During the day, she and a few other teachers ran regular classes while the men helped the army in numerous chores, including loading trucks with ammunition. But as the war intensified, all activities at the school came to a halt. Movement of troops made it difficult for the army to provide transport to the villagers. Seeing their plight, Bibi herself refused to move out. She vacated the palatial bungalow, shifted into the school compound and occupied the principal’s office. A large curtain separated her bedroom from the office that also doubled up as a clinic.
Having been a part of the army, Bibi was well versed in war alarms, sirens and blackout procedures. She painstakingly trained the villagers in emergency drills, digging trenches and firefighting. ‘No war can be won if the citizens don’t cooperate,’ she told them and motivated them to be brave, fearless and firm. This encouraged both the men and women to act as foot soldiers. The ordinary Sainik School was now an additional support base for the troops.
Bibi’s presence also had an all-round electrifying effect. Young boys changed their mindset and began dreaming of joining the army. Shy and introverted young girls saw a hero in her whom they wanted to emulate. In a matter of days, an ordinary village transformed itself to stand against the invaders, should the situation so demand. Bibi Amrit Kaur became ‘Bibiji’ for everyone, and her word was taken as no less than a command. The school was now a well-oiled machine, willing to go to any extent on a single directive from Bibi. She remained active and excessively occupied during the day, but at night she often recalled her journey and the days of Partition when she was left to die by the mob. It was as if life had come full circle. It was she who was in the same position as her father. However, there was a big difference; almost an entire village was ready to sacrifice everything in order to protect her. Although there were no similarities, the school building reminded her of ‘Sardar House’, her parents’ home.
