By Donn Morgan Kipgen
‘Sir, you know more about my parent regiment than I do. You must be the last word when it comes to the military in Manipur’ said a young army officer.
The two former Army and AR PROs i.e Lt Col Santanu Dev Goswami (14th Assam) and Lt Col. Amrit Mathur, now posted at Srinagar were true gentleman-officers since both of them never ever brought up all those ‘positive criticism’ based on factual grounds. Grudging respects, shall we say? Col. Goswami, 14th Assam, once told an IPS officer: ‘Your ‘brother’ used to critisize us but I really still admire his penmanship and respectfully appreciate his wonderful knowledge of the military (subject-matters)’.
The 14th Assam was posted in Kashmir, when the Chief of Army Staff (COAS) Gen. G. Sunderjee gave the Flag and Colour to the 15th Assam on the Golden Jubilee Year in 1992. By the way, the Assam Regt was raised by Col. Ross Howman in 1942 at Swift Falls and not Elephant Falls.
‘So, your mind is working like a computer. I have gone through your article, (Is Manipur the resting place of America’s Golden Daughters?) and your plots from island to island with your calculation match the figures which I put through my computer’, were the first face-to-face introductory words of compliments uttered by one Brig General Richard ‘Dick’ Freeman, US Air Force (Rtd), ‘your meticulous theory is quite possible’, added Gen. Dick Freeman. Actually, he had already asked whether I was an airforce or Navy pilot but the answer was ‘a military researcher’. ‘If you could prove this with a DNA evidence of this (70 year-old world’s greatest aviation mystery), you will be very famous and popular’. When told that this columnist did not want to become very popular famous or rich, the General asked why. The answer being, ‘Keeping a low profile and simplicity is the best thing in life’. Though the first telephonic calls were made from Washington DC, this kind gentleman lives in Oklahoma, USA. He is like a father-figure to me as a meticulous airforce research scholar like the present DIG (Ops) Mr Gill, CRPF, LGC, also a very keen military research scholar; both of them have a genuine professional respect towards young scholars. The hon’ble Maj Gen Bhupinder Singh Ghotra (Gorkha rifles) is also a rare general officer who gives a professional respect to ‘learned scholar and columnist’.
By the way, the original clipping of the H&T column, ‘The Tales of Two Stories’, pertaining the record breaking killing of 9 KNF(MC) by the 14th AR at Turibari, IT road on 13th Sept 2003, under controversial circumstances was sent to the DGAR by a Retd AR Col along with his ‘own report’, without the knowledge nor permission of the author.
Some years back, a stunning malicious ‘allegation’ was made that the original clippings of three H&T articles presented to the then GOC-in-C, Eastern Command, Lt Gen Arvind Sharma, who came along with his Corps Commander, Lt. Gen ZU Shah (now Dy Chief of Army Staff), at IGAR(S) HQ during open media interaction were ‘an autographed xerox copies given to the top rung AR officials’! Needless to say, a clarification was not needed since it was clearly mentioned in the next week H&T articles: ‘Notes on Lt Gen Arvind Sharma’s Visit’, the original copy of which was given to Gen Sharma personally by Col SD Gowswami at his Fort William’s HQ, Calcutta.
In another most stunning co-incidence, the ‘prayers’ of this H&T Column, ‘The Indian Army: The Pride of the Nation’, dated 21st Feb 2004 were answered when the MOD finally pushed through the long-awaited Rs 700 crores Army’s reoreintation programme on 29th Feb 2006, as evisaged by the then COAS, Gen NJ Vij. The main feature being formation of an Airborne Brigade and Para (SF) Regt ‘in the line of the US Army Ranger’, wearing the same light green battle-dress and to be armed with Tav-21 assault rifles like the ones used by the Israelis’ Sharayat Matkal and Shinbet/ Shabak! Few months’ later, the NSG’s Black Cats commandos were also wisely removed from the VVIPs like the PM of India, Mrs. Sonia Gandhi and from senior political leaders, since the NSG is a QRT and a crack assault forces as clearly pointed out twice in the TSE’s H&T articles. The article: ‘AR in the Army now?’ was also put into good use by the DGAR HQ.
The Sangai Express daily is a force to reckon with as the following incident showcast: The Dy GOC, 57th Mtn Div Brig NS Bawa gentlemanly admitted that when he inquired some of his colleagues at the Army HQ as to how he could get acquainted with the CIOps in Manipur, the advice being: ‘Read the newspaper called The Sangai Express with its weekly articles’. Whereas his boss, i.e Maj Gen EJ Kochekan, on first meeting, complimented that ‘your articles are very well-researched and meticulous’. Since then Gen Kochekan always entertained all courtesy calls, made from PCOs, on his mobile number wherever he might be, even if he were in the midst of important meeting when on tour outside Manipur. Though never known or seen before, uptil now, the Editor of the nation’s largest armed forces journal SAST, Brig Rahul Bhonsle, a kind soft spoken mass-comm graduate, has always picked up his MB phone and always invited articles’ contribution, though most of the staff-members and contributors are senior armed forces officers.
It’s a fine thing that Brig. Kayastha’s 9th Sector AR has two gentleman officers in Maj. Kapoor and Maj Krishna in their Diamond Jubilee Year. Let’s hope they all serve the citizens of Manipur in all the days to come.
To use the watchwords of the paratroopers - “Break your leg.”
