Brother Officer

Service camaraderie travels farther than one can imagine.

Wing Commander Ranjit Singh Mann left early. But he knew of his inevitable early departure. Very thoughtfully, he had prepared his family, Mrs Mann in particular, for life after he was gone. He trained her and left her an unwritten SOP to go by. So, when he finally departed, there was only the vacuum to be dealt with, most other aspects of life had been taken care of. Mrs Mann stayed in their flat in Gurugram for a few years before she moved to Bathinda to occupy their house which was being eyed by vultures in the absence of the owner. She did well on that front; had a good grip on evolving situations in which most people would buckle. Life moved on.

When faced with a health concern that could be addressed better in Delhi than in Bathinda, she sought an appointment in Max Saket and travelled to Delhi. What followed was not covered in her SOP. I was a silent witness to it.

Conscious of the heavy traffic and parking woes, we started from my home with sufficient cushion time. That consideration paid off because we found a parking slot far away from the main building. I felt sorry for Mrs Mann who had to walk a long distance on a dusty, uneven pathway between haphazardly parked cars. Nearing noon, the sun was adding to her woes.

Mrs Mann was to travel to the US shortly. Back in Bathinda she had been advised to undergo surgery related to varicose veins. Since she didn’t have much time in hand, she wanted to seek a second opinion and undergo the surgery if mandated by the specialist at Max Hospital.

When we reached the reception just about in time, we were told that it was not Dr Kumud Rai’s OPD day. The Principal Director of Vascular Surgery Department was not seeing patients.

“But I have a confirmed appointment with him,” said Mrs Mann, a bit rankled.

“If that be so, you can see him in the adjoining building,” advised the receptionist.

Unaware of the golf cart facility available at Max, we trudged about half a kilometre, part in the sun and part through winding corridors in the hospital buildings to reach the location. There, at another reception, was a long queue of patients registering their names to meet different specialists. I could see mercury rising in Mrs Mann’s head as we kept crawling forward. We were more than half an hour behind the slotted time with Dr Kumud Rai.

Mrs Mann exploded when our turn came and the receptionist told us that the registration for the ECHS Card holders was at a different location. Going there, registering and then reporting to the specialist would mean that we would be late by more an hour.

“We have been running from pillar to post for more than 40 minutes. Somebody should have guided us through this maddening maze.” Mrs Mann raised her voice.

The receptionist stood silent. Her eyes seemed to say, “I am sorry Ma’am. But that’s the way it is. Registration for ECHS is where it is… for your own convenience.”

Agitated, she dialled Dr Kumud Rai directly to give the specialist a piece of her mind. I smelt trouble and requested her to hand me her mobile. I was expecting a female voice at the other end.

“Hello, Dr Kumud Rai here.” I took a long second to realise that Kumud could be a male name too.

Then without wasting another moment, I delivered the monologue, which I had prepared seconds before and rehearsed too.

“Good afternoon, Dr Rai, I am Group Captain Chordia. I have come with Mrs Mann to Max. She had an appointment with you about half an hour ago. We were in the hospital premises on time but we have been wandering around cluelessly, still trying to register. I’ll be grateful if you could help us out.”

“Okay, I am handing the phone to my assistant. Please tell him where you are. He’ll send someone to assist you.” Dr Rai was busy as we could see.

Very soon, one of the hospital staff came and helped us clear the red tape and, before I could say ‘Jack Robinson,’ we were face to face with Dr Rai.”

Mrs Mann had carried the baggage of our recent experience into the doctor’s chamber. “We have been running from pillar to post for an hour…” she let out a volley when she got an opportunity to speak to the doctor.

Dr Rai poured a bucket of freezing cold water on her, “Ma’am, please calm down. Group Captain Chordia has told me in great detail about the torture you seem to have gone through. Those were procedural requirements. Unfortunately, you were inconvenienced. Now, please tell me what your medical problem is?”

Mrs Mann narrated her condition and showed him her medical history. “Dr, I want to know if surgery is necessary as advised by the doctors in Bathinda. If yes, how soon can it be done? I want to leave for the US within next two months.”

Dr Rai scrutinised Mrs Mann’s reports and said, “Get that person to me who says you need surgery. You don’t need it. You can leave for the US fearlessly. I’ll only advise you to use compression stockings.”

“I am already using compression stockings,” said Mrs Mann.

“Custom-made ones are better. If you wish, you can order them here and they can be delivered to you in Bathinda in two days.” [Note: After we were done with Dr Rai, we met a specialist who took measurements and the compression stockings were delivered to Mrs Mann in Bathinda.]

Dr Rai was interrupted a few times while he dealt with Mrs Mann. He disposed of each matter summarily and with intent. He was multitasking efficiently without ignoring the patient in front of him.

“Anything else?” enquired Mrs Mann.

“I suggest an ultrasound to help us determine an even clearer course of action.”

“Can I get the ultrasound done today?” asked Mrs Mann.

“I am afraid, ultrasounds are done with appointment and there is a queue there too… wait, let me see.”

He dialled a number on his mobile and spoke to someone in the X-Ray and Ultrasound department. “How busy are you? Can you help me with an ultrasound? It’s a brother officer’s wife…”

I don’t remember what he said after that. But that last bit—‘It’s a brother officer’s wife…’—stayed in my head; kept echoing till he completed his call.

When he was through, I asked him if he had a service background.

“I took premature retirement as a Colonel,” he said.

For Mrs Mann and me, the atmosphere in the room changed instantly. The drudgery of the hour gone by was replaced by fresh fragrant mountain breeze.

I have always felt proud of my uniform—my service. Some occasions instil extra pride. This moment with Dr Kumud Rai was one of them.

Dr Rai not only saw Mrs Mann and examined her papers but also helped us get a priority appointment for the ultrasound. Mrs Mann didn’t have visit Max again to discuss the report with Dr Rai. The gentleman doctor saw the report and advised her on the phone.

A brother officer!

Golfing with Ashok*

Does handicap matter?

