Vikas Bhardwaj a National level boxer, kissed goodbye to the world on 10th November, 2015 while trying to curtail a massive fire thus saving the lives of many people. The fire broke out in the ill –fated house due to carelessness and immediately turned massive after coming in contact with LPG cylinders. There were three full LPG cylinders in the house and the fourth one was attached to the gas stove. In a gallant attempt he managed to enter the house with a fire extinguisher after the first blast, and successfully removed one of the LPG cylinders. But he was injured when the second cylinder burst in his hands. Unfortunately, Vikas had suffered 100% burns and succumbed to his injuries in PGI on Thursday.
Vikas, father of two and the only earning member of the family, owned a small grocery store in Zulamgarh, Pinjore, Haryana. He was fondly addressed to as ‘Boxer’ by his neighbours and was known to be an extremely helpful and kind man. Whether it was somebody’s wedding in the locality or a routine hassle in a fellow neighbour’s life, Vikas was always the first one to lend a helping hand. Having participated in a number of national-level boxing competitions, Vikas was formidable among his opponents in the ring. He was also fond of running, and once in two months, he preferred to run all the way from Pinjore, Haryana to his boxing-coaching center in Sector 23, Chandigarh. Vinod Rana, Vikas’s former colleague, said, “It was very difficult to judge his punches due to the speed of his arms. Right hook and left uppercut were his best punches. He was a disciple of boxing coach Kuldeep Singh.”
Courage is not the absence of fear but the acquired ability to move beyond fear. Vikas sacrificed his life without a thought about his family and himself, to save the inhabitants of the ill-fated house. If it was not for his selflessness and indomitable spirit, the entire street would have burnt down and the death toll, which is now 5, would have been much higher. People like Vikas are a blessing in today’s world, transcending untouched boundaries and keeping the faith in humanity alive for all of us.
