Friday, January 29, 2010

Respect to be earned, not the one to be demanded

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With Jawans I felt at home. They took lot of care on me. The first day itself they took me to show the entire unit. Also to the tailor shop stitching more uniform dresses, and to cobbler to fit my boots. 

Next day morning I attended the parade ground for PT.The day I spend with jawans in their routine duties. Night I had to visit all sentry posts and other key security location like “koth” (weapon store).I understood the way we have to check the guards in night duty. How we have to react while they challenge us before entering the restricted areas at night, where the area will have very low visibility. 

I had to do all the duties from gardener, lounger commander, section commander, CHM,CHQM.I used to take roll call,go to the lunger ,eat with jawans, monitor liquor issue, attend weapon cleaning session.I used to interact lot with Jawans. I tried to reach deep in to their mind, to understand their personal problems and their way of looking in to army life. This made me to have clear understanding about the men, I have to command. 

Once in a week we will have mandir parade. We pray with evenness whether it is mandir, gurudwara, church or mosque. Each unit will have one or more such places under their administration. The days with men, the kind of experience, enriched me and was a stepping stone for an insightful commanding of troops.

One most important principle, I had adopted in my life, I followed here also.” Respect ALL “.When ever I go to even to my junior’s office of any appointment, I salute them first before entering their office; even I am senior to him in rank. I respected his position, his role, his duty, his appointment. More than anything I respected him as a good human being .
Respect will come to you, if you respect others.Respect is not the one you do only to someone higher to you in some way, and it’s a way of life to keep relationships in high spirit. It has to flow in all directions. So we also can expect and get it. But for sure it’s not the thing that you demand and get only when you have power and authority. It should come naturally.Read more............

Monday, January 18, 2010

Don't lock horns with Seniors and never ever with Juniors


I came to know that my first unit had arranged a grand welcome to receive me at railway station.But luckily or unluckily ,I missed it.Its for sure that this kind of welcome into new unit will mix with some special experiences and incidents having some sort of embarrassment on waiting.I had informed the unit my expected time of arrival(ETA),so that i will reach one day prior to the joining date .I had to get down at a place in the main route and had to take another train to reach the railway station close to the unit.

Because of the main train in which I was coming got late ,the welcome program got canceled as they were not able to track me on what time I will reach.The first train, instead of early morning it reached in the noon time. Then I had to get down and wait for connecting train to travel about 45 minutes to reach the railway station where from my transport had been arranged to the unit. 

As those who were waiting to receive me had gone back after long waiting,as soon as I reached the railway station,I gave ring to the unit for transport.So they send a Jonga with a driver and other two Jawans to help me with my luggage.I was in mufti dress.The jawans identified me while I was waiting in the MCO waiting room.They greeted me and guided me to the vehicle.I was little vigilant and conscious on the movement of these people came to receive me.

When two of them lifted my luggage and moved ahead of me,i was little suspicious that whether it will reach me on time.As there is a fair chance to fool me for sometime,its too common while joining in new unit,as I heard from the academy.Sometimes senior officers themselves will come in jawan's dress to check how we behave with jawans and react in particular situations etc...and so I presumed that anything can happen with me also. 


But this time I escaped from such situations,thanks to the late running trains.Officers had planned for something like that to me in the morning,but they got engaged in some other works at the time i reached in the railway station.However when I joined my technical unit after attachment with this unit in the field,I couldn't miss this event.Those interesting incidents I will narrate to you in some other time. 


On the way the driver had driven the vehicle in very high speed. I sensed he want to scare me and want to check how i will react to it. He might have eager to know the grit of his officer who is going to command him ,especially in difficult times.

Immediately I reached the unit,I had to change in OG dress and was marched up to the commanding officer.He interviewed me.He gave me some advice and told me the importance of technical officers for doing attachment with infantry units.He felt that then only technical officers can understand the real time problems of field army for getting the repair , recovery and other technical support for the vehicles and equipments used during the war.From this I can understand the hardship of users,so that when they come for our support I can handle them in right perspective. 


As per the tradition of the unit, I had to stay with jawans in the barrack and should dine with them with the food from" lungar" and should work as one of them for few weeks before move in to Officer's Mess. 




with the Company Havildar Major(CHM) in front of the barrack ,I stayed with my Jawans




A Soldier's faith is that "I am here to serve in the unit, serve the nation. Its my duty and the role that I selected to perform.So there is no place for any ego with any one,no internal friction with anyone for anything.Happy to flourish in my role at the best.Better avoid any stalemate with people around us,whatever may be the levels in which they are.Hence new avenues are opened to go ahead and to lead a purposeful life." This kind of a soldier's mindset will be a very good example to follow for every human beings in this world.Read more....

Tuesday, January 12, 2010

Changes are sure ; so go well with that



In my first unit after commissioned in to Indian Army



After the passing out parade in Officers Training Academy (OTA) in Chennai, I went home for three weeks leave before joining the new unit. Even though I was commissioned in a technical corps,I had to go for an attachment with infantry,the direct fighting troops in the field.So it became the first unit with which I served in Army.It was a Battalion ; of mixed troops having one company each Dogras, Garhwali ,Madrasies(South Indians) and Assamies(North East) ;The Daring Dozen. I had to join the unit after the leave at a place in Rajasthan. I took Train from Trichur to Ahmedabad and to the destination.Even after two days tiredness in train travel ,I had n't left my grit to land in the new unit with full energy. Read on......


Monday, January 4, 2010

Wish you all a very HAPPY NEW YEAR 2010

I personally wish each one of you ,those who visit this blog site, and your family and friends a very happy and fruitful year 2010.Most of us too often so pre-occupied with destination and forget to enjoy the journey.Our Life is a journey.Not from birth to death,its a journey from one goal to another goal.The goal makes the life meaningful.You would have set some goals for the year 2009,now you have to review and reset the goals for the year 2010 and to continue the journey.All the best. Read on............