Vipin’s story
April 15, 2020Balbir Bhandari, a young man from village Soura Uttarkashi, who attended the Indian Army Recruitment Rally but failed twice. He then came across a Colonel who was giving free training to some youths to join the army in the Nehru Institute of Mountaineering.
In order to convert the poor parents’ hopes and dreams into reality, this young man joined that training camp which was started by Colonel Ajay Kothiyal (Kirti Chakra, Shaurya Chakra, Vishisht Sena Medal) then principal of Nim.
After completing three months camp training, Balbir attempted the third time for the army recruitment rally and went through various stages of recruitment, physical, medical and then written examination. Finally, the result of army recruitment came out and Balbir’s name was also in the merit list. The joy and satisfaction filled Balbir’s life. His family was too happy to see his success. When he received his joining letter, the dreams of fulfilling all those needs which was not possible due to low economic income, started coming to Balbir.
One day while going his field, Balbir felt a slight pain in his left hand, then pain struck his whole body and he felled down.
When he was found unconscious in the field, he was immediately admitted to the near district hospital but due to non availability of necessary, the doctors referred him to Dehradun. After check up, it was found that Balbir’s entire body got paralyzed. Where Balbir had planned to join the Recruitment Centre, the fate was not in this favor and dragged him to face such dire situations, where he was oscillating between life and death. The cost of treatment was so high and the condition of the house was so poor that he was not in condition of getting the treatment.
In that need of hour, he again remembered Col Kothiyal, who was the then principal of the Nim and who had sent Balbir to join the army. Balbir asked his father to request for help from Col Kothiyal.
On hearing Balbir’s condition, Col Kothiyal immediately sent his team to the hospital and started his treatment.Due to living in a remote village, Balbir’s father had to face a lot of difficulties in taking his son to the hospital. Seeing this problem, Col Kothiyal asked Balbir to stay in his own residence. Under his supervision, Balbir’s condition improved significantly and within 13-15 months he recovered fully from the illness.
After recovering, Balbir thanked Col Kothiyal for his kind support in getting back his life to the normal. But whenever, Balbir visit Col Kothiyal, he used to get inspire and this inspiration made him to apply for the recruitment rally for the forth time. This time he failed in successfully clearing the all the test due to some reasons. Balbir could not become the part of the army, but seeing others getting train for the army always excited him. Now, Balbir works with Youth Foundation as a Mess In-charge in the Camp Kilo, Uttarkashi. Each day with the same energy, same enthusiasm, same joy, he prepares food for the trainees and motivates them with the stories of valor of our soldiers.
WE SALUTE BALBIR FOR HIS GRIT, DETERMINATION AND SENSE OF DIVOTION FOR THE NATION.
JAI HIND
