The conversation unfolded in measured calm. He entered his recollections in an even, unforced tone, describing himself now as a "happy" retired man — a marked contrast to the high-stakes environments of his past.
Memories, it seems, do not arrive on command. They gather slowly, like smoke finding its own direction. What returned did so gradually, and the exchange unfolded without urgency, settling into its own measured rhythm.
I.The Ethos of Service
InterviewerSir, when you look back on your years in the uniform, what comes back first? Not chronologically, but instinctively?
VeteranThe first and foremost thing is that it's a very fulfilling and happy life. I lived a very wholesome life that the uniform offered me. It gave me every moment as a challenge, an opportunity to learn, and to be human — both as an individual and as a part of the environment. It was about thirty-six years in service, but in my case I'd say I was born in it, so to me it is a good seventy years now.
InterviewerOutside of operations and appointments, what does soldiering truly feel like, lived day after day?
VeteranSoldiering is only a very small part of the service. You join the services not just to hold weapons — you join it as a way of life, as a social system. In our national context, we are looked upon only as someone supposed to guard or hold a rifle. But the least understood thing is a soldier's own character and his knowledge. Irrespective of rank, from a jawan to an officer of the highest rank, every soldier carries his own ocean of knowledge and experience. He carries skills that go well beyond the battlefield, trained to contribute wherever the nation requires him.
II.The Making of a Commander
InterviewerDo you recall a point where service ceased to be theoretical and became something you carried personally?
VeteranTo put it academically, training gives you the basics — but it changes the day you go on the ground. I was commissioned in 1974 and joined my unit in Poonch, J&K1. On my third or fourth day, at about twelve o'clock, there was a big "boom" in the mountains. My Commanding Officer told me, "Go check." Now, I'm a youngster with barely four days of service. When I got there, I realised there had been a fatality. It wasn't a soldier; it was a child. A bomb from the 1971 war2 that had been shelled underground was lying there, and the child picked it up. That's the point when your training ceases to serve your conscience. You have to react to a situation you haven't been trained for — handle the grieving mother, the reaction from the village, how to act as a first responder in the aftermath of civilian loss. That moment taught me a lasting lesson: do not play with ammunition, and ensure your men and civilians are protected.
InterviewerWhat did command demand from you as a person, beyond rank?
VeteranIn the Army, command starts the day you join. You hold thirty people's lives in your hand as a platoon commander. You, as an individual, mature overnight. You have to be humane and compassionate, because every decision you take affects people who depend on you. At the same time, you must remain flexible — able to adjust your approach to different situations without compromising operational requirements. I was fortunate to command the Maharaja of Jaipur's battalion, Sawai Man Guards, where the men were largely local and the dynamics demanded a very different style of leadership. Later I commanded another battalion in Operation Vijay3 — over there, things were totally different, and I had to adopt a different approach accordingly. The same principle applied when I went on to command a brigade responsible for the entire Uttarakhand–China border4. The situations changed, but the responsibility did not.
Contextual Notes and Historical References
- 1 · Poonch, Jammu & Kashmir (J&K)
- A district along the Line of Control, historically sensitive due to recurring military engagement between India and Pakistan since 1947.
- 2 · Indo-Pakistani War of 1971
- A conflict between India and Pakistan that resulted in the creation of Bangladesh. Extensive artillery exchanges left unexploded ordnance in certain border regions.
- 3 · Operation Vijay (1999)
- The codename for India's military operations during the Kargil War, aimed at recapturing high-altitude positions in the Kargil sector.
- 4 · Uttarakhand–China Border
- The segment of the Line of Actual Control (LAC) between India and China in the Himalayan region, strategically significant due to ongoing territorial sensitivities.
III.Leadership in Conflict and Crisis
InterviewerThere must have been moments when decisions had to be made with incomplete information. How does uncertainty feel when decisions must still be made?
VeteranDecisions are made in time and space. Information may or may not be available. In our environment, the first bullet fired is the only "information" you have. You are operating into a void, trying to ensure you cover every aspect. At that point, training, experience, and the men under your command are what carry you through the uncertainty.
InterviewerAre values taught explicitly, or are they absorbed quietly through such experiences?
VeteranExperience matters a great deal in shaping a person. One thing you must remember is that the Army draws its people from the same social environment that you and I belong to — civilian life. From there, an individual is trained to imbibe the values that will make them proud, that will let them stand against all odds with integrity and pride. The training is imparted, but it's the experience that allows those values to take root. I'll give you an incident that explains why experience matters. I was a Brigade Commander when floods hit the Badrinath–Joshimath region. There was a landslide, and Badrinath was cut off. I was told it had been isolated, and that no one knew how to recover the situation. I said, "Don't worry." There is a JP hydel project at Pipalkoti, north of Joshimath, with a tunnel that runs from there and emerges south of Joshimath. I said, "Close the water channel and let the people walk through the tunnel." We rescued eight thousand people.
InterviewerAre there any small, ordinary moments from your time in command that you remember more clearly than the intense ones?
