THE LAWRENCE SCHOOLS – By Joseph Thomas
A word about Joseph Thomas At the age of 9, Thomas got a Govt of India merit scholarship to study at the Lawrence School, Lovedale. He was first in academics throughout. Completed his Senior Cambridge in 1957, setting a school record and was awarded the President’s Medal for best all round student. Joined NDA three weeks later. Continued to retain his top …
SIR HENRY LAWRENCE – By Joseph Thomas
Editor’s Note, When I was a child, a house on the Lawrence Roads, both in Lahore and Amritsar, was considered to be a prestigious address. Later I discovered that there was a road named after Sir Henry Lawrence in Delhi, too. And then when I grew up, some of my friends joined Lawrence School, Sanawar (Shimla Hills) At the …
JUSTICE CRAWLS By Rashmi Oberoi
The Editor’s Note In war, truth is the first casualty. The same happens when a road accident occurs. And, ‘Truth does not prevail’. Neither in battle nor in the courts of law, do the righteous triumph. Might is right, in both cases. In this post, we have the story of a brave young lady who went through a traumatic road accident. …
FLOOD PREVENTION IN THE VALE OF KASHMIR -by Joseph Thomas
A satellite image of Srinagar, as viewed on Google Crisis Maps. September 2014. The flood channel dug in 1904 exits from a bend in the Jhelum and goes to the left of the picture. The Vale of Kashmir is an intermontane valley, flanked by the main range of the Himalayas on the northeast and the Pir Panjal …
EYES IN THE SKY BUT FEET ON THE GROUND
A Tale of two Eminent Contemporary Men This is a brief story of two eminent men : Mr HS Malik (1894-1985) and Bhai Hira Singh ji (1889-1926) They both became well known and left an indelible mark on the sands of time. Their fields activity were very different, but they had one thing in common: their vision was high above the clouds, and …
A SALUTE TO MAJOR DHYAN CHAND
AN ILLUSTRIOUS NEIGHBOR After the Independence (which we called ‘partition’, those days) the first peace posting of our father, the late Major Balwant Singh ji was to Meerut Cantt, where we were from late 1947 to mid-1949. The house allotted to us was a hutment on the Grass Farm Road. A few buildings away from us was the house of the legendary hockey wizard, Dhyan Chand (29 Aug 1905- …
BEYOND THE DESTINATION
Foreword A few minutes before the Sun rises tomorrow, I will have turned seventy three years old. In our part of Punjab, when a person showed the first signs of senility, the people around said, “this man has become ‘sattare bahattare’ (which means seventy-seventy two years old) Therefore, do not take him seriously!” Now, I have crossed even that milestone! I beseech …
IN SEARCH OF MY MOTHER TONGUE
30th April 1997 Seventeen years ago, on the last day of April, our mother, whom we called ‘Jhaiji’ passed away. She died the way she had lived; at complete peace with herself, and without becoming a burden or inconvenience for any one, even for a single moment. She was diagnosed of cancer a few weeks before her demise, and she was with us …
A TRIBUTE TO KHUSHWANT SINGH BY COL SK KOHLI
Editor’s Note It is well known that Khushwant ji did not believe in Heaven and Hell. Therefore, it would be inappropriate to say that he has left for his Celestial Abode. To borrow his own expression, one may state that he has ‘proceeded on a long road to nowhere’ and agnostics like him might meet him on that path …
The Sibia I Knew by Brig Surinder Singh
Editor’s Note Col Saravjit S Sibia (XXIV Course, Kilo Squadron) was commissioned in the EME in Feb 1964. At the Academy some cadets are good at studies; and some are good in sports. Sibia was one of the few who excelled in both. He made a mark in Athletics and was an accomplished boxer. During service, he did well in …
