An emotional farewell for a sister on her wedding when 50 IAF commandos offered their palms to walk through

Guwahati: Displaying an instance of strong brotherhood, love, respect and an unbreakable bond that the soldiers build with each other, 50 commandoes of Indian Air Force recently proved that death cannot keep them apart. The Air Force Garud unit lost their colleague commando Jyoti Prakash Nirala several months ago while he was fighting extremists at Jammu & Kashmir. The unit, however, had to pay their last homage to their colleague and they did that in the most unique and emotional manner when they got to attend the wedding reception of their deceased friend’s sister.

Martyred soldier Jyoti Prakash Nirala’s sister Shashikala had her wedding a few days ago and the ‘bidayi’ (farewell from parents’ home) she got was not only unique but the most emotional moment for everybody else present at the moment.

The 50 commandoes of the Air Force Garud unit who visited her wedding, kneeled on the floor in two rows, placed their hands on the floor with palms facing up and made their deceased friend’s sister walk on their palms to reach the bridegroom and exchange garlands.

Reportedly, the martyred Air Force commando was the only son of the family with three sisters. His father Tej Narayan Singh of village Badiladih is a marginal farmer. Nirala, while fighting the extremists, had gunned down two extremists and saved the lives of injured fellow commandos. But unfortunately, he could not win the battle of life. His sacrifice won him the highest peacetime military decoration for courageous action- Ashok Chakra. His mother Malti Devi and wife Sushma received the award from President Ram Nath Kovind.

Shashikala, the bride, is the younger sister of Nirala on whose wedding her father sent an invitation to the Air Chief Marshall and the Garud commando unit. This invitation led about 50 commandos of the Garud unit reach the family. Much to everyone’s surprise and astonishment, these commandoes reached the two days before the wedding and took the charge of all sorts of wedding arrangements. Not only this, they made a contribution of Rs 5 lakh for the wedding expenses.

The overwhelmed parents could only add, “We lost one son, but got 50 sons today. These sons filled us with love and respect and assured us that we are not alone and helpless. Today, the entire nation is with us. God bless you, my children.”

Also read: Garud commando to be awarded Ashok Chakra on R-Day