Last Monday, I had a remarkable round of golf. I played just nine holes and that, too, after a break of about six months. I had no pars, no birdies; four bogeys and some double bogeys. Besides, I lost two new balls during the round. Despite these apparent setbacks, what made the game immensely enjoyable was the company. I played with my own young self of 35 years ago. Let me call him ‘Ashok*’, for he was so different from me, the Ashok of today. Air Vice Marshal Sudhanshu Rath and Brigadier Dixit were the others who completed our four-ball.

Teeing off at six on a Monday morning at the Air Force Golf Course has a distinct advantage beyond the beautiful weather and calm of the early morning. There is less rush—the serving officers are back to work and many a golfer takes a break after a weekend of partying. As a spin-off, caddies are more easily available than on other days. There is that feeling of ownership of the golf course.

Ashok* gave me a questioning look when I teed up with a new Callaway golf ball on the first tee. Later, he asked me, “Why did you tee up with a new ball? Wasn’t that your putting ball?”

“I tee off with the best ball in my bag and I use the same for putting,” I told him.

“But that way, there is a greater possibility of losing a new ball.”

He wasn’t convinced when I told him that the aerodynamics of an old, worn-out ball are unpredictable and affect one’s game adversely in ways that one doesn’t even realise. I suggested he read my post on the putting ball. He gave me an I-told-you-so smile when, in the very next shot, I sent my ball into a palm tree, not to be seen again.

In contrast, Ashok* hit an old, chipped ball, hard and straight, down the long fairway. It veered to the right towards the end of its 220-yard flight and landed in the rough. The little extra time his caddie—a rookie who had begun caddying just three months ago—took to locate his ball annoyed him. “It seems I am caddying for this guy rather than he caddying for me,” Ashok* grumbled.

The rains had endowed the course with lush fairways, but they had also rendered the rough and the bunkers difficult to play. So, we had mutually agreed to play preferred lies through the course. Rath, Dixit and I improved our lies whenever we felt the need, but Ashok* was determined to play the ball as it lay—he wanted to stick to the rule book. His stickler-for-rules attitude cost him strokes and frustrated him. To vent his anger, he cursed his caddie for not knowing his job.

On the fifth green, lying about 10 feet from the pin, I asked my caddie, ritualistically, how the green was.

“Sir, it is medium.”

That answer made me laugh because, since I started playing golf in 1991, very few of my caddies have reported the greens to be slow or fast. ‘Medium’ is the safest bet. With that ‘tip’, I landed well short of the hole and took a peaceful three strokes to putt. I overheard Dixit’s caddie also reporting the green to be ‘medium’. Dixit, too, landed short and took two to putt. With another ‘medium’ report, Rath was able to execute a 6-foot putt. Seeing the two of us fall short and miss our putts, while Rath got his, Ashok*’s caddie was confused. He told him that, for the young golfer, the green was ‘slow’. So, our man hit hard, ended up well past the pin, and took four to putt. Obviously, Ashok* was utterly cheesed off, and rightly so—he was using a new putting ball with a line marked with a permanent marker for alignment.

Kabhi khushi, kabhi gham continued until we began walking to the ninth tee. Three of us were enjoying ourselves, but Ashok* was serious about his game and score. Lost in his thoughts, he inadvertently distracted another four-ball by walking across their fairway.

***…and don’t miss Ashok* in the pic.***

The tee shots of all three of us for the ninth hole were good. For the second shot, there was a water hazard between me and the green—about 150 yards from me. I was going to use a 7-wood, which gives me about 170 yards to land beyond the water hazard. Ashok*, standing next to me, suggested that I play safe: take an 8-iron and drop short of the hazard. I thanked him for the advice but didn’t heed it. My ball landed well beyond the water hazard. I missed out on a par and ended up with a bogey.

Rath and Dixit wanted to continue—play the back nine. Ashok*, rattled by the caddie, looked for another caddie for the back nine. He too decided to leave when he didn’t find a ‘good’ caddie.

In the parking area, when I bade goodbye to Ashok*, he responded with the usual niceties and asked me, “How long have you been playing golf?”

“Nearly 35 years.”

“Hmm…” He paused, gave me an inscrutable look, and continued, “And what’s your handicap?”

“My honesty,” I said, without batting an eye.

I am sure my younger self of 35 years ago, wouldn’t have understood me, for he continued, in a tone which sounded sermonising and cheering at the same time, “Although your scores aren’t anything to write home about, you play calmly, and you dare to experiment and choose difficult shots. How does that come so naturally to you?”

“Maybe because I belong to Generation Jones and learn from Gen Z,” I said as I drove off.

More Golf on Road Much Travelled

The Second-Best Thing About Playing Golf

The Putting Ball

Golf and Gandak

Guru Nanakji & Golf

Parliament & Champagne

If only the Parliament could stand for Champagne.

Lest there be misunderstanding—Champagne is not the bubbly drink made in France; he is the stray who has made my doorstep his home— living there for a dozen years, wagging his tail and biting me twice during that period.

Lest there be a bigger misunderstanding—this parliament being talked about is not the parliament of owls as one would construe it to be from the mention of a stray dog right in the beginning. This is about the Parliament where the elected representatives of the people are expected to sit and conduct the affairs of the country. Just ‘expected.’

A word about Champagne. I love him for he loves me too. And I bet his love is unconditional and purer than mine, despite the two courses of Rabipur vaccine he thrust upon me. He guards my house against ill-intentioned strangers. I believe he keeps away evil spirits too. We read each other’s minds. I confess that I had stolen his thoughts to write his (autobiographical) story five years ago. On numerous other occasions, I have ‘used’ him to simplify and explain everything from international relations to a complex country like China.

He is valuable to me—he doesn’t let the ink in my pen dry up.

Recently, around the time Parliament was supposed to be meeting for its monsoon session—but was adjourned, apparently for reasons for which no one can be held accountable—Champagne was badly hurt in a hit-and-run incident. He is now admitted in Noida Animal Shelter and Hospital, struggling for life.

[Author’s Note: Readers with a heart may pause here and offer a prayer for Champagne’s speedy recovery.]

