06 Sep 2017/Wednesday

SRINAGAR: Swati Mahadik, the widow of Col Santosh Mahadik, who was killed in an encounter in Kupwara in 2015, is joining the army, media reported. The lady, at 38, and a mother of two has undergone a grueling training of 11 months and will now join the Army Ordinance Corps.
Swati is a mother of two, a 12-year-old daughter and seven-year-old son. She has availed age concession give to widows of military personnel, who died in the line of duty. She also had to clear an exam to join the Officers Training Academy at Chennai. She joined a non-technical course for women cadets in the academy. While competing against much younger cadets, she not only excelled in both physical as well as academic subjects but outperformed most of her batch mates. Her performance proved that she was highly motivated and full of determination, as per Senior Instructor supervising her training.
Col Santosh Mahadik suffered fatal injuries in a fierce gun battle on 17 November 2015, at Manigah Kupwara. In a critical condition, he was airlifted to Durgmulla military hospital, where he succumbed to his injuries.
Mahadik had been a student of Sainik School since 1987. A resident of Godoil village in Satara district, he was adopted by his aunt. His father was a village tailor and his brother a milkman. Other than soldiery he was a keen sportsman playing excellent football, good horse-rider and a tough boxer, Mhadik was an officer of the elite 21 Para-Special Forces unit.
Looking at her it seems that the terrorists now have a newer enemy to look forward to in the form of a second and third line of defense coming from families, friends, and relatives who are motivated to fulfill the cause of the fallen soldier. It seems now Terror outfits in Pakistan will face tough times in future when such dear and near ones of fallen soldiers take up arms and lead from the front. Can there be a better way to give slap on the face of terrorists and their sympathisers by a slain soldier. The terror perpetrators better think of a solution for these brave Rani Lakshmibais’ and Begum Hazrat Mahals’ are coming to battle.