Over the years, three significant words, duty, honour, and country, have been representing everything that defines a defence officer. These three words perfectly symbolise what it is like to be a defence officer regardless of their specific responsibilities or location. Meet a true hero of our society, Dr.Om Prakash Yadav, a retired defence officer who has dedicated his life to giving back to the community. With unwavering commitment and a compassionate heart, he has opened up 13+ schools for underprivileged children in his village, providing them with access to quality education and a brighter future. His selfless acts of kindness have touched the lives of countless young minds, and his story serves as an inspiration to us all." Let us unveil his journey in this segment.
Sir, how did you join the Air force?
I did my Matriculation in 1960 and got appointed as a teacher in 1962. That same year, I learned about the Air Force recruitment in Delhi from the Navbharat Times newspaper and rushed to try my luck. On 19th Sept 1962, I was asked to join the Air Force training centre, Bangalore.
On 22nd 1962, Oct Chinese attacked us, and thus our training got cancelled, and I was immediately posted to Bagdogra, Siliguri. That was my first ever participation in the war.
Being a part of the 1971 Indo-Pak War, can you recall something memorable?In 1971 when I was posted to Agra, the runway was broken, and we were asked not to fly. But our Squad leader Sandhu sir, a 6.4" Sikh commanding officer, denied it and ordered us to load the weapons and keep fighting. And we heavily bombarded during Battle of Sargodha.
"He instructed us to bombard Pakistani Soldiers directly on their heads. Such true patriotic blood he had"
That was a historical moment in the month of December, when thousands of Pakistani soldiers surrendered to us, and East Pakistanwas declared free Bangladesh.
How did you feel while fighting the 1971 war vs when it ended?
While fighting we forgot everything about our home or family members; only the thing that remained on our minds is destroying the enemy. We neither used to get a proper lunch nor dinner, yet we felt extremely motivated. Our hearts were full of zeal and passion toward the motherland.
During the 1971 war, when we stormed inside Lahore, that was a golden opportunity for us to occupy the POK. However, we lost it at the last moment because of the political agreement between both nations. We felt immensely bad.
What did you do after retirement?
After serving in the air force for 15 long years, and pursuing law in addition to multiple M.A and diploma degrees I wanted to do something remarkable for my hometown
"As serving the nation and society does not always require a uniform."
Since education is the most powerful weapon to fight ignorance, in 1998-99, when the existing schools had merely 35 students, we completely transformed them. Today we are running 13 schools, including 7 for only girls, along with a veterinary medical college.
Is there anything you would like to suggest for our country's betterment?
Govt. should make it compulsory for every youth to be a part of the defence for at least 2-3 years so that the nation can grow powerful. I believe our youth is the real strength and asset of the nation, and the country will remain protected in their hands.
Conclusion
From an ordinary teacher to an ex-air force officer, Mr Yadav has been selflessly serving the nation and society. Yadav did not serve the motherland while in the defence but has also been fulfilling his duty towards society even after his retirement. He taught us what it means to serve the nation in its true sense. Not only defence officers but ordinary people like us can also do many things for society.Hope you enjoyed it. For more such unsung stories, stay connected with us!
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