"From hardships to stars, he did it, didn't he?" Remarks a proud sister
It was the morning of 28th November 2022 when Manisha Yadav picked up a call from her mother early in the morning and with a broken voice her mother said “Manisha bhai nahi raha wo bol rahe hain unit se phone par (they called from the unit and said your brother is no more).” “I felt a strong current through my spine,” says Manisha, as she recollects memories from that day.
When talking about her brother, Late Capt. Nidesh Singh Yadav, Manisha exuberates pride. For the nation, he is a braveheart who made the supreme sacrifice during a ‘Ghatak drill’ at Bari Brahmana, Jammu. But to her, Nidesh was a little baby who used to tease her for her cooking skills, hugged her after coming back home and video called her to tell about his entire day, the little baby who she has now lost forever.
Capt. Nidesh Singh Yadav was born on 26thSep 1998 at Military Hospital, Nasirabad Cantt, Rajasthan. His father Honorary Capt. & Subedar Major Diwan had also served in the Army for nearly 30 years. Coming from an Army background and doing his schooling at Rashtriya Military School, Belgaum (4210/2009-16), it was in every ounce of Capt. Nidesh Singh Yadav’s heart to join the Indian Army one day.
The 23 years old soldier had passed out of the 137thcourse of the National Defence Academy as a high flying appointment (BCA) on 30thNovember 2019. A year later in December 2020, he got commissioned out of the Indian Military Academy and was allocated the 9 Para and later posted to Sikh Light Infantry.
“When I saw him in that coffin lying silently with his eyes wide open, the only thing that I wanted was for him to just wake up and hug me and wipe away the tears,” says his sister Manisha, who is also the eldest daughter of the family. She cites the memories of the time when her family visited Capt. Nidesh Singh’s unit and saw how everyone in the unit had tears in their eyes. “When we visited Gurudwara Sahib of his unit, the only thing I could feel was his presence in every soldier present there,” she said. Further reminiscing the visit, she added, “His CO mentioned how once Nidesh was competing with a JCO sahab in Kheer eating competition, always bubbly and super friendly, making everyone feel important and smile each day.”
Our nation looks upon our soldiers as protectors, someone who regardless of the situation and circumstances will stand tall and will protect. But behind this picture is a son, who danced with his mother while she cooked in the kitchen; a cheerful brother who told his sisters to put a sheet mask on his face; an honest son who promised his father to give him a ride on his new bike in the village fields when he will come back, except he never could.
“Nidesh was an avid reader and an admirer of Bhagat Singh,”says Manisha. For the world, he is a gallant warrior and brave soldier but his sister misses that boy full of cheerfulness and utmost honesty. “From Hardships to stars, he did it, didn’t he?” is the unanswered question of life.
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