Dear Signallers,
An email received from Ms Charu Shankar, daughter of Late Maj R Thiagarajan, a very very well known and popular Signaller, is reproduced below. The email is self-explanatory.
Maj R Thiagarajan was my instructor at MCTE (then School of Signals) when I did my degree course.
Kindly do help Ms Charu and vote for her book.
Please do share this email with your friends and request them also to vote.
Thank you.
Teevra Chaukas.
In Service of The Corps of Signals
Chander Kamboj.
From: Charu Shankar
Sent: 22 February 2011 02:53
Subject: my book video, please vote
Hi Ossie & Brig Kamboj,
Just wanted to share I'm writing a book about dad's teachings-Major. R. Thiagarajan who served in the Corps of Signals with Ossie. To get my book published, I need your help to vote.
Just go on this website
http://www.nexttopauthor.com/register_author.cfm?aid=595
1) register on this page by typing your email id & creating a password (I have attached what the pages look like to make it easy for you)
2) then vote
your vote will help me spread dad's teachings to everyone else.
voting deadline is feb 28, so please vote now & let everyone else know in the Armed forces, everyone that dad touched in his work,
warm regards
charu
Showing posts with label School of Signals Mhow. Show all posts
Showing posts with label School of Signals Mhow. Show all posts
Wednesday, February 23, 2011
Friday, July 2, 2010
Corps of Signals History: Clarifications and Comments solicited
Dear Veterans,
I am presently working on chapter 12 of Volume III of the Corps History dealing with Regimental Institutions, Sports and Adventure. This is the last chapter and I am looking forward to the end of the grind!
While researching the history of the HQ Mess, I have across some interesting facts.
The 2nd Meeting of the Indian Signal Corps Committee was held on 15 May 1947. It was chaired by Brig HD Beadon and attended by Col BD Kapur, Majors AC Iyappa, Bhattacharia, SS Chaudhary, Mohd Suleman, MBK Nair, Lall Husain, Prem Singh and GH Simoes (Secretary). Minute No 9 reads as under:
Minute No 9 OFFICERS CENTRAL MESS
In view of the possibility that the ISC School may have to move out of HOLKAR State, it was agreed to defer the move of the Officers Central Mess from JUBBULPORE to MHOW till the final location of the Indian Signal Corps School was decided
The 3rd Meeting of the Indian Signals Committee (1st Meeting of newly reconstituted Committee) was on 1-2 April 1948. It was chaired by Brig CHI Akehurst and attended by Brigs BD Kapur and BS Bhagat; Cols RN Batra and Apar Singh; Lt Cols AC Iyappa, SN Bhatia and ID Verma; Majs RS Tiwana, JV Pinto and KK Tewari (Secy) and Sub Maj V Govindaswami. Minute 11 reads as under:
Minute 11 FORMATION OF “IND SIGS HQ MESS”
(a) It was unanimously agreed that the Officers Mess at IND SIGS School should be the “IND SIGS HQ MESS”. In view of the fact that no facilities for a proper mess existed at MHOW at present, it was decided that IND SIGS Centre Officers Mess JUBBULPORE will continue to be regarded as ‘HQ’ Mess for the time being.
(b) It was agreed that ‘financing’ of proposed HQ Mess should be commenced immediately. Half a day’s basic pay (on new pay code) annually was agreed as the basic subscription towards this fund from all officers of the Corps. It was proposed that Sigs Dte (Sigs Adm) be asked to open a separate account for this fund and devise means of collection of same from officers through their units annually.
A year later, the above decision was modified, and the 2nd Meeting of the Indian Signals Committee held on 24-26 May 1949 decided that with immediate effect the mess of the School of Signals as opposed to that of the STC will be known as the “Indian Signals Headquarters Mess”.
Was there a likelihood of the Holkar not permitting the ISC School to be set up at Indore? Of course, at that time the princely states had still not joined the Union. Can any veteran throw some light on this?
It also appears that the HQ Mess functioned at Jubbulpore from Apr 1948 to May 1949 ie about year. Is this correct?
I would be grateful for comments
Maj Gen VK Singh (Retd)
History of MHOW Garrison
On the 3rd June, 1818, the great grandson of Balaji Vishvanath surrendered to Sir John Malcolm at Mhow near Indore. On the 28th December, 1817, the army of Holkar attacked the English at Madhidpur and were completely defeated. The remains of Holkar's army were attacked by General Browne and destroyed on the 10th January, 1818, at Rampur. In the meantime Tulsibai had been murdered by her own troops, and on the 6th January, the young Holkar had made his peace with the English by the treaty of Mandasor and become their subordinate ally. He gave up his lands south of the Narbada and abandoned all his claims over Rajputana, while the English undertook to maintain a sufficient field force to protect his state. This force still exists and is the Mhow garrison.
