Kashmir's Lt Ummer Fayaz ran cross-country race in summer while observing 'roza' at NDA: Book

Young Army officer Lt Ummer Fayaz, who was abducted and killed by terrorists nearly two years ago, in his NDA days had once ran a cross-country race with an injured leg in the searing heat of July while observing fast during Ramzan, according to a new book.

After the launch of 'Undaunted: Lt Ummer Fayaz of Kashmir', author Bhaavna Arora announced that royalty earned from the book will be used for an annual scholarship named after Fayaz, which will benefit students of the high school he attended.

"We all lost a soldier... Ummer was loved by his fellow cadets, and now as officers they still recall him, and the time spent with him in the NDA. They still remember the time when Ummer had run a cross-country race while observing 'roza' (fast) during the month of Ramzan," she said.

Arora said not only he finished the race in the scorching summer, but he did that nursing a "stress fracture" in his leg.

"In the NDA (National Defence Academy), his instructor, batchmates and seniors encouraged ..