Life in the Armed Forces is, like I have said many times earlier, pretty good. Excellent camaraderie, a reasonable work life balance and military housing that has converted the poet Longfellow’s words – ‘into each life some rain must fall’, into policy. The rain for example, doesn’t just fall. It…
Category: Humour in Uniform
Battles and Annexures: A Peek into Indian Navy’s Paper Warfare
The Indian Navy is a formidable fighting force; well equipped with the latest technology – guns, missiles, radars. But most importantly, paper. A look then into the Navy’s paper warfare…. In peacetime especially, paper becomes the primary weapon for projecting a unit’s battle readiness, professionalism and expertise in yoga. The…
Four NDA Cadets, Some Chicken, And Sandpapered Backsides
My most popular post to date pertained to Commander NKR. (Those wanting to refresh their memories can read about him here.) He is tall, strapping, and with his zest for early morning 10 km runs, a pain in the neck. Especially when holidaying. In one of my earlier posts I…
Cylinders, Rations and Scooters – Middle Class Memories
I have come to realize that The Wife’s narrations about our horde of middle class memories, are far wittier. The tremendous response to one of her earlier narrations here, is enough cause for me to step aside and leave matters once more, to her. Read on. Quote Let me start…
How to speak like a sailor in three minutes! A guide to naval terms
In the year 2001, I was ‘detailed to volunteer’ by the Navy to write a piece on naval terms for the ‘Midday’ (05 Feb. Edit Page). I therefore am quite an established writer – a slightly more polished contemporary of Dr Shashi Tharoor even. Though the passage of time has…
Wedding Chaos and Friends: Photos, Phones & Mahua
Marriages are made in heaven. So are earthquakes and lightning. And yet, most of us, some unwittingly, jump into matrimony at some point in time. As did one dapper youngster, Shirish, starting inadvertently some wedding chaos. He happened you see, by a fortunate chain of circumstances, to be my coursemate,…
Return of Cadet JAM – Hilarious NDA Adventures Part 2
Considering the rave reviews I received for my previous post on the inimitable Cadet JAM, I am presuming that most of you readers are well familiar with the gentleman. Other than reminding you that amongst his countless sterling qualities, the ones that stood out were his resourcefulness, presence of mind…