“To me, a lush carpet of pine needles or spongy grass is more welcome than the most luxurious Persian rug.”

—Helen Keller

Planting, and more importantly, nurturing trees and nature is not something urbanites like to do because it interferes with their busy routines. But that reluctance is also spreading to the rural areas. But there are exceptions and the exceptions are who help us sustain. One such exception is Sachin Bhide, who has combined his respect and love for nature with his respect and love for our faujis who shield us from our enemies.

It was on the apt occasion of Kargil Vijay Divas, in a village named Mundaje of Belthangady Taluk, the agriculturist along with 9 ex-military officials inaugurated a nascent forest called Kargil Vana as a token of gratitude and honor to the martyred soldiers of our country. On the occasion, an oath was taken to protect and preserve the 527 saplings planted in the Kargil Vana.

Sachin and Latha Bhide

The inauguration of the ‘Kargil Vana’ was simple, significant and in its own little way, grand. Nature is our mother, and accordingly Sachin’s mother Latha G Bhide was the Guest of honor. Alongside at the inaugural were M V Bhat, President of the Ex-servicemen Association, Krishna Bhat, Jaganath Shetty, Harish Rai, Ram Bhat, Sunil Shenoy, Shrikanth Gore, Umesh Bangera, and Prasanna B Shishil. The bond between Soldiers and the earth they protect was evident at the ceremony.

Kargil Vana is situated in a valley located 6km away from the Charmadi Ghats, has an abundant supply of water and fertile conditions. Here, each of the 527 plants planted is dedicated to the memory of our soldiers who lost their lives in the 1999 Kargil War.

“Around 10-12 variety of saplings have been planted here, which includes Kokum, mahogany, gooseberry, mango, jackfruit, and other wild fruit-bearing saplings that are planted in the forest. The honor and pride of our soldiers will be in the form of a plant that grows into a tree that protects us every day”, says Sachin.

Anniversary of the great 21-year-old victory

Kargil Vijay Diwas is observed in India on the 26th of July. On this date in 1999, that’s 21 years ago, India successfully took command of the high outposts during the Kargil war thus ending it in India’s favor. The Kargil war was fought for more than 60 days and ended on 26 July 1999.

The war began when the Pakistani army took advantage of the melting snow and – betraying the bilateral understanding of both the nations that the post would remain unattended during the winter season – took command of the high outposts of India. The Pakistani army denied involvement in the war, claiming that it was caused by independent Kashmiri rebel forces, however, documents left behind by casualties and later statements by Pakistan’s Prime Minister and Chief of Army Staff showed involvement of Pakistani paramilitary forces, led by General Ashraf Rashid.

Former President of Dakshina Kannada Ex-Servicemen Association and the President of All Karnataka Rubber Planters Association, Col. Nitteguthu Sharath Bhandary described this memorable place in his own words, “Kargil is a small district town, located in Jammu and Kashmir, near the Suru River, a tributary of the mighty Sindhu. This town is located at 8,800 ft. above sea level 204 km northeast of Srinagar, 234 km northwest of Leh. The Siachen Glaciers are located less than 50 km from the north of Ladakh.”

Col Bhandary

Col Bhandary adds, “With several conflicts in 1984, the Indian army launched Operation Meghdoot and permanently threw out Pakistani troops and sealed down the area. In both 1987 and 1989, Pakistan did try to retake the two areas. But they were unsuccessful. But to the north of Kargil, are hilly areas at an average of 16,000 -18,000 ft above sea level. Our forces built bunkers there and protected these areas. But in 1989, in 1989, our posts were overrun and occupied. On 3 May 1999, the first report of Pakistani intrusion was given by a local Kargil farmer, who was looking for his Yak in the Hunderman village when he came across the human activity. On 5th May, when our army officials went to seek information, the enemies arrested them. They tortured them; their mutilated bodies were handed to us”.

