Who is an Unknown Soldier?
He is a dead soldier who is unidentified and thought to be impossible ever to identify, so that he or she might serve as a symbol for all of the unknown dead wherever they fell.
This Independence day, I would like to remember our unsung heroes- The unknown soldiers who have perished in our battlefields defending India, our motherland against foes who threatened the very essence of what India stands for-Unity in diversity.
I wouldn’t just limit the definition of an Unknown Soldier to a mere lifeless body found among the ruins of war which stands as a symbol for all unknown brave hearts who perished. For me, an unsung hero is anyone who has risen above their call of duty and displayed exceptional levels of valor in the face of insurmountable challenges on the battlefield only to go unnoticed amidst the ruthless fog of war.
Only a few brave souls are honored for their deeds in war. There are many courageous warriors who have mixed with the dust without their supreme sacrifices being known to the world outside.
It is for those countless martyrs that I want to say, on this glorious day:
As you lay under the green fields that have bloomed by your sacrifice and as this country enters yet another year of hard fought freedom, let your unknown martyrdom remind every Indian about the value of their honest work, the meaning of their lives, the importance to be courageous and above all, the power of love.
Your courageous deeds may remain unknown but your sacrifice and the path it has charted for us to march along remain clear. After all, India, with all its problems and debilitating malfunctions is still a nation full of unknown soldiers- not only in the battlefields but in our homes, in our streets and in every corner of our vast expanse. They are everywhere and through your inspiration let their numbers grow just like the years of freedom!
