Target seeking missiles. 

“A mind needs books as a sword needs a whetstone, if it is to keep its edge.”  For most people, nothing beats the feeling you get when you cozy up on your couch with a book in hand. A good book can transport you into a world you didn’t know existed. As the quote goes, “you open a book, you open a new world.” There are several genres of books ranging from educational, thrillers, motivational; the list goes on. The good thing is, almost all books are nowadays available in soft copies and audio form. Maybe you prefer the smell of pages as you peruse a book? Or the convenience reading from your phone brings? These are the main basic points of importance of books.

                Books play a significant role in our life. ... For the majority of people, books are part of their everyday life. A book is like a best friend who will never walk away from you. Books are packed with knowledge, insights into a happy life, life lessons, love, fear, prayer and helpful advice.

                  With this introduction I am going to give you some points about one of the book I had written."Target seeking Missiles"The book had been published in tamil "இலக்கைத் தேடும் ஏவுகணைகள் . 

                Right from young age I was seeking knowledge from all 360 degree and with out any discrimination.Many times I had taken detailed notes from those books with publication address,so that I can buy them whenever resources permit.In many books the author would have given cross reference  of some other books.That too I had taken note.

                      As I have been repeatedly writting and speaking that your thought process will open so many roads less travelled ,my restless search for knowledge brought me a book titled "PSYCHO-CYBERNETICS by Maxwell Malts.The opening sentence itself says, "Discovery of self image represents a breakthrough in psychology and the field of creative personality."

                         Moving to the nooks and corner of this country in official capacity and indepth study of good books certainly widened my pespective and my performance in executing a simple and petty job had its own unique identifications.we may not be destined to do great things in life ,but we can certainly do small things in grand style.Suppose a dinner for 10 people are to be arranged, there has to be a difference between an un educated  cook organising it and a catering graduate organising it.

                       My life and performances had been like that only.

               I had written about 10 books,mostly in Tamil.But for the benifit of wider readers forum I do give short description of the tamil book.This book "Target seeking missiles " is about my experience from 10 th year of service till my retirement.A Genral officer (Major General,commanded an Infantry Division ) who could read Tamil ,expressed great satisfaction after going through the book.He felt that if some one could translate it into english using his spiritual and phylosophical knowledge, the book will certainly go into world records.

                        Let us see the contents of the book.

  1.Maj gen M E A Krishnan,AVSM,who retired as G O C in C of  Madhyapradesh,Bhihar,Orissa Area had written a forward.

 2.Maj Gen J J Manavalan, who was one of the company commander under my command had written a general note ,"The  Society and the Army service.'"

3.Then the book starts.

           There are 21 chapters in the book.Each chapter brings out a phylosophical story before entering into the main event.Almost all the titles of the chapters are taken from Tamil litratures like Thirumanthiram,Pura nanooru, Subramanya Bharathi's poetry etc. 

                Let us take one chapter;Chapter no.15.

            Not a businessman,concerned about loss or gain.

          A scene from the kingdom era.The younger brother of the king cunningly de thrown the king and takes over the kingdom.The king goes underground and hides in the jungle.The younger brother who is ruling the kingdom announces price for the head of the king. 

                     

                              The king by name Kumanan was very liberal and was giving  boundless gifts to poor and needy ones.In those days  wandering poets goes to king and recites poetry in praise of the king and gets good booty in return.Now here the king is hiding in the forest.But still his generosity does not stop.A poet meets the king in the forest and sings in praise of him.But the king is helpless.He takes the sword and gives it to the poet and tells like this " My brother who is ruling the country now has announced 1 Lakh Rupees for my head.you please cut my head and go to my brother and take the gift.

                 Well ! That was one scene.Let us see another one.

        A poet goes to a kingdom and narates a poetry in praise of the king.The king was in his darbar.without meeting the poet he directs his assistant to offer suitable gift to the poet .The poet revolts in anger and says ,"  I  am not doing a bussiness of reciting poetry in praise of the king.I am whole heartedly in appreciationg of his governing the country and hence this poetry.Without even meeting me if the king feels that I am a begger for the gits,Please keep the gift to yourself.I am looking towards his understanding and appreciation.The poet refused to accept the gift and walks away.

                     After such elaborate warming up the event starts.

               During July-August 1984 ,4 Engineer Regiment was Div Engineer Regiment of 5 Mountain Division.The role of the Division was defence of Kameng Division of Arunachal Pradesh.One of the Brigade was at Area  Point 4770 ( Altitude in meter ).The location was not connected by road.It used to be 2 days marching with a night halt staging camp at half way.Once a party of 5 soldiers were going to Brigade location.The started at foot hill in the morning and only 4 of them reached the night staging camp.The 5 th one who was walking upto lunch time was slowly lagging behind.It was getting dark in the evening.But the 4 members ,who walked fast reached the camp and the 5 th one was missing.The whole Brigade went in search of him but could not be found.

                    The court of enquiry headed by a Brigadier declared him as "Deserter "and closed the file.The G O C countersigned the proceedings.

                 Colonel Ganesan took over Command of 4 Engineer Regiment in Nov 1984.The file was received by the Regiment for taking further action.Because the missing parson was in possession of Govt Properties including one 7.62 SLR Rifile.

                 Colonel Ganesan was known in Army circle as one of the toughest officer.He went through the file.A person with approximate 30 kg weight was claiming hill to reach 4770m height.After a days climb he was weak and not able to be with other 4 members to reach the night halt camp. The court of enquiry says that he is a deserter.That means that he ran away.How could it be.?

                      In Army language Deserter means a person who abandoned his post and runs away.It is an offence under Army act.But a person who could not even walk,how he can dis appear. Colonel Ganesan started going into greater details.Once a person is declared deserter,his salary,family allottment if any stops.The unit is burdoned with loss of Govt properties including Rifle.

                     But if the person is declared "Missing " the entire scenerio changes.Both Deserter and Missing gives the same physial absence of the person.But there is lot of difference administatively.Once individual is declared deserter,everyone gets away putting the entire blame on the individual.But if he is declared "Missing " everybody is under pressure to know what happened to him.

         After a thoruogh study and walking to the point where the individual was last seen,and discussing with Indo Tibetian Border Police  and local heads.Colonel Ganesan prepared an application addressed to the Adjutant General of the Army.The court of enquiry was returned un accepted with a recommendation that the indvidual should be declared as Missing and not ' Deserter.

                             The G O C 5 Mountain Division under whom Colonel Ganesan was serving has countersigned the proceedings and closed the file.But the new Commanding Officer of 4 Engineer Regiment did not accept the remarks and re opened the file with a letter to Adjutant Genral of the Army.

                 Does this happen anywhere ? What will be the future of the officer who went against the G O C s remark .?

               Colonel Ganesan is a different type of officer.He feels that our Distinction do not lie in the places we occuppy.But in the Grace and Dignity with which we fill them.

                The application went through proper channel with all remarks of 5,Mtn Div,IV Corps,Eastern Command and reached Army Head quarters.In between Colonel Ganesan faced all the fire.But finally Adjutant Genera returned the file with the remarks ,Commanding Officer Colonel Ganesan's view is accepted and the proceedings be re done and declare the individual as "Missing "

                 This is one of the chapter in the book.