Command is not a transitory Appointment-1.
Colonel Ganesan was not one of the Army officer who was dreaming of army life and physically and mentally prepared from very young age.Being a village lad he was physically very strong with excellent stamina and high flexibility of body and mind.When he became an Army officer accidently,he had capitalised those qualities to suit his career.
Even though he was not a brilliant student in academics, he left no stone unturned to learn the Military law and Army regulations.Most of the people who had no knowledge about Army and its functioning had created an imaginary world by them self and happy with that.But in reality it is not so .Because the Defence service ,by itself is a separate world . Even those people serving in one branch of it may not know in detail about the functioning of other branches.
Under these circumstances,He was commissioned as Emergency Commission Officer.The officership in the Army consists of Regular,short service,special list and Emergency commissioned officers.With in the category of Regular officers,there are N D A entry,Direct entry,Technical entry,ACC.It is needless to explain that each category has a place of pride.Even with in N D A entry,there are sainik school entry,Military school entry,ordinary +2 entry and ofcourse the cream layer R I M C entry.
With such a vast difference in the background,the officer group is a conglomeratory mix and it will be a tough job for the Commanding Officer to assess the leadership quality of each officer and recommend them for higher appointments.In the Diving competition in swimming events,the diver selects and executes a particular dive with different degree of difficulty.A dive with zero degree of difficulty and a dive with 3 degree of difficulty has to be appropriately assessed.
In the same way an Emergency commissioned officer with no Army background knowledge and an R I MC trained NDA entry officer has to be suitably inspired and motivated by the Commanding officer especially at the early stages of entry..During British rule, a number of indian soldiers were correctly identified and commissioned by British officers,who later became outstanding Army Commanders.
This quality of leadership training was lacking in the Army at present. Because of lack of such devoted leadership and easy going attitude many excellent caliber officers were wasted out.I take my personal case and put forward to the public to judge themself.The bond that develops between officer,Jawan,and the "spirit-de-Corps "cannot be explained but to be felt by each individuals.
The Officers of the Army are highly respected by Personnel Below Officer Rank (P B O R )With in six months of my service I was sent on road recce in high altitude area of UP-Tibet border.My team was myself,a surveyer,jeep with driver,enough resources for 4-5 days outings. At one stage ,there was no road and we came to a dead end.But My task was to find out the details beyond that.I decided to walk about 30 Km and reach other end.The driver will go back and take different route to come to other end and meet us there.Myself and surveyer will walk.With this plan, the next day we started.The driver left on his way.It was shivalik Ranges of Himalayas,and Kumaon hills.Complete claim upto 2.00 Oclock in the afternoon and then slowly going down.When the Sun goes down on other side of the hill, it gets dark even by 4.00 oclock evening.
It was getting darker and darker and destination was not in sight.I was dead tired.The surveyer was having about 10 years service and was used to Army way of tough training.We reached the destination in total darkness, and time may be 7 or 8 PM.There were two-three huts and a kerosine lamp was on.We reached there and as I could not stand,felldown on the floor.My assistant covered me with the blanket we were carrying.The driver has not reached,and I had no idea whether he will reach or not.In middle of night,I heard the sound, "Saheb ! Saheb !
It was the driver. !Get up Saheb ! I have reached safely.The surveyer was in panic and did not know what to do.As soon as I came ,we prepared parotta,fish curry and dall,I had bought fish en route,.I was given a bottle of whiskey by company Subedar saheb.. Please have one or two pegs.I will massage your legs with mustered oil and then wash with warm water .Morning you will be absolutely fit.
I was in a dream world and tears were bubling out of my eyes.Who are these people.? What have I done to them ? How they are showereing such boundless love and affection. Is that loyalty,Officer-PBOR relationship.Will I be worth to return that loyalty to them.?
On that day I decided that I will develop myself physically,mentally to be better than them,My professional competence will protect them like an Armour. In the officership I will stand second to none.
The honesty,integrity and uprightness was a self generated energy in my life.In the next few writings I will bring out few more incidents which will be unique in an Army Officer's life.
Contd.......
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