Hyderabad: For the past one and a half years, the people of Tripuraram village in Nalgonda district have had a fixed morning routine. Every day at 8.30 am, the national anthem is played in the village, and all the locals, no matter what they are doing, come to a halt and salute the national flag.But Saturday morning was special. The villagers came together and paid tribute to the Indian soldiers by honouring their parents in a traditional ‘paada puja.’ The villagers felicitated the parents of Nagari Sridhar—Nagari Ramakrishnamma and Mallaiah, Padishala Mahesh’s parents Parishala Venkamma and Chinna Mattayya, and Boddu Anjaneyulu’s mother Boddu Salamma Parvathalu. Salamma’s husband, who was unwell, could not attend the programme. All three men are currently serving in the defence forces. “While our soldiers are fighting to give us security, we felt that the least we could do was to honour their parents and assure them that we are with them in these critical times,” A Srinivas Reddy, former sarpanch of the village, whose son is preparing to join the defence forces, told STOI. “It is my son’s wish to serve the country. He is taking coaching to prepare for the defence exams,” he added. At the ‘paada puja,’ as flowers were placed at the feet of the parents, those assembled shouted slogans of ‘Bharat maata ki jai.’ “We respect them for sending their sons into the army and for their commitment to serve the nation,” said Srinivas Reddy.