Blog Updates – I Am Still Human

Kargil War: From the Eyes of Col. Sonam Wangchuk, The Lion of Ladakh

June 12, 2020 admin Blog Updates

Colonel Sonam Wangchuk, MVC, the Lion of Ladakh is a personality synonymous with exemplary courage, wonderful decision making, and commendable leadership in India. He is the man who along with his Ladakh Scouts notched India’s first triumph in Kargil by winning Chorbat La. On the platform of I Am Still Human, Colonel Sonam Wangchuk revealed his entire journey from being ambushed by the enemy to counter ambushing and ultimately conquering over it. In his conversation with Lt. Gen. Gurmit Singh, PVSM, UYSM, AVSM, VSM, Former Deputy Chief of Army Staff, he talked about his experience behind receiving the second highest gallantry award, Maha Vir Chakra.

Colonel Sonam Wangchuk began by telling that he was told there was a special mission for him. Before this mission, he and his team of scouts had the chance to seek the blessings of his holiness, Dalai Lama who gave them Prasad and blessed their souls. When he proceeded with his mission, he was asked to scout the ridgeline with his men and report if they found anything suspicious. After asking for orders, he moved along with 25 boys and encountered sudden firing from the enemy side. Only 5 men including him were at the head of the column and the remaining were way behind which he found was very fortunate, as more people at front would have caused more casualties. The enemy was stronger at that moment. One of the hawaldars got wounded on the chest which turned the white snow turning red. At this instant, Colonel Sonam Wangchuk decided to observe enemy’s action first and fire only when the enemy is visible. Fighting the enemy was not the only challenge. With sub zero degree temperature and two feet snow, the soldiers had no camouflage uniforms and had to carry 25-30 kilograms of weight of their backs. But the tables turned soon for them. As Colonel Sonam Wangchuk and Hawaldar No. 11 proceeded with their mission courageously, they found that the enemy had exhausted their immediate ammunition. According to Colonel Sonam Wangchuk, it happened due to some divine intervention. Also there were some other incidents which led to the turn of events. At about 3 in the morning, the JCO along with 3 boys climbed the Observation Post. When they reached there at around 5, he found some enemy personnel climbing up. He wanted all those enemy personnel dead and so he decided to wait and fire only when the enemy is in proper range. His patience and wisdom at such a tough time led to those enemy personnel dead, leading to a panic like situation in the Pakistani troops. As it came to the knowledge of Colonel Sonam Wangchuk that the enemy was trying to climb up to dominate the Indian army, he took the decision to leave the place against his orders of staying down. With all the firing, they were thrown down to the base again. When one feels dejected, even one thing in favor feels like a miracle. Around 12 the same day, clouds starting appearing from where the enemy was firing. So they climbed up again and reached on the top at 4. The enemy kept firing down below as they were unaware of the fact that the Indian Army had climbed up. Colonel Sonam Wangchuk taking advantage of the moment took a scout with him and started moving towards the enemy position. At this point, the Indian Army was in a dominating position which created a panic and facilitated in killing 8 more enemy personnel. The victory of Chorbat La was a result of quick decision making, excellent leadership and tremendous courage. Besides Colonel Sonam Wangchuk, 6 of his boys received gallantry awards too. When asked about how he felt on receiving Maha Vir Chakra, Colonel Sonam Wangchuk humbly said that everyone looks forwards to such a moment and so did he. He felt proud for his family and his unit. To him, getting the chance to serve the nation and receiving Maha Vir Chakra was a very great feeling.

Some other incidents besides the Kargil War were discussed during the session. One of them was about his experience as an instructor at Indian Military Academy. Colonel Sonam Wangchuk said that it was a great learning period for him. In fact, he thought that IMA is a great institution and he wouldn’t be able to do justice to it, but that phase was an eye opener for him. They also talked about an ironical incident where Colonel Sonam Wangchuk came back from Kargil unharmed, but lost his finger in a scooter accident. He was on his way back from the military hospital where he went to see the cadets admitted there. It was very dark and so he couldn’t escape from a bus hitting him. This unfortunate incident led to him losing one finger and many other injuries.

