The condition of the muddy road that led to the village – Belgaria from the nearby highway – became wretched due to incessant rain and frequent movements of the vehicles. This small hamlet around ten kilometers away from Suri the district headquarters of Birbhum, inhabited by maximum one hundred families, was little known to the rest of the country. But from the last Tuesday it has become famous as the birthplace of a born-patriot.
Since the very childhood the aim in life of Rajesh was to be a soldier, told his family members and friends. Rajesh was a student of the local Maladang Banshidhar High School where he studied up to class-XII. A school mate of Rajesh told , ‘ He prepared himself since the school days. He always inspired us to join army. When army recruitment was held at Suri I went there with Rajesh. He was selected but I could not fulfill physical requirement. After joining army whenever he came home he used to tell us about his life as a soldier.’ In the WhatsApp group of his village friends Rajesh used to post patriotic matters . Taidul Islam, another school mate and neighbour of Rajesh said , ‘ In many of such posts in Whats App group he used to convince us not to use China made products. He often said China is our enemy so we must not use their products.’ After passing higher secondary examination he was admitted to Suri Vidyasagar College and their he opted for NCC. A NCC B certificate holder Rajesh in 2015 attended army-recruitment drive at Suri and joined army.
Rajesh emerged from a literally poor family, no one taught him what nationalism was . Rajesh who was the single bread earner of the family. His job in Indian army had brought some solvency to the family. Rajesh reconstructed their village house, his younger sister is a student of second year Bengali honours. Negotiation for his marriage also was going on though date was not fixed.
Hardly a week ago Rajesh told her sister Shakuntala over mobile phone – ‘We are Climbing the hill …I’ll not be available over phone for a couple of days.’ The family members received a phone call from an army officer somewhere in Ladakh that Rajesh succumbed to death at hospital. That phone call changed a lot in the family of Rajesh. He visited home in the last February to attend Sawraswati Puja .
But the sudden demise of Rajesh could not destroy the courage of this family. Shakuntala , a second year student of Bengali -honours of Raniswar College said , ‘My brother had laid his life for our mother land. We want the government of India to retaliate .’ His first posting after training was in Kashmir-Leh-Ladakh. Subhas Orang , the ailing father of Rajesh too want the government to retaliate. ‘ My son has left us forever for the sake of the country. We want our Indian government to give China befitting reply.’ Uncle of Rajesh too said , ‘We are proud of Rajesh. My elder son works in ordinance factory in Jabbalpur. I want my younger son Abhijit to join army.’
Paltu Boral , Suri