A FATHER MOURNS ‘There will be no evening phone calls’

Rano

VIP
Jammu, July 7

Rear Admiral Satyendra Singh Jamwal may have been an accomplished Naval officer but for his father, Major General (retd) Jagdish Singh Jamwal, he was a wonderful and caring son.

“He would call up every evening to ask about my well-being. He used to worry about me a lot since I have been living alone here after his mother’s death two years ago. There will be no evening phone calls now…” says Major General Jamwal, who lives in Trikuta Nagar.

Outwardly poised even after hearing the “most shocking news of my life”, the senior Jamwal says, “We spoke yesterday; he was calm and composed as usual. I don’t think there could be foul play. Accidents happen...” says the Major General, putting up a brave face like a true soldier. The father has accepted the death of his elder son as destiny.

However, he is bitter that he heard the tragic news on TV. “No one from the Indian Navy or Ministry of Defence contacted me,” he says. “I have heard an inquiry is on. But what use is it? It won’t bring back my son.”

Major General Jamwal commanded a division during Operation Bluestar and played a vital role in restoring peace after the anti-Sikh riots of 1984. As soon as the news of his death spread, people started coming in large numbers to the Jamwal home. The cremation is likely to take place in Delhi tomorrow.

Elder of two siblings, the Admiral is a nephew of former Himachal Congress minister Vijay Singh Mankotia. “It’s a great loss for the family and country. He still had a lot to contribute to the country’s naval defence,” says Mankotia. Besides being adjudicated the ‘Best Cadet’ at NDA, the Admiral also topped in a management course from IIM-Ahmedabad. His brother RS Jamwal works for a Tata company at a senior position and is based in Mumbai.
 
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