India, March 16 -- On my second day as a correspondent for HT, I was sent on my first reporting assignment: to meet the grieving family of Indian Air Force pilot Squadron Leader Anuj Vashisht, 32, who lost his life during a regular sortie in Assam. The visit left me with a difficult realisation that no classroom lesson or newsroom advice truly prepares a journalist for such moments. Before leaving for the field, my peers advised me to be sensitive. I agreed and mentally revisited everything I had learned in journalism school and from senior reporters who had covered tragedies before. But when I reached late Squadron Leader Anuj's house in Sector 22, Gurugram, I realised that preparation has limits. Outside the house, the lane was unusually quiet. A few chairs had been placed outside as family members and neighbours waited for the body of the 32-year-old pilot to arrive. Inside, I was greeted by Anuj's cousin, a young boy who seemed to have suddenly taken on the responsibility of holding the family together. "Ma'am, I know you are here for your work, but I have to look after my family. We have still not processed the news," he said. At that moment, the journalist in me wanted to do justice to my first assignment, but the human inside me struggled with ethical questions. Despite the emotional weight of the moment, I managed to speak to some of Anuj's relatives. Whenever they spoke about him, their faces briefly lit up as they recalled the recent family wedding celebrations where everyone had gathered together. Yet their eyes told another story, filled with grief at the thought that they would never see him smile again. Anuj's father, Anand Kumar, himself a retired subedar (union commissioned officer) in the army, had taken on the painful responsibility of receiving the body of his eldest son. The family had been preparing for Anuj's wedding, which was scheduled in the coming months. Even more heartbreaking was the fact that Anuj's mother had not yet been informed of her son's death. "We haven't told her about Anuj's death yet; she won't be able to take it," said her brother and Anuj's maternal uncle. What struck me most was the family's composure. Despite their loss, they remained calm and courteous, offering water and a seat to media persons, police officials and neighbours. I come from a family of servicemen too, but it made me wonder whether any service truly prepares a parent to face the death of a young child. Anuj's story is not the only one. Across India, there are many families like his who send their children to serve the nation. What we can do is ensure that their sacrifices are not forgotten....