"ZIRO, A FLASHBACK (CHAPTER 1) "I'd rather embrace death than be caught by the Chinese and taken as prisoners!" Yes, my father made the same remarks, and the then-officer (APO-1, Ziro, Subansiri, NEFA, now Arunachal Pradesh) reacted with the following statement: "Don't worry about that. If such a situation occurs, I will shoot you first, and then myself.” My father, Shri P.M.S. Namboodiry, relieved his colleague Biswas from the P & T (now BSNL) wireless station Ziro (located in NEFA—North East Frontier Agency—the present name is Arunachal Pradesh) and took charge of the wireless station, Ziro, on May 13, 1962. His responsibilities included communicating from Ziro to Guwahati, maintaining the wireless equipment, accumulators for working wireless sets, and engine generators for charging accumulators, and establishing radio telephony (through wireless) with Shillong at a scheduled hour. In fact, this wireless mode was the only way for Ziro to connect to the rest of the country. All Indians will remember 1962 as the year of the Sino-India conflict (also known as the China-India war), in which my father played an important role, although not as a front-line soldier, but as a wireless operator, a role that he equally portrayed as a soldier. Ziro is an enchanting valley surrounded by the majestic Himalayan and Patkai ranges of mountains. It's set amidst a dense forest of vibrant flora and fauna. The chirping of birds, the cool breeze, the swaying trees, and the jingling streams fascinated the residents and all the visitors strolling through the valley. It is one of the oldest towns in Arunachal Pradesh. Famous for its scenic beauty, Ziro offers breathtaking views of terraced rice fields, dense forests, and meandering rivers. My father's accommodation was in his office (wireless station) opposite the football ground, with the main road snaking in between. Being a tiny town nestled in the mountains, people's movements were limited; hence, they were well-knitted, especially those from other states. My father, too, had a gang of friends, including from our home state of Kerala. Some were with family, and some were bachelors, just like my father. Life was so pleasant and blissful in the lap of mother nature until, like an avalanche, the Chinese invasion snowballed into the state of Arunachal Pradesh. Many factors contributed to the Indo-China war. Putting the reasons aside, let me take you to my father's home, the dear Ziro, as he affectionately refers to Ziro. It was yet another beautiful day in October 1962 for the flora and fauna of the Ziro valley, and people were busy with their day-to-day activities. When the news of China's attack on Indian land began to flash into the ears of the residents of Ziro, their lives came to a standstill. People's worry slowly burgeoned into a panic when the shocking news of China invading Arunachal Pradesh began to spread like wildfire. People gathered in a cluster, discussing the Chinese incursion. Innocent children were confused after seeing the unusual scenario for the first time in Ziro. TO BE CONTINUED.. ©Krishnan "