Kargil Vijay Diwas: Even today when I go for a run, I can feel Vijyant's presence next to me, says war hero's brother

Vijender Thapar was only 17 when he received a call that his older brother, Captain Vijyant Thapar, had been killed in action in the then ongoing Kargil War against Pakistan. 25 years later, the day is fresh as ever in his memory. It all started with a phone call on June 29, where a “sombre, officious sounding voice” said, ‘I am calling from Army headquarters, your brother laid down his life last night in the highest traditions of the Indian Army.’

“I was alone at home. My mom, a teacher, was at school, my dad was posted in Alwar. I remember being in a state of shock. The first thing I did was to call my mom and tell her to come back home. Some of the teachers accompanied her, anticipating what may have happened,” shares Vijender.

Since then, he says, he has seen a side of humanity that probably no one has.

“I can trace back the sequence of events as they unfolded. From a phone call to a deluge of people taking over our house to pay homage, to his body arriving a couple of days later, and his ceremonial send off, all those visuals are etched in memory,” he says. “People lined up outside our house 24*7. There was a 3.5 kilometre line outside our house the day his body came. It was July 2 and it was sweltering hot, but people from all walks of life came to pay their respects. So many broke down...” he recalls.

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Captain Thapar, son of army veteran Colonel VN Thapar was awarded Vir Chakra, the nation’s third highest gallantry award for his heroism in the war. His parents had named him after Indian Army's main tank ‘Vijayanta’.

“The news of his martyrdom spread like wildfire. There was a Daler Mehendi concert at the Noida stadium that was cancelled. Such things don’t happen frequently, and that really catapulted the news. A tsunami of humanity descended upon our house,” shares Vijender.

The brothers had met just five months earlier. Vijender remembers him being “super hungry” that day. “His unit was crossing Delhi and they stopped over. He came home in a rushed manner superbly excited to don the uniform, we hugged, he said give me something to eat, so he ate and rushed back to his military special.”

In between were some letters to family, the last of which continues to do the rounds of the Internet for the many emotions it evokes. And why won’t it ? Sample this line from the 22-year-old officer : “I have no regrets, in fact even if I become a human again, I’ll join the army and serve my nation.” “The letter is a guiding document for me to live every day with courage and sincerity. Whenever I’m faced with adverse situations, it stands as a testimony to the fact that my brother faced the ultimate adversity, staring it in the eyes, so everything else can be handled. All you need is conviction and that’s what it provides,” says Vijender, who was part of the 25th year celebration of his course at IMA. “His coursemates remembered him fondly as a warm, jovial officer and fellow brother who always cared for people and things around him.”

We all are familiar with his valour on the battlefield, but as we steer the conversation towards what he was like as a person, Vijender has lots to share about ‘Robin’ as Vijyant was fondly called. “He was an outdoorsy person from the start, all his pursuits involved some form of outdoor activity. From swimming to running, to playing cricket or trekking, we hardly saw him sit at the chair, he was always up and about. Towards the latter part, maybe late teens, he had a spiritual awakening and chose a mentor in Yogi Baba. He turned vegetarian and started caring more for the needy in terms of giving his share of pocket money to them or any physical help required,” he shares.

Today if we were to visit the family’s Noida home, all his personal belongings have been preserved in his room. “From the watch he was wearing to his sunglasses, to his wallet and his camera....in many ways, it is a museum in his memory in his own room,” he shares.

Off and on , people visit the family home to pay their respects. “I am highly indebted to this nation for remembering the martyrs 25 years hence. In a country as big and populous as ours, I think the only thing we seek from this nation and its people is respecting their legacy. As far as tangibles of taking care of families, the army is a pillar of great support, “ says Vijender, an entrepreneur, who also manages Lt Vijyant Motors ,the first petrol station under the Kargil Scheme .

Describing their sibling revelry, Vijender recalls their time together, “He played the role of a perfect elder brother. Protective, guiding and forgiving. We played a lot of games together and he was very mature in handling my emotions during those activities.”

While he obviously misses his brother all the time , there are moments when the ache is slightly more. “One of the things we did together was to run during his preparation for the academy. That memory stays very close to my heart, in fact, till today when I go for a run, I feel his presence next to me. It was a moment we both connected with no filters and opened our hearts to each other. With a 5 year gap during teenage years, such moments are rare.”

If Vijyant were around today, how does he visualise them together? “I think our bond would have transformed to us becoming thick friends. He would have been my companion and we would have really enjoyed each other’s company. Also, he would have come back from war. And his understanding of that event would have contributed immensely to my life,” he sums up.