Wish I was 18 once again
Came across this yesterday: Armed forces fail to woo; 108 NDA seats vacant
“…Even as the Indian Army is grappling with acute shortage of middle rung officers due to their mass exodus to the corporate sector, the National Defence Academy…has fallen short of 108 quality cadets for its latest batch.
This year only 192 cadets turned up to join NDA, a premier joint services institution to train cadets for the three defence forces, as against the sanctioned strength of 300 for the batch.
…Commenting on the shortage of officers, Defence Minister A K Antony had said on April 29, “The shortage is a reality. The government will take positive and active action in consultation with the Army to lure youngsters to join the army.”
…efforts, including a vigorous media campaign, concentrated at making a career in the Army lucrative for those between age group 18 to 25, have failed to yield results.
…”The problem is that quality candidates are not coming to join the academies and the standards laid down for the officers cannot be lowered,” the official said.
Annually the defence forces need 2,100 officers. It is currently facing a shortage of 11,238 officers. A total of 46,615 is the sanctioned strength.
“If we start filling up the posts today, it is going to take another 20 years to make up for the shortage,” the official added.
The problem has further aggravated with as many as 3,000 officers seeking premature retirement just in the Army in the last three years, with most moving to the corporate sector.
“Earlier, corporate houses used to give good offers to Army officers. But now they are literally catching the capable candidates when they are young,” another senior official said.
“Many of the corporate houses are going to the villages and luring the candidates who have been selected for training to join their organisation at a high salary,” the official added…”�
So clearly the economics are not working…This will not surprise anyone who has been following the protests by military personnel against the Sixth Pay Commission (see e.g. A General�s letter in anguish to the PM)
Other than improving pay and perquisities, can anything else be done to make the armed forces an attractive career choice for youngsters?
I don’t know…and I should declare here that I am prejudiced.
As a teenager, I was intent on joining the NDA but got rejected at the final stage…I was preparing to attend the SSB interview again when someone older and wiser told me that my problem was “aptitude” and I must have failed on the psychological aptitude test.
🙁
Apparently you cannot really “prepare” for the psychological test – and in that sense it is a useful filter to wean out unsuitable candidates ( – such as those who are rebels, eccentric and/or with a tendency to question authority – I think failed on all these counts).
Anyways, c’est la vie…
The exodus of talent mentioned above (with regards mid-level officers) is of course not unique to the armed forces. I personally know many IAS/ Central Services officers who have quit to join the corporate sector (for different reasons).
Some of you may also have read the sad story of an�upright IPS officer who decided it was better to quit than continue in the system. And here is a post by Vivek (an IFS officer) on why IAS officers quit.
One of our loyal readers, Sanjeev Sabhlok quit the IAS many years ago (as did Dr JP Narayan who founded Loksatta Party).
But let me go back to the question I raised earlier:
“What, if anything, can�be done to make the armed forces an attractive career choice for youngsters?”
- Is a job in the armed forces really that low paying that it does not attract talent?
- Is it lacking in glamour?
- Or is it considered just plain “too risky”?
- And, is serving your country and patriotism out of fashion?
Thoughts and comments welcome, as always.
Can readers who have first-hand experiences, insights or relatives in the armed forces share their views? and can all my “young” readers pitch in as well?
Jai Hind, Jai Bharat.
Related Post: Of Stars and Martyrs, Munnabhai vs. Manish Pitambare
I personally know a woman IAF officer ( this has got nothing to do about the position of women officers in the armed forces) who quit forces after 12 years of service and is now working in the corporate sector.
As far as I understand from her, none of the 4 reasons cited by you applied in her case.
According to her, the reason was plain – it was too boring. It lacked excitement..in terms of the job content… I think the primary reason is psychological as you stated. For anyone who is a little rebellious or thinks out-of-the-box, the armed forces are just not his/her cup of tea. It is interesting that her woes were not those typical of women officers (frequent transfers, attitude of male officers, harsh life etc etc..)..
