The event, Freedom Ride 2011, which marked the importance of the day, also invited Bana Singh, a household name among the defence circle in India for his bravery in securing the Siachen glacier from Pakistani insurgents in June 1987 for which he was awarded the Param Vir Chakra, the highest wartime gallantry medal in India. Also invited and felicitated were sand artist Sudarshan Pattnaik, Indian classical dancer, Padma Vibhushan awardee Dr Sonal Mansingh, social activist, researcher, orator and painter Stanley Babu and one of India’s youngest percussionists Balashri Sidharth. Actor Nagarjuna and his wife Amala, Cyberbad Commissioner of Police, Dwaraka Tirumala Rao were also present. The Commissioner and Bana Singh flagged off the cyclists. After the 1,200 and odd cyclists completed 64 kilo meters rally, the programme scheduled Awakening- the Indian inside you, featured Sudrashan Pattnaik display a magnificent sand animation which illustrated the battle for Siachen with Bana Singh’s voice-over explaining the events. Speaking after the event, Bana Singh displays what truly makes him a great man - his modesty. “I did it for my country. For us, it has always been the country that came first, then safety and then ourselves. At that point on top of the glacier, we never thought about or feared death. If we had to die, we would. But might as well die having done something for our country.” God FearingThe retired officer has lived his life fearing and respecting only God. He said, “Pakistan put a price on my head after the recapture of Siachen. The government offered protection but I refused. If I managed to come out of war alive, without even being hit by a bullet, I think I can live my life. After all, this (pointing to himself) is in God’s hands. I will go when I have to.”Bana Singh now spends his time helping people and motivating them. Talking about the current situation the country is in, he says, “The people are waking up. Look at London, Egypt and across the world. In India we have Hazare. People are no longer blindly listening to the government. Change is on its way.” He however adds, “The craze for money is strong. Everyone wants some. We need to remember to respect our elders and our country.”When asked about whether he feels the government has forgotten him and those who have served the country, Bana Singh chuckles and says, “They’ve never particularly remembered us. We were forgotten then itself.” Before heading to an eagerly group waiting to take his autograph, Singh emphasizes, “When ever there is trouble, we must unite as a country and work together. Nobody can face the united might of the country. If there is no country, we have no life.”An interesting speaker came on stage at the end of the programme. He was an army cadet who happened to meet Bana Singh when he was in the Indian Military Academy. Capt Dilip Narayan was very inspired to have met the man that is spoken in reverence in the defence circles. During his service, he was posted at Bana top. He said, “Standing there, we would every day be in awe of the man. It takes six hours to reach the top now, despite all our technology and mechanisms. I cannot even imagine how he had managed securing the glacier back then.” When Bana Singh finished addressing the audience, the standing ovation he got is only testimony to the inspiration that he is. Thus Hyderabad had a unique experience this Independence day with a real life hero who sincerely believes that he simply did his job, so why the fuss?
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