Seema stepped out of her small, dimly-lit room. The last time her husband had been home was in March, when the couple learned she was pregnant. They had celebrated. And he had promised to return soon.
What came instead was his body. Wrapped in the tricolour, accompanied by soldiers.
Lance Naik Dinesh Kumar Sharma, a 32-year-old soldier from Gulawad village of Haryana’s Palwal, was killed in cross-border shelling in Poonch district on Tuesday. Tensions have continued to escalate between India and Pakistan: there were blackouts in several districts, and drones and missile attacks in some parts of northern and western India. Border areas continue to face heavy shelling.
The last call
It was around 9 pm on Tuesday when Sharma video-called Seema from his post in Poonch to show her the forest around him. He had said he would call again at midnight, but Seema, having taken her pregnancy medication, had fallen asleep. At 4 am on Wednesday, the family received a phone call from the army: Sharma had been injured and was in the hospital. By 10 am, another call came – this time, confirming his death.
“He was the eldest of five brothers and one sister. He fulfilled his duties as a son – but also, as a son of the nation,” said Meera Devi, his mother.
Born to a farmer father and homemaker mother, Sharma had long aspired to serve in the armed forces. He joined the army at the age of 21. After senior secondary education at Brij Mandal Senior Secondary in Hassanpur, he began preparing for a military career and was inducted into the 5 Field Regiment in September 2014. His first posting was in Aurangabad; for the last year-and-a-half, he had been stationed in Poonch.
Naresh Sharma, a family friend, said Sharma and his own son had joined the army together. “While others their age talked about movies or travel, these two focused on service. Sharma’s passion inspired his younger brothers.”
Two of them, Kapil and Hardutt, now serve as Agniveers. Both were back home for their brother’s final rites. Kapil walked through the crowd carrying Sharma’s seven-year-old daughter on his shoulders. Mamta, their sister, stood beside it, forehead pressed against the wooden box, whispering his name.
“He supported the entire family,” said Sarla, Sharma’s aunt. “He paid for their education, and arranged Mamta’s wedding. He didn’t just send money home – he took responsibility.”
Sharma had been married to Seema for eight years. “He was a devoted husband,” said Ruchita Tewatia, a close friend. “He made time for her no matter how busy he was.”
Alka Sharma, a colleague of Seema, who is a lawyer, said Sharma had also been supportive of his wife’s ambitions. “Seema finished her law degree after marriage. He encouraged her every step of the way,” she told Newslaundry. “He was proud of her.”
“No matter how far he was posted, family came first when he was home,” said Sarla. “He was kind and level-headed. Always made people laugh before leaving for duty.”
Sharma had a simple dream: to see his daughter become a doctor. “He was saving for her education through the Sukanya Yojana,” a relative said. “That was his priority.”
A village bids farewell
As hundreds gathered outside the family’s home to pay their respects, the village circulated tales about the soldier they lost. “He was one of those rare people with a truly selfless heart,” said Bhupender Pathak, a family acquaintance.
At the cremation ground, the Indian Army’s White Knight Corps and Haryana Police gave him a final salute. His father, Dayachand, lit the pyre. Sharma’s three-year-old son briefly held the torch. As the crowd thinned out, Meera and Seema cried out his name. Nearby, Sharma’s daughter stood silently by a blue wall, watching.
Dayachand stood quietly. “I’m proud that my son served the country till his last breath.”
Small teams can do great things. All it takes is a subscription. Subscribe now and power Newslaundry’s work.
Newslaundry is a reader-supported, ad-free, independent news outlet based out of New Delhi. Support their journalism, here.
