CAPF heroes' battlefield stories get graphic

The real-life heroes of the Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) are now the new heroes of the graphic novel world. At a recent event in the city, the

Ministry of Home Affairs

(MHA) launched the Bharat Ke Veer graphic novel, which has stories of valour from all seven units of the

CAPF

. The event, which also saw the launch of the Bharat Ke Veer anthem, was attended by Akshay Kumar, Kailash Kher, Home Minister Rajnath Singh, and Kiren Rijiju, MoS, Home Affairs, among others.

This isn't the first time that stories from the battlefield are being told through graphic novels. In 2015, the HRD ministry launched Veergatha, a series on the Indian Army. The CRPF has also published around 10 graphic novels based on its jawans and their battle stories. While the CRPF series isn’t available for sale, the Bharat Ke Veer graphic novel will be available at bookstores from next month.

Gripping, engaging stories of slain soldiersThe graphic novel tells the stories of slain soldiers from the eight units of the CAPF - the National Security Guard , the Central Reserve Police Force, the Border Security Force, the Indo-Tibetan Border Police, the Central Industrial Security Force, the Sashastra Seema Bal, the Assam Rifles and the National Disaster Response Force. It will be a compilation of stories from different areas - from Naxal-affected areas to the 26/11 attacks. Rijiju says, "All the units of the CAPF were asked to share their stories. This is the first time that a book will include stories from all the forces."

For the publication of the novel, the MHA has joined hands with the Dalmia Group Amar Chitra Katha, which had earlier released a series on the recipients of the Param Vir Chakra, has designed the graphic novel.

The graphic novel tells real stories of personnel from all seven units of the Central Armed Police Forces

Neel Paul, group creative director, Amar Chitra Katha, says, "We didn’t have much time to create the novel – less than a month. So we couldn’t meet the families of all the heroes who are being featured in it, but the stories were shared in detail by the forces, and hence we were able to draw the storyline." On how the stories were made engaging, Paul says, "We didn’t have to do anything, because the stories were already engaging and interesting. These are true stories of martyrs, and will give goosebumps to the reader. For the sketches, we did a lot of research to recreate the scenes described to us."

The novel includes stories from Naxal attacks to the 26/11 terrorist attacksCAPF officials believe that telling these stories will help people understand what the men in uniform have to face. M Dinakaran, DIG, CRPF, says, "We have shared the story of Pramod Kumar, who was the Commanding Officer of the Srinagar-based 49th Battalion of the CRPF. He was martyred in a militant attack last year. He was posthumously awarded the Kirti Chakra on Independence Day last year."

From the millitant attack on Srinagar airport to the Naxal attack on a mine in Odisha, the novel will retell stories that grabbed headlines last year, and also those that have never been heard before. The NSG has shared four stories for the novel, two of which are on Major Sandeep Unnikrishnan and Ranger-I Gajender Singh, who are martyrs of the 26/11 attack’s.

A CISF official says,"For a commoner, all the paramilitary forces are the same. They’re unable to differentiate between an ITBP, a BSF or a CISF official. Through such books, at least they’ll be able to differentiate between our duties, and also understand the nature of our services."

A CRPF official adds, "Graphic novel heroes are a hit among kids because they see them above regular people. This novel is not about presenting soldiers as superheroes, but is a medium to tell our tales. Who knows, it might even inspire youngsters to join the forces."

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