IDHAR UDHAR KI BAAT 84- BOARD EXAMS Brig PS Gothra (Retd)

“This is the end of my life. For two whole years I worked hard and the whole thing is zero as I got the toughest set of paper,” I overheard some schoolboys discussing Class 12 physics exam on the metro ride.

"I am not going to Engineering college,” said another boy in tears.

I smiled, remembering a time when I, too, had felt defeated by physics. I had gone wrong in some calculations. It seemed like the biggest disaster of my life back then.

But today I feel, Physics was not just about exams and securing a seat in college. It was about real-life problem-solving, survival, and strategic thinking. My mind drifted back in 2005 to Mastan Dhara in J&K—to the day when physics helped.

"Sorry sir, my AK-47 dropped in front of the house," Major Santosh’s voice crackled in my earpiece.

We had been tracking a terrorist’s movements through our thermal devices for 20 days. That dawn, we had him cornered inside a cattle shed (dhok) in Dandiyan Mohalla, Mastan Dhara.

Major Santosh and J&K Police Constable Daud had crawled towards the pen to throw in a stun grenade. But just as they moved in, Daud spotted a rifle barrel peeking out from the cracks of the dhok.

In a split second, he grabbed Santosh’s collar and pulled him back. A burst of gunfire ripped through the air, missing them by inches.

In the chaos, Santosh dropped his rifle.

"Don't worry about your weapon," I told him. "The sniper team is moving in be with them. Guide them. If the terrorist comes out, drop him with a single shot. No unnecessary firing—we can’t risk ricochets hurting our men or civilians."

Major Arupam had secured the area well, but now we were in a deadlock. We were sitting on top of the dhok. The thick layer of mud and wood prevented the bullets by terrorists to penetrate.  We called the dhok’s owner, who confirmed: No family members, no livestock. Just one terrorist inside.

Blowing up the dhok with a rocket launcher was not an option—it would cause damage to nearby houses.

Arupam suggested sneaking up and dropping a stun grenade inside, but the terrorist was still firing single shots periodically through the cracks, making a direct approach too dangerous.

We needed a way to get a grenade inside without exposing ourselves.

And then it struck me—Physics.

"Take out your bootlaces," I ordered.

The men looked at me, confused.

"We’ll suspend a grenade from the top, swing it inside like a pendulum."

It was a gamble, but it was our best shot.

The first attempt failed—the plunger of the grenade got stuck in the knot of the lace. I braced myself, worried the terrorist might throw it back at us. But then I realized—if he exposed himself, our snipers would take him down.

We tried again, this time using two grenades, carefully timed. We swung them inside, and they exploded perfectly, sending fragments flying into the shed.

Silence.

"Sir, I think he's neutralized. We should move in," Arupam suggested, eager for action.

But experience had taught me patience. I held back the team.

At battalion headquarters, the Adjutant was getting repeated calls as senior officers were getting restless, calling in for updates every few minutes. They didn’t realize that such repeated inquiries can make the commander on ground take rash decisions which can be fatal sometimes.  

An hour passed. Then suddenly—a blind burst of gunfire from inside.

He was still alive.

We repeated the pendulum grenade attack. Again, silence.

This time, I ordered shaped explosives to be planted at key points. A controlled blast brought the dhok down.

After waiting another hour, we retrieved the terrorist’s body. His weapon and ammunition were dug out the next day.

The schoolboys were still discussing. I looked at them and smiled.

They were fighting a battle I once fought myself—a battle of expectations, disappointment, and fear. But what they didn’t know yet was that life is much bigger than an exams.

One day, they too might find themselves in situations where physics isn’t about marks, but about survival. Where an equation could save lives.

To all students out there:
Your grades do not define you. Your challenges today are just preparing you for greater battles tomorrow. Life is not just about scoring high. It’s about thinking, adapting, and overcoming. Good Luck.

ज़िंदगी के इम्तिहान में मत घबरा तू हार से,
कभी ग्रेनेड्स भी चल जाते हैं बूटलेस के वार से।

Jai Hind.

 

#IndianArmy #RealHeroes #MilitaryStories #PhysicsInRealLife #InspirationForStudents #KashmirOperation #BootlaceGrenade #JaiHind #DharmaYudh #MotivationalStory #ArmyLife #TrueStory #LifeLessons #ExamMotivation