Soldiers never die

Brig Farouk F. C. Bulsara, of the Parachute Regiment in the Indian Army, expired at the Military Hospital, Mhow on March 24, 2003, due to cardiac failure. For his distinguished service during a career spanning more than 30 years, Bulsara was awarded the Ati Vishisht Seva Mandal (AVSM). The Federation of Parsi Zoroastrian Anjumans of India also recognized his services by awarding him the Lt Col A. B. Tarapore Medal for excellence in the military field. During the Federation meeting which was held in Mhow in 1999, he was the chief organizer and largely responsible for the success of the all-India conference.

As the adage in the Indian Army goes, "Soldiers never die, they just fade away,” so too with Bulsara. His passion for soldiering knew no bounds, and he never hesitated to call a spade a spade.

Bulsara: distinguished service

Bulsara was born on November 4, 1940, and he was an alumnus of Brown’s School, Dehra Dun. He was commissioned into the Indian Army in June 1962, in the JAT Regiment, and later in 1966, into the Parachute Regiment. He saw active service during the wars of 1962, 1965 and 1971, and also in Nagaland. He held many important assignments, such as commissioner of the Para Brigade, commandant of the Special Frontier Force, commandant of the High Altitude Warfare School, Gulmarg, and commander of the YO Wing, The Infantry School, Mhow. In November 1988, Bulsara successfully led the Parachute Brigade in an international intervention operation in the Maldives.

He had varied interests, and he had many articles and publications to his credit. He was an active member of the Bombay Natural History Society and the Environmental Services Group for over two decades. He was one of the four Combat Free Fall Parachutists of the Indian Army, a distinction he earned in 1973, when skydiving was first introduced in India.

A symbol of the goodness that Bulsara stood for was the donation of his eyes after his death. He shall be missed by his wife Persis, his family and friends.

BEHRAM MASANI

President, Parsi Zoroastrian Anjuman, Mhow