Very amusing!

It is a subject of great amusement for me, and I am sure many of my friends who read this may feel the same when certain teachers categorised as good over others and recognised at city, district or national levels on different occasions. Without prejudice against anyone, the most amusing part is that there is no benchmark or standards lay so far which ascertains the good from the bad specially so in a field like education.

Without a proper benchmark or a survey conducted where only children of all schools/colleges through some process to name their best “Gurus” how can any agencies other than the pupil adjudge a teacher from outside. If done it is mostly with vested interests.

It is against this background, I could not stop myself from writing this piece, when I again read in a section of press yesterday about some of the so-called “Best Teachers” being awarded on Teachers Day, September 5. I always wonder who best teachers are. How do they look? How and by whom are they spotted, since it is certainly not by the nomination of students who are the real judges for judging the capabilities of a teacher?

I have from my childhood respected all my teachers alike and felt that everyone has contributed his/her bit in my personality development and skills. My respect still remains the same equally for all of them even after my completing formal studies over 25 years back.

In my schooldays time children gave importance and respect to the masters and not categorising them as first, second and third grade, which unfortunately is the practice on rise and made to imbibe in the new generation students.

We cannot discriminate especially in a profession like teaching. If those who feel can do so of categorising good and bad, they must first launch a campaign to weed out the black sheep, if any, from this noble profession to select the best with the help of students. Until done or until there is a transparent standard to gauge the bright from the dull no one has the right to misguide the society, create indifferent opinions and damage sanctity of a noble profession.

Not only this, such unwanted classifications are a big discouragement to that major sections of teachers who do their work very diligently in urban and rural areas alike and does not pomp and show.

It is a pity and shame to see that most of those who queue up for being recognised on a pious occasion like Teachers Day and other such occasions are Principal’s, Vice-Principals, Vice Chancellor’s or some fortunate teachers and some fortunate because of their influential backgrounds.

A true recognition comes to a teacher if his/her student does well. At least fifty percent performance of a child, if not more, rests on a teacher. So the best award or reward for a true teacher is how well his/her student does in studies and later in life.

The Principal’s and Vice Chancellors are in any case not always from teaching but are a part of the management circle and hence not be included under teacher’s category. It really downgrades those who stand by such recognitions and raises a question mark on the selectors and selection rules. Though not all recognised worthless but because of the lack of visibility of fair chance provided to all teachers alike to prove their worth with student’s opinions/ranking strictly taken into consideration these recognitions appear dubious.

Heads of State, senior government functionaries and eminent personalities should refrain and/or minimise endorsements to such exercise until these are thoroughly transparent and checked for being unbiased coupled with students survey for a partial choice of a particular teacher nominated for an award.

Let the sanity of teachers not be ranked. In fact appreciating teachers be encouraged to make them more dedicated to the students and imbibe new techniques of teaching. Also, appreciation of teachers be done at large and not of any specific person unless otherwise there is a very strong and exceptional case of their performance. Such appreciation thoroughly examined in a transparent way before being made public.

Till this model be adopted the “Best Teachers” recognised the present way be made to undergo a scrutiny post award where the students of their institutions be made to vote against their worthiness. The report of such assessments be made public and be conducted by a government agency with public representation. Though this will not fully, but to a large extent be a sieve to the problem.

Uttarakhand Governor Dr.K.K.Paul congratulates Arun Kumar Singhal

I sometimes wonder why?

It’s not only children who wonder and have curiosity to know the reasons to many unanswered questions they have in mind but even grown ups wonder at times to get answers to many unusual situations of life those that relate to them or the society. I too wonder sometimes if human beings are still dwarfs even though they claims to have conquered the depths of the earth, sea’s and the oceans or for that matter the infinite Space. To me all these successes look like a jest at times when we fail to have an answer to a simple and small thing when compared to the size of the so-called achievements of science.

In an age when human being have set foot on the Moon, aiming for setting up human residential colony’s there or exploring Mars and other celestial bodies in our galaxy and even planning a pleasure trip for people on a specially designed spacecraft to the boundless Space not to mention the deadly weapons possessed by the leaders of the world which can bring an end to the human civilization in just seconds or for that matter the countless civil and military satellites hovering over our heads meant to keep a watchful eye, are tremendously tedious and unthinkable task. However, contrary to this we do not still have the power, know how to certain basic things at our command. This indeed makes the tall claims of science look dwarf.

