How the Armed Forces Top Brass allowed Officer cadre to be Downgraded

At the time when India became free in 1847, a Major was in protocol at par with a District Superintendent of Police. The downslide really commenced when General Cariappa was appointed the Army Chief in 1951. Cariappa for all his good qualities was in reality not the man to be the Cin C of a professional army. He really had no strategic sense and there is not even one paper or note by him to Nehru about a possible threat from China. Having become the Army Chief after superceding Lt Gen Kulwant Singh, he was beholden to Nehru and the first list of protocol was issued during his time. The downgradation of the service ranks started from that time. Cariappa did nothing to arrest this debasement and I am told he was just enjoying himself as Army Chief.

Subsequent Army Chiefs also failed to arrest the decline in parity of an officer of the Armed forces with their civil counterparts. This is hard to understand, as the Army Chief headed the only organized force in the country. One reason for the lack of initiative was the defeat at the hands of China in 1962. Along with Nehru, the service Chiefs were criminally negligent about the Northern border. Having lost the war because of their own lack of strategic vision, the civil authority loomed larger over them. The Chiefs of all 3 services failed to bring any pressure on the government.In fact the downslide continued till the armed forces were at the lowest rung of the ladder.

A major blame for this must again go to the service Chiefs. in 1983/84 when Venkatraman was the Raksha Mantri, he suggested the rank of Lt Colonel in 13 years. But I do recollect the service Chiefs themselves turned down this proposal on the plea that it will 'devalue' the ranks. This was a shortsighted approach as the civil services were rising to DIG rank in 16-18 years. Thus it was service chiefs who cut their own feet. In any case 25 years down the line this did happen. The top brass of the army are basically men of straw. One must wonder how much love they have for the rank and file. It is silly that a Army Chief could knock the door of the Supreme court on a case regarding his age , yet he never did approach the court for a legitimate demand of OROP. As things stand , one cannot have much hope on the top brass. They have let the armed forces down at every stage. They have failed to bring up points to the government. perhaps its the survival instinct that is paramount as the Chief having risen to a position would like to enjoy that perk of office. Why get into a spat with the government ?

Narendra Modi and the BJP have let down the Armed Forces

Narendra Modi started his election campaign by addressing ex ex-servicemen rally from Rewari in Haryana in 2014( beginning). He announced to gathering that once he and the BJP is voted to power, he will make sure that OROP will be sanctioned for the officers and men of the Indian armed forces. What is OROP? It means One Rank One Pension and is a long-standing demand of the services. It also means that all soldiers will draw the same pension at any given point. This was essential as soldiers who have retired 2 or 3 decades back are drawing just about 30-40% of the pension drawn by a newly retired serviceman.

Narendra Modi and the Bharatiya Janta Party made a big show of this and also included sanction of OROP in their election manifesto. It appeared that after 3 decades of the demand having surfaced, the ex-soldiers would at last get their due. But alas it has not happened! The BJP having won the election thought it fit to forget about the election promise. Narendra Modi is a past master at manipulation and he announced the sanction of OROP was 'dear' to his heart and he would not rest till it was sanctioned. yet, the same Modi failed to instruct his Finance and Defence Minister to go ahead to issue the government letter for OROP. Both the Finance Minister ( Jaitley) and the Defence Minister ( Parrikar) have in interviews said that OROP is 'complicated' and there is 'lack of clarity' on it and as such there is a need to refer it to a tribunal. This shows the thinking of the BJP top brass which is conditioned by age-old practices in vogue from the time of Nehru to keep the armed forces down and not give them their due. The downgradation of the armed forces commenced from the time of Nehru and Narendra Modi is following exactly that policy.

The fact is that the political leadership has not realized that adage that a nation's respect is dependent on its military power and by such petty acts as not granting OROP, they are seriously undermining the morale of the armed forces. Does the political leadership realize that the ONLY unifying force in the country is the Army? Just withdraw the army from Kashmir or the North East and see what happens.There will be wide spread secession from the union. The BJP is indulging in self-defeating policies and one must accept that Jaitley who all along was just a agitationist has really no concept of world power. The BJP and Modi are playing with fire by not giving the soldier his due. The bell tolls for a nation that is ungrateful to its soldiers both retired and serving and I am sure Modi will hear it before he is out of office.

Book review: John Masters "Bugles and the Tiger"

John Masters was a rare breed of Anglo-Indians who wrote about India. He was a man with golden pen. Kushwant Singh the noted India writer says about John Masters ‘EM Forester understood India while John Masters understood Indians John master lived in India and was born here. His father was a Lieutenant Colonel in the British Indian army and John masters also followed suit. He was educated at Sandhurst and was commissioned in 1933. John Masters spent a fair amount of time with the Kings Own Gurkha rifles and served with them in the North West frontier. His book ‘Bugles and the Tiger’ is an account of his life during that period.

