People, who are skeptical about getting inked, may often have thought what’s the point of getting a tattoo? Well, there are numerous unique reasons to do so, one of them is expressing love and affection for your lover, partner or close ones through this art. But not for this 30-year-old!
An interior designer by profession, Abhishek Gautam, who hails from Hapur in UP has 593 tattoos on his back that includes 560 names of Indian martyrs to express his love and to pay tribute to the brave Indian soldiers.
While for many of us, the glimpse of our patriotism is only visible on January 26 (Republic Day) and August 15 (Independence Day) every year, this man got inked to express his love for the country.
Apart from the list of names of soldiers who were martyred, one can also see the tattoos of freedom fighters including Mahatma Gandhi, Bhagat Singh, Rani Laxmi Bai, and others. Be it Kargil War martyrs or the recent ones, he has ensured all names are tattooed on his back, which he carries like an armour of love and respect.
In an interview with Mail Today, Gautam mentioned that it took 8 days to complete this entire tattoo. “These days, getting inked for loved ones is the maximum thing that can be shown as a gesture of love. People often tattoo the names of their partner but for me, the love for the country is beyond anything. The Indian Army is always there for us and there are many soldiers who have died for the nation. So getting their names inked on my body is a tribute for them.”
On asking what prompted him to do something like this, Abhishek says, that it was during his visit to Leh Ladakh, that the Indian Army saved one of his friends and made them feel safe throughout their journey and as a sign of gratitude, he decided to get inked.
It took him one whole year to research the names of the martyrs. He also met with some of their family members and then contacted a tattoo artist to get inked. “I could not join Indian Army but I want to feel patriotic every day. And these tattoos remind it to me every day,“ he concluded.