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jaipur, rajasthan, India
retired Army Colonel

Friday, June 3, 2011

My USA visit. ......continued leg 5


Meeting old NDA friends will remain very special part of my visit to USA. I doubt, Pt Jawahar Lal Nehru and Lord Mountbatten, the founders of this great institution ever visualised the intensity of camaraderie that was to germinate amongst its cadets in years to follow. After tens of years we meet as if the clock has not clicked. I was lucky to meet PP, Dhindsa, Brig BK Jain,  RK Gupta, Shokin, Pritam Sirur, Kishan Sirohi in this foreign land. On one of those weekends in last month, we drove down to visit Washington DC.  PP lives there in suburbs; Burke, Virginia. He organised a dinner for us and called others to make it an unforgettable reunion of ex NDAs. Despite, Mrs PP working that day and next early morning they were to drive to visit their children who are studying at VCU at Richmond, he laid out best of scotch and sumptuous dinner. While sipping our drinks we caught up on the lost years. PP and I were together in War College at Mhow in 1995 and had not met since then. Dhindsa narrated his journey from Indian Navy to “7 ELEVEN” chain of stores that he runs on franchise now. PP is placed at a senior level in the same organisation. It was pleasure meeting Brig BK Jain and his wife who is from Jaipur (my home town). He is a war veteran from elite 9 PARA (SF) and lost his leg during “Operation Pavan” as part of IPKF in Sri Lanka. Presently, he is posted as Defence Attache to USA and doing great. He was also an attraction with Yuvraj and Vidushi during those small talks in the beautiful backyard of PP’s house. It was so nice and gratifying evening that would remain with me for ever.
 (Post Script: We got so damn’ talking old NDA stuff that slipped up on taking photo graphs….never to be excused but I still say “sorry”) 




   Shokin Chauhan was on official visit to Bahamas and he could manage to fly down to New York. RK Gupta picked him up from JFK and braught straight to my place. We had cold beer and lunch with Brownstone Diners here in Jersy City. We were updated by Shokin and RK Gupta narrated his immigration story with a tragic death of his brother who was to anchor his initial stay here. NDA guys sail through fighting and he did so.
 And now, Neeraj Tandon is insisting for quite some time that I must visit Canada where he lives. I need Visa for the same. We decided to meet halfway at Niagara Falls. That is how NDA course mates 

3 comments:

  1. I thought I among the few who took this step to migrate out despite a very promising future in the army: I find so many have done in the past.
    I really like the transition. It is hard but then like an eagle you have to grow new feathers and beak to stay for the next lot of years in your life. I love the everyday challenge

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  2. shashi: I admire you for that. I am, for one, not like you. I always just wanted to survive and keep the struggle to minimum inescapable. I never liked bindings on myself which are part of any road to success.

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  3. ...keep that promise, Raj. I will see you at Niagara in Jul...

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