Fauji !!

‘How was Sneha’s exam’ I asked Sneha’s mom Mini who lives in next street few days back .Sneha is giving her 12^th board exams. So whats her plan after 12^th , I asked Mini. Sneha does not want to do Engineering , she wants to take courses in  Mathematics from Madras University or do course from Indian Institute of Space and technology. And if she does not get into these institutes she wants to do regular degree in Mathematics. I smiled at Mini and said very good decision and she should do what she wants to do. I feel so happy that I did not hear the regular answer ‘Medicine/Engineering’. Then I asked ‘How is Subin doing in NDA? ‘ Mini replied its his second year and first year was difficult for him to adjust in new environment of discipline and fitness. I replied you should be so proud of both your kids . These days when nobody thinks of defence services , your son decided to go for National  Defense Academy and your daughter is also thinking of  doing something different . Mini replied – ‘Its only when people like you encourage , I feel that we have taken right decision for our kids’ and I assured her , I feel so proud of her and her children.

Yesterday we went to attend a program at the Air force base in Trivandrum. One of our neighbor Mrs Nair and her daughter Ms Nair were performing and they invited us. We reached the air force base around 6:15 pm , and the community hall where this was happening is on a hill top, perfect view of Sunset . Since we still had time we strolled around the campus, beautifully kept with all facilities, huge ground, basketball , volleyball courts, reminded me so much of my childhood days in campus, saw children playing basket ball and running around (rare site to see these days). A self sufficient campus with all facilities, Play School, KV school, Health Centre, Fitness Centre, Hospital, Play ground, different courts, Canteens, Mess, Community hall what more can one ask for ,, After ASC campus in bangalore where we used to go every Sunday, to attend Sunday mass, It was almost after 6-7 years that we were getting inside an armed force campus and realised what all facilities and services the personals and families get being in a campus . Except for couple of Item numbers  done by some professional dance group, the program was more or less in the typical Fauji format, Welcome dance Thirvathira (Mrs Nair led the dance team) , then Unity in Diversity number – Bharat humko Jaan se Pyara hai sort , then a Kannada Song, a Tamil Song, a Hindi song and a medley of different language songs all song by personnel or their Children or spouse , and grand finale with a Rajasthani Dance performed by Ms Nair. While coming back I remembered all the Annual celebrations we used to have in campus ‘Vertak Day’ ‘Pushpak Day’ … And I remembered how life is going to be for Subin* in coming years, choice which I hope he will never regret – Being in Armed force

Though there are  visible distinctions  in a Fauji Campus/Life – topic which I am not going to talk about in this post, but with changing times few things have changed and now one could see the latest cars and SUVs in the campus (which was not imaginable 10-15 years back), but the facilities which the family of a Fauji gets is something I always found lucrative to think about career in Armed Force .In short I am proud of my Dad for his services for the country and proud that I am one of the product of the ‘Services’..