The Editor’s Foreword

It is said that ‘Time Flies like an Arrow’.  This proverb implies that time travels at a very high speed, and also that it can move only in one direction: forward. Therefore, just as the arrow cannot return to the bow, yesterday can never come back. As for the speed, I notice that this is relative, as Einstein has observed. The forty minutes on the drill square took an eternity to pass, especially if you were on an extra-drill awarded to you for a trivial offence. Yet, one day, you suddenly discover that half a century has gone by since the day you joined the Academy! 

It has now become customary to celebrate the golden jubilee of joining the great institution in Kharakwasla. Air Cmdre Ashok Chhibber has sent us his account of the re-union of the  31st NDA course, in the form of a poem which is recorded between pictures, but stands out, since it is in a different colour. I have added four pictures pulled out of my album, taken in 1960. They contain two pictures taken at night which won a prize. It was not easy to capture such scenes with those primitive cameras. And then, there is a picture taken through a broken window. A great storm in Aug 1960 blew away the window, along with its frame, and since this was on a cabin on the top floor, it presented a scary scene. I was in my sixth term, and went to meet the unfortunate occupant of that room. I asked him whether he felt scared when his window blew away, and the brave young second termer replied, most nonchalantly,  “Not at all, Sir. I was quite sure that the bed bugs would hold me secure to the cot!” And the fourth picture shows Joseph Thomas with Chaudhary of Able Squadron. And at the end of the piece, Thomas has inserted links to a few clips. Those who have the time and the inclination may view them at their leisure.

Now over to Ashok.

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Milestone Fifty!

By Air Commodore Ashok Chhibber, AVSM

(An Ode to the Course by ADC)

 

 

It was early January Nineteen Sixty Four,  

 

When youngsters ninescore and a few more,
Set forth to a place “Poona se thoda hi fasla”

 

 

 A place called NDA at Khadakwasla

  

We were the cadets of the Thirty First Course

 

Full of “josh”, abounding happiness, and no remorse;

 

 

 

 

Jan the Fourth, the training commenced, Within

the Academy precincts all un-fenced. They

trained us in classrooms and the outdoors,

Studying, running, and at times, on all fours

From the Sudan Block to the Lone Tree Hill,

Everything was on the Government’s bill.

Front rolls, FSMO and Chindit order, rig changer

Made us bond together most unlike total strangers;

 

 

Drill square, PT, games and extensive studies,

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Turned us all in to lifelong buddies How  time flew no one knows, of course,

 

As we trifurcated into Army, Navy and the Air Force

 

 

 

 

Later we retired from the Service we had chosen,

 

  

 
Memories lingered and in our minds firmly frozen.

 

At Pune now we met again in December twenty sixteen

 

 

 

 

 

When we chatted about then, now and the days in-between

Friends came from lands far and near

To relive our days that we hold so dear

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Some guys and ladies have moved to their celestial abode

  

 

Their memories from our minds we shall never erode

 

 

Now, as we drank, danced, sang and had a time so fine Our Milestone Fifty ended to the tunes of Auld Lang Syne Auld Lang Syne 

 

( And, HEY Even if it sounds too early or silly, Let’s vow to meet again for the Diamond Jubilee)

 

 

 

 

 

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Some Links to Clips Depicting the NDA

After reading the poem composed by Ashok Chhibber and seeing the above pictures, it is possible that some of us, specially the NDA guys may like to view some ‘glimpses’ of the Academy. For their benefit, we have picked up the links to a few clips from the archives. For those who have the time, and the inclination to see them, the links are given below: 

Auld Lang Syne (NDA POP)

Dipti Harwani hosting the NDA Ball Autumn term

 

NDA India sqn reunion 79

 

NDA-Academy Ki Yaadein

 

NDA rocks

 

NDA Ball