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Kargil's first hero

Reportage: Archana Masih. Photographs: Seema Pant. Design: Dominic Xavier

When you are posted in the field area, you can get petty cash for your needs and your salary -- sometimes a consolidated amount -- gets transferred to your account subsequently," explains Vaibhav.

The government gave the family the stipulated compensation, a cooking gas agency and a software engineer's post in the College of Basic Sciences at the Agriculture University in Palampur for Vaibhav.

Saurabh may have wanted to use the money to add to his family's comforts. But his parents thought otherwise.

Their son had done his duty for the country. They were obliged with what the government gave them for his sacrifice but they felt it was not morally right to use Saurabh's money for themselves.

"Saurabh served his country in an unselfish manner," says Dr Kalia, "We didn't want to use it for us."

His parents initiated an annual scholarship in his name at the two schools and the university that he attended. They also donated Rs 15 lakhs to a hospital being constructed, the nurses' hostel of which has been named after Saurabh Kalia.

The area where he lived has been renamed Saurabh Nagar and a forest park named Saurabh Van Vihar. His statue was installed there two years ago. On the same rock that was his favourite spot.

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