call me sir!”
words are like magic for an NDA cadet, which are uttered by a senior who is
pleased to anoint his junior the coveted status of “pal”. Pal is actually a
slang for a friend and is part of the lexicon these days, but in NDA, a pal is
granted special privileges which is the key (pun intended!) to many a door
locks.
the uninitiated, NDA has a very strict semester based hierarchy with six months
seniority bestowing privileges galore, for example, a simple ritual like the
visit to the wash room has to be observed as per a strict dress
code. The best part is the striptease associated with these privileges. So the
second termers, the lowest in the food chain, are to be dressed in a pyjama
with a kurta and a dressing gown; mind you the undergarments for the upper and
the lower torso too are mandatory. Third termer gets to shed his
kurta under the gown, however the vest underneath is a must, the fourth termer
does away with the vest too and in addition can replace his pyjama with a
lungi. Well, the fifth termer sheds all but the dressing gown…where does that
leave the lord and masters, the final termers, well well… they do not have to
follow any such rules can be in the state of dress or undress as they wish to.
always short of sleep running from Asoka pillar to posts or rather avoiding the
posts with sergeants, all errands are entrusted on the dukkis (second termers’ derogatory but endearing nom de guerre (!)),
from fetching tea/ coffee snacks from Gole market to managing a freshly ironed
KD uniform or simply for entertaining the senior. The poor chap thus avoids his
own cabin and is always on the lookout to seek refuge in one of the senior’s
cabin where he can’t be touched. More the pals, more number of cabins to seek
asylum, the odds of being saved from the errands and the countless sessions
naturally increase exponentially.
back to the “palship” in NDA, when a senior grants this status, the junior is
indebted to him forever and of course makes the most of this friendship. The
largesse which comes along is unrestricted access to the senior’s cabin, his
uniforms and of course his eats and cold coffee, which is the ultimate elixir
for an ex NDA. Palship is of many flavours, the first and foremost is the
school type pals, where one’s school type is a de jure pal, with no questions
asked, then there are place type, ie belonging to same state/ city, which is
not a right, like the “school type”, but largely depends on the magnanimity of
the senior. Then there are the special bonds type, for example “punishment
type”, when the senior and junior cadets are a regular at the periphery running
restrictions, the senior finds in the junior his mirror image and out of sheer
brotherhood and camaraderie goes the pal route to convey this feeling of
affection. There are “CH or MH” types when the cadets happen to be admitted in
the Command or Military hospital together and spend many a days ogling at the
very same petite nurses and devising ways and means to extend their stay in the
hospital rather than returning to the grind of the academy, naturally those
bonds are for keeps and the palship merely formalizes it.
types” are the ones who travel together during term breaks, so generally South
of Vindhyas, or to the North East, cadets travelling by train to their
respective hometowns used to spend forty eight to seventy two hours in the same
train compartment which could result in the senior granting the junior this
favour out of pity. The more bizarre variety comprised the “GCI” ( Cumulative
Grade Improvement) types, where the cadets with compartment in the final exam
had to return early to take the exam; the regular amongst these GCI types could
empathise with each others’ plight and palship was a natural corollary. There
were sports types when you played as part of the same team or you shared the
same name or for no reason at all, not to forget the smokers, theirs was a bond
where “fire” itself was the witness.
everything else in the world has two sides, technology and anti technology, so “palling”
also had a “de-palling”, ie unceremoniously throwing the junior back to the
grind. This ignominy normally the junior brought it upon himself by indulging
in any activity which was anathema for the senior or not par for the course in
the academy. Even a court martial probably may not be that as humiliating as de-palling
by a senior. Borrowing from the Bard, “Hell hath no fury like a de-palled
senior”. He would set out to even all his grudges and settle scores by pushing
you to the extreme limits of physical and mental stress. Thankfully this was a
rare phenomena.
interesting anecdote of palship came about, when my over study, Sherry Peter,
an alumni of Sainik School Kazhkottam, the terrors in the academy
normally. He was raring to go having graduated to the third term, his understudy,
a Rimcollian, had it coming. But as luck would have, he discovered that we
shared the same “date of birth”, 21st of March. Boy, he was so
disappointed, now he had to make me his pal, but he did not let emotions get
the better of him and bashed on regardless…….Finally in the fourth term he
did grant me this exalted status, and we have been pals ever since.
