Lifeline Through the Sky – Ladakh 1962
1…2…3……43 ! Lifeline Through the Sky – Ladakh 1962 By J Thomas Around 1960 Sqn Ldr Chandan Singh was a flight commander in 43 and he opened up valley routes for operation to Kargil, Leh, Thoise, Fukche and Chushul airstrips and to many DZs. Soon after, the C-119G Packets operated in strength and the AN-12s entered the scene. Fukche and …
DOES THE SUN RISE IN THE EAST AND SET IN WEST?
Does the Sun rise from the East? If the answer is an unqualified yes, then this story would not be worth reading. And if it is in the negative, it fouls with our primary school teaching. Permit me to mention that direction of the Sunrise and the Sunset varies with the latitude and changes with the seasons. The extreme deviations are …
The QWERTY Keyboard
April 1971 After completing the Advance Course on Radars, I was posted to West Bengal to command a Workshop Company. I had just earned my ‘Nine year long service medal’ and that made me feel pretty senior. My unit was located in a place called Kanchrapara, which was 48 kilometers north of Calcutta. When I landed up, I discovered that …
Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam (The Universe is one Family)
Editor’s Note This piece has been written by a former Army Commander,Lt Gen Yogi Sharma, in the first person singular. It is a poignant story of his discovering his life partner in a distant land. Fifty-five years ago, when communications were not as good as they are now, the step which they took to reach out to each other must have …
RIVULETS OF JOY and RIVERS OF SORROW
All the World is a Stage… What is life, and where are we going? This question has haunted human beings ever since they learnt to ‘think’. The great poet and playwright, William Shakespeare suggested that we are mere actors, and perform the roles assigned to us. In “As You Like It” this appears in the form of a monologue. The analogy …
A GLIMPSE OF OUR ROOTS
Preamble A great deal has been said and written about our illustrious and Saintly ancestor, Bhai Hira Singh ji (1879-1926). His accomplishments were extensively covered by the media of his times and functions are held all over the world in his memory on 2nd September every year. His biography has gone into several editions and his pictures adorn several museums, including the Golden Temple and …
A TRIBUTE TO AIR COMMODORE JASJIT SINGH by J Thomas
Veteran Air Commodore Jasjit Singh, AVSM, VrC, VM passed away in New Delhi, recently. He was a well-known Military Analyst, and did deep research on Air Power for the National Defense. A prolific writer, he has published several books and scores of papers for various journals and news papers. Veteran Wing Commander Joseph Thomas, VM introduced me to him in 1986, and I …
TIME TO BE ASHAMED by Bani Kaur
Bani is fifteen year old. Her father is an engineer-turned-farmer, and her mother is a highly talented architect. She has travelled to nearly all parts of this country, since her parents are very fond of exploring new places. She has a hyper sensitive mind and the ability to express her joy and anguish in appropriate words. The December 2012 incident left her moved beyond tears, and …
A TALE OF TWO SONS
A ‘Shravan Kumar’ in the Present Day Most of us have heard the story of the devoted young lad who carried his old parents in baskets for a pilgrimage. I was filled with awe when I read the tale of a young man who has been carrying his old and visually challenged mother in a similar manner in this century; …
Science Competitions for Students in the USA, by J Thomas
Introduction Every year, more than 9 million school students enter a science competition. Of those, several thousand students in classes 9–12 participate in the topmost levels of competition. These prestigious competitions include: Google Science Fair https://www.googlesciencefair.com/#!/en/2013/ The Google Science Fair is an online science competition open to students ages 13-18 from around the globe. Top prize is a $50,000 scholarship. …