Another reason that she mentions is the work culture…e. g. getting up and offering drinks, offering a place to wives of sr. officers (even by jr. women officers) etc. is something which puts people off about the forces…
Pragya
Dear Shantanu
There is no shortage of patriotism in India. In fact, it is much higher than in most Western countries. But there could be other, more mundane factors. I’m analysing this in two parts:
1) Why do existing officers (army, etc.) leave?
In the West they have a thing called ‘exit interview’ if you leave an organisation. While people may have a deeper set of reasons than they disclose at these interviews, at least a pattern of some sort generally emerges through this process. The Indian government should adopt this practice. Through a rigorous analysis of this sort – not very expensive – all such reasons can be determined and prioritised action taken.
Now consider what actually happens when you resign. When I left the IAS after 18 years, in January 2001, the government took 2-3 years merely to accept my resignation. And then it never paid pay back my dues (GPF) nor adjust my motor car advance against what is payable to me. They therefore created an even worse impression about their incompetence than I had when I was inside the service. No one contacted me from the Ministry of Personnel to ask why did I leave this so called glamourous job? I spent 2 solid years of my life preparing for the exam. So why did I leave it so ‘suddenly’ – and that too without a cushy ‘corporate job’ – in fact I was unemployed for 3 months after I left the service. I suggest the government start asking questions. They can afford IAS officers like me leaving, for we are not needed by anyone in India – but they can’t afford armed force officers leaving. That will create a potentially dangerous situation for the country.
2) Why don’t talented young people join the army?
Similarly, it is worth going attitude surveys among school students to find out what they think of the armed forces. That can then guide policy.
My take, for whatever it is worth, is children still think that the armed forces provide a good career. The government looks after your needs, provides orderlies, you have a great social and club life, you live in some fantastically beautiful areas, there is not too much work for most of the time but a lot of maintenance work. Its social status is still high: people in the armed forces are respected in society.
The disadvantages, though: you are expected to be extremely traditional; not much scope for self-expression or learning beyond the degree you get in the academies. Worse there is this impression of the severe amount of corruption in some parts of the armed forces, eg. MES (I lived in armed force communities till 21, so I speak with considerable knowledge when I say that corruption has been rampant in some parts of the armed forces for decades now).
The other negative perception: early promotions are determined by the quality of the boss you get. You may get lucky and allowed to develop; or you may have an authoritarian boss or two and get stuck. However, in general, promotions are on merit, but then, only a very few reach really senior levels because of a pyramidical structure.
For a good number of talented children, though, the salary structure and expected salary progression matters a lot. The first thing such bright children ask is: what does that job pay? What does a General get (that is more important)? At one time the salaries and total package of the armed forces, including allowances and the Army Canteen benefits, were attractive. Today, they can’t compete with the private sector. If you are a smart kid you will dream of a much better quality of life than the armed forces offer. That is but natural. Indeed, it is best that people go to the job that pays them the highest. That is the way to allocative efficiency in a free economy.
Despite that, there will still be many children fascinated by a career in the armed forces. Those who love the idea of going around in ships or flying will apply no matter what salary is offered. So even at low salaries, the quality of entrants won’t completely dry up, but many of these children will leave after a few years because they get disillusioned for one reason or other. Flying sounds lovely when you are young, but after a while it can become a chore.
The Indian government has to get used to the idea of competing in the labour market with the private sector. There MUST be TOTAL parity with the private sector for most government positions, except the senior-most ones, where the salaries can be slightly lower. The Indian taxpayer has to be told that he or she must get used to the idea of paying for the services he or she demands. Getting subsidised services is not a good thing.
I was reading the lastest National Geographic (on China) today. The gap between China and India is growing so vast that unless India reforms its basic governance mechanisms, it will become a minor player in the world (in comparison to its population). A strong armed force is critical; it must not delay action in this area.
And no, just to cover off this issue: I don’t support compulsion in armed force recruitment. No conscription. Let a free market prevail and let everyone in India get paid their ‘market’ price. That way the armed forces will also evolve and become better: becoming more responsible and sensitive to the needs of the children who are to be attracted to it as a career, and to its own officers and men. Its culture needs a makeover.
Regards
Sanjeev
Sanjeev: Thanks for your thoughts, as always.