The amazing news of a brave and lucky Indian soldier from among a group of few unfortunate ones, his colleagues, guarding the country in one of the world’s toughest, all through the year snow-bound battlefields at a height of over 20,000 feet rescued after 6 days from under tons of ice buried deep in the snow as a miracle. Army men consider the miracle a blessing of ‘OP Baba’. OP Baba an unknown soldier who died here somewhere in early eighties but whose spirit roams around this icy region often guiding and warning the soldiers of mis-happening is a revered soul by those serving here.

Siachen has sub-zero temperature that goes down to as low as -50 degrees, lurking danger of a crevasse or an avalanche that are normal and often met by soldiers. Upon return from here soldiers often experiences memory loss, shivers at night, stunted hair growth and at time many other dreaded ailments as a result of climatic conditions here.

The news and such unfortunate happenings and tough work conditions could make any reasonable person bent upon thinking on what need be corrected to make sure the well-being of the guardians of the country serving at such creepy places while they are alive and not just extending help to their dependents after they are gone!

So why are scientists rejoicing of their conquest of the depths of the earth, sea’s and the oceans or for that matter the infinite Space when there is totally no control of humans or methods devised to save lives in places like Siachen. Why are we still after the out-of-date means of securing this region when better options exist?

The recent few days has made me think of some minute details of the living condition of soldiers in the deadly terrain. Imagine how a soldier without any lament expected to guard while living in all averse conditions of the nature in a tented accommodation. These tents are specially designed! What on earth is special of it when there is no second line of defense attached to these for its occupants in case of their facing the fury of nature?  Though nature is supreme and incidences like ice wall collapsing or a crevasse are unavoidable, there certainly remains room for way out and alternatives. Pity! But we are still in primitive age on this account. Though some efforts carried out by DRDO but they seem negligible to the amount of research and alternatives that need be devised for people serving these regions.

As per official data adverse climate conditions in glacier ridden areas claim an average of 10 lives a year, these numbers do not say the everyday challenges like frost bite or the dreaded Chilblain that can dismember limbs, teeth and any other vulnerable part of the body. It’s a pity that we are unable to zero off this data even after human presence in Siachen for over three decades.

It is time to think out-of-box to make sure of alternatives to rid the men of these areas from a continuous basis. Randomly, I think of hi-tech Robots, Drones and extensive Satellite surveillance a good alternative at such unearthly places. When Robots, Drones and Satellite can do many impossible tasks in different spheres why similar alternatives can’t be devised and thought of here to replace men? Its time our planners and leaders gave a serious thought on this issue.

In similar disaster of three years back in Uttarakhand – The Kedarnath tragedy which saw the worst ever death toll in the hills that numbered in thousands of human beings and livestock being killed at the hands of nature besides the livelihood sources public properties and aquatic biodiversity destroyed at places. Numerous settlements in the hills even wiped out of existence due to this unforeseen disaster which combined deluge, flash-floods as a result of unprecedented rain and landslides leaving the topography of the place unrecognizable in no time. Here also there were no effective measures of early disaster warnings even though tall claims of our scientific achievements.

Special satellite systems capable of early warnings appraisal of avalanche, storms, deluge, flash-floods landslides and other natural calamities launched for treacherous, inhabitable and eco-fragile regions can do away with around the clock human presence. This does not mean lowering the vigil in the area, but in fact a better and more effective way to watch while saving precious human lives. While out-of-box thinking is a must the need of the hour is also to do away with the mundane and primitive style of functioning by the country in this context. Can somebody from the higher echelon of the government have an ear on this!

India mourns the passing away of Siachen avalanche survivor Lance Naik Hanamanthappa and his other colleagues. May their soul rest in peace! 

Remembering the brave hearts!

What has saints and soldier have in common? Well, a saint has the power to save us from the evil and so does a soldier. Yes, I am referring to Amar Shahed Param Vir Chakra Capt. Vikram Batra and Amar Shahed Maha Vir Chakra Lt. Anuj Nayyar and a countless number of other men who gallantly fought and retained India’s glory and pride at the cost of their lives in dragging the enemy away during the 1999 Kargil war with Pakistan. July 8, 2015 was the 16th anniversary of Capt. Vikram Batra’s supreme-sacrifice to nation. I do not know how many of us remember these life heroes’s on their anniversary. Unfortunately the short memory of human beings tends to forget those gone by.

While this piece discusses the courage of the two young Indian soldiers the centre point of the 1999 Kargil war, the bravery of countless others for the nation at different times is no less and deserves the same respect and gratitude from all Indians.

