He lit his father's pyre 19 months ago.
On Thursday, he watched as his mother received the Kirti Chakra from President Droupadi Murmu for his father who died fighting terrorists in Kashmir.
And yet young Kabir harbours the hope -- one day Col Manpreet Singh will return home.
Oscillating between acceptance and denial, too young perhaps to grasp the reality of his life and too old to completely disregard it, Kabir clutched on to his mother Jagmeet's hand tightly after the ceremony at Rashtrapati Bhavan and said, "Thank you Papa for this honour."
He also said, "Ab papa wapis aayenge, mission khatam hoga ab (Now Papa will come back, the mission is over now)."
The belief somewhere that the award -- the second highest gallantry award after Ashok Chakra -- means his father is alive and well somewhere.
Recounting the conversation, his mother Jagmeet Singh told PTI that it has been a difficult time for the family and for her children, 10-year-old Kabir and five-year-old Vaani. Her children, she said, are not yet ready to take on the harsh truth.
"He sacrificed his life for the country and it is indeed a proud moment for us as a family. But it is definitely difficult to explain to my children," she said, her son's statements bringing both tears and smiles.
The president presented the award to Jagmeet and her mother-in-law Manjeet Kaur.
After his father's death, Kabir would send voice messages on his mobile, pleading with him to come back or at least make a video call to him.
He would try and whisper so his mother wouldn't hear, Jagmeet, who lives in Panchkula, said.
Colonel Singh was killed along with three other security personnel during a joint operation on September 13, 2023 following a fierce gunbattle with terrorists in the forests surrounding Gadool village of Kokernag in south Kashmir.
The others gunned down were Major Aashish Dhonchak, Jammu and Kashmir Police Deputy Superintendent Humanyun Bhat and Sepoy Pardeep Singh.
While Bhat was awarded the Kirti Chakra, Colonel Singh and Major Dhonchak got the Shaurya Chakra.
The Gadool encounter was an eye-opener for security forces. It gave them a sense of the dominance of terrorists along the higher reaches in south Kashmir, which acts as a gateway between Kashmir and Kishtwar area in Jammu region. Col Singh, commanding officer of the 19 Rashtriya Rifles (RR) unit, also served in terrorism-hit areas of Larkipora, Zaldoora and Kokernag in the Valley's Anantnag district.
Jagmeet remembered her last conversation with him. It lasted just 32 seconds.
"Operation mein hoon (I am in an operation), I never heard from him after that," she said.
President Droupadi Murmu on Thursday conferred six Kirti Chakras, including four posthumously, to personnel of the Army and Jammu and Kashmir Police for displaying indomitable courage and extraordinary valour in the line of duty.
Kirti Chakra is India's second-highest peacetime gallantry award.
Col Manpreet Singh of the Sikh Light Infantry, two other army personnel from the Rashtriya Rifles and a Jammu and Kashmir Police officer have been conferred the Kirti Chakra posthumously, according to the list of awardees shared by the government.
President Murmu, who is the Supreme Commander of the armed forces, also presented 33 Shaurya Chakras, including seven posthumously, to the personnel of the armed forces, Central Armed Police Forces and state/Union Territory police during a defence investiture ceremony held at the Rashtrapati Bhavan, the defence ministry said in a statement.
Maj Malla Rama Gopal Naidu of the Maratha Light Infantry, 56 Rashtriya Rifles, and Major Manjit of the Punjab Regiment, 22 Rashtriya Rifles, received Kirti Chakra.
Rifleman Ravi Kumar, the Jammu and Kashmir Light Infantry, 63 Rashtriya Rifles; Colonel Manpreet Singh, of the Sikh Light Infantry, 19 Rashtriya Rifles; Naik Dilwar Khan, the Regiment of Artillery, 28 Rashtriya Rifles; and Deputy Superintendent of Police Himayun Muzzammil Bhat of the Jammu and Kashmir Police were conferred India's second-highest peacetime gallantry award posthumously.
The Rashtrapati Bhavan later also shared pictures from the ceremony on its official X handle.
"President Droupadi Murmu conferred Shaurya Chakra upon Squadron Leader Deepak Kumar, Flying (Pilot). His undaunted courageous decision in a life-threatening situation to force land the aircraft on a dark night ensured the safety of a valuable national asset and precluded a probable loss of lives," it said in a post.
© 2025