I completelyagree with the idea of an exit interview…This thing is beginning to happen in PSUs (I believe) but it certainly has not reached the DoPT yet…Perhaps the Central Services (IAS etc) think it below their dignity to ask anyone why they leave when the job is “obviously” so lucrative and wields tremendous influence!
The armed forces should absolutely adopt this practice…(as also surveying youngsters to find out their attitudes towards Army, Navy etc)
As for parity in pay etc, again, I agree 100%…In the sector in which I work, a popular truism is, “If you pay peanuts, you get monkeys”…
I do not mean to demean or insult anyone and I personally know that the calibre of people who join the civil services (and the armed forces) is second to none – yet, if you dont challenge them, or make it their wortwhile to stay, they will leave…and that is what we are seeing today..
I am not sure when will the exodus end…but what worries me, as you have pointed out, is the shrinking pool of talent and the fact that whatever talent does get in, does not stay for long…This is not a sustainable situation with regards to the armed forces of any country, especially a country so vulnerable and operating in a stressful neighbourhood/ environment as India.
I have mixed feelings about conscription but will elaborate on them later…I think a spell in the armed forces may do a whole lot of good for general discipline – which seems to be a generic malaise amongst us Indians – and it may help sustain a feeling of national pride and foster a sense of unity.
Counterpoints welcome.
Dear Shantanu,
As the army becomes more technology driven, more sophisticated war gaming, strategising using latest technology, and offers a quality of life that is comparable to what a peer in private technology/strategy role the rebound back to an army career looks possible…what the army communicates in its recruitment – ads etc does matter. Todays kids are more likely to get attracted to the Army if it beocmes apparent that they will use latest gizmos, cutting edge military technology, methods, intelligence systems and weaponry…attracting new officers with promise of a life of a country gentleman in 20 years simply does not and will not work.
Its worthwhile looking at the ad campaign happening here for the British Army- contrast this with what the NDA/IMA route communicates itself.
in my case, I was selected to join NDA but did not join as I was in my first sem at engg college and at that time another cousin who was 28 (I was 18) was studying at the College of Military Engineering after his NDA/IMA courses and while he was Captain.
There was another scheme on going at the time- join as a direct Captain after 1 year at IMA after a 4 year Engg course. taking this route would have given me an advantage of a clear 2.5 years in the army…but hey no one told me that engg officers do not always end up in frontline fighting roles in my case driving tanks….which is what i wanted to do….after nearly 18 years I find myself in business in London…..
I wish I was 18 again…given the benefit of hind sight i would have joined NDA when i had that opportunity…many of my would have been coursemates fought and won in Kargil, some never came back but quite frankly the possibility of war in 1999 looked unlikely in 1988- and having known of several relatives who retired after a “boring” life in the army – some retiring without fighting a single war- I chose a more exciting life in business!
So, wish i was 18 again but with the advantage of foresight !