Lt. Gen. Gurmit Singh describes Colonel Sonam Wangchuk as a very simple, innocent and divinely rich personality. He insisted that everyone should watch the movie “Lion of Ladakh” at least once in their lifetime. Colonel Sonam Wangchuk, MVC is a patriot and keeps himself involved in social work. Besides being a living legend, he is also one of the most respected youth icons of India.

The man who communicated the importance of Hydroxychloroquine against Covid-19

June 10, 2020 admin Blog Updates

Dr. Lt. Gen. Ved Chaturvedi is a man who is highly respected in both the Army and Medical arena. He has been honored with the Param Vashisht Seva Medal – the highest peacetime honor and the highest award by Indian Rheumatology Association. Before joining as a Senior Consultant at the prestigious Sir Ganga Ram Hospital, he was the Medical Chief of the Indian Army. He has also been President’s Honorary Physician during the period of 2014-15. In conversation with Lt. Gen. Gurmit Singh, PVSM, UYSM, AVSM, VSM, and Former Deputy Chief of Army Staff on the platform of I Am Still Human, he talked about his take on the Covid-19 situation and how he came up with the idea of Hydroxychloroquine as a drug for Covid-19.

It all started when he was invited by Bangladesh TV for a talk on Rheumatology on March 7^th, 2020 but instead was asked questions on Covid-19. This surprised him as he didn’t recall any problems related to Covid-19 in India but was reminded of 30 positive cases in Kerala by them. At that time Covid-19 was still an endemic and people in India weren’t much aware about it. On 10^th of March, when he landed back to India, he found the scenario a bit changed with the temperature getting checked on the airport. He then researched about it and went into the history of treatment of these kinds of viruses. Viruses are tough to culture. Most of them have more or less the same symptoms; he told giving the example of SARS virus. Covid-19 is one of the most infectious viruses with rapid multiplying force. On 11^th of March, he took a lecture on the same topic. Talking about Hydroxychloroquine, he said that Dr. Anthony Fauci was the first man to write about it in 2005. Dr. Lt. Gen. Ved Chaturvedi studied all about its consumption at the time of SARS virus. The Chinese and the French were already using it for the treatment of Covid-19. On March 20^th, he wrote a message to the Ministry of Health for using Hydroxychloroquine for Covid-19 as a personal recommendation based on the older studies of Corona Viruses. The ministry forwarded his suggestion to Indian Council of Medical Research. Within two days, a recommendation for Hydroxychloroquine arrived from the ICMR. When asked on how does he feel about India distributing Hydroxychloroquine in the moment of need for the entire world, he said that he feels very proud and it is great of India to think of others at such a critical time. He also added that it is being exported to America and 100 other countries. This drug earlier called Chloroquine is now Hydroxychloroquine as hydroxylation leads to fewer side effects. With the entire world searching for a vaccine for Covid-19, Dr. Lt. Gen. Ved Chaturvedi hopes that a vaccine could be found by the end of this year. He also talked about the Lancet Study which published that Hydroxychloroquine can lead to death. Answering to this he said that the interpretation to this by Lancet was wrong. Hydroxychloroquine should be given only at an early stage of disease, while at a later or serious stage; Remdesivir should be given to the patient.

Apart from being an army man and a doctor, Dr. Lt. Gen. Ved Chaturvedi is an amazing poet and singer as well. He ended the session by singing ”Thoda hai, thode ki zaroorat hai”, giving the message that everyone should be happy and positive at this point of time. Efforts to get rid of Covid-19 are being made and things will be better soon.

Lion of Ladakh – Story of the first victory of Kargil

June 8, 2020 admin Blog Updates

Colonel Sonam Wangchuk, MVC, the Lion of Ladakh is a personality synonymous with exemplary courage, wonderful decision making, and commendable leadership in India. He is the man who along with his Ladakh Scouts notched India’s first triumph in Kargil by winning Chorbat La. On the platform of I Am Still Human, Colonel Sonam Wangchuk revealed his entire journey from being ambushed by the enemy to counter ambushing and ultimately conquering over it.

In his conversation with Lt. Gen. Gurmit Singh, PVSM, UYSM, AVSM, VSM, Former Deputy Chief of Army Staff, he talked about his experience behind receiving the second highest gallantry award, Maha Vir Chakra.

