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Unit 2: Values and Dispositions – Class 8 English Chapter 2 Notes & NCERT PDF

Class 8EnglishChapter 2NCERT book: Poorvi - English Class 8

Notes and a simple summary of Chapter 2 of the NCERT Class 8 English book, with the official chapter PDF, flashcards, an MCQ quiz and an AI tutor for your doubts.

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Unit 2: Values and Dispositions — A Tale of Valour: Major Somnath Sharma and the Battle of Badgam, Somebody's Mother, Verghese Kurien — I Too Had A Dream

Unit Overview

Unit 2: Values and Dispositions celebrates courage, kindness and service. It has three pieces:

  • A Tale of Valour — Major Somnath Sharma and the Battle of Badgam — the true story of India's first Param Vir Chakra recipient
  • Somebody's Mother — a poem by Mary Dow Brine about a boy's small act of kindness
  • Verghese Kurien — I Too Had A Dream — a letter from Dr. Verghese Kurien to his grandson

    • You also learn collective nouns, subject–verb agreement, idioms with 'hand', '-ed' endings, dashes, prepositional phrases, and how to write a letter of enquiry, a diary entry and a thank-you letter.

    A Tale of Valour — Major Somnath Sharma and the Battle of Badgam

    The background

  • In August 1947, Pakistan launched Operation Gulmarg to annex the Kashmir Valley, breaking its commitment to Maharaja Hari Singh. Around 1000 invaders were trained and equipped.
  • On 22 October the infiltrators invaded Kashmir; the Princely State became part of India on 26 October 1947. Indian troops were sent on 27 October and airlifted to Srinagar.
  • On 31 October, D Company of the 4th Battalion, Kumaon Regiment, under Major Somnath Sharma, was flown into Srinagar. His left hand was in plaster, but he insisted on going:
    • "I know my men better than anyone else, and if they are going into action, they are not going in without me."

    The Battle of Badgam (03 November 1947)

  • Badgam village was less than 5 km from Srinagar airport and on higher ground, so holding it protected the airfield.
  • D Company, with 90 soldiers, was the last company left. About 500 invaders attacked — first a distraction, then a major attack from another side, outnumbering them almost seven to one.
  • Major Sharma requested air strikes and laid out ground panels to guide the aircraft. Though injured, he moved through the battlefield directing fire and filling magazines for his gunners.
  • Running out of ammunition and asked to pull back, he replied:
    • "The enemy is only 50 yards from us. We are heavily outnumbered. We are under devastating fire. I shall not withdraw an inch but will fight to the last man and the last round."
  • Minutes later a mortar shell hit his position and he died instantly, aged 24. His men held on for over six more hours, giving time for reinforcements, and caused more than 300 casualties.
  • 4 KUMAON received the Battle Honour, Srinagar. Major Sharma became the first recipient of the Param Vir Chakra (PVC), awarded posthumously. His name is on the Honour Wall of the National War Memorial.

    • His early life

    Born on 31 January 1923 in Dadh, Kangra (Himachal Pradesh); his father, Major General Amar Nath Sharma, served with distinction, and his grandfather inspired him with tales of the Mahabharata. He studied at Sherwood College, Nainital, trained at the Royal Military College, Sandhurst, was commissioned into the 8th Battalion, 19th Hyderabad Regiment in 1942, and was mentioned in despatches during the Arakan Campaign in Burma in World War II.

    Explore

    Out of 21 PVC awardees, Major Somnath Sharma was the first and Captain Vikram Batra ('Shershah of Kargil', signal 'Yeh Dil Mange More') was the last. India's gallantry awards include the Param Vir Chakra (highest), Maha Vir Chakra and Vir Chakra. The unit also honours Birsa Munda, known as Dharti Aaba (Father of the Land).

    Somebody's Mother

    The poem

    By Mary Dow Brine. An old, ragged, grey woman stands at a snowy street crossing, afraid to cross, "alone, uncared for, amid the throng".

  • A group of schoolboys rushes past "like a flock of sheep", and no one helps her.
  • Then "the gayest laddie of all the group" stops and whispers, "I'll help you cross, if you wish to go."
  • He guides her "trembling feet" with his "firm and strong" ones, and returns to his friends happy and content.
    • "She's somebody's mother, boys, you know,
    For all she's aged and poor and slow"
  • He hopes someone will help his own mother one day. That night the woman prays: "God be kind to the noble boy, / Who is somebody's son, and pride and joy!"

    • Poetic features

  • Written in couplets with a rhyme scheme of AABB.
  • Simile: "like a flock of sheep". Alliteration: e.g. "was wet with". Repetition: "somebody's mother".
  • Theme: kindness and empathy. Tone: sympathetic and hopeful.
  • Contrast: the woman's trembling feet and the boy's firm and strong feet.
  • 'Lest' means 'to prevent something bad happening' ('just in case'): Lest the carriage wheels… should crowd her down.

    • Verghese Kurien — I Too Had A Dream

    The letter

    Written from Anand, 2005, by Dr. Verghese Kurien to his grandson Siddharth.

  • He values writing over phone calls: a phone call gives "an immediate but fleeting joy", while a letter can be treasured and re-read with "abiding pleasure".
  • He began working soon after Independence, when the noblest task was building an India free from hunger and poverty. Fifty years ago he agreed to work for a small cooperative of dairy farmers in Anand, Gujarat.
  • He could have become a chief executive in metallurgy, a general in the Indian Army, or a successful NRI in the US, but chose Anand. His wife ardently supported this choice.
  • He credits his values to his parents, elders and his mentor Tribhuvandas Patel. Integrity — being honest to yourself — is the most important value.
  • Key lessons: life is a privilege and wasting it is wrong; failure is not about not succeeding but about not giving your best and not contributing to the common good; don't compare yourself with images of perfection.
  • When he received the Padma Vibhushan in 1999, Siddharth wore the medal. He was told to earn his own reward.

