Bhaavna Arora - Undaunted: Lt. Ummer Fayaz of Kashmir

UNDAUNTED

bhaavna arora has three best-selling books to her creditThe Deliberate Sinner, Mistress of Honour and Love Bi the Way.

Before a career as an author, bhaavna headed a business school for a few years. The latent scribe in her could no longer be ignored and she now pursues her passion full-time.

A contemporary author, her books and genres are versatile. The strength of her writing is in her robust research that flows through as realistic narrative.

Undaunted took two years of painstaking research, including six months of travel to the Kashmir Valley, the IMA, the NDA, MHOW, Devlali and Akhnoor to weave an authentic account of Lt. Ummers life.

Through her story, Bhaavna has made Lt. Ummer Fayaz come alive. And in this revelation we see not only more of the man, but also the environment in which he lived and how this shaped his life and ultimately his death.

Bhaavna has truthfully conveyed all she witnessed, and in this lies the real value of the book.

Lt. Gen. Hooda
Northern Army Commander during the Surgical Strikes

It is a matter of pride that Bhaavna Arora has chosen to relate the story of Lt. Ummer Fayaz, a young Kashmiri who chose to join the Indian Army despite the challenges it posed to him and his family. This inspired several fellow Kashmiris trapped in the vicious cycle of violence to seek a new path. His gruesome death while he was on a holiday to attend a wedding in the family was a veritable tragedy, something that must make all Indians hang their heads in shame.

That a young boy, with stars in his eyes and enthusiasm in every act, was struck down in the prime of his life is a reminder that the problem of Kashmir concerns all of us and to solve it is our collective responsibility.

Undaunted by Bhaavna Arora is an attempt to portray the reality of Kashmir as also the human side of the story.

I would recommend all those who are interested in the idea of a strong, powerful and just India to read the book.

Lt. Gen. Satish Dua
GOC 15 Corps during the Surgical Strikes

This book is a befitting tribute to the memory of a national martyr who dared to don the Army uniform conscious of the dangers involved. It is written with a rare sensitivity that would inspire many Kashmiris to serve their country in the face of all odds. I particularly liked the manner in which the author has narrated Ummer Fayazs story interspersed with her personal experiences of Kashmir as she went about researching her book. Its a must-read for all who care for Kashmir, its future and for those Kashmiris who refuse to be cowed down by terror threats when it comes to serving their country.

Neeraj Kumar
Former Commissioner of Police, Delhi
The man behind arrest of the Memon brothers and the Nirbhaya conviction

What can you say about a 23-year-old boy who died? That he was brave and patriotic, that he had the courage to swim against the tide, that he could display love as only soldiers can and could understand in his young mind the contradictions of the situation any local sponsored conflict throws up.

Lt. Gen. S.A. Hasnain
Former GOC 15 Corps
Former Military Secretary of Indian Army

This is not just a book about Lieutenant Ummer Fayaz. It is a book about the Indian Army. It is a book about the people of Kashmir. It is a book about the love and heartbreak of a family. And it is a book about heroes.

Major Gaurav Arya
Defence Analyst
Host Patriot, Republic TV

Writing the story of a martyr cannot be easy. More so, if the martyr is someone like Lt. Ummer Fayaz, a man who sought to live not only for himself and his family, but also for his community, region and motherland.

Lt. Ummer was a man of aspiration and a man of noble intent. He was also a man unafraid of taking risks. Going against the dominant view of his region, he joined the army. Once in the army, he strove to reach the heights of excellence.

After being commissioned as an officer, a life of achievement and recognition lay before him. It was cut brutally short through a senseless act of violence, that sadly, the nation has come to associate with the Kashmir Valley.

Still, Lt. Ummers short life holds our attention for the hope that it embodied and the promise it held.

Major Surendra Poonia
President Awardee, media commentator and Special Forces veteran

This book takes you through not just the life of Lt. Ummer but it builds around you the facts about Kashmir, its existing state, the psychology of kids, families, soldiers and their perspective towards militancy and militants.

Major D. P. Singh
Indias first blade runner and Kargil war hero

First published by Westland Publications Private Limited in 2019

61, 2nd Floor, Silverline Building, Alapakkam Main Road, Maduravoyal, Chennai 600095

Westland and the Westland logo are the trademarks of Westland Publications Private Limited, or its affiliate

Copyright Bhaavna Arora, 2019

ISBN: 9789387894990

The views and opinions expressed in this work are the authors own and the facts are as reported by her, and the publisher is in no way liable for the same.

All rights reserved

No part of this book may be reproduced, or stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without express written permission of the publisher.

As a true patriot, I have no business to discriminate one martyr from the other. And if I could, I would write a story on each one of them. Whether a soldier dies in a terrorist encounter in the Valley, or gets buried in snow at the Siachen glacier, or is shot down by enemy bullets or blown apart by land mines at the borderthey all have one thing in common, and that is an unparalleled love for their country. And each of their stories deserves to be told.

The soldiers who died avenging Ummers killing died no less a valiant death.

This book is dedicated to them and all those who have sacrificed their lives in the line of duty.

Ummer was greatly inspired by Lt. Gen. Ata Hasnain because he witnessed his work. If that work deserves appreciation, so does the work of the soldiers who executed the surgical strike flawlessly or conducted successful operations for elimination of terrorists. It only shows the mettle of the men who have served and continue to serve in these turbulent areas. Col. Manu, Col. CP, Col. Rohit and DSP Ashiq were the few I had the good fortune of meeting.

This book is dedicated to all our brave men in uniform who serve in the most hostile conditions, while going without meeting their families for months on end.

If only every child were inspired the way Ummer was, no guns would be needed to meet the expectations of Kashmiris. They would then be quite proficient in meeting their own expectations.

This book is dedicated to every Kashmiri who chooses the high road and sources their inspiration from true patriots.

Last but not the least, this book is dedicated to my late grandfather who served in the Indian Army during the 62, 65 & 71 wars and my grandmother who stood beside him like a rock.

Maj. Kamlesh Pandey, Sep. Tenzin Chultim of 62RR and Gunner Nealesh Singh of 34RR deserve a special mention in this book as they sacrificed their lives in avenging Lt. Ummers death.

Contents

Undaunted: Lt Ummer Fayaz of Kashmir, is not only the story of a valiant Kashmiri lad, but also reflection of an indomitable and time-tested institution; the Indian Army.