When Bengaluru boy Deepak Surana happened to chance upon a couple of video footages of the late Captain Vikram Batra, a Param Vir Chakra awardee, the 21-year-old experienced a gush of emotions. On a chance visit to Palampur, where Deepak got deep insights into the martyr’s life, his debut read, The Shershah of Kargil: Captain Vikram Batra, P.V.C was born. Launched early this month, the author shares the inside track with us.
“I grew up watching a lot of war movies. Despite not hailing from an army family, I always felt deeply for individuals from a defense background. The general neglect of their needs and security has always saddened me. Why aren’t true heroes paid half as much as our celluloid heroes, was one nagging thought which refused to leave me,” begins Deepak, a BBA graduate from the St. Josephs College of Commerce, Bengaluru. His book essays the life and times of one of our greatest warriors, Late Captain Vikram batra, who lost his life two months short of his 25th birthday. What could have propelled a young man of 20 to give up a fat pay with the merchant navy in pursuit of a field that’s fraught with challenges? How did the shift from a young happy- go- lucky- chap to Captain Batra — the daredevil commando, happen? These are some of he aspects that the author touches upon in the book.
“When I saw a couple of footages of Captain Batra, I was taken aback. It inspired me to do a lot more than just a viewer. On doing further research, I found out that Captain Batra has a twin brother who works at ICICI Bank. I tried my luck, one thing led to the other and I met the late captain’s parents, who offered to let me touch one of his most prized awards. All of these experiences inspired me to pack in minute details into the book.”
Deepak now has his hopes pinned on one thing — that the book gives people the perspective of our country’s real heroes. “This book is a tribute to martyrs of the country. I wish to highlight that soldiers are pretty much like any of us. But when the call of duty strikes, they leave. And that sets them apart from a layman. I hope you read the book, emphathise and offer more respect to the real change-makers of our country.”
