INDEPENDENCE DAY

To dream is a privilege of a free soul. 

A fight mankind has been fighting since its inception is to be a free soul & exist without fear. And while many species still fight the natural powers to just survive, mankind has most certainly overcome many of those natural threats. In fact, with probably a 9mm pistol and a sharp mind, humans pretty much are at the top of the natural food chain. But since that wasn't enough, mankind also decided to create a food chain within itself and co-existence was no more the principle of survival for humans as a species. Nature was too easy. We needed more and we chose each other to fight for survival and keep the instinct alive.

In any given lifetime, the journey to survive usually engages us more than the joy of surviving and existing.

Happy Independence Day. 

One of our most recent journeys as a group of people who did actually decide to co-exist and not struggle for survival within each other was the Independence of our country. We clearly agreed that the Britishers had to leave since not only could they not co-exist with us but also were quite adept at exploiting us in many creative ways. The independence was worth a celebration because we survived. People’s rule was implemented and a system was created to make it most suitable for all those who decided to co-exist under the banner of India. Not a perfect one, but a system, nevertheless.

In the wake of this Independence day, a correction was given to that system with respect to the state of Kashmir. The principle on which a co-existence was established 72 years ago has evolved in many ways over the years and more importantly disturbed in many more ways by many people. But this general unfamiliarity and a geopolitical chaos between the people who had decided to co-exist in 1947 has clearly been exploited in just as many creative ways by all its stakeholders over a period of time, and yet again, the idea of co-existence has detached itself as a principle of survival within the people.

Now, something has changed.

Recently, the people of India decided that Kashmir, in its current socio-economic state had become a hindrance for its own and the overall good of the country. It decreed that it had to now directly establish administrative control in Kashmir for it to truly be a simpler place to exist even if the represented majority expressed otherwise. Kashmir will now call itself a territory of the Indian Union instead of a State with a separate constitution, though the judiciary is still out to verify the legality of this decision made by the people of India. That aside, India clearly indicated its will with this action and also implied that the general political leadership of Kashmir had either become too stubborn or misled and immature to participate in this discussion of co-existence when it made this change in concurrence with the Governor of the state instead of the assembly.

Decisive politics should usually be an effect of harmonious and reasonable co-existence. In this case though, this decision is meant to serve as a means to reach the same end. This strict treatment with Kashmir must clearly be understood by our generation as an endeavour to nurture a path of co-existence. Nothing more & certainly nothing lesser.

There is no point in taking responsibility of Kashmir and solving the complex issue which has generated years of tension, if we truly can’t. Our egos must take a back seat and we must introspect to put our best foot forward. Kashmiris and Indians, both. The political system of Kashmir has changed, not its identity. Ultimately, a positive, strong and free identity of each individual is required to be called free as a nation or a state or a Union Territory and both Kashmir & India have a long way to go in that endeavour anyway. Whether going together strengthens or weakens that effort will depend on the spirit of this new form of co-existence more than its systemic setup. Whether Kashmir will again be able to dream freely and slowly let the joy of existence overcome the instinct to survive is now a direct function of the actions and ability to reason of the people of India and Kashmir 

With this responsibility to solve a longstanding problem that our generation now collectively carries, I hope that India dreams of a future which nurtures the soul of each Indian citizen and each Independence Day becomes a grand celebration of just existing together.

Because to dream is a privilege of a free soul. And we are free.  

Jai Hind.

The Apolitical Citizen

I’m not allowed to be political and hence the title. But would that mean that the Elections of 2019 did not grab my attention? They most certainly did. As a soldier, I see any national election as a revalidation of my role in the society. It is an emphatic display of the nation’s strength of character and it’s collective vision which I fight for or train relentlessly to fight for. (or whatever that you assume that a soldier does). The collective identity which the nation expresses during elections, is what I preserve and hold dearly in life and death. 

I assume one of the reasons any country usually holds its military in highest regard is because military, in its law, culture and organisational goal truly attempts to preserve & protectthis identity of the nation and as a result, also everyone who has enrolled to fight for it. With reason and common purpose, dignity and service of each man amongst various identities forms the basis of the Military Ethics. ‘Service before Self’, rightly so, happens to be the motto of the National Defence Academy which trains 17 year old boys to become future commanders of troops who will then be completely dependent on them as their ‘men’. 

