UN Reform : Central Theme of India
November 02, 2022; By: AVM Anil Golani (Retd) Print Email
Candid Anil
Ukraine: India is at a Crossroads to Become a Leader in the Neighbourhood
“Peace has a mind of its own and doesn't follow victory around."
Candid Anil
Books : Best Companions
One of the best companions that a man or woman can ever have is a book. Dogs or other animals as companions do provide unquestioning loyalty and affection to human beings, but if one were to develop reading as a habit or pastime, the opportunities or windows that this hobby opens are unlimited. It is always good to keep abreast of developments in any field that concerns your profession, but for soldiers it is all the more important to not only learn from history, but also understand the vagaries of war, the destruction and suffering that it brings about and do everything that one can to prevent conflict. Coerced or forced into a situation when conflict is inevitable a soldier’s duty or “Dharma” is to fight for what is right, even if the fight is against one’s own family, as was taught to Arjuna by Lord Krishna in the epic battle of Mahabharata. The importance of Professional Military Education (PME) continues to grow for soldiers as they graduate from tactics to strategy in their respective services. With the constraints of time and the proliferation of social media, it becomes even more difficult for professional soldiers to devote time to reading, however, the benefits that accrue and the knowledge and wisdom that is gained could prove to be life changing not only for individuals but for nations as well.
Candid Anil
Three Years After Balakot : Is The Monkey Off India's Back?
As the attention of the world gets riveted to the impending conflict in Eastern Europe over Ukraine we must also take time to reflect on our region as we approach the third anniversary of IAF’s cross border Balakot strike. Code named ‘Operation Bandar’ (Monkey) in the early hours of 26 Feb 19, as people in India and Pakistan were fast asleep, 12 Mirages took off from India and crossed the border to carry out a punitive strike on a Jaish-e-Mohammed facility in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa region of Pakistan. Carried out in retaliation to the deadly Pulwama terrorist attack in which forty CRPF jawans were martyred the terse statement from the MEA stated, “ In an intelligence led operation in the early hours of today, India struck the biggest training camp of JeM in Balakot. In this operation a very large number of terrorists, trainers, senior commanders and groups of jihadis who were being trained for fidayeen action were eliminated.” India for the first time carried out a bold manoeuvre justifying it as a non-military pre-emptive action in the face of imminent danger as credible intelligence pointed towards more fidayeen attacks that were being planned. The intention of the government was clearly and unequivocally conveyed to Pakistan and the world that it would no longer resort to dialogue with a nation that repeatedly failed to live up to its promises made in 2004 that Pakistan would not allow its soil or territory under its control to be used for terrorism against India. The world opinion was in favour of India while Pakistan made attempts to deny the damage, claiming that the attacks only destroyed some trees and that there was no loss of life. This plausible deniability, an oft repeated tactic by the ISPR machinery in Pakistan was once again in full display, as it had been in the past during the Kargil intrusion which was initially blamed on militants and Kashmiri freedom fighters.
Candid Anil
Beware, The Ides of March
“Beware the Ides of March,” the famous lines from Julius Caesar, foretell misfortune in mid March. It was on !5 March that Julius Caesar was assassinated by a group of rebellious senators led by Brutus and Cassius. These famous words spoken by a soothsayer served as a warning to Julius Caesar of impending gloom, which he ignored to his own peril. Just like words once spoken cannot be taken back, similarly certain events in the history of nations may inadvertently lead to regrettable unintended consequences. In the light of recent developments between India and Pakistan, the unintended launch of a supersonic cruise missile would continue to be debated upon till some viable solution is found to prevent such an incident happening in the future or it could lead to disastrous consequences. Given the state of Indo - Pak relations, the absence of dialogue since the last overtures by the present government in 2015 came to naught following the Pathankot terror attack in January 2016, there has been a steady downward spiral in bilateral relations.
