For a soldier, there is nothing greater than his country and the same was the case for Ashok Chakra Awardee, Lance Naik Nazir Ahmed W whose dream was to die on the battleground while fighting for his country, said his wife Mehjbeen Akhtar.
Brimming with nostalgia, Mehjbeen delivered her first-ever speech on stage, during an event, 'Hero of The Nation' orgsed here on Sunday
W lost his life in a counter-terrorism operation last year and was posthumously awarded the Ashok Chakra, the highest peacetime gallantry award.
"I am extremely proud of my husband's martyrdom as he gave his life for this country. I have never seen such a brave man like my husband. He used to tell me that he wants to die on the battleground while fighting for his nation as for him nothing came above this country," Mehjbeen said.
"I used to ask him why he doesn't come home like other officers. He always used to say that for him his nation comes first and everything else later. He also told me that I am his lioness, I should take care of myself and our children and he will take care of the country," she said.
Mehjbeen further said that even before dying he saved the lives of other officers during the encounter.
"I am extremely proud of my husband for what he has done and my children are also proud of their father. He has done a lot for this country and his nation is also proud of him," she said.
On November 25, 2018, W was participating in a counter-terrorist operation against six terrorists in Hirapur village near Batgund, Kashmir.
Under an intense hail of bullets from the terrorists, he eliminated the district commander of the Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and one foreign terrorist in a very daring display of raw courage.
In the gunfight, he was hit multiple times, including in his head. He also injured another terrorist before succumbing to his grievous injuries.
Lance Naik Nazir joined the Army's 162 Infantry Battalion (Territorial Army) (Home and Hearth) Jammu and Kashmir Light Infantry, at a young age in 2004.
His extraordinarily fearless and courageous personage was reflected after he bagged Sena Medal for gallantry twice in 2007 and 2018.
( With inputs from ANI )