A history of the Maratha people
I am presently working on chapter 12 of Volume III of the Corps History dealing with Regimental Institutions, Sports and Adventure. This is the last chapter and I am looking forward to the end of the grind!
While researching the history of the HQ Mess, I have across some interesting facts.
The 2nd Meeting of the Indian Signal Corps Committee was held on 15 May 1947. It was chaired by Brig HD Beadon and attended by Col BD Kapur, Majors AC Iyappa, Bhattacharia, SS Chaudhary, Mohd Suleman, MBK Nair, Lall Husain, Prem Singh and GH Simoes (Secretary). Minute No 9 reads as under:
Minute No 9 OFFICERS CENTRAL MESS
In view of the possibility that the ISC School may have to move out of HOLKAR State, it was agreed to defer the move of the Officers Central Mess from JUBBULPORE to MHOW till the final location of the Indian Signal Corps School was decided
The 3rd Meeting of the Indian Signals Committee (1st Meeting of newly reconstituted Committee) was on 1-2 April 1948. It was chaired by Brig CHI Akehurst and attended by Brigs BD Kapur and BS Bhagat; Cols RN Batra and Apar Singh; Lt Cols AC Iyappa, SN Bhatia and ID Verma; Majs RS Tiwana, JV Pinto and KK Tewari (Secy) and Sub Maj V Govindaswami. Minute 11 reads as under:
Minute 11 FORMATION OF “IND SIGS HQ MESS”
(a) It was unanimously agreed that the Officers Mess at IND SIGS School should be the “IND SIGS HQ MESS”. In view of the fact that no facilities for a proper mess existed at MHOW at present, it was decided that IND SIGS Centre Officers Mess JUBBULPORE will continue to be regarded as ‘HQ’ Mess for the time being.
(b) It was agreed that ‘financing’ of proposed HQ Mess should be commenced immediately. Half a day’s basic pay (on new pay code) annually was agreed as the basic subscription towards this fund from all officers of the Corps. It was proposed that Sigs Dte (Sigs Adm) be asked to open a separate account for this fund and devise means of collection of same from officers through their units annually.
A year later, the above decision was modified, and the 2nd Meeting of the Indian Signals Committee held on 24-26 May 1949 decided that with immediate effect the mess of the School of Signals as opposed to that of the STC will be known as the “Indian Signals Headquarters Mess”.
Was there a likelihood of the Holkar not permitting the ISC School to be set up at Indore? Of course, at that time the princely states had still not joined the Union. Can any veteran throw some light on this?
It also appears that the HQ Mess functioned at Jubbulpore from Apr 1948 to May 1949 ie about year. Is this correct?
I would be grateful for comments
Maj Gen VK Singh (Retd)
History of MHOW Garrison
On the 3rd June, 1818, the great grandson of Balaji Vishvanath surrendered to Sir John Malcolm at Mhow near Indore. On the 28th December, 1817, the army of Holkar attacked the English at Madhidpur and were completely defeated. The remains of Holkar's army were attacked by General Browne and destroyed on the 10th January, 1818, at Rampur. In the meantime Tulsibai had been murdered by her own troops, and on the 6th January, the young Holkar had made his peace with the English by the treaty of Mandasor and become their subordinate ally. He gave up his lands south of the Narbada and abandoned all his claims over Rajputana, while the English undertook to maintain a sufficient field force to protect his state. This force still exists and is the Mhow garrison.
A history of the Maratha people
Olive Green: Brief history of MCTE, Mhow
Brief history of MCTE, Mhow by Ambreen Zaidi, Bhopal, February 05, 2006 Archives Hindustan Times
MILITARY HEADQUARTERS of War (MHOW) Cantonment was founded by Sir John Malcolm as a sequel to the Treaty of Mandsaur signed by the British Government and the then Holkar king.
Three premier training institutions of the Indian Army viz. the College of Combat, Infantry School and Military College of Telecommunication Engineering (MCTE) are located in the cantonment.
The spirit of the cantonment is irrepressible, showing a quaint defiance to the inexorable march of time. During and even after World War I, the Corps of Signals was officered by individuals from the Royal Signals trained in the United Kingdom.
From 1933-40, Indian commissioned officers were trained at the Signal Training Centre (STC) Jabalpur and Army Signal School, Poona. Besides this, specialist training was imparted at the Telecommunications School, Agra and Communication Security School (Cipher) at Mhow.
A Signals Officers Training School, as part of the STC (British) Mhow, trained cadets commissioned into the Royal Signals as well as the commissioned officers of the Indian Signal Corps during 1940-46. All these institutions, except the Army Signal School, Poona, were amalgamated at Mhow on October 1, 1946 to form the Indian Signal Corps School. After independence, it was renamed the School of Signals on June 25, 1948.
The school was organised to train Young Officers (No 1 Squadron), Tech Training (No 2 Squadron) and Cipher Training (No 3 Squadron). However, in 1947 the squadrons were renamed Coys. By early 1949, the establishment was revised again and the school redesignated the School of Signals.
