaced. Curiosity had got the better of him and he had stuck his hands and feet into the black, sticky tar, like any young child would! With the help of a kind neighbour, Geeta had to bathe him with kerosene to clean it off.

To his cousins, Sonam and Nawang, our son, Saurabh, was like a toy when he was very young.

We kept meeting them whenever we visited Mumbai and suddenly– well, not so suddenly– Nawang had graduated from college and was going to run a retail shop, branching from the family business of wholesale marketing of cloth. We visited the shop once; I sensed a lack of enthusiasm in Nawang. Later, I came to know he was keen on joining the Army.

I understood exactly how he felt, wanting to chase a dream, a life of high adventure, a calling to serve the country.  I recalled, many years ago, I myself had rebelled against my parents and finally coerced my father to sign the forms allowing me to appear for the entrance exam to the NDA.

There was another similarity at the time of joining, for both of us: Nawang had to work hard to lose 11 kilos in a limited period of time in order to clear his medicals. In my case, I nearly missed my Services Selection Board  interviews because I had high fever.

I was happy for him when he got commissioned. His photos at his commissioning reflect his happiness.  And that of his mother and grandmother who were present. He joined the Infantry, like any passionate Army man would want to. I had got into the fighter stream of the IAF, something all entrants aspire to be in.

His being killed in action against terrorists was a shock to us all. Such a bright future cut short at a young age. Nawang’s life was short, but he lived his dream and lived upto the traditions of the Indian Army of leading from the front.

 

Nawang’s Shekharmasa

Honourpoint carried this article on their FB page on November 11, 2020. This was the 20th Anniversary of Nawang’s supreme sacrifice