An Open Letter to Defence Minister

Dear Mr Defence Minister, There have been 5 recorded suicides including one that of a Major general in the Indian Army in recent months. They have all gone unreported and brushed under the carpet, blaming family stress or marital discord for the same. But the truth is very well known by one and all. Why doesn't organisation own up to its discrepancies, no body is perfect, but we can work towards it. Most of the soldiers resort to these extreme steps primarily because of the basic requirements which have been denied to them, despite they giving their best to the organisation. The suicide of above mentioned Major General was not at all a case of marital discord, it was ONLY and ONLY because he was denied a posting of his choice and there were promotions being made out of turn. This process is still on and soon there will be orders where deserving and well qualified officers have been sidelined and bumchums given the best of the assignments. What message is army trying to send across by such actions? will it not affect the morale of all other soldiers who look upto their seniors. Will it not result in massive premature retirements etc. Why is MOD silent on this entire issue? The nation very well knows that a death of a soldier means nothing to you, more so if he has committed suicide. But have you ever given a thought about what goes behind those crisp Olive Greens with shinning stars, badges and medals? Recent orders, of postings and promotions, which are right now under jurisdiction of MOD are simply atrocious and not to be accepted even by a normal jawan? How can a six month junior officer be made a top boss of a Corp while a more deserving and senior officer ignored? Just because, latter was a simple and honest man and not sitting in Delhi, sending expensive gifts to all those who mattered in his posting/promotion? Now, as per the sources, his files are being misplaced so that this officer is unable to approach the court, to get justice. SHAME!! By doing so, we are encouraging malpractices and crime to be rampant in our very own armed forces, i guess, that is the entire aim of those sitting at the top. Why else would there is so much of disinterest amongst the agencies who handle the transfers and postings. As a Defence Minister, today, all the troops of world's third largest army want to know the answer from no one but you. Why are you, supposedly the most honest minister, Mr Antony, allowing such actions being performed right under your nose. Or has this honest minister also changed with times? We trust you and are waiting for an answer from you.... Jai Hind! I wish I could say Jai Hind ki Sena too, as I always do, but not this time, unless i get an answer from you!

Home - Indian Soldiers

www.indiansoldiers.co.in is a website with an aim to honour those who have so bravely served the country.......

You know you are a true breed fauji kid

1 You were born in a Military Hospital
2 Half your toddler years were spent being looked after by Bhaiyas ( no xplanation here)
3 You went to school either on Bhaiya's cycle or in a Shaktiman
4 You know what a shaktiman is. ( No! it isnt the TV serial about half man and half machine starring AB lookalike)
5 Jeeps & Jongas dont excite you - they were your regular mode of transport!
6 The only alternative to the Central School was the Army School.
7 You always called Kendriya Vidyalaya Central School. Gosh even today that sounds better!
8 Your entire family could survive in one room temporary quarters with 25 trunks, wooden crates, the dog, the bedroll and two bhaiyas flitting around.
9 The smell of Brasso & shoe polish was regular staple.
10 Mess was not what you created in your room, it was where you went every Friday for the free "english" movie.
11 The "English Movie" was very often a western and you couldnt follow a word! Sometimes you just went for the samosas and the local drink that they insisted was Cola.
12 At the end of the month your dad had to pay for many pink slips showing how many samosas and local drinks that they insisted was Cola you had consumed. They never missed any!!!
13 You attended many May Queen Balls before you knew what Miss India was.
14 Your mother regularly got dressed, perfumed and dissappeared for the Ladies Club.
15 You knew towns like Mhow, Wellington, Deolali and Bhuj
16 You werent a millionaire but hey you had Swimming, Horse Riding, Squash, Tennis and Golf!!
14 You thought the main reason to have a Golf Course was to have a Holi Bash.
15 You can still take one quick look at the epaulets and figure out the rank.
16 You discussed wednesday's Chitrahaar in the Shaktiman.
17 You can still recall the special & particular smell of the CSD canteen! A special prize for the correct concoction - mine is - it was a mix of Hamam Soap, Ponds Dreamflower Talc & Surf i think. In some corners it had overtures of Brooke Bond red Label as well.
18 Your vacations were a package deal consisting of D-forms, Sharma Uncle Ka jonga and Arty Mess ka kamra.


NOTE: One can see a lot of copies of this write up being uploaded at various websites / circulated in emails / mentioned in blogs...there is no problems with all that...spread the cheer! However, my only plea is atleast link it back to Fauji Kids@facebook so that whoever likes it can also enjoy the group & the comments from fellow faujikids.

God save the Queen

Latest board results were again a mixed bag, with lots of disappointments and less good news. It is amazing to note how they manage to contradict all the pre result predictions. The officers you think are most deserving don’t get promoted and there are as always lots of surprise packages or the dark horses as you may want to call them..

A surprise package for me this time was a rather unusual one. A lot of people known to me didn’t make it while few of the lucky ones were there on the coveted list. As the news trickled in there were heated discussions and great bonding to be seen. It was an evening which was a mixed bag of the happy and not so happy moments. What became a very obvious fact for us was that no matter how the results were each one felt that the esteemed CO’s wives had a major hand in making or breaking an officer’s professional life. A friend noted, “In Meerut, my daughter was very young which prevented my wife from going to the welfare centers and ladies meet that regularly. This had irked the CO’s wife very badly. I had official orders to send her to all the function compulsorily which I did but there was a day when my daughter was sick and my wife couldn’t go. That was the day my fate was sealed and my ACR ruined.”

A wife noted that she had always been working while the CO’s wife didn’t. This created a cold war between the two. The CO’s wife would insist her to take leaves or half days very often to attend the welfare meets. She took leave whenever she could but there were times when she couldn’t oblige the CO’s wife. This resulted in a bitter war of words between the two and next day her husband was called up by the CO and nicely thrashed.

With great reports throughout their entire service this was the only time they were bad which withheld this decorated officer with a Staff College and Foreign posting under his belt. One wife noted, “I was very close to my 2IC’s wife. But the day her husband became our CO, her attitude changed. They suddenly become very dictatorial.”

With growing discontentment amongst the armed forces personnel due to various reasons this CO’s wife factor is also fast gaining popularity. Their dictatorial ways have made a mockery of themselves and are major subject of jokes. In the end I would only say to the officers, you are the men of steel, grit and zeal. Just don’t let some petty issues ruin a life of somebody who is deserving and commendable. There may be some exceptions but don’t let the wives call the shots. They are like mother to a unit, pure and unconditional love should be their forte not the politics!!