A Tribute To A Comrade In Arms And A School Type .... AN ‘ADARSH’ HERO: MAJOR SANDEEP UNNIKRISHNAN, ASHOK CHAKRA (POSTHUMOUS) In this season of cynicism, scandal and vituperation; of so called scams tainting the crimson colour of blood; the real colour of the Army uniform, let us go, you and I, dear reader, over the life and times of another man, another day, who died not so long ago, on 28/11, for your and my tomorrow. Major Sandeep Unnikrishnan is dead; long live Unni, is what can truthfully be said, because mere death cannot kill his name or his deed. A stones throw away from the tower of Babel; that edifice of ignominy and calumny called “Adarsh”, this brave heart spent his last minutes in such an adarsh (role model, ideal) manner, that generations of Indians and certainly the iconic Taj Mahal Hotel and its extraordinarily brave and grateful management will never ever forget… In September 2010, I was invited to Sikkim, to participate in a military seminar. I have made it my mission in life since retirement in 2006, to involve in educating the young across age, gender and profession, on military values and ethics and what I feel is the essence of elite leadership. Having finished with several schools and a college in Gangtok, I found my way to a military formation deployed on the Indo-Chinese border. I had finished my address, standing under the daunting shadows of the 14,300 feet Nathu La pass, as it were, to my alert and professionally attuned young military audience, when a smart young officer walked up to me. He was a NSG colleague of Sandeep, and was at the Taj with Sandeep. Moved by my references to selflessness and courage under adversity, he spoke with deep feeling about his pride for this bravest of brave “mad cap” colleague, as he put it; a person forever taking the first step; putting his life at risk before his men could. He lived the Indian Army’s heroic “Follow Me” credo to the fullest, knowing that he would have to pay the price. Tragically, in the moments, preceding his death, he broke his own rules. “Do not come up, I will handle them”, Unni selflessly told his men. He died in a hail of bullets. Those who have braved fire; heard the ugly crack of a bullet aimed directly at them, know that only a nano second separates bravery from cowardice; fighting from fleeing. To fight, one has to overcome his fears; decide not to take their counsel. To do that you have to be a temporary madcap and a very brave man indeed. Unni, the shy, tall, smart, wiry lad who was only 31, who dreamt impossible dreams and who was forever testing himself against demanding templates, was all this and much more. Let us see what made Unni special. Born in a Nair family settled in Bangalore, Sandeep was from Cheruvannur, Kozhikode District, Kerala. He was the only son of retired ISRO officer, K. Unnikrishnan. He studied at the Frank Anthony Public School, Bangalore, graduating in 1995. A self effacing, multi-skilled and popular student, he was an ace athlete, a movie buff and was determined to join the Army. According to Principal C Browne, who also taught Sandeep math’s and physics, Unnikrishnan was an outstanding student Sandeep joined the 94th course at the National Defence Academy (NDA) in 1995. One of his Oscar Squadron colleagues recalls that, after climbing Sinhgarh, the iconic 4,300 feet high fortress that overlooks NDA in body and in spirit, the exhausted cadets, led by Unni, ran to the natural spring to alleviate their thirst. The famished Unni first started filling his colleagues’ proffered water bottles. In no time, a tourist put her bottle out for water, followed by a long line of trekkers. Unni filled them cheerfully and was still thirsty when the cadets were ordered to start back. He was subconsciously living up to the Olympian spirit (as NDA Oscar Squadron cadets call themselves), of striving to go faster, higher, and stronger. His peers realised early on that that, behind his friendly, disarming demeanour, lay a very focused, selfless, and determined soldier. Commissioned into 7 BIHAR on 12 July 1999, Sandeep, deployed at Kargil, reinforced this impression in an early incident. Challenged by his CO in late December 1999, to occupy a feature within 200 metres of the LC, the officer, with just months of service, unhesitatingly took his section under enemy fire and observation and deployed there. The occupation was unsustainable and the full firepower of the Battalion was employed to get the unfazed Unni and his men back. In a later tenure, while on hinterland training, his men were without food due to an administrative