Brigadier Jyoti Prakash; (right) Chief of Naval Staff Admiral Krishna Swaminathan with Colonel Satish Mallik. (Arul Horizon)During Operation Vijay in 1999, Captain (now Brigadier) Jyoti Prakash served as the Regimental Medical Officer of an elite PARA unit in the Mushkoh Valley. A paratrooper, he had volunteered for PARA and in the thick of war this soldier-doctor sustained a splinter injury at Bakharwal. For most that would have been reason enough to recover at the field surgical centre and remain away from further danger. The captain chose otherwise.As the nation observes Kargil Vijay Diwas on July 26, the 55-year-old Brig Jyoti Prakash, Prof and Head, Department of Psychiatry at Armed Forces Medical College, Pune, shared how important it was to ‘be the healing touch, lead with calm hands and wear the uniform with pride.’Brig Prakash (who was a Captain then) was 28 years old and would share the same ethos of PARA units operating beyond enemy lines — courage, endurance, brotherhood and mission-first commitment. In the thick of the war under heavy artillery shelling and in unforgiving terrain, the 28-year-old stood shoulder to shoulder with his men as a die-hard paratrooper and a soldier- doctor.At Bakharwal, he sustained a through-and-through splinter injury caused by hostile action. Evacuated by helicopter to the nearest Field Surgical Centre, his wound was cleaned, explored and stitched. However despite excruciating pain and injury he boarded the next sortie back to Bakharwal. For a soldier, shedding blood in the line of duty is among the highest honours of service. As an RMO,he was able to save the lives of many combatants injured in the line of fire and ensure that the unit remained battle-ready. While he settled in Pune in 2019, colleagues said Brig Jyoti Prakash remains a unique case of an elite paratrooper and Regimental Medical Officer who went beyond the call of duty and saved lives.Kargil Vijay Diwas honours the courage, sacrifice and determination of the Bravehearts of Operation Vijay. As the nation remembers their historic victory, Col Satish Malik who lost his leg to a mine blast in an op area has over the years dealt with challenges. His leg below the knee had to be amputated and fitted with a prosthetic one at Pune’s Artificial Limb Centre. But not once did he look behind and pursue activities with a vigour that led him to overcome physical barriers, drive cars and ride his motorcycle around the country.Col Malik continued in the Armed Forces till 2008 and took voluntary retirement. Along with a partner he set up a risk management consultancy firm and is part of the Phoenix Braveheart rider group that bikes all over India , Bhutan and Nepal. “I never felt handicapped,” he said adding that his guiding mantra has always been ‘I won’t give up until I have truly tried’. This belief has guided him through life, helping him face challenges with determination and never give up without trying and during the Chief of Naval Staff, Indian navy, Admiral Krishna Swaminathan’s visit at ALC, Pune both shared light-hearted moments as they recalled their days as batch mates at NDA.Anuradha Mascarenhas is a Senior Editor at The Indian Express, based in Pune. With a career spanning three decades, she is one of the most respected voices in Indian journalism regarding healthcare, science and environment and research developments. She also takes a keen interest in covering women's issues . Professional Background Education: A gold medalist in Communication and Journalism from Savitribai Phule Pune University and a Master’s degree in Literature. Author: She authored the biography At The Wheel Of Research, which chronicles the life and work of Dr. Soumya Swaminathan, the former Chief Scientist at the WHO. Key Focus: She combines scientific accuracy with storytelling, translating complex medical research into compelling public and human-interest narratives. Awards and Recognition Anuradha has won several awards including the Press Council of India's national award for excellence in journalism under the gender based reporting category in 2019 and the Laadli Media award (gender sensitivity -2024). A recipient of the Lokmat journalism award (gender category-2022), she was also shortlisted for the RedInk awards for excellence in journalism-2021. Her debut book At The Wheel Of Research, an exclusive biography of Dr Soumya Swaminathan the inaugural chief scientist of World Health Organisation was also nominated in the Popular Choice Category of JK Paper AUTHER awards. She has also secured competitive fellowships including the Laadli Media Fellowship (2022), the Survivors Against TB – New Research in TB Media Fellowship (2023) and is part of the prestigious 2025 India Cohort of the WomenLift Health Leadership Journey.” Recent Notable Articles (Late 2025) 1. Cancer & Specialized Medical Care "Tata Memorial finds way to kill drug-resistant cancer cells" (Nov 26, 2025): Reporting on a breakthrough for triple-negative breast cancer, one of the most aggressive forms of the disease. Discipline, diet and purpose; How a 97-year-old professor defies ageing'' (Nov 15, 2025) Report about Prof Gururaj Mutalik, the first Head of Department at Pune's B J Government Medical College who at 97 credits his longevity to healthy habits and a strong sense of purpose. 2. Environmental Health (The "Breathless Pune" Series) Long-term exposure even to 'moderate' air leads to chronic heart, lung, kidney issues" (Nov 26, 2025): Part of an investigative series highlighting that even "safe" pollution levels are damaging to vital organs. "For every 10 µg/m3 increase in PM2.5 level, there was 6-8% jump in medicine sales" (Nov 23, 2025): Using commercial data to prove the direct link between air quality and respiratory illnesses in Pune. 3. Lifestyle & Wellness News "They didn't let cancer, diabetes and heart disease stop them from travelling" (Dec 22, 2025): A collaborative piece featuring survivors who share practical tips for traveling with chronic conditions. At 17, his BP shot up to 200/120 mmHG; Lancet study flags why child and teen hypertension doubled between 2000 and 2020'' (Nov 12,2025)--A report that focusses on 17-year-old-boy's hypertensive crisis and reflects the rising global trend of high blood pressure among children and adolescents. 4. Scientific Recognition & Infrastructure For promoting sci-comm, gender diversity: IUCAA woman prof highlighted in Nature" (Nov 25, 2025): Covering the global recognition of Indian women scientists in gender studies and physics. Pune researchers find a spiral galaxy like the Milky Way from early universe'' (December 3, 2025)- A report on how Indian researchers discovered a massive galaxy that existed when the universe was just 1.5 billion years old , one of the earliest to have been observed so far. Signature Beat: Health, Science & Women in Leadership Anuradha is known for her COVID-19 reportage, where she was one of the first journalists to provide detailed insights into the Covishield and Covaxin trials. She has a dedicated interest in gender diversity in health and science, often profiling women researchers who are breaking the "leaky pipeline" in STEM fields. Her writing style is scrupulous, often featuring interviews with top-tier scientists and health experts from various institutions. ... Read MoreClick here to join Express Pune WhatsApp channel and get a curated list of our stories