An Inspiring Story
Gopal Prasad
Industrial Project Engineering & Management, Digital Marketing Enthusiast, Meditation Learner, Studies in Mental Health, Wellbeing, Work Life Balance ,Leadership & Management
At Mumbai’s Terminal 2 departure area, a car arrived, and a wheelchair was quickly brought out. Retired Wing Commander Ashok Ketkar was carefully transferred to the wheelchair. An airline attendant began pushing him toward the departure gate, triggering a flood of memories from his past.
While serving in the Air Force, Ashok had survived a plane crash but lost both his legs. A veteran of two wars, once soaring through the skies, he was now permanently bound to a wheelchair. However, every year, he traveled to Delhi to meet his old colleagues near India Gate for Republic Day celebrations, a tradition he had followed for years.
Yet, for the past few years, traveling to Delhi had become emotionally painful. His colleagues' children had respectable careers, many serving in the military or Air Force. In contrast, Ashok’s only daughter, Bhargavi, had abandoned her studies in her second year of college to marry a man whose terminally ill mother wished to see his wedding before she passed away. Despite Ashok and his wife’s strong objections, Bhargavi went ahead with the marriage, leading Ashok to cut ties with her. It had been five years since.
After completing check-in and security formalities, Ashok was escorted to the boarding gate. As per protocol, his wheelchair was brought in first, and he was seated in the front row. As the plane taxied to the runway, he looked outside and reminisced about his flying days. Overcome with emotion, his hands instinctively mimicked gripping a joystick. Tears streamed down his face.
Once the plane stabilized in the sky, Ashok requested water. A young boy approached him with a glass, surprising him. Just then, an announcement played over the speakers.
Pilot's Announcement:
"Dear passengers, welcome aboard Flight 6E 6028. Today, we have a very special guest—Retired Wing Commander Ashok Ketkar, seated in 1A. He heroically served India in two wars and played a crucial role in securing victories. Despite losing both legs in an accident, his fighter spirit remains unshaken. He lived by Air Force discipline, following orders even in his personal life. So much so that when his daughter married against his wishes, he severed ties with her. But a daughter never forgets her father...
Even after her marriage, Bhargavi continued to keep an eye on her father. After losing her mother-in-law shortly after marriage, she resumed her studies, graduated with top marks, and pursued a prestigious career. Today, despite going against her father’s wishes in marriage, she has fulfilled his dream for her career."
Ashok was stunned. The passengers listened intently. Then came another announcement.
Pilot:
"Baba, you always wanted to see me become a pilot. That was your dream, right? Well, today, your dream has come true. This flight is being piloted by none other than your beloved Bhargavi—the very daughter you are angry with. And the little boy who gave you water? That’s my son, Aditya—your grandson."
Ashok was overwhelmed with shock and joy. His tear-filled eyes looked at the boy, who smiled innocently. He picked Aditya up and hugged him tightly. Meanwhile, Bhargavi, holding a mic, walked toward him, tears streaming down her face.
Bhargavi:
"Baba, I’m sorry. I went against your wishes, but the circumstances left me no choice. And Baba, Rahul is a wonderful man—he now holds a high position in an MNC. We live in Delhi. When I heard from Mom that you were flying to Delhi today, I requested this flight assignment so I could see you. Baba, please forgive me. I am so proud of you. That’s why, today, as a commercial pilot, I salute you, a fighter pilot."
She stood at attention and saluted. The entire flight crew and passengers joined in. Then, she sat beside Ashok and hugged him, sobbing. Her tears soaked his shirt.
Aditya:
"Grandpa, I want to be a fighter pilot like you and serve my country! Mommy tells me your stories every day."
Hearing this, Ashok’s heart swelled with pride. Meanwhile, the co-pilot announced the plane’s descent. Bhargavi returned to the cockpit, and Ashok, now sitting beside Aditya, enthusiastically explained the landing procedures as the plane descended.
The golden sunset bathed three generations of pilots—one past, one present, and one future—in its warm glow. Though the plane was landing, Ashok Ketkar’s life had just taken off once again…
Toooooo touching…????????
--x--
Key Lessons from the Story of Wing Commander Ashok Ketkar
Final Thought:
This story reminds us that love, patience, and understanding are greater than anger and disappointment. Sometimes, life surprises us in the most unexpected ways, bringing lost relationships back and making dreams come true in ways we never imagined. ?????
--
Story in Hindi
In Hindi :
????? ?? ??????? 2 ???????? ??????? ??? ?? ??? ??? ????, ?? ????? ?? ????????? ???? ??? ??? ??????????? ???? ?????? ???? ????? ?? ????????????? ????????? ?? ??????????? ???? ???? ?? ??????? ??????? ?????? ???????? ??? ?? ?? ?? ???? ???, ?? ??? ???? ???? ???? ?? ????? ???? ?? ??? ???? ??????
???????? ??? ???? ???? ???, ???? ?? ????? ???????? ??? ?? ?? ??, ????? ???????? ???? ????? ?????? ?? ?? ???? ?? ??????? ?? ?????? ??????, ?? ??? ???? ??? ???? ?? ????? ???? ??, ?? ????? ?? ??? ????????? ?? ?????? ??? ????? ?? ???, ?? ??????? ???? ?????? ?? ??? ?????? ??? ?? ??? ???? ?????? ??????? ?? ????? ?????? ???? ?? – ?? ?????? ?? ???????? ?????? ?? ????? ???
