Our Correspondent

Anantnag, July 21

Militants on Saturday carried out attacks on security forces in Anantnag and Kulgam districts of the state, the police said.In the first incident, security forces were targeted in the Mattan area of Anantnag district along the Khannabal-Pahalgam road. The road is heavily guarded these days in view of the ongoing Amarnath yatra. There was, however, no pilgrim movement along the road when the attack took place, sources said. No loss of life or injuries was reported.Altaf Khan, SSP, said the attack took place around 1 pm. “They fired at a joint party of the police and the CRPF. The fire was retaliated. No one was injured. A hunt to nab the militants is on,” said Khan.In the second incident, militants opened fire at an Army patrol in Havoora village of Kulgam around 3:30 pm.“No one was hurt in the firing,” a senior police officer said, adding that a hunt had been launched to nab the militants.Gunfight along LoC in TangdharA brief gunfight broke out near the LoC in the Tangdhar sector in Kupwara district on Saturday when a group of infiltrating militants fired at an Army patrol in the Balthedyan area. “The Army has launched a massive combing operation in the sector,” sources said. Meanwhile, two overground workers of the Lashkar-e-Toiba were arrested in Sopore on Saturday, the police said. TNS/PTI

Our Correspondent

Zirakpur, September 17

“We will not allow anyone incriminated in any case of religious desecration to go scot-free”. This was stated by Punjab Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh here today.

The Punjab Chief Minister was speaking after inaugurating Cine Plaza near McDonald’s in Zirakpur. He lashed out at the Badals for fanning communal hatred, warning that nobody involved in the sacrilege cases would be spared.

Capt Amarinder Singh also flayed Akali veteran Parkash Singh Badal for trying to divert the people’s attention from the findings of the Justice Ranjit Singh Commission, which had squarely blamed the previous regime for the desecration of holy scriptures.

He reiterated his firm resolve to bring to book all culprits involved in various sacrilegious acts, saying that the SIT team would thoroughly investigate nearly 200 incidents of sacrilege of holy scriptures, including Sri Guru Granth Sahib, Gutka Sahib, Srimad Bhagwad Gita and Quran Sharif.

To a query on the proposed Congress rally in Parkash Singh Badal’s home ground Lambi, Capt Amarinder said he would expose the malicious intent of the Badals to vitiate the peaceful atmosphere in the state.

Capt Amarinder said his government had planned to develop Zirakpur town as one of the best cities in the state with ultra-modern facilities and civic amenities. The Chief Minister also stated that Zirakpur had only a few scattered houses and had, over the years, grown into one of the fastest growing satellite towns as an integral part of the tricity.

Highlighting the revived positive investment sentiment in the state ever since the Congress government took over, the Chief Minister said construction activity in Zirakpur had recently picked up, resulting in the sale of nearly 28,000 new houses in the area.

On the issue of Dashmesh canal, Capt Amarinder Singh said as the matter of river waters was with the Supreme Court, the state government would explore the feasibility of constructing Dashmesh canal in due course of time.

Prominent among other who were present on the occasion included senior Congress leader Kewal Singh Dhillon, Mohali Deputy Commissioner Gurpreet Kaur Sapra and SSP Kuldeep Singh Chahal.

Govt has planned to develop Zirakpur as one of the best cities in state, says CM

Punjab Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh said his government had planned to develop Zirakpur town as one of the best cities in the state with ultra-modern facilities and civic amenities. The Chief Minister also stated that Zirakpur had only a few scattered houses and had, over the years, grown into one of the fastest growing satellite towns as an integral part of the tricity.

Uttarakashi, July 21: A body of one of the victims of 1968 Indian Air Force plane crash was found along with some parts of the aircraft at the Dhaka glacier base camp. The plane’s wreckage was found during a cleanliness drive organized by Indian Mountaineering Foundation at the Dhaka glacier base camp on July 1.

On 7 February 1968, an Antonov An-12 twin engine turboprop transport aircraft of the Indian Air Force disappeared while flying to Leh Airport from Chandigarh International Airport. While on approach to Leh the pilot decided to turn back due to inclement weather, the aircraft then went missing with the last radio contact over the Rohtang pass. It was declared missing after the failure to find the wreck. Previous recovery: In 2003 members of the Himalayan Mountaineering Institute who were trekking on the South Dakka Glacier came across the remains of a human body. The body was identified as Sepoy Beli Ram, a soldier of the Indian Army who was on the flight. On 9 August 2007 an Indian Army expedition code named Operation Punaruthan-III, recovered three more bodies. From 2003 till 2009 three search expeditions have been carried out with the recovery of four bodies. The crash location lies at a height of about 18,000 ft 0 in (5,486.40 m), at a gradient of 80 degrees. On 21 July 2018 the Times of India reported that a mountaineering team at the Chandrabhaga-13 peak had found a body at the Dhaka glacier base camp.The team has found wreckage of the plane along with the remains of a soldier.