Sometimes, I wonder where this beautiful book has been hiding. It is a fabulous account of a young officer attached to a Gurkha regiment in the wild North West frontier where the watch word of the Muslims tribes was Jihad at all times. The Book makes fascinating reading and in my opinion is one of those rare books that one must read. Masters autobiographical account recounts his passing out from the Military college at Sandhurst and his joining 2/4 Gurkha Rifles on India's Northwest frontier. The strain of the book brings out the love of John Masters for India, the country people and the Gurkhas. It is clear from the book that the Gurkhas loved him as well This book creates a vivid picture of a Gurkha regiment and the interaction between the common soldier and the British officer. In fact it gives a rare insight into military life. Life in the military, more particularly in the British Indian army was hard but, people who have gone through it loved it. Masters faced all the dangers as he battled die hard fanatic Muslims intent on Jihad, with the Gurkha troops under his command.. Last Word

I first read this book as a cadet at the Air Force Academy on the recommendation of my Instructor. The book surprised me and I have read it 3 times after that. The book is a joy to read and even if you are not a soldier it makes excellent reading. John Masters is intoxicating and once you have read this book you will want to read his other books. He was a master of prose and all India should be proud of him. John Master passed away in 1983, leaving behind a rich heritage of excellent books.

Indian Whiskey Rules the Roost in the World

The British ruled India for 190 years and gave many gifts to India. They also reduced Indians to second class status, but some of their legacies really helped India like the railways and the army. In addition the British also introduced whiskey and allied drinks in India. Once the products were introduced many enterprising Indians in collaboration with the British opened distilleries in India and some are now big names like Mohan Meaken and Kingfisher. These were referred to as IMFL or Indian made Foreign liquor

IMFL became popular in India and after independence and liberalization of economy foreign manufacturers of Scotch whiskey also started manufacturing their products in India. Indian made whiskey have now reached international standards in quality and good Indian whiskey is close to scotch in taste and flavor. India has gone forward and recently an international survey has shown that the 10 top selling brands in the world seven are from India. The only Scotch whiskey brand in the list is single malt Glen Livet. It is indeed surprising that 7 Indian brands are the top selling brands out of the first 10 in the world. The topmost brand with maximum volume in sales is Imperial Blue followed by MacDowell No 1.

The sale of Indian made foreign whiskeys has grown by geometric progression. One reason is the price as Indian whiskeys sell at 50% of the cost of similar Scotch whiskey. In a match with price and quality, IMFL scores and thus more and more buyers are drinking Indian made whiskeys. In Pakistan, UAE and even Europe Indian Whiskeys are stocked in the bars and there is no stigma attached to them. There is now a new development and top Scotch brands are now bottled and manufactured in India. Thus one can get Black Label, Chivas regal and other top brands made in India. Indian made whiskeys are indeed dominating the world. But one important point is that IMFL cannot compare with the rare brands of Scotch which have their own flavor. At high end parties the elite will still prefer Scotch whiskey, as a whiskey like Royal Salute cannot be duplicated in India.

Indian made foreign brands are becoming more popular and it’s a feather in the Indian cap that the out of 10 top selling brands in the world 7 are Indian. In the next decade it is possible that even the high end brands of Scotch could be replaced by Indian made whiskeys.

The Desert Safari and the Belly Dance

Dubai is an exotic place and one that is not constrained by rigid Islamic rhetoric. It's a refreshing place where the ruler His Highness Sheik Mohammed al Maktoum has ushered in a liberal society that embraces the secular ideals of Islam. He has as a sign of his greatness also permitted a gurudwara in Dubai at Jebel Ali about 25 km from the city centre.

One other aspect of the liberal atmosphere is the belly dance. This is peculiar to the Arab culture and consists of a young woman dancing before a gathering dressed in long loose skirt that is slit at the sides, to get an excellent view of the legs for the viewers. In addition the girls naval and waist is bare with the skirt tied low down the hips to give an excellent view of her midriff. Normally girls also while doing the belly dance wear a sleeve less blouse or a skimpy one with just straps to hold it in place. The dance consists of the girl dancing and undulating her hips to the accompaniment of music, mostly Arabic. Sometimes the dancers will gyrate to the tune of Hindi songs as well. Most of the girls doing the belly dance are from Lebanon, Egypt or Syria. But sometimes girls from India are also inducted to take part in the Belly dance.

The belly dance is normally the last item in a desert Safari and the entire tour with the Belly dance comes in a package and costs anything from 150-200 Dirhams. It is better to book in advance and also get a good seat in the land rover The desert safari kicks off with a drive though the sand dunes in a land rover and after a tortuous, all the tourists will converge to a Bedouin village.

Here Alcohol is also available on payment and a sumptuous buffet is laid out with roasted meats. Its excellent fare and after you have eaten, the belly dance commences. It’s a lovely sight to see the girl dancing and gyrating her hips and in the process giving an excellent view of her thighs and legs. This is the last item and after that the visitors are driven back to their hotels. Some dancers can get daring and allow the loose skirt to slide down as well with a tantalizing view of a dances in a semi nude condition. Such belly dancers cost more than normal. A belly dance is the piece de resistance of the evening and not to be missed.

