Here is a tale of indomitable courage and resilience that we scarcely believe could exist until we read about it.
MAJOR D P SINGH
A soldier who cheated death in the 1999 Kargil war.
Major D P Singh was commanding a post of the 7 Dogra battalion on the Line of Control, when a mortar shell exploded just a few feet away from him. The killing area of a bomb is in an eight-meter diameter, but he was only meter and half away from the spot where it landed. The stretcher-bearers, disregarding their own safety, took it upon themselves to carry the major to the ambulance, which was 700 meters away.
The multiple shrapnel injuries he suffered were severe. In the ambulance, the doctors tried to keep the major conscious by asking him irrelevant questions. Despite the doctor’s efforts, he lost consciousness. On arrival at the military hospital in akhnoor, they presumed him to be dead.
Luckily the major survived, and he was treated there for 3 days. But his condition didn’t improve, and doctors shifted him to the command hospital in Udhampur.
His condition was critical, and his body was deteriorating rapidly. Fearing the worst, his family had rushed to the hospital.
Gangrene had set in his right leg and a majority of the calf muscle was lost, he had to be amputated. The Major bravely replied to the doctor to do what’s best. He recited to his mother who was by his side, that everything happens for a reason. His intestine was badly damaged and even that had to be removed.
He didn’t let his condition bother him and always tried to be in high spirits to keep the morale of those around him high. He had to take 12 eggs a day to gradually increase his protein intake and when intake of food orally was rejected, he was given the intake through IV and drips to replenish the loss.
They then shifted the Major from Udhampur to Jammu for better facilities. Seeing his recovery, the doctors then shifted him to the artificial limb center in Pune.
The Major received his first prosthesis in Pune. He could now move around without crutches, and when he stood on the scale, including the weight of his prosthesis, his weight was a mere 36 kilos, with 8 kilos being the weight of the prosthesis.
He then got married and returned to the army, this time for a desk job because of his condition. He would have frequent mood swings and bouts of depression because he couldn’t lead an active lifestyle anymore. His personal life as a result collapsed.
Many who encounter traumatic incidents in their life suffer from PTSD. In two years, he was admitted for psychiatric treatment, which helped but only temporarily.
From lying down on the bed, to being on his feet and learning how to walk again, first with a crutch and then with an artificial leg, he went through a gamut of emotions. Major Singh refused to give up. He used to hate running but after losing a leg, he started using his prosthetic leg.
It took him 10 full years to be able to start running. He found that initially he could hop with his good leg, then drag the prosthetic. Sweating out like this after so long elated him. Although it was slow going, he managed to run three half marathons like this. Mind you, it was excruciatingly painful. When he ran with his blade, he felt the jarring impact of the prosthesis on the ground all the way from hip to head. He ran for the sheer exhilaration of it, but when he finally finished, he was bruised all over. His stump was bleeding and swollen, with pieces of skin having peeled off.
To run at 5 am, and to get himself ready, he needed to wake up at 3 am
Major Singh is India’s first amputee marathon runner. 1st Blade Runner of India. And 1st disabled Solo Skydiver of Asia. He has already run 28 half marathons.
Why this story? Because storytelling is a very important part of being human. Families, teams, organizations and nations react to them emotionally and we know that emotionally engaged humans are the ones who will give their best.
And why Major’s story?
Because the world is experiencing global conflicts of a proportion not seen or heard for a long time. This story has all the elements of grit and determination and of overcoming challenges—physical, mental, emotional, or psychological. What resonates personally is that this soldier quotes a line from the Guru Granth Sahib: Mann jeete jag jeet (Conquer your mind, conquer the world). This quote is very close to my heart, though difficult to follow on a daily basis.
And, as you rightly say, Major, “Jaako raakhe saiyaan…………….
And why the Major’s story?
Because I now have many young and not-so-young aspiring Independent Directors and CXOs as friends. It’s a great career path, a great way to give back to the corporate world. Yet, it is not for the faint-hearted. The fiduciary responsibility, the courage, the integrity, the willingness to stand up, the constant learning and upgrading – all will require a periodic re-read of all that the Major went through for the cause of his nation.
As board directors, we would need the courage, the integrity, the willingness to ask relevant questions, the willingness to stand up, the constant learning and upgrading – for upholding the cause of the “Corporate world”.
“The greatest glory in living lies not in never falling, but in rising every time we fall” – Nelson Mandela
Thank you, Major D P Singh
