The idea behind this story was partly influenced by socio-political changes developing around me as I grew up from a child to a teenager. The 1984 Anti Sikh riots , the visit to Kashmir with my dad in '88 , the rising militancy in Punjab and the Afghan war. All these events coupled with my growing Bollywood fascination , I wrote this story at the age of 14 . I called it "In the Shadow of the Sun."
7 years later, while in college, I sat up one night in my hostel room and after a split second thought..I rewrote this story and finished it with a changed title and a slighlty modified plot. The theme and the spirit remained intact.
Here 's a brief review done by one of my readers :
" A story of a man and his family’s destiny and fate ,valour and courage, separation and distance in real life crises and incidents that the nation witnesses starting from the ’84 riots ,the militancy in Punjab , the terrorism in Kashmir to the Bombay blasts , the Indo-Pak conflict to the attack on the Indian Parliament on 13th December, 2001.
The story of Kartar Singh whose father dies in the ’71 war with Pakistan at Longewala and later on his mother succumbs to her prolonged illness. He grows from this tragedy to become an Army officer and later falls in love with a flood victim in Assam where he is sent for rescue operations in 1974 and marries her despite her handicapped ness. He is blessed with 2 sons- Avatar and later Kirat.
1984 Anti-Sikh Riots , Delhi : His younger son Kirat .aged 5,becomes a victim of the riots when his hair are cut and he is lost in the chaos while elder son Avtar, aged 8 ,shows courage and braves resistance to part with his identity . The family of Kartar grows from the crises and Avtar follows the family’s tradition and later joins Army.
1989:Kartar Singh is posted in the Kashmir valley and soon heads many anti terrorism operations to win accolades and is promoted to the rank of Major..
1994: The terrorism in Kashmir is at its peak and during one of his counter operations, his unit of 10 commandoes along with him are found to be lost in the mountains. Many search operations are spearheaded but no track is found. His brother ,a Colonel in the Army decides to shift Kartar’s wife to his native town in Punjab . Another tragedy strikes when the train in which they are traveling is derailed and falls down a bridge. Around 800 people die and this family is scattered again.
Avtar becomes a top Army commando and becomes a renowned young and intelligent Army cop known for his bravado and counter urgency measures and split second decisions . He displays his skills during various National crises and is called the true descendent of Major Kartar Singh. He is called the Anti-Terror Don for the way he dealt with terrorists and the Punjab militants.
2001: The Indian Parliament is attacked and Avtar is commissioned to help nab the Masterminds .He works with the Intelligence agencies and travels to Srinagar to counter another militant attack .The plan is foiled when the whole operation turns oppressive and one of the militants makes a lady reporter hostage and escapes and leaves behind a bloody trail.
Avtar tries a chase but to no avail as the hostage is taken across the LOC.
Now the story grows into a conflict between the two nations or rather a conflict between two brothers! Yes , the militant who escapes with the hostage turns out to be Kirat alias Maqbool Hussain who after the “84 riots was abducted by a Muslim Fundamentalist and brought to Pakistan’s ISI and later joins a Fidayeen group responsible for attack on the Indian Parliament.
So now a mislead brother and another, an Army commando ,become each other’s greatest foes though they are still unaware of this fact.
The later part of the story deals with more complex twists and events which literally grow on the reader and makes this tale one of the greatest accounts of blood of this soil.
There is a gripping account of the’ love through hate’ relation that develops between the Hostage ,reporter Sheena Mehra and Kirat alias Maqbool .Sheena with her human touch tries to bring an insight into Kirat’s Physcology . Through her daring effort she braves the hostile Pakistan camp in which she is kept and actually finds out the track of 11 Army men who are also imprisoned in that camp since last 8 years and thought to be dead by the Indian Army – Major Kartar Singh and his 10 unit men!! Alive in those inhospitable confines!
Well , this is the longest story written by Sumranjot that he took even longer time to finish – almost 7 years! And he deserves an equally long and big pat on the back for his commendable effort . The reader almost travels through the 20 year period and makes each year count for it!
A very emotional, gripping, enchanting , incredible stuff that proves that he is master of storytelling who can handle drama and fiction, action and romance , patriotism and Controversial nationalistic issues, war and peace , love and hate with equal ease!
And ‘ sons of the soil ‘ finishes with more than one message .
Never say die and the spirit to survive! "