VeteranThere are no ordinary moments in command. Every day becomes a memory. I have commanded two battalions; I have shared moments of pride with the men I commanded, and I have faced casualties with them. The way people come together in those moments is tremendous. When you are responsible for the lives of eight hundred people, and for their families, you become responsible for everything.
VeteranI'll give you an instance I've never recorded anywhere. Back in 1994, the Army was conducting ex-servicemen's rallies1. We were in Jaipur, where the rally was to be inaugurated by the Chief Minister along with the Chief of Army Staff, and I was given responsibility for the administration. This is where civilians often don't understand. I was asked, "How many ex-servicemen will be coming?" I said, "Thirty thousand." But thirty thousand doesn't just mean attendance. They arrive one day, stay the night, attend the rally the next day — there's a recruiting rally too — stay another night, and leave the day after. And, of course, we are Indians, good Indians; we bring three more people along with us. So in reality you are managing close to ninety thousand people, which translates to six meals per person — nearly five lakh meals. I had ninety schools under me, because day schools simply did not have the facilities to house so many people. Then, once the rally ended, we were told to provide packed food, and all of it had to be distributed within one hour. Thirty thousand packets in sixty minutes — about five hundred a minute. Think of how many counters you need, and how many people to distribute it. That is why I say this organisation is so beautiful. It teaches you so much.
Contextual Notes and Historical References
- 1 · Ex-Servicemen's Rallies
- Large-scale outreach and welfare gatherings organised by the Indian Army to engage with retired personnel, address grievances, and provide administrative and pension-related support.
IV.Lineage, Change, and Counsel to the Future
InterviewerYou come from a family of soldiers through generations. What, in your view, carries across generations without conscious effort — something that runs in the blood?
VeteranThrough generations, you are proud of what you are. And you tend to belong to an institution that has given you pride and a sense of honour. My grandfather served in World War I1, including postings in Iraq and East Africa. They did not have the kind of money we speak of today; but whether he returned with money or not, he carried a strong sense of pride. My father served in World War II2, fought in Burma, and later in the 1965 war3. It gave me a sense of heritage. And not just me — my younger brothers followed too. One became an IAS officer, another a CEO; but as I tell myself and everyone else, there is no better job than this service.
InterviewerWhat do you think has changed, and what has not, through generations?
VeteranThe system remains the same; the principles remain the same. What has changed is mental strength and mental mobility. Today's generation, I'll put it this way, is a hundred times better than I was — because their environment is better, their knowledge is stronger, and the technology they handle is far more advanced. I recall an instance from my time as a Deputy GOC, when a retired General remarked nostalgically about his generation of soldiers. I responded then, and I repeat it now for every youngster who hears this: sir, the youngsters of today are better than we were — certainly better than I was — and I am confident they surpass the standards of earlier generations as well. During Operation Vijay4 I commanded troops and fought alongside youngsters with two to five years of service, and they performed exceptionally well. They are good today, and they will continue to be.
InterviewerAre there any stories from your grandfather or father that were passed down to you — family memories you've carried with you and would like to share?
VeteranI never saw my grandfather, but my father told me about him — about his return from Iraq, and what they went through there. It was my father I remember quite vividly. When he joined, in 19475, the country had just been partitioned. He was among the first to serve through a winter with a corps in Gulmarg. Today you can drive all the way there on a six-lane road. But back then — do you know what they did? They walked. Pathankot was the last railway station; from there they came to Jammu. How they reached Udhampur after that, I do not know — but from there, they walked across. That was the nature of life then.
InterviewerSir, if future generations were to listen to this, what understanding of service would you hope they carry forward?
VeteranFor the younger generation — those who wish to join the armed forces, people your age and younger — the first fundamental thing to remember is that it is not a rosy life. It is a challenging life that demands a great deal from an individual. If you choose to take on a challenge, then accept it fully; there is no bigger challenge than this. Second, and I say this very clearly: do not think you will not have to study. You will study every year, train every year, attend courses every year, and be assessed continuously. Every promotion involves written examinations — so please do not carry the impression that studies do not play a vital role. And third: if you want a wholesome, fulfilling, adventurous life, then take it. There is nothing better than this.
Contextual Notes and Historical References
- 1 · World War I (1914–1918)
- A global conflict involving the major world powers. Indian soldiers, then part of the British Indian Army, served in multiple theatres including Mesopotamia (modern-day Iraq) and East Africa.
- 2 · World War II (1939–1945)
- A global conflict in which over 2.5 million Indian soldiers served, forming one of the largest volunteer forces in history.
- 3 · Indo-Pakistani War of 1965
- A military conflict fought primarily in Jammu & Kashmir and along the western front between India and Pakistan.
- 4 · Operation Vijay (1999)
- The codename for India's military operations during the Kargil War, aimed at recapturing high-altitude positions in the Kargil sector.
- 5 · Partition of India (1947)
- The division of British India into India and Pakistan at independence, followed by mass migration and immediate military engagement in Jammu & Kashmir.