Candid Anil
Adieu Lata - The Diva of Indian Melody
"If music be the food of love play on' the opening lines of William Shakespeare's famous play 'Twelfth Night' personify the desire of an abundance of love for the protagonist who is frustrated in courtship, thinking that this would make him lose his appetite for love. The sad demise of India's icon of the music industry Lata Mangeshkar has created a void that can never be filled. For a generation that has grown up and aged listening to this melodious voice called the 'Nightingale of India,' 'Voice of the Millennium' and the 'Queen of Melody' it is difficult to fathom a life without Lata Mangeshkar. From the time that she began her singing career, after the initial struggles that she faced, seven decades of soulful renditions captivating the hearts of millions of people there has been no one like her. The reason why she occupies a special place in the heart of every Indian is also because her coming of age and growth is synonymous with India's independence and the growth of the Bollywood film industry. Despite revolutionary changes in technology that changed the way music is created she reigned supreme as the queen of melody. Her soulful voice had an unmatched repertoire that could resonate with any character from a forlorn lover pining for her beloved, to a woman scorned and a mother's pain and anguish, all portrayed in numerous songs that made emoting so much easier for the character on screen, all because of Lata Mangeshkar's lilting and melodious voice.
Candid Anil
Justice for the Victims of Flight PS 752
When wars and conflicts take place in society and nations fight with each other over territories, ideology and resources, casualties occur and people suffer for generations to come. However, when innocent lives are lost due to miscalculations or unforeseen situations during conflicts, the burden for their loss, invariably goes unnoticed and unpunished. In today’s age of digital media, TRPs and short term memory, past follies get lost into oblivion and justice is invariably denied to the victims’ families, unless the losses are colossal. While international courts and tribunals have a limited remit over nations to ensure compliance, leaders fail to take ownership and responsibility for the loss of innocent lives.
Candid Anil
Relationships sans Boundaries
There are certain stories that need to be told as there are certain relationships, which are more than bold. This little story defies boundaries of relationships like no other and has in its essence untold grit, determination and stoicism to boot. It was while I was posted at a senior position in Mumbai, sometime in 2015 that I got a call one fine morning from a lady who wanted to purchase a Dishwasher from the Unit Canteen. With my curiosity aroused, I had a chat with the lady in question who was an octogenarian having had an association with the Indian Air Force, albeit short lived. Her husband passed away in a fatal crash, just a few years into their marriage, leaving her alone to care for their young daughter who was just a child at that time in 1955.
Candid Anil
A True Requiem for a Soldier
While speculation is rife on the appointment of the next CDS, after the tragic and untimely demise of Gen Bipin Rawat and clamour for the urgency grows in the media, the government of the day goes about silently, doing what needs to be done. There is a process that needs to be followed, with due diligence, and unnecessary speculation and lobbying must give way to patience and faith in the system. The Department of Military Affairs or DMA, that got created with the appointment of the CDS in Dec 2019 was a monumental reform executed by the present government towards increasing synergy and accountability in the existing system. As per its mandate the DMA was to play a crucial role in bringing jointness in procurement, training, posting and staffing for the services through joint planning and integration of their requirements. In addition the DMA also proposed integration through the formation of theatre commands, which was ‘work in progress’ at the time of the untimely demise of the incumbent Secretary DMA i.e Gen Bipin Rawat. The fact that the persona of Gen Bipin Rawat lent an urgency to implement change and bring about reform should not lead us to despondency or despair that the reforms would not progress or get derailed in his absence. While people or personalities, specially leaders leave their legacies, men in uniform must ceaselessly and silently continue doing what must be done and needs to be done in national interest. The mettle of a true military leader though tested in battle or conflict, nonetheless, is forged through years of training, sweat and toil and in consonance with the adage, “the more you sweat in peace, the less you bleed in war.”
Candid Anil
'Breathe !'
