“What’s that? “ I asked my buddy (a sepoy). A tracer round fired on me had just landed on the river beside me. “Sahab let jao!!!!!! Shouted my buddy (a sepoy). In the next wink of an eye, bullets were flying left, right and centre of my body. Some flew just an inch away from my ear, echoing the sound of its movement and landing on the river next to me. The firers were firing at me and my buddy from a dominating position and leaving no scope of movement, not even an increase of an inch of my body position to look at the direction where the bullets were coming from. Both of us slide towards the river and was taking cover, but the firing was still continuing. What were the thoughts that came to my mind at that moment??? One I didn’t lose my consciousness in believing in God, I was remembering Him and in Him I surrendered myself and the life of the buddy who was with me.
We crawled for around 300 meters to reach to a safer place, but still the bullets were not stopping. It was more than 200 rounds of volley of bullets that were being fired on me. HE was protecting me and HE had protected me. Was it that I followed all the basic skills that was taught during our training at the Academy? Was it that the firers were incompetent that not a single bullet could hit the target? Was it that whatever it was, as we used to accept to Destiny that the time was not ripe for me to go from mother Earth? I still don’t have the answer, just accepted that it was His will.
Later on when I stepped into the civil zone, people who discovered about my past profession always put this first question on me ‘How many people have you killed?’ At times it did really bewilder me how such a crappy question can crop up on their mind as if my sole intention of being in Army was to kill people. I used to answer that fortunately or unfortunately that wherever I was, there was only Peace; I was chosen by God to spread Peace, a messenger of PEACE.
When I narrated this firing incident back home, one they thank God for making me alive ,second all my family members , esp my dad started comparing me with that of a gold and iron , where all these metals come to their true original strength and beauty only when undergoing or exposed to the wrath of fire. I did find truth in it.
Undeniably yes, it did make me stronger and of course made me understand living life better. The aftermath of the incident made a sudden U turn in my life and shaped it in such a manner that I must enjoy and celebrate every moment of my life. Celebrate every moment of life has become my funda in life. What’s there to sulk in life, or is it really worth it to let some beautiful moments slip by in front of our own eyes just because of some imperfections. A big NO. Treasure every moment, make merry, create harmony with the people who matters the most in our life, that’s living life in the most beautiful way, coz life is beautiful and everything depends on the way we take it.
Friday, August 20, 2010
Mentoring- Develop people
1. “Sahab English sikhao”, my buddy (sepoy) used to tell me. It happened with the soldiers of Garhwal Rifles and with VIKAS, two prestigious organizations I had the opportunity to serve with in my short span of 6 years. In the process I learnt Hindi/Garhwali and Tibetan. I could not speak even a single word of Hindi when I landed at OTA Chennai (Officers Training Academy). Being exposed only to Northeast and the limited hindi movies that I watched , life was quite miserable when I had to undergo the ordeal of those weapon training classes conducted by NCOs( Non commissioned officers) in the fastest delivery of hindi language. Coincidentally, my roomie was another namuna like me, a Thambi, Sriniwas, who too had not spoken a single word of the language before coming to OTA. He was senior to me in the roll number, so he was the one who was always to open his trap in front of the seniors whenever we go for the fall in where we have to give report in Hindi. At times we just stood there as we forgot the dialogue to speak.
2. I was one of the few sincere ones who never used to sleep inside the class during the tough Army training days. But, I swear I didn’t understand a single word of those weapon training classes. Abhay Parekh( who’s no more, May his soul rest in peace) used to explain it in the room and the favour was I had to offer him two singhara and a mazza for every lecture that he explained.
3. During my first posting when we were deployed at semi field location, I had ample time to interact with my soldiers. My Commanding Officer, Col Shivinder had identified 5 sharp soldiers who had the potential to become officers. They could appear ACC (Army Cadet College). If cleared the written and the interviews, they could become officer straightaway from soldiers. I was given this responsibility to groom them within 90 days time.
4. All 5 of them were graduates from the remotest villages of Uttaranchal. They could manage with some tuta-futa English. I spent the first two days to understand where exactly they were standing and vocabularies that I had to use to start with them. On the third day, I understood my task and went to Pathankot market to purchase NCERT books of class 3 to class 12. I devoted each week to one particular class. So, from the fourth day onwards, I started teaching them class 3 books of English, mathematics, all books. They showed great enthusiasm and that really made me moving faster to accumulate for more teaching aids.