When in Dubai or the UAE one can book a desert Safari in advance. But make sure that the belly dance is part of the programme as many desert safaris’ so not have the belly Dance, but will charge you the same amount. At the Bedouin village take a vantage seat as the belly dance is done in the centre of a small arena with men and women sitting all around on the carpet laid out with cushions and rugs. Sit comfortably as the belly dance can go up to 30 minutes. You can relish a mug of beer while watching the girl display her wares and art. But remember that Alcohol is not part of the all inclusive charge for the Safari and has to be paid for in hard cash there. Once the Belly dance is over the signal for the end of the Desert safari is announced and all go back to their land rovers to travel back to their respective homes and hotels

Battle of Jamrud 1837: Sikh-Afghan War

Jamrud is a fort about 10 miles off Peshawar. Located at the opening of the Khyber Pass, it formed the outermost limit of the Sikh Empire. It had been captured by the Sikhs under General Hari Singh Nalwa, the Commander-in-Chief of the Sikh Army. The Sikh expansion plans were westwards, as Ranjit Singh the Maharajah of the Sikhs had signed a treaty with the English, which limited his southern border to the river Sutlej. (Treaty of Amritsar 25 April, 1809.) Expansion Westwards

Ranjit Singh had thus perforce to turn his attention towards the West. The Afghan empire in a series of battles with the Sikhs had been steadily losing their territory. Thus Punjab, Multan, Kashmir, Derajat, Hazara and Peshawar which were once part of the kindom of Kabul were lost to the Sikhs. The loss of Peshawar was particularly galling as the inhabitants were fellow Pashtuns and the town was the summer capital of the Afghan Emirs Towards the end of 1836, Hari Singh Nalwa attacked and captured Jamrud. The frontier of the Sikh Empire now bordered the frontier of Afghanistan. This Sikh victory at Jamrud was followed by the resounding defeat of the Yusafzai chief, Fatteh Khan of Panjtar.

The Siege of Jamrud In 1837, the Sikh Army was recalled to Lahore to take part in celebrations during the wedding of Kanwar Nau Nihal Singh, who was the grandson of Ranjit Singh. Reports suggest that the Dogras had passed secret information to the Afghans about this. The Afghans were thus encouraged to attack. Accordingly on 23 April 1837, the king of Afghanistan declared a Jihad and besieged Jamrud fort. The Sikhs inside the fort were heavily outnumbered, but they put up a stout resistance against some estimated 20-25000 Afghans. The Afghans also started an artillery bombardment of the fort, but Sikhs held on.

The Defeat of the Afghans Against all a message was conveyed to Hari Singh. The General though sick, came to the rescue of his beleaguered garrison at Jamrud. Heavy fighting took place and eventually the Afghans were forced to lift the siege and retreat into the Khyber Pass. The Sikhs General Hari Singh however died in the fighting. The Khyber Pass then became the northern boundary of the Sikh empire.

Book review Theodore Dreiser “Jennie Gerhardt”

Introduction Theodore Dreiser is generally recognized as one of the top American novelists of the last century. I read his book “Jennie Gerhardt “while on my last visit to the states about 3 months back. It is s one of his finest works. He wrote it in 1911 and the book will still interest readers though more than a hundred years have elapsed. The Novel

The novel is the story of a woman named Jennie Gerhardt. Dreiser delineates the life of the woman from childhood till her old age. It is an excellent example of the naturalist school with which Dreiser is associated. The heroine of the novel the girl Jennie Gerhardt ultimately succeeds in fulfilling her love after a life of trial and tribulation The Story The novel commences from the time Jennie Gerhardt a poor woman without means falls in love with a senator. At that time she is working in a hotel in Columbus, Ohio. The senator wants to sleep with Jennie and as part of his plan announces that he will marry Jennie and also look after her family. Though there is an age difference between the senator and Jennie, she acquiesces to sleeping with the senator. They have sex. Dreiser now creates a twist in the story as the senator dies and Jennie is pregnant with his child. A daughter is born, who she names Vesta. Jennie now changes her place of residence and moves to Cleveland. She takes up another menial job as a lady’s maid in a prosperous and well known family. She meets Lester Kane a well to do man from a business family. She falls in love with him and goes away for a visit to New York, leaving her daughter behind. Kane wants to marry her, but the fear of family resistance to his marrying a woman below his class forces him to propose that Jennie become his mistress.

Twists in the Tale Jennie reveals to Kane that she has a daughter, but Kane accepts it and the couple start living together in Chicago. The family of Kane opposes this relationship and the father leaves a will that Kane will not inherit the family business till he leaves Jennie. Despite this the couple visit Europe and Kane meets a high class woman named Letty Gerald. Jennie is in a bind when she comes to know that Kane has been disinherited because of her and that he also loves Letty. She prevails on Kane to leave her. He accepts and marries Letty. Tragedy now strikes Gerhardt as her daughter dies of typhoid. In the meantime Kane falls sick and when Jennie learns about it she is heartbroken. Her love for Kane comes to the fore as she nurses him till his death. Jennie as a consolation and a purpose in life adopts two orphans. Assessment The novel has an undertone of pessimism and the main protagonist Jennie achieves true love after a tortuous life. The novel is one of the best by Dreiser, who in a writing career spread over 40 years wrote 11 novels. I really enjoyed reading his novel when I was holed up in Chicago with someone close.