AFVOA Newsletter 03 of 2020

Section 4 – War Diary CV 2 No. 03 / 2020 Page 37 of 167 terrycot uniform that I had changed into to witness the historic surrender ceremony. He took me aside and spoke in Tamil asking me how the Indian Army would treat them and whether they would be safe? I politely showed him my Major rank badges and told him back in Tamil whether he expected a reply for his question. His fear and worry was writ large on his face. The conduct of the men was no better. When their Garrison commander Major General Rao Farman Ali ordered the troops who had ‘Fallen in’ there for the parade, to ‘Ground Arms’ in URDU language, many among them blatantly showed disrespect. Instead of gently placing the weapon on the ground as per the drill procedure, many deliberately dropped and some even threw the weapons in a heap. They exhibited utter disrespect for their officers, their weapon and the uniform of their country. What a shame and a down fall for the Pak Army. The finale was that after the surrender formalities were completed under the directions of our Corps Commander Lt Gen Sagat Singh, all prisoners were marched off the Race Course to the special enclosed Camp that was established by the Indian Army personnel. The left behind dumps of arms and ammunition, and the fleet of cars, jeeps and other troop carrying vehicles with the keys in position. I had picked up an open jeep to drive around Dacca! Moral of the story: Enjoy the fruits of Victory!! Encounter #4 Lt Col A. Krishnaswami VrC, Dec 1980, NDA Cadets Mess Much water had flown in the intervening 9 years. My wife Sulochana and I were invited as guests for the formal end of term Dinner at the NDA Cadets Mess, as a part of the NDA passing out parade of the 59 NDA batch of Dec 1980. I was a grade 1 Staff Officer in HQ Southern Command, decorated with VrC and above all a NDA alumnus. We were earmarked to sit in one of the centre tables as per the seating plan with a dignitary from the Pak High Commission invited to attend the function. Being an official function I was decked up with my shining Miniature medals on my Mess Dress White Patrols. It was a nostalgic moment for me to be seated in a centre table with an important dignitary. In Dec 1957, I had passed out from NDA as a cadet of the 13 Course and seated in one of the many tables earmarked for the passing out cadets near the Centre tables, in the massive Cadet’s Mess. Now, 23 years later, I was fortunate to get a pride of place. I indicated to my wife the location of the table that I was sitting for my passing out dinner in 23 years earlier. We took our allotted seats on the table on the sound of the bugle indicating the arrival of the Chief Guest. After the formal exchange of greetings, the Pakistani guest, a Colonel and the Military Attaché in the Pak High commission at New Delhi was very cordial. He was inquisitively counting the medals on my chest and appreciatively asked me “Which is this senior medal, a decoration?” I replied “Yes it is” After sipping a spoon of soup, he continued “Where did you get it?” I too after a pause replied “I got it for the Bangladesh