A reflection on the continuing responsibility to honour veterans, Veer Naris and the families of India's fallen soldiers.
A soldier's service to the nation is often remembered through battles fought, sacrifices made and honours earned. But the responsibility towards that soldier does not end when the uniform is laid aside, nor does it end when a life is lost in the line of duty. For the families left behind, the consequences of service can continue for decades. Their welfare, dignity and security must remain a national responsibility.
The stories of India's brave soldiers are inseparable from the families who stand behind them. Captain Vikram Batra, Param Vir Chakra, became a symbol of courage through his resolve to return victorious or wrapped in the Tricolour. Captain Manoj Kumar Pandey, Major Somnath Sharma and Major Shaitan Singh are remembered for their extraordinary courage and supreme sacrifice. Their legacies also remind us that honouring the fallen must include caring for those who continue to live with the consequences of that sacrifice.
For veterans, the transition from military service to civilian life can bring a different set of challenges. For Veer Naris and dependants, difficulties may involve pensions, medical care, documentation and access to welfare schemes. These are not merely administrative matters. They affect financial independence, peace of mind and the ability to live with dignity.
Service to Those Who Served
The 204th Raksha Pension Samadhan Aayojan, held at Sangha Auditorium, Tanda, Akhnoor, concluded on October 8, 2026, following a two-day programme that began on October 7. Inaugurated by the General Officer Commanding of White Knight Corps, the initiative brought veterans and pensioners together with officials to address pension-related concerns and improve awareness of welfare provisions.
According to the figures provided for the event, 582 people registered and 432 participated, including 150 through 74 video-conferencing stations. The programme recorded 321 pension grievances, of which 54 were resolved on the spot. A medical camp involving 13 doctors, including specialists in gynaecology and orthopaedics, was also organised. Awareness sessions covered pension matters, SPARSH, healthcare, welfare schemes and resettlement.
Such initiatives can make a meaningful difference when they bring the right officials and beneficiaries together. Yet the true measure of their success lies beyond attendance figures. A grievance that remains unresolved after a camp can continue to burden a veteran or a widow. Every case needs clear follow-up, accountability and a definite response. Access to assistance should not depend on how many times a person can travel to an office or repeat the same request.
For elderly veterans and widows, a delayed pension can mean uncertainty over everyday expenses, medicines and household needs. Timely resolution is therefore more than an administrative achievement. It is an expression of respect for those who served the country and for the families who shared the cost of that service.
When the Battle Continues for the Families Left Behind
The difficulties faced by Veer Naris are not always resolved quickly. The experiences of Shanti Devi and Rajkumari Devi, widows of soldiers who served during the 1962 war, illustrate how pension-related concerns can persist long after the conflict itself has passed into history.
At a function in Gwalior in 2016, both women raised concerns that their revised pension benefits had not been paid. The matter was taken up with Lieutenant General Milan Naidu, former Vice Chief of the Army Staff and former Colonel Commandant of the Rajput Regiment, as well as the Directorate of Sainik Kalyan in Madhya Pradesh. Rajput Records advised them to approach their banks, but repeated visits and follow-ups remained part of the process.
Rajkumari Devi's arrears, amounting to more than ₹4 lakh, were eventually credited after intervention by a bank manager in June 2016, while the payment of her One Rank One Pension arrears was also promised. Shanti Devi's case proved more complicated. Almost ₹5.5 lakh in liberalised family pension arrears, calculated from January 1, 2006, was credited, but the remaining arrears for the period from February 1972 to December 2005 were still unresolved in the account of the case.
Another Veer Nari, Kamala Devi, widow of Sepoy Samant Singh of 2 Rajput, who was martyred during the 1962 war, faced difficulties obtaining an increase in her old-age pension because the required Pension Payment Order or corrigendum was unavailable. Her case was also taken up with Rajput Records.
These experiences underline a difficult truth: a welfare entitlement written in a rulebook is not enough if the person entitled to it cannot access it. Old records, missing documents, coordination gaps and repeated referrals can turn a legitimate claim into a prolonged struggle. The system must recognise these obstacles and help beneficiaries navigate them, rather than leaving elderly widows to carry the burden alone.
The Courage to Rebuild a Life
The story of Lieutenant Colonel Ravinder Jeet Randhawa reflects another dimension of the relationship between the Army and the families of its fallen personnel. Her husband, Major Sukhwinder Jeet Singh Randhawa of the 2nd Battalion Rashtriya Rifles, was martyred in the Anantnag sector in 1997, leaving behind his wife and their one-year-old daughter.
Rather than allowing grief to define the rest of her life, Ravinder Jeet Randhawa sought an opportunity to serve in uniform. With support from Army leadership and the Ministry of Defence, she and Sabina Singh joined the Officers Training Academy and passed out in September 1998. Their commissioning marked a historic step in the induction of war widows as officers. Ravinder Jeet Randhawa went on to attain the rank of Lieutenant Colonel.
Her journey speaks of resilience, but it also highlights the importance of institutional support. Determination belongs to the individual; an opportunity to rebuild can depend on whether institutions are willing to open a door. Supporting bereaved families must therefore mean more than providing immediate relief. Where possible, it should include avenues for education, employment, rehabilitation and a meaningful future.
Not every family will choose the same path, and not every loss can be answered through a career or a public achievement. Some families need financial security, others need medical support, assistance with documentation or simply a dependable point of contact. Respect begins with listening to what each family actually needs.
A Responsibility That Must Endure
Military camaraderie is built on trust, shared hardship and the belief that no one is left behind. That principle should continue to guide the treatment of veterans and the families of those who made the supreme sacrifice. Retirement should not mean being forgotten, and martyrdom should not leave a family struggling to secure the benefits it is entitled to receive.
Pension assistance programmes, medical camps and welfare outreach are important steps. Their impact becomes lasting when grievances are tracked to completion, beneficiaries receive clear information, digital systems are accessible to those unfamiliar with them, and officials remain answerable for unresolved cases. Compassion must be reflected in the functioning of the system, not only in the language used at public events.
The sacrifices of India's soldiers deserve remembrance, but remembrance must also find expression in everyday action. It means ensuring that a veteran can access healthcare without unnecessary difficulty, that a Veer Nari is not forced into repeated journeys to claim an entitlement, and that children and dependants receive the assistance promised to them.
The nation owes its soldiers a debt that cannot be measured in ceremonies or words alone. It must be reflected in fairness, timely assistance and sustained care for those who served and those who carry their legacy. The courage of the fallen lives on in the memories of the nation. The dignity of their families must be protected through action.
Journalist, defence correspondent and author from Jammu and Kashmir, writing on defence, security, strategic affairs and social issues.
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