We often believe that we can turn things around in accordance with our desires. We believe so because we always want favourable outcomes for our actions. But we fail what we were absolutely determined to do, as life takes us around and we gradually change our desires and find our faith in our dreams.
Captain Shalini Singh fought the same battle, every day of her life, for her dreams and for her child.
The uncertain turning of life
Shalini was just 19-year-old when she got married to Major Avinash Singh Bhadauria. She was studying at the time when they got together and after some time she had a child. Shalini continued to study and Avinash returned back to his job of protecting the nation.
In 2001, tragedy hit Shalini’s life when she heard her husband was martyred in a battle between terrorists. Avinash, who was just 29, killed four terrorists in Kashmir before losing his life to gunshots. He was awarded posthumous Kirti Chakra.
At the age of 23, Shalini was widowed and was in hopeless turmoil with her two-year-old baby boy. The balancing act of motherhood and starting a career weighed heavy on her shoulder. The reality was harsh.
“Everything seemed unreal. Nothing made sense. Nothing had a meaning. My life had lost meaning so early in life, all of a sudden. I felt like finishing myself,” says Shalini
However, the thought of her son restored hope and faith in her. She was determined to be strong for him. Later, she decided to join the Army just like her husband. Avinash’s colleagues apprised her about the physical and mental hardships of army journey but Shalini was ready to do anything for her young toddler.
She did not want her son to be her weak spot and applied for an interview at Service Selection Board (SSB)
Persistence towards an extraordinary destiny
With harsh coaching, three months after her husband’s death, Shalini was called down for a week-long interview at SSB, Allahabad. Even though it was tough, Shalini cracked the interview. She sent off her son to live with his grandparents. Despite wanting better care, Shalini wanted her son to grow independent as her job required her to service far away for several months.
Shalini started her training in March 2002 in Chennai at Officers Training Academy. Clad in the uniform, she indulged herself in the difficult army training. On September 7, 2002, with just 20 days less from Avinash’s first death anniversary, Shalini was commissioned as an Officer in the Indian Army.
Life was sure tough for her to work in an environment that was ruled by male dominants. If there’s one thing we can all learn from her no matter how tough it gets, she thrives in every situation.
The path towards a better life
Shalini resigned from the Indian army after working for six years in order to give her son a well -deserved settled life. Fifteen years after the tragic event, on April 14, 2017, she was crowned as
Classic Mrs India 2017 Queen of Substance at New Delhi. When asked her what she aspires for future, all she wants her kid to grow big with his life and live up to his father’s name.
“I only wish to see my son grow big in life and live up to his father’s name. That’s what I tell him. That’s all that I want and wish for. If he does well my sacrifices of this life does not matter at all. I will thank my stars for being kind to us now,” she says.
When life is being difficult, stare it deep in the eye and conquer it. There’s no point in playing small to hide your passion and having a life that is less than the one you deserve to live.
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