The Cream Rises Until It Sours

The Army and The Peter Principle

The recent controversy which is likely to assume a significant dimension in the Indian Army, concerns Lt Gen Dastane appealing to the Armed Forces Tribunal, regarding an injustice done to him by the Army / MoD, by applying different standards for promotion to the rank of Army Commander; when two vacancies existed on 01 Jun 2012. The two vacancies which were created on 31 May 2012, on account of the superannuation on retirement of the ex Chief Gen (retd) V K Singh and ex Army Commander Lt Gen Shankar Ghosh, were only filled up partially by promoting Lt Gen Sanjeev Chachra ,to be Army Commander Western Command. The other was kept vacant, as the officer Lt Gen Dalbir Suhag, who was in accordance with his service seniority to be promoted to Army Commander, was under a Discipline and Vigilance (DV) ban ordered by then Chief Gen (retd) V K Singh and hence could not be promoted. However, the ban was expectedly lifted by the present Chief Gen Bikram Singh on 08 jun 2012 and Lt Gen Suhag accordingly promoted on 15 Jun 2012, to be Army Commander Eastern Command. Lt Gen  Dastane, who is currently posted as Deputy Chief in the tri service, Integrated Defence Staff in Delhi feels aggrieved on the matter, as it was he who should have been promoted to Army Commander along with Lt Gen Sanjeev Chachra, since Lt Gen Dalbir Suhag was under a DV ban and thus not eligible for promotion. The perceived inequity assumes a larger significance when Lt Gen Dastane sees an opportunity for him to become the next Chief of the Indian Army, when the post falls vacant on 31 July 2014. But for this to happen, it is imperative that he be promoted to be an Army Commander first, with seniority fixed ahead of Lt Gen Dalbir Suhag. Should that happen, then given Lt Gen Dastane’s date of birth and new seniority , will make him the only eligible officer to become Chief, in accordance with the government’s policy  of seniority than merit, to promote and appoint the next incumbent. This is the whole background to the petition filed with the Armed Forces Tribunal in August 2012, by Lt Gen Dastane and which awaits a judgement / decision.

 The vitiated environment which consumed the army in the past year, when Gen (retd) V K Singh was up in arms against the government, for not upholding his prayer related to the fixing of his date of birth as given in his matriculation certificate and which compelled him to seek legal recourse in the matter; was regrettable to say the least. The hurt was further compounded when the court too ducked its responsibility by not giving a judgement in the matter and instead prevailed upon the petitioner to withdraw his case, but not without pandering to the petitioner’s ego by applauding his honour, integrity and military reputation. This cloaked affront shoved the officer to unleash his strategy to hit back and embarrass and expose the government, as also the past leadership of the army, in whatsoever manner he could. The army’s succession plan as insinuated by him, made very serious allegations on the integrity of his predecessor, by imputing a communal motive to him, in masterminding ‘Operation Moses’ which paved the way for the present Chief to head the army. There were many stratagems which were applied by ‘Team V K Singh’ then, to discredit the present Chief, so as to deny to him his just promotion and appointment; but unfortunately it did not work that way and the rest as they say is history. The Government and the Ministry of Defence, which has adopted a policy of promoting the senior most Army Commander in service to head the army, when the appointment of its Chief falls vacant; except in the case of the erudite and integrous Lt Gen (retd) S K Sinha who was superseded even when he was declared as the Chief designate and moved from Western Command to Army HQ as Vice Chief, for reasons other than professional competence: has thrown up the possibility of an internecine war among the army’s Generals, as in this instant case of  Lt Gen Dastane wanting his just share of the pie.

The reasons for Lt Gen Dalbir Suhag  being put on a DV ban in the twilight of Gen (retd) V K Singh’s tenure as Chief, could be argued as being deserving of the action to being specious with an implied agenda of manipulating the line of succession, to favour someone. The beneficiary of this game plan would have been none other than the Western Army Commander, Lt Gen Sanjeev Chachra, who is junior to Lt Gen Suhag and would have veritably benefited, if promoted and appointed Army Commander before the latter. It reads out like this; with Suhag being under a DV ban and two vacancies existing as on 01 Jun 2012 for Army Commander, Chachra being the next senior in line would have been promoted and Dastane as the next in line filled up the remaining vacancy. With the present Chief General Bikram Singh, superannuating on retirement on 31 July 2014, Chachra would be the next in line for Chief. However, it did not happen as such and the MoD in view of the DV ban on Suhag, did not promote Chachra, which it should have in all fairness to him and in keeping with its policy as hitherto fore. The removal of the DV ban on Suhag was a given when General Bikram assumed the office of Chief and he continued to maintain his seniority as Army Commander over Chachra. The plan to manipulate the succession line once again, as was earlier alleged under the garb of ‘Operation Moses’ was put paid to by the army and the MoD, who probably saw through the shenanigan of the DV ban on Suhag with an ulterior motive and countered it by not promoting  anyone to  Army Commander.

