New Delhi: The terror attack in Pahalgam on April 22 killed 26 innocent civilians and devastated countless families. The attack, which shattered the peace of the Valley which was healing after years of chaos, shocked and infuriated India and the rest of the world.
Among those who were present in the area that day was Vaishali Bhatt, an Indian-origin citizen of Singapore. Luckily, she left the Baisaran Valley shortly before the attack took place. The narrow escape haunted her, and Bhatt was deeply moved when she later learned that Prime Minister Narendra Modi personally codenamed ‘Operation Sindoor’, the retaliation of Indian Armed Forces against terrorism. Like many other people, the name was more than symbolic for her. The name ‘Operation Sindoor’ was personal.
Bhatt told BJP MP Dr Hemang Joshi, part of an all-party delegation led by Sanjay Jha, that she was in Pahalgam on April 22 and expressed her gratitude to her luck for narrowly escaping the terror attack. She said, “Every day after that, I would wake up and check the news, hoping something would be done in response. On May 7, I read that India had carried out Operation Sindoor. The name hit me emotionally. I cried a lot reading it. It means a lot to us.”
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She added, “The name Sindoor was perfectly apt for the operation carried out to avenge all the victims, their families and all of us. No one else could do what you did. This is my personal message to you. Thank you very much.” India launched Operation Sindoor on May 7 and destroyed several terror camps in Pakistan and Pakistan Occupied Kashmir in retaliation for the April 22 massacre. More than 100 terrorists were killed in the operation much to rejoice of the citizens.
‘Sindoor’ is a sacred red vermillion that married Hindu women wears and it is a very integral part of our culture. Hence, the name struck a particularly emotional chord and it symbolized the pain and resilience of women who lost their husbands in the Pahalgam terror attack.
Uttar Pradesh’s Shubham Dwivedi was one of the victims of the attack. He had recently married and Aishanya, his grieving widow said the operation’s name felt deeply personal. While speaking with India Today, she said, “By naming the operation Sindoor, whoever decided it truly connected with us, the wives of those who were killed. It’s a very personal thing.” Notably, PM Modi himself selected the codename Operation Sindoor, highlighting the emotional and cultural resonance of the mission’s title.