snafu. Nothing daunted, Unni unhesitatingly and cheerfully did the only right thing that was possible - he took his men to the nearest restaurant and fed them. It must have cost him quite a pile. The fact came to light after his death, because he never mentioned the incident to any one, feeling that he had only lived out the Chetwode Motto, which was his military obligation. It came as no surprise when Unni topped the murderously tough Commando (Ghatak) course at the Commando Wing (Infantry School, Belgaum). Two more J and K tenures including in Siachen and one in Rajasthan followed. It was axiomatic that he would volunteer for the NSG, and he did; joining them in January 2007. On the night of 26 Nov 2008, four Pakistani terrorists attacked the over 100 year old, world famous, iconic Taj Mahal Hotel, amongst other carefully chosen targets. The NSG was ordered to launch rescue and strike operations codenamed “Operation Black Tornado”. Unnikrishnan was one of the team commanders of 51 Special Action Group (SAG) deployed at the Taj. While moving through the central staircase, his team came under intense fire from the first floor, in which his buddy, Commando Sunil Yadav, got grievously injured. Sandeep pinned down the terrorists by bringing down accurate fire and brought Commando Yadav to safety. In a subsequent exchange of fire, he chased the terrorists who had escaped to another floor but was fatally hit by a volley of bullets when he turned to tell his men not to follow him as he would handle them on his own: they had shot his buddy. He gave up his life to protect theirs; a noble, uniquely madcap act that only a brave heart like Unni could have undertaken. He was posthumously awarded the nations highest gallantry award, the Ashoka Chakra, which is the peacetime equivalent of the Param Vir Chakra and the Victoria Cross. “I can proudly say that he has done something for India, said Sandeep’s brave father, when informed of his death of his son by a DIG of the NSG. Thousands of grieving citizens turned out for Sandeep’s cremation at Bangalore. A grieving Mother says farewell to her only son Regrettably, and to the great anger of millions of Indians, politicians and bureaucrats from his home state did not turn up, though the Chief Minister and some cabinet colleagues of the Karnataka Government did. Days later, the Kerala Chief Minister did call at Sandeep’s home and met the grieved and anguished parents. An award of Rs. 15 lacs was also announced by Mr. VS Achuthanandan after a subsequent cabinet meeting. By then, Major Sandeep’s parents had resigned themselves to stoic silence. What can one say of Sandeep Unnikrishnan that was unique? He dreamt dreams of imaginary, pretty girl friends; of great rank and honours as young cadets do, so that’s not unique. He was generous, thoughtful, gutsy and focused. Many young men and women also have these traits. He spoke five languages and loved giving cheerful gaalis (abuse) in all, when with his peers. Some of us, especially women, can speak more languages, though not necessarily for cussed use. He was, finally, putting on some weight, as his close friends noted with great relief, after being very wiry though supremely fit all his life. He had a sense of humour that women in particular so cherish in a gentleman. Asked about his profession, he would, tongue-in-cheek, define it as involvement in “non-productive human resources”. I guess some of us are humorous too. What did set him apart is best expressed in the words of the great writer, Henry Ward Beecher: “In this world it is not what we take up, but what we give up, that makes us rich”. He is right. Sandeep Unnikrishnan cheerfully and fearlessly gave up his most valued possession – his life – for the idea of India. In the finest traditions of the Indian Army and the Chetwode Motto, he gave up his today for our tomorrow. He passed out from the Indian Military Academy (IMA) into the commissioned ranks of the Indian Army to the moving, timeless strains of Auld Lang Syne, Robert Burns immortal, moving song reminiscing those days that will never return. Let us, then, you and I, dear reader, “drink a cup o’ remembrance for auld lang syne” to the deathless spirit of Major Sandeep Unnikrishnan; a spirit that will be with us for ever, even though Sandeep Unnikrishnan himself has moved on, leaving us broken hearted… (1500 words) Maj Gen Raj Mehta September 2010 ----------------- Published in South Asia Defence and Strategic Review October 2010.
Posted on: Fri, 28 Nov 2014 09:59:45 +0000
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