“We develop…don’t destroy”

This has reference to Vice Admiral R. K. S. Ghandhi’s letter "We develop… don’t destroy”(Readers’ Forum, Parsi­ana, July 7, 2008).

The community does not seem to remember the first Parsi member of the armed forces who laid down his life for the country, post independence. He was Capt Dara Mistry of the Artillery who was killed during the Kashmir operations in 1947-48. He was given a gallantry award posthumously. The Army Welfare Housing Organisation has named a colony after him in Nerul, Navi Mumbai, called "Dara Enclave.”

Another unsung hero was Brig Keki Masters who was killed in action either in 1962 or 1965.

DORAB C. BAJAN

Jabalpur

dorabbajan@yahoo.com