SUMAN K SHRIVASTAVA
Ranchi, Sept 30: It was a proud moment for the IIT-ISM Dhanbad students on Friday to find among them, albeit online, Bollywood star Akshay Kumar, who portrays the courageous figure of Jaswant Singh Gill, one of the 1965 batch alumni, in his upcoming film ‘Mission Raniganj’.
The interaction programme was an initiative by the IIT ISM alumnus association to make the world aware of the heroic work of Jaswant Singh Gill, one of India’s unsung heroes, a figure deserving a special place in the annals of history.
As the Additional Chief Mining Engineer of Coal India Limited (CIL), Gill led a rescue operation that saved the lives of 64 miners who got trapped in a coal mine in West Bengal’s Raniganj on November 13, 1989.
At the heart of the operation was a group of 220 coal miners, diligently working to set up an explosion in the Mahabir Colliery to extract coal. However, their efforts took a dangerous turn when the explosion triggered a seismic disturbance that reverberated through the subsurface water table, causing it to fracture.
What followed was a terrifying surge of water that surged through the mine’s depths, sending the workers scrambling for safety. Tragically, six workers lost their lives instantly, while 149 others, who happened to be close to the lift shaft, were swiftly pulled to safety.
But amidst the chaos and peril, 64 workers found themselves trapped in narrow crevices, desperately clinging to a chance of survival. One intrepid miner even embarked on a remarkable 36-hour journey through the dark and treacherous waters in a bid to reach the safety of the shaft.
News of the disaster spread like wildfire, prompting an immediate response to launch a daring rescue mission.
Gill volunteered to enter the mine, where he would meticulously open the nearest capsule, assist the closest miner into the capsule, and then signal to the team above to initiate the capsule’s ascent. It was a perilous endeavor that underscored his unwavering commitment to saving lives, even at the risk of his own.
His fearless efforts earned him the nickname “Capsule Gill” in recognition of his pivotal role in the mission.
Jaswant Singh Gill’s heroism did not go unnoticed. In 1991, he was honoured with the prestigious Sarvottam Jeevan Raksha Padak, a recognition of his selfless bravery. In 2016, the Bhagat Singh Puran Award for service to humanity further celebrated his indomitable spirit.
Additionally, Gill’s remarkable operation secured a place in the Limca Book of Records as a national record in the history of coal mining, forever enshrining his legacy.
During the interaction, Akshay Kumar, who is bringing Gill’s life to the silver screen on October 6, 2023, said that he had no information about Gill’s dare-devil achievement. “When he knew about it, he became very impressed,” Akshay said.
Akshay Kumar, to a query from a student, said that he had never thought of being an engineer. “He wanted to be a martial artist and got a black belt in it. I had an interest in sports and my father encouraged me to play football,” he recalled.
“The best part of Gill’s work was that in rescuing the trapped miners his death was certain. Despite knowing it he went down into the mines; saved all and came out at last,” said Akshay Kumar.
In his special effort to rescue the trapped miners, Gill had also once said, “You get only one life, you need to make it count. Everything happened so suddenly that no one had the time to think.”
Well-known Bollywood actress Parineeti Chopra has played the role opposite Akshay Kumar in the film. She has played the role of the wife of mining engineer Jaswant Singh Gill.
This survival thriller movie is written by Vipul K Rawal and directed by Tinu Suresh Desai.
