Thread by @ColSanjayPande

CORONA ruined my three trips in 2020 to meet my unit widows and few army widows. I start my road trip travelling to their villages in remote Punjab, Himachal and J&K on 19 Mar. I will give you actual life of forces widows. Four days, 2000 km, own expenditure & no favours.

2/n #MeetingForcesWidows #RoadTrip Day-1, 19 Mar, Left Delhi by road on my thrice-a-year pilgrimage to meet Forces Widows and their school-college going children. Missed 2020 due to Corona else since 2006 never missed meeting them each year. A 260 km drive to first destination.

3/n #MeetingForcesWidows #RoadTrip With no-touching-cash, we reimburse 100% tuition fees to the widows and ensure that no child discontinues education up to post graduation. The unique Benefactor to Beneficiary model ensures 100% money is transferred by donor to widow DIRECTLY.

4/n #MeetingForcesWidows #RoadTrip Huge number of Twitter friends donate. There are a huge number to whom I am yet to respond. Please accept my apologies. I will get in touch soon. You will understand life of forces widows over next four days. Keep reading this thread.

5/n #MeetingForcesWidows #RoadTrip Army has no mandate to look after Veterans and Forces Widows. Secretary ESM Welfare, one of five Secretaries of MoD does. Army conveniently abdicates responsibility. First widow I meet today is wife of a SENA MEDAL. Her story will shatter you.

6/n #MeetingForcesWidows #RoadTrip KILLED IN ACTION : KILLED FOR LIFE Met the first Forces Widow and daughter in a village near Chandigarh. The widow is staying here on rent just for education of children. One daughter in MBBS final, second daughter completed B Tech in 1st Div.

7/n #MeetingForcesWidows #RoadTrip I first met Smt Premlata when she was 26 yr old widow, daughters were 5 yrs and 7. She has braved the world and sacrificed her comforts for kids. Both children 90% plus in 12th. No financial support, no help from anyone outside unit.

8/n #MeetingForcesWidows #RoadTrip Unit persons, both serving and retired funded both children. 100% tuition fees for MBBS and N Tech. Central Govt schemes did not benefit. Kendriya Sainik Board has such rules that onus to claim each year and year on year is on widow.

9/n #MeetingForcesWidows #RoadTrip Most years for some reason they don’t get it. If accepted the paltry fees is reimbursed after a year or two. This is what capability of an IAS Secretary at helm is. Army is quiet. Doesn’t affect them. I will do a story....

10/n #MeetingForcesWidows #RoadTrip I will do a story titled KILLED IN ACTION : KILLED FOR LIFE where the gallant act of her husband that earned him SENA MEDAL (POSTHOMOUS) and the gallant struggle by his wife will bring out the mettle they are made of. To me they are my family.

11/n #MeetingForcesWidows #RoadTrip She misplaced Sena Medal parchment at the venue of investiture, I struggled as CO for two complete years to trace it or get her a copy and nothing happened. She lost on many counts. A certificate signed by some Colonel was used!

12/n #MeetingForcesWidows #RoadTrip More of it soon. Started on a 170 km trip to Daulatpur, HP. How many of you remember a recent news of a DSC jawan who died in Srinagar due to Bukhari blast? Meeting his 35 yr old wife who also happens to be daughter of my unit Subedar(Retd).

13/n Just left Daulatpur. On 16 Feb 2021, in Srinagar there was a bukhari blast & a jawan died. Social Media was full of this news. Late Ex Nk Suresh was married to daughter of my unit JCO (in pic) So shocking to meet the widow with daughter is in class VI.

14/n #MeetingForcesWidows #RoadTrip from Daulatpur crossing jungles of Dholbaha entered Punjab. Met another young widow in Janauri. She is the widow State Bank of India was harassing. Three years back her husband, a Naik, died of heart attack. Her daughters were in L Kg & U Kg.

15/n #MeetingForcesWidows #RoadTrip Meeting unit veterans with whom we have spent life together is always a moment one looks forward to. With Naik Pradeep and his daughter. We served together for 25 years. Who says army relations are upto unit gate? I am retired for 15 yrs today!

16/n Calling off Day-1 of road trip. #MeetingForcesWidows #RoadTrip Thankful to my driver from nine years. Narender has met each forces widow that I do. Drives safe and drives long distances and hours. Eats at same place as me and stays in same hotels as me. Hats off. Good night.

17/n First meeting tomorrow is the widow in “NEELI CHHATRI WALA DEKHEGA – (GOD WILL LOOK AFTER YOU)” colsanjaypande.com/neeli-chhatri-… You will connect with the widow when I meet her tomorrow. Read this tale in the meanwhile.

18/n Day-2 20 Mar 2021 #MeetingForcesWidows #RoadTrip Doing three road trips a year to meet Forces Widows is mentally very stressful. Is it a happy or sad occasion? Women & Children who I would have never met in life look forward. I look forward even more. They are family.

19/n Day-2 20 Mar 2021 #MeetingForcesWidows #RoadTrip I carry 15-20 kgs of sweets for the children and widows. It is with such pain that I don’t carry sweets to a widow I meet for the first time, a ‘fresh forces widow’. She is a widow not by choice. I will meet 5 families today.

19/n Day-2 20 Mar 2021 #MeetingForcesWidows #RoadTrip Two widows I meet today will be for the first time. One was widowed just six months back. He husband dies in LoC firing. Second widow is wife of ex PARA(SF) Havaldar who died in retirement about a year back.

20/n Day-2 20 Mar 2021 #MeetingForcesWidows #RoadTrip I speak to them regularly but meeting them for the first time today. Neither are they widows by choice, nor am I there as a family friend or relative. My association is much deeper. UNIFORM. It’s very difficult to understand.

