On the night of November 26, 2008, Mumbai’s usual bustle was shattered by gunfire, explosions and flames. What began as an ordinary evening turned into a night of terror that tested the courage of its people, scarred countless families and left an indelible mark on the nation’s memory.
Amid nearly 60 hours of intense developments emerged stories of extraordinary bravery – of security personnel who confronted heavily armed terrorists, and ordinary citizens who became heroes through their actions.
One of them was Praveen Kumar Teotia, a former member of the Marine Commandos (MARCOS), who was awarded the Shaurya Chakra for his valour at the Taj Mahal Palace Hotel during the 26/11 attacks.
Teotia took five bullets that day, including one that grazed his ear and another that fractured his ribs and damaged his right lung. Despite severe injuries and the disadvantage of fighting in a dark, unfamiliar room, he continued engaging the terrorists long enough for his team to rescue around 150 people from a nearby hall.
“I was among two MARCOS teams that joined one already at the site – around 24 to 25 commandos entered the premises through different routes,” he recalled.
MARCOS, established in 1987, is the Indian Navy’s elite special forces unit trained in unconventional warfare, counter-terrorism and high-risk missions across water, air and land. They have played key roles in major operations such as Operation Cactus in the Maldives (1988), the Kargil War (1999), and numerous anti-piracy operations.
But what was going through his mind that night?
“There was no specific thought except how to neutralise the terrorists and rescue innocent lives,” said Teotia, now 40 and practising law in Delhi after his discharge from service.
“For a soldier, it is a privilege to serve the nation and its citizens, and to eliminate threats against them,” he said. “I had been part of several operations in Kashmir too, but at the Taj that day, I was angry at these foreign-bred terrorists challenging our country.”
He survived lung damage so severe that doctors considered his case exceptional – he spent 19 days in intensive care. Today, despite the injury, he continues to participate in marathons and remains fit and active.
(IANS)