Slain Hizbul Mujahideen commander Burhan Wani was 10 years old when he told an Indian Army officer that he wanted to join the defence force, his father Muzaffar Wani told The Times of India in an interview.
"Burhan had a strong liking for camouflage outfits," recalled the senior Wani, who is the principal at a local government school in Kashmir. The 21-year-old, whose killing in July sparked off a chain of violence in Kashmir, had left his home six years ago to join the militants. Though his father claimed that he had only met his son two or three times since then, he had tried to convince him to return.
"I told him that he was born during the peak of instability and that it was obvious that he felt the pain," he told TOI. "I am in a government job for my family. He was working for entire J&K."
The elder Wani claimed that his son loved to play cricket and would have perhaps played for the Indian team one day had circumstances been different. While he commended the Pakistani prime minister Nawaz Sharif's speech in the United Nations earlier this month, where he invoked Burhan Wani and called him a "symbol of the Kashmiri intifada", he said he did not want to encourage other Kashmiri children to become militants.
He compared his son to Bhagat Singh, claiming that the 21-year-old was a freedom fighter, not a terrorist.
Read the full interview here.
Old Bangalore
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Open Image ModalFather Chevalier was Bangalore's first parish priest, who built the first Church of St. Francis Xavier in 1851. The St. Francis Xavier Cathedral in Bangalore was captured by the Times of India photographer on 1 January, 1900. (credit:BCCL)
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Open Image ModalThe Bangalore City Railway Station, shot by the Times of India cameraman on 1 January, 1950. (credit:BCCL)
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Open Image ModalA portion of the Bangalore Fort, that was built by Kempe Gowda I in 1537. In the 18th century, Hyder Ali rebuilt the fort with stone and his son Tipu repaired it after it was damaged during his battles with the British. This image was taken by the Times of India photographer on 24 July, 1938. (credit:BCCL)
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Open Image ModalThe Minto Ophthalmic Hospital in Bangalore was built in 1913. This government-run hospital provides advance eye health care. (credit:BCCL)
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Open Image ModalCommercial Street in Bangalore was one of the city's busiest shopping centre. Seen here by the Times of India photographer on 24 July, 1938. (credit:BCCL)
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Open Image ModalThe Lalbagh Botanical Garden in Bangalore is of royal origin and was set up by Hyder Ali initially as a private garden, covering an area of 40 acres. With well-laid out roads, paths, open spaces, shade and a collection of many types of plant species, the garden attracts a large number of visitors. (credit:BCCL)
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Open Image ModalThe City Market is one of Bangalore's oldest markets. It is called KR Market after Maharaj Krishnaraja Wodeyar IV of Mysore. The image shows an aerial view of the market, taken by the Times of India cameraman on 16 September, 1932. (credit:BCCL)
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Open Image ModalThe Ulsoor Lake was constructed by Kempe Gowda II. The Times of India cameraman captured the picturesque lake on 24 July, 1938. (credit:BCCL)
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Open Image ModalThe Sri Krishnarajendra Market that was established in 1928 and named after one of Mysore's rulers Krishnarajendra Wodeyar. It now houses one of the largest flower markets in Asia. (credit:BCCL)
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Open Image ModalThe Bangalore Race Course is considered among the best in the country, for the challenge it poses both to the horses and the riders. The racecourse nestles amidst 85 acres of greenery in the heart of the city and presents a truly beautiful sight throughout the year. (credit:BCCL)