My visits to that complex have been an eye-opener. I have been only to the areas meant for dogs. There are hundreds of them—mostly sick or wounded—barking, fighting. There is dirt; there is stench. The buildings are dilapidated; equipment and the very basic amenities and facilities are either damaged, in beyond-repair condition, or just not there. My impression was that the shelter was understaffed too. But during the time I spent at the shelter looking up Champagne on my several visits, I was amazed by the dedication of those on duty. In my assessment they were more dedicated and conscientious than the representatives mandated to work in the cosy comfort of the temple of democracy. Despite the dismal conditions, those people went about their duties. To me, they were as voiceless as the wretched curs they were serving and treating.

The monsoon session of the parliament got washed—certainly not by the rain. In the many debates taking place in the media, the cost of doing no-business is estimated at crores of rupees. If the same amount had been allocated to Noida Animal Shelter and Hospital, it’d have been better utilised—Champagne recovered, and we’d have said cheers!

PS: It being an animal matter, there was a suggestion to approach the cockroaches and ask them to rise in support of Champagne and others of his ilk. The brilliant idea had to be given up as soon as it was mooted, because the plates of the arthropods were full and they had become choosy—they had just rejected the idea of picking up the cudgels for the students of Bihar.

PPS: For readers interested, here are some posts in which I have exploited Champagne’s personal life for my motives…

Champagne

China’s Champagne Moment

Dealing with the Darned Dragon-V: Time to Kowtow?

Delhi’s Dogs of War

Stumbling on a Purpose at 60

About Condoms and Conflicts

Those born amid violence must inherit something better than its memory.

For long, very long indeed, I have maintained that in October 1947, it was the prompt action by the fledgling Indian Air Force, of airlifting the troops to Srinagar, that saved the Kashmir Valley from falling into the hands of the Pakistani raiders. Then, I came across the following view of Dominique Lapierre and Larry Collins in “Freedom at Midnight”:

“Curiously, it was not so much to military genius or to the energy and determination of their soldiers that the Indians would owe their initial success in Kashmir, as to fourteen French, Scottish, Spanish, Italian and Portuguese nuns of the Franciscan Missionaries of Mary. By pausing to sack their convent in the little city of Baramullah only 30 miles from Srinagar, when they should have been driving on the capital of Kashmir and its vital airfield, the Pathan raiders would end Jinnah’s dream of joining Jehangir’s beloved Vale to his nation. All day, Monday, 27 October, while the First Sikhs secured their fragile hold on Kashmir’s only airport, the Pathans in Baramullah were giving vent to their ancient appetites for rape and pillage. They violated the nuns, massacred the patients in their little clinic, looted the convent chapel down to its last brass door-knob. That evening, clutching her crucifix. and praying for ‘the conversion of Kashmir’, the convent’s Belgian, Mother Superior, Sister Mary Adeltrude, died of her wounds. Her sacrifice and that of her sister nuns and patients would not shake the hold of Islam on its ancient Kashmiri stronghold at the foot of the Himalayas. But they had given the soldiers of Jawaharlal Nehru the critical hours they needed to install themselves in the Vale of Kashmir.”

I don’t buy this view entirely. But, having read it, I do acknowledge the role of animal instinct of humans to satisfy their need for physical intimacy even in critical times.

Look at Gaza… that small stretch of land has been under heavy bombardment since October 7, 2023. At a time when survival is at stake, babies are still being born. The Gazans, (un-)like the invaders of Srinagar, have been satisfying their physical need. There is a difference though: the Gazans are not raping Palestinian women.

A large number of these babies birthing in the war zone are getting orphaned at birth. Also, many children who were born in the few years before October 7, 2023 have likewise, either died in the bombings, or have got maimed, or orphaned. Those who have died will end up as statistics in history books to be written by the victors. It is difficult though, at this point, to say who’ll be the victors: US-Israel or, China-Russia? Or, is it possible that there’ll be only losers in this conflict?

Today, one doesn’t need to consult a crystal-ball gazer to foretell what will happen of the children of Gaza (Iran, likewise). They will grow up with haunting memories. Some of them will lug grudges to their adulthood and smuggle them to other parts of the world. Smartest of customs and security at border posts will not be able to detect the ill-will they’ll carry in their minds and hearts. 9/11 was executed by such people. Who knows, the architects of 9/11 (2.0) might already have been born.

Could there have been a different future for the Gazans, and the world? May be, yes.

Last year President Donald Trump claimed that he had blocked a USD 50 m aid to Gaza meant for supply of condoms. According to him, Gazans were using them as balloons to float incendiary devices or explosives. This assertion about ‘bomb-making condoms’ was part of a larger, widely debunked claim regarding US foreign aid spending, highlighted by Trump’s press secretary Karoline Leavitt and further circulated by the media.

Had this US aid to Gaza not been stymied, perhaps lesser number of destined-(read ‘doomed’)-to-be-sad people’ would have taken birth. A Gazan might even have used the condoms to carry drinking water and thanked the Americans for giving them a chance to survive. Under the existing circumstances, the very assumption that Gazans are still left with incendiaries and helium gas to give shape to Trump’s fears, seems far-fetched.

Around the same time a media report warned: “West Asia war threatens condom shortage in India.” Priyanka Sharma in the MINT opined that hold up of some shipments would affect production of condoms in India adversely. Someone was fast to comment: “If the US does not pull out in time, Indians will have to learn to pullout in time.”

In the end, it is worth mulling: “Would the world have been a more peaceful place today, had the parents of some of today’s leaders been practicing celibacy or using condoms.

To conclude these random thoughts: “War does not suspend human nature; it exposes it. And perhaps the deeper question is not whether life should continue in times of conflict, but how the world can ensure that those born amid violence inherit something better than its memory.”

Comments

Air Mshl PK Roy PVSM, AVSM, VM, VSM (Veteran): Thanks for a thought provoking reflection on the enduring human cost of conflict. Beyond strategy and geopolitics, wars leave their deepest scars on children, whose memories often outlive the battles. Lasting peace demands not only ending wars but also breaking the cycle of inherited trauma and hatred.

