CHANDIGARH: A 10-year-old boy, Shravan Singh, from Tara Wali village in Mamdot block on the Indo-Pak international border in Punjab’s Ferozepur district, who dreams of becoming an Indian Army soldier, played his part in Operation Sindoor by serving water, ice, tea, milk, and lassi to soldiers deployed in his village.
Recognising his dedication, Major General Ranjit Singh Manral, General Officer Commanding of the 7th Infantry Division (Golden Arrow Division), recently honoured him. Despite his young age and the sound of gunfire near the border, Shravan remained undeterred.
On May 25, the Army honoured Shravan, a Class IV student, for his bravery and tireless efforts during Operation Sindoor. He was felicitated with a memento, treated to a special meal, and given his favourite treat - ice cream.
Son of a farmer, Sona Singh, Shravan braved the scorching heat to serve water, milk, lassi, and even ice to soldiers camping in their fields. “I was not scared,” Shravan says. “I want to join the Army when I grow up. I used to give water, lassi, and ice to the soldiers, and they loved me a lot.”
Speaking to this newspaper, Shravan’s father, Sona Singh, who owns one acre of land and runs a dairy, said, “For about ten to fifteen days, the Army soldiers were stationed in our fields. My son used to go to them at least four to five times a day. He served them ice, water, tea, milk, and lassi. Sometimes, he stayed with them the whole day. He never missed a single day. I accompanied him occasionally. The soldiers gave him biscuits, bananas, chocolates, and even shared meals with him. They loved him.”
Singh added that Shravan has an elder sister studying in Class VII and a younger brother who is just eight months old. “Seeing Shravan, other villagers also began asking the jawans if they needed anything. We were later called by Army officers, and my son was felicitated. We are proud of him,” he said, beaming with pride.
Shravan’s mother, Santosh Rani, added, “He never got scared. The Army personnel truly loved him.”
During the heightened tensions between India and Pakistan on May 7 and 10, swarms of drones were spotted in border villages and towns of Ferozepur. Otherwise, the small village of Tara Wali, just two kilometres from the international border, remains quiet.