21/n Day-2 20 Mar 2021 #MeetingForcesWidows #RoadTrip I have two distinct aims of taking you through this real time road trip meeting Forces Widows and children.
1. Make everyone aware of life of a Forces Widow.
2. Education Management of their children.
I will help you through.

22/n Day-2 20 Mar 2021 #MeetingForcesWidows #RoadTrip Read FIVE articles links of which follow.
AWARENESS SERIES : ARMED FORCES WIDOWS - PART 1 : WIDOW NOT BY CHOICE colsanjaypande.com/awareness-seri…

23/n Day-2 20 Mar 2021 #MeetingForcesWidows #RoadTrip Second Article: AWARENESS SERIES : ARMED FORCES WIDOWS - PART 2 –WIDOWS - GO DIE A THIRD DEATH colsanjaypande.com/awareness-seri…

24/n Day-2 20 Mar 2021 #MeetingForcesWidows #RoadTrip Third Article: AWARENESS SERIES - ARMED FORCES WIDOWS - PART 3 – DISCRIMINATION IN DEATH colsanjaypande.com/awareness-seri…

25/n Day-2 20 Mar 2021 #MeetingForcesWidows #RoadTrip Fourth Article AWARENESS SERIES - ARMED FORCES WIDOWS – PART 4 – HOW CAN SERVING FORCES PERSONNEL HELP FORCES WIDOWS? colsanjaypande.com/awareness-seri…

25/n Day-2 20 Mar 2021 #MeetingForcesWidows #RoadTrip Fifth Article AWARENESS SERIES - ARMED FORCES WIDOWS – PART 5 : FAILING FORCES WIDOWS IS FAILURE OF COMMAND colsanjaypande.com/awareness-seri…

26/n Day-2 20 Mar 2021 #MeetingForcesWidows #RoadTrip I have the second aim of 'Education Management' of children of deceased soldiers. I will take that on after I conclude the trip. Bye for now. Breakfast at colsanjaypande.com/neeli-chhatri-… A widow with whom I am since 18 years.

27/n Day-2 20 Mar 2021 #MeetingForcesWidows #RoadTrip The family’s complete story was captured in my story ‘Neeli Chhatri Wala Dekhaga’. Today had breakfast with them. 18 years association with the widow and her three children who were 14,15&16 yr old in 2003.

28/n Day-2 20 Mar 2021 #MeetingForcesWidows #RoadTrip Meeting colleagues is always nice. Mohan was a recruit gunner when I joined army in 1982. Met him regularly after I retired in 2006. Today again at Dasuya.

28/n Day-2 20 Mar 2021 #MeetingForcesWidows #RoadTrip Uchhi Bassi, Dasua, on 01 Jan 2019, while world was wishing a happy new year, Hav Subhash died of heart attack while giving duty on a post in Rajasthan. Two daughters then were in Class VI and VIII. She has held on well so far

29/n Day-2 20 Mar 2021 #MeetingForcesWidows #RoadTrip Meeting PARA(SF) widow for the first time. Her chi stem are being supported by Twitter friends who chose to be anonymous. It was lunch time and like a good traveller, I don’t say no when I see lunch ‘time’.

30/n Day-2 20 Mar 2021 #MeetingForcesWidows #RoadTrip Her husband served in PARA(SF) for 24 yrs, came on retirement and passed away after 5 yrs. really small kids. She was referred to by my unit JCO Sub Mankesh (in pic). Twitter friends are sponsoring their education.

31/n Day-2 20 Mar 2021 #MeetingForcesWidows #RoadTrip Just see how short our memory is. On 02 Sep, in pak firing on LoC Subedar Rajesh was Killed in Action. Entire country, social media and Punjab erupted with nationalistic fever. Does anyone remember? With me is the widow.

32/n Day-2 20 Mar 2021 #MeetingForcesWidows #RoadTrip Seventh months and many more have died thereafter. Families and children suffer. It pays to invest in dead soldiers. One RIP, one Lest We Forget, one Salute and wait for the next dead. WE HAVE DEAD SOULS. See where they live.

33/n Day-2 20 Mar 2021 #MeetingForcesWidows #RoadTrip Sub Rajesh was son of the gentleman in white, who in turn was in same unit from 1968-1988. Father-Son served Indian Army and national from same unit. I proudly say it was my unit too.

34/n Day-2 20 Mar 2021 #MeetingForcesWidows #RoadTrip While on way to meet parents of Capt Ajay Singh Rana, Sena Medal (POSTHOMOUS) I was informed by his father of a Corona case in home. Will visit them next time.

35/n Day-2 20 Mar 2021 #MeetingForcesWidows #RoadTrip Calling off Day - 2 Going yo Nagrota Surian, one of the remotest villages to stay and have a drink with my retired unit Subedar. Will stay with him for the night. Good night

36/n Day-3 20 Mar 2021 Good Morning, Day 3 commences and I am already on road. Stayed fir night with my unit Subedar who retired in 2002. We served together for 20 years. Evening was a flashback of life. #MeetingForcesWidows #RoadTrip

37/n Day-3 21 Mar 2021 #MeetingForcesWidows #RoadTrip Morning walk in Pong dam reservoir area farthest and opposite side of dam. Migratory birds in thousands. Nagrota Surian is very remote and on the edge of reservoir. Water has receded.

38/n Day-3 21 Mar 2021 #MeetingForcesWidows #RoadTrip Joys of going in deep rural areas. Bird Sanctuary in Nagrota Surian is on reservoir edge. Beautiful sight awaited us.

39/n Day-3 21 Mar 2021 #MeetingForcesWidows #RoadTrip Started for meeting next widow but not before saying warm thank you to the entire family of my unit subedar.