TENT REP PICTURE

Tent Story & NCC of 1966-67

Dwarkanath K  Murthy

This reminds ME, of pegging the tent, digging the trench around, making the floor, create open toilets, sleep on rough floor on a carpet, use multipurpose porcelain mug and plate for day and night, enjoy the night sky, probably clear and unpolluted, stillness of dark making the stars visible, in the sky of December-January, 66-67, at the sprawling landscape of Chandrayanagutta, with twenty tents in an order, making a pleasant scene. Guided by a military major and trained by BGEdwards (late) as the NCC commanding officer, enjoyed the TENT STAY

It was wonderful experience to stay in a tent, ten cadets in each, for 15 continuous days, (no bunking in between), with majority smoking at that young age and being non vegetarians, was a tough time to get accommodated. Our NCC officer of College was one of the Director of physical education, Mr.BG Edwards , a 6 footer, ace basket player and national coach, also at YMCA in early sixties, known for cutting lots of humour.  

Unforgettable person is one Mr Majeed a senior under officer, senior fellow student, who was rough and tough supervising us with a wand in hand. At that point he was a terror. 

Till this day I have not been able to get standard adult shoes in BATA, so NCC shoes never came in my size. This became humorous for BGE saying "what your shoes are bigger than you". Invariably the 302 rifle was probably as long and as heavy as me, was the other bit of comedy.  The bi-weekly parade, attracted by the refreshments, though never satisfactory quantum vice, were enjoyable. At the end of the parade ordeal, way back home,  if small change like 5 or 10 or 25 paise available in the pocket, by two bananas or a nankatai biscuits in the military canteen opposite to the College, a subsidised one for 10 or 25 paise (3.5" in size) a feast, and peddle back happily a 10 Km cycle ride back home. 

On 19th of July 2016, our 50th reunion day, myself along with Narasimha Murthy*, went to drop our school drill teacher of ours, Mr. Augustine, now settled in Chicago for last 25 years, at BGEs place at Chappal Bazar, as he was ailing, Courtesy demanded that I should see my officer, but paucity of time did not allow. Unfortunately BGE passed away while we're at US last, in 2016 and I just sent condolence message to the department. 

Had the privilege of giving admission to BGEs daughter at Nizam College in 1996, by then he had retired, subsequently he moved to US worked on all jobs, being a catholic he had his own ways. Had met him just once later. As a school boy used to watchhim play basket ball at YMCA prior to 1965.

Question arises was it necessary to join, yes it was mandatory following the Indo-Pak war of 1965. The Jai Jahan Jai Kisan had the resounding effect with a bigul.

A good experience with the National Cadet Corps..

*he was also a NCC cadet under BGEs guidance in the same College, but a year later to me.

"The world is so small"