Vinod Kanwar, widowed at 20 during the 1999 Kargil War, embodies unwavering patriotism as she proudly sent her only son, Tejvir Singh Rathore, to train at the Indian Military Academy in Dehradun. Speaking at a Kargil Vijay Diwas felicitation ceremony for martyrs’ families on Friday, the 46-year-old said, “We cannot be selfish. We must think of the nation first.”

Kanwar’s husband, Naik Bhanwar Singh Rathore, sacrificed his life on July 10, 1999, during the recapture of Point 4700 in the Kargil conflict. Tejvir, just six months old at the time, never knew his father. Yet, Kanwar, whose father was also a soldier, never hesitated to support her son’s decision to join the Army, making him the third generation to serve.

Born in 1977 in Rajasthan’s Nagaur district, Naik Rathore joined the elite 7 Para battalion in 1994. His bravery contributed to India’s victory in Operation Vijay, celebrated annually on July 26 as Kargil Vijay Diwas, marking the end of the three-month battle in Kargil’s icy heights, including Tiger Hill and Tololing.

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Kanwar, reflecting on her husband’s sacrifice, expressed pride despite the pain. Her resolve inspires as Tejvir prepares to carry forward the family’s legacy of service.

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