Real life story : An officer, a mother, and an example of courage

Real-life Story

This is a real-life story with all due respect to the love for the nation and Women from army families.

Throw a virtual salute to recently commissioned Lieutenant Jyoti Nainwal of the Indian Army. That’s her with her kids, daughter Lavanya and son Reynash, and it’s hard to say who is prouder – the mother or children. Three years ago, Jyoti became a war widow when her husband, Naik Deepak Nainwal of the Rashtriya Rifles battalion deployed in J&K, got killed in terrorist action.

That one decision

Heartbroken, with two small children to raise, and only used to domestic work. This young and simple homemaker from

Uttarakhand decided to replace her husband in the Army. It was not easy. And Jyoti flunked the Services Selection Board exams thrice. In despair, she approached the famed Mahar Regiment, her husband’s first posting, known for its fearless infantrymen and many battle honours.

The Army takes care of its own. A Brigadier level officer was given charge to be Jyoti’s mentor. She begins her training at a coaching centre. Run by a Colonel who was another Mahar veteran. It involved changing her personality. Being a humble housewife not conversant with English. Not used to getting up at dawn and running for miles. Or holding a gun. But where there is hope, there is belief in dreams.

Her courage

Jyoti got commissioned in the Indian Army as a Lieutenant after passing out from the Officers Training Academy in Chennai. The Army asks aspirants, “Do you have it in you?” Jyoti grittily did. Her husband had been declared a martyr. But with extraordinary courage, she decided not to remain a war widow. “Today my children don’t call me Mummy – they call me Papa!” Jyoti said proudly. Indeed a real-life story of a woman who dares to challenge society and makes others proud!

About Mark Manuel 

The above thoughts/content has been proudly copied from the wall of Sir Mark Manuel  Someone who has interviewed almost every role model this country has to offer as of now. Mark Manuel is a respected Mumbai editor, writer, and columnist. With over three decades of journalism in leading publications including the Free Press Journal, Times, Dainik Bhaskar, Mid-Day, and Afternoon. He is widely known for his brilliantly penned interviews. He himself is a TEDx speaker.

His interviews have featured in several leading media houses. They include the Hindustan Times, Huffington Post, BBC, and Network 18. Almost every famous person has been interviewed by him. In the country from Mother Teresa to Muhammad Ali. His first book is just out. It’s titled Moryaa Re! It is a crime thriller that is perhaps the country’s first police procedural. He began his career covering crime. And in a tribute to his experience and knowledge of this beat. Several distinguished officers of the Mumbai Police and its Crime Branch collaborated with him to make this book possible. In a statement of friendship for Mark Manuel and admiration for his work, Amitabh Bachchan wrote the forward.