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.
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