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        'The strongest, most generous and proudest of all virtues is true courage', wrote the great French Essayist Michael de Montaigne (1533-1592) in the 16th century. These timeless words of Montaigne came to my mind when I had the pleasure and privilege of meeting an extraordinary Soldier of the Indian Army called Colonel S S Rajan two days ago at his residence in Bangalore.

        It is difficult to isolate Colonel Rajan's resplendent courage as an element for journalistic analysis without carefully considering the catalysts and motivations that have inspired him to dare and do many impossible deeds even in the face of mortal danger, both in the days when he was in active army service and even more so after his retirement in 1996.

Lord Moran in his book Anatomy of Courage says: 'I contend that fortitude in war has its roots in morality; that selection is a search for character and that war itself is but one more test- the supreme and final test if you will- of character. Courage can be judged apart from danger only if the social significance and meaning of courage is known to us, namely that a man of character in peace becomes the man of courage in war. He cannot be selfish in peace and yet be unselfish in war. Character, as Aristotle taught, is a habit, the daily choice of right instead of wrong; it is a moral quality which grows to maturity in peace, and is not suddenly developed on the out break of war.....Man's fate in battle is worked out before the war begins. For his acts in war are dictated not by courage or by fear, but by CONSCIENCE, of which war is the final test.....Courage, therefore also has social significance because it is desirable that it forms part of the national character. It forms the cement that bonds together the ingredients of national unity which has been our country's strength in times of war. In a democratic set-up men will fight because they are aware that they have a stake in the system, and that the system needs to be protected to ensure the future of the community.'

Sanjay Shirodkar

        I went to Bangalore to meet Col S S Rajan because I was greatly inspired by the story of his splendid personal example of trying to pay homage to Adi Shankara, by walking on his hallowed foot steps, as part of his humble mission of initiating a process of spiritual renaissance for infusing a spirit of oneness in the country by spreading the message of universality of all faiths. Col S S Rajan recalled with great emotion and fervour the date: 23 June, 1989. On that day, he was travelling by car from Bareilly to Lucknow. On that very day, he also happened to read the life of Adi Shankara. That fateful moment totally transformed his inner spiritual universe. In the inner screen of his mind, he saw clearly how Adi Shankara had traversed the length and breadth of India from Kanyakumari to Kashmir in a breathless manner in his very short life of 32 years and created a new Hindu Renaissance in the 8th Century. This simple fact struck Col Rajan anew like a lightning on that fateful day. He was greatly moved by the whirl wind Padayatra undertaken by Adi Shankara, touching all parts of India, leaving an imperishable imprint everywhere in India. Col. Rajan said to himself: 'I feel a strange disconnection with the land. Are not many of our ills today due to the fact that modern means of transportation have divided the society and its people into several unconnected layers? Should I not play my small part as an unknown soldier in bringing about a new national awakening?' His mind, heart and soul became aflame with a new fire and aglow with a new light. On that fateful day Col Rajan's life's mission was settled. He firmly resolved that he would walk the length and breadth of India and preach the message of underlying spiritual unity amidst diversity.

Col S S Rajan

After he retired from Army Service in 1996, Col Rajan was determined to give a concrete shape to his mission and ideal of walking across the length and breadth of India, following the foot steps of Adi Shankara to drive home to our people that we all belong to India and our motherland and our divine Mother is Bharath Matha. With great commitment, humility and reverence, he wanted to cover a distance of 16000 kms which Adi Shankara had traversed through walking, in a phased manner spread over a period of about 8 years. With this lofty and patriotic objective in mind, Col. Rajan began the I phase of his massive Padayatra from Bangalore to Thirupathi on the historic day of our Independence on 15 August, 2000. This great walking mission of Col Rajan was flagged off in Bangalore by another great son of Bharath Matha, Justice M Rama Jois, the then Governor of Jhargand. Flagging off the Padayatra of Col. Rajan, Justice Rama Jois said: 'Your decision to walk and travel throughout our sacred motherland Bharath, has been inspired by the Vijaya Yatra of Adi Shankara, the greatest Philosopher and unifier of this ancient nation and one who resurrected Dharma. Your walking mission is indeed historic as well as courageous. Not only you will be spreading the message of Advita of Adi Shankara that the whole universe in one, and the God worshipped by any name, destination is the same, but also the message of universal love and peace.'         In the I phase, on 15 August 2000, Col Rajan started walking from Bangalore to Thirupathi, reaching Thirupathi on 28 August 2000. He sought the blessings of Lord Venkateshwara for completing the massive task which he had taken upon himself, the sacred mission of walking across the length and breadth of India by following the foot steps of Adi Shankara.

