Lalita Ramdas: Himanshi showed courage in saying No to hate, no to targeting Muslims, Kashmiri's

Hyderabad: 85-year-old Naval wife Lalita Ramdas’ from Sainikpuri, Hyderabad open letter to Himanshi Narwal, wife of slain Lt. Vinay Narwal, lauding her for her strength has got mixed views from lakhs of people.

In an exclusive chit chat with News Meter, Lalita Ramdas, the oldest living wife of naval officer talks about why she reached out to young Himanshi, how she felt it important to laud her for her courage.

Lalita Ramdas, is the widow of late Admiral L. Ramdas, 13 th Chief of Naval Staff and the daughter of late Admiral R.D. Katari who was the first Chief of Naval Staff.

Lalita Ramdas told News Meter, “Ever since the news of the tragic terrorist attack hit the headlines, and especially after we heard that a young honeymooning Naval Lieutenant was one among the victims, I have been unable to get the images of the young woman on the ground beside the body of her husband, out of my mind."

"I think it hit me particularly hard because of my own Navy Background, and above all because my husband (then a young Navy lieutenant) and I, spent our honeymoon in Kashmir"

"We were partly on a houseboat on Nishaat lake in Srinagar and partly in Pahalgam. She could have been my granddaughter. And I just wanted to reach out, both as a very senior fauji wife and also as an older woman trying to console this newly wed fauji wife whose entire life and dreams must have come crashing around her."

“I didn't even know her first name. So, I addressed her formally and requested the Naval Head Quarters to forward the letter to her. Two days later, I happened to see a video clip with Himanshi;s stunningly lucid and mature interview to the barrage of microphones and reporters.

Saying NO to hate and NO to targeting Muslims and Kashmiris. And this was the event that made me immediately sit at my computer and address the second letter along with the video, which seems to have gone viral.

“I have shared both letters with the staff of the secretariat to the CNS (Chief of Naval Staff) and also with the President of NWWA, (Navy Welfare and Wellness Association). They have kindly forwarded both to Himanshi.”

Lalita modestly says, “I had not thought that my spontaneous letter praising her extraordinary courage and maturity would have attracted the kind of attention it has. In many ways this has been a matter of tremendous gratification, that indeed a large section among our people are not anti-Muslim and anti-Kashmiri.”

What Himanshi Narwal said?

In the wake of reports of attacks on Muslims and especially Kashmiris across the country, after the terrorist attack in Pahalgam, Kashmir, Himanshi Narwal had told reporters in Karnal, Haryana, “I do not want any hatred for anybody. People going against Muslims or Kashmiris, we don’t want this. We want peace and only peace. Of course, we want justice. Of course, the people who have done wrong to him should be punished.” But she faced Right-wing backlash on social media for her conciliatory stand towards Muslims.

First Letter of Lalita Ramdas’ to Himanshi read as follows:

Dear Mrs Vinay Narwal,

Forgive this formal stye of address – unfortunately I do not know your first name. I have been wanting to write to you from the day I heard about the loss of Vinay in this shocking incident of terrorist violence in Pahalgam on April 22. There are no words that can possibly bring you any kind of solace or consolation at a time like this. Of this I am deeply conscious. And the fact that you were on your honeymoon and then had to go through this awful tragedy – particularly made me want to reach out.

A few words about myself – because you might wonder why I am writing to you out of the blue! I am Lalita Ramdas, a Fauji daughter and a Fauji wife – and just completed my 85 th year! My father, Admiral R D Katari, was the first Indian to head the Navy after Independence. And my husband, Admiral L Ramdas, was the 13 th Chief of the Naval Staff.

We met when he cameas my father’s Flag Lieutenant to Navy House in 1960. It was love at first sight – and much of our getting to know each other happened in Kashmir. We were married in 1961 – and we too decided to spend our honey moon in Kashmir – partly in a houseboat on Dal Lake, and partly in Pahalgam. It was a very different Kashmir from the still beautiful, but troubled and violent place that you have experienced and which has taken away your husband in this cruel manner. I have not been able to get you out of my mind, a this is why I felt I must write to you.

Life plays its cards in tough ways – and I just wanted to say that I hope you will have the courage and the determination to come through this traumatic time with your spirit and your inner self stronger and finding ways to heal an almost impossible wound.

You must be one of the most recent, one of the youngest, members of the Naval family –and I have no doubt that the Navy Wives Welfare and Wellness Association [NWWA] would already have reached out to you and offer you every assistance that you will need at this time. If there is any way in which I, as one of the oldest Naval wives still living, can be of any help – please don’t hesitate to reach out and get in touch. If you would like to just get away and have a change - and just want time and space to work things out – I would really be very happy if you would like to come and spend some time with me.

With my love and thoughts with you,

Very Fondly

Lalita Ramdas

Second letter, Viral on social media

Lalita’s Second letter, shared and read by lakhs on X reads,

Dear Himanshi,

My name is Lalita Ramdas.

I am a Navy daughter and a Navy Wife.

My father and my Husband were both Chiefs of the Naval Staff....the first and the thirteenth! This is a personal tribute from possibly one of the oldest Navy daughters/wives alive today....to the newest and youngest among the special fraternity of Naval Wives.

I am so proud of you as I watch the clip of your words to the press, over and over again. Your extraordinary strength, composure and conviction when you speak out against hate and targeting of Muslims and Kashmiris after the horrific killing of so many innocent men in Pahalgam on the 22nd is truly remarkable! And so badly needed in our times…

"We only want peace", you said, and of course rightly, "we want justice too."

You are the perfect Fauji wife Himanshi, true to the spirit of the service, the constitution and to our secular values.

You are clearly a woman who knows her mind, and there could not have been a more courageous partner of a Navy man like Vinay.

You have echoed the thoughts and feelings of every thinking citizen of this country.

And we should all take your message of love and compassion far and wide.

Thank you, Himanshi…

I wrote you a letter just two days ago, which I sent c/o the CNS sectt.

Hope you get it.

And since they kindly sent me your address, I will be mailing you my letter directly to Karnal…

Lalita