Wing Commander Vijay Ambre (Veteran): Your latest blog about ” Condoms and Coflicts” made for interesting reading. Wars do bring out the worst in human beings ; but there are always a few very noble acts by some others.
The indoctrination and conversion of young boys and girls into extremists/terrorists to avenge the conceived wrongs done to their religion/nation is now quite common.
Yes ! The world would have been a much better place to live in, had the parents of some leaders had gone in for contraception.
Thanks!🙏

The Parting Shot

“Worry cuts deeper than the executioner’s blade.”

(this will soon be a proverb, if it isn’t already)

The date matters little. Suffice it to say, it was a few months after the Babri Masjid had dominated the headlines the world over. Kadu and I sat nervously on wooden stools in the Officers’ Mess bar of Air Force Administrative College (AFAC) awaiting a summons from the Commandant. We must have committed a grave crime. Why else would Air Commodore N Sundarajan assemble his team of Air Force law experts before calling us over to his residence on a Sunday evening? My legs dangling helplessly from the high stool gave me the eerie feeling that I was already hanging from the gallows. Kadu, the more daring of the two of us, appeared cool.

***

To cut a long story short…

We belonged to a batch of officers who had passed the written test for the prestigious Staff Course at DSSC Wellington and had been detailed to undergo the two-month-long Junior Commanders’ Course at the AFAC to fulfil a mandatory requirement. The genesis of our present misery lay in a failed attempt, a day before, to gate-crash a dinner party of the instructors. When we, a handful of trainee officers, approached them with a friendly gesture, we were shown the door. Politely, of course, “Sorry gentlemen, course officers are not permitted.” That snub sounded something like “Dogs and Indians….” Wounded, we withdrew.

A couple of drinks in the bar helped flush down that feeling of hurt, and replaced it with a gnawing desire to party anyway. Seven (or, was it nine? I don’t remember now) of us at different levels of ‘happiness’ got into Kadu’s car—a Premier Padmini which he had borrowed from a friend for the duration of the course—and landed at a dhaba. Yes, a dhaba in Coimbatore. During the dinner, someone came up with a bright idea, “Let’s pay a familiarisation visit to Staff College!”

Soon, we were on the road to DSSC Wellington singing a discordant chorus, “Hum honge kamyab ek din…”

I was the only teetotaller in the packed car and sensed trouble as soon as the wheels rolled. Kadu rejected outright, my meek plea to abandon the notion of driving on the winding road in the night. “Bloody para jumper! open the door and bail out of the car if you are scared,” he dared me mockingly. I withdrew gracefully because I knew my NDA course mate behind the wheel was in absolute control. He was finely attuned to the bottle-throttle relationship and was well below his ceiling.

The singing continued and euphoric comments kept coming until Kadu accidentally scraped an unlit road divider and screeched to a halt. In the next instant without a debate, there was consensus on returning to base. The resolution was accepted as if it were a bill for the revision of the pay and perks of the Members of the Parliament. There was a chorused “AYE!” Kadu applied a course correction, and I heaved a sigh of relief.

The guard on duty at the AFAC gate greeted and saluted as was his habit. He also took note of officers packed like sardines in that match-box of a noisy car. It was well past midnight.

Nearing the mess, Kadu performed a manoeuvre for which none of us was prepared. He executed a steep 163° turn to the left and drove straight into the driveway of the Commandant’s house. As if the car had been struck by lightning, the kamyabi song stopped half way. Everyone froze when Kadu stepped out of the car and rang the doorbell. What was Kadu up to—trying to wake the Commandant at an unearthly hour? We watched with mixed feelings as he returned when the doorbell remained unanswered for a good part of a minute.

“The Commandant is fast asleep. Let’s go.” Kadu said matter-of-factly as he flicked the ignition key. In an effort to reverse the car, he drove over two clay flower pots and toppled three others. In another minute we were in the parking of the trainee officers block. Quick goodbyes and everyone returned to their rooms.

Peace appeared precarious. If the portents were not ominous, they weren’t benign either.

***

The next day, a laidback Sunday, turned anxious when Kadu and I were informed that the Commandant wanted to see us at 1730h at his residence. So, there we were, the two of us waiting for the Commandant’s orderly to announce our entry.

In the hours gone by, people had conjured the worst consequences of our previous day’s demeanour. Without using the exact words, some declared that it fringed on un-officerlike behaviour. There was an opinions galore: “They might be sent back to their units.” “They might be rated very low in the JCC merit.” “The Commandant might recommend against their selection for the next Staff Course.” The doomsday scenario had been painted to perfection. By the time the Commandant’s messenger came to call us, I had convinced myself that the worst corners of the hell had been reserved for us.

This visit of ours to the Commandant’s House in AFAC was so different from the tea I had attended at the Commandant’s House years ago as a cadet at the NDA. Nothing here seemed to be good or pleasant. The Commandant, the two law experts and our own course senior were seated in a kind of square in the drawing room. It revived my memory of the only court martial I had ever attended—they looked like the jury. The two law experts somehow gave me the impression, that given an opportunity, they’d vomit the relevant Acts of the Air Force Law and tear us apart.

Mindfully, we braced up and wished the Commandant and the others a good evening and continued to stand at attention. We were not offered seats.

“What happened last night,” the Commandant said without a prelude.

Silence.

I was in a different world worrying about the near future. In my mind’s court I had repeated the following pledge the tenth time—“I swear to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth.”—when the Commandant literally growled, “Tell me, what happened.”

“Sir, last evening we gate-crashed a party in the Officers’ Mess. It was in the healthy tradition of the Air Force. But, we were sent back unceremoniously,” the words just flowed out. I waited a few seconds for ‘the-healthy-tradition-of-the-Air-Force’ to sink in. Then continued, “Thereafter we went out to have dinner.”

I paused again and looked at Kadu. He took over, “On return, following the same healthy tradition, we drove to your residence to call on you for a cup of coffee. On getting no response, we returned to our rooms. While reversing, I drove over some flower pots along your pathway. The damage to property was unintentional.”

Silence.

For what seemed to be an epoch, Kadu and I stared at the Air Force Calendar hung at the eye-level on the opposite wall. While a stolen glance at the experts suggested that they were looking at loopholes in our statements. On the other side, we could almost listen to the rumbling in the Commandant’s head. When he did speak finally, it was a carefully worded statement.