my second term, an incident changed the rest of my NDA tenure and left a
lasting impression on me for life. Second termers were usually tasked with
packing breakfasts for fourth termers who embark on the much awaited service
subjects where the Army cadets were expected to be dressed in FSMO( Field
Service Marching Order) with packs, water bottle and duly camouflage painted
trying to be soldierly. Obviously all this make up and dressing was time
consuming so the second termers were sent packing to pack the breakfast, which
was packed in the handkerchief and it comprised couple of slices of bread with
dollops of butter and jam and some cutlets, which was tucked in the pocket of
the Khaki Drill shorts, which literally had deep pockets. Anyway, to cut the
story short, while I was busy packing for Cadet Gandhi an Air Force cadet ( why
did he need to get this packed??, God only knows…. Air Force cadets attended
the service classes in the same attire, they didn’t need to adorn all that
camouflage etc), blissfully unaware that the Adjutant , (Maj Daniels , a short
stocky gorkha officer who was a terror like all adjutants are supposed to be
for the cadets) was keenly observing my activity , rather amused, assuming that
I was packing it for myself. Looking at my lean wiry frame, he must have
thought I was hell of a hog that I needed to carry additional breakfast apart
from having my fill there itself. So he caught me red handed and asked what was
I upto, shocked at having been discovered, I just confirmed his suspicion by
taking the blame on myself rather than name the senior. As a reward, the
Adjutant awarded me seven days restrictions immediately. The fourth
termers on the dining table who observed this act of bravery of mine were so
impressed that I was accorded the status of “pal” for the fourth
termers of the squadron. Naturally this made my life a lot more comfortable
with a fifth of the squadron was on your side apart from another fifth which
were your own course-mates. Any case fifth and sixth termers were hardly
interested in second termers, too piddly for their taste(!).
or not. the bonds of the academy are unique, anywhere in the world your
squadron types are your best friends, who go out of their way to help you. The
same senior who was a terror in the academy turns out to be your benefactor later
in life. May our tribe prosper and grow….. today Wg Cdr Abhinandan has been
declared a universal pal by the whole country and not just by service
personnel.
Original Comments:
C SPrabhakat (2019-03-05):
No wonder you had the best time in the Academy. I for one had very few pals. I guess no one liked my face. It was a different type of enjoynent to be present for almost every f fall in.
Sanjay (2019-03-06):
Hi Suyash……Took us back to old days of moving through the terms and the privileges being earned as you moved up from one term to other…..In hindsight we were thrilled with some cheap frills…..Like your tribute to our brave Airwarrior…..Who has brought back the aura of NDA for all ….
KPM Das (2019-03-06):
A host of memories come flooding in. Great read. Not much changed between 53rd and 72nd apparently. Wonder what 139th would have to say.
Bhuppy Sharma (2019-03-06):
That's the uniqueness of this academy.. Nicely penned Soyuz
Unknown (2019-03-06):
Nostalgic reminisces! These bonds were for life. Besides, it also brought it in a sense of unique camaraderie. The same “dukkis” growing up in the Academy would fondly remember their own difficult times, their benefactors, often empathising with future “dukkis”, who would then benefit from their largesse; and the system continues. Long live this camaraderie! … Apache
M Udayana Reddy (2019-03-06):
Excellent reading as always Suyash. Brings back hosts of memories. And the sense of Pal-ship nurtured in NDA is so etched into our dna now that some of us extend it to the corporate environment also where instinctively we give more support and a more patient hearing to colleagues from same place, same school, …..
Vijay (2019-03-06):
Those were the days. Very nice to recollect those days through your blog. Thank you. Keep them coming
Unknown (2019-03-06):
Palship was earned the hard way for some.
Reminded me of my own bunch of pals.
A great writing as ever.