Colonel Sonam Wangchuk began by telling that he was told there was a special mission for him. Before this mission, he and his team of scouts had the chance to seek the blessings of his holiness, Dalai Lama who gave them Prasad and blessed their souls. When he proceeded with his mission, he was asked to scout the ridgeline with his men and report if they found anything suspicious.

After asking for orders, he moved along with 25 boys and encountered sudden firing from the enemy side. Only 5 men including him were at the head of the column and the remaining were way behind which he found was very fortunate, as more people at the front would have caused more casualties.

The enemy was stronger at that moment. One of the hawaldars got wounded on the chest which turned the white snow turning red. At this instant, Colonel Sonam Wangchuk decided to observe the enemy’s action first and fire only when the enemy is visible. Fighting the enemy was not the only challenge. With sub-zero degree temperature and two feet snow, the soldiers had no camouflage uniforms and had to carry 25-30 kilograms of weight of their backs. But the tables turned soon for them.

As Colonel Sonam Wangchuk and Hawaldar No. 11 proceeded with their mission courageously, they found that the enemy had exhausted their immediate ammunition. According to Colonel Sonam Wangchuk, it happened due to some divine intervention.

Also, there were some other incidents that led to the turn of events. At about 3 in the morning, the JCO along with 3 boys climbed the Observation Post. When they reached there at around 5, he found some enemy personnel climbing up. He wanted all those enemy personnel dead and so he decided to wait and fire only when the enemy is in the proper range.

His patience and wisdom at such a tough time led to that enemy personnel dead, leading to panic like situation in the Pakistani troops. As it came to the knowledge of Colonel Sonam Wangchuk that the enemy was trying to climb up to dominate the Indian army, he took the decision to leave the place against his orders of staying down. With all the firing, they were thrown down to the base again.

When one feels dejected, even one thing in favor feels like a miracle. Around 12 the same day, clouds starting appearing from where the enemy was firing. So they climbed up again and reached on the top at 4. The enemy kept firing down below as they were unaware of the fact that the Indian Army had climbed up. Colonel Sonam Wangchuk taking advantage of the moment took a scout with him and started moving towards the enemy position. At this point, the Indian Army was in a dominating position which created panic and facilitated in killing 8 more enemy personnel.

The victory of Chorbat La was a result of quick decision making, excellent leadership, and tremendous courage. Besides Colonel Sonam Wangchuk, 6 of his boys received gallantry awards too. When asked about how he felt on receiving Maha Vir Chakra, Colonel Sonam Wangchuk humbly said that everyone looks forwards to such a moment and so did he. He felt proud of his family and his unit. To him, getting the chance to serve the nation and receiving Maha Vir Chakra was a very great feeling.

Some other incidents besides the Kargil War were discussed during the session. One of them was about his experience as an instructor at the Indian Military Academy. Colonel Sonam Wangchuk said that it was a great learning period for him. In fact, he thought that IMA is a great institution and he wouldn’t be able to do justice to it, but that phase was an eye-opener for him.

They also talked about an ironic incident where Colonel Sonam Wangchuk came back from Kargil unharmed but lost his finger in a scooter accident. He was on his way back from the military hospital where he went to see the cadets admitted there. It was very dark and so he couldn’t escape from a bus hitting him. This unfortunate incident led to him losing one finger and many other injuries.

Lt. Gen. Gurmit Singh describes Colonel Sonam Wangchuk as a very simple, innocent, and divinely rich personality. He insisted that everyone should watch the movie “Lion of Ladakh” at least once in their lifetime. Colonel Sonam Wangchuk, MVC is a patriot and keeps himself involved in social work. Besides being a living legend, he is also one of the most respected youth icons of India.