5. All 5 of them were progressing by leaps and bounds. We gave them minimal duty hours but I was surprised to find them studying at odd hours when they were on duty. Those days I must have spent more than 14 hours with them. I became more interested and excited seeing their enthusiasm and hunger for knowledge. As we approached fourth week, they started speaking somewhat correct fluent English. Seeing this progress, my CO (Commanding Officer) gave them an opportunity to present a speech on every Saturday during the winding up of officers’ conference. For this I made them learn by heart the speech with quotations from competition success. Each one of them took extra pain to show their best and the results were obviously conspicuous. Once we progress after 7 standard books, I was progressing myself as much as they were learning it.
6. One day I had gone for field firing practice at far off place and I reached my room by 2330 hrs. What surprised me most was that they were still studying outside my room with the blackboard and all teaching aids fully supplemented. I was fully drained out firing too many rounds of rocket launchers and all weapons. Seeing the fire in their belly in not missing their day’s class made me forget my dinner and the very much needed bath. I too continued with their day’s iota of learning.
7. 3 of them cleared the written part however got stuck up in the interviews. That itself was an achievement and it gave them mountains of confidence. Shortly after that we left for United Nation peacekeeping at Lebanon. Two of them were chosen to be the personal aide of the Force Commander, a Maj General from France. That was their reward and recognition in highest form.
2. I was one of the few sincere ones who never used to sleep inside the class during the tough Army training days. But, I swear I didn’t understand a single word of those weapon training classes. Abhay Parekh( who’s no more, May his soul rest in peace) used to explain it in the room and the favour was I had to offer him two singhara and a mazza for every lecture that he explained.
3. During my first posting when we were deployed at semi field location, I had ample time to interact with my soldiers. My Commanding Officer, Col Shivinder had identified 5 sharp soldiers who had the potential to become officers. They could appear ACC (Army Cadet College). If cleared the written and the interviews, they could become officer straightaway from soldiers. I was given this responsibility to groom them within 90 days time.
4. All 5 of them were graduates from the remotest villages of Uttaranchal. They could manage with some tuta-futa English. I spent the first two days to understand where exactly they were standing and vocabularies that I had to use to start with them. On the third day, I understood my task and went to Pathankot market to purchase NCERT books of class 3 to class 12. I devoted each week to one particular class. So, from the fourth day onwards, I started teaching them class 3 books of English, mathematics, all books. They showed great enthusiasm and that really made me moving faster to accumulate for more teaching aids.
5. All 5 of them were progressing by leaps and bounds. We gave them minimal duty hours but I was surprised to find them studying at odd hours when they were on duty. Those days I must have spent more than 14 hours with them. I became more interested and excited seeing their enthusiasm and hunger for knowledge. As we approached fourth week, they started speaking somewhat correct fluent English. Seeing this progress, my CO (Commanding Officer) gave them an opportunity to present a speech on every Saturday during the winding up of officers’ conference. For this I made them learn by heart the speech with quotations from competition success. Each one of them took extra pain to show their best and the results were obviously conspicuous. Once we progress after 7 standard books, I was progressing myself as much as they were learning it.
6. One day I had gone for field firing practice at far off place and I reached my room by 2330 hrs. What surprised me most was that they were still studying outside my room with the blackboard and all teaching aids fully supplemented. I was fully drained out firing too many rounds of rocket launchers and all weapons. Seeing the fire in their belly in not missing their day’s class made me forget my dinner and the very much needed bath. I too continued with their day’s iota of learning.
7. 3 of them cleared the written part however got stuck up in the interviews. That itself was an achievement and it gave them mountains of confidence. Shortly after that we left for United Nation peacekeeping at Lebanon. Two of them were chosen to be the personal aide of the Force Commander, a Maj General from France. That was their reward and recognition in highest form.
when she cried I cried and I smiled when she smiled-Meeting my primary school teacher after 23 years
The ‘She’ here is the teacher who taught me when I was in class IV in the year 1987. She’s called Lina Ghissing, the beautiful meticulous immaculately dressed lady from Darjelling who got married to a Manipuri guy. We knew only this much during our school days. She was flawless; the most feared one, the strictest disciplinarian, never biased to anybody. All students do her homework, learnt all the lessons well, and scored good marks. She taught us good music too. Her handwriting can be kept in the museum for ages as one of the best calligraphs.
