A few nights ago, my phone lit up with a video of Gen. V. P. Malik, a man I respect almost as much as I respected my own father. A man whose integrity is unquestionable, whose leadership shaped an entire generation of soldiers. Yet as I watched the clip, my heart tightened. Something felt off. The words were his, the face was his, the tone almost his, but the soul was missing. I did what every Indian should do in that moment: I prayed that it was fake. And when I finally gath

Every other day you come across a news article or a socila media post where you see that veterans continue to struggle even for a smallest matter, which raises a very pertinent question, what if we had a political party of our own, a party comprising of only ex-servicemen and their kinfolks? Indian Army has more than 30 lakh ex-servicemen as of now, add to this, ex-servicemen of all the security forces and their families. We are huge family.   If we have a significant politic

In the darkened valleys where the icy winds sweep, Lie the quiet echoes of Legends of Kargil, now asleep. 527 bright stars fell from the sky, Protectors of freedom who answered the cry.   1000s of souls on fire under the Himalayan might, With valour that flared through the darkest night. In the Kargil peaks, where the eagles dare, They stood as one, defying death & despair.   Blood flushed the snow, turning white to red, Each stage a story, and a lot left unsaid. For their be

Recently the term ‘NOK has been in the news for various reasons. In the Indian army parlance "NOK" means "Next of Kin." It refers to the closest family member of a soldier. The designation of this person is critical because they are contacted and receive benefits or responsibilities if the soldier is injured, dies, or something major happens. In this blog, I will try to explain what NOK means in the army, how it is determined, and the roles and responsibilities of the NOK.