Evolution of Love 2

Amen

Piloting a MIG-21 fighter aircraft on an operational sensitive sortie in the treacherous and tough hilly terrain of the Kashmir Valley on 07 October 1998, *Flight Lieutenant Rakesh Kumar Kamboj* had achieved an important milestone in any Fighter Pilot's career.

Born on 15 September 1969 in Ferozepur, Punjab, Rakesh Kumar Kamboj was affectionately called *Khabbu* by his classmates in Sainik School, Kapurthala, Punjab where he studied. Khabbu was derived from the Punjabi word "Khabbe" which means the left direction. Rakesh was a left handed person. The name Khabbu stuck on for life.

Khabbu belonged to an illustrious family of Punjab. His father was a senior Punjab Police Officer who retired from the rank of Inspector General and his mother was a home maker.

As a student Rakesh had only one ambition in life and that was to fly fighter aircraft for the Indian Air Force. His room at home or in school had various posters and models of different aircrafts. His talks hovered around an aircraft and it's mechanics. Khabbu would purchase any book on aircrafts on which he could lay his hands on. He had only one passion in life and that was to fly a fighter aircraft for the Indian Air Force.

After a grueling enterance exam and interview for the National Defence Academy (NDA) Khadakwasla which is ranked as the eight toughest exam in the world, Rakesh Kumar Kamboj was selected for the 79 NDA Course.

Khabbu was tall and had a fair and handsome personality. He looked like the noted filmstar Dharmendra. Infact his coursemates and his classmates used to goad him to join the Indian Film industry because of his handsome looks but Rakesh was clear on the mission of his life.

On joining NDA on 02 January 1988, Kamboj was alloted Delta Squadron. In the three years in NDA, Rakesh proved to be an all rounder. He was a six star Bronze Torchie which meant that he excelled in Academics. He was in the NDA Cricket Team and was a good boxer too.

Khabbu passed out from the NDA on 01 December 1990 and after four weeks leave reported to the Air Force Academy, Hyderabad on 07 January 1991 as part of the 148 Pilot Course.

After succesful completion of the training in AFA, Khabbu was commissioned as a Flying Officer on 14 December 1991 in the Indian Air Force and was allocated to fly Transport aircrafts.

But Rakesh did not want to fly Transports as flying Fighter aircrafts was his dream, passion and mission in life.

Kamboj represented to the highest offices and seeing the passion in him, executive orders were issued for him to convert to flying Fighter aircrafts, a rarity till date.

Khabbu started flying MIG-21 aircrafts and soon became the most dependable and indispensable Pilot of any Squadron he was posted in.

On 07 October 1998, Rakesh was assigned an operationally sensitive sortie in the Kashmir Valley. Khabbu's chest swelled with pride as it is the dream of any Fighter Pilot to be choosen for this sortie.

Airborne at Nilgrant near Sonamarg, 84 kilometers from Srinagar and negogiating the airpath between two very close mountains after successfuly completing the operational task assigned to him, the plane crashed after grazing a mountain feature and *Flight Lieutenant Rakesh Kumar Kamboj* was martyred in the service of the nation.

In the memory of such a brave and fearless Officer, the Punjab Government decided to name a Road and a Chowk in Ferozepur in the memory of *Flight Lieutenant Rakesh Kumar Kamboj* on his name so that his name remains immortal and he is remembered forever.

We pay homage to *Flight Lieutenant Rakesh Kumar Kamboj* on this solemn day. You shall forever remain in our hearts and memories and will always be a source of inspiration to all of us. Our prayers for your Eternal Peace.

I request all of you to please observe two minutes silence in memory of *Flight Lieutenant Rakesh Kumar Kamboj*.

As the famous American scholar and author Joseph Cambell said .... *"A hero is someone who has given his or her life to something bigger than oneself".*