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Time of India
12-05-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
I will finish them off one by one: Martyred Sergeant's daughter vows to avenge father killed in Pak shelling
Live Events — ANI (@ANI) A soldier's sacrifice — ANI (@ANI) (You can now subscribe to our (You can now subscribe to our Economic Times WhatsApp channel The air in Mandawa village hung heavy with grief and pride on Sunday as the mortal remains of Sergeant Surendra Moga arrived home draped in the airman from Jhunjhunu district was martyred during intense shelling by Pakistani forces in the RS Pura sector , one of the many flashpoints in the recent military escalation between India and amid the mourning, one voice stood out — resolute, fiery, and unwavering. Vartika, the young daughter of Sergeant Moga.'I am proud of my father,' she told ANI. 'He was martyred while killing the enemies and protecting the nation.'Recounting their last conversation, she said her father had called the family at around 9 pm the previous night. He had spoken of the drones that hovered above the border, alerting them to the ever-present danger.'He said the drones were roaming but not attacking. We didn't know that would be our last conversation,' she her grief quickly turned into defiance. 'Pakistan should be finished entirely,' she declared. 'I want to become a soldier like my father and avenge his death. I will finish them off one by one.'Sergeant Surendra Moga's death came as tensions soared between India and Pakistan following the recent terror attack in Pahalgam, which killed 25 response, India launched Operation Sindoor on May 7, a series of precision strikes targeting nine terror infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK).Pakistan retaliated with shelling along the International Border, including in the RS Pura sector where Sergeant Moga was stationed. He was killed in action while manning his post under heavy hostilities between the two nations have since led to multiple military and diplomatic escalations, including the temporary closure of several Indian airports and the deployment of additional forces along the both countries announced a ceasefire agreement over the weekend, sporadic violations continued hours after the declaration.
Time of India
12-05-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
'I love you': IAF martyr Sergeant Surendra Moga's wife clutches his uniform as family bids final goodbye
JHUNJHUNU: Thousands lined the streets Sunday in Mehradasi village of Rajasthan's Jhunjhunu to bid a teary farewell to Sergeant Surendra Kumar Moga , a medical assistant with IAF's 36 Wing in J&K's Udhampur killed in a Pakistani strike on Saturday. The 36-year-old's body, draped in tricolour, was transported on a flower-adorned truck, accompanied by a procession of vehicles and bikes. As the teeming throngs paid last respects to their hero and many climbed rooftops to catch a final glimpse, the heart-wrenching journey to the crematorium lasted an hour-and-a-half. For many who knew him, however, it felt like an eternity. Moga's wife Seema was inconsolable, needing the support of other women. Operation Sindoor 'Our job is to hit target, not to count body bags': Air Marshal Bharti on Op Sindoor Precautionary blackout imposed across parts of Rajasthan, Punjab 'Indian Navy was in position to strike Karachi': Vice Admiral on Operation Sindoor Their seven-year-old son, Daksh, performed the last rites. The national flag was handed over to Moga's daughter Vartika, 11. Vartika declared she would join the army and "avenge her father's death by eliminating enemies". Moga had been stationed in Bengaluru and was deployed in Udhampur five days ago due to the escalating conflict. In attendance were prominent politicians, including Rajasthan deputy CM Prem Chand Bairwa of BJP, state leader of opposition Tikaram Jully of Congress, BJP state chief Madan Rathore and Congress state president Govind Singh Dotasra. "When a soldier sacrifices for the country, his family sacrifices, too," said minister Rajyavardhan Rathore.