“I wish you had stayed put for a while longer. I was coming to open the door,” he said.

A few more gap-filler statements were made in the following minutes before we were summarily disposed by the Commandant, “Dismiss!”

“Good night, Sir,” Kadu and I said in unison; turned about to leave.

At the door, I turned back to face the Commandant a last time, to share my parting thought, “Sir, next time we call on you for coffee, we’ll wait till you open the door.”

Had I struck the last nail in the coffin of our Staff Course prospects? We didn’t wait to watch the reaction of the court.

Needless to say, the air remained filled with anxiety till we completed the course. Finally, Kadu and I passed with above average grades and both of us were recommended to be instructors at the AFAC. Kadu was detailed for the Staff Course. I couldn’t make it; our AFAC adventure had nothing to do with it.

Not the lessons in Air Force Law, or the Military History, or Service Writing or the Air Force Administration—my most precious takeaway from the JCC was from the Commandant’s treatment of Kadu and I—not to attach meaning (particularly, evil meaning) to actions of your men when none is intended.

Comments

Air Commodore Minoo Vania SC, VM (Veteran): A bit of nostalgia for me ! As reading your story took me back to my two stints as Commandant and then further of my JC course and finally cadet days at AFAC.
I am convinced each Commandant at AFAC is destined to find atleast one ocassion of de javu coming up during his stay at the College and knows how to handle it , thanks to the past . Belying the saying…. A sped arrow , a spoken word and a missed
opportunity never return 🙏

Air Mshl PK Roy PVSM, AVSM, VM, VSM (Veteran): An excellent narrative capturing the unique bond between seniors and juniors in the IAF. You have a remarkable knack for turning experiences into engaging and enjoyable reading.
God bless you.

Wing Commander Vijay Ambre (Veteran): It goes to show that no matter the level of trouble one got oneself into, the Air Force Commanders always stood by you, as long as one was truthful and came clean. A very interesting story that kept me engrossed. Here’s wishing more power to your pen ! God bless!!🙏👍

Café 651: An Address Called Hospitality

“Many a trip continues long after movement in time and space has ceased,” says John Steinbeck in Travels with Charley. I read the book years ago, but got the sense of what the Nobel laureate implied when our family excursion to Jodhpur in late December 2025 began to feel like one. Now I don’t get tired of talking about it. Curiously, it was not our visits to monuments of historical significance and architectural grandeur which made the Jodhpur trip memorable. In fact, the enthusiasm with which we had visited those landmarks and taken photos in their foreground has dulled with time. As it stands those impressions are but tick marks on our completed itinerary.

My most cherished recollection of that trip is of our visit to Café 651.

Savouring authentic Rajasthani cuisine—dal, bati, churma, ker, sangri, kadhi and gatta—was, of course, on our wish list. But seeing the long wait at the restaurant of our choice, we decided to explore other options. Mudit and Anjali, our son and daughter-in-law (whom I fondly call “Muditanjali”), suggested that we try Café 651.

“Café 651?” I wondered aloud. “The name sounds a bit…”

“What’s in a name, Dad?” Anjali interrupted me with a chuckle. “The place is highly rated online. Besides, Maya isn’t a dal-bati enthusiast. She might find the food in other eateries a bit spicy. At 651, we’re sure to find something she’ll enjoy.”

So, there we were.

An unassuming signboard clinging to a roadside pole directed us to the Café, which was tucked away on the first floor. There was no lift, so we trudged up an open flight of stairs along the side of the building. Unimpressed, in my mind’s journal I began critiquing the place even before we reached the door.

Inside, things were different. Quite different. A busboy ushered us with a warm smile, and the air felt inviting. On display at the entrance were a large number of trophies and certificates of merit earned by the Café since it opened on Republic Day in 2018. Neatly framed paintings and posters of rock stars, landscapes and abstract art adorned the walls. As we learnt later, they belonged to local artists and were ‘FOR SALE.’ Muditanjali liked one of them and now own it.

Large glass windows gave a commanding view of the road below. The furniture was aesthetically laid out; one of the tables was occupied by young people engaged in animated discussion. In all probability, they were students. Nice people—they lowered their voices when they saw us.

A waiter served us bottled water, presented the menu and left us to take our time and make our choices. Then came a tall, smartly turned-out gentleman to take our orders.

Without ado, we decided to order pizzas and a plate each of noodles and pasta.

In our family party of five—which included my wife Chhaya, Muditanjali, our two-year-old granddaughter Maya, and myself—Maya and I were the curious kind, ever so keen to know about everything. No one minded Maya’s questions, but mine were often seen differently. Undeterred by that blatant discrimination, I kept seeking answers to my questions at Café 651.

The soft-spoken gentleman sought inputs for the “Make Your Pizza” option we chose—it was interesting choosing from two sauces and nine different toppings.

“I don’t eat mushrooms, and my husband doesn’t like bell pepper. Please put very little of them,” urged Chhaya.

Muditanjali, on the other hand, didn’t mind those toppings; in fact, they wanted mushrooms.

“Please don’t bother about that, I’ll restrict mushrooms and bell peppers to a part of the pizza; the remaining portion will be devoid of them. You’ll be able to pick and choose your slices,” assured our man.

In my assessment, the man scored high on attitude to elevate customer satisfaction. Impressed by his polished demeanour and fluency both in Hindi and English, I asked him, “How long have you been working here? And… what’s the significance of this name, Café 651?” Within me, I was rehearsing the good feedback I’d give about this guy to his boss.

Perhaps he was able to divine my thoughts, for he gave a Buddha-like smile and said, “Sir, I own this café. It’s our ancestral house, number 651. I gave the Café this name to bring recognition to the property.”

It is remarkable how a simple revelation changes our perception of a person. Already, we were looking at him through a different lens. Being served personally by the owner made us feel genuinely honoured.

Annant was his name. Annant Baheti.

“This little one likes the pasta in red sauce …also, it’ll be nice if you could make it a bit gooey for her,” requested Anjali.

