Blast From The Past:Sqn Ldr Rai

 MY FATHER IS AN OFFICER IN  THE INDIAN AIR FORCE AND HE WAS POSTED AS SENIOR LOGISTICS OFFICER OF 1 WING AT SRINAGAR FROM 2002-04.
 I STUDIED IN KV-2 AND COMPLETED MY CLASSES IX AND X FROM THERE.
 SRINAGAR, BEING A VERY IMPORTANT FORWARD BASE, HAD A LARGE ARRAY OF SQUADRONS.EACH SQUADRON CONSISTED OF AROUND A DOZEN OFFICERS.
 AFTER THE PARLIAMENT ATTACK ON DEC 13 2001, THERE WAS A HEAVY BUILD UP OF TROOPS IN J&K.SQUADRONS FROM OTHER BASES JOINED IN.
 SOON THE NUMBER OF OFFICERS IN THE BASE DOUBLED.IN THE EVENINGS THERE WERE PILOTS, NAVIGATORS, DOCTORS, AIR TRAFFIC CONTROLLERS AND FIGHTER CONTROLLERS IN THE BADMINTON COURTS, THE SQUASH COURTS, THE GYMNASIUM, THE TABLE TENNIS ROOMS AS WELL AS THE BILLIARDS ROOM.
 THAT WAS PROBABLY THE MOST EXCITING TIME OF MY LIFE.THESE WERE THE GUYS THAT I WANTED TO BE LIKE.THEY WERE ALL YOUNG 20-SOMETHINGS.THEY HAD SHORT HAIR BUT THEY LOOKED SMART.THEY ALL HAD BOMBER JACKETS, AVIATOR GLASSES, LEATHER BOOTS AND TIMEX INDIGLOS ON THEIR WRISTS.THIS WAS ALL PROVIDED BY THE LOGISTICS DEPT.
 I LOVED HANGING OUT WITH THESE GUYS.THEY SAW THAT I WAS AWED BY THEM SO THEY TOOK ME UNDER THEIR WING.THEY COACHED ME BADMINTON AND I ALSO PICKED UP SKILL-SHOTS IN BILLIARDS FROM THEM! AFTER THE SPORTS, I USSUALY RECIEVED  SODA-LEMONADES AS TREATS.
 THE RUNWAY AT THE SRINAGAR AIRPORT RUNS PARALLAL TO THE MAIN ROAD IN THE BASE.I USED TO CYCLE DOWN THE MAIN ROAD, WATCHING THE FIGHTERS TAKE OFF AND LAND.THEY USED TO PRACTICE BOMBING SESSIONS ON THE ATC AND USED TO FLY REAL LOW.THESE EXERCISES RAN FROM MORNING TO NIGHT.
 SOMETIMES WHEN I WAS PLAYING BADMINTON WITH THE GUYS, I WOULD SEE SOME PILOTS COMING BACK AFTER A SORTIE.THEY WOULD TALK ABOUT THE SORTIES WITH THE OTHER PILOTS.SOME WOULD SOON LEAVE SAYING THAT THEY HAD TO REPORT FOR NIGHT FLYING.
 THEY WERE NOT SCARED AT ALL.IT WAS AS IF THEY LOVED FLYING AND WANTED TO LOG AS MANY HOURS AS THEY COULD AND IF THEY WERE LUCKY, GET TO SEE SOME ACTION TOO.
 I LOVED THE WAY THEY USED TO TALK TO EACH OTHER, ALWAYS MAKING FUN BUT NEVER BEING RUDE.I ALSO NOTICED THAT THEY WERE VERY COURTEOUS WITH THE WOMEN.
 I HAVE MET A LOT OF PEOPLE IN THE AIR FORCE, WHOM I WILL ALWAYS REMEMBER.
ONE SUCH PERSON WAS SQN LDR RAI.
 HE WAS NOT A FIGHTER PILOT.HE WAS NOT TRENDY.HE WAS ALSO NOT A TWENTY-SOMETHING.HE WAS MARRIED AND HAD TWO SONS.I USED TO CALL THE YOUNGER PILOTS BY THEIR NAMES FOLLOWED BY "BHAIYA".BUT I CALLED SQN LDR RAI "UNCLE".
 RAI UNCLE WAS FUN TO BE WITH.HE USED TO PLAY CRICKET WITH SCHOOLBOYS WHICH INCLUDED HIS SONS, ME AND A FEW OTHERS.HE HAD PLAYED CRICKET AT THE UNIVERSITY LEVEL AND HE ALSO COACHED US SOMETIMES.
 ONE DAY, HE ASKED US TO PLAY OTHER SPORTS AS WELL AND GOT US TO PLAY SOCCER.HE PLAYED TOO.HE WAS FUNNY.AS HE WAS BALDING AROUND THE CENTER OF HIS HEAD, HE CALLED HIMSELF ZENEDINE "ZIZOU" ZIDANE.
 HE WAS PRETTY TALL.I REMEMBER ASKING HIM HIS HEIGHT.HE SAID,"I AM 6'1.BUT I USED TO BE 6'2." I ASKED HIM HOW AND HE REPLIED,"I USED TO HAVE A LOT OF HAIR BACK THEN!!"
 ONE DAY AT A PARTY,HE TOLD ME THAT FOR A GUY TO FEEL HAPPY, HE NEEDS TO BE GOOD AT FIVE THINGS.IF HE IS GOOD AT THESE FIVE THINGS, HE WILL SAIL THROUGH A LOT OF PROBLEMS EASILY AND WILL BE HAILED AS THE HERO AT THE PLACE WHERE HE WORKS/STUDIES/LIVES.

I AM SHARING THESE POINTS WITH YOU.

1.  HE MUST BE GOOD AT STUDIES.A PERSON EARNS RESPECT BY HIS KNOWLEDGE.HE PLACED THIS CRITERIA AT NUMBER 1.
2. HE MUST BE GOOD AT LEAST AT ONE SPORT.THE MORE THE NUMBER OF SPORTS A PERSON IS GOOD AT,THE BETTER.
3. HE MUST BE  ABLE TO PLAY ATLEAST ONE MUSICAL INSTRUMENT, IF HE CANT SING.
4. HE MUST BE GOOD AT PUBLIC SPEAKING.ADDRESSING THE PUBLIC IS AN ART.ONE MUST LEARN IT.
5. HE MUST BE A GOOD FRIEND.HE SHOULD ALWAYS TRY TO HELP THE OTHERS IN ANY WAY HE CAN.

I TRY TO FOLLOW THESE POINTS.I AM PRETTY AVERAGE IN POINTS 1,2 AND 5.POINTS 3 AND 4 ELUDE ME SO FAR.BUT I AM WORKING ON THEM.

THANK YOU RAI UNCLE FOR CONSIDERING A 14 YEAR OLD GOOF DESERVING ENOUGH FOR YOUR COMPANY AT THAT PARTY!!