Read more at: https://www.oneindia.com/india/body-of-soldier-killed-in-1968-iaf-plane-crash-recovered-2739470.html

Political parties desire populist, quick and ostensibly spectacular results with an eye on elections. But what the ruling party wants is not what the army leadership should do.

Here’s a sobering thought to reflect upon as India celebrates the anniversary of the ‘surgical strikes’ in which the Indian Army’s special forces (SF) stealthily crossed the Line of Control (LoC) and neutralised a handful of terrorists who would have otherwise infiltrated into Jammu and Kashmir: the more the government politicises the army by using its sacrifices to further its electoral objectives, the more it erodes the the army’s potency, and hence its deterrent value.

The tragic part of this celebratory charade is that the army leadership appears complicit in its own emasculation. It needs to be understood that armies are never politicised, they follow command. It is the army leadership that gets politicised with adverse implications for war preparedness. It is, therefore, a truism that armies are as good as its leadership. So when the army leadership decides to support what the ruling political party wants, its missions – militarily – make less sense. For instance, army chief General Bipin Rawat’s recent call for another surgical strike was not his business; it is prerogative of the political leadership. He should worry about genuine strikes pivoted on preparedness, should the need arise.

Political parties desire populist, quick and ostensibly spectacular results with an eye on elections. But what the ruling party wants is not what the army leadership should do. Otherwise, (a) it demoralises its command since military outcomes are not what they should be, (b) the emphasis shifts away from modernisation, which is a sustained long-term goal, and (c) training for war takes a back-seat. The command ultimately loses respect for its leadership, leading to command break-down. Military leaders, therefore, should question and not blindly acquiesce to political opportunism.

Militarily, the September 29, 2016 strikes made little sense for three reasons. One, surgical strikes are the prerogative of the air force; the army, at best, conducts raids and hot pursuit. Surgical strikes – meant to influence the political and war-fighting levels by its shock and awe effect – are undertaken by the air force after certain preparations to contain a probable escalation. These include using aircraft to jam the enemy’s communication systems, and, by activation of own air defence capabilities, to cater for retaliation by the opposing air force. Given their its strategic effects, surgical strikes are always done by nations with political will and military preparedness. For example, after the 26/11 terror attacks in Mumbai, the Indian Air Force had suggested surgical strikes without crossing the Line of Control to the then government. After mulling for a few days, the government had rejected the suggestion.

Two, the strikes done by the army were not even raids, since they are done against legitimate military targets (in this case, the Pakistan Army) to minimise collateral damage. They were not even hot pursuit, which as the term denotes, is about chasing the enemy back into its own territory. They were what the then foreign secretary S. Jaishankar called them: “Target-specific, counter-terrorist operations (CI ops) across the Line of Control which the army had done in the past too, but this is the first time the government has gone public about it.” He said this to the Parliament Committee on Foreign Affairs.

Three, genuine strikes of this nature are always denied to keep the enemy in strategic suspense about the next move. In this case, India first informed Pakistan and then publicly declared that no more strikes were planned and that the mission was over. It was extraordinary for the army to admit operations by the Special Forces and to announce that there “were no plans for further continuation.” By doing so, India conceded its unpreparedness for – let alone war – even heightened tactical level engagements for fear of an escalation. The strikes were evidently not meant to be an army mission but a political one to create a perception of a first-of-its-kind spectacular operation.

The idea of surgical strikes came from the raids done by the Indian Army in Myanmar in June 2015 which had boosted Modi’s ‘macho’ image. This was confirmed by the then defence minister Manohar Parrikar, who said the preparations for the surgical strikes (in Pakistan occupied Kashmir) started 15 months ago when specialised equipment for SF was purchased from abroad.