Time of India
11-05-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
As IAF hero is laid to rest, daughter vows to join forces, avenge his death
Daughter Vartika of IAF (Indian Air Force) soldier Surendra Kumar who died during an attack on Udhampur, salutes her father (ANI photo0 JHUNJHUNU: Thousands lined the streets Sunday in Mehradasi village of Rajasthan's Jhunjhunu to bid a teary farewell to Sergeant Surendra Kumar Moga , a medical assistant with IAF's 36 Wing in J&K's Udhampur killed in a Pakistani strike on Saturday. The 36-year-old's body, draped in tricolour, was transported on a flower-adorned truck, accompanied by a procession of vehicles and bikes. Operation Sindoor 'Our job is to hit target, not to count body bags': Air Marshal Bharti on Op Sindoor Precautionary blackout imposed across parts of Rajasthan, Punjab 'Indian Navy was in position to strike Karachi': Vice Admiral on Operation Sindoor As the teeming throngs paid last respects to their hero and many climbed rooftops to catch a final glimpse, the heart-wrenching journey to the crematorium lasted an hour-and-a-half. For many who knew him, however, it felt like an eternity. Moga's wife Seema was inconsolable, needing the support of other women. Their seven-year-old son, Daksh, performed the last rites. The national flag was handed over to Moga's daughter Vartika, 11. Vartika declared she would join the army and "avenge her father's death by eliminating enemies". Moga had been stationed in Bengaluru and was deployed in Udhampur five days ago due to the escalating conflict. In attendance were prominent politicians, including Rajasthan deputy CM Prem Chand Bairwa of BJP, state leader of opposition Tikaram Jully of Congress, BJP state chief Madan Rathore and Congress state president Govind Singh Dotasra. "When a soldier sacrifices for the country, his family sacrifices, too," said minister Rajyavardhan Rathore.
Time of India
11-05-2025
- General
- Time of India
Thousands bid farewell to Sergeant Surendra
Jhunjhunu: In the heart of , a story of profound love and sacrifice unfolded on a sombre Sunday afternoon. Eleven-year-old Vartika stood tall, her young shoulders bearing a weight far beyond her years, as she watched her father's flag-draped coffin arrive home for the last Surendra Kumar Moga of IAF's 36 Wing, who was martyred in a Pakistani attack at J&K's Udhampur airbase Saturday, wasn't just a soldier; he was the father who braided Vartika's hair every morning, the husband who made his wife Seema laugh, and the hero who followed his own father's footsteps into military service. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Just five days before fate intervened, he had been with his family in Bengaluru, sharing dreams of a future in administrative services after the afternoon sun hit hard across the village streets, Vartika emerged as an unexpected pillar of strength. With wisdom beyond her years, she guided her seven-year-old brother Daksh through the heart-wrenching rituals, their small hands clasped together in shared grief. "I will join the army," she declared, her voice steady despite her tears, "and avenge my father's death."The most poignant moment came when Seema, their mother, approached her husband's body. "I love you," she whispered twice, her fingers gently tracing his face one last time. When she received his uniform, she held it to her heart as if embracing him one final time, the fabric still carrying traces of his the ceremony, Vartika moved between roles – a daughter in mourning, a sister protecting her younger brother, and a source of comfort for her grieving mother. When Seema faltered, it was Vartika who steadied her, wiping away her mother's tears while holding back her village of Mehradasi became a sea of solidarity, with thousands gathering to bid farewell to their hero. From rooftops and streets, they watched the procession, their collective grief echoing in patriotic chants and tearful attendance were prominent political figures, including Leader of Opposition Tikaram Jully, Deputy CM Prem Chand Bairwa and BJP and Congress state presidents, along with several former and current ministers, MPs and MLAs, who expressed their condolences and pledged support for Surendra's the sun set on that fateful day, Vartika's promise hung in the air – a young girl's determination to carry forward her father's legacy of service and sacrifice. In her eyes shone the same dedication that had driven Sergeant Surendra to serve his nation for 15 years, proving that while soldiers may fall, their spirit lives on in the hearts they leave state govt's support, including a cheque of Rs 5 lakh, offered little consolation to a family that had lost its pillar of strength. As minister Rajyavardhan Rathore said, "When a soldier sacrifices for the country, his family sacrifices too."
