SOME careers are rewarding, and some are exciting. For Col (Dr) Rajesh Adhau, the career in the Indian Army has been both -- exciting and rewarding. The soldier-healer officer saw all the action that happened during the Kargil War of 1999 from very close quarters in the areas where he was saving lives of soldiers. And, how did he save lives? “Before they started for operation, I used to tell the assault teams to stay alive till I reached them. Once I reached them, I’ll save them,” recalls Col (Dr) Rajesh Adhau, who was decorated with Sena Medal for gallantry during the Kargil War. The Kargil hero is currently posted as Commanding Officer of a huge hospital of United Nations Peacekeeping Mission in Democratic Republic of Congo in Africa. “Twenty-five years have gone by since Kargil War, but it feels like it all happened only yesterday. My memories of the period are so fresh in mind. I still get phone calls from many of the soldiers saying that they remember me,” says Col (Dr) Rajesh Adhau while speaking to ‘The Hitavada’ over telephone from Democratic Republic of Congo. The unit he was attached to during Kargil War -- 13 Jammu and Kashmir Rifles -- is in Drass presently, he adds with pride in his voice. As part of the Silver Jubilee celebrations of Kargil Vijay, expeditions are reaching Kargil and Drass, but being in Africa on duty, he is missing all the excitement. The soldier-healer hails from Talegaon (Shamjipant) in Wardha district. He completed his primary education from Talegaon, higher schooling from Lokmanya Vidyalaya in Ashti (Shahid), and Intermediate from Shivaji Science College, Amravati.

 

 

He pursued his MBBS from Dr Panjabrao Deshmukh Memorial Medical College, Amravati. During his student days, he was active in National Service Scheme (NSS) and got inclined towards services. Chasing his dream led to him being commissioned as an Army Medical Officer. In August 1998, he got posted at Sopore as Regimental Medical Officer (RMO). His active participation in NSS made him bold. It helped when Kargil War broke out. During a briefing, his Commanding Officer addressed the troops. When he asked if anyone else wanted to speak, the then Captain (Dr) Rajesh Adhau raised his hand. “I just told them that I shall be with them. Stay alive till I reach you, and I shall save you,” recalls now Col (Dr) Adhau. The enemy was occupying heights, and the doctors used to be at the field hospital at base. But, as he had promised to the soldiers to be with them, he volunteered to go with them to the high altitude. He was the only doctor to do so. The young RMO was a participant in at least four important operations -- capture of Hump Area above Tololing, Pt 5140, Pt 4875 in Mushkoh, and Ridge Area. “I must appreciate the spirit of the soldiers.

 

The ‘josh’ was really high at the high altitudes. On one occasion, a rocket launcher gun was being fired by a soldier. There were two of them, one was taking aim at enemy positions and another was filling ammunition. The aim-taking soldier was warned by another that his position was being watched by an enemy sniper. But, the ‘josh’ was so high that he replied sharply that he also had seen the sniper’s location,” Col (Dr) Rajesh Adhau recollects. Col (Dr) Rajesh Adhau says, he was fortunate enough to have participated in action with some brave young officers like Captain Vikram Batra and Major Ajay Singh Jasrotia, both of whom made the supreme sacrifice for the nation. “I had spoken to Capt Batra around 6.30 pm, gave him some chocolates and medicines to carry. Later, as the next day was dawning, the news of his sacrifice came. I cannot express my feelings in words when I lifted the lifeless body of Capt Batra with whom I had spoken some hours ago,” says the soldier-doctor. But, Capt Batra’s death charged the troops who said that they would not stop till the position occupied by the enemy was recaptured. They mounted a daylight attack, killed 17 of enemy personnel, and achieved the objective as a mark of tribute to Capt Batra. During the war, the then Capt (Dr) Rajesh Adhau treated 108 men, and he is happy that all of them are alive. He attributes the credit for the spirit of service to his loving parents, who still reside in Talegaon (Shamjipant). Speaking of parents, he recalls a memory.

 

During Kargil War, reports reached Talegaon that an Army doctor from the village was hit by a bullet and killed in action. “Somehow, this spread among mediapersons too. When some mediapersons reached out to my parents, my mother firmly told them that nothing could harm her son,” he says. The reason she gave was strange. She told mediapersons, “I have not added a drop of water in the milk we sell. Hence, nothing bad can happen to my son.” Recalling this after 25 years, Col (Dr) Rajesh Adhau is still perplexed as to what was the correlation between not adding a drop of water in milk sold, and harm to her son. But, soon, he finds the connection -- if someone stays honest in whatever one does, nothing bad can happen to the person. By the way, he adds, at that time he was not struck by an enemy bullet but had sustained just a splinter injury. There are several experiences for the decorated officer to share. But, the biggest realisation that the war dawned upon him was that ‘life is ephemeral’. Hence, he has set his mission to serve mankind till his last breath.