Uniform makes a difference

The word ‘uniform’ imparts parity between poor and rich students in educational institutions and promotes a feeling of oneness. The same applies to the armed forces and all other professions where people are required to wear a uniform. My love and respect for the uniform haven’t diminished even after my early retirement from the merchant navy.

When undergoing the marine engineering course in the naval dockyard, Mumbai, though we didn’t wear any particular uniform, seeing our officer-teachers and other ranks in uniform, I developed a liking for it. In fact, when I came on my first vacation to my hometown Amritsar, I proudly donned a white turban, shirt, shorts and stockings, even taking a round of the nearby localities to show it off.

I often dreamed of being in the naval uniform. After completing my course and getting a degree in marine engineering from London, I preferred a career in the Navy, despite good offers of shore jobs.

When I topped my batch in the final year of the course, though I was called for selection as sub-lieutenant in the Navy, I had to decline the offer due to my father’s objection and later joined the merchant navy. Whenever I came home on leave, just before the train reached the Amritsar railway station, I used to change into my chief engineer’s uniform that I wore in the merchant navy.

Once just after Operation Bluestar, when I arrived at the railway station, there were many Army personnel on vigil. As my heavy gear was being off-loaded from the AC first-class compartment by the coolie, an Army officer, while tapping his baton on one of my suitcases, spoke rudely to the coolie. The coolie told him that the luggage belonged to a senior officer. When the Major came and saw me in a uniform with my epaulette, which put me two notches above his own rank, he apologised and even saluted me. I told him that he was just doing his duty. Being in uniform had made all the difference.

On social media platforms, I have noticed that people keep changing their profile photos, but even after having left the merchant navy decades ago, my profile has remained the one in uniform when I was in my forties. Above all, the uniform — of all services — symbolises harmony.