Irrespective of the virtues or else the foibles of the dramatis personae in this new drama, which is now unfolding in the corridors of South Block, the MoD must take its due share of blame in going along with its policy of choosing a Chief, on the exclusive criteria of seniority alone from among the serving Army Commanders. This arrangement and system is loaded with the possibility of being manipulated by a scheming and more than willing hierarchy, which under the patronage of its Chief can decide on a line of succession, as has been alleged by ‘Team V K Singh’ earlier.  Professional armies the world over have relatively better systems for selecting their Chief, wherein seniority is a lowly placed indicator to enable the government and the Cabinet Committee for Appointments to approve the choice.  Has our government and the army not heard of the ‘Peter  Principle’, which espouses  the fundamental that in a hierarchical organization every employee will get promoted to his level of incompetency; “The cream rises until it sours”. Therefore, it will be prudent to dig deep and thick into a clutch of three star general officers who have had the required experience to make a claim for the top slot, rather than leave the choice on the accident of ‘Date of Birth’, alone. The current controversy which is likely to precipitate into something undesirable in the senior most echelons of the army, is steeped in the fallout of the seniority alone principle and two years residual service procedure adopted by the army, to become an Army Commander.

It is my fervent appeal to the Military Secretary (MS), who is competent and capable to assimilate the nuances of the existing system, which does not respect competence but instead leans on the crutches of a hackneyed, and play safe policy; that insults merit to staff some of its Army Commanders and by implication the Chief, as well, to table a White Paper in the bi - annual Army Commander’s conference to address the existing stupidity. Recent instances in the past involving Chiefs bear testimony to my postulate and cry for course correction. Will he pick up the gauntlet and endeavour to make an enduring contribution to improve the health of the Army???

Brigadier (retd) S D Dangwal

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HOW CAN A MAN DIE BETTER, THAN FACING FEARFUL ODDS ......

NURANANG: THE CROWNING GLORY OF THE INDIAN ARMY AND 4^TH BATTALLION THE GARHWAL RIFLES

GOLDEN JUBILEE 17^th  NOVEMBER

The post independence history of the ‘Fighting Fourth’ Battalion of the Garhwal Rifles, which was re raised by an illustrious son of the regiment, late Maj Gen (retd) Syed Mehdi Hasnain, PVSM on 07 Dec 1959; was sculpted and carved from the happenings of 1962, which saw the bloody massacre of Indian soldiers in the erstwhile North East Frontier Agency (NEFA) and Ladhak. The People’s Liberation Army (PLA) of the proverbial Chinese Dragon, spat fire and brimstone, when it mounted a definitive and perfidious attack on India, belying the Nehruvian conviction of ‘Hindi – Chini, Bhai - Bhai’. Also, the belief that the Himalayas are an insurmountable geographical feature which bulwarks the country from any military aggression from the north was destroyed.  The triumvirate of Nehru, Menon and Mullick had pushed the Indian Army into a battle situation, which was not of its liking, choosing and timing, thus ensuring a military debacle which resulted in the murder of about 3,400 soldiers and left many more wounded. Many were also taken as Prisoners of War (POW), who were subjected to communist indoctrination in the various prisoner’s camps they were kept in, only to be later repatriated with their spirits assailed but not broken. It was in this scenario that, 4 Garhwal Rifles like many other units of the army was mobilised to move and take its battle position beyond the Sela Pass ahead of Tawang. The battalion was assigned to act as Covering Troops for the main defences, to help give time for preparation and coordination of these on the heights of Sela and around. Sela was to be the limit of penetration for the Chinese Army, as it would thereafter allow a free run for further ingress into the fertile plains of Assam. The pass was to be defended at all costs and the advance of the Chinese stopped, before they secured it.

