As we enter our 62nd year of being a Republic, Sunday Mid day speaks to war veteran Eustace D'Souza on modern Indiau00a0

As the country enters its 62 year as a Republic, we speak to retired Major General Eustace D'Souza, PVSM, who fought four wars after joining the Maratha Light Infantry of what was then the British Army in 1943, including the World War II, Indo Pakistan War of 1948, Indo-China war of 1965 and the India-Pakistan war in 1971.


Retired Major General Eustace D'Souza won the Param Vishisht
Seva Medal in 1971. Pic/ Satyajit Desai

Ninety-year-old D'Souza said he is appalled at the way scams and corruption have overridden a country that he and his fellow officers had fought for, but expresses pride at how the Armed Forces continue to live up to the mark unlike the politicians of this country.

There was a heady feeling of nationalism in the period just before Independence, and a determination among the leaders to achieve the objective of free India. Do you see the same today?

In those days, every individual's motive and sentiments were for the country. Today, people work for money and have selfish motives, irrespective of profession and position. Only the Armed Forces continue to harbour a feeling of patriotism and motivation for the country, which is evident from the Kargil war, where soldiers volunteered for postings at 21,000 feet.