“I am a soldier, and for me, the country is my mother, and I will serve her with every breath of my life.”
Army personnel routinely put their safety and lives on the line to secure our borders throughout their career in the forces. Every year thousands of servicemen retire from the armed forces but seldom retire from serving their countrymen. Here are a few examples of veterans making the world a better place:
Colonel Ajay Kothiyal
The Kedarnath floods in 2013 devastated parts of Uttarakhand, claiming the lives of more than 5,700 people. Colonel Kothiyal led the rescue operations in Kedarnath valley and saw the loss of lives and property first-hand. Determined to help some of the families who reached out to him for help, he founded the Youth Foundation Uttarakhand soon after to train the underprivileged youth.
The organization is committed to uplifting the people in the region and flares a passion towards nation-building. Men and women are trained for career opportunities in the armed forces, and the organization also arranges free treatment for people who cannot afford good healthcare.
Nihar Halder
Nihar served as a vehicle mechanic in the Indian army and also worked as part of the peace-keeping force that aided Sri Lanka in 1989. The retired serviceman still abides by his principle of taking responsibility and thrives on improving things everywhere he goes. Along with his wife Sapna, Nihar started small by making their small town Chandrapur in the interiors of Maharastra, a better place through one random act of kindness at a time.
After joining an NGO called Sankalp Sanstha, the duo were able to help physically challenged children from impoverished backgrounds and even took part in the 2013 flood relief. Nihar and Sapna also arrange camps for the underprivileged where people can learn about various government facilities for the less fortunate.
Capt H K Singh
Capt H K Singh, a retired naval officer has set out to make the lives of our elders better through his startup Eldercare. Following the Indian Navy’s care model for the families of the sailors, Capt Singh leverages the administrative and operational skills of veterans of the armed forces to care for the elderly. These retired veterans who are in their late-30s to mid-40s are capable of taking up the task of being shift-based attendants to assist elders suffering from a number of conditions such as arthritis, dementia, Alzheimer’s, etc.
