Title – The Legacy of Captain Saurabh Kalia
Author – Sreemati Sen, N.K.Kalia
Genre- Biography of a Martyr
It is incredible to see the immense measure of research and hard work that has gone into penning one of the best biographies I have read. The life and legacy of a braveheart, a Martyr, has been chronicled in the minutest detail.
The book follows the journey of Captain Saurabh Kalia, from his childhood to army training, and to his final moments. Captain was one of the 6 Indian soldiers who were captured from Bajrang Post on 15 May 1999 by the enemy state, were brutally tortured for 22 days, and finally shot dead.
What I liked most about the book, is the subtility and empathy with which Saurabh Kalia’s story has been narrated.
A normal and balanced life, loving parents, sisters and a brother, Saurabh had it all. And what more, he too had been a perfect son, naughty and principled.
The book is replete with fun events from his boyhood and teenage; his interactions with his friends, teachers, siblings and parents. There are accounts of his kind and benevolent nature, from the residents of Palampur, where the Captain was raised.
His training days at IMA Dehradun have also been documented effectively, with stories about his valour from his colleagues and seniors. The last few pages are of course exclusively devoted to his capture and the extreme torture that he and his team endured. So much so, that his face was unrecognizable, his body wasn’t shown to his parents. The whole of Palampur assembled to witness his Final Farewell, such was the legacy that Captain Kalia left behind.
The beauty of this book is, it talks of positivity. The good and virtuous life of Captain Kalia. The beautiful moments he spent with family and friends. There are pictures too, some, of the many letters he wrote. These strike a chord somewhere.
The agony and trauma of his last days have been dealt with respect, not sounding the least bit grotesque. The unimaginable misery did bring tears to my eyes.
The Legacy of Captain Saurabh Kalia is More Than Just A MUST READ. It’s a compassionate and gallant tribute to A Wonderful Son, Protective Brother, Faithful Friend, Brave Soldier and An Outstanding Human.
I recommend this book to everyone. Well done Sreemati Sen and N.K.Kalia Ji.
