Tears Flow as Nana Patekar, Army Honour Families of Pak Shelling Victims in Rajouri

GNS ONLINE NEWS PORTAL

SHYAM SOOD

RAJOURI SEPT 22:-In a ceremony that touched every heart, Padma Shri awardee and acclaimed actor Nana Patekar, accompanied by trustees of his NGO, the Nirmala Gajanan Foundation (NGF), joined hands with the White Knight Corps (16 Corps) of the Indian Army to honour families shattered by Pakistan shelling during Operation Sindoor in Rajouri and Poonch.
Held at the Raina Auditorium, Rajouri, the event brought together survivors, civil dignitaries, and Army officials in a rare moment of shared grief, courage, and solidarity. A total of 117 families, many of whom had lost loved ones, homes, or suffered grievous injuries, were felicitated with dignity and compassion.
As the auditorium filled with an air of emotion, Nana Patekar—himself known for his simplicity and deep empathy—met each family personally. He listened to their stories, held their hands, and offered words of comfort. Many beneficiaries, overcome by emotion, expressed their gratitude through tears, calling the recognition a balm for wounds that time alone could not heal.
The NGF, named after Patekar’s parents Nirmala and Gajanan, has long been committed to serving society through education and healthcare initiatives. In Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh, it has adopted 45 Army Goodwill Schools in collaboration with the Indian Army, continuing to nurture hope in regions scarred by conflict.
The event was graced by several dignitaries, including DIG Rajouri-Poonch Range Tejinder Singh, DIG BSF Sector HQs C. M. Singh Rawat, DC Rajouri Abhishek Sharma, SSP Rajouri Gaurav Sikarwar, and Principal GMC Rajouri Prof. (Dr.) A.K. Bhatia. Their presence, alongside senior Army officers and NGF representatives, underscored the power of collective effort in rebuilding broken lives.
In a particularly poignant moment, Nana Patekar spent time with gallantry award winners of Operation Sindoor, acknowledging their valour and sacrifice with deep respect. His gesture drew long applause, symbolising the nation’s gratitude to those who stood tall in the face of enemy aggression.
Later, in a joint media briefing, Maj Gen Kaushik Mukherjee SM, GOC Ace of Spades Division, Nana Patekar, and DC Rajouri highlighted the initiative as an expression of national unity and compassion. They stressed that the victims of conflict must always be remembered not as statistics, but as families who bore the brunt of violence with extraordinary courage.
The ceremony ended with renewed hope—an assurance that even in grief, the nation stands shoulder to shoulder with its people. The collaboration of the Army, civil administration, and NGF was hailed as a shining example of how empathy and solidarity can heal wounds of the past and light the path toward resilience.