Achchappa, serving as a
jawan in the
British Indian Army in
Burma, is injured while the
World War II is raging. He is tended to by a nurse, Lieutenant Annapurna. She also hails from the same region in
Karnataka as he,
Coorg. They fall in love with each other and get married after the end of the war. Achchappa returns to work leaving Annapurna, who has now quit her job, with her in-laws; father-in-law Belliappa has retired as a
havaldar. Annapurna gives birth to a son, Veeraraju, but childbirth complications lead to her uterus being removed to save her life, leaving her unable to bear another child. In 1952, Achchappa stationed in
Korea, is transferred to India's
Rajasthan. Having been away from home for a few years now, he longs to see his young son. His wife and son travel to meet him in Rajasthan's desert, where he currently stationed. An
airstrike by the enemy takes Veeraraju's life before Achchappa gets to see him. Achchappa and Annapurna are aggrieved; Annapurna rejoins the army as a nurse. Despite her insistence, Achchappa refuses to remarry for the sake of having another child. They remain faithful to each other as years pass by. They also ensure that their parents back home are not made known about their son's death. Achchappa, now a
Major, trains young cadets in the
Indian Military Academy,
Dehradun. Not having met him and his family for over ten years, his aged parents come over to see them. A guilt-ridden Annapurna reveals to them about their son's death and Achchappa's unwell mother dies from the shock. Meanwhile, another war has broken out and Achchappa is sent to India's snow-covered border region with his troop. His troop and he are captured by the enemy and taken to their territory, and are tortured to reveal a certain military secret. However, Achchappa refuses to give in and endures the pain inflicted. In his troop is a young and promising soldier,
Naik Mohan, who Achchappa treats as his son. The two manage to escape into India's territory but are mortally wounded. Achappa dies there while his protégé dies in the army hospital, before revealing to Annapurna, now a Major, about the former's death. Achchappa is given a
state funeral back home, while Annapurna loses her sanity. == Cast ==