On June 4, 2015, the Myanmar-based NSCN-K had ambushed an Indian Army convoy, killing 18 soldiers. The then 3 corps commander, Lieutenant General Bipin Rawat, after clearance from the Prime Minister’s office (PMO) and with support from the IAF (helicopters were kept on stand-by for extrication of Special Forces), conducted raids by SF at two militant sites inside Myanmar on June 10, killing around 100 terrorists. As the government of India publicly celebrated the successful raids inside Myanmar, projecting them as evidence of the Prime Minister’s political will and determination, the Myanmar Army decided to not react, even though the government mildly protested the violation of its sovereignty.

The Myanmar raids emboldened the Indian government to replicate the same model on the Pakistan border with better preparation and thought. This could be the perfect face-saver for the Modi government, which, given the unabated proxy war by Pakistan and the ever-increasing casualties, was having difficulty in maintaining its ‘tough’ image. Since Lieutenant General Rawat had demonstrated his expertise by planning and executing the Myanmar raids, and given his extraordinarily long innings in Kashmir doing counter-insurgency operations (CI ops), he had to be brought to the South Block, perhaps as the vice-chief of army staff (VCOAS) once the incumbent Lieutenant General M.M.S. Rai superannuated on July 31, 2016. This happened on September 1, with the post of VCOAS being vacant for a full month.

The opportunity to do a Myanmar on Pakistan came when terrorists struck at the army camp in Uri on September 18, 2016, killing 19 soldiers. Given the heightened sense of nationalism drummed up by the BJP, and with the coming elections in Uttar Pradesh, the government needed to showcase its muscularity against Pakistan without inviting war. The die was thus cast for the politically driven surgical strikes. Vice-chief Lieutenant General Rawat and northern army commander Lieutenant General D.S. Hooda were the key operational planners, while the Prime Minister, defence minister and the national security adviser were kept in the loop. Army chief General Dalbir Singh made notional, rather than any real, contribution to the task at hand.

Given the involvement of India’s topmost political and army leadership, two concerns were paramount: Pakistan should not retaliate, and no Indian soldier should be caught alive behind enemy lines since it would unravel the real plot. This necessitated extremely shallow penetrations on the Line of Control from where extrication was possible; not attacking Pakistan Army’s posts; finishing tactical-level operations as soon as possible; and informing the Pakistan Army soonest of what had been done in order to ensure that they did not commence counter attacks with troops-in-hand or troops’ build-up for an escalation. In short, pretend to do a major operation with minimal risks.

The military aim, as the director general military operations, Lieutenant General Ranbir Singh said in his official briefing, was to target “terrorist launch pads along the Line of Control”. Mind you, he said ‘along’ and not inside the LoC. With these instructions, SF assisted by local commandos (Ghatak platoons) for guidance and flank protection walked/ crawled up stealthily to seven terrorist launch-pads (which are temporary camps) situated about 700 metres (terrorist launch pads have since been moved in depth under direct protection of Pakistani posts) inside the LoC. The SF did to the terrorists what they had done to Indian soldiers in Uri base camp: they were attacked while asleep. While the exact casualty figures are anyone’s guess since no damage assessment means were employed (for fear of escalation), the big relief (admitted by Manohar Parrikar and Northern army commander, Lt Gen. D. S. Hooda) was the safe return of Indian soldiers.

It was time to draw political mileage by perception management. The electronic media went hysterical with buffoonery showing graphics of soldiers para-dropping on Pakistani soil, and by wargaming military balance of India and Pakistan. They have been willy-nilly assisted by chosen generals. According to Lieutenant General Hooda, “The surgical strikes in some way shattered the glass ceiling. The Special Forces have gained tremendous confidence in their ability to execute a complex operation in very hostile territory.” He said on another occasion, “We proved that we were capable of crossing the heavily guarded Line of Control and strike at multiple points.”

To recall, in the 90s, well before the Indian Army erected the Maginot Line (which represents a defensive mindset) in the form of the fence on the LoC in July 2004, regular army commandos rather than Special Forces, used to frequently breach the so-called glass ceiling. Raids (which are much more than targeting terrorists) on Pakistani posts, killing of its soldiers by surprise attacks and artillery firing were so commonplace that long silence by one side was reason for the other to worry. Moreover, except from 2005 to 2007, when back-channel talks were going on between India and Pakistan, cross-LoC raids were commonplace, and officers were commended for bravery. All this was, of course, done away from the media glare since that is the nature of covert actions.

