Captain Haneef-ud-din
 CAPTAIN
HANEEF UDDIN, 24
11 Rajputana
Rifles
Singer Soldier
Mission: Attacked by
intruders and bombarded by artillery, he and his unit, equipped only with
small arms, fought to the end.
Ek pal mein hai sach saari zindagi
ka; Is pal mein ji lo yaaron, yahan kal hai kisne dekha (The
truth of our lives is encapsulated in one moment; Live this moment, who
knows what tomorrow holds).
It is difficult to miss the irony,
in these lyrics of a song from an album cut by a remarkable singer-soldier,
Captain Haneef Uddin. Haneef lived these lyrics -- written by his younger
brother Sameer -- and even sang them to his troops. His impromptu "Jazz
Band" spread his zest for life and music in the mountains, welcome relief
for troops cut off from civilisation and television, fighting tedium and
tension. "Whether up in the hills or down here with us, his music system
remained his constant companion," says elder brother Nafees, 26, a physics
teacher. Fun, cheer, song and courage. Those values, his family and colleagues
say, describe the young captain who died fighting on a craggy mountainside
in Turtuk, Kargil, on the same day that he was commissioned into the army
two years ago. The strapping young man -- he was crowned Mr Shivaji in
Delhi's Shivaji College -- was multifaceted, training in computers before
joining the Indian Military Academy in 1996. He was commissioned into the
army on June 7, 1997.
Living with Memories:
Mother Hema Aziz and elder brother Nafees recall how Haneef could bring
any gathering to life with his music.
Cutting across the snowy peaks to push
for the enemy-held heights, Haneef soldiered on despite artillery bombardment.
Outgunned and outnumbered, he and his unit fought to the end. His body
has not yet been recovered from the perilous ridges of Turtuk, which is
still in enemy hands.
Haneef's father died when he was only
seven years old. His mother, Hema Aziz, a classical singer, displays the
stoicism of grieving families nationwide: "As a soldier Haneef served his
country with pride and dedication. There cannot be a greater statement
on his valour than his death which came fighting the enemy."
The memories flood into Hema Aziz's
east Delhi apartment: of the times when Haneef would come humming back
after a busy day at Kerala School, his alma mater; of the times when the
brothers would grapple wildly like pit wrestlers and then calm down with
music; of his last call home saying he would be back for his birthday in
September after collaring the enemy. Memories -- they are all that remain.
Courtesy: INDIA
TODAY
Nation's third
highest wartime gallantry award VIR CHAKRA was awarded to Lt. Hanif-u-din
on 15th August 1999.
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