Pitfalls of Temporary Duty – the Delhi-Bareilly experience

As a member of Customer Services it was but natural that I proceed on Temporary Duty to Air Force locations, sometimes at short notice. It began with my first TD to Air Force bases at Bareilly in UP and Tejpur in Assam. I had got a promotion and, while my immediate boss wanted to retain me in the office, his boss wanted that I go to some Air Force base. And, as luck would have it, one of our Service Engineers was retiring and I was asked to take over the inventory from him. He held charge of two bases – one at Bareilly, the other at Tejpur.
The time was December and it was my first ever TD – I expected to get guidance from the officer who was retiring. But, it turned out that he was not happy with our boss because his request for extension had not been approved. Hence, he bore a grudge against him.

Unfortunately, he was a Bengali, hence, my colleague wanted to vent his anger on me.
Anyway, the journey from Nashik Road to New Delhi was uneventful. We had boarded the Punjab Mail and, in those days, there was a First Class compartment. By manipulating with the TTE, my colleague managed to wrangle a couple of berths for us.
We got down at Faridabad and took a cycle rickshaw to the house of my friend’s son in law – it was terribly cold as it usually is in Delhi in the middle of December. The cyclerickshaw-wallahs had covered themselves in blankets and pedaled without removing the coverings. After a north Indian dinner we retired for the night.
Next morning, he wanted to go to the Air Headquarters – to follow up his request for extension. I tagged along with him and, saw some important landmarks of New Delhi. Then we went to the house of another of his son-in-laws in Delhi for lunch. Our plan was to leave for Bareilly by taking a bus from ISBT - accordingly, I arrived at ISBT by evening but my friend was nowhere to be seen. I rang up his daughter and she said he had already left. I was getting in a panic because one bus was getting ready to leave for Bareilly when I saw him coming. (to be continued …)


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Tagore and aircraft manufacturing do not gel

I have been asked any number of times as to how I landed up in the Customer Services department and no one would believe that Tagore was responsible. Yes, the very same Rabindranath Tagore, the name every Bengali swears by.
The fact of the matter was my involvement in the Tagore birthday celebrations. The Bengali community wanted to put up a small play and they wanted me to select a story, write the script and help in directing it. Well – that was not much of a problem. There was sufficient time and once the script was approved, rehearsals began in the evenings. It would be held on the rooftop of one of the actors.

The venue of the program was supposed to be the School auditorium and I was under the impression that the Bengali club would get the approval from the school. But, at the last minute. I got to know that they had not bothered presuming that I would get the permission.
Well – I had an argument with one of the club members that led to high blood pressure. I was hospitalized and my doctor, a very strict doctor, wanted me to come over for periodic checkup every fortnight. He had prescribed medicines and the effect of those medicines was that I became like a zombie. I began to forget simple things like the names of technicians working under me.
My doctor was a chain smoker and, forbade me from smoking. When I pointed this out to him, he smiled and replied – I may be a chain smoker but I can float in the water for hours. Can you?
Anyway, I was stuck with the situation and finally requested my boss for a transfer. And, that is how I landed up in a department where all my colleagues were near to retirement.
Incidentally, when next I visited Kolkata, I got myself checked up by a specialist and he informed that my physical condition was not bad and I could safely discontinue all medicines. It was a huge relief. (to be continued …)


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Nashik Kumbhmela 2015 – a once in 12-years pilgrimage

Trip to Nashik should take in Shirdi and the Ajanta and Ellora caves

Nashik, a tourist center with links to the epic Ramayana

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How to shed the image of a misfit and become a most wanted

When I landed up in the Customer Services department, I felt was a misfit because it was known generally as a department for those on the verge of retirement. The officers were aged persons and their presence was basically to take advantage of their long years of experience. They had worked in different departments and had brought with them varied experiences.
One of them was a Sardarji – he held the responsibility of maintaining record of innumerable reports of accidents and incidents that were reported by the Indian Air Force, our customer. The fleet of MiG-21 fighter aircraft ran into several hundreds and new aircraft would be getting added on a regular basis. It was his responsibility to keep track and advise our Boss whenever he wanted information.