It is generally being perceived that Army officers are far superior to the civilian guys. How this could have started? Right from the training Institution, it is grilled in the minds of officers that they are different from the civilians. I do not say that it is being taught that civilians are some sort of villains and degraded men. But it is going into the minds right from the beginning that Army guys are something different from others. In fact the roles of civil servants and Army officers are entirely different and can not be compared at all. But some type of parity has to be made and protocol has to be established. The trouble is mostly while comparing with IPS (Indian police service) and IAS( Indian administrative service) cadres. There is no doubt that IAS and IPS officers enjoy more status in society by virtue of their authority over the civil society while army officers have none. Your status is function of authority you wield in civil society. Army guys are limited to their units, officer messes, clubs and canteens and few Institutions and some own empires. In civil society, army does not enjoy any authority. This is typical of any democracy and it shall be like that only. Any amount of crying shall not change it. During East India Company rule and subsequent British rule army officers were also posted as Heads of Districts and into some key positions. The Britishers ruled Indians by military authority. It was more or less a military rule. Even Mountbatten who was a serving senior naval officer of British Navy was the Head of the State in India before Partition. He was still in uniform heading a civilian administration. It was a colonial rule. Our present State is entirely different. It is democracy at least on paper. It is entirely different thing that families rule in India and people vote based on feudal loyalties. If a member of parliament dies his son would be slowly inducted into cabinet. No one has courage to question in own party. Such guys would be thrown out lock stock and barrel. This is Indian democracy that is rather an apology. Yet it is a democracy as every 5 years the ritual of election goes on. Army officers can expect to receive similar status and respect when they are given positions in civil administration along with civil officers. But this is not possible in a democracy. This can happen only under military rule. Under such situations automatically army becomes supreme and every one is reduced to second position. We have seen this happening in Pakistan several times. This also would be disliked very greatly as we have witnessed across the border. There is no doubt that an IAS officer in normal course without showing any very great efficiency or performance of merit can expect to become a Joint Secretary that is equated to Major General of Army at much younger age and service and if some one is bright will go further up soon to become Chief secretary an additional Chief secretary too. Most of them will become secretaries. Most of the IPS officers shall become Inspector General of Police, additional Director Generals of Police. All most every one becomes a Superintendent of police at very young age and wields great clout in district. At army head Quarters I saw many Major Generals holding files waiting to see some IAS guys who were probably of the age of their sons. But that is life. In army the officers slog and go through an obstacle course and filtration at every stage and many miss the bus as majors and hang on to be wasted out as time scale Lt cols. Lt Cols who miss the boat are given time scale Colonels rank if they decide to hang on and many have no choice, as a gesture and they are happy with that. Let us accept the fact that many bright men become victims of the system prevalent in army and become sore helpless. Fancies, whims, eccentricities, take great toll in promotions. Most of the officers instead of representing against the verdict on promotion prefer to leave or swallow as nothing is likely to come out of the representations.
The courses done in army are of no use outside. One may have any length of tail of army qualifications such as Psc, Ptsc, Sdmc, Ldmc, OAE, and OAME JC, SO become irrelevant outside. Only University qualifications have some value and the experience is of great relevance. Even the guys who do staff college at Wellington are given a university degree probably by some university as MA or MSc. What value it will have in civil society and what is its use? There is no relevance. One might have commanded regiments, battalions Brigades or Divisions and Corps in army and fought at Kargil peaks, but for civilian sector, this is no meaning and value. They however may appreciate your achievement, could show some respect and give a cup of tea and then say thank you sir. Some bluntly say that you do not fit in to the requirement. Or your experience may not fit in SIR. But when it comes to the aspect of giving you a position in the industry they will soon back out. I know one Brigadier after retirement was given a job of General manager of an organization and the MD of the company was not even the age of his son. Once they went to an airport to receive some one and after the guest arrived the MD told the poor Brigadier to take care of the luggage and get to the guest room. The brigadier promptly replied that it was not his job. When he went to the office after an hour there was an envelope on his table with cheque of one month salary and a thanks letter. The senior lot faces humiliation in such jobs. Most of the senior guys prefer to stay at home, have a drink in the evening, go for a walk, twist moustache if some one has one and be happy than face humiliation at the hands of unworthy men. They are the real wise men who decide maintain their honor and self respect. These guys have enjoyed unlimited respect and power and pomp and show with in four walls of army and once are out have no identity. What civilians need is a person who can immediately get set and show results. The more one retires senior, more useless he becomes outside. He can not fit in. Heavier the brass, lower is the value. If a person misses boat as a major or even as a Lt col he will be still accepted outside being of younger age and he still can adjust and prove himself soon provided he is able to wriggle out from the cruel clutches of army that is like a giant deadly squid/ octopus with long deadly tentacles. Guys who hang out as Colonels after missing the boat or waiting for the time scale rank would surely become dead and rotten wood outside. They may put any brave face. This is a fact. They have hardly any useful time left for outside. There may be exceptions. But by and large, once army officers get out of service at higher age group they are not accepted in civil sector. Some guys move around with cards printed