Daijiworld Media Network - Mumbai
Mumbai, Aug 24: Actor Abhay Verma, who portrays Wing Commander Rajpal Singh Dhaliwal in the streaming series ‘Operation Safed Sagar’, has said that soldiers are “God’s children” and that only God chooses those who are destined to wear the uniform of the armed forces.
Speaking to reporters following the release of the series, Verma spoke about Wing Commander Dhaliwal and his contribution to India’s victory in the 1999 Kargil War.
“Honestly, Dhaliwal sir's courage spoke for itself. When we went inside the Air Force Station and I would mention that I'm playing Dhaliwal sir, everyone around in the Air Force Station or whoever you would meet, even after 16 years of his passing, sadly, they were really overjoyed of listening about him, and talking about him,” he said.
Verma said the response from Air Force personnel showed the lasting impact of Dhaliwal’s courage and service.
“So, that really tells something that generations are enchanted by his work. He has been such an inspiration whose courage speaks volumes. His stories are still heard, and are taught to younger generations,” he added.
The actor also revealed that he followed a personal ritual before beginning work each day on the sets of the series.
“Before starting the day, I would just close my eyes, and I would remember him for two minutes. I would really try to just see what kind of a human he would be, to be able to have that kind of courage,” he said.
Reflecting on the significance of the military uniform, Verma said civilians could never fully claim the honour associated with it.
“As civilians, we are undeserving of the uniform that our forces wear. I think God chooses the people who would don the uniform. Every soldier in uniform is a God's child,” he said.
He added that he tried to absorb the stories and lessons shared by those who knew Dhaliwal.
“I would really just listen to all these stories, take it in as much as I can, imbibe all the learnings that I have had through him, and the stories that people have to say about him,” Verma said.
‘Operation Safed Sagar’ is based on the Indian Air Force’s eponymous operation, carried out in support of the Indian Army during the 1999 Kargil War to flush out regular and irregular Pakistani troops from vacated Indian positions along the Line of Control (LoC) in the Kargil sector.
The operation marked the first large-scale use of airpower in the Jammu and Kashmir region since the Indo-Pakistani War of 1971.
Operation Safed Sagar was launched on May 26 after initial ground advances faced stiff resistance from Pakistani forces entrenched on high-altitude peaks.
Operating under strict orders not to cross the LoC, the IAF deployed aircraft including the MiG-27, MiG-21 and Mirage 2000, along with Mi-17 helicopters.
Precision strikes by Mirage 2000 aircraft targeted enemy bunkers, supply routes and logistics hubs, weakening Pakistani defences and helping Indian Army troops recapture strategic heights, thereby contributing significantly to India’s victory in the Kargil War.