But I digress. 

As I look at the elections and the hysteria around it, it overwhelms me in its magnitude. And now when ‘provision of Roti Kapda Makaan' to every citizen has become an outdated, obvious and somewhat satisfied conversation regardless of the result of election, the emotion this time invoked is that of ‘identity'. Security of one’s identity as an Indian & pride in its existence is this next level of conversation that the nation seems to be having. This is refreshing too, because we shall have lesser internal conflicts and enemies within if we all become proud Indians first. A common purpose and identity for all helps have a clear vision for the future generations. And for good then of course, this time around clearly, that identity has been defined. We are Indians first. Period. 

It is also no co-incidence that the Military has been invoked as the spirit of nationalism in our country these elections and everyone is immersed in the discovery of that spirit. Patriotism, clearly is a wonderful emotion. But from the prism of reason, patriotism and Armed Forces are so deeply intertwined only because military is arguably the closest apolitical microcosm of the complete diversity that the nation contains and yet a bunch of highly patriotic people (one can safely assume). Not only geographically, but also by class, caste, religion and gender, the diversity of the Indian Armed Forces is a classic sample set of how ‘Nationalism’ could probably look like practically in this country now that it is anyways being spoken about. 

One of the primary reasons of success in maintaining this spirit in Military is a deliberately maintained dispassion for any other identity other than the service that one performs. When one’s service, and only service is linked to his/her patriotic spirit, other differences don’t really matter. And although that sounds difficult to achieve, it is to be understood that learning to live together with our pride and differences will be at the core of a true ‘wave’ of nationalist spirit and not a mere consequence of it. This is precisely what the military strives to achieve and facilitate in its bearing and social conduct. Love for the nation and hate for the enemy are transcendental and difficult to achieve emotions for an average individual in their absolute sense. Being balanced and part of the team is enough. 

And this is precisely why, before calling oneself as a patriot, an introspection is essential. After all, a patriot is one’s best self and nothing less. Nothing lesser is even acceptable to be an Indian simply because it doesn’t get bigger than this. The spirit of India needs everybody’s best and that is only possible when we seek a balance in ourselves. Extremes will be damaging. Inspire, create and grow stronger because when it comes to our country, we cannot go wrong. 

I sincerely hope we proceed to seek this spirit at least till the next elections and then evolve it gradually too. Let us create a country with fewer worries for the next generation. The essence of nationalism is in its spirit of creation and preservation of the best of everyone and not the destruction of the worst. 
Leave that to us. 
Jai Hind. 

Job Description - The Greater Fool

I recently visited the Parinirvana Sthal of Buddha in a quiet little place called Kushinagar. With the flurry of temples as dedications of countries and communities which believe in the philosophy of Buddha, it felt natural to get an educated perspective on the relevance and importance of the place itself. I hired an official guide at the cost of Rs 500 and hoped for an enlightening experience. Few minutes in, it was evident that the guide was ‘just doing his job’ and had no particular affinity to the location or Buddha’s philosophy. (The latter was anyways a long shot) Nevertheless, an old Bengali gentleman I was travelling with, completely ignored the incompetent guide and requested a labourer cleaning the rocks of the 2000 yr old Stupa to give us his perspective on the ‘tourist spot’. What followed was one of the most beautiful narrations of the story of Buddha, the culmination of which was the very place that we were standing in. The passion of the man who stood before us had shadowed the odd job he was hired to do otherwise. Wonder if I were a fool to spend my 500 on the ‘professional guide’. Rightly so then, I paid the same amount to this man who sincerely guided us.

Today, when our nation’s youth largely deals with both, unemployment and dispassionate employment (to survive) at a mass scale, it is imperative that we rethink the understanding and pattern of our growth. In fact, it is the latter which is a greater concern for a society as dynamic and large as ours. Passion drives souls towards happiness and when that ceases to happen, we must be all fools to invest our own 500 in the mere mechanics of a need instead of the intrinsic value of that same need. After all, isn’t a common state of satisfaction the closest we can get to provide a better place to live in for our future generations.