“That will be possible. And, while your order gets ready, would you care for some drinks, snacks?” he enquired.

We ordered virgin mojito and coke for drinks, and some French Fries for snacks. Annant disappeared behind a door which seemed to be the kitchen.

He resurfaced after a few minutes. “I have placed the pizza bases in the oven. They’ll be ready in a short while,” he informed us.

“So, you bake your own pizza bases,” I mused.

“Yes, Sir, we bake our own pizza bases and breads. Not only that, we use our own herbs grown in the nursery run by my family on the ground floor of this building. To the extent possible, everything we serve is organic.”

“And you cook too, do you?” I asked curiously.

“Sir, I am a graduate of IHM Mumbai (2014); I have been a part of the specialty coffee industry for over eight years,” he said modestly. “I learnt cooking from my mother. My curiosity in food science eventually led me to pursue a career in hospitality. I have this small setup and a team of three employees.”

“How can you be cheffing around, and also manage all this with a team of just three?” I asked.

“My wife, Meenal, is a big support and an equal partner in all our endeavours. Our team remains committed to serving exceptional coffee and delicious food with warmth. We believe in “Atithi Devo Bhava” (the guest is God). Managing becomes possible because I enjoy spending time at the café, meeting and interacting with guests. We strive to create a memorable experience for every person who visits the Café’.”

Annant found time to show me around the Café; he even gave me a peek into the kitchen. It was one of the tidiest (restaurant) kitchens I had ever seen. When we were out of hearing distance of Muditanjali, I stumped him with a freak demand difficult to meet with his manpower limitation.

“Annant, I want to request you a big favour,” I began without a preface. “Please feel free to decline, if it is not possible. It is our son and daughter-in-law’s wedding anniversary today. Can you arrange a cake for them from a nearby bakery?”

I knew, I had put Annant in a difficult situation. With a team of just three on his staff, and so many guests to be looked after, mine was indeed a tall order. Yet, after a small pause, he nodded, “It’s not a bother, Sir. I’ll get it.”

Needless to say, the pizzas and the plate of pasta more than met our expectations. Each one of us got exactly what we wanted. We couldn’t have asked for more. We devoured the servings to our hearts’ content. The cake that followed was a bit of a surprise for everyone.

That day at Café 651, I experienced the acme of hospitality; all my senses and my heart felt it. A revisit to those memorable moments is always so refreshing.

Postscript

There is this heartwarming story of exceptional hospitality, sometimes attributed to The Ritz-Carlton (Bali). When a guest demanded a specific type of hamburger and standard French fries, which were not on the Hotel’s menu, the executive chef himself procured them from elsewhere and served them. That gesture set a benchmark in hospitality. With a small team, and no man to spare, what Annant did for us, has raised the bar.

Viva Café 651!

A Note to Readers: Visited regularly by students, armed forces officers, professionals, including doctors from AIIMS, and foreign as well as local tourists, Café 651 is the first specialty café of Jodhpur serving only SCA score 80⁺ coffees brewed in eight different ways. They serve variety of food, burgers, and garlic bread sticks. Pancakes are the bestselling.

Café 651 has earned following awards and recognition:

Best Cafe Debutant, Jodhpur Food Awards, 2018

Tripadvisor Travellers’ Choice 2020, 2021, 2022, 2024 Ratings: Zomato 4.9, Google 4.4, Tripadvisor 4.9

FIFA IS DEAD: LONG LIVE THE BEAUTIFUL GAME

Poem reproduced with permission from Air Commodore Minoo Vania, SC (IAF Veteran).

Trump , who hates to lose

Soon got into the act

To reverse a Red Card booking

Without checking facts

With Infantino , his Peace Prize pal

He made a laughing stock of FIFA

Who, for a hundred years

Allayed our fears

Of killing the beautiful game’s allure

And keeping it safe and secure

But the greed of two men

Buried FIFA’s glorious past.

Amen.

Divorced… Almost! Not once, twice!

“Till death do us part.”

Word-of-mouth publicity and a few flattering comments on Amazon are doing good to promote the sales of Chhaya’s book—UNSCRIPTED: A Dateless Diary. The concluding line of one of the reviews has popularised the book among the soon-to-be-married and the just-married people. Young women are gifting the book to their partners in the hope of some transformation. That one line, which whets curiosity, is: “Last but not least, it (the book) tells you what a husband should be like.”

Needless to say, Chhaya was very kind to me through the pages of her book. After reading that comment a match-making bureau requested me to guide their clients. Now, that’s a lie meant to humour my own self. The fact is that some youngsters did seek ‘the secret’ of a peaceful married life and I made a hash of it. It was like, a blind person trying to lead other blind people.

Oh God, forgive such naïve people for they know not that the role model who they wish to follow has been close to being divorced. Not once, twice!

Read on, if you must.

The first instance when our married life neared termination was within less than a year of our blissful togetherness. Exceptional chef that Chhaya is, she had already found her way to my heart through my tongue. She loved seeing me feast on her preparations with the joy of a child. I specially relished the different kinds of cakes she baked.

One day, she prepared a pineapple cake for me. Ah, a pineapple cake!

It had a lovable deep golden-brown crust. I got my share of the spongy thing, and ate it too. I don’t recall if I had eaten one like it before. The leftover part of it was kept for tea over the next few days.

I blundered the very next evening. In Chhaya’s presence, I ate a piece of the cake with mango pickle. I thought she would approve of my inherited Marwari palate, and appreciate my spirit of experimenting with food.

I was mistaken.

Chhaya looked at me as though I had committed culinary sacrilege. She was H-U-R-T. A divorce between us was averted on the condition that I’d never again ask her to bake a cake for me. With a heavy heart I agreed; it was indeed a small price to pay for my monumental misdemeanour. Notwithstanding the unwritten agreement, the kind-hearted person she is, Chhaya continued baking cakes for me. On my part, I have never again tried experimenting with my taste buds in her presence.

I concede that, in that instance, it was my fault. Entirely my fault. I still carry the guilt for hurting my soulmate by that ‘cake & pickle’ episode. But the second time when the boat rocked dangerously, I was definitely a victim of circumstances. The real culprit was Javed Miandad who drew a wedge between us.

