Family members remember their hero with pride in heart, tears in eyes
For last 25 years, since son-of-the-soil Lt Narendra Mayekar got martyred while fighting militants in Assam, his family had bottled up all emotions, which finally gave way, at the wreath laying ceremony of the Kirti Chakra winner, organised by Veteran Soldiers Welfare Association at his memorial in Headland Sada, on Wednesday.
Life has been an emotional struggle for the family. Lt Mayekar’s widow Neha Mayekar had to deal with her husband’s loss at one hand and the responsibility to bring up their daughter, who was barely two years then.
“I was shocked. But I had no time for pouring out my grief as the responsibility of bringing up my daughter (Nidhi Mayekar) lay on me. I swallowed my sorrow for the sake of my daughter and never showed any emotions,” Neha said.
With tears swelled up in her eyes, Neha remembered her husband as a mild mannered and a jolly person.
“He would never get angry about anything and always had a smile on his face. I miss him a lot,” she said.
Crediting her in-laws for their care and support, Neha said that without them, it would have been a herculean task to bring up her daughter.
“My brother-in-law performed all the responsibilities of a father. Be it taking Nidhi to dance class or attending school events, her uncle would always be there for her,” she said.
Nidhi has only faint memories of her father. She associates with her father only with the childhood photos of them together.
“To be very honest, I don't have many memories of my father because I was just two years old when he passed away. I know about him only through my birthday pictures. So it was only me and my mother,” Nidhi Mayekar said.
Speaking about growing up without her father, Nidhi said, “When I started schooling, my friends and my teachers spoke about my father and I always wondered why they were talking about my father in past tense. I always thought that my father was on duty and he would come back to spend time with me,” she said.
But it was only after growing up she realised that her father won’t return.
“It was very difficult to cope with my feelings. But I did not let my mother know as it would have made her emotionally weak,” she said.
While Nidhi always felt sad to see her friends accompanied by both their parents everywhere. But now having understood the reality, she feels proud of her father.
“I feel proud to be a martyr’s daughter. He is always with me. I want to keep his memory alive by sharing his stories of valour with everyone,” said misty-eyed Nidhi, who has done her M. Com.
Lt Mayekar’s statue to come up at his memorial
VASCO: The State government is all set to beautify martyr Lt Narendra Mayekar’s memorial at Headland Sada by installing his statue and building a dome over there, Mormugao MLA, Sankalp Amonkar said here on Wednesday.
“Lt Mayekar is the son of Mormugao and our hero. The Veteran Soldiers Welfare Association (VSWA) had requested me to have a statue installed at his memorial here at headland Sada junction and beautify it. The government has already initiated the tendering process and the work should start in the next couple of months and it would be ready by next year,” Amonkar told reporters on the sidelines of a wreath laying ceremony organised by VSWA to mark Lt Maykar’s 25th martyrdom.