as consultants for group of companies. God only knows what consultancy they can give outside. IAS officers if they leave early, ample jobs are available in corporate sectors. Many IAS men vexed up with riffraff politicians are opting out of the service. These services are no more attractive as political interference and misbehavior of politicians have degraded these services very greatly. There are many instances of misbehavior by politicians with collectors and they get away clean. All is not well othrside too. Other guys wife always looks beautiful. IAS guys are considered born managers. With army guys, civilians generally feel that service persons will not be in a position to adjust easily. They consider them to be of one track mind. There are some places as security officers that are infact low level appointments by any means where service persons are preferred along with retired police officers such as Deputy Sp or Inspectors. These are glorified Chowkidars infact. Once one comes out of service and on the street he is a common man. Let us do some plain talk .Your rank does not help in any way outside. Every one is an ex servicemen. Infact many army officers do not want to reveal their rank once out. Higher is your rank poorer you will feel outside. What pinches you is here most. An IAS or IPS officer even after coming out of service still has some contacts in the departments and the circle continues. Their works are done promptly. A civilian guy has nothing to do with army except some favor in canteen. But army guys particularly after retirement has to get in contact with civilians every day. After retirement it is also true that you are not much welcome in your own organization. People are worried that you might ask some favor that might put them in inconvenient position. They avoid you. For a year or so after retirement you may have contacts in the station units and you are welcome because there will some guys still working there who worked with you or under you. Once these guys are posted out, you are not recognized in your own corps. You have to introduce and beg for identity. Frustration develops and soon you loose contact with your own people and fade out. Your status is lost permanently and is limited to your faded name plate at the gate and to your drawing room where you display some worn out, defaced, corroded mementoes and photographs. One of my friends threw out all his mementoes after retirement. He says he is very happy now. Service person has to stand in general queue after retirement. Service retired officer has to stand in line for ration card, voters card, ex-serviceman facility for his children’s admission in Engg Colleges, paying electricity bills, water bills, paying vehicle tax, what else and what not. He was away from all these things while in service and in a flick all his jobs were done by the men and his sub ordinates. He is out of the glorified world of “Koi hai ( Any one there?)†and the bed tea served by the orderly. No one to polish shoes and belt. No one to give shoes in hand. He is brought down to mother earth. The red star plates and revolving lights on the car roof and the guys opening the car doors and clapping crowds all vanish overnight. He starts feeling the loss of status which never existed even earlier outside to a great extent although he lives in imagined paradise and falsified world of glamour and false prestige of British imperial order.
In spite of all these things army service is a noble service as one bears arms for the nation and is prepared for supreme sacrifice. There is no doubt in that. It can not be compared to any service. One can not demand recognition in society. It should come out of ones deeds. But peace time army infact has no value and recognition.
But when question of perks and salaries come, Govt has to maintain some parity with other civil services. Government may do any thing, there is no accepted compensation for loss of limb or life. Even crores of rupees shall not compensate a mans life. They can never be compensated. Any number of pay commissions may come, situation is not likely to change and unhappiness would continue. These pay commissions give marginal benefit appearing bright superficially. In nut shell these are marginal. It can never give compensation equal to corporate sector. One may get something in left hand and taken out from right hand as Tax. Finally equation is unbalanced and unhappiness remains as reality .The best way is to permit the officers to leave with a proper exit policy. But Government is scared that all best lot will get out while time passers will remain. Probably this may not be true. Many are happy to remain and slog it out because the service is safest and one is highly protected. There will not be exodus. Many guys rattle out but when one asks them to put in papers they shall hesitate. Hands tremble. Some bright will definitely leave. Why have some who is not interested to serve. The decision has to be bold. When three lions on the cap of Colonels were taken away in 1985 many in hush hush claimed that they would leave the service. But none left. Many are not sure of themselves and they knew their worth outside. Many thought they would become Brigadiers. Only few became. They became dead wood soon. Exit policy is a must in army for healthy growth. Army can not be freed from the comparison with IAS and IPS men and this disparity would continue because you are not making the rules. There are others at right place. You are at the receiving end. It has to be accepted as promotions in army are limited. Imagine all regiments commanded by Major Generals and companies commanded by Colonels with second in command as Brigadier. Division would be commanded by Lt Generals and. Army Chief has to be a Five Star General. Probably soon this will happen if every one wants to become a brigadier or Major General. Many will also become time scale Major Generals. Let them be happy that way. When I joined service all Lt cols used to be dined out at Corps mess in Secunderabad on retirement and Corps silver salver was presented at the function. But when I retire I had to beg for the silver salver by writing letters to Army Head quarters and it came after an year and was delivered by a JCO at my house. Degradation has its own ways indeed. As years passed. the rank were upgraded to Brigadiers for dining out at corps mess and soon it will be for Major Generals. Once the slide down takes place there is no end. It will continue. Like exponential curve after some level the down gradation reaches saturation and there is nothing further to down grade because it has reached the lowest and becomes asymptote. Happiness is maximum at this stage as every one is in same boat. All are major Generals and there is nothing further to aspire for. More the number merrier it is.