The opposite seems to be happening at present. After the recent mutilation of a Border Security Force soldier’s body by terrorists, the army chief said, “We need to take stern action to avenge the barbarism that terrorists and the Pakistan Army have been carrying out.” But he did not explain how this would be done. One cannot help but recall wistfully how another chief at another time had chosen to focus on war preparedness instead of allowing him to be used for political sabre-rattling.

At the height of the refugee influx into India from East Pakistan in March 1971, Prime Minister Indira Gandhi had, in the presence of senior cabinet members, told General Sam Manekshaw that training the Mukti Bahini would not be enough and that it was time to use force. He refused. While offering to resign, the army chief (who was also the chairman, Chiefs of Staff Committee) told the disbelieving Prime Minister that he needed six months of war-preparedness and opportune timing for victory. The rest is history.

In terms of military decorations, General Manekshaw was a mere Military Cross. General Rawat is bursting with decorations from UYSM, AVSM, YSM to SM and VSM. Can General Rawat tell Prime Minister Modi that his army needs to give-up CI ops (which, after 28 years, are giving diminishing results) and focus on war-preparedness to deter Pakistan’s proxy war?

The writer is editor, Force newsmagazine.

Officer cadre restructuring: Army mulls doing away with Brigadier rank 

Indian Navy regularly sends adventure expeditions to the Meghalaya caves, but diving in submerged caves is yet to be attempted.

It was the most daring operation in recorded history to rescue 12 boys and their coach stranded in Thailand’s flooded Tham Luang cave complex after 17 days of being underground. It will now become a case study in 21st century globalisation, leadership, crisis management, utilisation of technological resources and human skills coupled with efficient international coordination. It will also serve as a great precedent in the world of rescue operations in caves, mines and other underwater subterranean spaces. This will be something that future divers will study and be sure to learn from.

In India, most caving exercises are centered in Meghalaya. There are more than 1,200 caves and only about 400 of them have been explored. Indian Navy regularly sends adventure expeditions over there, but diving in submerged caves is yet to be attempted. The Marine Commandos and divers of the Indian Navy are qualified to undertake this kind of operation. In the past, the Navy has undertaken diving operations in the flooded Kolkata metro tunnel in 1991, and also some coal mines. However, the capability of cave diving per se does not exist.

The Tham Luang operation can be divided into three phases: search, rescue, and revival.

Search

The search phase lasted from 24 June to 2 July when the young ‘Wild Boars’ soccer team was located four km inside the caves, 800-1,000 meters below the surface of the Doi Nang Non mountains of Chian Rai province in northern Thailand. To facilitate quick search and rescue in the location and with the prevalent monsoon conditions, it was essential that the rising water levels in the caves be controlled, which posed the main threat to the safety of the trapped group.

The advanced technological capability of submersible pumps to de-water the caves came to the rescue and neutralised the threat of even more flooding. Round the clock pumping out of the water led to most of the cave length being walkable or at least ensured that the total dive time was reduced drastically. It was reported that nearly 120 million litres of water were pumped out over 75 hours, reducing the water levels by around 40 per cent. The submersible pumps installed deep inside the caves removed an estimated 16,00,000 litres of water per hour.

The Czech Republic and India had offered four of these pumps each, showing how camaraderie comes into play between nations in times of humanitarian crisis. Additionally, drones with powerful zoom cameras and thermal imaging were used to create a 3D image replica of the mountain to ascertain the water flow and divert it away from the caves and the location of the group specifically. The reduced level of water now facilitated the establishment of a support base 1.5 km inside the caves where hundreds of air cylinders and other necessary equipment were transported with the help of wire-pulley systems. Waterproof electric cables and lights were installed for better visibility and power requirements. This support base proved crucial for the search divers and extended their reach inside the caves along with prolonging their dive time and providing the trapped group various essentials and sustenance.

Rescue

The rescue phase lasted for eight days commencing on 3 July. This posed its own challenges primarily because the oxygen level down in the caves were reduced to 15 per cent as opposed to the normal 20-21 per cent in our atmosphere. The group was weak due to the lack of adequate food, water, and fresh air. To prevent hypoxia setting in, an air supply line was rigged into the chamber by 6 July. In addition to this, the group was supplied with high protein foods, vitalising liquids, necessary painkillers and antibiotics. A medic along with three divers were positioned with the group to boost their morale and teach them basic swimming and diving skills.

Fiber optic cables were laid up till the group so that they could communicate with the outside world, which would ensure that the spirits of the boys and their families outside along with the rest of the world stayed up. Apart from rescue by diving, the options of drilling an escape shaft and also waiting for the rains to subside were kept open and mulled over.

