A General learns his lesson

Col DS Cheema (retd)

MY posting to Leh had the major advantage that the family was only an hour away at Chandigarh, but it had certain disadvantages, one being the headache of looking after the stream of VIP visitors from Udhampur-Srinagar and Delhi in summer. In true fauji style, I had evolved an SOP to look after the guests. My 2IC or a suitable LO (Liaison Officer), generally a JCO, would receive the guests at the airport and bring them to the guestroom, where all necessary arrangements would be made for their comfortable stay. The guests would then receive a folder containing medical instructions along with other necessary information. When I met them in the evening, I would pull out the laminated page and request them to go through it. This drill was working fine till a Major-General from the Army HQ landed with his wife and children.

When I informed him in the evening that acclimatisation for at least 24 hours was a must, he gave me an ‘I know it all’ smile and disarmed me of  my logic that they should relax for some time. He informed me that he had been a Military Attaché for four years at a place with much lower temperatures and as such had experienced even worse climatic conditions. He had a packed schedule and was keen to see all he could in Leh, visit a unit in the forward area, pedal-boat in Pangong Tso and fly back to Delhi on the fourth day as he had an important assignment awaiting him. I was told to get everything organised in a manner that would not disturb his schedule. I was expected to accompany him and his wife in the staff car, followed by a back-up Jonga in which his children and supporting staff were to travel. While having dinner, I once again pleaded with him to change the itinerary, this time receiving the full support of his wife and children, but the stubborn General did not budge.

As planned, we commenced the journey at 9 am sharp. The General was very cheerful and delighted to see the snow-capped peaks. He interacted with me enthusiastically till we reached the outskirts of Karu, barely a 45-minute drive, when he started feeling giddy and asked the driver to stop. I loosened his belt and sewadars rushed water, tea, coffee, etc., to the car from the Jonga. After waiting for half-an-hour in the wilderness, we started the return journey as his condition worsened. I decided to take him straight to the Military Hospital. Soon, the Commandant of the hospital also arrived and after some discussion with doctors informed me that the General had to stay under observation for two days. I also learnt, for the first time, that whenever any officer of the rank of Major-General and above got admitted to hospital, certain information was required to be sent to the HQ. His wife stayed with him in the hospital while his children had some fun going to the market and a nearby monastery. On the fourth day, the family took a flight back to Delhi. 

In a few days, I received a demi-official letter from him, thanking me profusely for all that I had done for him. I made it a point to share this story with new guests and never had any problem thereafter.