Remembering our buddy अमर शहीद राजीव कुमार दहिया, शौर्य चक्र, सेना मेडल
By Col J S Malik · Green · 2302
कुंजपुरा डायरीज... 🇮🇳🇮🇳🇮🇳 Lessons from a Legend💥 As I look back and remember, Major Rajiv Kumar Dahiya, SC,SM (82 NDA) was an excellent Basket Ball player. And it certainly was my privilege to be his classmate(class of '82) at Sainik School Kunjpura(SSK).💥 बाल निकेतन(a mini primary school inside SSK) के सामने एक बास्केट बॉल court होता था। जब भी मैं वहां से गुजरता था, I used to watch the game. And Rajiv was a constant in the court. I was mesmerised by his smooth and effortless moves with the ball. His twisting and turning movements with the ball were magic to my eyes. One day while I was standing beside the court, Rajiv asked me "Malik you only keep standing and watching us play?". To which I said "Seeing your swift game I feel like entering the court but I am afraid."💥 On Rajiv's assurance I entered the court and he threw the ball at me, which I dropped. I felt so silly. But he came forward and gave the ball to me again. My first throw couldn't even reach halfway to the basket and many others thereafter landed even much shorter. The game seemed entirely complex when I got inside the court. Years of practice had turned Rajiv's sport into a flawless beauty to watch from outside.💥 Rajiv was in same class section with me, very soft spoken as I can recollect. It was a close rapport in the class for seven years. At one point, I was on the desk immediately beside him in class room. I also had the privilege of travelling with him, on our home bound journey by Haryana Roadways. He used to get down at Jind. The versatile cadet belonged to Yellow house.💥 Holding the ball under his arm, politely but frankly Rajiv walked up to me and said, "पहलवान" तू पहले अपनी body बना". To everyone's delight, I also acquired an amusing nickname to myself. And we shared a big hearty laughter. As best as he knew his potential in the game, he could also fathom my limitations as a 'pehelwan.'💥 A brave legend of Kunjpura, Rajiv breathed his last fighting the enemy in September 2002. If the truth were to be ascertained, courage doesn't always flow from the boisterous. To a great extent, it comes wrapped in a quiet demeanour and from the most unassuming. 🇮🇳🇮🇳🇮🇳 (Remembering our buddy अमर शहीद राजीव कुमार दहिया, शौर्य चक्र, सेना मेडल ) (13 Sep 1971-30 Sep 2002)💥 Col Jitender Malik @2302@ Class of '82@ Green