Sunil Singh. Age 12. Doda, Jammu & Kashmir Bharat Award 'I fired through the night and killed a militant' Twelve-year-old Sunil Singh has a certain vulnerability in his curious black eyes. His lean frame is clad in a kurta-pyjama and an ill-fitting windsheeter. Hailing from Leotha, a remote village in the hilly Doda district of Jammu and Kashmir, Sunil is a class VI student at the Government High School near his village. Like many children his age, he enjoys playing gulli-danda and bante (both Indian rural games). He likes watching television, especially films starring his favourite stars -- Shah Rukh Khan and Amitabh Bachchan. But unlike many children his age, he helps his mother in the kitchen and in looking after his three younger sisters. A trip to Doda with his father was another treat. But that was then. Before that dark, long night -- that brought an end to his father's life. His village was attacked by 40 armed terrorists. Many, including his father, were killed. What set young Sunil apart was his exemplary courage. While his father's dead body lay there in front of his eyes, he fought the assailants and killed one of them. He could not take his father to a doctor because he had to fight the terrorists. The attack was foiled and many lives saved. The nation recognised his act of extreme courage by honouring him with the Bharat Award -- the highest national award for bravery among children. Visiting Delhi for the first time to receive the award, Sunil says he feels out of place and misses his mountains, howsoever, dangerous. He hopes to move to Jammu for further studies. Sunil Singh received the award from the prime minister earlier this week and rode a caprisoned elephant at the Republic Day Parade on Friday morning. This is his story: It was around 8 pm. Mummy was making chawal (rice). I was making sabzi (vegetables). Daddy was smoking a cirgut (cigarette). Suddenly, there was the sound of gunfire. Daddy was a member of the village defence committee. He picked up his gun and went out. (Tears well up in his eyes as he continues.) The moment he stepped out, the militants who had attacked the village shot him. The bullets hit him near his liver and he fell at the gate of our house. I wanted to take him to a hospital, but there were bullets everywhere. He died in front of my eyes. I got another gun and bullets from his room and started firing back at the militants. His body was lying there the whole night. I kept firing in the darkness -- in the direction of the sound of gunfire. The militants left in the morning. There were pieces of flesh and pools of blood. I had fired through the night. I had killed a militant. After that incident, we left our village. It was dangerous for us to stay there as militants could strike again. Now, we live at Thathree, the tehsil headquarters, in a rented room. There is fear even there and no security arrangements. When the incident happened, the DCsahib (deputy commissioner, Doda) told my Mamaji (maternal uncle) that I could get a bravery award from the government. Then he filled the form for the award and did everything that had to be done. On November 14, 2000, Mamaji came and told me about the award. He was very happy. Mummy and my sisters too were happy. Even I felt good about it. But, what difference does it make? Daddy vaapus toh nahin aayega (This will not bring my father back to life). As told to Basharat Peer Next: 'I jumped on him and caught him by his legs': Meet Henna Bakshi, winner of the Geeta Chopra Award for bravery Tell us what you think of this feature
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