AFOVA New Letter 2 of Year 2021

Section 6 - Memoirs CV 2 No. 02 / 2021 Page 178 of 332 12 Solar Eclipse at College Day in 1981 Brig V A Subramanyam Genre: Reminiscence Communication is about being effective, not always about being proper - Bo Bennett ommunication is of vital importance in all spheres of life. Be it in the family – between the parents or parents and children – lack of communication or miscommunication may well lead to catastrophic results. Effective communication skills are the backbone of any successful relation. The efficacy of good communication is beautifully illustrated in the Mahabharata when Sanjay can narrate the entire battle to Dhritarashtra the blind king in a manner that the king can visualize the entire scene as though he himself was physically present. There is a classic script regarding the Solar Eclipse, which was staged during the 1981 College Day, at the Military College of Telecommunication Engineering (MCTE). A brief of the script as adapted and used (as remembered by me) for staging the play follows: Around 1000 hrs, the Commanding Officer (CO) of a Signal Regiment calls his Adjutant and tells him that around 1600 hrs that day: “there will be a total eclipse of the sun. That happens when the sun disappears behind the moon, for about two minutes. This is a phenomenon that does not take place every day. I wish the entire regiment to view this rare event. Thus, everyone should be present in the parade ground in the open so that they are able to view the eclipse. Make sure that everyone is there by quarter to four in the evening. I shall give a brief talk about the eclipse to make it simpler for people to understand. Safety goggles are available with the Quartermaster (QM) and they should be brought to the ground so that people can the use them.” The CO then ended his talk by the customary, any questions or doubts. C