How can I forget that date—April 18, 1986? The two of us were watching the Austral-Asia Cup final between India and Pakistan being played at Sharjah. A cricketer herself, she was engrossed in the match, ‘dil se.’ For me, it was just a sporting event. While I wanted India to win, deep down I knew that Pakistan winning the match was a possibility. Period.

As the game progressed, I realised that she was deeply emotional about the outcome. Since I did not want her to miss watching even a ball, I took it upon myself to fetch the occasional coffee and snacks. It didn’t occur to me then, that besides coffee and snacks, she was sending me on trivial errands repeatedly—to fetch water, a cushion, more snacks, and even for chores like closing the bedroom door ‘properly’. I could barely observe a pattern or comprehend her behaviour.

Only in the final over did she disclose a theory of her own, which I found amusing. According to her, every time I left the room to do something, Pakistan suffered a setback—missed a boundary, or lost a wicket. She was convinced that my presence in the drawing room in front of the TV set was somehow favouring Pakistan. And then, at that critical point when Pakistan needed four runs off the last ball to win, she pleaded, “Shona (she calls me lovingly by that name), if you go out of the room, India will surely win.”

“Anything for the country, and for you, darling,” I laughed, and stepped out, closing the door behind me. I took a walk on the lawn for what I thought was a reasonable time, and then, returned. As luck would have it, just as I re-entered our drawing room, Javed Miandad smashed Chetan Sharma’s delivery for a six.

India suffered one of its most heartbreaking defeats that day.

“You couldn’t wait outside just for five minutes for the sake of the country!” Teary-eyed Chhaya blamed me for India’s debacle. My advocate father-in-law sided with me and saved the situation for me in that instance. To this day, close finish of sporting events involving India, leave me uneasy.

For the reason I stated earlier in this piece, it would be improper on my part to sermonise young people on the age-old institution of marriage. Perhaps every marriage survives on love, laughter, and the willingness to forgive the occasional foolishness. Ours has endured because of Chhaya’s tolerance of many of my habits, including snoring and, accepting me the way I am.

Comments

Mrs Sanghmitra Nanavaty:

Good morning!
This has been most hilarious! Little did I know about your capability of stepping on her wrong side at such precarious stages!! Boy, cake + pickle is unacceptable, 🤦‍♀️Chhaya has been truly kind….
Anyway you both are definitely an example to follow (never mind what’s behind curtains 😜) and the younger generation will continue to consider you a role model. Chhaya is lucky and so are you, having HER in your life. God bless. Stay the way you are.❤️

Bonny Mukerjee

As usual, well articulated with the right amount of humour and the right touch of truth.
We have been married for 56 years….in all these years never discussed divorce— but murder, often !!!😂

Air Commodore Harishankar ((Veteran)

A delightful read sir.

Whilst the pickle on cake was an unforgiveable culinary transgression (even with yur Marwari antecedents), I might’ve taken sides with the aggrieved lady.

However your inopportune and untimely and re-entry at the last ball couldv’e been met with a dollop of magnanimity.
Nevertheless, your matrimony as I can gather, is definitely tougher than these pinpricks and has survived, nay thrived despite the rollah-costa ride.
And that is the icing on the pinepapple cake.

Close Encounter of the Lucerne Kind

Article reproduced with permission from Wing Commander JK Kaushik (IAF Veteran).

The lead story in the newspapers and the TV channels over the last few days has been the US-Iran Summit at Lucerne in Switzerland. This took me back a couple of years when we had an encounter of a different kind in the very city that hosted the Summit recently.

Our son Aditya has lived in Zurich, Switzerland since 2020. The Covid pandemic restrictions disrupted travel and the plans for a family reunion. When travel restrictions were gradually removed, we decided to visit him. There’s a lovely view of Lake Zurich and the snow-covered peaks of the Alps from Aditya’s apartment. After soaking in the unadulterated beauty for a few days, we began exploring the rest of Switzerland. Aditya or Angelika (our daughter-in-law) accompanied us on these trips depending on their work schedules. When both were busy, Kalpana and I ventured out on our own.

One of the first excursions we undertook was to Lucerne—a short train ride from Zurich. On reaching Lucerne station we took a short bus ride to go Mount Pilatus. We absorbed the natural beauty of the Swiss alps on the gondola ride to the top of Mount Pilatus. The strong cold wind that greeted us at the top froze us to the bones. But, the view from the top was a treat to the soul. We enjoyed it for some time and, after a hot cup of coffee at the summit restaurant, prepared to return to Lucerne. This time we chose to take the special cogwheel railway down. Incidentally, the cogwheel railway from Mount Pilatus is the steepest such train in the world. The cogwheel railway ride down the slopes of Pilatus was a rare experience. Once we reached the base, we took a boat across Lake Lucerne to return to Lucerne.

The excursion to Mt Pilatus had taken much less time than we had anticipated. We had a few more hours at our disposal. The guidebooks suggested that we visit the Kapellbrücke (Chapel Bridge). This is an old wooden bridge, 170 m long, constructed in 1300 AD. There is a stone water tower at one end which, as the glossy handouts noted, had served as a lookout tower, a water storage tower and also as a prison. The bridge was partially burnt in 1993, but has since been painstakingly restored.

Google Maps guided us through the short walk from Lake Lucerne ferry terminal to the Chapel Bridge. We found that the area around was practically deserted as the Bridge is meant only for the pedestrians. After the ‘mandatory’ photo at the entrance, Kalpana and I started strolling slowly to the other end. We noticed a couple of benches on the bridge and decided to sit down for a few minutes. As we were approaching the benches I noticed another couple of almost our age walking ahead of us slowly and occupying the first bench. I remarked to Kalpana that they appeared to be Indian tourists like us. We went past them and settled on the next bench.

Kalpana started taking out the water bottle and some refreshments from her handbag. “They look very familiar,” she mused gesturing at the couple. I dismissed her remark as pure imagination. But, when she insisted that I take a look, I lifted my eyes from the screen of my mobile phone, which I had been scrolling as a matter of habit.