It is in such times when a unit is assigned its operational responsibility and given an operational task, which is in keeping with the overall Corps Zone / Theatre battle plan that, sheer doggedness and fighting spirit of its soldiers decides the outcome, irrespective of the wherewithal which is available to him to fire fight. 4 Garhwal Rifles, under the command of Lt Col Bijoy Mohan Bhattacharjee (later Maj General BM Bhattacharjee, MVC) was soon to make history, written with the blood, guts and glory of its ‘Bhullas’ (as the soldiers are endearingly called by their officers). History it did make, when the ‘Bhullas’ under the leadership of its officers and junior commissioned officers (jcos), fought in the heights of NEFA at altitudes of between 12,000 to 14,000 feet, clothed in a spartan manner in woollen shirt, jersey and combat boots and armed with the antiquated .303 bolt action Enfield rifles, supported by the indirect fire of 3” mortars, howitzers and 25 pound artillery guns. The entire gamut of the fighting machine comprising man, weapon and equipment compared very poorly with what they were pitted against and the enemy had. It was not for them to question the decision to throw them into the ring and to slug it out with their opponent, with their life at stake and the odds heavily loaded against them. This was the quintessential soldier of the Indian Army for you then, but may not be so now, when values have undergone a distinct change in both the military and civil society.

When it had become impossible to hold the defensive positions even temporarily and maintain their integrity as Covering Troops, and without getting compromised, 4 Garhwal was tasked to tactically withdraw along the axis Tawang – Nuranang - Sela and consolidate in the main defences behind. Even so, there was intense patrolling being done by the unit to keep the information flowing and in one such patrol, 2^nd Lt Vinod Goswami, Vr C had managed to capture a Chinese soldier, who later had to be killed. Unfortunately, 2^nd Lt Goswami was later, himself killed in action. While withdrawing, the unit was to demolish Bridge No 3 on the Namka Chu river at Nuranang, so as to cause maximum delay to the advancing hordes of Chinese troops, who could use the same Bridge for bringing ahead their fire support and logistical requirements. The conditions were extremely difficult and skewed in favour of the PLA and despondency loomed large and sure over the ‘Bhullas’. But, their best was yet to come and history was in the making, when the unit repulsed as many as four determined attacks from the waves of Chinese soldiers, leaving many dead. The night of 17 Nov 1962 was a fateful one for a young 22 years old brave heart, who answered to the name of Rifleman Jaswant Singh Rawat. In a brazen act of raw and undiluted courage, Jaswant crawled, pulled and wriggled his way to the enemy emplacement of a Machine Gun, which was playing havoc with the lives of ‘Bhullas’, and single handed silenced it and took possession of the weapon. In doing all of this, the daring and selfless boy from the interiors of Garhwal, demonstrated unparallel and unprecedented bravery, before he succumbed to his wounds in the arms of his comrades from ‘A’ Company. This Company was commanded by 2^nd Lt  Surendra Nath Tandon,Vr C, who gave a sterling account of his verve and inspiring leadership.The young leadership of the unit was bursting with initiative and daring do in a near hopeless situation. So much so that, even the Regimental Medical Officer of 4 Garhwal, Capt Bejoy Kumar Nath was not only attending to the wounded but wielding his weapon and spurring the  Bhullas to fight as best they could. Number 3 Bridge was demolished by late Colonel and then Major Hasta Bahadur Rai and the task given to 4 Garhwal had been achieved. On orders to withdraw and fall back to the defences in Sela, the Garhwalis were left helpless and completely flustered, as the troops holding these had already pulled out from there, leaving the defences unoccupied and waiting to be occupied by the advancing PLA. Chinese troops were all over the hill features, which dominated both by observation and fire the withdrawing elements of 4 Garhwal along axis Nuranang – Sela, and which were repeatedly ambushed while doing so. Brigadier Hoshiar Singh, the commander of 62 Brigade, was killed in one such ambush along with many from the Garhwal Rifles. He thus became the second such senior officer after brigadier Usman of Jhangarh (Naushera) fame in 1948, who lay down his life while being in the thick of action in a military operation. Confronted by this macabre situation, about one third of the battalion made their way back to India through Bhutan, while one third was killed during the withdrawal by either enemy action or the extremities of weather and deprivation and the remaining one third were captured and taken as Prisoners of War. To surmise the situation which prevailed then, suffice it to say that complete chaos, panic and mayhem reigned and had shattered the spirit of the Indian Army. In such a situation the ‘Bhullas’ of 4 Garhwal Rifles stood out as heroes and an exception to the rule, which had gripped the jugular of the famous (Eagle) 4 Division of World War II fame and IV Corps. 4 Garhwal Rifles and the brave Brigadier Hoshiar Singh of 62 Brigade, were let down by the generals of its formations, who had left these to their fate and death, by pulling out prematurely from the defences in Sela, without as much informing them about the same. It was an irony, which has a few parallels in the history of modern warfare in the world.

