Sumer's proud uncle, Subedar Govind Singh Rathore of 15 Rajasthan Rifles, who is at present posted in Delhi while his unit is in Kargil, is eager to go the battlefield. It is their belief that dying for the country was a job they were born for, said Sumer Singh's maternal cousin, Supyar Singh, extolling the Rajput tradition.

Even the grieving wife, Kamlesh Kanwar, agreed. She said in a voice steeled with determination that though she was in grief, she was immensely proud of her husband's achievement. ``And if they need my two sons for the country, theycan take them,'' she said.

But when the body arrived shortly after in a mini-truck, there were moist eyes all around. A hushed silence fell over the gathering of men outside and a muffled wail emanated from among the women inside. Sumer's daughter fell unconscious.

It had been just over a month since Sumer had gone back. He had come in April on a 40-day leave and was looking for a groom for his daughter when he was called back.

The last letter from Sumer arrived the day he went down fighting on June 13. In what turned out to be his farewell note, he asked the family to see that his daughter had a good marriage and that the younger son's education was taken care of ``main waapas laut kar aaoon, na aaoon'' (whether I return or not). Apparently scribbling the note hurriedly before leaving for the battle-front, Sumer ended the letter with ``achcha, ab jaldi mein hoon''(I am now in a hurry).

There was no word or even a hint of fear or worry though the tone of the letter revealed that he wasfully aware that he might not return. He along with other men was charging at intruders holed up in a bunker at Tololing when a machine-gun burst riddled the right side of his body. Sumer went down firing, killing four of the enemy, before dying of his injuries, according to a soldier who was with him in the operation and had come to the village with the body.

Among the other martyrs was Naib Subedar Mangez Singh of Rajputana Rifles from Harnava, Nagaur, who died while carrying out the assault to recapture Turtuk. His body has still not been found. His wife, Santosh Kanwar, has not eaten ever since she learnt of his martyrdom and says she won't eat until she places a few flowers on his body. She too intends to send all her three sons to the Army.

Mahendra Singh Shekhawat from Hudeel, Nagaur district, a commando in 10 Paras, was married only a year ago. He died leaving behind a wife who is carrying a child. His friends from school days recall a play in which he had enacted the role of a shaheed. Itproved to be prophetic.

In Rampura village of Sikar, young Vinod Kumar's family was waiting for him to return home on June 15 -- as he had promised before going to join duty after a two-month leave in March -- when they got a telegram saying he had died in action. Vinod did not return, nor did the family get his body.

His wife, Subita Devi, has been widowed at 18. In a state of shock, she is unable to eat and had to be hospitalised for a day. His mother is numbed. But her resolve to send her younger son to the army hasn't weakened. His father, Bhagirath Singh, is a retired soldier who fought in the 1971 war. And he is proud of his son. ``He did his duty. I brought him up for the country and he did what was required of him,'' he said, quietly.