And, lo and behold, it was Diwakant, my NDA Course-mate and Squadron-mate and his wife. We had last met about 6 years ago at the course get-together at the IMA.

“Hi Diwa!” I got up and called out to him.

He looked up a bit surprised as to who could be calling him by his name so far away from India. In seconds we were in a bear hug—laughing at the rare coincidence of two course mates from same squadron being at a tourist spot in Switzerland at the same time. After much backslapping Diwa told us that they were on a short trip to France and Switzerland from Ireland where his son was working. Once the initial euphoria subsided we completed our walk along the Chapel Bridge and the Old town across the river.

Lucerne has a Lion Monument. Since two Lions from Lima squadron had met by chance it was almost obligatory for us to visit the Lion Monument. After the visit to the Lion Monument and some souvenir shopping it was time for good byes. We had to head back to Zurich; Diwa was staying the night at Lucerne before taking the flight back to Ireland the next day. The world is wondering if the US-Iran Lucerne Summit will lead to some tangible outcomes. Let them keep meeting and fencing till cows come home. But the chance meeting of NDA Course-mates—and two LIONS in that—is a feeling to be cherished for a lifetime. This chance rendezvous was much more rewarding than any Lucerne Summit.

Traffic Monsters of NCR

Article reproduced with permission from Wing Commander JK Kaushik (IAF Veteran).

Anyone who drives a car or two wheelers knows the sorry state of our traffic. A study of the CCTV footage of the peak-hour traffic by the department of road transportation concluded that there were over 1300 traffic violations in a half hour period in a small stretch of less than 500m. And guess, who were the biggest violators—not the bus drivers, not the autos, but the educated car owners. Hard to digest and believe? One evening when I was seeing off some relatives at the Noida Bus terminus, I overheard two drivers discussing the traffic on Dehradun Highway. It happened to be a Sunday evening. “Today there will be chaos on the roads because all the educated lot will be coming back after the weekend. They have absolutely no sense and try to squeeze in from anywhere.”

The traffic in the NCR is not regulated by any rules. “Might is right,” seems to be the only norm. The next principle of driving is, “I go ahead and everything else be dammed.” Lane driving, overtaking from the right, right of way and maintaining distance are rules and principles that are extinct like the dinosaurs. Most of the car drivers are oblivious of these principles. About the bus drivers, autos and trucks… well, the less said the better. Of course, there is one other class—the tractor drivers. Traffic rules? What are those? Are they applicable to farmers/tractors? And then we have the gentlemen and ladies from the traffic police whose job it is to enforce the rules. Except for a few exceptional policemen from Delhi police the rest of the traffic police in the NCR is as ignorant about traffic rules as the tractor drivers.

Let’s understand the basic traffic rules as understood by the NCR drivers. First, to turn right at a traffic signal, you can be in any lane. It is your birth right to turn from any lane and if in the process the other drivers get held up, it is not your problem. The policemen are equally ignorant about the rules governing this. Next, while negotiating roundabouts, there is no such thing as right of way. One can go to the extreme end and then cut across traffic coming in from the inside. Don’t believe me? Check out any of the roundabouts in New Delhi area or the one near the Golf Course Metro station during the morning and evening rush hours. Overtaking from the left is something that everyone does. There is of course one basic rule, driving on the left of the road. This is violated so often that traffic police have put up a board as soon as you enter Noida from the N24 side near Sector 62. People of all classes happily drive on the wrong side of the road for a few hundred meters putting themselves and others to grave risk. I fail to understand why these people can’t follow the rules and execute a U-turn from the authorised spot and come and turn towards their destination. A few hundred meters will not increase their fuel costs too much! While the car drivers are bad, the two-wheeler riders are horrible.

Another important characteristic of this region is the scant respect and regard for other drivers/ traffic. All one has to do is try driving past any of the schools in the morning or when the school is closing or whenever there is a PTA meeting. Every parent assumes that it is their birthright to park their vehicles as close to the school gate as possible in any haphazard manner whatsoever. So what, if in the bargain other motorists are put to inconvenience. Who cares? Not the traffic police for sure. I am yet to see traffic police disciplining these errant parents around any of the schools be it DPS, Bal Bharti, Khaitan, or any of the countless others. We can also see the same behaviour when people decide to have an ice cream or a snack, and park their vehicles on the road blocking the traffic in the process.

The two wheelers are a different breed all together. They dodge in and out of traffic with scant regard to the traffic, speed limits or rules. There seems to be some unwritten rule stating that a two-wheeler can weave in front of a fast-moving car at any speed and it is up to the car driver to slow or stop his vehicle. A biker also need not signal or indicate in any manner when he decides to turn.

A class apart is the drivers who drive around with their music systems at full blast and their windows open. I often wonder about the impact of such loud music on the hearing of the driver and the occupants of the car. Another irritating habit that is fast developing into a pain is the use of the ambulance siren by all and sundry. Call centre taxis and SUVs have the siren installed and switch it on when they wish to overtake. The use of sirens by unauthorised vehicles is illegal, but our policemen simply don’t seem to care.

One day, in Chennai a few years ago, I saw a car coming from the opposite direction weaving in and out of traffic and breaking all possible rules. In Chennai, such rash driving is really rare. In a lighter vein, I told my wife that that driver of that car was driving like a Delhiwala. And sure enough, as the car passed us, I saw the Delhi number plates. So, friends, Delhi drivers stand out wherever they may be. In stark contrast to this are drivers abroad. In Malaysia or Singapore or Thailand—people follow rules and respect the others sharing the road. Of course, strict enforcement by the law enforcing agencies helps.

It may be a good idea to make the implementation of the rules stricter at all times and not just when the police carry out some special drives. Policemen should instil a sense of fear and respect in the mind of the driver. As a final word it is very easy to say that someone else should do something about the traffic while the majority of us continue to violate rules. Let each one of us resolve to first educate ourselves and our families about traffic rules and to follow them. If each one of us follows traffic rules as a matter of habit, I am sure the NCR will improve making life safer and happier for all.