On 6th January 2007, I commented at #18 on this post) about what I thought about Maj. Pitambare and Sanjay Dutt. There have been many comments thereafter and I am sure debate will continue. What was shocking to me was that there has been no response from those belonging to armed forces – past or serving. If they have willfully not mentioned their rank then it is different matter, otherwise, I do not see any name with rank prefixed and take it on face value.
We have seen Government’s apathy towards heroes of armed forces in the way the death of Field Marshal Manekshaw and desired ceremony later on was handled. We have seen that not even the Chiefs of Armed Forces took time to be present during his cremation. We have known the insensitivity with which widows and next-of-kin of martyrs of Parliament Attack were given promises which are not fulfilled even now! We know that family members of soldiers killed during Kargil War are still fighting for the benefits which are immediately given to the victims of road accident. Death in the road accident somehow takes precedence over death defending the nation!
We are the ones which matter most in the society and need to introspect – for then only change begins in the society. We have started discussing; no harm in that – for then only we start acting! In fact in more ways then one action has already begun. Shantanu needs to be appreciated for the sober and meaningful discussion which he started in his Blog.
May like to see a bolg on similar subject at http://patriotsforum.blogspot.com/
This poem has been composed by a fourth generation, 24-year old career officer in the Indian Armed Forces, spurred by the report of the Sixth Pay Commission and an insensitive article written by a ‘respectable’ denizen of the country in a national daily on the armed forces and the pertinence of the Sixth Pay Commission therein. This free-flowing verse has not been edited; it’s to ensure that the originality of the angst is maintained. After all, when you are in pain, the language of expression is the last thing in your mind.
‘How you play with us, did you ever see?
At Seven, I had decided what I wanted to be;
I would serve you to the end,
All these boundaries I would defend.
Now you make me look like a fool,
When at Seventeen and just out of school;
Went to the place where they made ‘men out of boys’
Lived a tough life sacrificed a few joys!
In those days, I would see my ‘civilian’ friends,
Living a life with the fashion trends;
Enjoying their so called ‘College Days’
While I sweated and bled in the sun and haze.
But I never thought twice about what where or why
All I knew was when the time came, I’d be ready to do or die.
At 21 and with my commission in hand,
Under the glory of the parade and the band,
I took the oath to protect you over land, air or sea,
And make the supreme sacrifice when the need came to be.
I stood there with a sense of recognition,
But on that day I never had the premonition,
that when the time came to give me my due,
You’d just say,’ What is so great that you do?’
Long back you promised a well to do life;
And when I’m away, take care of my wife.
You came and saw the hardships I live through,
And I saw you make a note or two.
And I hoped you would realize the worth of me;
but now I know you’ll never be able to see,
Because you only see the glorified life of mine,
Did you see the place where death looms all the time?
Did you meet the man standing guard in the snow?
The name of his newborn he does not know…
Did you meet the man whose father breathed his last?
While the sailor patrolled our seas so vast!
You still know I’ll not be the one to raise my voice
I will stand tall and protect you in Punjab Himachal and Thois.
But that’s just me you have in the sun and rain,
For now at Twenty Four, you make me think again;
About the decision I made, Seven years back;
Should I have chosen another life, some other track?
Will I tell my son to follow my lead?
Will I tell my son, you’ll get all that you need?
