Barmer, Oct. 28 -- More than five decades after the 1971 India-Pakistan war reshaped lives in the Thar region, the story of Chhachhro has come full circle. The Sodha family, which once held political office in Pakistan, left its ancestral homeland and rebuilt its life in Rajasthan. Today, 77-year-old Padam Singh Sodha, younger brother of former Pakistani deputy railway minister Thakur Laxman Singh Sodha, has been elected the first sarpanch of Chhachhro gram panchayat in Barmer district, bringing the family's journey from Pakistan's political corridors to grassroots democracy in India into focus. Dhannaram Meghwal, a local, said, "The 1971 India-Pakistan war forced many families to leave their homes in Chhachhro, Pakistan, but they never lost their connection with their ancestral homeland. For all of us who crossed the border, leaving Chhachhro behind did not mean abandoning the dream of keeping its name and identity alive. That dream came true about a year and a half ago, when Chhachhro was established as a separate revenue village in Barmer district." He added the election of Padam Singh Sodha, whose family left Pakistan during the war, as its first sarpanch is a historic moment that brings our shared aspiration to life." Sodha won the sarpanch election held on October 24 by a margin of 338 votes. He secured 950 votes, defeating his nearest rival, Dhanna Ram, who polled 612 votes. The newly elected sarpanch's story is closely linked to the events of the 1971 war, when he and his family left behind their ancestral haveli and land in Pakistan's Chhachhro. According to the locals, Sodha supported the Indian Army during the conflict and unfurled the Tricolour at his ancestral home. Recalling his family's migration and its enduring connection with Chhachhro, Sodha said, "We lost Chhachhro in 1971, but we never lost touch with our roots. Like many others who left Pakistan and came to India during the war, we carried with us the dream of keeping our ancestral homeland's identity alive. That dream came true about a year and a half ago, when Chhachhro was established as a separate revenue village in Rajasthan. We may have left our ancestral land behind, but we never let go of our heritage. We recreated our Chhachhro here in India. Being elected the first sarpanch of this village is an emotional and proud moment for me, as it represents the fulfilment of a dream that generations of us have cherished." On December 6, 1971, Sodha was part of a civilian contingent that accompanied Brigadier Bhawani Singh into Pakistan. The Indian Army advanced from the western border through the Bakhasar sector and captured Chhachhro, a settlement about 100 km inside Pakistan, within seven days, according to accounts of the military operation. The town remained under Indian Army control for around eight months. Sodha and his elder brother, Laxman Singh Sodha, were accused by Pakistani authorities of espionage for allegedly assisting Indian forces. According to the family's account, Pakistan announced a reward of Rs.2 lakh for each brother. Laxman Singh had served as Pakistan's deputy railway minister before the family moved to India. The family eventually left its ancestral property behind and settled in Rajasthan, marking a dramatic shift from its earlier life in Pakistan. Former MP and BJP leader Manvendra Singh congratulated Padam Singh Sodha on his election as the first sarpanch of Chhachhro gram panchayat in Barmer's Bawadi Kalla. Singh said, "Sodha family had played a significant role in the 1971 India-Pakistan war alongside Brigadier Maharaja Bhawani Singh, contributing to the Indian Army's success. Bhawani Singh was awarded the Maha Vir Chakra for his bravery during the war." Calling Padam Singh Sodha's election a historic achievement, Singh said "it was a proud moment for a family whose legacy remains closely associated with the 1971 war." After migrating to India around 55 years ago, Sodha and his family first arrived in Chouhtan before settling in Bawadi Kalla in Barmer district. Laxman Singh also became involved in local public life and served as pradhan of Chouhtan. Despite the move, Sodha retained a strong connection with his ancestral village. He continued to identify himself as "Padam Singh Chhachhro", keeping alive the name of the place he had left behind. For decades, however, Chhachhro remained across the border, while Sodha made his home in Bawadi Kalla. The connection with Chhachhro remains deeply rooted among those who migrated from Pakistan during the war. Ladhuram Pataliya, 88, who also moved to India in 1971, said, "Chhachhro is not just the name of our village; it carries a history linked to the 1971 war and the families who left their homes across the border. Padam Singh Sodha's election has brought that history back into focus for the younger generation." Around a year and a half ago, Chhachhro was carved out as a separate revenue village during Rajasthan's village delimitation and reorganisation process. The name was chosen to honour the region's historical legacy and its connection with the 1971 war. The Indian village of Chhachhro and its namesake in Pakistan are reported to be around a kilometre apart, separated by the international border. For Sodha and other families who migrated during the 1971 war, the village's name represents a lasting connection with their ancestral homeland....