Then & Now...

Interesting anecdote by Maj Gen AK Chaturvedi...

It was some time during Dec 1975. Our unit was in Allahabad and I was going on much awaited CL. I asked my Platoon boys if I could do any thing for them. One boy said that he wanted to appear in High School Examination of UP Board and the last date of submitting the form had already got over. A typical one pipper reaction came from me that I would get the permission during leave at Lucknow.

When I reached Lucknow and asked my father whom to approach for the sanction, he looked incredulously at myself and said such things are well nigh impossible. I was not deterred because now it was a question of my (a 2/Lt’s) reputation, who was recently found suitable by none other than the President of India for getting commissioned in Indian Army. 

I, on my borrowed bicycle, pedalled to the office of the Director Education and confidently walked into his office. His reaction was same as that of my father. The wise man that he was, he did not say 'no' to me, but told me that such a sanction was possible only if the Govt agreed. Since I had no idea who in the Govt could help me, I asked the Director as to who I could go to. To get me off his back he told me that I could try my luck with the Secy Education. 

I again pedalled to Secratariat where I was stopped at the gate by the Guard. However, once I told him that I was a 2/Lt of the Indian Army, he (who was probably an ESM) allowed me inside the Secratariat. My next stop was the office of the Secy. The peon at the door told me that a Conference was in progress and I should wait. How could a 2/Lt wait; so I told the peon that the matter was important and he could inform the Secy that I was insisting to meet him. Since I had no visiting card I gave him my I Card to show  to the Secy. LO and Behold! The Secy called me in. Now it was my turn to get overawed. It was a huge conference hall and the Secy was sitting at the Head of the Table. He said, “Yes Mister Chaturvedi what can I do for you”.  I realised that he knew the Service Convention, wherein a 2/Lt and Lts were addressed as 'Mr'. I told him the issue and he smiled and said, “Although there is no rule to allow such a waiver, but for a soldier I will make an exception. Go back to Direction education and Collect the sanction letter.” I thanked him and walked out.

While leaving his office I overheard him telling all those who were part of the conference, “Look at the commitment of this Young Officer for the welfare of his men. No wonder India is safe because of such officer-men bonding of Indian Army”. I had never felt as proud as at that moment for having been part of the Indian Army.

However the story will not be complete without an epilogue. After my retirement , I tried to meet another Education Secy in the same Secratariat in 2012. I, even as a retired General of Indian Army, could not get the permission for as much as 15 days. When I finally got a chance to meet him I pointed this delay to the Secy. He was not at all apologetic and told me that he was busy in more important things. This only shows that so much of erosion has taken place to the prestige of the service officers over the years.