In 1952, the Army Signal School was also moved from Poona to Mhow and retained its separate identity till July 1, 1953 when it was absorbed as part of the School of Signals. The wings were redesignated as Tactical, Technical, Cipher and All Arms Wings. Consequent to national emergency in 1962, a requirement was felt to give pre-commission Signal training to cadets from the Indian Military School (now the Indian Military Academy).
Thus, an additional ‘cadets’ wing came into existence in February 1963 as an affiliate to the Tactical Wing. It was later called YOs Wing. On October 1, 1967, the School was redesignated as the Military College of Telecommunication Engineering, and Tactical and Technical Wings became Faculty of Combat Communications Engineering (FCC) and Faculty of Communication Engineering (FCE) respectively.
Graduation from School to College in 1967 also saw addition of Technical Maintenance and Training Aid Wing and the Equipment and QM Wing.
With the advent of computers, the Faculty of Computer Technology and Systems was added in February 1971. EMC/EMI Cell was established in 1980 as part of the prestigious project of the Department of Electronics.
This cell was then expanded and on June 19, 1986 it became the Army EMC Agency, a separate establishment that is now the Army Centre for Electromagnetics (ACE) wef January 1, 1997. Establishment of the Cadets Training Wing on July 10, 2000 heralded the dawn of another era in the history of Mhow Cantonment.
Did you know?
SEVERAL CENTURIES ago, an innkeeper put a small slotted box on each table with a sign ‘To Insure Promptness’, and hence, the word ‘tip’ was coined from the initial letters of this sign. However, the practice of tipping is almost universal though in certain exclusive establishments like the Officer’s Mess it is discouraged. The general rule is that a tip equivalent to 10 per cent of the bill is paid to the waiter. One should be careful not to tip too lavishly as it arouses scorn from others and appears unduly ostentatious. On the other hand, too small an amount brings resentment.
Snooker
The game of Snooker was conceived in Jabalpur. Origins of the game of Snooker are generally regarded as being in the latter half of the 19th century. Billiards had been a popular activity amongst British army officers stationed in India who stole the idea from the Indian game Carrom, and variations on the more traditional billiard games were devised. One variation was to add coloured balls in addition to the reds and black which were used for pyramid pool and life pool. This gave birth to the game of Snooker. Although snooker's origin is not recorded explicitly, it is generally held that a Colonel Sir Neville Chamberlain (no relation to the World War II Prime Minister) conceived the game in the British Army Officer's Mess in Jubbulpore, India, in 1875. Was this Mess subsequently designated as Officers Central Mess?
OLIVE GREEN | Brief history of MCTE, Mhow
Diary of 2/4th Battalion the border regiment, 1914-19
MILITARY HEADQUARTERS of War (MHOW) Cantonment was founded by Sir John Malcolm as a sequel to the Treaty of Mandsaur signed by the British Government and the then Holkar king.
Three premier training institutions of the Indian Army viz. the College of Combat, Infantry School and Military College of Telecommunication Engineering (MCTE) are located in the cantonment.
The spirit of the cantonment is irrepressible, showing a quaint defiance to the inexorable march of time. During and even after World War I, the Corps of Signals was officered by individuals from the Royal Signals trained in the United Kingdom.
From 1933-40, Indian commissioned officers were trained at the Signal Training Centre (STC) Jabalpur and Army Signal School, Poona. Besides this, specialist training was imparted at the Telecommunications School, Agra and Communication Security School (Cipher) at Mhow.
A Signals Officers Training School, as part of the STC (British) Mhow, trained cadets commissioned into the Royal Signals as well as the commissioned officers of the Indian Signal Corps during 1940-46. All these institutions, except the Army Signal School, Poona, were amalgamated at Mhow on October 1, 1946 to form the Indian Signal Corps School. After independence, it was renamed the School of Signals on June 25, 1948.
The school was organised to train Young Officers (No 1 Squadron), Tech Training (No 2 Squadron) and Cipher Training (No 3 Squadron). However, in 1947 the squadrons were renamed Coys. By early 1949, the establishment was revised again and the school redesignated the School of Signals.
In 1952, the Army Signal School was also moved from Poona to Mhow and retained its separate identity till July 1, 1953 when it was absorbed as part of the School of Signals. The wings were redesignated as Tactical, Technical, Cipher and All Arms Wings. Consequent to national emergency in 1962, a requirement was felt to give pre-commission Signal training to cadets from the Indian Military School (now the Indian Military Academy).
Thus, an additional ‘cadets’ wing came into existence in February 1963 as an affiliate to the Tactical Wing. It was later called YOs Wing. On October 1, 1967, the School was redesignated as the Military College of Telecommunication Engineering, and Tactical and Technical Wings became Faculty of Combat Communications Engineering (FCC) and Faculty of Communication Engineering (FCE) respectively.
