The funereal gloom was shot through with a palpable spirit of pride and defiance as thousands of mourners converged upon the tiny village of Pogarwadi in Maharashtra’s Satara district on Thursday to bid adieu and pay their last respects to the gallant Col. Santosh Mahadik, who sacrificed his life battling militants in the dense forests of Kupwara in Kashmir.
The sombre mood of a cold day was tinged with wistful memories as commoners, armymen, politicians cut across caste, service and party lines to pay homage to a truly remarkable man, who transcended his humble origins to become commanding officer of the elite, counter-insurgency 41 Rashtriya Rifles (RR).
Earlier, Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar paid his respects to Col. Mahadik at the latter’s birthplace in Satara’s Aare village. Politicans from the Maharashtra cabinet, with local MPs and legislators across party lines, were in attendance.
Col. Mahadik’s kith and kin recalled his sterling qualities, with wife Swati recounting his unswerving dedication towards his work, all the time fighting back her tears.
“My children will join the Army which their father has today made proud by sacrificing his life for the country,” said Ms. Swati Mahadik.
As the day wore on, a veritable sea of humanity swooped down the cramped primary school premises of Pogarwadi transforming the event into one usually resembling the mourning of a celebrity. United in grief, many residents from neighbouring villages, some of whom had never met the altruistic soldier before, came out of curiosity and a sense of awe.
Military personnel accompanied the casket, wrapped in the national flag as Col. Mahadik’s body was brought to Pogarwadi village where he grew up. Personnel from the Army, navy and Air Force were present on the occasion.
He was given a 21-gun salute and cremated with full military honours.
He leaves behind his 11-year-old daughter Kartiki, and a son, Swaraj, aged five. His kin fondly recalled how the Colonel had two mothers, his real biological mother Kalinda, and his aunt, to whom his mother ‘donated’ as she had no child of her own.
“He was fearless, but was of a kindly disposition. He had big plans for developing his village and wanted to imbibe the spirit of self-sacrifice with youths throughout the area by urging them to join the Indian Army,” recalled his brother Jaivant Ghorpade, a humble milkman.
He further recounted how their father, Madhukar, a poor milkman, through sheer dint of hard work, sent Santosh to Sainik School – something of which he was proud of and of which he said justified all his sacrifices.
“He was very sure of himself...very certain of what he wanted at a tender age. He was a soldier’s soldier,” poignantly reminisced (retd) Col. V.B. Shinde, who was Col. Mahadik’s mentor.
Col. Mahadik, a champion pugilist who rose to be an officer of the elite 21 Para-Special Forces unit, was awarded the Sena Medal for his exceptional gallantry and leadership as a young officer while battling the terrorists in Kashmir’s Lolab Valley in 2003.
On Wednesday evening, Col. Mahadik’s body, flown in a special Indian Air Force (IAF) aircraft to Pune, was brought for the wreath-laying ceremony at the National War Memorial where several Army dignitaries paid their final respects.
“It is because of soldiers like Col. Mahadik that the country is stronger today. The State and the Country will take full responsibility for his family,” said Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, who was present on the occasion.
