"Acting’ Sub Lieutenant"
“I am the rider of the tide,
sails full and anchor free,
waiting for the right wind,
kiss the deep blue sea”!
It was the summer of ‘70s ,we were graduating out of IIT Madras. Some opted for the US to do post graduation, some for management studies and rest, went into industry. I had decided it was either the US or Navy for me.
Navy offered access to modern technology in all three dimensions-surface, air and underwater, besides a full life.
A six month delay getting to the US, made the decision simpler. I embraced my destiny and my tryst with the Navy began in Dec’70.I was so to say, ‘ready’ for sea.
After a couple of months of basic training at Cochin and Sea acquaintance on board the aircraft carrier INS Vikrant , we,a batch of around twenty from various universities along with four cadet entry officers from NDA ,entered the electrical training base, INS Valsura at Jamnagar.We were warmly ‘welcomed’ in the wardroom the same evening by some of our instructors to be--Lcdrs Ravi Jaitly, S Majumdar, Lts KB Suri, Alan Quadros, Basu Bose and Madhavan.
After a couple of months of basic training at Cochin and Sea acquaintance on board the aircraft carrier INS Vikrant , we,a batch of around twenty from various universities along with four cadet entry officers from NDA ,entered the electrical training base, INS Valsura at Jamnagar.We were warmly ‘welcomed’ in the wardroom the same evening by some of our instructors to be--Lcdrs Ravi Jaitly, S Majumdar, Lts KB Suri, Alan Quadros, Basu Bose and Madhavan.
Shortly, two foreign navy officers, Dada from Nigeria and Odei from Ghana, joined us.We had difficulty understanding them initially, but thanks to their gifted, delightful ‘intonations’, we learnt fast. We were indeed a good mix , and an eventful, enjoyable eleven months was to follow.
As accommodation was short, we had to stay in tents temporarily. Owing the ‘hardlying’ conditions we were ‘excused’ morning Physical Training(PT), which was indeed a blessing! Barring a few incidents , like reptilian visitors after rain
and dogs occasionally taking off with our shoes, we had got quite used to the outdoor living and enjoying it. However after a few months once the cabins fell vacant, we had to shift . Now we would have to do PT and cross country. All along we remained busy, both in and out of the class. On a long weekend we made a nice, hectic trip to Gir forest, Dwarka and Veraval, by the sea. We thoroughly enjoyed life in the base, never a dull moment--it was a good blend of seriousness and humour, in uniform.
Recalling an incident—once on parade, some of us could not help laughing at our Parade Commander, Lcdr Majumdar carrying out the cutlass salute, whereby instead of bringing the cutlass up to the lips, his lips would reach for it down midway.
We were ‘doled’ out ‘extra’ rifle drill that afternoon with Lcdr Majumdar himself taking charge! Being just four of us in the huge parade ground, to try do some justice, we got down to yelling out the drill timings at the top of our voices. The message must have got around the base fairly quick, the drill duration was cut short. We subsequently nursed our throats that evening, at the bar.
Then came the Anniversary day celebrations. Our Commanding Officer, Commodore Lele & his wife were keen theatre and music enthusiasts. Preparations were on in full swing. We under trainees were to put up a play, and eyes naturally zoomed in on the junior batch-the’murgas’/lambs. A play had to be ‘manufactured’ in no time. I was asked whether I know acting, to which
I replied that the only acting I know is that ‘I am Acting sub lieutenant’--that did it . Our director appointed on the spot, was the talented Ava (JV Avadhanulu, a batch senior), and we got together right away setting up the script which was mostly impromptu and ever changing.We were running out of time and soon the day of reckoning came .Our play scheduled for earlier part of the evening was delayed owing power problems. So some of us decided to take time off and visit the wardroom to take ‘courage’. We had to however assure our anxious director who finally relented- “liberty expires in half hour”! We got back in good time, kept the dialogues in place, or at least thought so, and the play was a great success! We were congratulated by all including Commodore Lele and his good lady- “You Acting sub lieutenants have lived up to your rank, you can certainly act, we should have plays more often”!
