Mother Aleyamma Thomas (left), and wife Beena Thomas and daughter Meghana Thomas (right), pay their final respects, in Bangalore on Monday, to Col Jojan Thomas who died along with three of his colleagues during an encounter with militants in Kupwara in Jammu and Kashmir last Friday.
Col Thomas’ father P.A. Thomas, who served in the Indian Army as a mechanical engineer, had passed away just a month ago. The eldest of four sons, two other brothers of Col Thomas were in the forces, one in the Army and the other in the Navy.
Photographs: Karnataka Photo News
Also read: Is the Kargil victory something to be ashamed of?
Tags: Churumuri, Col. Jojan Thomas, Karnataka Photo News, Photography
25 August 2008 at 9:40 pm
RIP. These are the real heroes of our country.
25 August 2008 at 9:40 pm
The people like Col Thomas who are giving their everything like to save the integrity of motherland shd be focus of the discussion on Kashmir.
26 August 2008 at 2:29 am
I salute these brave men. Condolences to the bereaved family.
These are the people who are always ignored in spite of making the supreme sacrifice.
26 August 2008 at 8:05 am
Hats off! These brave sons defend Kashmir against the separatists aka terrorists. RIP. Indians are proud of you and your brave family.
26 August 2008 at 11:09 am
Uncle was a hero for me and today he is a hero of the nation…he has shown what leading from the front is which many of our leaders dont. He is indeed a leader who each one of us what to emulate…i am glad that i am related to this brave soldier and a son of this nation who will be remembered for ever for his bravery. Hats off to this brave young man who was truly an asset to this nation. India will miss you…after attending the funeral i am filled with all the more pride that you died for each one of us..you have become a role model for 100 crore proud Indians..May your soul rest in peace!!
26 August 2008 at 11:12 am
My condolences are with Thomas family.
26 August 2008 at 11:21 am
It shows how the officers of Indian Army lead from the front . Not like these cowardly politicians who are not able to solve a problem festering for over 20 years . Pakistan is openly stoking the communal fires in Kashmir , and the incompetence shown by our beauracrats and politicians there is only helping them more . Brave soldiers like Col.Thomas are being turned into sacrificial lambs .
26 August 2008 at 11:26 am
I salute the hero
26 August 2008 at 11:27 am
Very sad story. Two deaths in a span of one month. May the family have strength to overcome this sorrow.
26 August 2008 at 8:34 pm
Salute the Hero. JAYA HIND.
26 August 2008 at 8:50 pm
TOI asks a question:
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/India_interrupted_Who_is_to_blame_for_infiltration/articleshow/3408523.cms
27 August 2008 at 12:34 am
It is ironic that our Politicians have made India a Soft State.
They indulge in Track 2 diplomacy while our Jawans are dying on the same day.
There are scores of Jojan Thomas dying everyday and their name remain on our lips for a while.
But the same nasty politicians knock our senses.
Self serving individuals like Kuldip Nayar are responsible for this mishap.
27 August 2008 at 11:09 am
When such families cheerfully give their loved ones for the sake of country’s freedom, Knowalls like Veer sanghvi, Arundhathi Roy sitting in their airconditioned rooms write all the crap of giving Azadi to Kashmir…Rather we should send some of our journos for good
27 August 2008 at 12:49 pm
Hi this is hari & ravi good old friends of jojan ettan, joshy thomas, joby thomas and joji thomas. shocked to read the news about col jojan thomas. our salute him and condolences to his family and parrents. hi joshy its harish and ravish from dubai your 27years old rajasthan friends. i am giving my email id pls mail me pnharish10@hotmail.com or harish@qatarnav.com
30 August 2008 at 8:03 pm
Brave men who laid down their lives for our country. I salute them.
2 September 2008 at 10:08 am
I am writing this letter to express my deep condolences to the family of Col. Thomas along with the Four of his colegues, who made the supreme sacrifice while fighting Militants in Kashmir. Even in such grief, I could see the family, holding their head high with pride. Col Thomas and his colegues are one more of those gallant knights, that this country has lost. Capt. Harshan (receiver of Ashok Chakra – posthumous), Major. Shankla, Col. Vasanth (youngest Colonel in the Army at the time of his passing away, Capt. Bhadra Visha, Maj. Maneesh Pitabare, Lt. Natrajan Parthiban, Sepoy Rathod, Lt. Kalia, Lt. V. Thapar, Capt. Batra (PVC), Major. Acharya….. the list of valiant men goes on. Knights who have scripted and redefined the dimensions of patriotism, valour with monumental acts of valour, sublime heroism and supreme sacrifice. Warriors who have dared the hostile and extreme climate during Wars. Sentinels who assure peace full sleep to millions of Indians. Men in whom we repose our faith time and again and men who have remained worthy of the trust that this country had reposed.
Me and my family bow our head with deep sense of gratitude and utmost respect to these knights. We also pray to the almighty to give peace to the departed souls and strength to the families.
17 September 2008 at 11:40 am
This is a shame that Christians are dying for the country on one side and on the other, they are being labelled as anti Indians and Churches desecrated (inviting the wrath of GOD, ofcourse!). For the kind information of the less informed, Christianity has been in India for 2,000 yrs, because it was brought to India by the Apostle St. Thomas, who was a disciple of JESUS HIMSELF. Thus any attempts to discredit Christianity is vile and there are ulterior motives.
If forced conversions were the intentions of Christians, India would have been fully converted by now, afterall Christianity has been in India for 2,000 yrs and Christian powers have ruled India for over 200 yrs till recently. There was sufficient time and power to forcefully convert everyone. But it is simply not so. Because forceful conversion is against the very basic Christian belief.
Thus this is an allegation that is entirely false and baseless.
May the soul of Col Jojan Thomas not sit and curse India for giving up his life for a country that is braying for the blood of his people (with the connivance of many state Governments).
Bin
26 September 2008 at 8:59 pm
I am very proud of my uncle. We will greatly miss him,we also convey our condolences to the other familes that have lost members due to the sacrifice they commited towards our country.
God Bless them all!
30 November 2008 at 8:43 pm
May God Keeps All THESE Angles IN heaven with Him .
May God bless Courage to their next of kin and kith .
Udai
26 January 2009 at 12:09 pm
FOR LATE COL THOMAS
YOU WERE AN AMAZING OFFICER RIGHT FROM WHEN I SAW YOU IN D. DUN IN 11 JAT WHERE YOU WERE COMISSIONED.
JOJO YOU WILL BE MISSED BY ALL OF US.
OUR NATION WILL BE FOR EVER GREATFUL FOR YOUR SUPREME SACRIFICE.
VIVEK, SEEMA , TRISHUL AND VAJRA MEHTA