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Thursday, March 15, 2012

15 March 1977- Happy Birthday Major Sandeep Unnikrishnan

My favorite line from Caesar:

"Cowards die many times before their deaths,

The valiant never taste of death but once."
“Do not come up, I will handle them”, were the last words which Major Unnikrishnan told his men, as he was hit by bullets while engaging well armed ruthless terrorists inside The Taj Mahal Palace Towers, Mumbai during Operation Black Tornado according to NSG officials.

It just seems like the waste of a human life to die in the line of duty, and I am not sure if I believe in this concept of martyrdom as much as I blindly did in the past. Sadly, not anymore!

I wish to celebrate Sandeep’s Birthday today, because he believed so strongly in something that he prepared to give everything, to see it survive. I venerate him and all the people who laid down their precious lives fighting for us to live on. They were the kind of people who are prepared to value something more than they value their own life.

I am sure the object of his belief is something we can appreciate, we naturally must glorify those who give their all for it.Today, it hurts me real bad because, I see a majority of us who dismiss even a memory as untrue, or unworthy, and then we often dismiss their sacrifice as well.

Sandeep fought until finish, he endured the pain, 
for he knew  not just he would gain 
The battle is over is the victory won?
A soldier makes his journey home. 
Sandeep fought so hard, He fought so long. 
And now, he sings a victor's song when the rest of the world goes MUTE! 

We must STOP this indifference! A strange and unnatural state in which the lines blur between light and darkness, dusk and dawn, crime and punishment, cruelty and compassion, good and evil even life and death.
Can one possibly view indifference as a virtue? Is it necessary at times to practice it simply to keep one's sanity, live normally, enjoy a fine meal and a glass of wine, as the world around us experiences harrowing upheavals?

Of course, indifference can be tempting -- more than that, seductive!

Indifference is not a beginning, it is an END. And, therefore, indifference is always the friend of the enemy, for it benefits the aggressor -- never his victim, for the one whose pain is magnified when he or she feels forgotten. The hundreds of martyrs --forgotten, exiled them from human memory. And in denying their humanity we betray our own. Indifference, then, is not only a sin, it is a punishment. This for me has been one of the most important lessons of the experiments in good and evil I have experienced day after day. In the country that I come from, my society is composed of three simple categories: the killers, the victims, and the bystanders, the largest majority unfortunately belonging to the third category.

What about the abused children, raped women, martyred soldiers, terror victims? Oh, we see them on television, we read about them in the newspapers, and we do so with a broken heart. Their fate is always the most tragic, inevitably.Soon we forget all of them.They become just another story in the distant archives of our memory.

It is so much easier to look away from a sacrifice. It is so much easier to avoid such rude interruptions to our work, our dreams, and our hopes. It is, after all, awkward, troublesome, to be involved in another person's pain and despair. Yet, for the person who is indifferent, his or her neighbors are of no consequence. Therefore, their lives are meaningless! Their anguish is of no interest. 

Indifference has reduced Major Sandeep Unnikrishnan to an "abstraction." 
If we continue this indifference, mankind will perish. I see Sandeep’s face every single day, his placid eyes, his cold and lifeless body appeals to me every single minute! I hear Sandeep’s parents and their silent pleas,pain striking eternal injuries... Do I feel their pain, their agony? I die every single day with them.

Yes, every minute I die, imagining the indifference to a martyr. Not just one  -- so many of them -- could be saved just with a caring thought.With a few good memories lived year after year.After all the lives we live are the very same they laid down!

Happy Birthday Sandeep Unnikrishnan! 




29 comments:

  1. Many Many Happy returns of the Day Major :) U Brave Heart - We Miss U and where ever you are we know you will be a light to the place.......... U R now Close to GOD............Thanks for being born in India we are proud of you.

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  2. Shame on us , shame on India who has forgotten You, Major.

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  3. happy birthday sandeep......may god bestow us with a lot more brave soldiers like u.....its those brave soldiers like u who make us feel secure....even though u r not in between us,u will always be remembered.....u r eternal

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  4. Happy Birthday Major Sandeep, Jai Hind

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  5. Kar Chalae Hum Fidaa Jaan o Tan Saathiyon abh Tumhaarae Hawaalae Watan Sathiyon... May Ur soul rest in Peace Unni !!! Saluting in honour to a great Martyr Major. Unni Krishnan. JAI HIND..!!!!
    Regards.& Respect.
    Shakeel Shaikh.

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  6. Thnks Major for make us feel proud.
    Happy Birthday :)

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  7. and if sandeeps parents r reading this,then hats off to u too,sir and ma'am.....u r one of those lucky parents who had the opportunity of giving birth to a martyr...plz dont feel sad about his unfortunate death,but feel proud of what your son has done for this country....he will always remain in our hearts....

