Late Major Prasad Mahadik’s wife to join Army

Gauri Mahadik, wife of late Major Prasad Mahadik, is set to join the Army. In her interview with Humans of Bombay Facebook page, she talks in detail about her meeting with Major Prasad and their life.

“I met Prasad on a matrimonial site. The first time we spoke was on 22nd February 2014. When we met, he told me he was a Captain in the Indian army. It came as a shock, but we got along. He was sincere and down to earth – I loved that. After we met a couple more times, he popped the question while we were at Marine Drive. I replied with, ‘Of course, Captain’.

Still, he told me to think about it — being married to an army man wasn’t easy. But I was sure. Even my Father in law said, ‘Anything can happen, at any time’. But I said that anything can happen to a civilian too and it would be my privilege to be married to someone who was protecting those civilians.

Not that it mattered, but our engagement date changed thrice because of his duty — we ultimately got married in 2015. We were very different; I was talkative while he was reserved. Still, we fit like pieces of a puzzle even though he was away for long periods of time.

It was difficult, because we went without talking for days on end. Whenever he managed to call, he always said ‘Everything’s fine’…even when we knew it wasn’t. Once I hadn’t gotten a call for a week. I was terrified, but on the 7th day he got in touch — I craved the sound of his voice.

On the days when he was home, I wanted to capture every moment. So I have more than 36,000 photos of him! I even recorded our phone calls. And on the days when I missed him, worried about him, or simply wanted to hear him say ‘I love you’, I would listen to those recordings.

In December 2017 I got the call that changed my life – he was martyred. I still remember I was having breakfast at the time. We had just spoken the previous evening, and even had an argument. I couldn’t believe it. For the next three days I kept thinking he would walk through the door.

But, I made my peace knowing that he died doing what he loved the most — serving our country. He never complained. Even though he was sometimes in -15 degrees, without any communication with the world — he was happy. That’s the thing an army wife just has to accept — that her husband’s first and true love is the country. That’s what gave me the strength to overcome.

As time passed, I decided that I couldn’t keep crying. That would be an insult to his memory. So, I decided to join the army and live his dream for him. His purpose became mine and I began preparing for the SSB exam. I failed the first time, but exactly 5 years since the day we first started talking, I passed — I’ll be inducted into the Indian Army in March 2020.

For the first time since he passed, I’m not afraid. In fact, I feel strong and invincible, just like he was and just like that, my life is for our country and I will defend it until the day I die.”