Lt Col D D Goyal, who lost a leg in Kashmir blast, now skis with a prosthetic limb

The story of Mumbai's Lieutenant Colonel Dharmadatta Goyal, also known as D D Goyal, is one of courage. He lost a leg in a blast in Kashmir but did not give up living life on his own terms. He is now listed in the World Book of Records as the first Indian to ski with an artificial leg.

Before joining the Army, Goyal was a professor at SNDT in Juhu. He had never thought the Army would be part of his life. He says a friend told him about a vacancy that would suit him. He had no wish to join the forces, but went along to see the cantonment area from the inside. Soon he had cleared the interview and the SSB and become part of the Sikh Regiment. He was 26 and was posted to Kashmir.

About five months into the job, Goyal went with his unit to an altitude of about 13,000 feet near the Line of Control (LoC). The unit's task was to trace infiltrators and identify a site for an Army base. According to Goyal, he spotted some toffee wrappers and became certain there had been an infiltration, but could not get the correct coordinates of the location. He therefore decided to go ahead alone. About 400 metres beyond the LoC he saw a pit filled with ash. He went closer to check, and a powerful blast followed. He says everything happened within a second. He turned back and told his soldiers to take position, but they stood stunned. Goyal had stepped on an IED (improvised explosive device) and lost his leg in it.

Because of bad weather, it took 23 hours to evacuate him. Even after losing his leg, Goyal did not decide to leave the Army. He continued to work as a trainer and instructor for 20 years.

In 2022 he was called back to Kashmir in connection with a mission. He went to the same base camp and felt that a circle of his life had been completed. In his words, it was then that he understood what must have happened to him that day and how his comrades had saved him. Lieutenant Colonel Goyal retired from the Army that same year.

During his recovery he faced many hurdles, but Goyal insisted on living as he wished. He says that in his youth he was carefree and spirited. Once he even quit his studies and began working at a roadside eatery. His question was: if he was so stubborn then, why could he not live on his own terms now. He has since done paragliding, skydiving, marathon running and motorcycle riding, and is also learning to dance.

At 50, Goyal is a motivational speaker, author and sportsperson. He is also an ambassador for the current edition of Soldierathon, to be held in Pune on November 15, in which ordinary people are invited to run alongside serving soldiers so that they can get to know them closely. Goyal believes the country's defence budget is very large, about 13 per cent, yet most ordinary people do not feel connected to military life. He said, "We hope this distance will narrow, so that people can better understand the services and the opportunities they offer." He also said, "We remember the sacrifices of soldiers and want to share this feeling by walking with the people of the city, and remove all distances."