 Even though, I personally, do not value the views / opinions of the then disgraced 4 Corps Commander, late Lt Gen Brij Mohan Kaul from the logistics service of the Army, known as the Army Service Corps (ASC); who in an attempt to exculpate himself from the blame which befell him as his due and just share in the debacle and disaster of 1962; I am tempted to quote from his book “The Untold Story” in praise of the fighting skills and in your face courage of the ‘Bhullas’ of 4 Garhwal Rifles. He remarked that, “Had the Indian Army fought like the ‘Bhullas’ of 4 Garhwal Rifles, the history of the 1962 war would have been different”. The battalion won two Mahavir Chakra (MVC) and seven Vir Chakra ( Vr C) in a war which saw the Indian Army routed and butchered, only because its political leadership refused to heed to the professional counsel of its military commanders, who were seized of the status of the Army’s unpreparedness to undertake any military adventure in keeping with the forward position policy of Nehru, which had the potential to provoke and escalate into a full scale war. The Army too had its cronies, as was best symbolised by Lt Gen BM Kaul, who climbed on the credulity of its soldiers and worked in synch with the country’s politico / bureaucratic leadership, which lead to a national humiliation.

 The honour roll of 4 Garhwal Rifles has 3 officers, 4 jcos, 147 jawans and 7 non combatants enrolled,  who died in action in 1962. In recognition of its historical and unprecedented fighting spirit, courage, sheer doggedness, extreme sense of commitment and selfless dedication, which went beyond the call of duty; was awarded the Battle Honour of ‘Nuranang’ by the Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces and a grateful nation. The only battalion to receive this honour in the war fought in NEFA. The unit, which continues to be an embellishment in the crowning glory of the Indian Army, by its several professional achievements to include operations and training; will be celebrating the 50^th anniversary of the battle of Nuranang on 17^th November 2012. While this is so, the War Memorial which was constructed in the memory of the gallant action fought by 4 Garhwal Rifles; in which Rifleman Jaswant Singh Rawat attained martyrdom, has attained a spiritual significance for the present and coming generations of the Army.It stands as a silent reminder of the sacrifice made by the sons of Garhwal, to inspire and motivate all those who pass through the way, in the service of the Nation. The place where this Memorial stands has been named as JASWANTGARH, in fond and lasting memory of the brave heart, who is survived by his 90 years old mother.

It is as a mark of respect and deserving homage to the hallowed battle field in which the ‘Bhullas’ of ‘Fighting Fourth’ attained martyrdom that, the Military Secretary and Colonel of the Regiment of Garhwal Rifles and Garhwal Scouts, Lt Gen Ata Hasnain*, AVSM, SM, VSM & Bar will be making a pilgrimage along with a team of officers from the unit to Nuranang, to place a wreath at the memorial of JASWANTGARH.

*Lt Gen  Ata Hasnain, AVSM, SM ,VSM and Bar is the son of late Maj Gen S M Hasnain, PVSM, and a second generation commanding officer of 4^th Garhwal Rifles who as XV Corps Commander in Srinagar, Kashmir won the hearts of the people with his iron fist in a velvet glove approach, to tackle militancy in the valley and surrounding areas.

Brigadier (retd) S D Dangwal

+919410900051

Fifty Years of the Sino - Indian Conflict

The Country Does Not Want A Déjà Vu !

A programme - Salute the Soldiers, marking the 50^th anniversary of the Indian soldier’s great saga of valour and courage during the Chinese aggression of 1962 was hosted by Mr Tarun Vijay, Member of Parliament, Rajya Sabha (Uttarakhand) and presided by the Governor, Uttarakhand H E Aziz Qureshi, at hotel Madhuban, at 5 PM on 19^th Oct 2012. The purpose behind this effort was essentially to pay homage to those sons of the soil, who took part in this Himalayan Blunder and achieved martyrdom.  The reasons for the documented military disaster of 1962 were solely the preserve of the political leadership - of an emerging and young sovereign democratic republic. The sentiment which prevailed and embraced the gathering was one of victory for the stoic and uncomplaining Indian soldier who fought with what his country provided him with then, and which was inadequate, obsolete and often unworthy. The state of Uttarakhand was unequivocally lauded by the Governor and other distinguished dignitaries from the Army, who adorned the dais, for its salutary contribution to the strength and character of the Armed Forces, which remains its distinguishing feature. There were those who had participated in the Sino - Indian conflict or else were intimately related and connected with men who had made the supreme sacrifice of their life, in the service of their motherland. The Governor felicitated and honoured the mother of a hero from 4^th Garhwal Rifles, Rifleman Jaswant Singh, Mahavir Chakra, who laid down his life in the battle fought around the Nuranang Bridge, which lead to  Sela Pass. Also, the 98 years old Lt Col Inder Singh Rawat, Kirti Chakra who was the Commanding Officer of 4^th Garhwal Rifles, immediately after the war, received a standing ovation from the audience, when the Governor saluted him before presenting to him a shawl and a memento. There were others too from the Garhwal Rifles and Kumaon Regiment who were felicitated, amidst a resounding of claps and cheers from the gathering.

