‘Too often we enjoy the comfort of opinion, without the discomfort of thought’ said John F Kennedy many years ago. At a more earthy level, someone else had said opinions are something (this being a family blog, I am constrained to be abstruse) that rhyme with grasspoles; everyone has one. …
Tag: Navy
ECHS and Triglycerides: Life In a Naval Veterans WhatsApp Group
Each Indian is a member of at least five WhatsApp groups – one or two for the family, one for office colleagues, one for close friends, etc. Some, like The Wife, have multiple sub groups too. Her family groups for example include…. Entire family with husband. Entire family minus husband….
Navy Accommodation Woes – Roti, Kapda aur (No) Makaan
Through fingers splayed across his face, Manoj Kumar (RIP) told us that ‘Roti, Kapda aur Makaan’ are basic needs for humans to exist. No one can disagree. Unless of course you are in the Navy, where accommodation woes are not all that uncommon. Roti – Check. Kapda, Check. Makaan –…
Humour in Games. Talkin bout you and me and games people play
So said Joe South, not to find humour in games, but in a moment of philosophical clarity. However, as most of us are not Socrates or Bertrand Russell – ‘All work and no play makes Krishna Kumar Kadetotad a dull boy’, is more easily understood. I didn’t want to be…
Military Service Reflections. What is the Fundamental Guiding Principle in the Forces?
Remember Colonel Hathi from Junglebook? Remember the scene where he lines up his troops and asks for volunteers for a ‘special mission’ – to take one step forward? Every member of his gang of course, hurriedly takes one step back! And why am I alluding to this? Well, if there…
Life in the Forces. Coursemates! Devils and Angels
Navy Coursemates Reunion Ahoy! “There is not a word yet, for old friends that you’ve just met” – Jim Henson. This could well describe the joy of meeting old friends at a Navy coursemates reunion. We were a batch of 297 coursemates at the National Defence Academy (NDA). And even…
Humour in Uniform – If it is Simple, Make it Difficult!
As most of my 12 readers will know, I spent 35 years plus in the Navy. And, I loved every moment of it – the camaraderie, the ceremonies, the uniform, everything. The stand out feature however was military bureaucracy – the ability of the powers that be, to add a…