Graduation from School to College in 1967 also saw addition of Technical Maintenance and Training Aid Wing and the Equipment and QM Wing.
With the advent of computers, the Faculty of Computer Technology and Systems was added in February 1971. EMC/EMI Cell was established in 1980 as part of the prestigious project of the Department of Electronics.
This cell was then expanded and on June 19, 1986 it became the Army EMC Agency, a separate establishment that is now the Army Centre for Electromagnetics (ACE) wef January 1, 1997. Establishment of the Cadets Training Wing on July 10, 2000 heralded the dawn of another era in the history of Mhow Cantonment.
Did you know?
SEVERAL CENTURIES ago, an innkeeper put a small slotted box on each table with a sign ‘To Insure Promptness’, and hence, the word ‘tip’ was coined from the initial letters of this sign. However, the practice of tipping is almost universal though in certain exclusive establishments like the Officer’s Mess it is discouraged. The general rule is that a tip equivalent to 10 per cent of the bill is paid to the waiter. One should be careful not to tip too lavishly as it arouses scorn from others and appears unduly ostentatious. On the other hand, too small an amount brings resentment.
Snooker
The game of Snooker was conceived in Jabalpur. Origins of the game of Snooker are generally regarded as being in the latter half of the 19th century. Billiards had been a popular activity amongst British army officers stationed in India who stole the idea from the Indian game Carrom, and variations on the more traditional billiard games were devised. One variation was to add coloured balls in addition to the reds and black which were used for pyramid pool and life pool. This gave birth to the game of Snooker. Although snooker's origin is not recorded explicitly, it is generally held that a Colonel Sir Neville Chamberlain (no relation to the World War II Prime Minister) conceived the game in the British Army Officer's Mess in Jubbulpore, India, in 1875. Was this Mess subsequently designated as Officers Central Mess?
OLIVE GREEN | Brief history of MCTE, Mhow
Diary of 2/4th Battalion the border regiment, 1914-19
Sunday, February 15, 2009
Corps of Signals- Happy Corps Day
Dear Signallers,
WISHES YOU ALL AND YOUR FAMILIES
A VERY HAPPY CORPS DAY
HAVE A NICE DAY.
In Service of Indian Military Veterans
Chander Kamboj
We never get what we want,
We never want what we get,
We never have what we like,
We never like what we have,
Still we Live and Love.
This is Life........
Brig VA Subramanyam (Retd)
Saturday, April 19, 2008
Challenging Concerns Combating Cancer and Commanding
Medical report
With me posted as FCE commander in Mhow. Jeet my wife was still in Delhi with the children, Kalpana in JNU doing her final MA in French and Ranjit in Eleventh at Army Public School. I had managed to retain the accommodation at the SP Marg officer’s enclave Block 12/ 474 with some difficulty. To add to our mutual worry and problem she was also not well. Both of us were in mental trauma, she had been advised surgery for a suspected tumour in the abdomen I can still not forget the adjective used 'Tennis ball Size' to describe the tumour by the Doctor who had examined her at MH Delhi Cant. I had in desperation called her to Mhow to discuss the future course of action.
The family on a short visit to Mhow
Genuine grudge
Jeet never failed to remind me that I had abandoned her way back in 1959 though it was true her grudge genuine, yet I have often wondered if she ever realised the trauma that even I had to suffer leaving them behind. Possibly the plethora of letters she did receive from me during the periods of separation were not poignant enough to convey my feelings or did the contents made the separation just a bit more unbearable for her. I do know however that waiting for her infrequent letters was a torture enough which was lessened only when I was handed over the then so familiar an envelop which contained her letter even though the euphoria lasted for a short time it is what sustained me during that difficult period at Tawang where I had been moved as the Sparrow of 7 Infantry Brigade from the Regimental HQ at Tezpur.
Family station sans family
Even later I left her many times due to the exigencies of service to fend for on her own and bring up the two growing children who needed the love and care of both the parents. At times we had to live separated by choice due to the children's education when we could visit each other only for short periods also at times it was she who abandoned me leaving me distraught and brooding in my bachelor’s quarters while posted in a family station sans the family. Now she was returning back to Delhi both of us having mutually agreed that she should face the ordeal of the operation albeit alone due to the urgency and the fact that I could not be away from the college at that time. I do wonder now as to what could have been more important to me at that time than her well being and the need of moral support of my presence at the time of the operation.
Heading to Indore
On the drive from Mhow to Indore airport she in the back with another lady who had taken a lift with me in the front with the driver both of us in silence buried deep in our own thoughts; my helplessness and her apprehensions. The seating arrangement in the car and the presence of another person precluded any exchange of last minute words of consolation.
