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Journalism of Courage
NEW DELHI, MAY 29: This is not the first time that the family won’t be together on his birthday. However, this is the first time that there will be no celebrations.
“Most of tomorrow will be spent travelling. We are all going to Adampur to join our parents,” says Flight Lieutenant K Nachiketa’s sister Sandhya describing her itinerary for May 30 Nachiketa’s 26th birthday.
Nachiketa is posted at the Adampur air base and his parents had joined him early this month as they wanted to spend more time with him. He was involved in the air strikes in Kargil and was taken hostage by Pakistan when he ejected after his Mig-27 developed engine trouble on May 27.
“My sister and her husband will also reach Delhi tomorrow and then we will leave for Adampur along with one of his friends. In fact, another one of his friends has already reached Adampur,” says Sandhya. Her father-in-law Sriramamurthy adds: “He is so friendly and outgoing that even our relatives who had met him just once at Sandhya’s wedding arecalling up to inquire about him. The phone has been ringing continuously for the last three days- friends, relatives, acquaintances- everyone is calling us up.”
Sandhya, who is two-odd years younger than Nachiketa, was married to Mukund, a practising lawyer, three months ago.
“The whole family was last together in February, when I got married. I had met Nachi last month as he was in town to help my parents shift their belongings to Hyderabad. However, at that time my elder sister, who lives in Hyderabad, could not join us,” she says.
Worried but nonetheless putting up a brave front, Sandhya says that she gets her courage from her mother. “When she called to inform me, she said that I should not cry. She said that I had to be brave. And I told her much the same. She has to be brave not only for herself but also for my father. He underwent bypass surgery in February after my wedding and we are all concerned about him,” she says with a worried expression.
And, suddenly lightening the atmosphere,Sandhya’s husband Mukund says: “She was born in Kishtwar in Jammu and we have all been joking that she should go to the border and negotiate with the Pakistanis. She is quite convincing and I am sure that after listening to her they will set Nachi free.”
And the room is filled with spontaneous laughter as everyone adds their suggestions on how to go about the project. However, the conversation gets serious again with Sandhya querying about the Pakistani Foreign Minister Sartaj Aziz’s proposed visit to India. “When is he coming? Don’t you think once he is here they will work out a date to set him free?” she asks with just an edge of desperation to her voice.
“Let us hope that he is released as soon as possible. Air Force officials from Delhi as well as Adampur called up Sandhya’s mother today and assured them that they are doing their best to secure his early release. They have also said that they would extend all possible support to the family and even provide accommodation to all those friends andrelatives, who want to come and wait at Adampur. We are all hoping that he will be back home soon,” said Sriramamurthy looking heavenward as if for a sign.
