Vasco: Goa fondly remembered Kirti Chakra awardee late Lieutenant Narendra Mayekar on the 25th year of his martyrdom on Wednesday, recalling the brave fight he led against ULFA militants in Assam.
A native of Sada in the port town of Vasco, Lt. Mayekar, attached to the Sikh Regiment, was posted in Assam when he was killed during an operation against ULFA militants on February 26, 2000.
Mormugao MLA Sankalp Amonkar, along with representatives of the Armed Forces, ex-servicemen, Veteran Soldiers Association, and local citizens, paid homage to the brave soldier in the presence of his family members.
“We are proud that such a braveheart was born in our city. It is a matter of pride for us. We have decided to construct a memorial in his name at Sada locality in Vasco,” said Amonkar.
He added that the construction of the memorial will start soon, which will also feature a statue of Lt. Mayekar.
Bhagirathi Atmaram Mayekar, mother of the Braveheart, who is in her seventies, said that the family suffered an irreparable loss with the death of her son. “He was the eldest of all siblings. He wanted to be in the Defence Forces, so when he saw the advertisement, he applied and got selected,” she said. She recalled that the day his demise was announced, their world came to a standstill.
“He had a two-year-old daughter at the time and was newly married,” she added. Bhagirathi is proud that her son was awarded the Kirti Chakra for gallantry, but she said, “We cannot reconcile to the fact that he is no longer with us.”
Lt. Mayekar’s wife, Neha, shared that they were with him in Assam three months before his passing. “Our daughter was small and could not adjust to the weather conditions there, so we shifted back to Goa, and then this news came,” she said.
Daughter Nidhi stated that for years, her family did not tell her about her father’s demise. “I always thought that he was posted in difficult areas, serving the nation. When I started going to school, my teacher spoke about him in the past tense—that’s when I realized that he was no longer with us,” she said.
A media statement released during the function narrated Lt. Mayekar’s supreme sacrifice to defend his country from militants.
“Lieutenant Narendra Atmaram Mayekar, a native of Headland Sada, Mormugao, Goa, on receiving specific information, carried out a search in a village in Assam where hardcore ULFA militants were hiding. On February 26, 2000, he was fired upon while approaching a house and was hit in the abdomen,” the statement reads.
It further states, “With disregard for his personal safety, he charged into the house with his regiment. He engaged the militants in hand-to-hand combat and killed two.”
“He exhorted his regiment to take on the other militants. His gallant and spontaneous action inspired his men and resulted in the killing of three hardcore ULFA militants and the recovery of arms, ammunition, and incriminating documents. The officer refused to be evacuated until all the militants were killed and later succumbed to his injuries,” the release adds.
The organisers emphasized that Lieutenant Narendra Atmaram Mayekar displayed courage, conspicuous bravery, and an indomitable spirit, making the supreme sacrifice in the best traditions of the Indian Army.
