BAGHAR (KATIHAR), May 25 -- When the Operation Sindoor was on its peak to destroy terror bases in Pakistan, the youths of this village were doing rigorous physical training to join armed forces to teach the enemy a lesson. Almost every home in the village has a member who has either served or is presently serving in the armed forces. This is perhaps the reason the village is called 'Army Men's village.' This village wakes up at 4 am everyday with the second Prime Minister Lal Bahadur Shastri Ji's slogan 'Jai Jawan Jai Kisan' (Hail the soldiers, Hail the farmers) still echoing in their heart afresh even after six decades! Their (villagers') aim is crystal clear -- they want to don the Army uniform first and in case they don't get an opportunity, they work heart and soul in the field to grow food and rear milch cattle, hence they are either soldiers or farmers leaving hardly any scope for those who are interested in playing politics on the basis of castes and religions. This is Bihar's Baghar village with 2,000 population, 4 km east from sub-divisional headquarters Manihari situated on the northern bank of the Ganges River in Katihar district with over 300 villagers serving in Indian Army. Here youths and children can be seen doing rigorous physical training in the hope they will one day get a chance to serve in the Indian Army and the elderly including ex-army men keep themselves busy in the farmland. Ex-serviceman, 65-year-old Nand Kumar Yadav who served Indian Army from 1978 to 2003 and now does farming in the village said, "I am still ready to serve the Indian Army if the government needs," declaring his patriotic passion will die only with his death. Yadav, meanwhile, is busy in his farmland harvesting maize. "Besides maize, we grow wheat and paddy," he proudly said and added, "In our village, you will find only two castes- Jawan (Soldiers) and Kisan (Farmers)." The village is unique as almost every family has a soldier. "We don't count the number, but we can say that every family has a soldier and is carrying patriotism in his/her passion in this village," he claimed. 19-year-old Ankit Kumar who passed Intermediate examination this year and is doing rigorous physical training asserted, "When you visit the village next year, you will not find me here, I will be in the Indian Army." He claimed, "Like me, there are many others who are all certain to get a chance to don the uniform of Army men in the near future." The village has two schools- one Upgraded Middle School and the other Upgraded High School and children get education up to matriculation in the village and later they go to Manihari or Katihar to get higher education. Like Ankit, 17-year-old Ritik Roshan Yadav who won gold in wrestling in a state level competition in Katihar last year is highly enthusiastic. "I have been doing physical training for over ten years and I am sure I will get a chance to serve my country," he said. Kundan Kumar Yadav, 21, who couldn't get a chance after he was declared medically unfit, is sure to get a job in State police. "Our first priority is to make entry into the armed forces, in case we can't we try our luck in state police," he said, adding, "Frankly, we always have a fair chance to get into state police." Besides, dozens of youths in this village are in Bihar police and home guards. The youths are aware of all the vacancies in armed forces and state police. They all came up with precise information about the coming recruitment drives in the Indian Army and State police, when this scribe asked them about the next recruitment drive. "Even girls do rigorous physical training to serve in the Indian Army," 17-year-old Piyush Kumar Yadav said, adding "Everybody's blood boils in the village to serve the Motherland." No grudge against Agnipath scheme Much to the surprise, no villager came to lodge protest against the government's Agnipath scheme in the Indian Armed Forces to recruit Agniveer (soldier) to serve for a fixed four-year term. "In our village, there are several Agniveers," Piyush said, adding "I will be happy if I get a chance to become an Agniveer." Army men/Ex Army Men give tips to youths "We are blessed with those who come to village in holidays and give invaluable tips about physical training to us," Ankit Kumar said, adding ex-army men guide us regularly." There is a big designated field (ground) with proper fencing in the middle of the village where youths and children do regular physical training. "Sometimes, the crowd becomes too large to accommodate all the youths in the ground and hence we do physical training in the mango orchard," Ankit Kumar said. Two festivals This village celebrates two festivals with extraordinary zeal and fervour in a year- they are August 15 and January 26. "We celebrate Independence Day and Republic Day every year not just to observe formalities but from the core of our heart," retired army man Nand Kumar Yadav said, adding that "Every villager participates in it and they all take collective pledge under the Tri-Colour to live and die for the sake of nation." He declared it a glorious legacy which is still being carried on with much pride and enthusiasm....