Short Story Friends – Nation
Photo credit: wallyir from morguefile.com
The story began in 1975 at Maharashtra. Jai Pradeep, Zevesh Sanjeev, Ruth Mahat Sinha were three friends, who used to roam together from their childhood. Mahat was from a rich family, his grandfather was a Colonel. Sanjeev was from a middle class family, his dad was working in an army, as a mechanic in aircraft department in Mumbai and finally,Jai was also from a middle class family,who lost his dad Vikaram Pradeep in a war.They three were studying in same school. From the time of their schooling, they three had a lot of interest in joining army because of their family background.
One day Jai and Mahat went to meet Sanjeev as he did not come to school.They saw many aircraft toys in his home and also saw a small hangar at backside of his home which they had not seen before.They three were playing with those toys and suddenly heard an aircraft landing sound. It was sanjeev’s dad,who landed the airplane after making a trial on it and he went for buying food outside. Jai was more excited to drive that aircraft.They three climbed in it and were playing on it.They three were acting like a troop.Jai as the pilot, Sanjeev as the second pilot and Mahat as the bomber.They three were playing for quite long time by making the sound through their mouth. Unfortunately while playing, Jai switched on the plane, it ran for hundred metres.They three became scared and jumped out of craft once it stopped. On seeing it,Sanjeev’s dad scolded them and warned them not to climb on the plane again.
In 1996 they three joined the Indian Air force as an Aircraftman,which was the rank given to trainers in army. After few months,they were promoted to Corporal, the rank given after training.They three were crazy on driving the fighter. One day they were warned by Major for misusing the flight and also congratulated by him for driving the fighter as an experienced person. At that place,Jai saw a girl named Shasha, who was working in communication department of Indian army. She had a friend named Monica who was also working with her.They five always used to have their lunch together.
In a situation,Sanjeev proposed his love to Monica. She too accepted him. Mahat was speaking about his love on Monica to Jai and asked him to help him for his love. Jai also told him that he would help him. Jai met Shasha and told her that, Mahat is in love with Monica and asked her to help for him. She replied that, already she is in love with Sanjeev,didn’t he told you guys?.
Jai was tensed and thought that there would be fight within them because of that.It really became a big problem between them as expected and they both fought together.When Monica came and shouted at Mahat,he was vexed and did not speak to Sanjeev after that incident.They three were given Corporal post and were asked to stay in Orissa army camp for few months because of Maoist attack there.
When it was time for them to leave to Orrisa,Jai saw some sadness on Shasha’s face and he went to speak with her.She asked him to be safe as she would be waiting for him.Jai felt happy that Shasha was loving him.They left the place.It was the first experience for them for fighting against the enemy.The Maoist were spreading across Orissa.India was in a pressured up situation to control them.They were made a tent in Niali district.They were enjoying in that place as they did not have any work.It was night time and they all were in sleep, suddenly they got a call that, in Harishpur the Maoist are attacking.Jai and few of the army men went to that place and rest of them were in the camp.After a big attack Jai and the rest of the army men returned to the camp.They were shocked to see the Maoist attack at their camp also.Many of them were injured.Jai was tensed and was thinking about his friends condition.Luckily nothing happened to them.They all came to know that Maoist had stolen some of their explosives.Jai was happy to see his friends speaking together because of that fight.
It was December 1998,India got an information that due to border issue,Pakistan would attack India through Arabian Sea,as the conversation between both the country leader ended with failure. Because of this, India was making their securities tight across the country.Again there was a transfer for them near Kutch,a place in Gujarat.They all were residing in that same place for more than a year.Since there was no attack from Pakistan,some of the army men were asked to go their native places by giving promotion to most of the cadets. Jai,Anup and Mahat were also asked to go their houses and they three were promoted as Sergeant. Jai was excited to see Shasha after long gap.