The piece de résistance of the evening was the talk of Lt Gen (retd) O P Kaushik, who spun a web around the audience with his baritone voice, grasp of details, depth of knowledge, poetical interludes, statistical enumeration about the military and communications network and force availability of the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) in the autonomous region of Tibet, and a clinical strategic analysis of such a reality in our context and its implied threat to our territorial integrity and security. The People’s Republic of China poses an ominous threat to our land mass, which is contiguous to Tibet and the part of Jammu & Kashmir which was acceded to it by Pakistan. This is with the intent and purpose to make the figurative palm of Tibet into a hand, comprising the fingers of Nepal, Bhutan, Sikkim, Assam and Arunachal. The force levels and the military hardware which India can muster against any future aggression from China, should an eventuality arise for it, seem extremely remote and beyond the realm of possibility; given our unwillingness to accept the threat which looms large and real. The chances of us as a Nation, doing a ’62 upon ourselves is pregnant with possibilities, only because we continue to ignore and treat lightly the indicators which presage a military situation from developing into a war. Our political and bureaucratic leadership is found wanting to pry deep into the meaning of China’s resolution of its border / boundary disputes with all others excepting India; only because it has a desire to settle it by military means and truncating from the sovereign mainland of the nation a sizable chunk, that it believes to be its traditional, historical and cultural part.

The present times, which are riddled with a string of scams and the compulsions of coalition politics haunting the ruling government, does not augur well for our country’s future. While economic power is an enduring factor which underscores development and progress in the growth of a Nation, it is its military strength and power which guarantees the environment for the former. The current political leadership seems to fall short of the people’s expectations to deliver it from the vice like grip of corruption and crony capitalism that is eating into the vitals of our polity and society. The need of the hour, therefore, demands a dynamic and strong leadership, which can ride rough over populous policies and make the Nation strong, both economically and militarily. It must now be an iron hand in a velvet glove that both heals the afflicted and crushes the crooked. Without imputing any political leanings or else motives to me, the country must make a very hard choice of rising above petty partisan leanings and political jingoism, and put into power a political arrangement that best serves the interests of India. The threat that is most likely to simultaneously develop from our North East and West, and probably attempt to encircle and crush us in a pincer like operation, is only a matter of time and cannot be wished away or prevented from happening by diplomatic interventions alone. It must get backed by unmistakable military preparedness and transcending the denial mode; as gripped our political psyche when 1962 happened. The times have changed from what they were in ’62, when the military values and sheer ruggedness of the army’s cutting edge, was a cut above what we have now. Sheer grit, courage, bravado, stoicism, unquestioning mindset and an intense feeling of patriotism among soldiers, was a rule then, than an exception. The same cannot be said now, when market forces have besieged the people and their thinking like never before, and the military is not an exception to the situation that prevails in the country. A big question mark hangs over our response to a situation that seized the army in ’62 and the same from happening in the future similarly. It may not be so. A Rezangla or a Nuranang, which were battlegrounds in ’62 and where a rag a tag Indian soldier, equipped with antiquated weapons and material, fought and died in the spirit of last man - last bullet, could only be a chimera in a future situation. Therefore, in a country where the political leadership is corrupt and is driven more by expediency, which is aimed at vote bank politics that invests heavily in considerations of religion, caste, community and class; the possibility of history repeating itself is probably waiting to happen. Do not make the Indian soldier into cannon fodder, by disregarding the visible indicators that stare at us from the plateau of Tibet. The nation does not want a déjà vu.  

