AFOVA New Letter 2 of Year 2021

Section 6 - Memoirs CV 2 No. 02 / 2021 Page 175 of 332 11 RMO (Regimental Medical Officer) : Where it all began Maj V Raghavan VSM Genre: Reminiscence y name is Major Dr V Raghavan VSM. I served in the Indian army for nearly a decade and half. These were some of my best years. For a brief period of 18 months I was the doctor for one of the finest outfits in the Indian Army and the battalion was The Fourth Battalion of Brigade of Guards, now a mechanized regiment. It is an old Paltan, a term for battalion and very old indeed! It was raised in 1798 and was known as QVOLI, Queen Victoria's Own Light Infantry. This is the only battalion in the entire commonwealth to have three colors and one of them is for collective gallantry equivalent to Victoria Cross, the highest gallantry award, to each of its soldier. The Paltan has numerous battle honors and has one of the finest collection of silver in the Indian Army. Field Marshal KM Cariappa, the first Indian chief of army was commissioned in it. Known as the battalion of generals for having produced a string of general officers has still today very fine troops. I was privileged to be associated with this battalion and continue to have connection even nearly after 45 years. When I look back at my life at the evening of my life-I am 70 and feel it is still early afternoon. My best years were when I was in the army and the icing on the cake would be my tenure as RMO of the Paltan-4Guards (1Rajput). Let me reminisce and I love it. M