Kozhikode: When eight-year-old Adhiroh Madhavan Nair presented the tricolour to former NSG commando P V Maneesh, he asked: "Why are you giving me the national flag?" The little one’s quick response was: "I love my India. I am proud of my country."
Ahead of the Independence Day celebrations, Adhiroh along with his parents met Shaurya Chakra recipient Maneesh, who was partially paralysed after injuries sustained in the commando operations during the 26/11 terror attack in Mumbai.
Adhiroh who hails from Nanmanda, Kozhikode visited Maneesh at his residence in Azheekal, Kannur. Upon Maneesh's request, Adhiroh visited the war memorial in Kannur.
"This is to build patriotism in the child. Meeting these personalities who dedicated their life to the nation will help him to grow with good values and ideologies," Adhiroh’s father P Ranjith Nair told Onmanorama.
Just a few days ago, the boy on a unique journey visited various eminent personalities and families of two martyrs and presented them with the National Flag.
He met the family members of Pulwama martyr Subedar Vasanth, at his mother's residence at Lakkidi, Wayanad, and met the martyr's wife Sheena and the children.
"I felt so happy to meet all these eminent personalities... I want to be a wildlife officer," Adhiroh said, wishing Independence Day to one and all.
Amongst those Adhiroh visited was organic farmer Cheruvayal Raman, a well-known conservator of indigenous varieties of paddy in Wayanad. Raman showed him his paddy fields where he cultivates 52 varieties.
Adhiroh met Padmashri Kadathanatt Meenakshi Amma too, the maestro of Kadathanadan Kalari and the person behind the Kadathanad Kalari Sangam of Vadakara.
Adhiroh paid a visit to K K Mohammed, a renowned archaeologist in Kozhikode and presented the national flag; on the eve of I-Day, the father-son met Kozhikode district police chief and DIG Raj Pal Meena, collector A Geeta, district judge Pradeep Kumar and corporation mayor Dr Beena Philip.
Adhiroh also visited noted astronomer and shipbuilder Ali Manikfan at his residence in Kodiyathur and martyr Captain Vikram's parents Viswanathan Panickar and Kalyani before meeting the commanding officer of 122 Infantry Battalion, Kozhikode, Col Navin D Benjit.
Adhiroh is a third-standard student at Loyola School, Kozhikode. He visited his school principal Father Ramlet Thomas S J and presented him with the National Flag too.
Father Ranjith had ensured they had in stock quality national flags from Khadi before each visit to present the tricolour. The boy's mother V S Cini, head pharmacist in charge at the Government Medical College, Kozhikode accompanied the duo during many of the visits.