New Delhi, May 8 -- As mock drills were conducted throughout India on Wednesday, I vividly recall December 3, 1971 when war with Pakistan started. Dusk had already fallen on that winter day and I was doing my school homework here.
Sirens warning air raid sounded and my mother having lived through the 1965 conflict shouted at me and told be fetch essentials from the nearby grocery store. My father was away at work and responsibility of looking after the family fell on an 11-year old boy. I rushed to the kirana store and several anxious customers were already there pestering the store owner to take their orders. I was the youngest and smallest in height and thought I will not able to do the important chores. After about ten minutes, the shop...