Sonal Singh On Sonal's Table
This book is not just a biopic. It is a free dive into waters most civilians can’t imagine. It is a glimpse into a spartan, danger-fraught life shaped by a singular purpose… to protect others. A soldier’s sacrifice is unlike any other. While most men protect their families, a soldier protects countless families he will never even meet.
It is service before self. It is the alchemy of turning boys into men, shaping them into defenders of a nation.
But what is life truly like in the armed forces? Who is a soldier? What qualities does he embody? How does one journey from being raised and protected by parents to becoming the protector of an entire motherland? And, in the larger picture, is the sacrifice of a parent any less than that of the martyred soldier?
These are the haunting questions that Sreemati Sen and Dr. N. K. Kalia bring alive as they narrate the story of a son, a soldier, and ultimately, a martyr. The narrative is tender yet searing, filled with moments of pride, fear, and ultimately rage… rage at the inhuman treatment (for twenty-two days) Capt. Saurabh Kalia suffered at the hands of the Pakistani armed forces, a treatment that mocked the very spirit of the Geneva Convention.
The writing is simple. The truth is stark. The emotions are raw. And yet, it is precisely this rawness that pierces the reader. Through its pages, you don’t just read about the transformation of a young man into Capt. Saurabh Kalia. You live it. You walk with him, feel the quiet courage of his choices, and, eventually, share the gut-wrenching grief and frustration of his family as they fight for justice for their brave son. The photographs and the excerpts from Capt. Saurabh’s diary add a touch of authenticity to the writing.
For me, this book struck a deeply personal chord. I was raised in the armed forces and have lived in border stations, where the silence of the night is often broken by the hum of vigilance and the unspoken knowledge of looming danger. Reading this book brought all of that rushing back. The pride, the fear, and the shadow of sacrifice that fauji families quietly learn to live with.
This is more than a biography. It is a reminder. A reminder of what it truly means to wear the uniform, to walk into danger so others may live in peace, and to stand tall even in death.
I recommend this book to anyone who wants to understand the heart of a soldier’s life, not through statistics or history lessons, but through the lived story of Capt. Saurabh Kalia. It is a story of courage, sacrifice, and love for the motherland that will leave you humbled and moved long after the last page.