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  8. A huge thank you to all those who cared to wish Major Sandeep Unnikrishnan Today!....Surely means a LOT

    Lots of regards
    Ushy Mohan Das

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  9. One thing is sure this Major will always stay Young he is never going to age & wither away.

    Many Happy returns of the day Major Sandeep Unnikrishnan

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  10. Happy birthday sandeep unnikrishnan/'shaeedon ki chitayon pe lagenge har baras mele.watan pe marne walon kaa yehi baqi nishan hoga.u live in our hearts and mind sandeep

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  11. Major Sandeep Unnikrishnan will always remain alive in our hearts. Long Live Major! With teary eyes and proud heart my humble respect and Salute. Happy Birthday!

    Thanks Ma'm for this tribute to our great Hero!

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  12. Happy birthday Major. You will always remain in our hearts .

    Usha Ji , nice tribute to the Martyr

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  13. Happy Birthday Major Sandeep Unnikrishnan. Great effort in penning down the thoughts Ushy. Was Lal Bahadur Shastri the last politician who rightly said "Jai Jawan, Jai Kissan"? Don't see that kind of encouraging statements from political class anymore. That pretty much sums up the sad state of affairs in India today.

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  14. Dear Friends

    Though I have no words to express my gratitude i would still say it in two little words "thank you"

    I feel so ashamed of these systems...the govt...the media and the people themselves who forget precious lives laid down just to protect us!

    Every good wish will allow Major Sandeep Unnikrishnan's soul feel peace and maybe calm down his grieving parents

    Lots of prayers and good wishes
    Ushy Mohan Das

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  15. Happy Birthday Major Sandeep Unnikrishnan. Time flies and Doc Ushy Mohan Das has very aptly scripted this tribute where India, by and large, had forgotten you and the sacrifice of your life made by you so that Mumbai could live. It's people like you who actually lay the foundation of a sound future.
    Thankyou Ushy, you have made many people shed tears by this lovely tribute to this martyr. Last but not the least, hats off to Major Unnikrishnan's parents, wife & child.

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  16. Happy Bday SANDEEP SIRRRRRR... Salute To You.....
    Martyrs Are Exceptional People. They Survive Pain, They Survive Total Deprivation. They Bear All The Sins Of The Earth. They Give Themselves Up. They transcend Themselves... They Are Transfigured....

    Ushy , You Deserve An Applause For What You Have Done... Great Work Mate... Keep It Up....

    With Lots Of Wishes And Prayers
    Abdul Rahiman.B.K.Afthab Ali

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  17. वक़्त ने हिसाब माँगा हे, देश के गद्दारों का खून माँगा हे
    शहीदों ने एक बार फिर इन्कलाब माँगा हे !
    कह दो जाकर उन खान-ग्रेसियो को
    देशभक्तों ने एक बार फिर हिंदुस्तान माँगा हे !
    ना होगा अब कोई अनशन, ना चलेगी अब कोई तुम्हारी चाल
    देखेगी दुनिया अब तुम्हारी तबाही का मंजर, ऐसा होगा भूचाल
    वक़्त ने ली हे करवट, भारत माँ ने जोश-ओ-जूनून माँगा हे
    देशभक्तों ने एक बार फिर हिंदुस्तान माँगा हे !!
    (हार्दिक पंड्या- एक क्रांतिकारी विचारक)

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  18. Thanks for the nicely written article. Yes, some hearts do bleed, when one recalls his story and thinks more about his parents whose only son he was.
    It's sad to see that some MSU groups I am part of now are so inactive.They started off with a bang, talked about 'waking up', not 'sleeping any more' and now there are no activities. Thankfully some like 'Indian army fans' on FB and a few other profile pages make posts and get comments.It's good to see articles like this and those activities, that try to keep him alive.More of the same are needed.

    Major had listed 'apathy' as one of his turn-offs in a social networking page. Yes,sadly that plagues his memory now.

    In the years gone by, we have seen his parents entertain kids on his birthday. That was so good to see, they do try to keep happy and love makes them do so, amidst the darkness...
    Justice is long overdue.
    किसीने सही बोला भारत देश में देर भी और अंधेर भी. फिर भी आशाओं को कुछ लोगों ने जिंदा रखा है
    हाँ न्याय की आशा रखते हैं...

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  19. Happy Birthday Major Sandeeep, You are always in our heart

    Nageswara Rao R

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  20. WoW! I don't want to spoil the solemnity of the Occasion (and this post) by venting out my true feelings against those who are primary reason for snuffing out this promising life. A brilliant piece that appears right from the depth of heart befitting "Standing Tall" Hero (I never consider him fallen). May his life inspire us to address and complete all that he stood for "Absolute commitment to his Duty" Many happy returns of the day, Sandeep! Wherever you are!

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  21. happy birthday major......
    Salute to you.

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  22. Very touching without making it poignant. Appreciated

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  23. you'l remain in all our hearts, ...ul be there in each nd every human thoughts and prayers.... We love u ,, fr wht u are....

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