It is a life spent in the thick of action -bullets, bomb blasts, encounters, inclement weather and adverse terrain. Such is the life of the bravehearts who serve the nation as Armymen.

It is a life spent saying prayers, posting letters, waiting and hoping - hoping that the son, father, husband or brother who is posted along the country’s borders returns home safe and sound. Such is the life of the families of Armymen.

There is a new battle to be fought everyday-both for the man in Army uniform and the family which is so near, yet so far away from him.

Life is full of uncertainties for Col RK Singh whose 27 year old son is a Captain in the Army. "I was in the Army too, and my wife was brave enough to withstand the pressure of the 1971 war. But when it comes to our son, she goes weak... and I don’t blame her for that. We pray for our son’s well-being." As for the son, letters link him with home. Requesting anonymity, the young Captain says, "I write to my parents, even if I am about to set out for a difficult mission. But I keep my letters light in content."

Delhi University professor Jiten Khurana’s 25- year-old son is in the infantry and lives a life fraught with risk. "My wife doesn’t keep too well. So, whenever there is something happenning in Doda, where our son is posted, we don’t let her watch TV." The Khuranas’ 16-year-old son Abhay has been banned from appearing for the NDA exams. "If something happens to our other son, we will have somebody to fall back on" is the explanation.

Pre-school teacher Alka Gupta’s Wing Commander husband left for Sri Lanka to join the IPKF there barely 10 days after the couple tied the knot. "When we got married," recalls Alka, "I was not a very religious person. Now, I strongly feel that God takes care of our lives." Adds Avantika, the 12 year -old daughter of the Guptas and a student of Air Force Bal Bharati School, "I do feel scared about the safety of my father, but I consider myself lucky to be the daughter of a true patriot."

Retired Colonel Rajinder Sharma has two sons in the Army. The elder son’s five-year-old daughter has seen so little of her father that she can’t recall what he looks like. Says Sharma, "I feel sad for her but, for a soldier, duty comes first."

Anxiety is part of the daily lives of Veena Kabra and her teenaged twins Alok and Aditya. Veena’s husband, a Major, is posted along the LoC. Says Aditya, "There are times when we don’t see papa for 10 months at a stretch." Adds Alok, "Sometimes, it gets scary. I feel that it is my responsibility to look after my mother now." Alok’s mind is filled with fear. But he is determined to follow in his father’s footsteps and be an Army officer some day. It’s called patriotism - the stuff of which honest heroics are made