AFVOA Newsletter 03 of 2020

Section 2 – News / Updates from the Association CV 2 No. 03 / 2020 Page 14 of 167 Goodwill Visit’ was all about a visit that did not materialize. An appointment on board INS Tir (the cadet training ship) was prized because of an assured foreign cruise every six months. As one who had visited Bali and as one who had served in Port Blair, I can boldly assert that our A&N islands are far superior in natural beauty and splendor. Please thank Premilla Rajan for removing our unfounded misgivings about retirement homes. Packed with many attractions, ‘Life in Retirement Home’ beckons the truly retired, but not tired. Mrs. Mohandas, beware, even after almost five decades your husband remembers Simla more for Benazir than for the historic summit! If you are looking for evidence, you need not look for any corroboration beyond his forecast of sunshine (implied) in Simla. When his poetic talent finds new avenues of expression, each one of us will agree that Maj Gen Manavalan is the last person to suffer from any form of blues, let alone ‘Lockdown Blues.’ In fact, he will lock up the blues. While describing the transformation from ‘calling on’ to ‘be called on’, Pankaja, in her ‘Kissa Call-on Ka’, highlights the conundrum of service etiquette which still haunts young officers and their spouses. Once I was gently and ruefully pointed out by my boss that I did not call on him for good three years. Fortunately, my performance was beyond reproach and the boss was a thorough gentleman. Unscathed, I got promoted to the rank of commander! ‘This is How Legends Are Made’ is a heart rending account of her husband, Gen Bahl by Nishi. Loyalty, friendship and affection are strong threads that stitch together the veterans and the serving personnel. A fauji’s death is an occasion when you observe the real strength of those threads. When your former colleagues remember and respect you, you do not need any greater reward in life. A year after retirement, I was stopped on Anna Salai near Higginbotham’s by a perfect stranger who introduced himself as a recently retired Met sailor and who regretted that he never got an opportunity to serve under me in the Navy! I never experienced that immense satisfaction at any other time of my life. ‘The Wandering Lost Soul’ by Merlyn is a philosophical reflection in the aftermath of the tragic end of a budding actor with sensational talents. His portrayal of Dhoni was as good as an unbeaten century in his maiden outing. What is regrettable is that the media is relentlessly killing him again and again and again. Jaya Krishnaswamy is probably the senior most veer nari in our midst. Reading her article, ‘Crossing Bridges’ one could discern the challenges that she faced as a young bride in the Air Force community. Her attitude of service to the vulnerable sections of the society is a quality that we all must imbibe. She just did not cross the bridges, but she built them first before crossing!