While the economics of passion is yet to be established in this country at all levels, the means of communication that we have achieved through internet and easier travel can take us to that end. After all, the social structure of exchange of the intrinsic value brought forward by each one of us, is by nature the greatest blessing to humanity. And with well directed exploration of that intrinsic value in our people combined with the latest modes of communication, it might now be practically possible to establish a passion driven economy. 

One must now establish a clear system of ‘communication’ and ‘exchange of value’ which leads us to the ‘passionate’ guide automatically. We should also seek an environment which nurtures the growth of all individuals part of this system to lead an economically sustainable life as far as possible. Should we be able to establish such an identity enhancing platform driven by passion, it would be our greatest gift to our own future. It is with this belief and as some would say, self delusion, that I seek to explore the intrinsic value of our nation.

If you too are a greater fool who suffers from the same amount of self delusion, let’s get in touch. Needless to say, your passion is all that matters. :)

PS -  To begin with, I am looking for greater fools in the fields of App Designing, Language Translations, Journalism and Travelling to pursue my dream of creating a passion driven economy. Should you be any of these or even have another perspective to add on to the dream, feel free to connect. 

Are you happy?

The most fulfilling experiences of life are those filled with a sense of satisfaction in one’s ability to exist in its most natural form. A capability to live. To think. To exist. To create. Philosophies like those of Aristotle and Advaita Vedanta have reasoned this question of satisfaction and individual happiness to be a matter of utmost importance for a state to ponder upon tirelessly. This is because which acts make one ‘happy’ vary in time and space and more importantly drive the soul of the nation towards. Having said that, it is safe to argue that when considered in its entirety, ‘happiness’ is most palpable when the soul is nourished with passion.

And when each soul is free to nourish, the natural balance of the society itself is most palpable and one may safely term it a ‘Happy’ society.

India is now 140th in the global index of happiness of 153 countries. One may question much about the ranking statistically, but it is important to address the question of the state of happiness in our nation. 

With the decades and centuries of confused patterns of national growth feeding the passions of young men and women of the nation, happiness of mind and soul is evidently affected. And since passions are the prime mover of the working of a soul, directing the same is probably the one greatest thing that a group of people can do to help themselves lead a better life. Dispassion shadows unemployment as a growing nation’s concerns. 

We must find ways and means today to ensure a soul nourishing life for everyone which is sustainable and inclusive in the economy. And how perfectly that begins with introspecting our own reservations and prejudices to let our soul nourish is no coincidence. Who knows, what value one’s passion brings to the society. Happiness begins within. Let’s find it. 

#MeToo

#MeToo

The impartiality of this hashtag to explain itself to its reader and user is astute. Both, gentlemen and ladies of our realm seem to roughly know what it means. Although, what and how much one establishes post their understanding of the hashtag is limitless. The distress of women being expressed today with or without the #MeToo endorsement emanates from many kinds of experiences and the 'antipathy quotient' of each of those experiences may range from 'daily gang rape’ level in some demographics to subtle objectification based bias by men (and many women too) which is casually cultured throughout the population. In fact, the farrago of insecurities that women live with may never fit into a single shelter of a hashtag. 

"with the waves of feminism now internationally interwoven, one could fulfil a common desperate need of homo sapiens, which is simply to bring back some grace and good will back in the society"

Fortunately though, the ‘fairer sex’ is capable to throw such nurturing light at the ‘darker' sex which is itself capable to outshine this black spot of #MeToo now visible (but always existing). Women, subtly or unequivocally, directly or indirectly, constantly evolve men (and civilization) throughout their lives, as mothers, sisters, partners or even by their mere existence. Clearly then, today when gentlemen (and, obviously some ladies too) of this country and beyond have collectively created an unfortunate chaos of events and ideologies so flawed that hatred and self interest have become global currencies, it may just be time to bring back some attention to that light of reform. Now that the collective best behaviour of mankind is at best unreasonable and many times deplorable, women’s natural power to inspire a better world must take effect. Women have come together in the past for many social and legal reforms for themselves in the society but with the waves of feminism now internationally interwoven, one could fulfil a common desperate need of homo sapiens, which is simply to bring back some grace and good will back in the society. Co-existence is not a negotiation but an interlinked process of growth and a little grace and sensitivity might just help in achieving it sooner and for the better. A nation over-wrought with prejudices and hatred needs just that much to begin with.