        The II phase of Col Rajan's Padayatra began on 28 November 2001 and ended in New Delhi on 24 January 2002 (60 days). Col. Rajan first walked from Bangalore to Mantralaya and from there he went to Hyderabad. From Hyderabad he went to New Delhi via Nagpur, Jhansi, Gwalior, Agra and Mathura.

        The III phase of Col. Rajan's Padayatra is going to start from Chennai to Rameshwaram on the 20 May 2007. He is going to be accompanied by Sanjay Ramesh Shirodkar on this Padayatra for saving Rameshwaram and Rama Sethu. I met Shirodkar in Bangalore. He is a young man burning with love and patriotism for our great motherland and Bharath Matha. His hero is Veer Savarkar (1883-1966) that incomparable patriot. After graduating from Bombay University in 1992, he has been actively involved in the National Hindutva Awakening Movement. He has also taken a diploma in Dramatics from Natyaprabodhini, Pune. He has acted in 2-3 Marathi dramas for ETV Marathi. His theatrical skills are helping him to spread the timeless message of Sanathana Dharma. He is currently associated with Bajarang Dal as IT (Information Technology) Sanchalak in Bangalore Mahanagar. Overtopping all this, Shirodkar is a fearless RTI (Right to Information) Activist in Bangalore.

        I asked Shirodkar as to why he is joining the Padayatra of Col Rajan from Chennai to Rameshwaram on 20 May 2007. Shirodkar replied : 'Islam- embracing, Christianiy- coveting and Hindu- hating minority UPA Government in New Delhi is hell bent on destroying the ancient Rama Sethu Bridge in Rameshwaram as a contrived part of Sethu Samudram Canal Project (SSCP).A Non-Hindu like Sonia Gandhi and an Anti- Hindu like Karunanidhi have entered into an unholy alliance to destroy Rama Sethu Bridge in order to culturally and spiritually destroy the Hindu Heritage of India which has withstood the onslaught of centuries'. 'Rama Sethu, according to our immemorial tradition was a causway built by Lord Rama. Rama Sethu has an instant appeal to the Hindu imagination. It inspires our thoughts, feelings and emotions. Did not Swami Vivekananda say that ' true human feelings, passions and emotions are indeed the gastric juices of the soul?' Col Rajan and I are going on a Padayatra to save Rameshwaram and Rama Sethu. We have no doubt that thousands of Hindus who want to protect Rameshwaram and Rama Sethu will join us on our Padayatra with tremendous energy and enthusiasm.' Meeting Shirodkar at Bangalore was indeed an exhilarating experience.

        Col Rajan's father Major M D Sambasivam was also a proud infantry soldier who served in the Garhwal Rifles. Col Rajan is the worthy son of a worthy father. Any one who meets Col Rajan can see the singular degree of integrity and harmony which have pervaded his life. I was infactuated by his undaunted and ever-flowing combetitive energy. His power of cold endurance has been the equal of his energy all the time. No wonder that as a Major when he comanded an Engineer Construction Company in the Jessore- Khulna Sector during the war for liberation for Bangladesh in December 1971, he remained unshaken even after being blasted by an anti-tank mine. Duty, public and private, faithfully, strictly, untiringly, unostentatiously, and successfully performed and a calm, proud humility— these are the characteristics which will forever illumine the fame of Col S S Rajan.

        Col S S Rajan and Sanjay Shirodkar will be participating in the National Seminar in Chennai organised by Rameswaram Rama SETU PROTECTION MOVEMENT on 12 May, 2007. Prof Nalapat, Prof Tad S Murthy and many other experts are expected to participate in this Seminar. Eminent Geologists, Ocean Scientists, Administrators, Marine Engineers, Environmental Engineers and experts from associated fields would be analyzing thread bare the disastrous environmental, economic, geo physical, cultural and spiritual impact of the Sethu Samudram Canal Project (SSCP).