From Shaken Cadets to Lifesavers: The Haunting Memory of Latur

The earth didn’t shudder, it roared. Like a monstrous beast awakened, the ground beneath our feet at the National Defence Academy in Khadakwasla, Pune, erupted into a violent dance. September 30th, 1993, began not with reveille, but with chaos. Doors jammed, lights flickered out, and the air crackled with a raw, primal fear.

The dust settled, revealing a world tilted on its axis. News trickled in, each syllable a hammer blow: Latur, Maharashtra, decimated by an earthquake, lives extinguished in the blink of an eye. The numbers climbed, a macabre symphony of loss: 30,000 souls swallowed by the earth’s fury.

A call went out, a plea for volunteers. It wasn’t a question, it was a summons to action. We, the NDA cadets, were soldiers-in-training, but on that day, we became something else: rescuers, bearers of hope in the face of unimaginable despair.

The military truck roared to life, carrying us towards Latur, a landscape transformed into a moonscape of shattered concrete and twisted metal. Dust hung heavy in the air, choked with the cries of the bereaved, the frantic shouts for missing loved ones. The stench of death, a grim reminder of the tragedy that unfolded beneath our feet.

We worked with bare hands and makeshift tools, each cleared brick a testament to life’s tenacity. Exhaustion gnawed at our bones, sweat stung our eyes, but the faces etched with grief fueled our resolve. Every pulled survivor, a fragile victory snatched from the jaws of the rubble, was a reason to keep digging.

Latur became our crucible, where the iron of our training was forged anew. We learned the fragility of life, the immensity of nature’s wrath, and the quiet heroism that blossoms in the face of despair. We saw the best and worst of humanity, the raw grief of loss juxtaposed with the unyielding spirit of those who refused to give up.

The scars of that day remain etched on my soul. But amidst the darkness, a spark ignited: a call to be better, to be a force for good in a world that can be so cruelly unpredictable. It’s a call I carry with me to this day, a reminder that even the smallest act of kindness can be a beacon of hope in the darkest of times.

This is not just my story, it’s the story of Latur, a testament to the enduring spirit of humanity, and a call to action for all of us. Let us remember, not just the tragedy, but the resilience, the courage, and the unwavering hope that bloomed from the ashes. For in the face of the earth’s fury, it is the human spirit that truly stands tall.

Opinion and Edited by Col Surender Kumar Rohilla (Disaster And climate change Expert)