Tsewang aged 16 and Kunzang aged 14, two orphan sisters from Ladakh was felicitated during Army Public School, Dagshai silver jubilee celebration by Western Army Commander Lt Gen S R Ghosh today at Dagshai. Heavy rain and storm interrupted the celebration but all witnessed and could learn about the noble gesture taken by Western Command by adopting two young sisters those are the victim of cloud burst at Leh last year .
In the early hours of 06 Aug 2010 these two sisters became victims of fate. Incessant rains caused flash floods in the Leh washed away their step-father, mother and a younger step-brother and never to be seen alive.Their father Sep Paskar Tander who was serving in the Ladakh Scouts, died in a road accident in 1999 during Kargil operation, when they were just four and two years old respectively. Unable to make both ends meet, their young mother married the younger brother of his late husband. It was as challenging and hard a life as is the ruggedness of the Ladakh range of mountains in the shadow of which they were growing up.
Orphaned and traumatized these two sisters who somehow escaped certain death were kept temporarily in a hostel and faced an uncertain and grim future. It was at this time that HQ Western Command stepped in. Lt Gen S R Ghosh , GOC-in-C decided to take the responsibility to bring same orphaned girls from this area. Both Tsewang and Kunzang were ‘adopted’ in Sep 2010 by Western Command and admitted in Army Public School, Dagshai in Class VIII and VI. This time both of them got promoted to the next higher classes. Before proceeding on leave to their native place Army Commander presented them dress materials , Shoes , Sweets , wrists watches and digital camera on their success in very short time as they joined during mid of the session ,
Today, both of them are adjusting to their new lives so vastly different to the ones they had led before. Sports, Studies and extracurricular activities of the school keep them busy and happy. The Commanding Officer of Ladakh Scouts unit at Chandimandir and his wife are “foster parents” and provide them good care, affection and direction by which now the elder one is dreaming to be a Pilot in Armed Forces while the younger one’s ambition is to become a Cardiologist.
Earlier Gen Ghosh and Mrs Bulbul Ghosh visited the art science and handicraft exhibition by the school children.Lt Gen A S Chabbewal , GOC, 2 Corps were also present on this occasion . During prize distribution ceremony Mrs Bulbul Ghosh gave away the individual prizes to the students performed brilliantly in academic , sports and cultural activities and Gen Ghosh presented the overall trophies to the winner houses . Overall best performance trophy bagged by cock house .