Looking forward to many more in future as well
Sheraz Varma (2019-03-06):
Time Machine effect Suyash.. .your writing shifted the chronograph back by few decades and relive the moments. You did so well catch the camaraderie in few words, which a Clancy or AynRand would struggle in reams to. And yes, your Pal status to WgCdr Abhinandan is perhaps so you – Lion heartedness
Col Jitendra Singh (2019-03-06):
Your blog has refreshed the good old memorable days if academy.I never knew that sherry Peter was a also a terror for juniors. Lovely post. Enjoyed reading it. Keep it up.
Unknown (2019-03-06):
Nicely done. Take care & continue… Knoty
Jatinder Singh Dhillon (2019-03-06):
Nostalgic, though didn't have many pals
Pradeep Misra (2019-03-06):
It's the DNA of the NDA! I am sure even Veterans of the First Course and after will also relish the traditions set in due course…
Deepak Adhar (2019-03-06):
Atta boy Suyash! Great trip down memory lane deconstructing the a-palling practice of lift!!
Ashok K Vasudevan (2019-03-06):
I really required it and especially on weekends pals of different Squadrons.
I remember teaching a Brig 6 termer ,Non Tech cadet , Physics . ( Psst I passed out 3.25 CGPA )
Cold coffee and walking into Ante Room with him were the badges earned . Lol
Unknown (2019-03-06):
Great read Suyash.. you took us way back in time, but it feels like yesterday. Being a KVite, I had a few "no reason" pals too..
Ashok K Vasudevan (2019-03-06):
BTW he too was Ashok !!!
Unknown (2019-03-06):
Great read . Never knew of this palship despite being with an ex NDA for all these years. Very beautifully expressed.
Sujay (2019-03-06):
It is interesting to know nuances required to become pal and pros and cons .
kul (2019-03-06):
nice article Soyuz! brings back a flood of memories.
Milan (2019-03-06):
Brilliant recollection of the facets of the Academy days. Made a very enjoyable read. Carry on Suyash with your lovely blogs.
Milan (2019-03-06):
Brilliant recollection of the facets of Academy days. Made a very enjoyable read. Carry on Suyash with your lovely blogs
Sos (2019-03-06):
It was really nostalgic and specially for me as Suyash made me his pal on the very first day. I knew no one in the academy and had no similarity to to any types to become someone's pal.So he became my guiding light for navigating the nuances of second term and source of info for the timing of the planned entertaining sessions OF THE J squadron .A great memory trip down the pal Street of NDA.
Kedar Thaakar (2019-03-06):
Hi Suyash, great to go through a very interesting narration laced with reminisces and subtle humour which, having known you, am aware, comes naturally to you. Although I am not a Ex-NDA, through your observant eyes, I could very well relate myself with the legacy of 'palism' as seen as a Flight Cadet at Air Force Academy. Keep writing, please.
Sofie (2019-03-06):
Nice re-living those days through your notalgic memoir….
Sanjeev Pandit (2019-03-06):
Nice read Suyash !
Sandeep Malik (2019-03-06):
Great read as usual, Suyash. My overstudy in the sqn had made my entire course his pal, less me of course. So, even he was toughening me up in the corridor, there were a lot of my course mate sitting in his room, under the radar, of course. After my second term, he said the magic words, don't call me sir. I w so pissed that I curlishly replied, I don't want to be your pal and I reject your offer. He's a good friend now, but throughout our stay together in the academy, I always sirred him.
Surbhi (2019-03-06):
An excellent read as always… all your compositions make the the reader travel with you…you pen down your experiences so vividly and beautifully.
nononsense (2019-03-06):
Thanks folks for all the encouragement. I am glad my musings find a connect with most of us, that is precisely the aim. Each one of us has hundreds of such anecdotes and recollections which in their own way have shaped us into what we grew up into.
Col Pankaj Fotedar, VSM (Retd) (2019-03-06):
Sir as always .. could not take attention off the text even for a split second .. you made me relive my second term though feeling envious with the sheer numbers that you had as your pals .. Pankaj Fotedar
Bubesh (2019-03-07):
Great one..as always..
Keep writing
Sameer (2019-03-07):
Nice read Ashu bhaiya. Am sure all those who must have been to the academy must have become nostalgic of those fun days. In engineering colleges too this relationships of "Pal" used to get developed between Juniors and seniors however through more dreaded Avatar of ragging. Those who went through more ragging had more Pals and normally relationship which used to beyond college days.