Unlucky thirteen became lucky for Colonel Ashutosh Sharma to hitch the military after attempting it for six-and-a-half years as he had no other dream than donning the green uniform.
Col Sharma, who was among five security forces personnel killed during an encounter with terrorists in north Kashmir, is that the second commandant of the 21 Rashtriya Rifles who lost his life while combating terrorism.
Remembering Col Sharma, his elder brother Piush says that he always wont to have his way, come what may. “It was like my way or the highway for him. His only dream was Army and zip else,” says Piush, who works for a drug company in Jaipur.
“He had waged a war to hitch the military how or the opposite till he finally achieved success in his 13th attempt (in . From that day, there was no looking back for Ashu (Col Sharma),” Piush told PTI over phone.
Col Sharma joined the military within the early 2000s.
Putting up a brave face while recollecting the childhood memories together with his brother, who was three years younger to him, Piush recalled a conversation that he had with him on May Day .
“It was the Raising Day of Rashtriya Rifles and he informed us about how that they had celebrated it amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
“I wont to caution him many an times and he had fixed a typical reply ‘muje kuch nahi hoga, bhaiya’ (nothing will happen to me, brother)…,” he said, struggling to carry back his tears.
Col Sharma sent some pictures which is that the last memory that the family has, he said and added “wish I knew that i’m chatting with him for the last time, i might not have ended the decision in the least .”
Holding on to Tamanna, daughter of Col Sharma who studies in school sixth, Piush feels that the kid wasn’t ready to understand the changed realities.
“But i need to say that she may be a brave child of her brave father and she or he are going to be fine,” he said.
“The only regret Ashu had that he couldn’t join Special Forces ,” he said, while remembering his nature of going out of the way for his jawans and solving all their problems.
His friend Vijay Kumar, who may be a Deputy Commandant in CISF, recalls memories with Col Sharma and said, “I advised him to seem for other paramilitary forces but it had been all Greek to him. it’s to be only army and military and military was his reply always.”
“His mannerism was always at its best and that i haven’t seen anyone raising any complaints against him once we wont to sleep in Bulandshahr (Uttar Pradesh),” he said.