The ATS chief I knew …

I still vividly remember my first meeting with my friend’s dad, the late ATS chief Mr। Hemant Karkare – Hemant Uncle for me. It was a beautiful evening in Vienna in the fall of 2005 and I along with 4 other friends was waiting for Hemant Uncle near the subway station. I could effortlessly spot him in the crowd – clad in a pastel blue shirt and black trousers a tall gentleman with a pleasant countenance, surrounded by an aura of intelligence us on the street. Hemant Uncle was so unpretentious and modest that we then had no idea that he was such a topnotch RAW officer। He escorted us to his wonderful apartment, showed us the place and ensured that we all felt comfortable. Later he took us out for a breath of the Austrian air in the breezy night and made an effort to acquaint us with the Austrian history and culture with unbridled enthusiasm. He also arranged for a special tour of the UN headquarters (where he worked at that time) exclusively for us. He gave me an extra set of keys to his apartment and advised me to enjoy every bit of my weeklong stay in Vienna without any worries - no deadlines, no restrictions imposed - he wanted us to make the most of our trip. It was one of the most memorable experiences in my life – thanks Hemant Uncle.

Hemant Uncle was a very well read and an extremely ingenious person. He was a connoisseur of unique handicrafts and liked to collect exclusive crystal items and wooden articles. He always encouraged his daughters and his son to read choicest books and biographies. The Karkare residence boasts an impressive assortment of novels and books. Hemant Uncle etched a core set of values like loyalty, justice, honesty, discipline, self-esteem, punctuality and the correlated in the minds of his children and family members and he also believed that when one takes them to heart and implements them in the smallest details of his or her life, great accomplishment and success are sure to follow. He was an uncomplicated man and could have very well opted for a white collared job instead his values motivated him to choose an atypical career and do extraordinary things. Bureaucrats like Mr. Karkare come once in a while and I believe that it is very important that they get the deserved recognition and respect in today’s world of corruption and treason. It was his strong belief in his personal principles and values that guided him and drove him to the top. He bravely took all the criticism and rebuke with a smile on his face didn’t let any such thing affect his duty or allegiance.

We are all aware of his professional achievements and great feats and I will fall short of words if I were to portray his accomplishments; hence I thought of introducing this officer as an individual on a personal level on account of his martyrdom. The entire nation is mourning the loss of this valiant national hero, who had come back to his motherland after serving the government in the Research and Analysis Wing (RAW) for 7 years in Austria. I consider myself very privileged to have spent some time in the company of Hemant Uncle।

This is way of paying homage to him on behalf of my generation and compeers। Salute to you Hemant Uncle, we are all proud of you!