This is the country you will serve,
This country will give you all that you deserve?
I heard you tell the world ‘ India is shining’,
I told my men, that’s a reason for us to be smiling
This is the India you and I will defend!
But tell me how long will you be able to pretend?
You go on promise all that you may,
But it’s the souls of your own men you betray.
Did you read how some of our eminent citizens
Write about me and ridicule my very existence?
I ask you to please come and see what I do,
Come and have a look at what I go through.
Live my life just for a day
Maybe you’ll have something else to say?
I will still risk my life without a sigh
To keep your flag flying high
But today I ask myself a question or two
Oh India, Why do I still serve you?
A short excerpt from The truth behind Kandahar by Kanchan Gupta:
Excerpts from Not battle-ready before 2027, admits Indian Army:
The Indian Army, one of the world’s largest, has admitted it is far from being battle-ready. The force is 50 per cent short of attaining full capability.
…The report says it will take around 20 years for the army to gain full defence preparedness.
…The artillery has just 52 per cent of the total capability required …The infantry…is struggling at a 65 per cent capability.
*** COMMENT DELETED ***
*** NOTE by MODERATOR ***
Arjun: Please be restrained in your comments. I have deleted your comment – you can guess why.
I will not let anyone advocate violence against individuals on this blog.
Arjun: The problem is very likely at the entry level i.e. not enough young people who are keen on a career in the armed forces.
“Arjun: Please be restrained in your comments. I have deleted your comment – you can guess why.
I will not let anyone advocate violence against individuals on this blog.”
Sorry mate but you seem to be confusing sarcasm with what you want to imagine Im saying..Last time it was the PM getting insulted and now its advocating violence..and next it will be some other lame excuse…Maybe its cultural clash or you are just using heavy censorship to make me finally leave your blog which now I intend to do .If this type of cowardly behaviour dominates most Hindus in India then no wonder they’re getting trampled over by a few anti hindu secularists..And we can discuss this further when we meet up. !
@ Arjun: As you no doubt realise, I cannot force anyone to read this blog – much less comment on the posts.
Perhaps it is mis-understanding of the nuances (or cultural differences – as you mention) but beyond a point, criticism and sarcasm become pretty futile…which is why I try and keep my posts on the edge – sharp but not angry (which I do feel a lot) becaue anger clouds clarity of thought.
The comments that I appreciate the most are the ones that have suggestions, ideas, action points…All of us have a right to be angry and sarcastic – just that it does not help much.
I hope you have not already made up your mind about my behaviour – or otherwise – on this blog…and I am sorry if you feel this censorship is intended at you. It is not – I want the discussions on the blog to set a very high standard of civil discourse…which is what I strive for.
From an email forwarded by Radha Rajan-ji:
WHAT HAS THE ARMY GIVEN YOU ?????
An article by Col (Retd) Abhay Gupta.
I was all of 48 yrs when I was superseded in my present rank. At a
social-do, I was asked by this pretty girl, ‘Just 48, and the end of the
road for you! What has Army really given you? You’ve never been paid well in the Army. And see what they have done to you now!’
I appraised her from top to bottom. I must confess she was a pretty sight. What I told her was this.
Army, my dear, is a way of life. It is not about making a living. As far as supercession is concerned, lady, that is way of army life. You can’t
complain just because your personal interest, as you perceive it, has not been looked after. Army has wonderful, time-tested evolved systems. You don’t fight personal battles for the heck of it. And it is about selfishness, dear – Service Before Self is our motto.
Remember it is a Service (seva). There are no expectations of rewards in Seva, for Seva is considered its own reward. ‘What has Army given me?’, you asked. It has given me a glimpse and understanding of dimensions you, in the civil sector, can only wonder and feel over-awed about. Have you any idea of camaraderie?
When you see a soldier brave the shower of artillery shrapnels to rush to rescue his bleeding colleague just wounded in the shelling you KNOW the meaning of the word ‘camaraderie’. When you are lying in a hospital on a DI List, and there are 20 blood donors of your blood-group spending the cold night in the verandah of the hospital, just so that any emergency call for blood to save your life may be attended to, that is camaraderie. Camaraderie implies selfless help and support to someone who is not necessarily a friend.
