The Path That Spoke!

Last Year, I set myself a small target, to go on a walk. 

I walked through roughly 200 Kms of one of the worlds' most picturesque coastal landscapes, thanks to the opportunity of a lifetime given to me by the Divine Force and the support of my loved ones.

The Path I walked acted both as Guide and Mentor, speaking to me and giving me valuable Lessons All the way.

Be Thankful , Be Humble, Be Happy 

There Are No Destinations

The Journey Is The Destination

Have a Plan, Stick to It

Else Have a Plan B and Stick to It

Choose The Path Carefully
What Seems, May Not Be True

Keep On The Path , Stay The Course

If Its Easy Check If Correct

Shortcuts = High Price

Ups & Downs, Twists & Turns

-All Part Of The Journey

Push Yourself, How Else Will You Know Your Limits

Stop, Breathe , Feel Alive

Small Steps At A Time

Beyond The Fog There is Sunshine

Don't Stay in the Fog, Keep Moving

Let Fear Show You The Danger

Don't Let Fear Become The Danger

Right Shoes = Long Journey

Have Your Feet Firmly On The Ground

You Can Go A Long Way Only In Your Own Shoes

Tie Up Loose Ends While You Can

( You Might Trip On Them Later)

Set Big Targets, Set Achievable Targets

Success is A Great Motivator

Nothing is Achieved Alone
Be A Team
The Journey Is More Fun Together

MA: More Thank a Two Letter Word

MA one's Mother. (informal noun: ma; plural noun: mas , "I want my ma") 

Origin English MAMA ---> MA (early 19^th Century)

It’s been 2 years since I have touched a Scrabble Board and the main reason being that I cannot get myself to make more than a two letter word MA in my mind when I see the board or think of playing Scrabble.

My bond with my Mother over a game of scrabble was much more than just the game; it was about all the adjectives of all the Self Less Love, Care and Friendship that my Mother offered me since I was born and over the years. How I miss Scrabble MA!

If my MA was around and I made MA as a small 2 letter word on the board, my MA would be sure with her closed eyes that I have done this only for all the possible Triple Letter , Triple Word Scores  wanting to be first on the Points Table and no less, that’s how well my MA knew me. 

What would follow would be more of what she always did , give the ones she loved  her warmth and a bubble to be happy and smile. Whats a Points Table in comparison to happiness for your Son.

There are few things that don't remind me of you MA and Scrabble is just another wonderful way you have ensured that you make me smile whenever I make a word. 

I am sure you are also Smiling and Leading the Points Table wherever you are. 

Love you MA!

Super Woman!

A Tribute to My Mother and All The Women Behind The Soldier.

Jai Hind Saab 4 JCO 80 other Rank Hazir Hain Shriman!

Sorry Saab .....

Ek Fauji Wife/ Ma /Party Planner /Counselor/ Friend/ Accountant / Investment Banker / Real Estate Agent /Daughter/Daughter in Law/ Packer and Mover in Short Ek All In One Hazir Hain Shriman!!

The woman behind a warrior  the most unrecognised and unappreciated part of the fighting forces family (unless receiving a posthumous medal on behalf of her brave husband)

A Special Ops operative albeit without the Uniform or Medals.

She is trained in

Supply (Food on the table all the time at any time, for few or a whole regiment)

Logistics (Moving houses, Cities, Short travel, Long travel)

Survival Skills (Making a home out off nothing at all)

Medical Skills (Bruises,Stitches, Appendices, Fractures all routine)

Signals Expert (Short sweet letters, One minute Hello Roger and Over conversations)

Jungle Warfare (Keeping Children busy in unheard of scenarios)

Behind all the Battles and the Medals, behind all the Pomp and Pagentry....with complete focus and resolve be at sea level or high altitudes in barren lands or dense jungles a Faujis wife is a support and combat arm like no other. 

Any tribute one pays to these silent warriors and home makers is little.

I am proud to have had a Fauji mother..one who faced all odds with a smile.

Laughter The Only Medicine!

In memory of my Mum, my oldest girlfriend. Miss you dearly!

If God wanted to appoint a brand ambassador for laughter in this world, it would have been my mother, no doubt.

From the time I remember my mother would laugh and try to make others laugh with her irrespective of the situation.

There are few who knew her and do not remember her laughter.

I do not know when she attained this nirvana and how she would be able to hide the darkest of moments behind this laughter.


The roar of her laughter was no less than that of a powerful engine driving all around her.

What a wonderful way you have left for me to keep remembering you Ma, am sure wherever you are there's lots of  Laughter and a lot of warmth of your love.

