Amar's prize will now be part of an effort by The Indian Express and Iridium to help our soldiers communicate with their families, a contribution from the heart to The Indian Express Citizens' Relief Fund for Front-to-Family Fund.

Call it mind-set or what you may, Amar played the sub-junior section of the tournament with single-minded dedication. The teenager had just one thought in mind while playing. And that was to ``contribute to those near and dear ones, braving the odds in Kargil.''

Coming from a middle-class family from Nagpur, Amar, who recently cleared his X standard exams from Bishop's Cotton High School, receives encouragement from Umesh, his father, who has also donated to the cause.

In fact, as Amar puts it: ``The moment I told him about my idea, he for once never asked me to reconsider.'' What if he had not won? Amar quickly replied: ``Whatever I won would have been donated.'' Why contribute? Amar speaks volumes for a maturity beyond his years. ``I feel proud to be an Indian. And I felt that I should do something. After all, life is something that one cherishes. Only those who lose their loved ones know for sure.''

With plans of joining the National Defence Academy (NDA) or engineering -- which is a long way off, Amar says, ``The country is doing exactly what is needed to gain back lost territory.'' Brave words from our little hero.