Brigadier (retd) S D Dangwal

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Mens Sana In Carpore Sano

THE MUCH AWAITED NATIONAL FITNESS POLICY : THE GAMECHANGER

The long overdue and much awaited National Fitness Policy (NFP) draft has been promised to be tabled in the parliament by the Sports minister, Mr Ajay Maken. This will articulate the government’s policy, action plan, commitment and responsibility towards a healthier and fitter nation, which must surely remain a critical function of governance. While there were earlier policies, encompassing a similar strain of thinking and implementation; not much has happened to elicit confidence in the usefulness and applicability of its contents. The erudite and outspoken Mr Mani Shankar Aiyyar, while he was the Sports & Panchayati Raj minister, in the build up days to the Commonwealth Games 2010, had conceived the twin approach for a sporting and healthy nation, by involving the people and the youth at the village and panchayat level upwards. This obviously necessitated an integrated modus operandi to include infrastructure, equipment, ancillaries, trainers and adequate finances, all in a sustainable manner. While grants for capital and revenue works would be provided from the central and state budgets, a business model to sustain the project was critical to its efficacy. Most sports infrastructures which were created under schemes of Sports Authority of India (SAI) in the villages / talukas / districts have over the years become decrepit and unsafe for use, only because these could not be maintained and refurbished from funds that were generated by their usage. These fell embarrassingly short and grossly inadequate to the requirement. In contrast to this, the SAI centres, which are managed and administered by the government and funded through their aegis, are in a state of repair and worthiness. Therefore, subsequent to a facility being constructed and made operational, it is its maintenance and continuous usage which throws up the real challenge to keep it going and functional. The NFP must be wary of this drawback in its content and factor such provisos therein, as will address the stated shortcoming. For a country of our size and population, having a humongous demographical dividend, which must remain the focal point of such a policy; it is imperative that the reach and spread of the NFP is across its length and breadth, thus making it into a macro level reality. Notwithstanding the huge capital costs of implementing and putting into action such a pan Indian scheme, it is the recurring costs which must be visualised and planned for to keep the investment afloat, in an enduring manner. The endeavour is extremely worthy and befitting of an emerging global economical power, as it will intangibly contribute in enhancing in the people wellness, pride, efficiency, national character and self worth; all of which bestow to an improved Gross Domestic Produce (GDP).

There is no gainsaying that fitness not only improves efficiency but also instils a feeling of well being and prevents a number of major diseases. It therefore stands to reason that enhanced fitness will exponentially impact society in all its ramifications and produce the magical spark of euphoria, which is its most vital by product. Across the demographic construct, strata, class, religion, gender, community, caste and variety of people who comprise Indian society, an improved state of fitness will not only underscore and alleviate poverty of thought and deed, but also attitude and material penury. It will usher in a culture whereby, every man, woman and child will participate in the celebration of his spirit in a state of joy, through the efforts of his body.  The benefits of exercise are so many that its audit will run into a tome, but even then I wish to recollect some of these from my experience and memory; enhanced self esteem, confidence, positive outlook, improved bearing, zest for life, relief from muscle atrophy, improved muscle efficiency, mobilization of fat, quicker removal of cholesterol from the blood stream, improved resistance in combating injuries, provides cardiac reserves, reduces emotional and nervous tensions, eliminates stresses and triggers survival mechanisms etc. So to surmise, it will suffice to say that fitness can well be a panacea for most ills, in a time when people live short and die long. From the intangible benefits which accrue from indulging in fitness related activities, the most important and worthy is character development. This, in our present times is a crying need to give wings and ethical legitimacy to our democracy. A nation such as ours with its diversity and natural wealth, when infused with the energy, which is sustained on the tripod of simplicity, diligence and character of its people; will become a force multiplier to achieve greater prosperity and economic power in the comity of nations.

Being from the Army Physical Training Corps (APTC) of the Army, from which I retired in 2008; the subject is of special significance to me and I am absolutely convinced in my mind that, when fitness training and culture becomes a national priority with the government and it is committed to engender and nurture it as a state policy, we as a Nation are on the right train and the right track, which is moving in the right direction. The payoffs of such a commitment are innumerable and it is a win - win situation for all. One of the reasons for democracy not delivering in our country in the manner it ought to is the discernible lack of individual and collective character in its people, irrespective of whether it is a politician, bureaucrat, technocrat, professional, corporate, civilian, low level functionary in the government or the holier than thou NGOs  etc. The cumulative effect of this reality constitutes National Character, which is more obvious in its absence than presence, at all, levels of public life in the country. The striking difference in the India of yesteryears, when freedom from foreign oppression was a noble cause then and in contemporary times, when scams galore are the singular achievement s of state and central governments, respectively; character has taken a severe beating and has been pushed to the back burner, so to say. Men and women of character are more an exception to the rule these days. One of the ways of instilling and help imbibe character in people is to expose them to a daily / periodic dose of fitness related activity, which pushes them with a sense of reasonable discomfort beyond their comfort threshold. For those who are doing it as a part of their daily living to eke out a livelihood for themselves and their family, the need is superfluous. It was the sight of these people, which evinced a remark from the former American ambassador to India, John Kenneth Galbraith, who remarked that ‘There is richness in the poor of India’. That richness, as I now understand it to be is character.

