Srinagar, Oct 08: Veteran actor and filmmaker Nana Patekar, who passed away on Thursday at the age of 75 after suffering a cardiac arrest in Goa, was far more than a cinematic icon for Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh. He was a man who stood shoulder to shoulder with soldiers in the Kargil war zone, spent nearly two months in the conflict area, and later adopted 48 Army Goodwill Schools across the region, including seven in Ladakh.
His demise brings an end to a career spanning nearly five decades, but for the border regions of J&K and Ladakh, his association extended far beyond his film roles.
Patekar’s connection with Ladakh dates back to the 1999 Kargil conflict. After undergoing extensive military training while preparing for his 1991 film ‘Prahaar: The Final Attack’, Patekar sought permission to join the Army during the Kargil War. He approached then Defence Minister George Fernandes and was eventually permitted to travel to the conflict zone.
Patekar later recalled that he spent around 60 days with Army personnel, travelling through Dras, Leh, Kupwara, Baramulla and Sopore. He also said he became associated with a Quick Reaction Team (QRT).
His experience was physically demanding. Patekar recalled that he weighed around 76 kg when he reached Srinagar and returned at about 56 kg after his stint with the troops. That loss of 20 kilograms was a measure of the conditions he endured alongside the soldiers.
His connection with Ladakh continued years later through social work. In September 2025, while visiting families affected by Pakistani shelling in Rajouri and Poonch, Patekar said his NGO had adopted 48 Army Goodwill Schools across Jammu and Kashmir, including seven in Ladakh, besides 28 in Kashmir and the remaining schools in Jammu.
The initiative was aimed at improving educational standards and infrastructure in the schools. Patekar’s NGO ‘NAAM’ joined hands with the Army in north Kashmir in recent years to develop schools falling close to LoC villages.
Nana had said that his experience during the Kargil conflict had left a lasting impression on him. His association with the Army was not merely limited to portraying military characters on screen.
Patekar made his Hindi film debut with Gaman in 1978 and went on to deliver acclaimed performances in films including Parinda, Prahaar, Krantiveer, Agni Sakshi, Ab Tak Chhappan, Welcome and Natsamrat.
He won three National Film Awards and was awarded the Padma Shri for his contribution to Indian cinema. His preparation for Prahaar included rigorous training with the Maratha Light Infantry, an experience that later became the foundation of his real-life association with the armed forces.
Beyond cinema, Patekar was known for his philanthropic work. He co-founded the Naam Foundation with actor Makarand Anaspure and worked extensively with distressed farmers and families affected by drought and other crises.
For Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh, Nana Patekar’s legacy carries an additional dimension. He was not merely an actor who portrayed soldiers on screen. He travelled to the conflict zone, spent time with troops during the Kargil War and, years later, extended his philanthropic work to schools serving children in the border regions.
His association with the Army, Kargil and the frontier areas thus remains one of the lesser-known but significant chapters of the life of an actor whose screen presence and off-screen humanitarian work left a lasting imprint on the region.