The Thai authorities had the benefit of advice and help from around a hundred diving experts and thousands of support professionals from across the world. Elon Musk of Tesla and Space X fame even left behind a mini-submarine if required. Israeli company Meshtec provided 17 hi-tech walkie-talkies to enable communication between the rescue teams deep within the cave. These sets could relay and broadcast data and video beyond the line of sight. It proved to be very useful and was responsible for the whole world remaining updated about what was happening in the caves.

In keeping with the adage ‘old is gold’, low-frequency radio sets developed 20 years ago in Britain, which could penetrate through hundreds of meters of solid rock were also provided. To overcome the problem of muddy waters and poor visibility, the divers rigged eight mm guidelines and divers were equipped with long endurance underwater flashlights. Navigation of narrow/tiny crevices and passages was made possible by the use of smaller, lightweight carbon fiber air cylinders which could be pressurised beyond 3,000 psi for longer endurance and dive times. The improved full face masks with positive pressure inside ensured easy breathing and zero leakage. This technology coupled with the latest diving suits and flexible stretchers proved useful in sedating the group and avoiding the risk of making them dive and swim. The method of rescue by sedation and carrying of the rescued persons’ air cylinders by the lead diver proved to be the most efficient.

Revival

After the rescue, the boys were quarantined in the city hospital to check their vitals and for their recovery to good health. It may still take a week or two before they are fully recuperated.

The Thai cave rescue was a combination of advances in technology, human selfless endeavour, the organising capability of the Thai authorities, and ready support of the locals and the world that won the day against all odds.

The author is the Founding Director of the recently established Kahnoji Angre Maritime Research Institute, Nashik. He was commissioned in the Executive Branch of the Indian Navy in July 1982,and later joined the Marine Commando cadre of the Navy. He was the Principal Director of Diving and Special Ops Dpt at NHQ Delhi.

There is another round of anguish in army circles. After the army chief General Bipin Rawat banned golf in Srinagar last week because it seemed inappropriate in a conflict zone for officers to be playing golf, there is a sense of dismay. It is believed the chief was on a visit to the area when he spotted officers on the course even as the bodies of slain military personnel were being brought to Srinagar. Unseemly? Of course, it is. So an incensed General ostensibly said, enough of this nonsense. Ban the bloody game.

It is also just the kind of story to sell to civilians. And the public. No one in uniform will ever accept that officers would continue playing golf if it was a time to salute the fallen. It just does not happen. The military mindset and the espirit de corps would not allow any officer to be so crass. If at all anything like this incident this occurred it was inadvertent, in no way deliberate.

But that said, stopping golf in an area where the military is operationally active makes sense from the point of view of security and just the fact that it doesn’t look right. The reason why the army officers are livid is because they see it as the next ugly milestone on the dissolution of the armed forces’ identity. First, the cantonments were open to all. For no good reason, seeing as how keeping the armed forces in barracks so to speak is acceptable in all armies of the world. Military areas are restricted zones.

Then the link to this ‘improper conduct’ makes the Srinagar decision even more suspect because that grandstanding wasn’t necessary. Why not just pass the order banning golf without the indictment?

It gives the impression of callous, uncaring, thoughtless officers messing about with woods and putters while their men are dying. Come on, that is a load of nonsense. But a peg was needed to justify the move and this was easy to market peg.

And the message that these officers are sharing has sinister connotations. It says: ‘The Army, as per a report published in The Indian Express in 2015, operates around 100 luxury golf courses and sports clubs on approximately 8,000 acres of the government property. The Public Accounts Committee (PAC) of Parliament had in 2011 said that golf could not be taken into consideration as a ‘military activity.’

No one asked why not?

Just the links in the US Club Mumbai would be worth Bill Gates’ fortune in real estate terms. There are nearly a hundred others all over the country.

The BBC ran a story in 2011 where it said: The report by the Comptroller and Auditor General described the army’s management of its huge land holdings as dismal. It found that at least 32 sq km (12 square miles) of rent-free land had been handed to a privately-run company, Army Zone Golf, which operates 97 luxury golf courses.

By the same token, as civvy street suddenly realises how much prime real estate and property lies in the control of the armed forces, it is like the authorities have found Alibaba’s cave and a mountain of treasure. When Service chiefs begin to view things from the point of view of the civilians it does get a little murky. By this measure, tennis, squash, bridge and rummy should also be stopped in Srinagar because soldiers do not play them. All the polo fields should be turned into farmland.