Brigadier (retd) S D Dangwal

+919410900051  

A New Chapter in Indian Sports

WILL  IT BE A GOODBYE TO SURESH KALMADI ?

The fiat by the ethics commission of the International Olympics Committee (IOC), to preclude the disgraced president of the Indian Olympics Association (IOA) Mr Suresh Kalmadi, Mr VK Verma and Mr Lalit Bhanot from participating and contesting in the elections for the office bearers of the IOA, which is due on 25 Nov 2012, till such time their names are cleared by the courts of the country; is a welcome step for the good of sports and sportspersons. Jacques Rogge, the chairman of the IOC has done a great service to India, by upholding the decision of its subcommittee. What the government of the country could not do, the IOC has done, in keeping with the code of conduct for its confederate members. A sigh of relief is long overdue from the past and present, illustrious sportspersons and sports administrators respectively, who always put sports and the country first; rather than their personal interests and greed to misuse the trust and faith reposed in them, by the accredited members comprising the National Sports Federations (NSFs) and the State Olympic Committees (SOCs).

The political arithmetic of the Congress Party has arm twisted it, to reinstate the fallen Chairman of the Organising Committee Delhi Commonwealth Games 2010, who was incarcerated in the Tihar jail for about 9 months, after his involvement in the scam in the Queen’s Baton Relay in London was established by the sleuths of the Central Bureau of Investigation. The matter is sub judice and the judgement of the designated court is awaited. However, had it not been for the IOC’s vehement stand in the matter, which assails its ethical principles; Suresh Kalmadi and his cohorts would have made the Nation eat crow and cocked a snook at the Sports Minister, Mr Ajay Maken by participating, contesting and winning the coveted posts for which the elections are due in the IOA. Such is the hold and clout of these die hard freeloaders, who have successfully masqueraded as sports aficionados and administrators for many years, at grave cost to the country and its sportspersons. I shudder at the gall of these men, who have plundered the country like many others to fatten their pockets, and thus ensuring their presence and authority in the apex forum of sports, to further prosper from the opportunities which come up at an international level.

It saddens me to see the ground swell of supporters from amongst the pseudo sports administrators, who tenant various offices in NSFs and SOCs, willing to back Suresh Kalmadi and Lalit Bhanot, should they contest elections, if not barred from doing so by the IOC. This is the culture which Mr Suresh Kalmadi has engendered and diligently nurtured among the sports administrator constituency, which is critical to his remaining in power as the head of the IOA. The political culture of the country is no different from what Kalmadi assiduously believes in and therefore he takes acceptability from the pages of his political peers and colleagues. I, as a professional sports administrator and manager, who has been a part of the Army’s and Armed Forces sports organization, have seen some of my own colleagues, literally grovel for Mr Kalmadi’s attention and grace to visit them, only with the single point aim of currying favours and seeking perks from his cauldron of assigning foreign tours, appointments in various adhoc committees/ offices, seven star hotel parties, air travel, limousine rides and travel, allowances and handsome salary et al, all at the tax payers cost. And all that was expected of these officers was implicit loyalty to the ‘Kalmadi’, even at a cost to their own parent organization, which were their employer and paymaster. Suresh, had learnt his tricks in politics, which he used to great advantage to ride the helm of Indian sports administration, for nearly 20 years.  I do hope and wish that those of my colleagues who waxed eloquent about the administrative brilliance and leadership of the ‘Kalmadi’, have now been confronted by the reality of their misconceptions about this man and are sorry for having succumbed to the ruse that, this trickster played upon their weak minds.

