Dressed in the olive-green uniform of the Army, Kanika Rane collected the gallantry medal of her husband Major Kaustubh Rane who was killed in an encounter with terrorists along the Line of Control in 2018.
Kargil War hero Lieutenant General Y K Joshi, who assumed the charge of GOC-in-C of Udhampur-based Northern Command this month, presented the gallantry and distinguished service awards to 83 Army personnel and nine 'veer naris' at an investiture ceremony on Thursday.
With pride in her eyes, Kanika walked up to the dais and collected the Bar to the Sena medal.
Recalling her husband's words when it was announced that Sena medal would be awarded to him, Kanika said, "He had told me that an investiture ceremony would take place and he wanted to attend the ceremony in the Army uniform."
"This became an inspiration and motivation for me to don the uniform and join the Army. He was my inspiration and I wanted to move ahead with that inspiration and follow his footsteps," she said.
Major Kaustubh Rane was killed during a gun battle with militants in Gurez sector of Bandipora district in Jammu and Kashmir on August 4, 2018.
Kanika, who earlier worked as a project manager in an MNC, cleared the Service Selection Board (SSB) exam last year.
In October 2019, she went to the Officers Training Academy (OTA) in Chennai for her 49-week course.
She said in September this year, she will be commissioned into the Indian Army after completing the mandatory training course.
Kanika, who lived in Colaba with her son Agastya, said she was ready to serve Kashmir if given a chance.
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