Deafening silence
There was another reason for the deafening silence between the two of us as she had been waiting, in my room in the bachelor’s quarters, sitting with this uninvited guest, for me to pick her up. She with her own worries, I was no where in sight the time for her flight to Delhi approaching naturally she was getting tense and justifiably upset with me. I was all this time stuck in the Commandant's office who was interviewing the foreign students of the faculty with me in attendance. The Commandant though aware of the fact that I was to see- off my wife was in an expansive mood enjoying his interaction with the students from Africa, Iran and Afghanistan in the process honing his already considerable diplomatic skills. I was all the time on tenterhooks covertly looking at my wrist watch, calculating by the minute diminishing gap in the travelling time from Mhow and the Checking- in at the airport. I desperate for an opportunity to get away and having reached the cut- off stage ultimately asked to be excused which he graciously granted. I rushed to the waiting wife to be greeted with frozen looks that made me quickly sink way down in my ammunition boots.
Brave face
On my prodding the skilled driver kept the accelerator pedal pressed to its maximum travel and made the Ambassador fly onwards, we did make it to the Airport in time for check- in but only with a whisker. Once at the Airport and with her realising that the time to leave me behind had finally arrived I did notice a thaw in her till now rather sour expression. Waiting for the Aircraft coming from Bombay to land, both of us distraught she held to my hand as a desperate gesture, eyes brimming with tears. I equally emotionally charged with a turmoil brewing inside, yet presenting a brave face to keep her morale up added to the fact that I was in uniform and as such had to keep a brave face for the benefit of the public at large.
Flight announcement
The Public Address system came to life crackling and in a tinny voice announced the arrival of the flight from Bombay. Soon the Boeing 737 landed with the characteristic roar of its twin jet raced the full length of the tarmac stopped with an effort at the very end of the short runway took a U turn and slowly taxied to the parking bay a short distance away from the terminal. Once again the PA came to life this time announcing the departure of the flight to Delhi and advising the passengers to board. The terminal came alive with the passengers rushing to line-up carrying the in-cabin baggage in both the hands all in a hurry to reach Delhi before others.
Tearful farewell
With tears streaming down her cheeks Jeet bid me a silent farewell no words exchanged the hand slowly and reluctantly withdrawn from the comfort of my grip and joined the line to face the daunting prospect of facing a major operation alone. Leaving me she slowly walked out of the terminal and trudged towards the plane and to an uncertain future. My eyes followed her each step desperate but unable to do any thing to mitigate our mutual apprehensions. I was still tied to her with an invisible elastic band which was getting stretched as she approached the Aircraft to finally break once she entered the door and disappeared from my view. Possibly she was the last to embark and soon the door shut with a bang breaking my contact with her.
Sane decision
As the staff car with me drove out of the Airport the Boeing also took off, flying low overhead with the two turbines whining at full power. I watched in a pensive mood from the window of the car its steep climb the visible effort to break from the shekels of the gravity pulling it towards the ground and become a free bird once again. Soon it took a sharp turn and headed towards Delhi, taking all that mattered to me with it leaving me forlorn worried and with an empty feeling inside. On my way back to Mhow I did take a sane decision and rang her up at the earliest to defer the operation till I could be with her at Delhi.
Brig Lakshman Singh, VSM (Retd)
With me posted as FCE commander in Mhow. Jeet my wife was still in Delhi with the children, Kalpana in JNU doing her final MA in French and Ranjit in Eleventh at Army Public School. I had managed to retain the accommodation at the SP Marg officer’s enclave Block 12/ 474 with some difficulty. To add to our mutual worry and problem she was also not well. Both of us were in mental trauma, she had been advised surgery for a suspected tumour in the abdomen I can still not forget the adjective used 'Tennis ball Size' to describe the tumour by the Doctor who had examined her at MH Delhi Cant. I had in desperation called her to Mhow to discuss the future course of action.
Genuine grudge
Jeet never failed to remind me that I had abandoned her way back in 1959 though it was true her grudge genuine, yet I have often wondered if she ever realised the trauma that even I had to suffer leaving them behind. Possibly the plethora of letters she did receive from me during the periods of separation were not poignant enough to convey my feelings or did the contents made the separation just a bit more unbearable for her. I do know however that waiting for her infrequent letters was a torture enough which was lessened only when I was handed over the then so familiar an envelop which contained her letter even though the euphoria lasted for a short time it is what sustained me during that difficult period at Tawang where I had been moved as the Sparrow of 7 Infantry Brigade from the Regimental HQ at Tezpur.
Family station sans family
Even later I left her many times due to the exigencies of service to fend for on her own and bring up the two growing children who needed the love and care of both the parents. At times we had to live separated by choice due to the children's education when we could visit each other only for short periods also at times it was she who abandoned me leaving me distraught and brooding in my bachelor’s quarters while posted in a family station sans the family. Now she was returning back to Delhi both of us having mutually agreed that she should face the ordeal of the operation albeit alone due to the urgency and the fact that I could not be away from the college at that time. I do wonder now as to what could have been more important to me at that time than her well being and the need of moral support of my presence at the time of the operation.