Col Bhandary emphasizes, “There are two important events that must be highlighted: On the 5th of July 1999, the Prime Minister of Pakistan Nawaz Sharif, because of the intervention of Bill Clinton, decided to withdraw from Kargil. On 14th July, AB Vajpayee declared ‘Operation Vijay’ a success. So on 26th July 1999, Kargil war came to an end, with the complete eviction of the Pakistani troops and that is what we celebrate every year.

About the objective of the Kargil Vana Col. Bhandary says, “It’s a great expression of nationalistic and patriotic feeling. We, as military people are happy if you express your feelings towards the country. Moreover, the cause is also to ‘go green’ which is quite impressive.”

But why a garden for a soldier? I ask Sachin. “During my trek on the Amaranth Yatra, the army personnel safeguarded us from unknown threats and that was unforgettable. Later, in 2009, I visited the Kargil War Memorial. From that moment onwards, the idea of doing something struck me”. And then added, ‘We remember to plant a plant or water it, only on an environment conservation day, and then we forget it. This way, I thought, I could plant them for the families of the deceased. It would be a land that would keep the martyrs alive in the form of a plant and we could respect and nurture it just as we nurture our armed forces”.

Also behind his patriotic green venture is perhaps an unfulfilled desire to join the armed forces and serve the country. “I had attempted the exams twice, but it did not happen. Since then, I always had a wish to give something to the ones who proudly sacrificed their lives for our country. We often forget that what we have is not something ordinary, but as valuable as a gem and we must go beyond remembering them only in times of need or emergency,”

Celebrating ‘Vriksha Bandhana’

There is all kind of warriors today – from those who protect our borders, to those keep the law and order and those who are at the forefront of the war on the COVID19 virus. Sachin Bhide also invited the Corona Warriors – the Health care workers, to celebrate “Vriksha Bandhana” on Raksha Bandhan. They were each given a rakhi made of made up of coconut leaves and they tied it not to a human wrist, but to the stem/branch of the plants/trees in Kargil Vana.

Health officials

“Just like any other fighters, they have always been working for our safety and well-being. To make the celebration of Raksha Bandhan auspicious as also meaningful, I invited our Corona Warriors to express a token of gratitude to the trees / plants in the Kargil Vana”, said Sachin.

In a message to all the warriors and the readers, Sachin says, “You may plant one, two, or even hundreds of plants. But make sure that you look after them every day.”

In a world where natural resources are being used for commercial purposes, Sachin plans to plant trees for a better cause. “Most of us use bare land for constructing houses or buildings, or we let the destruction of forests happen itself. This should be stopped, and schools should create awareness about the importance of farming”

In the coming years, agriculturist Sachin plans to nourish and nurture the forest, and reach out to the families of the deceased in the Kargil war.

Addressing the guests present on the occasion. Col. Sharath Bhandary praised the jawans. He said the conditions were extreme and our jawans have to survive to fight at a height of 18000 ft above sea level and battle temperatures of -40 degrees celsius. He said, “A soldier is someone’s husband, son, and father. They went off with a national flag in their hand and came back wrapped in the tricolor. They sacrificed their today for our tomorrow. It’s sentimental, but a part of life.” He said that his father was the main inspiration behind his service to the country in the armed forces. “I had the desire and was duly motivated by circumstances, and especially my parents.”

Addressing to the youth, he said “You must respect national icons. You must identify and perform patriotic activities such as protecting the environment, national animals, or voting and working for the betterment and welfare of the country. You will be the ones ruling the country and should make sure India to reach the peak of its abilities as a nation – help it to become number 1. You must stand up and desire to do so.”

He quoted the famous saying by George Patton, “No person has ever won a war by dying for his country. He won it by making some other people die for his country.”

Kargil Vana is a great idea, born of patriotic intent, and focused on generation next and Sachin Bhide must be complimented for his innovative idea and more so his fervor in implementing it. It will remind us every day of two things – it’s time to serve both our country and our environment. As Prem Ramchandani once said, “I regret I have only one life to give for my country.”