Indian Army : Sarv Dharam & Professionalism

May 25, 2020 Vanshika Bhasin Blog Updates

I AM STILL HUMAN wishes Eid Mubarak to all our brothers and sisters. Eid in 2020 is a very special one. People may not be able to celebrate it as every year but the love and faith is still intact and everlasting. May this auspicious occasion of Eid provides everyone good health, and further increase the spirit of brotherhood and unity. As is evident by the picture, we will today understand Army’s perspective on religion. One of the first things that the soldiers are acquainted with is the concept of “Sarvadharmasthal”. Sarvadharmasthal is a pious place with a Temple, Mosque, Gurudwara and a Church all together. The concept of celebrating all religions is one of the many beautiful traits of the Indian Army. This probably is one the reasons of the strong brotherhood within the force. This lets them have knowledge of all the religions, respecting all of them, and enhancing their overall personalities. The same also motivates the army men to be good humans and good soldiers. Army does not judge anyone by their name or caste, but only by their efficiency and courage.

This picture from an Eid celebration in Srinagar is a beautiful evidence of the secularity of India and its Armed forces. Three honorable army persons from different religions (Hindu, Sikh, and Muslim from left to right) jointly came together and took part in the Eid Ceremony. The locals from the area also joined all the ranks in the celebration which made the celebration even more special. This event was covered by media extensively which attracted a lot of mixed opinions. On the positive side, this beautifully portrayed the secularity of the armed forces and was widely appreciated. Among the negative ones, there were some people who suggested a conversion to Islam to the people who took part in the ceremony, fully ignoring the whole idea of secularity. One should always prevent from the negativity around and from being wrongly driven in the name of religion. Our army men have only one religion – ‘INDIAN’ and they mention it with their heads held high. Once having joined the armed forces, religion becomes immaterial. The only concept that is followed here is the One India Principle. An Indian soldier respects all the religions and holds high esteem for the democracy and constitution of India.

Being a country with diverse religions, differing perceptions are very likely. Among many who like to live happily with their brothers and sisters from different religions, there always are some people who have an agenda to be accomplished, or interpret the teachings of religion in a wrong manner. Politics in the name of religion is one of the major issues that India has to face every hour. This does not stop even when people are dying of Covid-19. The selfish motives of these people lead to feuds between the common men, ultimately leading to the success of people who planted this virus. Living in a democracy like India, it is our duty to act responsibly and not fall for the words of those who always have their ulterior motives. We should always find good in the teachings of religion and anyone who tries to convey the wrong meaning which destroys our unity, should be eradicated. Any religion does not teach about wars or disputes. Keeping this thing in mind, we should understand what is good for us and for our brotherhood. Secularity is an integral part of the constitution of India and we should do our best so that it doesn’t fall into jeopardy.

The pandemic of Corona Virus has led to people celebrating Eid from their homes. Some of them are unfortunately even away from their loved ones. But still what makes this Eid special are the virtues of love, affection and faith despite the distance. Corona Virus in disguise, has taught us a lot of things including how to be united and how to be a helping hand for the people in need irrespective of their religion. On this Eid, NGOs like ours distributing kheer and other basic utilities to the underprivileged people away from their families, conveying the message that we all are their family. Distance and all the negativity may bring a dispute among us for some time but more strongly we are together whenever a need arises. On this special occasion of Eid-Ul-Fitr, we may not be together physically but let us take this opportunity to pledge to be together in thick and thin, being nothing but Indians!

What’s worse? Corona Virus or Lock-down?

May 20, 2020 admin Blog Updates

It’s been quite long since we’ve all been praying for this lockdown to come to an end. While most of us are constantly pushing on the fact that our lives have reached an extreme level of boredom, some others actually do not have the privilege to get to that level. While we rant about boredom as our life’s biggest issue on social media, some actual issues are not getting the attention they deserve.

In this time period, domestic violence has reached its peak. Most of you would be offended by how I disgraced your rants about boredom, but unawareness is a huge problem that needs to be taken into account. So this information is basically about identifying the ignorance that is in a way extremely dangerous.

Domestic violence involves a pattern of psychological, physical, sexual, financial, and emotional abuse. Acts of assault, threats, humiliation, and intimidation are also considered acts of violence. Domestic violence as perceived doesn’t only occur with married people, it can be with anyone, by any family members. But there is no denying the fact that 85% of the cases are of women and of married couples. I was going through some news articles and one news just threw me over the edge.

Just before the coronavirus lockdown was imposed in India, a young woman went to her parent’s home to find a safe shelter as her husband used to beat her, and she couldn’t stand the idea of staying with her husband 24 hours every day locked in those four walls.

