26/11 Mumbai Memorial — Pravin Talan’s Photography Exhibition Honouring NSG & Mumbai Police Heroes
I feel deeply honoured that twenty-four photographs from my work on India’s security forces were showcased at “Memorial Day: 26/11”, organised by the Forum for Awareness of National Security (FANS) at the International Convention Hall of the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE), Mumbai, on 26 November 2017.
The photographs of Mumbai Police and National Security Guard (NSG) Black Cat Commandos were handpicked by the co-convener of the event, Vikramaditya Singh, from a body of work I had created over the years. They were presented as individual exhibits and across six LED screens at the venue, while some of the images also formed the large visual backdrop to the proceedings.
It was deeply moving to see this body of work presented on an evening dedicated to remembering the martyrs and survivors of 26/11.
The theme of the evening was “We Have Not Forgotten”, also touching upon Citizens, Terrorism and Our Preparedness.
The gathering included Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis; Union Ministers Kiren Rijiju and Hansraj Gangaram Ahir; Lt. Gen. Vishwambhar Singh, AVSM, VSM, GOC Maharashtra, Gujarat and Goa; Indresh Kumar, Member of the National Executive of the RSS and Mentor and Guide, FANS; Mr K. Unnikrishnan and Mrs Dhanalakshmi Unnikrishnan, parents of Major Sandeep Unnikrishnan; along with several other distinguished guests.
Reshma H. Singh,
Convener, National Executive and Uttar Bharat Prabhari of FANS, spoke
about the significance of the 26/11 attacks from a national perspective.
Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said: “It is important that the citizens act as the eyes and ears of the government.”
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| The backdrop of event featured NSG commandos photographed at Taj Hotel Mumbai |
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| Lighting up the light |
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The Role of Black Cat Commandos in securing Taj and rescuing the hostages will always be remembered as one of the most heroic efforts in the history of modern India. 26/11 — A Wound That Still Hurts26/11 is not just a date. It signifies one of the most horrific moments India has faced in recent history. But it also brought to light stories of many brave hearts who valued Nation before Life. A handful of terrorists held Mumbai hostage for four days and the whole country sat glued to television sets in shock and fear. It wasn’t just an attack on Mumbai, but a deep and sharp wound inflicted by the enemies of humanity that had every Indian heart bleeding. I am one such Indian whose heart still feels heavy thinking of those nights. My mother needed an urgent neurosurgery to remove a blood clot that had formed between her brain and skull. In a city under attack, I could not find a hospital where she could undergo the surgery. Eventually, we had to fly her to Delhi. The Mumbai terror attacks claimed 164 lives, including policemen and NSG commandos, and left hundreds injured. We were caught unaware and unprepared, but had it not been for the brave policemen and commandos, many more lives could have been lost. It is to honour these heroic efforts that I have since continued documenting and photographing India’s men and women in uniform — HEROES — whether they safeguard our cities, protect our internal security or defend our borders. By 2017, this had grown into a substantial body of work across different police and security forces. The twenty-four photographs selected for this exhibition came from my work with Mumbai Police and the National Security Guard.
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Chief Minister of Maharshtra Devendra Fadnavis at the event addressing the gathering.
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| Pravin Talan sharing his experience on photographing Heroes of the nation with MoS Kiren Rijiju |
One of the most powerful moments of the evening came when Mr K. Unnikrishnan, father of Major Sandeep Unnikrishnan, spoke.
His fiery and passionate words moved everybody in the hall. “Sandeep was not an extraordinary soldier or the best soldier in the country, but when his moment came, he took the lead and made sure he took the bullet on him rather than his team members, and that was his greatness.”
Major Sandeep Unnikrishnan led NSG commandos during the operation against the terrorists at the Taj Mahal Palace Hotel and made the ultimate sacrifice.
Every time a soldier wears that uniform, he thinks of his motherland.
And every time I see a soldier in uniform, I think of his mother.
Only an exceptionally brave woman can raise a soldier and fill him with the courage to give up his life, if needed, fighting for the honour of the nation.
I stared at the dignified face of Mrs Dhanalakshmi Unnikrishnan, mother of Major Sandeep Unnikrishnan.
While the speakers talked about national security, her moist eyes seemed to tell the untold stories of countless mothers across the country who send their sons and daughters to defend our borders and serve in our police and security forces.
That evening, Major Sandeep Unnikrishnan’s parents signed one of my photographs of the NSG Black Cat Commandos — the same image that formed part of the large backdrop at the event — and gave it to me.
For a photographer who had spent years photographing these men as a tribute to their courage, receiving that photograph back with the signatures and blessings of Major Sandeep Unnikrishnan’s parents was an emotional moment that I will always treasure.
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| Mumbai Police QRT commando at Bandra Worli Sea Link |
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| Mumbai Police QRT commando in training |
The Men Who Were There That Night
The evening also remembered those who had faced the terrorists on the ground.
Arun Jadhav of the Mumbai Police Crime Branch, who survived the attack in which senior Mumbai Police officers were killed, and Assistant Police Inspector Sanjay Govilkar, who played a role in the capture of Ajmal Kasab, were felicitated for their roles during the 26/11 terrorist attack.
They were reminders that behind every story of an attack are individual men and women who, at the critical moment, have no option of stepping away.
Citizens and National Security
Nine years after 26/11, our security forces had come a long way in preparedness and response.
But Kiren Rijiju, then Minister of State for Home Affairs, reminded the gathering that security cannot be left to our forces alone: “No talk about security can be complete without the participation of the common people. Rights and responsibilities go hand in hand and citizens have an equal responsibility by being vigilant.”
It was the first time I heard Kiren Rijiju speak. I was struck by the passion and conviction with which he spoke about national security.
I also had an opportunity that evening to share with him some of my experiences photographing the heroes of our police and security forces.
While concluding the event, Indresh Kumar, Mentor and Guide of FANS and Member of the National Executive of the RSS, said: “Every citizen has a responsibility not just to himself or herself but to the country, and this responsibility is of paramount importance when it comes to terrorism.”
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| MoS for Home Affairs Hansraj Gangaram Ahir |
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| Shaina NC -Fashion designer, politician, social worker |
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Lt. Gen Vishwambhar Singh AVSM, VSM, GOC Maharashtra, Gujrat and Goa. “Sleep Well. Enjoy the Freedom.”And then there was Lt. Gen. Vishwambhar Singh, AVSM, VSM, GOC Maharashtra, Gujarat and Goa. Behind him, filling the screen, were the Black Cat Commandos I had photographed. The General said:
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