The Siachen glacier, is the longest in the Karakoram and the region has a truly unforgiving climate.
By his own admission, he collapsed due to dehydration during a routine drill, after running a distance of 10 km with a heavy load on his back. Soon after, he found himself at the Dehradun Military Hospital, where his chances of survival were ruled out due to multiple organ failure.
As reported by the Hindustan Times, the doctors said that 70% of his kidney and liver had suffered damage, and he was confined to the hospital for 40 days.
Today, he has received his first posting as an Indian Army officer.
It is nothing less than a miracle that 27-year-old Gentleman Cadet (GC) Rajshekhar, was commissioned as a Lieutenant in the Indian Army from the Indian Military Academy (IMA) in Dehradun on Saturday. Admitted in the hospital’s ICU for 18 days, and in the High Dependency Unit (HDU) for 22 days, doctors had told the cadet’s trainers, that he wouldn’t survive.
In fact, two gentlemen cadets had already died that year doing the exercise.
Once he started to recuperate, everyone, including his doctors, mother and brother, advised the young cadet to quit the course, due to medical issues. However, he did the opposite.
Refusing to give up, and determined to complete the course on time, Rajshekhar worked out in the gym for four hours daily, became fit and achieved his goal.
He told the Hindustan Times that his company commander and platoon commander in the Indian Army gave him invaluable support, while he was in the hospital.
Befittingly, he received the best motivator award at the passing out parade, for his attitude.
The youth is no stranger to hardship. Having lost his father in 2005, when he was in class 10, he and his brother were both in school, when his mother, Santhi, took up tailoring jobs. However, even through the hard times, Rajshekar nursed a dream to serve the country.
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The young Indian Army officer is well-aware of perils that come with being posted with the 12 Assam Rifles in Siachen and says that the medical conditions that he overcame are nothing compared to what lies ahead.
We wish Rajshekhar the very best and salute him for his decision to serve our country.
(Edited by Gayatri Mishra)
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