Fauji Diary - The Interview

Having grown up reading 'How to face an interview' columns in magazines like CSR, Competition Master et all, I could barely fathom the quadrants of personality an interview can explore. At a restless age of 20, expecting pre-conditioned responses is the last thing one can expect. So what transpired during my interview before the 20 Service Selection Board at Bhopal in December 1994 remains itched in my memory till date. It was a cold winter morning and I was sitting in front of Maj Gen B R Verma (Jat Regt) who was the President of the Board.

The President was trying to make sense of my heavily scribbled 'Personal Information Questionnaire' (commonly called PIQ Form), when we started off.

President: So Ashwani, how many friends do you have?
Yours truly: ( to prolong the prized interaction, I felt like giving a big figure but settled for less) I have ten friends.
President: What do you talk to your friends?
Yours truly: Anything from politics to personal matters.
President: ( with a pause) personal matters like what?
Yours truly: ( after a gap) like how to propose to a girl.
President: (writes with the pencil like grandmasters in chess do!) so which is the best suggestion you ever gave to anyone?
Yours truly: (interjection..) Sir,...presently I don't give suggestions, I take suggestions.
President: so which is the best suggestion you ever received?
Yours truly: The best suggestion I ever received was,- 'that first deserve and then desire'.
President: ( after taking some time with his pencil ) OK, ...then what do you think will make you deserving?
Yours truly: Sir, the selection in army through this interview will make me deserving.
President: (after finishing with the pencil, prepared with his googli) Ok, you are selected, you've completed your training and have become an officer, you are in your hometown on leave when you see this beautiful girl in the marketplace. You are attracted to her, you go and propose to her and she slaps you on your face, what will you do?
Yours truly: (interjects)...actually, the way of proposing was not correct, I should have got hold of some common friend, get myself introduced and then gone ahead...
President: (smiles with a BIG grin..) Son, don't challenge the situation, give me a solution after the slap incident.
Yours truly: ( confused....., felt like having already lost in this chess-game)(replied after more than one minute of deep introspection) No matter how hard I try, that girl will remain at the back of my mind, I will grow over that slap incident, get hold of a common friend, get myself introduced, cultivate friendship and then propose at an appropriate time.
President: (I could see a deep appreciation on his face, vibes of approval and affection emanating from him) ( I actually expected him to say something, but this time he took out a pen and wrote about four lines) thank you Ashwani, it was very pleasant meeting with you.(we shook hands)

Fauji Diary

Thiruvananthapuram: 22 Oct 2008 - A team of senior officers from Army who are attending Higher Defence Management Course (HDMC) at College of Defence Management,Hyderabad visited my Bank today. They are on a field visit to the premier institutions of the country. As I stood greeting them at the gate, my eyes brighten up to see Colonel Rajiv Mahna who used to be my Directing Staff (a term used in army for Instructors) at Officers Training Academy, Madras (now Chennai).He has not changed all these years except for a few more grey hair which lend lot of grace to his personality. I met him after almost twelve years. As I introduced myself to him, I could feel the vibes of affection emanating from him. Colonel Mahna besides being an excellent professional officer; has qualities which are unique to him. When I had joined the academy in 1995, I used to be a 'dead sinker'( a term used for hopeless non swimmers). Despite my sincere effort at learning the skill, I came a cropper for which I was really ashamed. I was about to be given a counselling for not having passed the swimming test, when one day (then Capt) Colonel Mahna reached the pool with his four year old son during the class. He smiled and said something to brighten up the day in his inimitable style. All I remember is that I passed my test on that very day after being motivated by the swimming skill of his four year old son. Twelve years is a long time, life seems to have completed a full circle but I will always remain indebted to Colonel Mahna.

Global Financial Meltdown

With the global financial scene in a gloomy state, and everyone in the banking and insurance sector wondering what is next in store; the entire episode has become an unending ordeal. Since last year, sub prime lending in US mortgage sector was seen as the major culprit. The crisis reached a melting point recently when the 158 years old investment banking firm Lehman brothers filed for bankruptcy. Their bankruptcy will inturn have an impact on the its creditors like Citigroup, Bank of New York and some Japanese and European banks. More trouble in financial markets seems inevitable.

To brighten up the day, one of my friends sent some Bank-Toons which I am sharing here:

Visit to Kanyakumari

Kanyakumari: Kanyakumari derives its name from Kanya Devi, an avatar of Parvati who could not marry Lord Shiva in her life time. It is a great tourist destination, great sights, affordable hotels besides having a number of tourist places in near vicinity. The major tourist attraction is the Vivekananda Rock which has apart from the Vivekananda Memorial, the Sripada Mandapam, which is the temple of Kanya Devi. The temple has foot imprints of Kanya Devi.

The Kanyakumari markets offer a lot of sea shells and other curios at rock bottom prices. Kanyakumari is an excellent destination for a budget conscious tourist.