What made me pen down this piece was a result of an incident which saddened me. It was during my evening walk in the Cantonment area recently that I found a plastic board of one of the gallant Indian soldier purposely torn from its place of hanging and thrown on the ground by some mischievous youngsters. The Cantonment has put up many boards of deceased soldiers with short script of their heroic deeds as a mark of respect and for public viewing. While I reported about the torn poster to one of the military guards who was on duty nearby, this incidence compelled me to write this piece specially targeted to our youngsters many of whom may have been born post Kargil war not knowing the pain of the families of those who laid down their lives for our comfort. The present generation needs be told about the acumen and sacrifice of our soldiers.

The incidents quoted here are all from what we heard from various sources only for retelling in national interest with respect to the departed.

It would not be wrong to credit Capt. Batra and Lt. Nayyar for India’s victory at the Kargil war. Peak 5140, the highest point on the Tololing Ridge, was one of the most arduous and crucial peaks in the Drass region of Jammu & Kashmir. If it fell, it would clear the Pakistanis from that sector and make the way for further Indian victories.

It was the night of June 19, 1999, few weeks after the Kargil war broke out, when the then Lieutenant Vkram Batra who later picked up the rank of Captain and Captain Sanjeev Jamwal  had set out with their men to recapture the peak in the cover of darkness. The mission was risky for the Indian soldiers, but it had to be accomplished.

I remember news flashing during those days which detailed every bit of the crucial nail-biting battle. India finally pushed the enemy out of her territory. Bunkers reported destroyed, many enemy soldiers killed but India won a decisive victory with all his men alive. Vikram overjoyed as he led the troops at this decisive victory. 'Yeh Dil Maangey More' (the Pepsi TV commercial catchline those days) he said while interviewed by a TV crew from the war front on how he and his men did the arduous task and his growing eagerness to conquer more peaks existed as a result of the victory achieved. His triumph was telecast from television screens across the country. The capture of Peak 5140 led to the decisive fall of Tiger Hill which led to India's eventual victory.

Such was the size of the task accomplished by Capt. Batra and his men that not only his men swore by him but even the then Chief of the Army Staff, General V.P. Malik called to congratulate him for leading a brilliant operation in one of India's toughest campaigns in mountain warfare. Capt. Vikram Batra turned into a hero for the nation.

Photographs of him and his men striding the captured peak and Pakistani gun at the base camp made it to every newspaper. His code name was Sher Shah 'The Lion King'. Two weeks after his conquest of 5140, people would remember him as the Lion of Kargil.

A fortnight after he became the face of the Indian soldier in the Kargil war, Capt. Vikram Batra and his other colleague Lt. Anuj Nayyar laid down their lives while successfully recapturing Peak 4875, another very important place for India.

Bravest of the brave Capt. Vikram Batra was mortally wounded on the morning of July 8 after fighting through the night while recapturing Peak 4875. It is learnt, he was ill but had insisted that he was fit for the mission and completed it in a way that put him today along some of India's greatest military heroes.

Capt. Vikram who had earned an instructor's grade as a commando began a tortuous climb with his men to strengthen the flanks of the Indian troops fighting the invaders at 16,000 feet. The conditions were extremely tough, the climb steep. With steep gradient, the thick fog made the task even more precarious. Capt. Vikram with another young officer, Lt. Anuj Nayyar, fought the enemy's counter-attack ferociously. They cleared enemy bunkers, engaged in a hand-to-hand combat and forced the Pakistani retreat, it is learnt.

The mission was almost over when Vikram ran out of the bunker to rescue the junior officer who had injured his legs in an explosion when a bullet pierced through his chest. By the morning India won back Peak 4875, but lost Capt.Vikram Batra.

For his sustained display of the most conspicuous personal bravery and leadership of the highest order in the face of the enemy, he received India's highest decoration in battle -- the Param Vir Chakra, posthumously. His comrade in battle, Lt. Anuj Nayyar, also died while clearing his fourth enemy bunker. He received the Maha Vir Chakra -- the nation's second highest honour.

It’s been 16 long years since the duo performed this heroic deed for the nation that was un-thinkable and almost impossible to do. But for gallantry of Capt. Batra and his men Kargil war may have been different for India.

I feel Capt. Batra and his men truly respected motto of the Indian Military Academy which had taught them, “The safety, honor and welfare of your country come first always and every time. The honor, welfare and comfort of the men you command come next. Your own ease, comfort and safety come last, always and every time”. The young men honored each word of the motto.

The government should see the supreme-sacrifice made by our defense force people or others towards the country be remembered such that their presence is always omnipresent and not just remembering them on anniversaries or at times not even then. What a pity!

On humanitarian ground the society at large should try to stand by the families of such soldiers in whatever capacity they can, least to give them moral support in their loneliness. My God rest the departed souls in peace and give their families the courage to cope with the irreparable loss. India will always be indebted to them!