But little did she know that hopes to have a Safe Haven are going to be crushed and thrown into the trash can. According to the news, her brother beat her up! The defense used by him was that he was facing financial crises due to the lockdown. Such an amazing excuse to beat someone up, isn’t it? Just because they are not dealing with the situation aggressively, doesn’t mean they are your punching bag. These cases have exponentially increased over the globe, not only in India but in developed countries like China, the United Kingdom, and the United States among others. The victims not only include women but also men and children, and is sometimes extended to the old members of the family.

Most of the people ignore the signs of the onset of domestic violence.

How can you determine whether you are in an abusive relationship or not?

Are you scared of your partner all the time?

Do you prefer to bury some topics because you fear the consequences that you might face?

Do you fear the anger, the yelling, the humiliation of your partner/family member even if you choose to address a simple issue?

Does your partner frame you for his actions?

Domestic violence is an act of abuse by family members and in most cases, the victim is not able to put up a good fight or present any rebuttals to the accusations made by the abuser and this may eventually lead to domestic rapes. These actions affect the mental health of the children and all the other people living around the victim and the abuser.

The children who experience abuse at an early stage in their lives tend to have deep impacts on their minds, which in most cases are carried with them for the rest of their lives. These children are exposed to excessive levels of additional developmental risk factors who were at some point involved in these incidents to varying degrees.

I know it’s a lot of information to grab but if anyone who is reading this can be saved from this torture, then this will be a huge development. Every woman, man, or child (aggrieved person) who is or has been in a domestic relationship with the perpetrator (respondent) of the domestic violence can take help of the PWDV ACT, 2005. Help can be sort from NGOs, Police, Protection of Women against Domestic Violence Act, 2005 (PWDV ACT, 2005). The Protection officer of the area and register DIR (Domestic Incident Report) can too be contacted. The victim can also go directly to the magistrate. It can be hard to recognize or admit that you’re in an abusive relationship- but help is available. Remember no one deserves to be abused!

How to be your better self in quarantine?

April 18, 2020 Vanshika Bhasin Blog Updates

Is this lockdown treating you with inbuilt anxiety? Or do you just feel upset for no reason to express? Well don’t worry friends, you are not alone in this. The whole world is suffering from this change of lifestyle. No schools, no colleges, work from home, have all got us into this abnormal routines for which our bodies are not used to. But this is not an excuse enough to do nothing about it. Our bodies are ours to take care of. To begin with let me ask you a question. What is your sleep schedule nowadays? The answer that I am guessing is, “Near to opposite of the usual”.

If I am right, then this is the first thing you have to work on. No, sleep will not help you prevent yourself from Corona Virus but it can prevent you from a lot of things that it is leading to hand in hand. Lack of proper sleep can lead to so many problems such as low immunity, obesity, depression and a whole lot to mention. If you’re putting on some weight, chances are that it’s not just because of the rising masterchef in you or your family members. Lack of routine sleep can add to it a lot more than you can imagine.

In other factors, shorter sleep durations is also strongly linked to depression. If you’re sleeping at the time of the usual waking up hours these days, I guess you do have an answer to why you’ve been feeling so cranky lately. Since we have no limitation to wake up at 8 in the morning presently, our inner human tendencies to procrastinate joyously comes up. So what to do? Listing all these problems, where are the solutions that we need?

Now that the lockdown is extended in India, we have plenty of time to work on ourselves. Firstly, try to set your routine and don’t ditch that alarm clock now. It is advised that you be consistent with your routines. Being disciplined just for one day won’t be of much use. On the contrary, that will only make you more tired. So set your own time by when you have to wake up necessarily, just as before. Next, try to make your day more productive. Bring back the things you loved doing previously in time or the things you have been looking forward to do “when you get time”.

It can be anything – reading, writing, painting, cooking, etc. In short, anything that makes you feel good or provides you with inner peace at the end of the day. Thirdly, engage yourself in some physical activity at home say, yoga, exercise or dance. In fact, there are many apps that can make your workout super fun. Go over them once. Fourth, get your body a balanced diet with timely meals. This irregular cycle is making many of us skipping breakfast as the sun rises after 12 in the lockdown.