Uhhmm., what about rifle ranges, miles of open land just to fire bullets and shells at paper targets. Maybe they can fire practice on cyber targets and playstations? Where does it end?

The next step in this poorly disguised land grab exercise are the clubs in the cantonments where service officers are members. That and the regimental and battalion messes are active in some of the most expensive central urban enclaves. The clubs where officers only meet in the evenings and Sundays, usually with families to play Bingo, and ease up would be worth their weight in gold if reworked into guest houses for politicians and bureaucrats.

The latest message while genially insulting the General does make one valid point: General, there are a million other more productive/innovative ways of showing solidarity.

For a start, get them better equipment, get them better rations, build more accommodation for the jawans…the list is endless.

This fear of dismantling the military apparatus is now very real, and the sore point is that if four-star officers in the lead begin to accept this diktat and support it, that is pretty much letting the side down. Surely, there are larger problems in the nation than going after the uniform.

Srinagar, July 11

Northern Army chief Lt Gen Ranbir Singh, while concluding his tour to Kashmir, visited the forward areas of the Valley to review the prevailing security situation and strategy for counter-infiltration and counter-terrorist operations.Accompanied by Chinar Corps chief Lt Gen AK Bhatt, the Army chief visited forward posts in the frontier district of Kupwara where he was briefed on the counter-infiltration grid and operational preparedness of the formations. The Army chief was appreciative of the measures and the standard operating procedures instituted by the units and formations to meet the challenges posed by the inimical elements.During his interaction with the soldiers on ground, he lauded them for their high level of morale and round-the-clock vigil which they maintain to thwart infiltration bids by the terrorists. The Army chief exhorted them to continue to work with same zeal and dedication to defeat the enemy’s hostile designs. — TNS

Brig Gurinder Singh (Retd)

In the Army, it is not unusual to find real brothers or cousins serving together in the same unit, especially in caste and region-based regiments as parental and sibling claim is given due consideration while assigning battalions. Not only multiple pairs of brothers, but also father and son serve in the same company and battalion. As a young officer, I saw a Havildar who chose to be the Guard Commander at the Quarter Guard on the last day of his service with his son (who had joined the battalion a week earlier) as a sentry.Subedar Prem Singh was one such proud father whose son Subhash joined our paltan while he was still in service. While Subedar Prem, stout and handsome, had been a wrestler of repute in his youth, Subhash was thinly built and barely met the basic Army physical standards. He managed to pass the mandatory physical tests with some push from his colleagues, a bit leniency of the officers and abusive threats from his father.Subhash had an uncanny knack of misinterpreting a simple order and executing it in exactly the opposite manner and justify it too. He surprised everyone with his misadventures where ever he was assigned any duty. But his father continued to harbour high hopes for him. In 1985 when our battalion was in Dagshai (HP), Subedar Prem’s request for the family quarter was accepted. He arranged Subhash to proceed on leave with the instruction ‘Maa ko le aana’. The ever obedient son left for his home in Ghaziabad. Meanwhile, Subedar saheb took charge of his new quarter, arranged furniture and prepared himself to live with the family for some time before retiring a year later. He was determined to spend some quality time after years of separation. He also made plans to take the family to Shimla and Kasauli.On the day of Subhash’s return, Subedar saheb dyed his greying moustache and whatever hair on his mostly bald head. He double-checked every detail at the newly allotted quarter and reached the Dharampur Railway Station well ahead of the scheduled arrival of the narrow gauge train from Kalka. He also arranged some chai-pakora to welcome memsaheb at the platform.Finally the train arrived and Subhash alighted from the train with a couple of suitcases and then extended his hand to help Maa get down. An 80- year-old lady emerged and slowly walked towards the reception party. Furious, Prem Singh dragged Subhash to the side and shouted, ‘Arre, maine teri Maa ko lane ke liye kaha tha meri nahi, nalayak!’ (I asked you to bring your mother not mine). Unapologetic, Subhash retorted, ‘Apne bola tha maa ko lana, meri ya teri ka nahi kaha tha’ (you asked me to bring mother, but didn’t specify whose). In 2006, Prem Singh came to my house and presented me a can of homemade ghee. When I asked him the reason, he said: ‘Subhash thik-thak pension aagaya hai aap logon ki meharbani se.’