Ode to the Soldier

ODE TO THE SOLDIER

Our greatest weapon is not the Bofors, nor the AK-rifles, but our Jawans

- Nana Patekar, Film Actor

You draw the boundaries of the Nation,
With the blood of your heart!
...Head held high

You stand against odds and lay your life,
That honour might live!
In harsh weather, Amidst hostile terrain
At places away from home and comfort
You endure beyond the call of duty and give all
Asking nothing in return
For nothing is dearer than the Flag that you hold!
...You march ahead!

With faith in heart, Goal in mind
Steel in nerves, Rifles in hand
Rucksack on back, Determination in feet
And the country's pride on shoulders
You march ahead!
...Beyond the pages of history

And attain immortality in the tales of Valour
Told to the Children by the fireside!
You struggle and triumph
Strive and sacrifice
Fight and win
And return victorious to waving hands and beating drums.
But when with battered body and soaring spirit
You fall at the altar of the motherland,
the whole Nation mourns and
...even Angels lay wreaths at your feet

- Lt. Col. V.P. Singh

With his feet on firm ground
And his head in the skies
For mastery of the mountains
With the elements he vies

Stolid in success
And stoic in reverse,
He praises himself
In neither prose nor verse.

On and on he forward strides
Proud of the name
By which the nation abides.

- Major Anurag Shukla

He waded through the Red Pool,
Despite the wounds, immensely cool.
For, he had heard the Mother's call,
Seen her sons, his brothers fall,
He knew he could not wait,
That, on him depended his Mother's fate.
He collected himself and burgeoned,
With him his own propelling sound.
He charged and he yelled,
for long his was felled.

- Major Manish Kumar

To Win is my sole desire,
By instinct, I ignite fire!
With my lanyard, badge, my attire...
And the Battle Cry to inspire,
From the front I lead my charge,
In pursuit of the enemy at large.

...I may sweat and might bleed,
But will not bow to their greed,
Yet my promises I shall keep,
Till, towards immortality, I take a leap.
Light of the experienced, the old,
And spirit of the young, the bold.
Have it all I need, to put...
Victory is still measured on foot!

- Lieutenant Praveen Bahl

Oh! The brave sons of India
Today I bow my head before you in utter reverence,
For you have dared to stand up for my beloved motherland,

With your minds - indeed without fear
Your heads - indeed held high
Your face - radiant with the glow of patriotism
The tricolour - proudly unfurled beneath the open sky

Oh! The blessed ones,
I salute you now...time and again,
For it is your unflinching faith and sacrifice
That will let my 'India' awake
In to the eternal freedom and heaven

- Annie, Cuttack

Wonderful are those, Who gave their lives for our mother.
Wonderful are those, Who made us free from another.
Wonderful are those, Who made us swell with pride.
Wonderful are those, Our brave and courageous knights

- Kasturi A. Rane, Mumbai