Video Editing, Graphics & Animation: Kunal Mehra
Video Producer: Zijah Sherwani
Reporter: Mohd Sartaj Alam
Late Sepoy Ganesh Hansda had assured his friend he would call him upon his return from the Galwan Valley. The last call he made was on 5 May, at around 7:40 pm.
The 22-year-old was one of the 20 army men martyred in the clash with Chinese troops on 15 June.
In the last call between the two, Hansda had told his friend that he had been posted 14,000 feet above sea level in Ladakh and was not allowed to carry his phone to the camp. His loved ones are now left with his WhatsApp texts to remember him with.
Mundane phone conversations, as short as they may be, keep Ganesh’s memory alive.
Born in a farming family in Jharkhand’s Kosaphalia village, the late sepoy had humble roots. His elder brother had to give up his education as the family couldn't afford to send both the sons to school.
Hopes were pinned on Ganesh after he joined the Army in September 2018 as the family hoped their struggles would come to an end. In July 2019, after completing training from Danapur in Bihar, he got posted in Ladakh.
The one they were dependent on was martyred. Now, the family questions how it is going to survive and earn a living.
Regardless of the dire circumstances he had to face as a soldier, Ganesh remained optimistic and often told his friends to stay happy as ‘life is a precious gift.’ Rahul, a childhood friend of the martyr, echoes the sentiment.
Ganesh had last met his friends and family in January. His family has only one wish – to never forget his service to the nation.
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