You have to cross Banihal, my dear, to understand all this.
Do you know the holy significance of the word ‘command’? It is a sacred word. And who can know the meaning of it other than a person in uniform? Even the CEO of a Fortune 500 company can’t comprehend the significance of this sacred word. When you are in ‘command’ you are God. Can you comprehend what being God can be like? It is not about the authority, it is about responsibility. The authority comes into play after you have rendered your part of the deal of unflinching loyalty displayed towards your subordinates.
Now when you signal him – not ask him or tell him or order him – to
dash-down-crawl- observe- fire, and in the process subject himself to
imminent death, he does so without a second thought. This is when you REALIZE what is so sacred about command. Even before you can move your hand to the door of the car/ gypsy, the driver jumps from his seat and beats you to the door, your door, is what command gets you. Such are the rewards of command.
Do you know the meaning of ‘being a gentleman’? In the last thirty years in uniform one has witnessed a proliferation of designations in the civil environment. There have been Executive Officers, and there have been Managers – General Mangers, Assistant Managers, and a whole spectrum of them. There are CEOs and Vice Presidents. In the Army we have only ‘Officers’. Some are General Officers and some just Company Officers. Even at the induction level we have Young Officers. What it means to be an ‘Officer’ is something you can’t comprehend. Hollywood tried to bring about a differentiation, calling the phenomenon, ‘An Officer and a Gentleman’, little knowing that being a gentleman is inherent when you are an OFFICER.
Being a gentleman is his primary nature, not second-nature. His behaviour is bhadra – i.e. kalyan-kaarak swabhav, guna, aur karma. Army imbibes this peculiar quality in us when we are as young as 17 to 20 years only. I’ll explain with an example. An officer once held the door open for a particular lady. She, trying to be smartly polite said, ‘You don’t have to hold the door open for me just because I’m a lady.’ He replied, ‘Ma’am, I’m not holding it for you because you are a lady, but because I’m a gentleman.’ We may appear to be ruthless egoists, but we are Enlightened Egoists.
In the corporate world have you ever come across the word ‘honour’? In uniform we serve only for honour, not the ‘package’. Naam, Namak, Nishan – are alien words in the corporate world. You know what it means to serve for honour? When a subordinate, who already has a bad ankle, is told of a mission which entails 12 hours of walk in the most rugged terrain; and when he expresses reservation on account of his current physical condition, is told that if we can’t do it, it will be a smudge on the regiment; AND THERE IS NO ONE TO REPLACE HIM. He says he’ll do his bit. He climbs 10 ropes ahead of everyone else only to find that there is no one behind him and the mission is thus called off. He reports from the top, only 5840m (nearly 20000 ft!), that he with two others of his team are on top and no one is in sight, either behind him or ahead (enemy). He comes back to the base two days later – and what an ankle he has! A swollen ankle with 10-inch girth!!!
That is working for the honour.
Army has commanders at every level – langar commander, section commander/ detachment commander, platoon commander/troop commander, and up the chain to Brigade Commanders, and General Officers Commanding in Chief. The General Officers in command of field forces are the best in their league. What is implied by the term ‘commander’? Maybe something you in the corporate world will never get to know. To be a commander implies responsibility, complete
responsibility. As a commander you are responsible for every dimension of your command – right from his morning cup of tea, his toilet facilities, his professional training, his mental makeup, his family’ well being and his spiritual requirements. In the Army we first train young boys, and now even young girls like you, to be an Officer and then to be a Commander, in that order. Can you get an idea, even an iota of it, Lady? Can you get a feel of why we feel distinctly proud, and display it, when we say, ‘We in the Army ….’.
Post Script
‘I am already 25 year old. I suppose I can’t get enrolled to be an officer. What can I do now?, she asked me at a later get-together. ‘The best option for you now is to become an Army Wife!’, I suggested. Two years later this girl married a young Major. Now I only hope and pray that the Army Officers of the future do not belittle this young Army Wife’ perception of our Army as I experienced during ‘my times’.