ARMY HUMAN FACE

Grit, Army help sisters surmount dual tragedy

D AGSHAI: Tsewang and Kunzang were hit the hardest every time, be it war or nature's wrath. Their irreparable loss was too huge to be endured: the war snatched away their father and the natural calamity killed their mother. But the indomitable spirit and steely resolve of these two girls, who are studying in Army Public School, Dagshai since October after being adopted by the Army's western command, have not only made them come out of the trauma but also proved that 'One can be destroyed but not defeated'.

Tsewang and Kunzang are natives of Choglamsar, a sleepy hamlet near Leh town, which was completely devastated in the cloudburst that occurred on August 6 last year. The disaster rendered them homeless. Their father, a soldier with the Ladakh Scouts, had died during Kargil war in 1999. At that time, Tsewang was three and Kunzang was hardly one year old.

They do not have any recollection of their father and it was their mother who brought them up. Both were studying in Mahabodhi School near Choglamsar when the natural calamity took its toll. The rubble covered the entire Choglamsar village claiming lives of most of the villagers, including their mother and all the friends with whom they shared their little joys.

Tsewang was saved because she had gone to a nearby village Saboo to meet one of her relatives. Kunzang remained unhurt as she was in the school hostel on that fateful day.

Kunzang, who is now a ninth class student in APS Dagshai, said when she reached her village to know the whereabouts of her family, all she could see was flattened houses. They could not even see the face of their mother for the last time.

When Ladakh Scouts regiment of the Indian Army in which their father had served came to know about their plight, the girls were adopted and admitted to the prestigious school at Dagshai in Himachal Pradesh.

Commanding Officer (CO) of Ladakh Scouts and his wife are now custodians of these teenagers. On Wednesday, the Army commander of western command, Lt Gen S R Ghosh and his wife came to the school to encourage both the sisters and wished them for their holidays which they are going to spend at Leh from June 2 to June 26. Army commander said that the command had pledged to take care of both the girls till they settle down in life.

Tsewang and Kunzang said the school helped them forget their tribulations. They have made lots of friends in the school. Tsewang wants to become a pilot while Kunzang has aspirations of being a cardiologist