Heading to Indore
On the drive from Mhow to Indore airport she in the back with another lady who had taken a lift with me in the front with the driver both of us in silence buried deep in our own thoughts; my helplessness and her apprehensions. The seating arrangement in the car and the presence of another person precluded any exchange of last minute words of consolation.
Deafening silence
There was another reason for the deafening silence between the two of us as she had been waiting, in my room in the bachelor’s quarters, sitting with this uninvited guest, for me to pick her up. She with her own worries, I was no where in sight the time for her flight to Delhi approaching naturally she was getting tense and justifiably upset with me. I was all this time stuck in the Commandant's office who was interviewing the foreign students of the faculty with me in attendance. The Commandant though aware of the fact that I was to see- off my wife was in an expansive mood enjoying his interaction with the students from Africa, Iran and Afghanistan in the process honing his already considerable diplomatic skills. I was all the time on tenterhooks covertly looking at my wrist watch, calculating by the minute diminishing gap in the travelling time from Mhow and the Checking- in at the airport. I desperate for an opportunity to get away and having reached the cut- off stage ultimately asked to be excused which he graciously granted. I rushed to the waiting wife to be greeted with frozen looks that made me quickly sink way down in my ammunition boots.
Brave face
On my prodding the skilled driver kept the accelerator pedal pressed to its maximum travel and made the Ambassador fly onwards, we did make it to the Airport in time for check- in but only with a whisker. Once at the Airport and with her realising that the time to leave me behind had finally arrived I did notice a thaw in her till now rather sour expression. Waiting for the Aircraft coming from Bombay to land, both of us distraught she held to my hand as a desperate gesture, eyes brimming with tears. I equally emotionally charged with a turmoil brewing inside, yet presenting a brave face to keep her morale up added to the fact that I was in uniform and as such had to keep a brave face for the benefit of the public at large.
Flight announcement
The Public Address system came to life crackling and in a tinny voice announced the arrival of the flight from Bombay. Soon the Boeing 737 landed with the characteristic roar of its twin jet raced the full length of the tarmac stopped with an effort at the very end of the short runway took a U turn and slowly taxied to the parking bay a short distance away from the terminal. Once again the PA came to life this time announcing the departure of the flight to Delhi and advising the passengers to board. The terminal came alive with the passengers rushing to line-up carrying the in-cabin baggage in both the hands all in a hurry to reach Delhi before others.
Tearful farewell
With tears streaming down her cheeks Jeet bid me a silent farewell no words exchanged the hand slowly and reluctantly withdrawn from the comfort of my grip and joined the line to face the daunting prospect of facing a major operation alone. Leaving me she slowly walked out of the terminal and trudged towards the plane and to an uncertain future. My eyes followed her each step desperate but unable to do any thing to mitigate our mutual apprehensions. I was still tied to her with an invisible elastic band which was getting stretched as she approached the Aircraft to finally break once she entered the door and disappeared from my view. Possibly she was the last to embark and soon the door shut with a bang breaking my contact with her.
Sane decision
As the staff car with me drove out of the Airport the Boeing also took off, flying low overhead with the two turbines whining at full power. I watched in a pensive mood from the window of the car its steep climb the visible effort to break from the shekels of the gravity pulling it towards the ground and become a free bird once again. Soon it took a sharp turn and headed towards Delhi, taking all that mattered to me with it leaving me forlorn worried and with an empty feeling inside. On my way back to Mhow I did take a sane decision and rang her up at the earliest to defer the operation till I could be with her at Delhi.
Brig Lakshman Singh, VSM (Retd)
Sunday, April 13, 2008
MHOW Oracle comes true
Lt Gen Khanna, Maj Gen Surjit Singh on his left and Brig SK Dovedy on his right, the author on extreme left
Stranger's call
A hundred Rupee Note did get exchanged from my hand to his; was it at his request or due to the empathy, his penury and destitution being so transparent and his efforts to dress as he was making it obvious that he had seen better days, that I felt for him? Did I consider him to be source of of wise counsel or prophetic opinions?
Selection Board
It was a few days after my appeal for having been passed- over had been rejected by the authorities that be, and I had reconciled to the fact but not Jeet, who in the meantime, had packed the house and decided to bid farewell to Mhow with or without me, that we were sitting together in the veranda of our beloved hutment, both in silence, possibly contemplating the next step and the future plans, that I noticed an elderly gentlemen dressed in suit and tie standing at the gate and beckoning me.
