Editor,
The valiance of Captain Smit Machchhar, saving the lives of 174 passengers in the air despite getting stabbed on the back, invokes the memory of the Pahalgam pony-operator Syed Adil Hussain Shah who had taken on the armed terrorists with bare hands and valiantly sacrificed his precious life so as to save the targeted tourists!
Not to forget the 36-year-old swimming and rappelling instructor R Rajesh too who had sacrificed his own precious life by handing his life jacket to a 61-year-old drowning farmer amidst the floodwaters of Kerala this August.
Rightly had said Kerala Chief Minister VD Satheesan – “Rajesh’s ultimate sacrifice and selfless love for humanity will forever be remembered”!
K Chatterjee,
Kolkata
Editor,
While we must treat Captain Smit Machchhar, the Indian pilot, as a national hero, there is no reason why we should fail to give equal honour and recognition to Syed Adil Hussain Shah, the 30-year-old pony operator who displayed unimaginable bravery during the terrorist attack in Pahalgam. Adil lost his life but successfully shielded the tourists he had escorted to Baisaran Meadow. Reports state that he even tried to snatch a weapon from one of the terrorists before being shot three times in the chest.
In a time marred by religious polarisation, Adil’s actions remind us of the innate goodness and humanity that transcend faith. His courage and compassion prove heroism knows no religion.
Sujit De,
Kolkata
