AFTER year-long basic training at the Internal Security Academy, Mount Abu, Rajasthan, I joined a battalion of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) at Zubza, Nagaland, in early 1978. Constable Talib Hussain was to be my orderly — a colonial-era...
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COME summer, when humans, birds and animals seek shelter from the scorching sun, municipal workers in Mumbai descend upon trees on the roadside and start their job of hacking and hewing them. They have given this activity an innocent name,...
ON board my return flight from London to New Delhi, three youngsters were seated a couple of rows ahead of me. They were speaking Punjabi and their T-shirts bore the signature image of Shaheed-e-Azam Bhagat Singh. No sooner was the...
PEOPLE often surprise us, and judging them solely on the basis of our first impression is a mistake. This truth was reinforced by an incident that happened almost a decade ago. On my way to Shimla, I stopped at a...
IN October 1987, we — a group of five IPS probationers who had been allotted the Gujarat cadre — were undergoing six-week training at the Police Training College, Junagadh. We decided to go for an outing on a Sunday. The...
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AH, Holi! That glorious festival in which we drench our friends in colour, and our homes in the unmistakable scent of sweets, revelry and mild chaos. It’s an occasion when history, mythology and sheer mischief collide in a kaleidoscope of...
THE controversy over the demolition of a wall of Nek Chand’s iconic Rock Garden in Chandigarh made me recall my first meeting with him back in 1984. I was then with the CBI as an SP. The probe agency was...
I have heard people say jokingly, “If you want to make an impression, speak in English. If you want to show courtesy, converse in Hindi or Urdu, but if you want to convey a strong message, prefer Punjabi”. Born out...
THE Shinkansen — the Japanese bullet train — is much more than a mode of public transport. A trip on this train is a must for many tourists visiting the country. It is hard to say whether I was more...
WE humans are like magpies, happily hoarding something — books, music, clothes. Those rich enough splurge on art, wine and suchlike. I am also guilty — I love to collect moments and memories. We experienced a rich cascade of lifelong...
HONESTY is a virtue that often reveals itself in the simplest of lives, shining through in the most unexpected moments. One such remarkable example was Niku, fondly called Subedar, whose integrity left an indelible mark on the residents of my...
THE exuberance in my voice must have been evident when I rang up my father. I was happy to tell him that I had bought a cycle for his schoolgoing grandson. It was a little expensive, but my son liked...
I glanced at her cherubic face — pink cheeks and a creamy complexion. Manbhari seemed a befitting name for the lovely girl. I smiled. Her eyes sparkled momentarily and clouded just as suddenly and her expression changed to an unsmiling...
AN anniversary is supposed to be a day of celebration, right? You dress up in your finest attire, cut a cake, maybe clink a glass or two, and reminisce about how you’ve survived another year of wedded bliss (and arguments...
A couple of months ago, I attended a wedding where I knew no one except the father of the bride. After giving the host a warm hug and the customary shagun, I was all by myself. I headed towards the...
SOME people are keen to do a good deed, but they don’t go ahead with it as they presume that others may not cooperate with them. I remember an incident which illustrates that if you pursue a noble goal with...
IT was the kind of winter that old Shimlaites still talk about — it covered the Christ Church spire in mist and turned the Ridge into a white desert four decades ago. It snowed for days, the kind of heavy,...
Narayani Ganesh RIPPED jeans and faded T-shirts have been around as ‘in’ clothes for many years now. The boomers may view this strange trend in clothing as nothing short of disgusting. They ask, why wear beat-up clothes when you can...
AMID the controversy over the alleged omission of the Punjabi language as a subject in the CBSE’s draft policy, I witnessed a scene that made me feel like the odd man out at home. We were watching TV — me,...
I must have been nine or 10 years old. The open-air amphitheatre was enveloped by the night sky, and swarms of people had gathered to watch a play. The excited din of men, women and children still rings loud in...
I received several phone calls days before my retirement. My friends and well-wishers apprised me of the dos and don’ts to be observed during one’s retired life. I was also told that I would become a ‘senior citizen’ and get...
SWITZERLAND has captivated the world with its breathtaking beauty, justly earning the sobriquet of ‘heaven on earth.’ But, as the saying goes, the way to one’s heart is through the stomach. When the belly and taste buds remain unsatiated, the...
HUNGER is such a burning issue that people often find themselves running from pillar to post, day and night, searching for employment to provide food for themselves and their families. At times, there is so much desperation that they have...
AS I am the sole retired banker in my neighbourhood, fellow residents often approach me for advice on matters related to banking and finance. About a month ago, a tailor who plies his trade near my house sought my help...
A few years ago, as I left the immigration desk after arrival in Brisbane, Australia, an officer standing nearby politely stopped me and said: “Hope you had a good flight. Are you carrying more than $10,000 in cash?” I wasn’t,...
ONE afternoon, an elderly gentleman, who was known to our family, paid us a visit. Thanks to his flowing long white beard and neatly tied turban, he bore a striking resemblance to my late father. As I welcomed him, my...
BACK in early 1995, the Ardh Kumbh was in progress in Allahabad. I was posted as an instructor at the School of Artillery in Deolali, Maharashtra. I had received orders to take over as the second-in-command of my regiment, stationed...
IN the 1970s, the 7.5-km race for seniors was a major attraction at Bishop Cotton School (BCS), Shimla. There was a fierce rivalry between VK Roach (captain of Curzon House) and S Chauhan (captain of Lefroy House) in 1975. On...
LAST week, Capt Karamjit Singh Bakshi and a non-commissioned officer lost their lives in a blast triggered by militants near the Line of Control. This tragedy, all the more saddening for me as I served as a Colonel in the...
HAVING missed the briefing before a golf tournament, a new player asked me about the facility of a preferred lie (for the uninitiated, it allows golfers to improve the ball’s position without any penalty). “Well, place the ball at an...
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