Few months back, I learnt that Ma’am Lina had settled at Delhi. It was Fr. George, our ex principal who shared this precious information. Since then I had a desire to meet her the moment I got an opportunity to visit Delhi. I visited Ma’am‘s place on 13 July at Mehrauli, NewDelhi. I was pacing faster when I was moving from ground floor to the fourth floor at her apartment as the desire to see her grew stronger.
Lo! I was stunned when she opened the door, I could never describe that feeling, happiness, excitement, joyous, the curiosity to know what had happened to her during these last 23 years, all the beautiful adjectives that could supplement great feelings can be captured here. The first thing I noticed and told her was that I was seeing her wearing salwar kameez for the first time in my life. As much as she was good in her teachings, she was equally well dressed. She looked the best in saris, and every new day she would wear beautiful different saris. During our conversation, this topic did come up, the necessity to come neat and tidy as she was expecting the same attributes from her students. She believed teaching by example, a live example of practice what you preach.
As much as I was excited in meeting her, the response and feeling was the same from her too. The room sounded like full of excitements and happiness because of the excitements of the meeting of these two long lost like minded individuals. I was in awe of her because of the standards and principles that she lived up to and she too was catching up of all the developments and progresses of her pupils, and like the headline news of a newspaper, she too was getting exciting news about the achievement of her students and that really pleased her beyond limit.
‘I have made breakfast for you, in fact I was waiting for you to have breakfast together till 9 o clock’, said she. Oh, I promised to be at her place by 8.30 am and somehow I reached at 10.30am. The moment I saw what was laid at the table for breakfast, there were uncontrollable tears in my eyes. I had not expected that she would put in that much effort for me. I mean and I told her that it was my reward and recognition from her in true form.
Being a concerned teacher, we discussed about other students. She was a bit shy to talk to when I handed over the phone for her to talk to RK Basanta , designation Deputy Conservator of Forest( Chandigarh), currently working on deputation with Govt. of Punjab in department of Tourism as Executive Director, Eco Tourism. In fact she did know everything about RK Basanta. I later on let her speak to Dr.Swasticharan who is the chosen one to have an opportunity to work with WHO and has been contributing majorly to the world in his field of domain. He represented India as WHO observer for Mass Gathering in FIFA. I was keenly observing her when she was talking to two of her past pupils who have placed themselves so high in life. There were smiles and excitement on her face and at the same time, her eyes were filled with tears. When I saw the tears in her eyes, there were tears in my eyes too, and seeing her smiling over the interesting topics, I too was smiling. She was beamed with pride that all her students are doing so very exceedingly good in life.
I spent 2 hours meaningfull time with her and there was not even a single moment of silence. She was narrating all her inspirational stories, how she had struggled in life adjusting to a new state , a different culture, to be accepted as a dutiful daughter in law, a daughter, a wife, a mother and a respectable teacher. Currently Ma’am is working religiously as a 24* 7 grandma, taking care of them and helping them with their homework. She still speaks the most beautiful English with the sweetest voice that I requested her that she can be extremely successful as a newscaster. We have to persuade her to utilize her immense talents and in due course of time she’s willing to work from home, maybe writing articles, writing a book etcetera.
Then she handed over the microphone to me, I have told you my stories and now let’s hear yours, she told me. Whew, where do I start? I summed it up that I too am a strict disciplinarian in life, that whatever she had done in her capacity utilizing all the core moral values, I too am doing or rather replicating the same thing. Besides that I told her that I don’t believe in being a gold medalist or getting the best degrees but rather I would be glad if I can apply the basic things that I have learnt from life and contribute majorly for the cause of the society at large, benefitting the social and human beings. And that ,at any point of time, I can handle from prince to pauper because of my upbringing and the exposure I have had as a Bosconian, ‘Love thy neighbour as you love yourself’.
