Thanks, Ajit Vaidya ji for this message. He was a young Major in the 5 Gorkha Rifles in the 1971 war with Pakistan. One day during the war the Major was making his way to aid a wounded soldier. He didn't know he was walking into a minefield. He stepped on a landmine that blew his left leg off. He was rushed to the battalion camp hospital.
"Give me some morphine," he asked the doctor.
"It's finished, Sir."
"Do you have Pethidine?"
"No, Sir."
"Can you cut this off?"
"I don't have any instrument."
"Where is my khukuri?"
"It's here, Sir."
"Cut off the leg."
"I can't do it, Sir."
"Give the khukuri to me."
The Major cut his leg off himself and ordered, "Now go and bury it." The amputated leg was later replaced by a wooden one. But in his mind, he felt he still had two legs.
He dreamt of commanding a battalion and started preparing his mind and body. He took a rigorous battle fitness tests in which he left behind 7 able-bodied officers. He was asked to accompany the Army's Vice-Chief to J&K. The VC's copter landed on a helipad 600 feet above the army camp.
The VCOAS couldn't believe his eyes when he saw the Major climb 600 feet to the helipad unaided. It was a demonstration of superhuman strength and human endeavor. A promotion followed soon after, leading to command of a Gurkha Battalion and then a Brigade. Followed by a staff posting as Major General.
Ladies and gentlemen, Major General and Mrs Ian Cardozo...Vaidya AJIT