Martyr K Palani's homecoming shattered by Chinese bullet
RAMANATHAPURAM: K Palani (40) had planned it all. By next year, he would have retired from service to be among his loved ones in the house he built after 22 years of toil. He wanted his son (10) to take after him and join the armed forces. What he did not plan was for was to die barely a fortnight after his family stepped into their new home. What he had not planned was for the enemy’s deviousness.
Monday night saw the simmering tension between the Chinese and Indian troops coming to a head. The face-off at Galwan Valley in Ladakh led to three Indian soldiers embracing martyrdom. Havildar Palani was one of them. Palani is survived by his wife Vanathi Devi (35), a son and a daughter (8).
A native of Kadukkalur in Ramanathapuram district, Palani joined the Indian Army at the young age of 18. The elder son of Kalimuthu and Logambal, Palani saw in the army the opportunity to serve the country all the while uplifting the lot of his poor family.His relatives recall Palani’s vacations as carnivals. “The air was filled with gaiety. He would play with the young ones and cook food,” says a relative.
Palani toiled hard to get his brother educated and sister married off. Palani’s younger brother Idhayakani is in the army’s clerical cadre. He is posted in Rajasthan.
When he joined the army, he was only a class XII pass out. He pursued higher studies while in service and did his BA (History). Later, he also encouraged his wife to complete her BEd, and enrolled her into a PG programme.
His family moved into their new home on June 3 last. Palani had come on leave January last. He had plans of attending the housewarming ceremony in Kazhugoorani (Ramanathapuram taluk). However, he had not planned for the Chinese deviousness.