They three did not get any mode of transport for going to their place and were standing in railway station.No train came,for their luck,a goods train was standing in that station.They went into that train by knowing its destiny.They were travelling in that from Kutch station to Mumbai Central station.They three were inside the train which contains rice bags.They made the door slightly open for air circulation.On the way of their travel,the train stopped suddenly near Mumbai.Anup and Mahat were sleeping,Jai woke while the train stopped and stepped out for knowing the reason of stop.He saw a group of people at hundred metres away from him.He hide himself from them for capturing and saw the driver and guard outside the train standing as an host in that gang.Those gang were robbing the rice bag from the train.Jai fought with those guys,those guys escaped and ran with the rice bags.Jai saved them and told him that he was travelling in that train from Kutch station and would get down at Mumbai station.Driver and the guard thanked him for rescuing them.Jai told that to Sanjeev and Mahat.They both scolded him for fighting alone and also congratulated him for saving the driver and guard.
They reached Mumbai and were happy to see their home after many years.Jai told his friend that he wants to give a surprise to Shasha and asked his friend to say her to go Bombay Flying club at Juhu that evening,were he used to fly during free time.Shasha did ’t know that,he was in Mumbai and it was a surprise for her to see him in that club.They were sitting and chatting in a Cessna type light aircraft.Suddenly he started the engine and took off the flight by fastening their belts.She saw the sunset from the sky and was excited to fly.After landing,she thanked him for making her moment so beautiful.Sanjeev was talking in his phone from his house terrace to Jai regarding some work.From that place,he saw Monica and Mahat speaking together but didn’t hear what they were speaking.Actually what they were speaking was,Monica asked Mahat to love her,as he attracted her a lot than Sanjeev.But Mahat did not accept her request because it would affect Sanjeev and also told he did not have any interest on her right now.She insisted and compelled him to marry her.He left his home in order to avoid her by saying everything to Jai.Mahat went and worked in his army friend’s aircraft repair centre at Leh,Jammu and Kashmir.At that place,there was different types of fighter air crafts like Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-21,HAL Tejas,BAE Hawk,HAL HJT-36 Sitara,HAL Rudra,HAL HJT-16 Kiran.Their job was to repair the army aircrafts for money.Whenever Sanjeev spoke to Monica,she used to speak with him happily.She was in confused state and does not know what to do.
Jai and Shasha went to beach and were having a romantic chat.After sometime he saw a group of man whose faces were familiar to him.Those guys were travelling in the boat and he remembers those faces that they were that gang, with whom he fought in the train. He asked Shasha to go home safe,as he was having some personal work. Shasha went and for his,luck a boat came to shore. He explained the situation to those fishermen and requested them to help him.They agreed to his request and chased that boat.When he went near that boat,he jumped into it as none of those guys saw him.When they saw him again,there was big fight.
Those guys told him that”since last month,climate was not good .We did not go for fishing which led our family to poverty.Because of that only,we did like that and we know that its crime.We can survive without foods but our family can’t”.
Jai understoods their situation and apologised for injuring them and those guys also asked him sorry.He came to the shore in their boat and saw Shasha standing at the same place.He asked her“what are you doing here?I asked you to go long back”.
She replied him that”When you told me to go,I went.But when I turned to see you,I was shocked as you was travelling in boat,that’s why I was waiting”.
He laughed and left her in home. Monica came to know that Mahat is in Leh.There was a sudden call for Jai,Sanjeev and Mahat from Indian army to assemble in Kargil district in Jammu and Kashmir.Jai and Sanjeev arrived to that place.Since Mahat was next to that place he went a day before they arrived.Shasha felt sad on hearing to it,as Jai left the home again.Indian armies were warned that there would be attack in India-Pakistan border at any time and were given one day time for getting prepared.
It was early morning Jai,Sanjeev,Mahat were sleeping in a hangar and most of the army people were also in sleep.There was more than hundred fighter planes which were passing one by one.Jai thought that Indian army was practicing for the war and continued his sleep,but it was Pakistan fighters who came into India for attacking.Many of the people thought that,it was Indian flight.Ved Prakash Malik who was a Pilot Officer,was the head of Jai.He was shocked to hear from communication department as more Pakistan flights have crossed the Indian border.Ved was puzzled and he asked to alert all the army cadets.Sanjeev suddenly woke up from his sleep as he heard the bomb sound and asked them to wake up.Jai was shocked to see that place as the whole area was attacked by Pakistan army using fighter planes.Jai thought of fighting with them with aircraft but at his place the runway was damaged.Mahat told him regarding his friend’s place where he worked.
