'Ek Goli, Ek Dushman' - One Bullet, One Enemy: Inside Infantry School, MHOW

The most lethal weapon on the battlefield is not the gun, but the man behind it

- NEETU DHULIA, REPORTING FROM MHOW

THE ROAD TO MHOW feels almost too peaceful — the trees arching overhead, their branches whispering with the wind, and the small cantonment town nestled in the valley, appearing serene.

Yet, behind this calm exterior lies a world far from tranquil. It's only when you cross the gates of Infantry School that the true intensity of the place reveals itself. Here, silence is not absence; it is the sound of focus, discipline, and the quiet before the storm.

Here the air is thick with mist or the dust from the fierce practice routine. Through the fog, soldiers in camouflage glide like shadows, rifles at the ready. Their movements are seamless, almost ethereal, as if the mist itself is guiding them — silent, deadly, precise. It’s a sight that calls to mind the scenes from war films, but this is no Hollywood production. There are no takes, no special effects. This is real. This is the birthplace of India's warriors.

At Mhow, the soldiers are trained not just to fight, but to think, to breathe, to be in battle. The heart of the school beats to the rhythm of a singular creed: ‘Ek Goli, Ek Dushman’— One bullet, one enemy.

It's a principle that transcends technique and equipment. It’s about the man behind the rifle — his will, his focus, his spirit. Snipers, in particular, embody this ethos. Theirs is a craft of precision, akin to that of a surgeon with a scalpel, cutting through the chaos of war with deadly accuracy. Much like Arjuna, who could see only the bird’s eye, they are trained to tune out everything — the noise, the pressure, even their own heartbeat — until only the target remains.