"This power of perception of how a woman sees and nurtures the world is probably her greatest strength and also the most vulnerable element in the balance of society if lost."

With a little womanly wisdom (or girl power), this is do-able too. The axiom ‘the power lies within’ is more accurate when applied to people who can create a human than those who carry a few grams of seeds of life. Man’s behaviour is usually inspired by the lens of a woman’s perception. This power of perception of how a woman sees and nurtures the world is probably her greatest strength and also the most vulnerable element in the balance of society if lost. The vision of a nurturing and a more reasonable world for our future generations to grow emanates naturally from women and must obviously be reinforced by the strength that we men are anyways so proud of. If that vision is lost (the way it seems today), it is usually because the vulnerability of the same strength has been exploited. Sometimes by fooling it with an illusion of an already existing better world and sometimes by crushing it to an extent that it won’t affect the balance anymore. Our mere acknowledgement of this vulnerability can overcome it altogether. Women, although sometimes individually victimised deeply and unknowingly too, collectively and naturally are a power with a precise antidote to the toxicity of the world we live in today.

"Both, empathy and fury are virtues women are historically and mythologically known to pull off beautifully."

Humans of this world now need empathy to even begin to reason why and when it is not OK to destruct and destroy to establish one’s beliefs (or economic benefits and more). At the same time wrath and fury against the evil is a known necessity too which demands much deliberation and patience before action. Both, empathy and patient fury are virtues women are historically and mythologically known to pull off beautifully. I hope our generation lives to see the true power of reform that is ‘Woman' and may our future thank us to let that unleash in all its might.

Hitherto, I am just a part of a world which essentially lives on a timer for self destruct because of unreasonable ego and absolute lack of empathy and reason across the realm and I confess, #MeToo.

Your ‘Personal’ is certainly ‘Political’. Let’s talk.

Belated wishes of Women’s day. (Excuse the procrastination because I’m a man)

Dear Ravi...

1200 hrs, 02 Nov 14

A tribute to a friend and a roommate…

Dear Ravi,

I’m sorry I couldn’t wake you up on time and you had to sweat in punishment for an hour. But thanks for waking me up on time always…

I’m sorry I didn’t save a little more juice for you after four hours of parade. But thanks for saving some for me always…

I’m sorry I wore your shoes today since mine looked shabby. But thanks for never complaining…

I’m sorry for staying up late on the phone and disturbing your sleep. But thanks for switching off the fan when I felt cold…

I’m sorry for sleeping before completing my assignments. But thanks for making them for me…

I’m sorry for playing my music in the room while you wanted to study. But thanks for keeping it low…

I’m sorry for always paying my dues a day later. But thanks for taking care of that...

I’m sorry you have two pairs of socks lesser in your stock. But they are with me…

I’m sorry I never even thought of a nickname for you. But thanks for making plenty for me…

I’m sorry I made you smoke your first cigarette. But thanks for stocking up for me…

I’m sorry I drank your share. But thanks for getting me home safe…

I’m sorry I never understood your love life. But thanks for sharing mine with me…

I’m sorry I forgot your birthday. But thanks for that smoke on mine just three days into AFTC when I had none…

I’m sorry but this doesn’t seem like a closure. But thanks for letting me try…

But today, I’m sad that you’re gone. But today, I’m slightly lost. But today, I’m slightly lesser. Because today, dear friend, is probably the only day you’ve let me down. And it’s your turn to say sorry…Do that sometime and we’ll call it even.

Get back

Sandarsh

AFTC is Chill! Jhilmil Jhilmil Jhilmil - Part 2

AFTC is chill! Jhilmil jhilmil jhilmil – NOT REALLY! 

A TRIBUTE TO 81 & 82

With power comes responsibility. With responsibility comes criticism and only god bless you if this power is in AFTC!

