Goa, Aug. 15 -- Families of Indian Army martyrs Major Edward Fernandez and Lieutenant Narendra Mayekar share the pain of losing their loved ones early

SHASHWAT GUPTA RAY[email protected]

PANJIM: As India celebrates its 80th Independence Day today, the familiar spectacle of flags, parades and patriotic speeches can obscure a harder truth - the freedom and security enjoyed by the country have come at a cost, often paid in the lives of soldiers.

For two Goan families, that cost was deeply personal. Major Edward Diego Fernandez of Anjuna and Lieutenant Narendra Atmaram Mayekar of Mormugao died while serving the nation, leaving behind young children who grew up with only fragments of memories of their fathers. Decades later, their families ...