Is saying RIP enough for our martyrs? Ask their parents.

26/11 the date etched in every patriotic Indian. Maj Sandeep Unnikrishnan, AC (P) is a hero for me since then. Its been 9 years but it appears as if it happened only Yesterday. Every year I use to think about late heroes’ parent. How and what must be going through in their mind. And when will be the day, when I will be able to touch their feet.

Today, when I pay homage to my hero, I feel blessed too. It was on 12th Nov that I not only got the chance to meet the parents in person and take their blessings but also used the opportunity to invite them as Guest of honor during the culmination day of 2nd edition of SwachhAbility Run movement. ( Read more about it on www.swachhabilityrun.com, as I am not going to talk about it today) .

Today, I am feeling proud to share one of the most cherished pic with you all. Pic of having honor to stand next to Unnikrishnan auntie and uncle. This was clicked when I was escorting them to see off after the function. Look at the motherly hug I got from Auntie, it gave me a comfort but a sad thought too, as I could feel how much she must be missing Maj Sandeep sir today. And which mother don't do so? Fathers can keep the emotion at bay, but mothers are full of love to be controlled.

Uncle was so happy to attend the ceremony that when he came to know, that how we are involving kids to sensitize them to become better citizens of tomorrow, he got charged up to run. He was not dressed up for a run, but he said, I am 71, but I will run with kids.

He then asked me are you going to make me run without T shirt? I said, no uncle, let me fetch you one and I got one. He said, where should I change it to remove shirt and wear this? Before, I could answer (which I didnt have) he said, let it be, we dont have time, I will wear it over the shirt itself. And that is how you see him wearing T shirt in this pic.

He did not stop there, after finishing the run, he said, I will now join kids for cleaning drive. And I saw him talking and guiding kids how polythene is eating our earth and how we should avoid it.

He then shared with me, that every day morning I clean area around my house. He said, sometime people ask me, you dont have any other work? To them he replies, this is the most important work for me, rest all works start after this. He knows how important is to take care of mother earth for which he gave his son.

These are the parents of Maj Sandeep Unnikrishnan, martyr of 26/11 Taj hotel attack of Mumbai. And they know the value and importance of sacrifice of their son for our country and its citizen.

But the question is are we doing our bit (mind you I am not asking what others are doing, I am asking you) to take care of this mother of ours?

Every other day there is hero laying his life, getting martyred for us, for our country, and what we are doing? Blaming others and authorities for not doing enough.

O, brothers and sisters. A martyr lays his life for country and country is made of you, me (citizens) and this mother earth. And both these things are to be taken care by us only.

If in 71st year of his age proud father of Martyr Maj Sandeep Unnikrishnan, can run to stay fit and clean earth around his house, why can't we????? Is this duty of only martyrs and their family?

A question, I leave you with.

Think and pay real homage to martyrs. Flowers, FB posts, RIP and such stuff is not enough. Not for anyone else but for you and your kids’ sake. Every dump of garbage starts with the first wrapper and every inch of smog is not just caused by stubble burning, we also own enough cars to pollute it. Bhagwan Ram did not look for crackers but Deep(awli) and at least don’t show your anger of getting married by exploding cracker bombs, lol ??

Jai hind