Whether it is war or peace, Madras Regiment Centre, Wellington, in Nilgiris of Tamil Nadu, does not need any introduction to people in South India. During wars, the brave soldiers of MRC Wellington had  performed unbelievable missions to eliminate and annihilate the enemies.

The actions of the brave jawans of the unit are folklores in this part of the country. During peace time, MRC Wellington  was the most sought after team in South India’s football circuit. The All-India Football Tournaments in Kannur, Kozhikode and Thrissur  in Kerala used to have sold out galleries when Kuppusamy and late Vinod Philip kicked the ball around much to the glee of their fans.

Wars are over and football is almost dead  in this part of the country except for the Indian Soccer League matches. But the tradition of MRC Wellington lives on. The warriors of this glamorous unit of the Indian Army are fighting a different war in 2020 April. True to the theme of Indian Army, “Har Kaam Desh Ke Naam”, the brave fighters along with the Army Wives Welfare Association are on a mission to provide food, medicine and other essential items to residents of interior Nilgiris which are inaccessible to ordinary folks because of the hilly terrains.

When the civil administration intimated the difficulties faced by the government staff in reaching out to labourers and their families in the hinterland of the Blue Mountains, officials of MRC  did not think twice. The MRC jawans were on the mission to transport dry ration including atta, rice, daal and oil. They worked on the motto decided by Indian Army: “Combating COVID With Care and Compassion”.

“The Indian Army has been in forefront of reaching out to needy and providing them with the much-needed relief materials as a result of which a large number of people have benefited. In consonance with Indian Army’s slogan “Har Kaam Desh Ke Naam” to combat COVID 19, the units and Centres of Dakshin Bharat Area will remain committed to reaching out to the needy people thereby upholding the ethos of “Service Before Self”, said a media  release issued by the Commandant of the MRC on Wednesday.

The Jawans who undertook the mission prefer to be the unsung heroes.

They are happy seeing the smiling faces of the children, aged and inform who could get sumptuous meals because of their adventurous mission defeating coronavirus, rains and inhospitable terrain of the Wild Western Ghats.