CHENNAI: It was surely a proud moment for the parents present at the Officers Training Academy on Friday whose sons and daughters will pass out as young army officers this year.
Yet, this father's story is different from the rest. Hailing from a humble background, Surender Sharma who is farmer in a small village of Muzaffarnagar, Uttar Pradesh is a proud father as his son Sonu Sharma will pass out with a gold medal on Saturday.
Born and brought up in Muzaffarnagar, Sonu is a BA graduate who later pursued Air Force as well as Navy but had to quit because of 'technicalities' involved in the services. Despite the initial hiccups, Sonu refused to give up and later chased his dreams of entering into army.
With his hardwork and dedication, today he emerged as the gold medalist in the batch of 184 cadets to mark young men and women army officers.
Sonu suggests that his achievement is a combined effort of his parents support and his passion to serve the nation.
Expressing his gratitude to his parents, he said, "My parents have always been my inspiration and I would do anything for their happiness. They have been very supportive throughout and I am glad that they are here today witnessing me receiving a gold medal".
Sonu's mother Shimla Devi who is a housewife said, "My son was always good at studies and I was never worried about his career but I had never imagined him reaching this far. I thank God for all he has done for us".
Surender Sharma, the sugarcane and wheat farmer said that life had been difficult for him as he lived in a small village without electricity. The children at times struggled with no electricity but were determined and successfully finished their studies.
"I have three daughters and three sons and they all are equal to me. My daughters hold M.A degrees. No doubt I have struggled alot. We compromised on our clothes, food, etc to get them educated but in the end, it is all worth it as two of my sons are in army. I am happy", said an emotional father.