Having proper meals will make your body really happy and that is what one wants in the long run, right? Also, please limit the intake of news in your system. You need not know the effects of Corona Virus your entire day. Checking news twice or thrice is more than sufficient in a day and this also includes limiting your time devotion to social media.

But this does not mean you have to be socially disconnected. Actually, it is a great time to call up your relatives, friends and even long lost friends. Connect with them and revive your relations. I believe that can make you feel way better in comparison with completing the peer pressure task of watching that trending series. Thus, leading to a great mental health.

At this time when Corona Virus is the only concern and washing hands, social distancing, etc. are the ideas highly broadcasted, do not forget to take care of your mind and body. We can all agree that a strong you can fight Corona better than a weak you. So have a good time doing what you love, but just in a routine which your soul and body would appreciate.

P.S. ‘I Am Still Human’ is an NGO dedicated to the welfare of the society and nation which primarily works for the welfare of the Underprivileged people, Indian Army and Women Empowerment. At present, we are working for the welfare of the underprivileged by providing them with free food and medical supplies in this Corona Virus crisis for which we are raising funds. We appeal you to contribute to this noble cause.

To donate, please go through the link provided.

For Donations follow the link https://iamstillhuman.org/fightcoronavirus/

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Is God Playing The Game Or Is He Trying To Teach Something?

April 13, 2020 Vanshika Bhasin Blog Updates

As of this time of crisis, needless is to explain what we are talking about here. Covid-19 has come up as the most infectious bug of the century, destroying lives all over the globe. Something that didn’t hold any identity a few months back is now a power destroying the most powerful nations. What does this suggest? Does it suggest that God suddenly became angry with the mankind for making so much damage to the earth, or is he trying to teach something that we may have forgotten?

Try to recall what our school Moral Science books mentioned. “Everything is transitory”. No one is always powerful and no one possesses the immortal potion. Both good and bad time pass. And this time has made the superpower of the world, America to bend its knees in front of a bug. The country of one’s dreams is now an epicenter for deaths! All that money that people have been “saving” is actually useless except for buying food and necessities. In this hour, everyone is equal in the true sense. The rich, the poor, the middle class, the Hindus, the Muslims, the Christians, the Sikhs – everyone is equal. Unlike people like us, Corona does not discriminate between the powerful and the suppressed.

In this time when we are in our homes, let us try to think of it this way. What if we are being put to a test! That’s right, a test to check if humanity still exists or is there any brotherhood left in this world to survive the adversities together? Can we aid our needy brothers and sisters? Helping the impoverished and sticking together never makes anyone poor. Our actions now are being recorded in the pages of history. So we have to do something in order to make things right and be an inspiration for the future generations.

Even when being equal, we are still better off than some people out there namely, the poor and the underprivileged. And we must do our bits to protect them. If things get worse, these will be the first to be hit in terms of medical treatment. And so we have to stop things from further deterioration. As is rightly said, “When there is a will, there is a way”. So what may be the ways by which we protect the world? First and foremost, stay at home with your families. Perhaps this is the time when we can make up for our absence and negligence towards our families as work was always a priority. Secondly, video call if you miss your friends rather than initiating to meet them. We assure that this discipline will soon end the crisis.

Third, along with the government there are many NGOs like ours who are tirelessly working for the well being of the underprivileged by being on the ground. Do support them and donate if you can. And last but not the least, take care of yourself. Maintain proper hygiene and eat well. If this is actually a test, let us make sure that we pass it with flying colors. Let us all stick together (maintaining social distance, of course) and make sure we win this war. Even after this is over, lets pledge to make earth a better place to live. You are not alone. We are all in this together. Take care and stay safe.

P.S. ‘I Am Still Human’ is an NGO dedicated to the welfare of the society and nation which primarily works for the welfare of the Underprivileged people, Indian Army and Women Empowerment. At present, we are working for the welfare of the underprivileged by providing them with free food and medical supplies in this Corona Virus crisis for which we are raising funds. We appeal you to contribute to this noble cause. To donate, please go through the link provided.

Donate here to help us support underprivileged during COVID19 : https://iamstillhuman.org/fightcoronavirus/