Heroes

Outlook's year end cover story, Heroes from Hell is out. Please go read. Real people, and deeds that misted my eyes over more times than I care to admit.

'It's In The Instinct Of All Fishermen'
R. Annamalai & Sons, fishermen: Heroes for their courage, compassion and sense of justice

'Three Wires, Just Like In The Films'
Kuldip Singh, 35, bus driver: Hero for his presence of mind and physical courage in the face of sudden terror

Gray, Murky Water World
Tushar Kadam, 40, policeman & Anil Tandel, 28, lifeguard: Heroes for their unflinching sense of duty and commitment

A Titanic Train And A Prayer
Rajesh Sheth, 48, businessman: Hero for his never-say-die attitude and practical approach in adversity

Soft Spot Of The Village Toughie
Subhash Bheemu Kamte, 42, farmer: Hero for his dare-devilry and risk-taking ferrying people to safety

When Angels Troop Down
B.S. Krishna Kumar, wing commander: Hero for his prompt reaction and brave risk-taking

No One's An Island
Commander Gopalan Parthasarathy, Indian Navy doctor, Kochi: Hero for his sense of duty amid personal trauma

The Smell Of Dead Bodies
R. Thangarasu, 42, sanitary worker: Hero for his unflinching dignity of labour, doing a job nobody wanted to do

From Rockies To The Sands
Brig J.M. Devadoss, 52, commander: Hero for his sense of duty

The Collector Of Heroes
Gagandeep Singh Bedi, 37, collector of Cuddalore: Hero for his hands-on leadership in a crisis

The Boy Who Saw Tomorrow
Somnath Saha, 19, student/activist: Hero for serving the people in spite of his own trauma, with his parents and sister

The Coming Of Age Of Karthikeya
Raja Karthikeya 25, sales executive: Hero for his empathy, enterprise, initiative; for leaving his safe environs for harsh reality

Cold Tin Roof And Some
Shaukat Khaliq, 35, engineer & Muneed Ul Hasan Malik, 34, bureaucrat: Heroes who kept their wits at a time of chaos

Coming In From The Cold
M.A. Zargar, 36, S.E. Haq, 26, R.A. Hajam, 19, volunteers: Heroes for helping those in distress, without exception

Smelling Of Roses In The Slime
Lakshmi Narasimhan, doctor, and team: Heroes for spending days trawling the villages, picking up and burning scores of bodies

Nobody's Child Goes To School
Revathi Radhakrishnan, 28, filmmaker: Hero for helping an ignored and belittled community find its bearings

Lighthouse In The Islands
Kranti, 24, legal rights activist: Hero for helping the simple locals realise their rights