Vikas Manhas wears his heart on his sleeve — quite literally — when it comes to his respect for India's fallen soldiers. On his 42nd birthday, for the first time in his life, he put on a brand new birthday outfit, a blue and white kurta-pyjama. What was really important though, was who it had belonged to before — Major Akshay Girish, who never got to wear the kurta because he died while fighting terrorists in J&K in 2016.

Vikas Manhas was given Major Akshay Girish's kurta-pajama by none other than the slain braveheart's parents. The Major was supposed to wear the brand new clothes to a wedding in Mumbai in December 2016. But destiny had other plans. On November 29, 2016, he died protecting unarmed fellow soldiers and their families during a terror attack in Nagrota, near Jammu.



Lt Nawang Kapadia with parents Geeta and Nawang in happier times

"I was not sure whether I should wear his clothes, but his father Wing Commander Girish Kumar (Retd), mother Meghna and wife Sangeeta gave it to me because I rarely celebrate my birthday with new clothes. It was something so pious and holy. I hope Akshay would have been happy to see me wearing his clothes," said Manhas, who runs a travel business in Talab Tillo, in Jammu, where he lives with his wife.

Major Girish's parents are among over 200 army families that Manhas has visited over the last 19 years, as he journeyed across the length and breadth of the country to pay his respects to army officers and soldiers who died a heroic death combating terrorists or infiltrators in J&K.



Major Akshay Girish

"For last 19 years, I have made it a yearly practice to spend a month visiting families of those in the armed forces who have laid down their lives for the nation. This is my way of paying my respect to the families," said Manhas. After visiting families in Mumbai, Manhas is now on his way from Jodhpur to Delhi, where he hopes to get a pass to attend the Republic Day parade, where he can meet more army families. At the end of the month, his annual journey will come to an end, and he will return home to J&K.

"I usually plan my journey well in advance and, on an average, I visit 15 to 20 families each time. I keep updating my data bank and try to meet new families in every visit. I do not take any money or aid from anyone. I pay for my travel and use only trains and other public transport. The families provide me lodging and boarding for a day or two," said Manhas, an MBA graduate from Mumbai University.



Meghna Girish mother of Major Akshay Girish

How it started

Manhas recalled the incident that instilled in him a deep respect for slain soldiers: "In the summer of 1994, I had gone to Bhaderwah to attend a wedding. One night, when we were about to have dinner, we could hear a volley of gunshots in the Bhaderwah valley. The next morning, we learnt that a picket of eight jawans had been attacked by terrorists.

Seven of them had died in the ambush, and the sole survivor had spent the entire night fighting the militants, and managed to save the picket from getting looted. "Those days, there was no policy to bring back the mortal remains of soldiers. Their last rites would be performed at or near the battleground by fellow soldiers. Only their ashes wrapped in a handkerchief would be sent home, along with the soldier's bistarband (folded bedding).



Vikas Manhas in the kurta-pyjama given to him by the family of Major Akshay Girish, who died in the line of duty in 2016

"When the bodies of the seven slain soldiers was brought for cremation, I was among the villagers who lifted their mortal remains. I asked the soldiers why the bodies were not sent home so the families could see the bravehearts one last time, and the jawan said 'I wish someone thought of that in Delhi too'. I returned home in a disturbed state."

Manhas was further dismayed when he could not find much information about the fallen soldiers even in the newspapers. It was only in 1999, during the Kargil War that the government started sending soldiers' mortal remains home. Manhas, too, decided to his bit and started visiting families to learn more about the these heroes.

The way forward

"On returning to Jammu, I share the slain soliders' stories with others. I intend to set up a gallery across the country, so I could share their pictures and tales of bravery, irrespective of their rank or medals," said Manhas.

He is also campaigning for the Indian government to ensure that the mortal remains of Nepali Gurkha soldiers — at present laid to rest in their regimental centre in India — hereafter be sent to their hometown in Nepal, so that their loved ones could also pay homage to them.

19

No. of years he has been visiting the families

200

No. of families he has met over the years

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