Well, our illusion was shattered when the Red Army squarely defeated Indian Army, the very same 4th Infantry Division, now known as 4 Mountain Division. It was a shock that initially numbed the nation. Everyone knows now what happened afterwards. What most people did not know was the spark that kindled a fire in the young men of India. When our leaders gave a call to the nation, ’ Donate!’ people donated a day’s wages in the Defense Fund. Women gave away their jewelry. However, the young men of India decided to donate themselves, in the service of the nation. The best way to fight for the nation, they felt, was, well, fighting the enemy. For that they had to join the army. It was the need of the day. They were tired of Nehru’s rhetoric of peace and friendship. What did it bring to our nation, they asked, except dishonour and shame?
Those days, the virtual world did not exist. If it was, the youth would have fought cyber wars at best, or Angry Birds at the worst..
Ahmedabad was a sleepy city, engrossed in business and industry. Traditionally known as a Gujju City, it was as cosmopolitan as Mumbai. Surprisingly the Army Recruiting Center in the cantonment was busy processing applications from young people. White collar young men in their smart clothes and shiny shoes were asking questions: how do we join the army?
Gypsy was one such young person. All he knew about the army was, the soldiers wore olive green uniforms, carried rifles, rode in those imposing looking green trucks and went to battlefields. He did not know that the army was divided in ‘Arm‘ and ‘Service’. ‘Arm‘ meant Infantry, Armoured Corps, Artillery, Engineers and Signal Corps. ‘Service’ meant Army Service Corps - which was logistics, Ordnance Corp manufactured and supplied guns, ammunition, uniforms - practically everything needed by a soldier to fight. Then there was Corps of Electrical & Mechanical Engineers. Fortunately for him, his brother-in-law worked in Military Engineering Service. Along with his friends, he met him and said that they wanted to join the army. ‘How do we go about getting recruited?’
He was a bit amused. ‘Why do you want to join the army? You all have nice sedentary jobs in the city. You have a family to support....’
‘We want to enrol as soldiers and go to the front,’ my friend said.
He became serious. He was a veteran of World War II. He had fought in what was then known as Mesopotamia - the present day Iraq.
‘You all seem to be highly educated and motivated. If you really want to join the army and make a difference, I suggest you apply for Emergency Commission. The army needs young motivated officers like you guys. They have commenced recruitment of Emergency Commissioned Officers, the first ever after the WW II.’
We didn't know what Emergency Commission was. He explained in detail and directed us the Army Recruiting office, which was close by.
When we all reached the office of the Recruitment Officer, there were at least twenty more young men waiting in a line to collect application forms. There were smart South Indians, tall Punjabis, a couple of Bengalis as well as some of us Gujaratis. They all seemed to be better informed than us! They were talking of Infantry, Engineers and Artillery, which did not make any sense to my group of friends. What made sense was the reason, why we all wanted to enlist. It was the ideology for which the youth of India wanted to fight. China, like Russia, was a communist country. We all had learnt about the massacre of Kulaks; intellectuals being sent away to work in Gulags and Siberian mines. We also knew of the slave labor camps of thousands of Chinese protestors opposing draconian communist regime. For us, it was a fight against a regime which was inimical to the values we had inherited from a 5000-year old civilisation built by sages and visionaries. Most of the young people who had assembled at the recruiting office had not just the political will but also a commitment to serve the nation.
When we all reached the office of the Recruitment Officer, there were at least twenty more young men waiting in a line to collect application forms. There were smart South Indians, tall Punjabis, a couple of Bengalis as well as some of us Gujaratis. They all seemed to be better informed than us! They were talking of Infantry, Engineers and Artillery, which did not make any sense to my group of friends. What made sense was the reason, why we all wanted to enlist. It was the ideology for which the youth of India wanted to fight. China, like Russia, was a communist country. We all had learnt about the massacre of Kulaks; intellectuals being sent away to work in Gulags and Siberian mines. We also knew of the slave labor camps of thousands of Chinese protestors opposing draconian communist regime. For us, it was a fight against a regime which was inimical to the values we had inherited from a 5000-year old civilisation built by sages and visionaries. Most of the young people who had assembled at the recruiting office had not just the political will but also a commitment to serve the nation.
That was India of yesteryear. Our India.
This blog is the story of one your representative of the Young India. Only, the year is different: 1962. Like the readers of this blog, he wanted to do something for the nation. He was lucky. Thus began a journey of life, and in reliving the path, you are invited to be a part of the journey. Maybe you will want to share his adventures as his companions. So welcome aboard Gypsy's Caravan!
