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Thursday, February 25, 2010

Slain Capt let go cushy jobs to serve country

I WONDER : MUST READ FOR THOSE.... WHO FEEL THAT PEOPLE OPT FOR ARMY ONLY AS A LAST RESORT.  I SALUTE CAPT. DEVENDRA SINGH , INFORMATION WARRIOR TURNED PARA COMMANDO......

THE TIMES OF INDIA


GHAZIABAD: He let go cushy offers from the corporate sector to serve the country. And true to his conviction, the 26-year-old laid down his life fighting terrorists in the insurgency-hit valleys of Jammu and Kashmir. The only son of his parents, Captain Devendra Singh (26) sacrificed his life in an armed encounter with militants on Tuesday.

Though the martyr did his engineering and masters in business administration (MBA), he always cherished a dream to be a part of the Indian Army, said his shell-shocked but proud Bhupendra Singh. He joined the Army in 2007.

‘‘It was the happiest day of his life. Since he had an engineering background, he was inducted into the signals wing. But, his adventurous spirit took him to the para commandos. He volunteered to join it. I told him it involved a lot of risk, but he retorted: ‘I do not bother about any risk’,’’ recalled his father, who retired as a senior executive in the Ghaziabad-based firm, Dabur.

The grieving father said that he never came in the way of his son’s career choice.

‘‘Devendra, who did his schooling from Guru Harkishan Public School near India Gate in New Delhi, always wanted to be in the Army. I told him that he should simply pursue his passion. I never came in the way of his sister choosing her own career. And, she (Harpreet) has opted to become a professor at Jamia Milia Islamia in Delhi,’’ said Bhupendra, adding that his son was also a great dancer and singer.

The late captain’s father said that his son came home to Indirapuram last October when his grandmother had passed away.
‘‘On Tuesday morning, I had a premonition that something was wrong with my son. And, at 7 pm, his commanding officer called to say that Devendra had died doing his duty,’’ he said.