We have been in News and in these days of connectivity-
this is bound to happen. The stark reality of all that we hear and read
in the open domain is the bare fact that such incidents are not in
isolation. Every possible sphere of human existence has its share of
happenings- sad and happy alike. The missing link in almost every human
activity where incidents are reported is the close factor of Human Bonding, Camaraderie and Esprit d Corps.
All of us will agree that we have performed against all odds wherever
we have risen against our own shallow self. This adage is much more
relevant in a close knit society such as Indian Defence Forces where
humans from various parts of India's vast Terra-firma come together and
perform for a common cause.
At some stage of our professional lives, we have grappled with
situations which looked un-surmountable. The sole reason for our
survival against those odds was a Happy Crew. The grand Ol' Man
(read CO) led us through thick and thin. He held us and we held to our
instincts to keep his faith in our abilities. The War Machines at our
disposal are not our legacies. We have adapted ourselves to operate
these technological marvels. These platforms and weapons across the
Three Services have become a part and parcel of our lives as much as
they are of their native countries. The OEMs (Original Eqpt
Manufacturer) of these equipments and platforms have watched us with
keen interest as we have broken many a barriers of performance which
even they felt were not a part of the design philosophy. The equipment
does not speak; it just performs. The performance of the equipment is
best known to the man who drives it. If the man, who needs to extract
the equipment's performance, has decided to go ahead with the mission
then it is his choice to synergise the platform's performance. No one
can question the authority of the man who is responsible for the
delivery of the mission.
As a young HOD (Head of Dept) on-board platforms, my word
to the Ol' Man was the last straw. No external authority could jostle my
thinking or subdue me to accept an order that I could not have
executed. My first Deputy Electrical Officer on-board a vintage Leander
Class Frigate (1967 commissioned HMS Andromeda) taught me to listen to
the rotating equipment's harmonics and understand its health. I learnt
to gauge the machine without the test equipments during the silent hours
rounds around the majestic ship. A wobbly feeling at the finger tips
was checked by the duty sailor immediately with the test equipment to
rest any doubt. The machines are designed to perform and fail too. The
failure can surely be predicted (to a large extent).
A large part of basic training involves equipment phase. As a
young Officer, one has to understand the nuances of systems and
integration of each system with its counterparts as the War Machine
comes to life. The most crucial aspect of the War Machine, therefore,
are the men who make things happen. Equipments , if left to themselves,
cannot power up. It is these Men who control the War Machines to deliver
the desired punch. Each passing year with the War Machinery increases
the confidence of the young Men as they gain their Sea/Land/Air Legs
under the watchful seniors. The Services provide a wonderful opportunity
to young Men to take decisions. The only link between the HOD on-board a
Vessel and the Commander-in-Chief is the venerable Ol' Man. He is my
shield, he is my barrier and he is my umbrella. I am responsible to him
for the performance of my section and my section's integration with the
other sections on-board the vessel.
The time has arrived for the introspection. Each one of us
has a core job to perform and we need to continue our own tryst with our
core sector. We can not be complacent and we can not be sulking at lost
opportunities. We all are a part of the large War Machinery of this
Nation and each one of us a role to play. The Ol' Men at every level
need to take charge and ensure the desired performance. The HODs and Men
need to ensure that the equipments tick on, perform and integrate
seamlessly to make the War Machine come alive. Any stumbling block needs
to be rectified and Happy Crews must set sail for the missions to be
accomplished.
Mere rhetoric (nameless especially!!) at this stage of time
need to understand that able Indians need to be motivated to come
forward and don the Uniforms and not to let the independence wither
away. We have traveled far and we still have miles to go. This journey
is arduous and so it has been for every other Nation on this planet.
Salute the Tri Color and keep looking straight at it rather than bend
over the eyes on each other's shoulders.
