Ablaze in a Blizzard

The Regimentation. So we have seen how the officers are of different types and how each category was looking service. If pariotism was the main source of inspiration to join the Army then there may not be much difference. But it was not so in service. Each one was trying to play his game in such a way that he is always in the good book of the commanding officer. Ganesan was straight , blunt and physically very strong generally much better in overall performance. But that seems to be not sufficient enough to impress the commanding officer.The CO had his own way of assessing the performance of officers.

Ganesan returned to unit after marriage and the unit had temporarily moved to Jaisalmer, Rajasthan. On one evening when the officers were playing games, the staff officer to CO called Ganesan, gave the office locker key and requested him to trace his confidential report and sign it and return the key. Ganesan went and opened the locker and found that in a file all officers confidential reports were kept. In the process of finding his report he could n't avoid seeing other officers reports. To his surprise few of the officers who were much below standard than him were graded much above him. Ganesan could not understand in what way he was inferior to them. However he could not complain as it was confidential and he was graded above average. But Ganesan was dis appointed and felt that patriotism has different meaning in the Army.

4ER moved from Bangalore to LEH in oct 1974 and Ganesan was posted to MEG&Centre, Bangalore. But the CO ordered Ganesan to go by Air to Leh and wait for the Regiment to join. When the Regiment reached Leh Ganesan was ordered to move to kargil and report to 121 Independent Brigade as their Field company commander and relieve 411 Para Field company. Though Ganesan did all these without any hesitation he held the feeling that he had been rated below few officers and he was under orders of posting to MEG.

Since the Regiment moved to high altitude in Oct-Nov with out much acclamatisation quite a number of officers and men were falling sick. The officer who was incharge of snow clearence at Changla to keep Leh-Dharbog road open fell sick and Ganesan was asked to take over that task. Ganesan went there and happily doing the work. But there was heavy snow fall one day and Ganesan's assistant officer fell sick. Ganesan took him to Leh and got him admitted in the military hospital. It was about 4 months after his postin out and still he was not relieved. He had an argument with CO and left Leh in Feb1975. Contd.....