Being an Indian is a matter of pride. Having an army of soldiers who are dedicated to their cause makes you all the more a proud citizen. We are unaware of the hard-ships faced by our soldiers so that they can keep us feel safe and secure. There are quite a few who tend to take this security and safety for granted without realizing the dangers our soldiers face to keep us protected. With multiple disasters, conflicts, constant threats of terrorism from the neighboring countries, infiltration and other problems, our soldiers are able to keep their balance and do their duty to the fullest.
- HAWS (High Altitude Warfare School):
Our soldiers are considered as the best in mountain and high altitude warfare. You have countries like the UK, Russia and even the US sending their Special Ops to train at the HAWS (High Altitude Warfare School). It is known that the US had sent their soldiers here for training before they were deployed to Afghanistan.
- Indo-Pak War of 1971:
Our soldiers ensured the defeat of the Pakistani army with a staggering figure of 93,000 Pakistani soldiers surrendering during the 1971 war. This is the largest number of war prisoners which have been taken into custody since the World War II. This is when Bangladesh was created. There were a number of soldiers who gave up their lives willingly to ensure this victory.
- The Indian Soldier and Siachen:
There are around 3000 soldiers being deployed to Siachen around the year. This is, surviving in inhuman conditions where you have many soldiers dying to natural causes instead of bullets. It is known that almost 846 soldiers have succumbed to the cold in the last 30 years. The floods, avalanches and other natural disasters in this tough terrain took the lives of these soldiers, which they gave without a murmur.
- Outnumbered Indian Soldiers:
It is known that during the Indo-Pak war of 1971, there were only 120 soldiers on one jeep with a recoilless rifle of M40 holding fort against almost 2000 Pakistani soldiers who were backed by one mobile infantry brigade and 45 tanks. Despite the fact that the Indian soldiers knew that they were outnumbered, they did not give up and could rout the aggressors completely with the help of the Air Force.
- Indian Soldiers not initiating any attack:
We are also proud of the fact that it has never been the Indian Army initiating an attack. All the wars fought have been a retaliation of an attack by the enemy forces. The Indian Soldiers make sure there are no compromises on the security of our country and tend to hit back where it hurts the most by adopting the right strategies and tactics.
- Indian Army and Volunteers:
I also feel proud of the fact that since the Indian Army is termed as the ‘biggest voluntary army’ there is maximum number of soldiers who have chosen this willingly. This shows the number of men willing to face the difficulties for the safety of our country. They could have made a choice of a relaxing and luxurious career instead of one where you have to face hardships besides the enemy day-in and day-out.
- Indian Soldier in Dras:
The Gateway to Ladakh, Dras, observes a climate which is sub-arctic in nature. In other words, this is the second coldest place in the world which is inhibited. The temperatures here are of a single digit all through the year with an exception for a couple of months. The Indian Armed Forces have managed to maintain a presence in this region, more so after the Kargil War in 1999.
- Contribution of an Indian Soldier to the UN:
You should be aware that our soldiers contribute to the largest extent to the peace making operations of the United Nations. Is this not enough to feel proud of an Indian Soldier?
- Cavalry Regiment:
As we know that there are only 3 cavalry regiments worldwide, with the Indian Army being one of them. You can say another feather on an Indian Soldier’s back.
- Control of the Siachen Glacier:
The Indian Army is in control of the Siachen Glacier, which is 5000 meters above the sea-level. You can understand the harsh weather conditions here and how the Indian soldier is able to keep vigil under such conditions.
- Surgical Strikes by the Indian Soldiers:
The Uri Attack has been a big blow for the security of India. The government has adopted the right strategy of opting for the surgical strikes against Pakistan after this attack. More than half of the countries around the world have shown total support of this strike. We had our soldiers attacking the terrorists camps with the required precision and tactfully. The bravery of the soldiers shown during this attack cannot be compared. The terrorist launch pads were targeted specifically across the Loc in Kashmir on the northern side. Our soldiers managed to kill 40 terrorists. This has saved India from multiple attacks by terrorists.
The list seems to be a never ending one when we talk about the various reasons for feeling proud of our Indian Soldiers. They need to acclimatize with the harsh weather conditions if posted in places like Ladakh or Siachen. Besides which, they seem to have no time or mental strength to think of their families or children. This is a difficult task for any human being. Their dreams are kept on a hold as they need to concentrate on the threats of our enemies and how to protect us from them. There are no second thoughts when they face bullets and have to sacrifice their lives to ensure our safety. Posted in tough terrains like Siachen or even Kutch, a soldier needs to face the cold and the heat in a calm manner so that this does not cause any hindrance to their vigil.