The view of the Vivekananda Rock Memorial and Thiruvallur Statue

The only way to reach the Rock Memorial is by means of the ferry boats run by the Tamil Nadu tourism. The main attraction of Kanyakumari is the view of the sunrise and the sunset.

The 'magical' SunriseThe Sunset The Sripada Mandapam (Kanya Devi Temple)

The Vivekananda Memorial which has a meditation room in its basement.

A visit to the place would be incomplete without a visit to the Wax Museum, an indian version of Madame Tussaude. The museum has wax models of Mahatma Gandhi,Benazir Bhutto, Indira Gandhi, Amitabh Bacchan, Shahrukh Khan, Jackie Chan, Jayalalita and many more...these were my favourites

Any tips for me, dear Sir

ഓണം ൨൦൦൮ (Onam 2008)

Thiruvananthapuram: Onam is the main regional festival of Kerala and is celebrated in the month of September over a period of ten days from atham to thirunam. A number of festivities form part of the overall celebration like elaborate feasts (onam sadya), folk songs, elegant dances, games,elephants,boats and flower arrangements ( pookalam).

Pookalam at the office

The main festivity in the city was at Kanakakunnu Palace which gave a true flavour of the festival; elephants at the gate, traditional dance at the gate and at at number of other places, food festival,craft exhibition,vocal recitals,Kathakali and many more.

The scene at the entrance of Kanakakunnu Palace
Mannat trying out the Mehndi
A scene from one of the dances

The most fascinating dance at the Fest was where 12 girls weave a jhoola during their dance steps for the little lord Krishna. The total feel of the festivity was mesmerising.

Tagged

Old habbits die hard, they say. One cannot change oneself, how so ever hard one may try. So when Capt Balvinder tagged me, I was caught napping like a back bencher. I had no idea what is to be done when you are tagged. It was only after reading the fellow bloggers that the thought process in me started. The whole idea is to spell out some habits/addictions which are unique to you. Some are in me too, which I am going to share here as it comes to my mind:

1. Haircut countdown: Everytime I say ' I think I need to go for a haircut' to me wife, she is always of the other opinion. Eversince I remember I have been very ritualistic about the periodicity of the haircut. While being in army, the barber could be summoned anytime, now one has to take prior appointment from the hairdresser or else wait. Hair dresser is a person to be held in high regard as he has the power to make you confident about youself.


2. slip-over to Punjabi: Being known to be gentle and polite among friends and colleagues, sometimes when I am agitated with someone, I unknowingly slip-over to Punjabi. Having tried my best to control this; my take on this is that since I think in Punjabi, the language just flows out of me.


3. List fetish: Since one has to function simultaneously chasing various goals in the required timelines, I have always been a slave to preparing lists, though not very perseverant at completing 100% of the tasks in hand.


4. A stitch in time...: This one generally I dont spell out as it is considered a very feminine trait, but I am very fond of tailoring activity like putting buttons or repairing the clothes. I make it a point to lend it a good finnesse which I have developed over a period of time.
5. Anti TV: Most of the time I wonder how people are able to watch so much Tv. Most of the time we end up with the information from the Tv which is of no relevance to our lives. Women end up being more sobby after soaps, children end up being more hyperactive after watching cartoons; even the daily news have become unsavoury, advertisements are not far behind, sometimes there is no bottomline and we end up watching the 'Amul Macho' ad half a dozen times in a day.

Having listed the five addictions/ qualities specific to me, I hope I have fulfilled the 'Tag expectations'. Now I take this oppertunity to 'TAG' Capt Bisht, Ratnakar and Sarabjeet to carry out the assigned task of listing their five addictions.

Feedback - Training aboard a Houseboat

Training aboard a houseboat in Kerala backwaters is a very novel idea started by Sterling Events India. 'Infotainment', in the right meaning of the word, the training on one hand explored the beauty of the Kerala backwaters touching the mouth of the Arabian sea, on the other hand offered a chance to learn and refresh the complexities involved in day to day job performance. The ambiance was just perfect for a three day joyride into the lap of nature. The Conference room on the first floor deck of the boat The ground floor housed the kitchen, porch and AC rooms for participants.

The boat explored the vast dimensions of the Vembad lake during the day and was anchored in the evening where a cultural evening of Kathakali demonstration was organised. Kathakali demonstration gives a peep into the basics of the dance form to the audience. The costume generally associated with Kathakali is not worn during demonstration and is only worn while enacting any scene from the epics.

A boat parked for the night.

A fellow participant, Sh Ashok Mishra from Bank of India appreciating the beauty of Kuttanad. The view of Kuttanad paddy fields. The water-bus ferrying passengers to Kochi The luxury cottages which have come up by lakeside
The evening view of the lake is truly magical