Heroism personified: Nisar Khan

JODHPUR : The scene of a petrol-laden tanker engulfed in a blazing fire and running at full speed on a city road here with a constant blaring of the horn to warn people has been the talk of the town with showering of honours on the hero of the incident.
On April 26, the alert driver, Nisar Khan was hell bent on taking the burning truck to some isolated place to prevent a major disaster, thus putting his own life in peril.
Nisar became a hero overnight and a series of honours and rewards was showered on him for his sheer bravery and spirit of heroism.
Chief minister Ashok Gehlot, during his visit here on Saturday, handed over a cheque of Rs five lakh to Nisar and Rs one lakh to his assistant, Samandar Khan, who helped him drive away the truck. Earlier on Friday, medical and health minister A A Khan also handed Nisar a cheque of Rs 21,000.
Talking to TOI, Nisar said, "My uncle was a captain in the BSF and sacrificed his life for the nation during the Kargil war.
"We have such an upbringing that service to the nation and to the mankind are top priorities."
Attributing the driving force behind his heroic act to his family and to the training given by the company, he said, "What I did was not for any reward or any appreciation but just to discharge my duties. The only thought that gripped my mind at that moment was to save the lives anyhow and I am thankful to the almighty for helping me to do so."
Every driver has been administered an oath of diligence and moral responsibility while in duty and Nisar not only remembered his oath when he was given charge as a driver of a tanker carrying highly inflammable petroleum products but rose to the occasion. Immediately after he saw the tanker, which was unloading fuel at a petrol pump, catching fire, Nisar did not give a second thought and jumped into the driver's seat to take it away to a location so as to avoid any loss of life and property. He was helped by his assistant Samandar, who on seeing Nisar jumping into the driver's seat, rushed to detach the supply pipe from the tanker. In doing so, Samandar had his hands burnt.
Nisar succeeded in taking the tanker to an isolated location, some three to four kilometres away from the petrol pump. There, the blazing flames were doused by fire tenders and a major accident had been averted, thanks to the courage and vision exhibited by Nisar and his assistant Samandar.
Nisar belongs to Sankra village of Jaisalmer and has been working as a driver for fuel tankers of the IOC. Born to a farmer's family, Nisar has seven brothers, out of whom five are drivers.