From Grief to Glory: Inayat Vats’s Tribute to Fallen Father Maj Navneet Vats

It takes much courage to be a soldier, but it takes even more to be the daughter of one. As an officer in the Indian Army, Inayat Vats’s path was characterized by her father, Major Navneet Vats, leaving a legacy of bravery, selflessness, and unwavering patriotism.

Major Navneet Vats was born in Chandigarh to Shri Niraj Vats and Smt. Veena Vichitra. They groomed him and supported his dream. From an early age, he was attracted towards the armed forces. The uniform, discipline, and a feeling of duty attached to the military are an attraction. For him, there was no question of not wearing the ‘Olive Green’, and he trained for the Indian Army.

At a very young age, Navneet joined the elite 3 Gorkha Rifles that have won many glories and battle honors down the centuries. He was commissioned in the army as an officer, and it was evident that he was not a normal soldier right from the beginning. His dedication to his job, his leadership skills, and his dedication to his men made him stand out. Leading from the front, Major Vats prioritized his soldiers’ security and welfare above all else. He stood out as an officer because of the professionalism and respect he received from both his peers and subordinates.

In his personal life, Navneet found happiness and love in his wife, Shivani. After a while, the lovely daughter, Inayat, was born to the couple. Her arrival in their lives filled it with wealth beyond measure. Love, laughter, and the basic pleasures of family lived in their world for a while. However, Navneet was often absent doing his national duty since he had employment demands that required his presence.

At the beginning of 2003, Major Navneet was deputed to Srinagar with 32 Rashtriya Rifles, where they were conducting counter-insurgency operations. The district suffered from perennial insurgency. On November 18, 2003, a group of terrorists occupied a telecom building in Srinagar, and the scenario turned worse. After two days of grueling battle, the responsibility of taking the attacking contingent to storm the telecom building was given to Major Vats. It was not an easy job because the terrorists were well-positioned and heavily equipped.

Still, though the operation was perilous in nature, Major Vats led his men without deterrent as he ran storming into the building with a determined, resolute front of hail of gunfire that greeted them. The militants put up a hot shooting spree as they moved inside the building. Major Vats took bullet hits all over his torso and lay grievously wounded. He continues to lead his men with unwavering resolve, though he is injured. He finally died from his injuries.

Major Navneet Vats was posthumously awarded the Sena Medal for his gallant-courageous feats, leadership, and sacrifice. His death resulted in a great loss to his family and the nation, as he served with honor. His wife Shivani and daughter Inayat were left to carry on his legacy. She sincerely believed that her father’s presence was the only thing she could do. That when she would grow up further, every choice that she would take would be guided by his legacy. And so in March 2024, in his father’s footsteps, Inayat Vats became part of the Indian Army, commissioning as a Lieutenant in the Military Intelligence Corps.

Inayat’s courage, despite the hurdles of being born and brought up as the daughter of a soldier, to carry on the legacy set by her father, who gave up his life for the nation, is a befitting tribute to Major Navneet Vats, whose spirit lives through his daughter, a soldier herself now.