They three along with few persons went in a car to that place.That place was not damaged but they saw the Pakistan flight coming to that place and they hide themselves from that place in order to escape from them.One of the men went into a flight at that place but when he was about to took off the flight,Pakistan army saw them and shot that plane.Jai asked those few people to distract them as Jai and Sanjeev would go in flight for attacking them. Luckily they both took off the plane and Mahat was guiding them from airbase.With lots of difficulties they both destroyed six planes which were roaming in that place.Many of the infantries were aiming the planes and shot few.Pakistan government felt happy for making Kargil district a disaster place.Only few of their army people were killed.More cadets,civilian,air base,hospitals were damaged in India.India did not expect this attack from them.Since there was lot of losses,there was more change in Indian army.Jai,Sanjeev and Mahat were directly promoted to Officer cadet post.But after the Sergeant post is Warrant officer,they were double promoted in order to honour them,as they fought in that situation.Like that,many of them were promoted.Shasha and Monica were asked to go Kargil communication department of Indian army.There was many more changes.
Indian prime minister,Atal Bihari Vajpayee informed that, it was a wakeup call for them and also added that India would attack Pakistan at any time.Pakistan forces were also ready because they knew that India would attack them back.Public were afraid of war because of border issue in Kargil sector.The operation was named as Vijay in India.Jai was waiting for that situation to keep up his dad’s words.His dad was involved in Siachen conflict war between India and Pakistan in 1984 but he died in the war.Before the war,his dad told him that, an army men must not be scared of anything and must save the nation at any difficulties.
It was May 3rd 1999 through shepherds Pakistan government informed India,that theywere ready for battle.Since India was in an intension to strengthen the Army.The people in India were asked to pay their one day wages to government.Two days later,five Indian army were send to Pakistan for knowing the situation but unfortunately they were caught and tortured to death.Indian army was led by Ved Prakash Malik and were thirty thousand army men frow India side and in Pakistan,Pervez Musharraf led the team with five thousand army men.All the Indian army men were tented in Kashmir valley.Pakistan Army damages ammunition dump in Kargil suddenly.Because of that,Indian Army moved in more troops from Kashmir Valley to Kargil Sector.They three were leading the different groups.The war was taking place continuously between them.Indian air force attacked the infantries in Pakistan which led more loss to them.Jai was technically attacking the Pakistan infantries.
Unfortunately Mahat’s air craft was shot by Pakistan infantry.In that accident he died.Sanjeev was also attacking them and landed the plane safely.In that air force fight India lost two flights.The Indian army were mostly utilising NH 1A highway which was connecting Kashmir valley to Jammu.On knowing it Pakistan set up many bombs at that highway.Since the situation was becoming worse in starting of June,Indian Army launched a big force in Kargil for a major attack and re-captured two key positions in the Batalic sector.There was also a phone call from Bill Clinton to Pervez Musharraf to pull off the war.Indian army started slightly to occupy the major place like Point 5060 and Point 5100 near Tiger Hill and in July,they fully recaptured Tiger Hill after an 11-hour continuous battle.Many countries criticised Pakistan for crossing the line of border in India.After the meeting with Clinton,Pakistan withdrew from the war.Since Pakistan pull-out India captured key peaks in Batalik.In mid of July,Indian Prime Minister Vajpayee declared that operation Vijay was a big success and thanked the whole country for supporting the nation.
In India 527 Army men were killed and 1363 were wounded whereas in Pakistan,453 were killed and 655 were injuried.Jai,Sanjeev and rest of the army men were filled with emotions after the victory of war.They both were eagerly waiting for Mahat’s arrival at office,as they didn’t know that,he had been killed in war.Shasha and Monica were collecting information’s regarding the dead army men and were shocked to know that Mahat has been killed in the flight attack.Monica cried a lot for him.When Jai and Sanjeev came to know about Mahat,they were unable to bare it.Jai felt happy for Mahat as he died for his own nation.The Kargil war was like a nightmare to all the army men.They four continued their job.Jai married Shasha and Sanjeev married Monica.They all were happy and delighted after that big struggle.Jai felt more happy for keeping up his dad’s word and became Pilot officer after few years.
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