Brigadier (retd) S D Dangwal  

+919410900051

THE SLUGGISH BUREAUCRACY

GOD SAVE THE ARMY FROM THE SOUTH BLOCK MANDARINS

As a director, in the directorate general of military training in 2002, in the erstwhile Army HQ and the present Integrated HQ of Defence (Army), dealing with policy, control, implementation and review/revision of all aspects dealing with the physical fitness and wellness of all cadets, gentlemen cadets, recruits, soldiers and officers of the Indian Army; it was my brief to upgrade, initiate and recommend modernisation in such aspects of training, equipment and clothing, including kit / PT shoes as was considered essential and in keeping with the demand of the times. The rampant cases of stress related injuries in the lower limbs of cadets and recruits, was adversely impinging upon the training time of such persons, owing to long periods of rest and recovery, which was necessitated as a part of the management of the injury. This had become a worst case scenario, which was spreading like wild fire in training establishments and demanded an appropriate response to the affliction that had gripped the trainees. The reasons for this were several, from relatively weak human resource at the time of induction, which was not adequately exposed to running/ load bearing fitness/ sports activities, hard running surfaces which abound these days in most training areas, poor quality of running / PT shoes, greater focus in the priority given to cardio vascular running activity in the construct and design of PT table cards etc. By the turn of the century, the situation had become alarming, in so far as loss of training time, owing to painful stress in the tibia and fibula bones of the legs was concerned, and it threw up a challenge for the Military Training Directorate in the Army HQ to arrest the situation from further deteriorating. We ordered surveys to be taken in the matter in all pre commission and recruit training establishments, with the intent to collate and study relevant data, and arrive at informed conclusions in the matter. All surveys, without exception, conclusively established the presence of stress related injury among trainees and the extent varied from 13% to 16%. The figures were a cause of serious concern for all involved in the process of training and preparing young men to become soldiers and take their rightful place at the next stage, of either their training or else the rank and file of their units.  Given the variables which contributed to the malady of stress related injury, the design and quality of the running / PT shoe in use was a major cause and was also that, which could be manipulated, to bring about relief to the afflicted individuals.

Aware as we all were (are), of the bureaucratic red tape and mental clutter, which is a pronounced feature of the staff at all levels in the army as also the ministry of defence, our directorate took a conscious decision to issue a directive to all pre commission training establishments to immediately allow use of white coloured branded Reebok / Addidas / Power shoes in place of the white rubber soled canvas PT shoes, which is a part of the ordnance issue personal kit items. These of course were to be purchased at cost to the individual cadet / gentleman cadet. For the recruits and the soldiers, we worked on a statement of case, giving the data which had been collated from various training institutions /establishments regarding the pathetic condition of the fleet shoes in use and its adverse affect on the lower limbs of the personnel, wearing and using it. Our recommendations were premised on a general staff qualitative requirement (GSQR), giving the exact details of the design of the shoe, which should replace the existing one. The design included features such as the tread, toe box, toe cushioning, saddle, arch support, midsole, outer sole, heel wedge, heel counter and the collar, which would all enable comfort, sturdiness and ability to last for about 2000 to 3000 kms of running use. We visited the Reebok factory in Sonepat (Haryana), and confirmed our recommendations as also the design. Thereafter, we interacted with the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and forwarded the statement of case, duly approved by the general staff in the Army HQ, to their equipment laboratory in Kanpur (Uttar Pradesh) for doing the needful. However, after about six months of being in limbo on the matter, a letter was received from the designated laboratory in Kanpur, asking us to pursue the matter with the equipment procurement cell of the ordnance branch, in Army HQ. The cell, in a manner typical of what we understand red tape as, wrote back to say that it was the prerogative of the ordnance branch to procure the subject item and in their collective wisdom, thought it best to ask Bata shoe company to provide the item for use in the Army. But, before the item could be introduced in bulk, it was necessary to hold trials among a substantial population of troops and a decision arrived at only after a report was compiled, which suggested that the item was acceptable and should be introduced. This, was a time taking process and my posting out from my appointment in Army HQ, overtook events and it was for those who followed me in office, to take the matter to its logical conclusion.

The story in the Times of India, dated 27 Sept 2012, about the Army running around for sneakers for at least a decade, brought back memories about our effort to equip the soldiers with appropriate shoes, commensurate to their training requirement and propelled me to dig deep into the cobwebs of my mind; wondering about the bureaucratic delays that stymie procurement and purchase for the Army. If this is the state of affairs in the up gradation of an innocuous item of personal kit of a soldier, wherein it takes a decade to finalise its introduction into the Army; and which is still being debated and questioned, and is likely to get dumped in favour of another pattern of shoe, which the Air Force has shortlisted for use by its air warriors – then God save the Armed Forces from the breed of South Block mandarins who decide on, what the military should and should not have?

Brigadier (retd) S D Dangwal

+919410900051