In this Ambala village, Army is first choice

Nitish Sharma

Advertisement

On August 7, the family of Lance Naik Vikramjeet Singh was waiting for his phone call like any other day but instead it received a call from his Army unit around 10 am informing it about his martyrdom. A pall of gloom descended on Tepla village in Saha block of Ambala district as the news of Lance Naik Vikramjeet Singh’s martyrdom spread. 

Vikramjeet (26) of 36 RR was martyred in a fierce gunfight along the Line of Control in the Gurez sector in Bandipora district of north Kashmir.

The relatives and other villagers started gathering at the house of the martyr to console the bereaved family. There was a sense of sadness as well as proud in the village. Residents of Tepla not only shared their memories about Vikramjeet but also talked about the harsh conditions and life of Army men.  

An interaction with villagers reveals that Tepla is a village of brave hearts and about 250 local youths are serving in the Army. The village has a population of about 3,000. At least one member of every family and in some cases even more are either serving in the Army or are ex-servicemen.

Before Vikramjeet Singh, Major Gurpreet Singh (in Kargil), Havildar Harjinder Singh and sepoy Vinod Kumar had also sacrificed their lives.

But their martyrdom has not deterred villagers from allowing their children to join the Army.

Baljinder Singh, martyr Vikramjeet’s father, says that he feels sad that he has lost his son at a young age. But he is proud of his son who sacrificed his life for the nation.

Baljinder Singh’s younger son Monu is also serving in the Army.

Master Gurbachan Singh, a retired headmaster and martyr Major Gurpreet Singh’s uncle, says, “About 70 per cent families in the village had migrated from Pakistan after Partition. They were filled with the sense of patriotism. They started serving in the Army and the tradition is still continuing. Major Gurpreet was the first martyr from the village. There are a few families whose youths have now started looking for civil jobs but most of them still prefer to serve in the Army”.

Youths of Tepla village have held good ranks in the Army such as Major, Colonel, Brigadier and Major General. There are about 200 ex-servicemen in the village. 

 Some ex-servicemen in the village train youths for selection in the Army. The village has earmarked a nearly four-acre ground for the youths to practise. The village youths participate in all Army recruitment rallies and at least two or three of them get selected. Two youths are undergoing training after their selection. 

Sarpanch Sumneet Kaur says that about 250 Tepla youths are serving in the Indian Army and Vikramjeet is the fourth martyr from the village. 

She says that Tepla residents have always served the nation and the tradition is continuing. Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar, who had visited Tepla village to express condolences to Vikramjeet’s family, announced that a 1.5 km road being constructed from Tepla to Saha would be named after the martyr.  The Chief Minister also assured the bereaved family that the martyr’s wife, Harpreet Kaur, would be given a government job, according to her educational qualifications.

The sarpanch says, “The villagers will continue to serve the nation”.