Subsequently, we were to see a change in Command—Commodore Schunker, an executive officer came in. He was a keen, outdoors man, and along with the new Executive officer, Commander RC Bhalla, kept us busy with cross countries and
wardroom activities. Then came the Pak war, Dec’71 operations. Classes were called off in advance and we were deployed in Operations room and Patrolling duties, which we thoroughly enjoyed .We were however missing out on classes and lagging on the course syllabi. Within a fortnight or so, around end Dec’71,‘ceasefire’was declared ,only to be broken by one of our colleagues who took a potshot at an errant cow, and thankfully missed! We immediately proceeded on a few days ‘hard earned’ leave, returned to complete the course in good time and join the fleet, as scheduled. The war did not seem to affect us at all, thanks to Valsura and the Navy.
“Life is indeed but one big multi role act, ‘Acting’ Sub Lieutenant is a splendid start” Cheers!
and dogs occasionally taking off with our shoes, we had got quite used to the outdoor living and enjoying it. However after a few months once the cabins fell vacant, we had to shift . Now we would have to do PT and cross country. All along we remained busy, both in and out of the class. On a long weekend we made a nice, hectic trip to Gir forest, Dwarka and Veraval, by the sea. We thoroughly enjoyed life in the base, never a dull moment--it was a good blend of seriousness and humour, in uniform.
Recalling an incident—once on parade, some of us could not help laughing at our Parade Commander, Lcdr Majumdar carrying out the cutlass salute, whereby instead of bringing the cutlass up to the lips, his lips would reach for it down midway.
We were ‘doled’ out ‘extra’ rifle drill that afternoon with Lcdr Majumdar himself taking charge! Being just four of us in the huge parade ground, to try do some justice, we got down to yelling out the drill timings at the top of our voices. The message must have got around the base fairly quick, the drill duration was cut short. We subsequently nursed our throats that evening, at the bar.
Then came the Anniversary day celebrations. Our Commanding Officer, Commodore Lele & his wife were keen theatre and music enthusiasts. Preparations were on in full swing. We under trainees were to put up a play, and eyes naturally zoomed in on the junior batch-the’murgas’/lambs. A play had to be ‘manufactured’ in no time. I was asked whether I know acting, to which
I replied that the only acting I know is that ‘I am Acting sub lieutenant’--that did it . Our director appointed on the spot, was the talented Ava (JV Avadhanulu, a batch senior), and we got together right away setting up the script which was mostly impromptu and ever changing.We were running out of time and soon the day of reckoning came .Our play scheduled for earlier part of the evening was delayed owing power problems. So some of us decided to take time off and visit the wardroom to take ‘courage’. We had to however assure our anxious director who finally relented- “liberty expires in half hour”! We got back in good time, kept the dialogues in place, or at least thought so, and the play was a great success! We were congratulated by all including Commodore Lele and his good lady- “You Acting sub lieutenants have lived up to your rank, you can certainly act, we should have plays more often”!
Subsequently, we were to see a change in Command—Commodore Schunker, an executive officer came in. He was a keen, outdoors man, and along with the new Executive officer, Commander RC Bhalla, kept us busy with cross countries and
wardroom activities. Then came the Pak war, Dec’71 operations. Classes were called off in advance and we were deployed in Operations room and Patrolling duties, which we thoroughly enjoyed .We were however missing out on classes and lagging on the course syllabi. Within a fortnight or so, around end Dec’71,‘ceasefire’was declared ,only to be broken by one of our colleagues who took a potshot at an errant cow, and thankfully missed! We immediately proceeded on a few days ‘hard earned’ leave, returned to complete the course in good time and join the fleet, as scheduled. The war did not seem to affect us at all, thanks to Valsura and the Navy.
“Life is indeed but one big multi role act, ‘Acting’ Sub Lieutenant is a splendid start” Cheers!
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