    • Explore

    Dr. Kurien led the White Revolution and is called 'the Milkman of India'. Dr. M.S. Swaminathan initiated the Green Revolution (Bharat Ratna 2024); Dr. Hiralal Chaudhuri led the Blue Revolution (fisheries).

    Word Power

  • valour — courage (वीरता)
  • infiltrators — people who secretly invade (घुसपैठिए)
  • annex — take possession of (हड़पना)
  • resolute — determined (दृढ़)
  • tenacity — determination (दृढ़ता)
  • posthumously — after death (मरणोपरांत)
  • conspicuous — noticeable (विशिष्ट)
  • legacy — what is passed down to generations (विरासत)
  • ragged — (of clothes) old and torn (फटे-पुराने)
  • heeded — paid attention to (ध्यान दिया)
  • fleeting — short-lived (क्षणिक)
  • abiding — long-lasting (स्थायी)
  • humility — modesty (विनम्रता)
  • integrity — honesty and strong morals (ईमानदारी)
  • musings — thoughtful reflections (चिंतन)

    • Grammar & Language Focus

  • Expressions: fight to the last man, foil the plan, deliver a blow, hold their ground.
  • Collective nouns (armed forces): contingent, regiment, battalion, squadron (12–24 aircraft), fleet (ships).
  • 'Over-' verbs: overthrow (seize control), overrun (invade in large numbers), overwhelm (overpower emotionally).
  • c/s pairs: advice (n)/advise (v), practice (n)/practise (v), device (n)/devise (v). Defence (British) = defense (American).
  • Subject–verb agreement: A battalion of soldiers stands…, Each of the participants has…, One of the players was….
  • Idioms with 'hand': lend a hand, get out of hand, try your hand at, give somebody a free hand / a big hand, work hand in hand, have your hands full.
  • Fact vs opinion: a fact can be proven; an opinion is a belief that varies from person to person.
  • Dashes: en dash (–) for ranges (June–September, 2–1); em dash (—) for extra information or a change of thought.
  • Its/it's, your/you're, their/they're — possession vs contraction.
  • Prepositional phrases: in today's fast-paced world, with great, abiding pleasure.

    • Speaking & Writing Tasks

  • '-ed' endings: /ɪd/ in waited, heeded, guided (and adjectives before nouns like ragged, aged); /d/ in offered, paused, whispered.
  • Word stress: PREsent (noun) vs preSENT (verb); PROject/proJECT, CONtract/conTRACT.
  • '-sure' sounds: treasure, pleasure (zhuh) vs pressure (shuh).
  • Pausing and chunking using the poem Don't Quit by Edgar Albert Guest.
  • Writing: a letter of enquiry to a memorial about a school visit, a diary entry about helping someone, and a thank-you letter to grandparents.
  • Speaking: how you propose to serve the nation (environment, health, helping others, righteous conduct).

    • Common Mistakes

  • Saying Major Sharma was the last PVC awardee — he was the first; Captain Vikram Batra was the last.
  • Confusing dates: the battle was on 03 November 1947; D Company flew in on 31 October.
  • Calling the boy's help a 'logical decision' — it came from empathy, thinking of his own mother.
  • Writing advise as a noun or practice as a verb (in British English).
  • Using an en dash where an em dash is needed, or adding spaces around dashes.

    • 💡 Key Learning Points

    • ✓Major Somnath Sharma led 90 soldiers of D Company, 4 Kumaon against about 500 invaders at Badgam on 03 November 1947 and became the first Param Vir Chakra recipient (posthumously).
    • ✓'Somebody's Mother' by Mary Dow Brine shows empathy: one boy helps an old woman cross a snowy street, thinking of his own mother.
    • ✓Dr. Verghese Kurien's letter to his grandson stresses integrity, service to the common good and that failure means not giving your best.
    • ✓Collective nouns, 'over-' verbs, c/s noun–verb pairs and subject–verb agreement help express ideas precisely.
    • ✓Formal writing includes letters of enquiry, while diary entries and thank-you letters are personal and reflective.

    👨‍🏫 Teaching Tips

    • →Start with the pre-reading questions on the Republic Day Parade and bravery awards to connect the chapter to students' experience.
    • →Build a timeline on the board of Operation Gulmarg (Aug 1947) to the Battle of Badgam (03 Nov 1947) using the dates in the text.
    • →Read Major Sharma's last message aloud and discuss what it shows about leadership and duty.
    • →Read 'Somebody's Mother' aloud and let students mark the contrast words (trembling/firm, aged/strong young).
    • →Ask students to write a short letter to someone in their family, following Dr. Kurien's model of sharing values.
    • →Use the '-ed' ending sorting activity with the poem's words for pronunciation practice.
    • →Assign the letter of enquiry to a real memorial in your region so students use authentic details.

    📋 Assessment Questions

    1. Arrange the key events of Major Somnath Sharma's life and the Battle of Badgam in chronological order.
    2. What contrast does the poet draw between the old woman and the boy in 'Somebody's Mother'?
    3. Why did Dr. Kurien choose to work in Anand, and what does he say about integrity and failure?
    4. Choose the correct verb: 'Neither the teacher nor the students (was/were) aware…'
    5. Insert the correct dash: 'The conference will be held from March 15 March 20.'

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    Keep learning

    All chapters in Poorvi - English Class 8

    1. 1. Unit 1: Wit and Wisdom
    2. 2. Unit 2: Values and Dispositions
    3. 3. Unit 3: Mystery and Magic
    4. 4. Unit 4: Environment
    5. 5. Unit 5: Science and Curiosity