Amongst many moving stories of the Indian armed forces, there is one such story of Captain Vijyant Thapar and a six-year-old girl.
Captain Vijayant Thapar was born into an Army family. His father, V N Thapar, was a colonel. Vijyant was just 22 when he got posted with the battalion, 2nd Battalion, Rajputana Rifles, in Kupwara, Kashmir.
There was a 6-year-old girl named Rukhsana who lived near his station. She went through a horrible incident. Terrorists murdered her father in front of her eyes. She was so traumatized that she lost her voice. When Captain Thapar’s battalion was moved near her school in her village, he came to know how just a 6-year-old girl saw his father murdered in front of her.
Captain Vijyant Thapar was a good soul. Her tragedy deeply moved him. He decided to help her. Soon, he started meeting with Rukhsana. With the help of Captain Thapar’s faithful sahayak Sepoy Jagmal Singh Shekhawat, He gained her trust. Captain Grew fond of her. he used to meet with Rukhsana despite his hectic schedule.
He would bring her sweets and chocolate. Their bond grew stronger. Vijayant Thapar’s hard work paid off. Rukhsana soon started speaking. He brought back the chirpy Rukhsana.
But perhaps fate had something else in mind. Captain Vijyant Thapar’s 2nd Rajputana rifle was called to help 18 grenadier battalions reclaim the peak of Tololing Hill in the Kargil war. Captain Vijayant Thapar fought bravely with his company commander, Major Padmapani Acharya. Unfortunately, Captain Vijayant Thapar was martyred while fighting the enemy on 22 June 1999 at the Knoll Complex near Tiger Hill and Tololing.
In His last letter to his parents, he spoke about Rukhsana and asked his family to send her 50 rupees every month (50 mattered in those days). They honored his last wish and sent her money every month. A decade later, Captain Vijyant Thapar’s father, Col. V N Thapar (Rt), met Rukhsana.
At the time, she grew to be a beautiful, smart girl. She was in a government school. She learned to speak Kashmiri, English, and Urdu. She still misses the time she played with Robin (Vijyant’s parents called him Robin). She is grateful for what he did for her. He said in an interview that came out a decade ago. Captain Vijyant’s parents gifted her a phone to be in contact with her at the time.
His last letter has been circulated many times on the internet. You can find his Last letter here.