For each and every aircraft, there used to be a separate file – and, whenever any new report came, it would be filed in that.
The system was fine so long as the concerned clerks came and the letters were put in the file but, there were instances when some officer would remove a file and forget to put it back in the location.
I decided to change the system but had to proceed with caution because I did not want to annoy the old man. He would have felt offended and would think I was too big for my boots. There was a generation gap between us and I had to bridge that gap step by step.
Therefore, I embarked on a mission of my own. I wanted to computerize the complete history of each and every aircraft from the day it went into service till it was written off. Accordingly, I began to come to the section early before others came and left after the others – and, I would take up a few aircraft files every day and go through the hundreds of paper in them to decide just how I should proceed. (to be continued …)


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Wing Commander who wore a wig and rode a scooter

Yes, this Wing Commander was the head of Customer Services and my boss. He was a unique person and the more I got to know him, the more was I struck by his methods. He was a Bengali and never spoke in Bengali. He owned a Fiat – an original Italian version. And, he maintained it by himself. If you opened the bonnet, you not find a speck of dust or a drop of oil anywhere. He also owned a scooter and would come to office on the two wheeler. In order to keep his wig from flying off, he used to hold it in place by a pair of goggles that he would place strategically on his forehead – to lock the edge of the wig in place.

This boss was different from others because he could also strum the guitar. This was revealed at the farewell party of a colleague. In order to liven up the evening, he had come with his instrument and sang some of his favorite sings. One of these was – ‘mere piya gaye Rangoon, wahan say kiya hai telephone …’
As I have mentioned earlier, he initially did not give much importance. But, one day, I discovered a letter from the IAF that he had marked to me by name. ‘Ghose, please discuss’. It was a purely technical subject and I discussed with my elderly colleagues on how I should approach the subject. But, their replies did not help. So, I decided to study the subject on my own, and gather as much information as possible.
That took me the rest of the day and next morning, I met my boss after he had settled in.
I narrated to him what I had found out and he appeared to be impressed. He wanted to see it himself and I accompanied down the stairs and climbed into the cockpit of one of the aircraft in the hangar. I had carried with be drawings and explained to him the nature of problem that our customers had referred to us for clarification.
That was my first test and I had passed it with flying colors because, soon he began to mark more and more such letters to me for my actions. (to be continued …)


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Nashik Kumbhmela 2015 – a once in 12-years pilgrimage

Trip to Nashik should take in Shirdi and the Ajanta and Ellora caves

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My links with the Indian Air Force

Going back to my professional life, I have had links with the Indian Air Force and have met many officers in the course of my career. When I had chosen the aviation field, I had dreamt of being associated with some airline and of going to work in the company’s vehicle. I would see the engineers of Indian Airlines and envied them. But, as luck would have it, I got employment in an aircraft manufacturing unit in Kanpur – it was a totally Air force setup with a few civilians like me.

The in-charge of my section was an officer of the rank of Wing Commander and he gave an impression that he owned the factory. He had a daughter and she would drop in on him to surprise him. At the time the girl was about ten or twelve years old and she would roller-skate in the hangar while the workers looked on.
Then there was another officer – he was a Squadron Leader and my boss. I had a tiff with him and resigned from Kanpur because of that. But, the world is round and, in Nashik, he returned to be my boss there also. Of course, considerable time had passed, he had got a promotion and so had I. The bitterness had gone. In fact, we got along wonderfully well.
And then there was another of my bosses – also from Air Force. He was a retired Wing Commander and a Bengali. But – he did not like Bengalis. Anyway, he was boss of Customer Services and, since I was transferred to his department, he had to accept me. And – I had to bring him into my line of thinking through my work. (to be continued …)


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Nashik Kumbhmela 2015 – a once in 12-years pilgrimage

Trip to Nashik should take in Shirdi and the Ajanta and Ellora caves

Nashik, a tourist center with links to the epic Ramayana

Nashik, a tourist center with links to the Mahabharata

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Nashik transforms from a place of pilgrimage to an industrial hub


Nine medical students go to Syria, their families try to bring them back

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My job interview over a cup of coffee