After a long (read : short) break of 2 weeks we all came back to AFTC to spend our last 24 weeks of training. The plans were fresh, the faces were new, the roles had changed, but somewhere we all knew that the stories will always remain the same. Time and tide wait for none, they didn’t! In lighter vein, I must say that the most significant and probably the only actual work as a senior trainee in AFTC was to simply ruin the happiness of the freshers.

But the task was bigger. We as a bunch of 120 trained men and women were given the task of grooming (read : grilling) the new 130 entrants. I know I share this agenda with many who were with me then that our primary task was to boost the confidence and knowledge of our immediate juniors and inculcate theoretical leadership qualities of team spirit and selfless, impeccable behavior. This wasn’t an easy task, especially with the continuing pressure on academics and other miscellaneous activities. (do nothing and catch up with sleep)

I was fortunate to be chosen to continue as the commander of my same bunch of friends considering my not so clean record. I had dropped my merit drastically and could barely make it to the selection panel. Nevertheless, I was one of the 6 to make the cut.

I set my rules of engagement as imbibing unity and generating confidence in those 130 who would probably look up to us for everything for the next 6 months.

And the rut began. Yes we made many look to mother earth as we did once upon a time, we made them sweat and bleed, knocked few brats unconscious and slowly the time tested process of generating men and women out of boys and girls began.

Our personal life took a boost as we finally got some time to read the papers, keep in touch with old friends, engage in non sense conversations at non sense hours of the day. But again, I wouldn’t be writing this piece if life was nothing but very normal and average.

Challenges were galore. The biggest challenge and leadership lesson I and many of us learnt here was to maintain a balance between 120 different opinions working around you. I hit a realization very soon. As a leader (military leader at least), your victory is not in being loved or hated. In fact, you have already won worthy haters if they put their minds on work to dislike you for what you’ve always stood for and pressed them hard with your sheer spirit. Some just take time to wake up and follow you. A mere difference of opinion should not change your beliefs, no matter how much of a minority you are. I still wonder if I’m right. May be something I’ll learn in the years to come.

“First they ignore you, then they laugh at you, then they fight you, then you win.” MK Gandhi

As this was our final term of training, we had more competitions in store. It was a conscious effort to participate in everything in capability. I earned two rare distinctions during these 6 months. One was an active participation in every competition. The other and rather more interesting distinction was that I grabbed a bronze in each! And thus the period of grooming, athletics, games and cultural activities again came to an end.

There were much stronger bonds built, many broken, many relationships strengthened, many losing their grip but more or less an emotional extravaganza prevailed in the cradle of AFTC which I’m sure many will relate to who have been here. I shall not take the liberty to reveal many secrets on my blog as I have many of mine too.

One of my biggest character tests during these six months was when I was held responsible along with 5 others for improper alcohol consumption of a junior trainee in an out of bound area and not reporting back in a healthy state. YES! ALL THAT IS TRUE! This was a big blow to us, as although at fault, many would term it as an unfortunate turn of events from a simple celebration gathering. Well, 5 days of suspension passed, and somehow we were let go clean. The boy came back safe and was sorted for life. As ugly as the incident sounds, somewhere at the back of my mind I felt one of the greatest and slightly lost in time ethos of military surviving in this episode. Facing the music for your subordinate’s carelessness is no more a regular trend when each and everyone is accounted for and blamed for their own mistake. I wonder if I speak with maturity or sheer good luck! But we won something out of this and learnt one of our biggest lessons of military training during those 5 days. Let alone the bonds which strengthened to unimaginable levels in trying times.

As all good things…this too shall have to pass…

It is said that one cannot demand respect, but only command it. Its brilliant how this system teaches each one from all walks of life to command respect. The best of everyone is displayed at some or the other platform during these 52 weeks. And yet, it is the team which makes the difference and not any individual. Its an enigma how things just work out, an enigma may be for generations ahead to learn from.

“Sir, you will always be a champion for us, and we look up to you” – an SMS from 82 to 81

And that’s how the era concludes. With many stories left behind and more faces attached to them, may be AFTC's history cannot be compiled in words and may be that is for the best too. The best memories remain blurred and so will mine.

We are now divided into 15 odd different systems to work on in our future and different locations and still look forward to meeting each other as we move on.