OCT 07
The panic has not set in as yet due to my impending retirement . In our course I am the first one to retire. This is going to happen at the end of this month. Unless something drastic like an extension in tenure happens it is more or less certain that I hang up my boots at the end of the month.
Kurnool was a small town in the Rayalseema area of Andhra Pradesh. Exactly 53yrs and 8 days back I graced the Earth with my presence in this town. I have brothers and sisters - but thus story is not about them - it is about me. Like all children I also grew up and then , because my fathers job was transferable, we moved around from place to place across India. Till my father settled in Hyderabad.
Unlike a rolling stone which gathers no moss, I made plenty of friends all over India. However like all my peers when it came to studies and choosing a career it was between medicine and engineering. I preferred engineering. I got a seat in warangal REC. Those were the heady times for naxalism. Varavara Rao was the talk of the campus. Like all young impressionable teens I was also taken up with immediate justice. I wanted to serve the people. It was a delicate time. But somewhere along the line the violence employed by naxals did not appeal to me. In those days the army used to send recruitment teams to the campus. I was taken up by the adventurous life in the army. More important the immediate remuneration as pay and the independence linked with it. I did not hesitate and put up my hand to serve the nation. I was accepted and then it was off to Dehradun for a year of rigorous training. My technical training stood me in good stead when the allotment of arms was done. I was happy that I got something after my own heart. I was also happy that I would be able to put my learning into action. But the services being what they are I had to do attachment with the Infantry, the queen of battle. If nothing else , I developed lasting friendships during that period of attachment.
Then it was back after two years to my specialization . One thing about the fauj - it ensures uniformity in all the officers and also makes you the jack of all trades. After about two years I could ( I had no experience of any of this earlier) swim , run long distances , fire any weapon, repair vehicles, provide expert advice on any instrument which was part of the war machine, converse intelligently on any subject, play perfect host at any party sponsored by me , interact socially with everyone, dance late into the night, and be ready for my special duties at any part of the day or night. Also it meant being responsible for my subordinates , their families and strive hard to ensure that they come to me in case of any problem that they are facing. During my service I was posted in many stations across the country - in the snow clad mountains of the north , the steamy jungles of the east, deserts of the west and heavily populated parts of the country. The services called these the 'peace stations'. I would rather be posted in some remote part of the country...
I have seen the services struggling against the insurgents of the north east , the terrorists of the north, the kargil war and also worked for peace and amity within the country. There have been happy moments , hilarious times, peaceful atmospheres, moments of achievements, bliss, shared joy, tension when something did not go right and definitely sad moments which try as one might one could never forget. I have lost friends and juniors to the enemy's bullets, diseases, cold , heat exhaustion and accidents. It is never easy to say good bye to friends - in fact it is very poignant and heart rending to see that person's near and dear coming to the realisation that the person will only remain a memory in times to come - the young child will only know that the father was in the services and left honorably....
My parents did not forget their duty . My marriage was arranged in 1988 and it was arranged in the truest sense. Notwithstanding this , me and my wife have got along famously since that time. It is now 27 yrs since my marriage . I am very fortunate to have a person who could adapt well to my ways and that of the services - the constant moves , new places , weather, seniors , and youngsters who used to drop in at odd times for a meal when the mess used to close down. Along the way I developed a passion for bicycle and now am a randonneur. To know more about my biking adventures please read my blog http://www.hyderabadrandonneurs.com/blog/?p=22.
When I do hang my boots it will be with a sense of fulfilment that my 31years in the services have been very satisfying both intellectually and physically. Given the choice of what I would do in case of realigning my life I would have no hesitation in choosing the services all over again.
The panic has not set in as yet due to my impending retirement . In our course I am the first one to retire. This is going to happen at the end of this month. Unless something drastic like an extension in tenure happens it is more or less certain that I hang up my boots at the end of the month.
Kurnool was a small town in the Rayalseema area of Andhra Pradesh. Exactly 53yrs and 8 days back I graced the Earth with my presence in this town. I have brothers and sisters - but thus story is not about them - it is about me. Like all children I also grew up and then , because my fathers job was transferable, we moved around from place to place across India. Till my father settled in Hyderabad.
Unlike a rolling stone which gathers no moss, I made plenty of friends all over India. However like all my peers when it came to studies and choosing a career it was between medicine and engineering. I preferred engineering. I got a seat in warangal REC. Those were the heady times for naxalism. Varavara Rao was the talk of the campus. Like all young impressionable teens I was also taken up with immediate justice. I wanted to serve the people. It was a delicate time. But somewhere along the line the violence employed by naxals did not appeal to me. In those days the army used to send recruitment teams to the campus. I was taken up by the adventurous life in the army. More important the immediate remuneration as pay and the independence linked with it. I did not hesitate and put up my hand to serve the nation. I was accepted and then it was off to Dehradun for a year of rigorous training. My technical training stood me in good stead when the allotment of arms was done. I was happy that I got something after my own heart. I was also happy that I would be able to put my learning into action. But the services being what they are I had to do attachment with the Infantry, the queen of battle. If nothing else , I developed lasting friendships during that period of attachment.
Then it was back after two years to my specialization . One thing about the fauj - it ensures uniformity in all the officers and also makes you the jack of all trades. After about two years I could ( I had no experience of any of this earlier) swim , run long distances , fire any weapon, repair vehicles, provide expert advice on any instrument which was part of the war machine, converse intelligently on any subject, play perfect host at any party sponsored by me , interact socially with everyone, dance late into the night, and be ready for my special duties at any part of the day or night. Also it meant being responsible for my subordinates , their families and strive hard to ensure that they come to me in case of any problem that they are facing. During my service I was posted in many stations across the country - in the snow clad mountains of the north , the steamy jungles of the east, deserts of the west and heavily populated parts of the country. The services called these the 'peace stations'. I would rather be posted in some remote part of the country...
I have seen the services struggling against the insurgents of the north east , the terrorists of the north, the kargil war and also worked for peace and amity within the country. There have been happy moments , hilarious times, peaceful atmospheres, moments of achievements, bliss, shared joy, tension when something did not go right and definitely sad moments which try as one might one could never forget. I have lost friends and juniors to the enemy's bullets, diseases, cold , heat exhaustion and accidents. It is never easy to say good bye to friends - in fact it is very poignant and heart rending to see that person's near and dear coming to the realisation that the person will only remain a memory in times to come - the young child will only know that the father was in the services and left honorably....
My parents did not forget their duty . My marriage was arranged in 1988 and it was arranged in the truest sense. Notwithstanding this , me and my wife have got along famously since that time. It is now 27 yrs since my marriage . I am very fortunate to have a person who could adapt well to my ways and that of the services - the constant moves , new places , weather, seniors , and youngsters who used to drop in at odd times for a meal when the mess used to close down. Along the way I developed a passion for bicycle and now am a randonneur. To know more about my biking adventures please read my blog http://www.hyderabadrandonneurs.com/blog/?p=22.
When I do hang my boots it will be with a sense of fulfilment that my 31years in the services have been very satisfying both intellectually and physically. Given the choice of what I would do in case of realigning my life I would have no hesitation in choosing the services all over again.
JAI HIND
What an enchanting journey of Col Sivaram. It could be be good motivational story for the youngsters to choose a bright, envious and challenging military career. The entire life span, so vividly portrayed, just in one page. Amazing. Wish Col Sivaram a happy, healthy and purposeful second innings in advance. GJ Rao
ReplyDeleteThanks GJ. Accolades actually rightfully belong to Ravi...
ReplyDelete