Military Officers create the Forest Deparment of India

Notable Forest Conservator of South India
General Douglas Hamilton (8 April 1818 – 20 January 1892) was a British Indian Army officer, gazetted to the 21st Regiment of the Madras Native Infantry from 1837 to 1871. He was a well known surveyor of the early British hill stations in South India and a famous sportsman, shikari, big-game hunter and trophy collector. He was an acute observer of nature and a gentleman.
Military career
In 1834 Douglas Hamilton went to the East India Company's Addiscombe Military Academy, and received his commission in the East India Company's Army in 1837, being gazetted to the 21st Regiment of the Madras Native Infantry. He embarked at Portsmouth in the "Duke of Argyle" on September 1 of the same year, arriving in the Madras Roads on December 14. His regiment was sent to Kulladghee in the Bombay Presidency to replace one which had gone to the front in the first Afghan Campaign. In 1846, he went with his regiment to Singapore, and was fortunate to obtain three months' leave in 1848 to visit the Island of Java for hunting. In 1849, he visited England on furlough and returned to India in 1852.
Douglas was very interested in forest conservation in South India, and often visited his old friend General James Michael who was organizing an experimental forest conservancy in the Annaimalai Hills. He was appointed to temporarily manage the conservancy when Michael returned to England on sick leave in 1854. He showed great aptitude for these new forestry duties. In 1857 Michael was again ill and had to relinquish the work altogether. Douglas succeeded permanently to the appointment and for the three years was in charge of the Annaimalai forests, supplying teak lumber for shipbuilding at the Bombay Dockyard. During this period he also became Assistant Conservator of Forests under Dr. Hugh Francis Cleghorn who established the Madras Forest Department and whose work led to the establishment of the Forest Department of India. In 1860 he went with his regiment to Hong Kong and returned to Madras in February, 1861.
Promotion Profile from the Quarterly Indian Army List 1891
1. Ensign 01 Jan 1934
2. Lt 12 Jun 1837- (arrived in Madras)
3. Capt 31 Jan 1838
4. Major 02 Mar 1847
5. Lt Col 29 Jun 1853
6. Col 01 Jan 1862
7. Maj Gen 01 Jan 1867
8. Lt Gen 01 Oct 1877
Gen 01 Dec 1888
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Comment: One wonders what the salary and pay scales of sepoys and Officers were during the British era? Conservation and preservation of natural resources must be foremost in the mind of Military personnel.

The ocean writes its message on the shore with the waves...

Dear Friend,
Stand on a sea shore, and see. The waves as they come are similar, but never the same. Each wave is as different as the leaves of a tree, alike and yet just a bit characteristic. Gurudev Tagore, from whom I have learnt as much as I have from Mirza Asadullah Khan 'Ghalib' believed that the ocean has something to tell us, and he does so by writing a message on the sand.

Now, as every writer knows it is extremely difficult to express one's inner feelings. Even the best angst us, the likes of Khushwant Singh, write their drafts several times. Tagore, himself spent the last few years of his life trying to improve upon the words of "Gitanjali". And so, standing on a beach, Rabindranath Babu observed the waters of the Bay of his beloved Bengal and said,
"The ocean writes its message on the shores with its waves,
And, in despair, washes it again and again!"

So, if we mortals can not get our words right on the first attempt, let us not despair. The Lord Himself has been trying for aeon's to improve His message, and is at it 24X7, trying to do better than what He has been able to do so far. Rakesh Awasthy has sent a delightful set of pictures of waves (click link below). These are exquisite, and are a treat to the eyes. But make no mistake. The best is yet to come. The nature itself is improving, and so are the cameras and photographers.
"Kal aur aayenge,
mujhse behtar kehne wale
Tumse behtar sun-ne wale
Phir kyon mujhko koyi yaad kare
Kyon waqt apna barbaad kare?
Main pal do pal ka shayar hoon
Pal do pal meri jawani hai
Pal do pal mera nagma hai
Pal do pal meri kahani hai"

No prize on guessing the name of the poet.
Regards and love,
Maj Gen Surjit Singh (Retd)

Enjoy the Ocean Waves
Slide show click me: Most exquisite ocean waves...ever