Kargil is 65-yr-old8217;s canvas, the front his studio

KARGIL, JULY 11: Along with hundreds of soldiers and dozens of scribes, there is an old man with snow white beard and a sketch book in hi...

KARGIL, JULY 11: Along with hundreds of soldiers and dozens of scribes, there is an old man with snow white beard and a sketch book in his hand roaming around in the battle front at Kargil.

He is Roopchand, an painter from Gurgaon. This 65-year-old artist goes everywhere 8211; from a gun position to an Army bunker, talks to jawans on the roadside and even attends the briefings of the journalists in the Army8217;s Kargil headquarters.

Sitting on the banks of the Suru river, he copies the impression of the war onto his sketch book. After capturing various aspects of the war in his book, he says that he will finally translate these pencil sketches on canvas and paint a full series which he chooses to call The Kargil Episode8217;.

quot;These oil and water colour paintings showing different aspects of the Kargil crisis will be exhibited in Rabindra Bhavan Delhi and the money collected from the sale will go to the War Relief Fund,quot; he says.

quot;Painting the stories of valour of our soldiers besides pictures of their plightwhile fighting high up on these mountains has become aim of my life now,quot; he says.

quot;I want the world and especially the people of India to feel through an artists8217; eye about this war 8211; about the soldiers, who never say no to proceed on the battle front and even take bullets on their chests only to defend us. It gives me an unbelievable amount of satisfaction,quot; he adds.

Roopchand8217;s attraction to the war zone to paint the life on the battle front is not an entirely a new thought. quot;During 1962 and 1965, I did exhibitions depicting the realities of the war. In 1971, soon after the war ended I exhibited a series 8211; Freedom of Bangladesh8217; in Chandigarh which proved a big success,quot; he says. quot;People reacted to my works every time and I feel this time also, I will be able to contribute my bit.quot;

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He says that he will be doing sketches, water colours paintings as well as write poems throughout his three week stay in the battle front. quot;I have rented a room in the town as staying in hotels are expensive for me,quot; hesays.

Presently chairman of the National Art Centre, Gurgaon, Roopchand has also been involved in an artists8217; campaign against US aggression on Vietnam. quot;I was part of an artist group who held an exhibition against America. This exhibition was held in Copenhagan, Denmark,quot; he informs.

Basically an abstract painter, Roopchang had been teaching fine arts in Home Science College, Chandigarh, before shifting to Gurgaon, where he works with a group of artists. He has also published two collections of his poems 8211; Bindu in Hindi and Loose Scribbles in English.

Roopchand says he will also try to get a feel of being a refugee here. quot;The plight and agony of the locals, who had to flee their homes is heart rendering.quot;

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As the fighting continues on the mountains and more and more casualties pour in in the Field Ambulance unit here, Roopchand captures the tragedy in his sketches. quot;What a thousand books cannot say about Kargil conflict, a painting can depict,quot; he believes.

Muzamil Jaleel

Muzamil Jaleel is a Deputy Editor at The Indian Express and is widely recognized as one of India’s most authoritative voices on Jammu & Kashmir, national security, and internal affairs. With a career spanning over 30 years, he has provided definitive on-the-ground reportage from the heart of the Kashmir conflict, bearing witness to historic political transitions and constitutional shifts. Expertise and Investigative Depth Muzamil’s work is characterized by a rare combination of ground-level immersion and high-level constitutional analysis. His expertise includes: Conflict & Geopolitics: Decades of reporting on the evolution of the Kashmir conflict, the Indo-Pak peace process, and the socio-political dynamics of the Himalayan region. Constitutional Law: Deep-dive analysis of Article 370 and Article 35A, providing clarity on the legal and demographic implications of their abrogation in 2019. Human Rights & Accountability: A relentless investigator of state and non-state actors, uncovering systemic abuses including fake encounters and the custodial death of political workers. International War Reporting: Beyond South Asia, he provided on-the-spot coverage of the final, decisive phase of the Sri Lankan Civil War in 2009. Landmark Exposés & Impact Muzamil’s reporting has repeatedly forced institutional accountability and shaped national discourse: The Kashmir Sex Scandal (2006): His investigative series exposed a high-profile exploitation nexus involving top politicians, bureaucrats, and police officers, leading to the sacking and arrest of several senior officials. Fake Encounters: His reports blew the lid off cases where innocent civilians were passed off as "foreign terrorists" by security forces for gallantry awards. SIMI Investigations: He conducted a massive deep-dive into the arrests of SIMI members, using public records to show how innocuous religious gatherings were often labeled as incriminating activities by investigative agencies. The Amarnath Land Row: Provided critical context to the 2008 agitation that polarized the region and altered its political trajectory. Over the years, Muzamil has also covered 2002 Gujarat riots, Bhuj earthquake, assembly elections in Bihar for Indian Express. He has also reported the peace process in Northern Ireland, war in Sri Lanka and national elections in Pakistan for the paper. Awards and Fellowships His "Journalism of Courage" has been honored with the industry's most prestigious accolades: Four Ramnath Goenka Awards: Recognized for J&K Reportage (2007), On-the-Spot Reporting (2009), and Reporting on Politics and Government (2012, 2017). Kurt Schork Award: From Columbia University for international journalism. Sanskriti Award: For excellence in Indian journalism and literature. IFJ Tolerance Prize: For his empathetic and nuanced reporting in South Asia. International Fellowships: Served as a visiting scholar at UC Berkeley and worked with The Guardian, The Observer, and The Times in London. He has also received Chevening fellowship and a fellowship at the Institute of Social Studies, Hague, Netherlands. Professional Presence Current Location: New Delhi (formerly Bureau Chief, Srinagar). Education: Master’s in Journalism from Kashmir University. Social Media: Follow him for field insights and rigorous analysis on X (Twitter) @MuzamilJALEEL. ... Read More