Source: The Sangai Express
‘Sir, you know more about my parent regiment than I do. You must be the last word when it comes to the military in Manipur’ said a young army officer.
The two former Army and AR PROs i.e Lt Col Santanu Dev Goswami (14th Assam) and Lt Col. Amrit Mathur, now posted at Srinagar were true gentleman-officers since both of them never ever brought up all those ‘positive criticism’ based on factual grounds. Grudging respects, shall we say? Col. Goswami, 14th Assam, once told an IPS officer: ‘Your ‘brother’ used to critisize us but I really still admire his penmanship and respectfully appreciate his wonderful knowledge of the military (subject-matters)’.
The 14th Assam was posted in Kashmir, when the Chief of Army Staff (COAS) Gen. G. Sunderjee gave the Flag and Colour to the 15th Assam on the Golden Jubilee Year in 1992. By the way, the Assam Regt was raised by Col. Ross Howman in 1942 at Swift Falls and not Elephant Falls.
‘So, your mind is working like a computer. I have gone through your article, (Is Manipur the resting place of America’s Golden Daughters?) and your plots from island to island with your calculation match the figures which I put through my computer’, were the first face-to-face introductory words of compliments uttered by one Brig General Richard ‘Dick’ Freeman, US Air Force (Rtd), ‘your meticulous theory is quite possible’, added Gen. Dick Freeman. Actually, he had already asked whether I was an airforce or Navy pilot but the answer was ‘a military researcher’. ‘If you could prove this with a DNA evidence of this (70 year-old world’s greatest aviation mystery), you will be very famous and popular’. When told that this columnist did not want to become very popular famous or rich, the General asked why. The answer being, ‘Keeping a low profile and simplicity is the best thing in life’. Though the first telephonic calls were made from Washington DC, this kind gentleman lives in Oklahoma, USA. He is like a father-figure to me as a meticulous airforce research scholar like the present DIG (Ops) Mr Gill, CRPF, LGC, also a very keen military research scholar; both of them have a genuine professional respect towards young scholars. The hon’ble Maj Gen Bhupinder Singh Ghotra (Gorkha rifles) is also a rare general officer who gives a professional respect to ‘learned scholar and columnist’.
By the way, the original clipping of the H&T column, ‘The Tales of Two Stories’, pertaining the record breaking killing of 9 KNF(MC) by the 14th AR at Turibari, IT road on 13th Sept 2003, under controversial circumstances was sent to the DGAR by a Retd AR Col along with his ‘own report’, without the knowledge nor permission of the author.
Some years back, a stunning malicious ‘allegation’ was made that the original clippings of three H&T articles presented to the then GOC-in-C, Eastern Command, Lt Gen Arvind Sharma, who came along with his Corps Commander, Lt. Gen ZU Shah (now Dy Chief of Army Staff), at IGAR(S) HQ during open media interaction were ‘an autographed xerox copies given to the top rung AR officials’! Needless to say, a clarification was not needed since it was clearly mentioned in the next week H&T articles: ‘Notes on Lt Gen Arvind Sharma’s Visit’, the original copy of which was given to Gen Sharma personally by Col SD Gowswami at his Fort William’s HQ, Calcutta.
In another most stunning co-incidence, the ‘prayers’ of this H&T Column, ‘The Indian Army: The Pride of the Nation’, dated 21st Feb 2004 were answered when the MOD finally pushed through the long-awaited Rs 700 crores Army’s reoreintation programme on 29th Feb 2006, as evisaged by the then COAS, Gen NJ Vij. The main feature being formation of an Airborne Brigade and Para (SF) Regt ‘in the line of the US Army Ranger’, wearing the same light green battle-dress and to be armed with Tav-21 assault rifles like the ones used by the Israelis’ Sharayat Matkal and Shinbet/ Shabak! Few months’ later, the NSG’s Black Cats commandos were also wisely removed from the VVIPs like the PM of India, Mrs. Sonia Gandhi and from senior political leaders, since the NSG is a QRT and a crack assault forces as clearly pointed out twice in the TSE’s H&T articles. The article: ‘AR in the Army now?’ was also put into good use by the DGAR HQ.
The Sangai Express daily is a force to reckon with as the following incident showcast: The Dy GOC, 57th Mtn Div Brig NS Bawa gentlemanly admitted that when he inquired some of his colleagues at the Army HQ as to how he could get acquainted with the CIOps in Manipur, the advice being: ‘Read the newspaper called The Sangai Express with its weekly articles’. Whereas his boss, i.e Maj Gen EJ Kochekan, on first meeting, complimented that ‘your articles are very well-researched and meticulous’. Since then Gen Kochekan always entertained all courtesy calls, made from PCOs, on his mobile number wherever he might be, even if he were in the midst of important meeting when on tour outside Manipur. Though never known or seen before, uptil now, the Editor of the nation’s largest armed forces journal SAST, Brig Rahul Bhonsle, a kind soft spoken mass-comm graduate, has always picked up his MB phone and always invited articles’ contribution, though most of the staff-members and contributors are senior armed forces officers.
It’s a fine thing that Brig. Kayastha’s 9th Sector AR has two gentleman officers in Maj. Kapoor and Maj Krishna in their Diamond Jubilee Year. Let’s hope they all serve the citizens of Manipur in all the days to come.
To use the watchwords of the paratroopers - “Break your leg.”
Source: The Sangai Express