Every winter, post Diwali, Air Quality Index or AQI and pollution levels become the buzzwords. A lot of promises are made, solutions suggested, blame game reigns supreme and the citizens continue to suffer. It takes a toll, specially on the vulnerable, senior citizens, children and those with respiratory illnesses, apart from reducing life expectancy and adversely affecting the quality of life. Why is there 'apathy' writ large on the powers that be, the civic administration and the people in general. Schools and colleges are shut, government offices close in Delhi, people are advised to work from home and odd even schemes rolled out for vehicles to reduce the pollution levels.
Candid Anil
Air Veterans Commemorate 'Swarnim Vijay Varsh'
As the nation celebrates 'Swarnim Vijay Varsh' to commemorate 50 years of the Indo - Pak 1971 war and the liberation of Bangladesh there are many who have been silently doing their bit to honour the veterans of the conflict. A couple of ex air warriors of the IAF who left the service many years ago and have done admirably well for themselves in the outside world, not only did not forget the service ethos that had become a part of their lives, but also lived up to it. There are many who think, some speak, but very few actually do and ensure that it is done selflessly without vested interests.
Candid Anil
The Conscience Keepers' Conscience
The recent brouhaha in the media on women getting equal opportunities in the Armed Forces, by gaining an entry to the National Defence Academy might pacify the feminists and the 'sensational news' hungry population at large. Does it however have deeper underpinnings that require much needed attention. The fight for justice towards parity in work, opportunities, representation, equal pay for equal work, has gathered pace in the recent past, more so after the "me too" movement gathered momentum across the world. The Indian Constitution provided for universal adult franchise much before some of the advanced western democracies. The percentage of women voting in Indian elections has seen a marked and dramatic rise, reaching a watershed moment in the 2019 general elections wherein the percentage of women voters exceeded that of the men.
Candid Anil
Where is the Rainbow?
With the onset of the monsoon in India, suddenly spirits soar and the smell of wet earth, falling rain accompanied by overcast skies and cloudy weather bring a smile on parched lips. People also start looking out for rainbows, a phenomenon caused by reflection, refraction and dispersion of light in water droplets resulting in a stream of light appearing in the sky taking the form of a multicoloured circular arc.
Candid Anil
Character Maketh a Man/Woman
Character maketh a man or woman. Albert Einstein said, "Most people say that it is the intellect which makes a great scientist. They are wrong: it is character." Now you could replace "scientist" with any other vocation or profession. Last week, amidst the continuing cacophony of Covid news with blame games being played out in the media, two other images stood out. One was of the serving Naval Chief, Admiral Karambir Singh doing push - ups with his erstwhile National Defence Academy squadron mates, while on a visit to the Academy to review the graduation parade of the 140th Course, and the other, of young Nitika Kaul Dhoundiyal being 'pipped' on commissioning into the Indian Army at Officers' Training Academy Chennai. Both these pictures convey stories of camaraderie, grit, determination, humility and above all, character.
Candid Anil
Global Peace and Stability
"There is a tide in the affairs of men, which taken at the flood leads on to fortune. Omitted all the voyage of their life is bound in shallows and in miseries. On such a full sea are we now afloat. And we must take the current when it serves, or lose our ventures."
Candid Anil
On a Wing and a Prayer
The current pandemic raging across India has its denizens seeking divine intervention to alleviate their pain and suffering. While a lot has been written on the virulent virus SARS COV 2 and the comparison with other nations on our mortality rate, do we actually need the courts to tell us what we need to do during this calamity. Failure of governance is probably as old as the government itself. Both these words are derived from the French words gouvernance and governement. Good governance actually signifies a participatory form of governing that functions in a responsible, transparent and accountable manner based on the principles of legitimacy, efficiency and consensus for the purpose of promoting the rights of individual citizens, their welfare, well being and equitable development without any bias to any community, region or individuals. The legitimacy of the polity is derived from elections and participatory governance is the "sine qua non" of any functioning democracy.
Candid Anil