???????, ????? ??? ?????? ?? ?????? ?? ?????? ???? ??? ????????? ??? ?? ????????? ?? ?? ??? ???? ????????? ?? ????? ?????????? ????? ??? ??, ?? ???? ?? ???????? ??? ???? ?? ??? ??? ???? ??????, ???? ?? ??????? ????, ???????, ???? ????? ?? ????? ???? ??? ????? ?????? ?? ??? ??????? ?? ???? ?? ???? ??, ????? ????? ??? ?? ????? ??? ???? ?????? ?? ???? ???? ???? ?? ???? ????? ????? ??? ???? ?? ???? ????? ?? ???? ????? ?? ??????, ??????? ?? ????? ?? ????, ????? ???? ?? ???? ????? ???? ???? ?? ???? ??? ???? ?? ??? ???
???-?? ?? ??????? ??????????? ?? ???? ???? ?? ???, ???? ?? ???????? ??? ?? ???????? ???? ?????? ?? ??????, ???? ???? ????????? ???? ??? ??, ?? ?????? ????? ?? ???? ?????? ??? ?????? ???? ???? ?? ????? ???? ?? ?? ????, ???????? ???? ???? ?? ???? ????? ?? ????? ?? ??? ????? ??????? ?? ??? ???, ???? ??? ??? ??? ?? ?? ???????? ?????? ?? ?????? ????? ???? ???? ????? ?? ???? ?? ??????
?? ????? ???? ??? ????? ???, ?? ???? ?? ???? ?????? ?? ???? ????? ?? ???? ??? ??? ???? ?? ????? ??????, ????? ?? ???? ??? ??? ????? ?? ?????? ?? ?? ????? ????? ???
????? ?? ?????: "????? ?????????, ?????? 6E 6028 ??? ???? ?????? ??? ?? ????? ??? ?? ????? ????? ??? – ??????????? ???? ?????? ???? ?????, ?? ??? 1A ?? ???????? ???? ???????? ?? ??????? ??? ???? ?? ??????????? ???? ?? ?? ??? ????????? ???? ??? ?????????? ?????? ?????? ???????? ??? ????? ??? ?????? ?? ??????, ???? ?????? ????? ??? ???? ????? ???????? ???????? ?? ??????? ?? ???? ???? ???? ??? ?? ??????, ???? ?? ?? ?? ???? ???? ?? ???? ????? ?? ??????? ????? ????, ?? ???????? ???? ?????? ???? ????? ????? ?? ???? ???? ???? ?? ??? ???? ?????...
???? ?? ??? ?? ??????? ?? ???? ???? ?? ?? ??? ???? ???? ?? ????? ??? ???? ??? ?? ???? ?? ??????, ???? ???? ????? ??? ?? ???? ??, ???????? ????? ?? ?????? ????, ?? ?? ?????????? ????? ????? ??, ??? ?? ???? ???? ???? ?? ????? ?? ??????? ????? ????, ????? ???? ???? ????? ?? ???? ?? ???? ?????"
???? ?????? ?? ??? ????????? ?? ????? ?? ????? ??? ?? ?? ????? ????
?????: "????, ?? ????? ????? ?? ?? ??? ?? ????? ????? ?? ???? ???? ??, ?? ??? ?? ??, ???? ???? ???? ?? ??? ??? ?? ?????? ?? ?????? ??? ?? ???? ????? ???? ???? ??????? ?? – ??? ???? ????? ?? ?????? ???? ?? ????? ???? ???? ????, ?? ???? ???? ?????? ?? – ???? ?????"
???? ???? ?? ???? ?? ?? ???? ???? ?????? ?? ??? ????? ?? ?? ????? ?? ?? ????, ?? ????? ??????? ??? ???? ??? ???????? ??? ??? ??? ????? ???? ??? ??? ????? ??? ???, ???????, ???? ??? ??? ???, ???? ?? ??? ??, ?? ???? ????? ?? ?? ???? ?? ??? ???
???????: "????, ???? ??? ?? ?????? ????? ???? ????? ?? ??????? ????? ????, ????? ???????????? ???? ??? ??? ???? ???? ?? ????, ????? ?? ???? ????? ????? ?? – ?? ?? ?? ?????????? ?????? ??? ???? ?? ?? ??? ?? ?????? ??? ???? ???? ?? ??? ?? ???? ????? ?? ?? ?? ?????? ?? ?????? ?? ? ??? ???, ?? ????? ?? ????? ??????? ???? ?? ?????? ????? ???? ??? ???? ??? ????? ????, ????? ???? ??? ?? ?????? ??? ?? ?? ???? ???? ???? ???? ?????, ?? ?? ???????? ????? ?? ??? ???, ??? ????, ?? ????? ????? ??, ???? ???? ????"
?? ?????? ?? ?????? ??? ???? ??? ?? ?????? ??????? ????? ???? ?????? ???? ?? ????????? ?? ?? ???? ??? ????? ??? ???, ?? ???? ?? ??? ???? ?? ?????? ??? ????? ???? ???? ???? ???? ???? ?????? ?? ?????? ????
??????: "??????, ??? ?? ???? ??? ?? ????? ????? ?????? ?? ??? ?? ???? ??????! ????? ???? ?? ??? ???? ???????? ?????? ????"
?? ????? ?? ???? ?? ???? ???? ?? ?? ???? ??? ???, ??-????? ?? ????? ?? ????? ?? ????? ??? ??????? ?????? ??? ??? ??, ?? ????, ?? ?????? ?? ??? ????, ??? ????? ?? ??????? ?? ???? ?????? ????
?????? ????? ?? ????? ??? ???????? ?? ??????? – ?? ????, ?? ???????, ?? ?? ?????? – ?? ???? ?????? ??? ??? ???? ??? ??? ??? ?? ????? ??? ??? ??, ???? ????? ?? ???? ?? ?? ????? ?? ???? ??…
--x--