How a surgeon lives in the Kargil

I was reminded of the saying that as soon as someone joins the army, a bullet or artillery shell is made with his name on it

- Arup Ratan Basu

We did not have a wide choice of channels to watch on television—it was only Doordarshan and Zee News. That is what we were watching after lunch the next day when Major Ramprasad suddenly said, 'It has been almost two days since you have arrived, and you have not received a proper reception here.' I was wondering what he was talking about when there was a terrible booming noise outside and the building shook.

We rushed outside and I understood what Major Ramprasad meant by 'proper reception'. Smoke was billowing from behind some trees on the other side of the river. It was a Pakistani artillery shell, landing barely a kilometre from us. I was reminded of the saying that as soon as someone joins the army, a bullet or artillery shell is made with his name on it.

The telephone rang two minutes later.

'Sir, the convoy halting area has been hit,' said the person calling. 'I will call again shortly.'

Five minutes later, the phone rang again.