Back in Seventies, when deciding upon a ‘career’ was a relative term and it was only after one passed senior secondary, did the thought of making a move in the direction enter one’s mind; a high school boy from Shimla had set his eyes on serving the nation. There were no second choices. After senior secondary, the teenager not only made it to the National Defence Academy to fulfil his dream but also went on to make an illustrious career for himself in the army and set an excellent example of a committed soldier.

Considering that he hailed from a family of soldiers and war heroes, it was quiet a natural decision for Brig. Ravi Dutt Mehta, who died in the line of duty in the suicide attack on the Indian Embassy in Kabul on July 7, after being in service for 32 years. His father, S. D. Mehta at the age of 16, had fought in the World War II under the British, been wounded and won a medal. Brig. Mehta’s uncle had died in the same war.

A topper throughout, and a ‘happy go lucky’ child, Mehta senior said, his son never came to him with difficulties. As an officer, working in military intelligence, he maintained highest standards of professionalism. He never discussed work at home. But yes, he loved and enjoyed his work to the limit — that was amply clear, his father said, a sentiment echoed by Brig. Mehta’s wife Suneeta Mehta. “He loved every posting, enjoyed every posting. In army, you live every day and it was just like that with Ravi. Nagaland and Manipur were difficult postings but he enjoyed challenges and for him every posting was a memorable one,” Suneeta says.

Coming from a civilian background, Suneeta remembers her husband as a person who made her brave, introduced her to the world of army and today, she feels very much a part of it. The proud undertone in her voice can’t be missed when she says that he had been awarded five times. “He was considered as one of the most decorated soldiers of the army command. His chest was full of medals; he had received the army chief’s commendation. Everywhere he went, he proved himself,” she said.

No doubt, Brig. Mehta was one of the finest officers in the Indian Army. He had cleared all the qualifications for being inducted into the higher ranks. Being selected for the prestigious National Defence College was another feather in his cap and he had completed the course in 2005. He was, in fact, looking forward to being inducted into the two star rank. However, the Kabul posting, amongst the most coveted ones for army officers abroad, fell in his lap in January this year.

His varied operational experience, stints during the counter insurgency operations in Jammu and Kashmir and the North East played in his favour.

Reactions to the posting were mixed.

“When I came to know of the posting, I said, Ravi, don’t you think you should pick up your rank first?” S. D. Mehta, a retired Himachal Administrator, had asked his son. “It was a coveted posting and a difficult one too. But he never said no, he was a very positive person and taught those around him the same,” said Suneeta.

“People used to laugh saying we don’t know whether to congratulate you or sympathise with you, but we never took it negatively, in army you look forward to such postings,” she reminisces.

And the Mehtas went to Kabul. It was a non-family station, Suneeta was supposed to come back but the Afghan authorities found her too useful to let her go and soon enough, she found herself teaching English to university student, who aspired to come to India on scholarships. That led to the standing joke for Brig. Mehta, “My wife would not let me have peace even in war.” Five months on in Kabul, as the defence attaché in Afghanistan, Brig. Mehta was doing well. He kept himself apprised with the developments of resurgent Taliban in the war-ravaged country. Although India is not involved in military operations in the country, it is a keen participant in the country’s infrastructure development and military training of Afghan soldiers.

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