Besides his parents and family members, the 26-year-old IAF pilot, who was flown in from Amritsar by a special Dornier aircraft, was received at the Palam Air Force station by Defence Minister George Fernandes, Air Chief Marshal A Y Tipnis and senior officers.

It was an emotional reunion for Nachiketa with his parents, K R K Shastri and K Lakshmi, who waited for over three hours at the airport for his homecoming. His sisters and brothers-in-laws were also present.

As he posed for photographs with his family members and the defence minister, he replied to some of the questions asked by the crowd of mediapersons.

Asked whether he felt like a hero, Nachiketa, who had bailed out of his MIG-27 combat jet after it developed engine trouble on May 27 while striking intruders' targets inKargil, simply said: ``I am a soldier''.

On how he felt on returning to India, he replied: ``I am feeling fine, very nice. Each and every soldier who is fighting for the country will do the same''.

Asked how Pakistan had treated him in captivity, the fighter pilot said, ``The Indian Air force will brief you about it''. To a question if he would like to go back and complete his mission in Kargil, he said ``definitely, as soon as possible''. Earlier, speaking to mediapersons at Wagah, Nachiketa said, ``I am sad to hear about Ahuja's death,'' referring to the Squadron Leader who was shot. ``I came to know about it in Pakistan,'' he added. When asked further about the incident, he said: ``He was not shot in my presence. I did not see him.''

Among those waiting to receive him across the border were Air Vice-Marshal Shashi Tayagi, Dy Speaker of the Punjab Assembly Baldev Raj Chawla and other senior IAF and BSF officials. They were accompanied by crowds of people with bouquets to welcome the Kargil hero.

At4:45, a black Mercedes belonging to the Indian High Commission in Pakistan drove up to the Pak Rangers' lounge. Accompanied by N Shrikant, military attache in the Indian High Commission, and S K Jaswal, group caption of the IAF, Nachiketa walked to the lawn of the lounge. Shaking hands with the Pakistani officials, Nachiketa gave them a winning smile. He then crossed over to his motherland at 5:15 pm. ``Are you fine Nachiketa?'' shouted a voice from the crowd. ``I am fine,'' he replied.

Even as the BSF officials tried to prevent the crowds from raising any slogans, cries of ``Bharat Mata ki Jai'' and ``Nachiketa zindabad'' rent the air.