ESP
From a closer look he appeared to be pretty down at heels, his clothes had certainly seen better days and a bit desperate from his demeanour. ‘I can feel some vibrations’ he sad and pleaded ‘please let me come in I have some thing to tell you’. His being a stranger and me not being sure as to what he could have to tell me opened the gate of the compound and rather reluctantly let him in. It transpired that he had a claim to have some ESP (Extra Sensory Powers) at his command, though not a believer in ESP or astrology, possibly remembering my earlier encounter with the Oracle from Nathang, way back in 1970 at Lungthu in Sikkim; I let him have his say.
Reading the lines
I now do not recall if he held my hands or looked at the lines in my palm but he soon declared that I would get my next promotion very soon. Though his prediction was pleasant to the ears, I was convinced that it was pure hogwash, especially with the rejection- slip to my appeal safely locked, from the eyes of Jeet, in my briefcase. I responded by telling him that there was no chance of his prophesy coming true. He still insisted, was quite adamant and positive about it.
Prediction
Fortunately for me he was right and I was wrong in my thinking: to mine and everyone’s surprise the next Selection Board, strangely based on the same old, my earlier Annual Reports and with no fresh inputs, cleared me for the next rank. However, the damage had already been done in nullifying the advantage of the two years anti- date which I had due to my technical qualifications. Perhaps it benefited some individual or individuals, yet I have no regrets.
Signal Officer in Chief
The prophesy by the Oracle of Mhow came cent percent true unlike the prediction by the Oracle of Nathang which was only fifty percent correct, in that Banker, did not make it to Lt Col, while in his case the prophecy in respect of then Maj Gen V C Khanna along that made about me also came true. I do not remember as to who had apprised me of this, but it is also a fact that at that time it was Maj Gen J Mayadas who was the favourite and centre of all attraction, so obvious when both of them had together visited MCTE for some function, to be the next So-in-C. However, it was Khanna who to every one’s surprise, shock and awe, got promoted to Lt Gen and took over as the next So-in- C, on retirement of Lt Gen RP Sapra.
Brig Lakshman Singh, VSM (Retd)
Link: Signal Officer Narrative 1971
Comments:
The Army employs a system of annual appraisals which are called Annual Confidential Reports (ACR). The ACR is produced annually to a timetable depending on rank and performs two functions: It tells the individual honestly how he/ she has done during that period and leaves them in no doubt how to improve their performance. When placed with the individuals other previous ACRs it becomes the raw material used by selection boards to assess potential for promotion, training and appointments. Along with the ACR is tagged the Annual Medical Report.
Newly commissioned army officers will not be subject to the annual confidential report for the first nine years of service. It was found that the "zero error syndrome" was creeping in among the young officers anxious not to mar their career profile by taking risks. Therefore, under this plan, officers will not be assessed in the first two years of their service. Thereafter, for the next seven years there will only be a "unit assessment card", which will be done by the officer's peers within the battalion.
The ACRs and Medical Reports do not generally represent the true picture of the Officer especially from rank of Brig to Lt Gen as all are branded "High Profile". The Medical Standards need to be made more stringent to knock out the flab. Fifty percent of the Generals are medically unfit but due to their rank influence they retain SHAPE One category till retirement and most of them aspire to serve and retire in Delhi, as per statistics.
Ideally there should be no representation on ACR's, however, erroneous one surmises it to be. Showing of ACR to concerned officer is not prudent unless a feedback system is evolved to evaluate leadership traits. What we heard from media reports in Maj Gen AK Lal's case was that, subordinate officers ACRs were discussed by his family members. This surely is an unwelcome trend. The sanctum and confidentiality of ACR must be scrupulously preserved at all times.
Tuesday, March 18, 2008
Prudent Economics and Human Relationships
Cycling
My major contribution to the economy of Mhow Cantonment on posting to MCTE was in a spurt in the sale of cycles in the town. I used to cycle in the college campus. Once General Sundarje also decided to cycle to his office; it started as a fad with most of the staff of the two colleges rushing to the cycle shops acquiring or hiring cycles.
Short course in human relationship
Six most important words "I admit I made a mistake".
The five most important words "You did a good job".
The four most important words "What is your opinion".
The three most important words "If you please".
The two most important words "Thank you".
The least Important word is "I". My suggestion Change "I" to "We".
Brig Lakshman Singh, VSM (Retd)
Monday, March 10, 2008
School of Signals Mhow 1955
Passing out from IMA Dehra Dun on 2nd Jun 1955 I with 21 others like me landed at Mhow for finishing at School of Signals prior to being posted to the Regiments. We were a motley crowdd some ex NDA, others ‘Direct Entry’ some from NCC and a few like me neither fish nor fowl the Technical Graduates. All immature and weighed down by the single pip on our young shoulders yet all masquerading as seasoned soldiers wearing stone washed cloth epaulets some brash some over confident others like me nervous. Even before we could settle down we were advised by our group officer, Capt Paisley, to open a bank account and this soon introduced us to the wonders of a post-dated Cheque and the magic of how a scrap of paper got converted in to cash with the help of Ramchandra Bank. At last we had found the solution to the constraints of limited resources (Rupees 300 PM less Rs 50 being deducted each month towards the advance of pay given) and unlimited demands.