When I was about to leave , she came down all the way till the road, she did tell me that as much as I have accepted her breakfast as highest form of reward and recognition, she too did take my visit as her GURU DAKSHINA. Then there were smiles in our lips and tears in our eyes…I can never forget this meeting in my life…
Few months back, I learnt that Ma’am Lina had settled at Delhi. It was Fr. George, our ex principal who shared this precious information. Since then I had a desire to meet her the moment I got an opportunity to visit Delhi. I visited Ma’am‘s place on 13 July at Mehrauli, NewDelhi. I was pacing faster when I was moving from ground floor to the fourth floor at her apartment as the desire to see her grew stronger.
Lo! I was stunned when she opened the door, I could never describe that feeling, happiness, excitement, joyous, the curiosity to know what had happened to her during these last 23 years, all the beautiful adjectives that could supplement great feelings can be captured here. The first thing I noticed and told her was that I was seeing her wearing salwar kameez for the first time in my life. As much as she was good in her teachings, she was equally well dressed. She looked the best in saris, and every new day she would wear beautiful different saris. During our conversation, this topic did come up, the necessity to come neat and tidy as she was expecting the same attributes from her students. She believed teaching by example, a live example of practice what you preach.
As much as I was excited in meeting her, the response and feeling was the same from her too. The room sounded like full of excitements and happiness because of the excitements of the meeting of these two long lost like minded individuals. I was in awe of her because of the standards and principles that she lived up to and she too was catching up of all the developments and progresses of her pupils, and like the headline news of a newspaper, she too was getting exciting news about the achievement of her students and that really pleased her beyond limit.
‘I have made breakfast for you, in fact I was waiting for you to have breakfast together till 9 o clock’, said she. Oh, I promised to be at her place by 8.30 am and somehow I reached at 10.30am. The moment I saw what was laid at the table for breakfast, there were uncontrollable tears in my eyes. I had not expected that she would put in that much effort for me. I mean and I told her that it was my reward and recognition from her in true form.
Being a concerned teacher, we discussed about other students. She was a bit shy to talk to when I handed over the phone for her to talk to RK Basanta , designation Deputy Conservator of Forest( Chandigarh), currently working on deputation with Govt. of Punjab in department of Tourism as Executive Director, Eco Tourism. In fact she did know everything about RK Basanta. I later on let her speak to Dr.Swasticharan who is the chosen one to have an opportunity to work with WHO and has been contributing majorly to the world in his field of domain. He represented India as WHO observer for Mass Gathering in FIFA. I was keenly observing her when she was talking to two of her past pupils who have placed themselves so high in life. There were smiles and excitement on her face and at the same time, her eyes were filled with tears. When I saw the tears in her eyes, there were tears in my eyes too, and seeing her smiling over the interesting topics, I too was smiling. She was beamed with pride that all her students are doing so very exceedingly good in life.
I spent 2 hours meaningfull time with her and there was not even a single moment of silence. She was narrating all her inspirational stories, how she had struggled in life adjusting to a new state , a different culture, to be accepted as a dutiful daughter in law, a daughter, a wife, a mother and a respectable teacher. Currently Ma’am is working religiously as a 24* 7 grandma, taking care of them and helping them with their homework. She still speaks the most beautiful English with the sweetest voice that I requested her that she can be extremely successful as a newscaster. We have to persuade her to utilize her immense talents and in due course of time she’s willing to work from home, maybe writing articles, writing a book etcetera.
Then she handed over the microphone to me, I have told you my stories and now let’s hear yours, she told me. Whew, where do I start? I summed it up that I too am a strict disciplinarian in life, that whatever she had done in her capacity utilizing all the core moral values, I too am doing or rather replicating the same thing. Besides that I told her that I don’t believe in being a gold medalist or getting the best degrees but rather I would be glad if I can apply the basic things that I have learnt from life and contribute majorly for the cause of the society at large, benefitting the social and human beings. And that ,at any point of time, I can handle from prince to pauper because of my upbringing and the exposure I have had as a Bosconian, ‘Love thy neighbour as you love yourself’.
When I was about to leave , she came down all the way till the road, she did tell me that as much as I have accepted her breakfast as highest form of reward and recognition, she too did take my visit as her GURU DAKSHINA. Then there were smiles in our lips and tears in our eyes…I can never forget this meeting in my life…
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