The Unsolvable Mathematical Equation of our Nation

(Warning : Satire on the One Rank One Pension Demand.)

I am no mathematical genius and algebra with all its, x's, y's α's & β's was a nightmare even in my 9th standard.

So imagine the plight of our Bureaucrats who by all right consider their entrance exam as the last milestone before getting into the corridors of power and of course our Political class most of whom thought they would never need to know the A of Algebra and hence got into politics, when they have to come across such a complex formula of proving

OR ≠ OP as opposed to OR = OP.

The formula is very close to my heart , but come on even a child in the kinder garden can find an anomaly in this without referring to Google or some App on a smart device.

How can OR be equal to OP????

O=O and R=R so by logic only OR = OR and where the hell did this "P come from???? 

Has our million+ strong Armed Forces who shoulder such great responsibilities of guarding the nation in PEACE & WAR not even got their basics in English or Maths correct?

There are a few interesting theories being floated,  

Theory 1 : Maybe a close friendly neighbour whose existence depends on the alphabet "P" has brainwashed and conspired to make "P" an all important alphabet for our country as well.

Theory 2 : Maybe it is just the Armed Forces way of using alphabets, any one close to the Forces knows that they skip alphabets as a habit. I mean its is a rule for them to write, A,B,C,D,E,F,G,H,J and conveniently skip I, so maybe they skipped R and wrote P instead.

Theory 3: The Armed Forces are used to using code, P is actually code for R and because they need the formula to be secret they have written it in its current form.


Theory 4: Just correct the formula by making OR = O {(P-Q)=R}

With all the bright minds at work the list of theories is getting longer, a suggestion to ask the Armed Forces the answer to the formula directly has been denied as it is considered as grave treason and would involve meddling in affairs of national security.

The policy makers assure the Armed Forces of a solution soon, they are considering investing in a supercomputer to be made locally for an undisclosed amount of money , they cant disclose the sum as it maybe many times the sum needed for OROP itself, they however are sure that it will take care of all further such anomalies in algebraic equations thrown at them.

I just hope the policy makers have ordered enough cooling fans as well, no not for their new supercomputer, but for the thousands of Veterans' whose voices are being ignored and needless to say the temperature is rising very fast.!!

Jai Hind!

भारत माता तेरी कसम, तेरे रक्षक रहेंगे हम

कोई दुश्मन कभी अगर भूले से भी देखले इधर

दीवारें हम बनेंगे माँ ,तलवारें हम बनेंगे माँ

छू ले तुझको किसमें है दम !

वन्दे मातरम , वन्दे मातरम !! 

(Song at the IMA)

ShoorVeer!

Shoorveer! (: बहादुर, साहसी). brave { adj. }.

This title was bestowed upon me by a wise old man. It felt nice to have been knighted gave me a sense of belonging in an alien land.

Over the years I formed a silent bond with the wise old man as he showed me how it was to age with grace, keeping his mind busy and body active till the moment he could.

Sharing his experiences, memories and thoughts without being imposing or judgmental. His witty one liners would provide encouragement and motivation when needed and kept our spirits high.

Cheers to your wonderful life and legacy, you will be celebrated and missed by this Shoorveer forever....and the atmosphere of your wonderful painting says it all.

The Grand Shave!

Last night my wife noticed her grandfather sport an uneven shave. One would imagine that @ the age of 99 and a few months away from his centenary, this would not matter!

However my better half's recent and not so recent exposure to military life has honed her inspection skills (also the fact that my dad shaves every day at 4:30 am be sun,rain,storm, I get away as I have her thinking of me as of one of the special forces kind and sporting a stubble every now and then)

Why not a clean shave? Whats the matter? A General inspecting his men would have missed out on noticing but not my better half.

But sharp that he is @ 99 , he softly explained that Philips had let him down. They apparently have not yet perfected the electric shaver with heads that can outlive him, (yes Philips you have 99 old users ,kindly inform your R&D team at the earliest)

In the back of his mind, he was probably calculating the amount of money he has spent shaving till date or thinking why he does not have at least a board position or a say in R&D in any of shaving industry majors with his experience of the perfect shave? Then there is the whole after shave market!!

Anyway the General was quick to react and special forces are not special without skills, Amazon it was , a quick confirmation by the end user to a model and on its way is a new Philips Electric Shaver  (How i wish an army was actually able to react and acquire inventory so quick with end user approval).

And it is with admiration that I got out of bed this morning, having hope that even @ 99 one can look forward to the day and in the case of the Good Old Chap , a GRAND SHAVE!

God Speed Amazon, this is one delivery I hope you don't delay.