Mhow 50 years back was the same as it is today a few old bungalows may have fallen down a few new flats and buildings may have risen up yet the culture and ambience of Mhow was the same as today the town did come alive only in the evening when the Training Establishments closed for rest of the day it slept with eyes open.
The Officers Mess introduced me to Morris the barman with his imposing personality and handle- bar moustaches. He made the finest fresh-lime drink. There was also Fernandez the chief cook on dinner nights he would quietly stand in a corner hidden from view and watch the expression of the officers as they tasted and savoured each dish prepared under his guidance with satisfaction. Both institutions by themselves I kept meeting them off and on till my retirement and even later on my visits to Mhow.
Not to forget the barber Paiara Lal who knew every thing about everyone and enjoyed talking about the same a big name dropper he could be a pain in the neck would go on chattering unmindful of the interest or disinterest of his captive audience wrapped in the white sheet and at his mercy. I also cannot forget my bearer Manikam who looked after me in the room as also waited on the table in the mess. I believe he would entertain all the other bearers when we were in the classes with his vigorous dancing on my 78 rpm records of which I had a good collection.
The officiating Commander of TAC Wing, where we were destined to spend the major portion of the next six months of our stay at Mhow, Major G S Sidhu was not only formidable looking he acted the same keeping us terrorised successfully all the time.
We were required to call on the permanent staff as per the army traditions leaving our calling cards one for the lady of the house and one for the unmarried daughter in addition to the one we were supposed to leave in any case. Being unsure of ourselves we were avoiding this onerous duty till we were reminded of the same rather forcefully. On the designated calling day dressed in our best summer suits and with a fist -full of calling cards all 15 of us mounted our cycles and came on the road. Going round and round circling the bungalows of the Comdt and other permanent staff in smaller and larger groups crossing and re-crossing each other while exchanging sheepish grins. Not being able to muster courage enough to enter the Comdt’s House No 2 the Middlesex Road as also not being sure as to from where to start the calling process after some more futile cycling we were back in our room; mission unaccomplished.
This was not the end of the story next day we were once again in the Wing Commanders office this time with an entreaty to be kind to the staff and not to keep them on tenterhooks.
It so happened that my room located at the extreme end of the barrack wherein we the YO’s were lodged faced the Church across the road. Sunday mornings the spectacle of the pretty Mhow girls dressed in their finery streaming in for the Service and later emerging at times even lingering at the entrance gate acted as a magnet to the course mates. With easy chairs pulled up they would take vantage positions with me as the unwilling host Manikam my bearer serving Tea and Pakoras to the excited and chattering young fellows.
Was the lingering of the girls at the gate deliberate intentional and naturally irresistible with so many admirers opposite is a question I still ponder upon?
Brig Lakshman Singh, VSM (Retd)
Tuesday, February 26, 2008
XI Corps Signal Regiment 1956
PhotographLeft: Brig Iyappa the Director Signals on a visit to regiment With CO and other Officers
Right: Corps Birthday Celebrations The Cycle Rickshaw Race, Mrs Pettengell the passenger
On posting to XI Corps Signals Regiment, after the YO's Course at School of Signals Mhow, located at Jalandhar, the then Lt Col Pettengel was my first Commanding officer. Holidays were over for now and as regimental officers we were driven really hard, good in more than one way as it did make us tough mentally and physically the reason for the whip being used so often and hard I learnt much later.
The reason as to why the regiment was being run the way it was became clear years later when I had already retired and while researching for my book "Letters from the Border" had visited late Lt Gen EG Pettengell PVSM MBE who in 1992 was then settled in Dehradun and lead a quiet life shared with his friends a lovely dog and a bit of Golf. On learning of the early demise of my wife he was kind enough to share his own trauma on the untimely passing away of Mrs Pettengell. He took me down the memory lane about the wonderful albeit hard days in XI Corps Signal Regiment.
It did throw a light as to why we were driven so hard by him. He had assumed command of the Regiment; the only Corps Signal Regiment those days when it had just been declared unfit for war. The Corps Commander Lt Gen Kulwant Singh had given him two months to put it back on rails. The quickest way was to drive the regiment on the route of Drill, Weapon Training, Physical Training and sprucing and up the Quarter Guard the show- piece of any unit. He did succeed in satisfying the Corps Commander in the process, we especially the young officers had to go through a rough and hard time.
Brig Lakshman Singh VSM (Retd)
Report My Signal Blog Team thanks Brig Lakshman for sharing and recollecting his days in the famous XI Corps Signal Regiment. Other CO's one remembers are Brig RA Rajan, Maj Gen YK Gera, Brig VA Subramanyam and Brig AK Sharma. All of them were excellent Golfers too.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
