"0" HOUR.."100" MINUTES..."100" HOURS...."100" DAYS..... : THE STORY SO FAR !

Preamble

A few family members, some friends, a few peers and a handful of seniors from the forces gave some really rave reviews and comments to my FULL CIRCLE: QUE SERA SERA article posted soon after superannuating from the Defence Forces. Those of you who did not read that article are welcome to check it out at this link (however, allow me to give the disclaimer that reading the earlier article is not essential to comprehend this piece, though there are some precedences which appear in both the articles ....) 

"0" Hours: Rendered Nugatory !!

Despite my parents (Krishan & Reva), wife (Ranju) and kids (Abhimanyu & Arundhati) having wanted very much to be a part of the "farewell from arms" - the uncertain times we exist in, the live and present danger of CORONA coupled with the mandatory quarantine period while entering an Army Cantonment - precluded their presence for the farewell ceremony.

So, there I was - a solitary Warrior Scholar (my nom de plume affectionately bestowed upon me by my Army Commander - Lt Gen Alok Singh Kler, PVSM, VSM - when he unveiled my book BIOLOGICAL DISASTERS:THE CITY BEAUTIFUL (UN) at HQ South Western Command, Jaipur on 24 Nov 2020).

After three decades of service in the country's Armed Forces, having lived the charmed life as a "Black Beret" officer and later as the Commandant of "50 Armoured Regiment" - an elite Regiment of the Armoured Corps, the inevitable finally happened on 31 Dec 2020.

I hung my spurs !!

The associated feeling of elation at having completed my service to the nation was strangely mixed with a feeling of "weightlessness" akin to being suspended in "Zero Gravity". The organisation with which one had identified with and which was the bedrock of one's existence for the past so many years, had suddenly vanished in a jiffy. I felt alone and forlorn, enveloped with a strange and unfamiliar, deep sense of loss. As I started my drive back from Hisar to Panchkula - my entire existence appeared nugatory.

The solitary drive home started at 2:00 pm. I do not particularly remember too much about the drive, other than the fact that at exactly 3:40 pm - exactly "100" minutes since I had started the drive I received a call from a revered family member - Mr Vijay Mahajan - a friend of my father: whom he fondly called "Kishy" (short for Krishan). He spoke with me at length; intuitively sensing my pensive mood, he assured me that the "Zero" feeling pervading my mind wasn't going to last and something bigger and better would for sure be awaiting me on the other side of the Rubicon. He reminded me of this epic quote by Ronald Reagan and motivated me to, cheer up, smile and look forward to facing the future with the fortitude of a Veteran - who had paid his due to the motherland.

Celebrating the Return of the "Fear Naught": Warrior Scholar

The return home was absolutely remarkable. Made even more special by the stupendous amount of preparations to welcome me by the Three Musketeers (Ranju, Abhimanyu and Arundhati) and a few friends of Arundhati - Simran, Pious and Ananya. There was an air of festivity in the environment. The hall was decked up with a humongous "Happy Retirement" sign, shimmery streamers and balloons (Gold and Black - one for each year of completed service). The pièce de résistance was the sensational and stupendously designed cake with the inscription of "FEAR NAUGHT / GLORIOUS ERA"; complete with a camouflage theme, fondant placards of all that had been remarkable about my service and my being (Computers / Books / Doctorate/ Mic / Music/set of Dog Tags & a T-72 Mk 1 tank). The "Zero" feeling evaporated into thin air as one got caught up with the celebrations, viewing the emotional movie curated by my daughter - Arundhati and welcoming "2021".

The Call at "100" Hours...

Ever since returning to active soldiering in Oct 2020 - after attending the extended - offline/online Defence General Management Programme at Indian Institute of Management (IIM), Lucknow - with the help of the industrious Placement Committee one had been actively applying to various organisations. Not knowing what the future actually held for me one went about the task of preparing various versions of one's CV, scouring various offline and online job sources, awaiting the call for an interview and then hopefully an appointment letter of final placement.

In the midst of this uncertain landscape, courtesy Cmde Kartik Krishnan (Retd), IN, I came across a Job Description floated by the Clinton Health Access Initiative (CHAI) and seeing that I met the requirements listed - applied. I was subsequently put through the paces of a series of sequential online interactions. The results of these interactions remained unsaid and I was left wondering about what my future actually held for me.

As indicated earlier I officially hung my spurs and converted from a "Serving Officer" to a "Veteran" at 12:00 pm on 31 Dec 2020. You might call it anything - coincidence/happenstance/enemy action, but I cannot get over the fact that on 04 Jan 2021 at 4:00 pm (exactly "100" Hours since the D-day) I received a call from Ms Shikha Mathur, HR Director of CHAI - and she confirmed my selection for the appointment of PMU Lead - Immunisation for the team being constituted for Uttar Pradesh. The icing on the cake was that I was to be based out of Lucknow - my home town. I was more than glad to accept the offer and replied in the affirmative and joined within a week of the offer acceptance and soon thereafter relocated to Lucknow. The quote of "Muskaraiye Aap Lucknow Mein Hain" fitted my life story to a "T".

The prophetic words of Mr Vijay Mahajan - resonated in my heart and I sent up a silent prayer to God almighty and heartfelt gratitude to my parents/well-wishers blessings and especially to Cmde Kartik Krishnan (Retd), IN for having shared that all-important Job Description with me in the first place.

Happy Days Are Here Again !!

I hit the deck running as the State Representative of CHAI and was welcomed into "Team UP" with open arms and heartwarming smiles. Living at home with my parents - life was akin to a "dream come true".The three of us (Father / Mother / Self) made the most of the time together and we "painted the town red" in the true sense of the word. There was scarcely a weekend when we did not make some elaborate plan of going out for a movie or just for some "tafreeh" / eating out / visiting old friends / revisiting those "gali / mohallas" which were favourite haunts in the era gone by. My parents surprised everybody in the CHAI office by taking a Metro ride one afternoon and landing up unannounced to meet everyone and bless all of us - in "Team UP". Life was REALLY GOOD.

Too much happiness apparently isn't something that gels well with me. It appears that this quote makes its unexpected appearance when it is least expected and one is made to realise the enormity of the unbeatable will of the God Almighty, what he has ordained, the nature of inevitability that life hands to each one of us and the complete insignificance of ones own plans, for the future - our very existence in fact.

The "Ides of March"

The "Ides of March" came down upon me and the "Bhatia" family like a ton of bricks. Happenstance / Coincidence - seems to have struck again......with rather unpleasant consequences - this time around.

• A sudden unexpected downturn in my father's health at 6:00 am on 04 Mar 21 morning, became serious within a matter of minutes and before we could even realise what was happening, I found myself standing outside the Operation Theatre of the Command Hospital, Lucknow where my father was being operated for a malignant blood clot in the brain. 62 hours passed in a jiffy and at 8:30 pm on 06 Mar 21, "Kishy" lost the battle and went away silently to the folds of God Almighty - his maker. All through this trying episode, the support that I received from the Forces and the quiet tacit understanding of my predicament by the CHAI hierarchy (at Delhi HQ as also by the entire MP / Bihar / UP Teams) needs to be saluted, acknowledged and celebrated. Thank You ALL for having my back.

• On the very same day (04 Mar 21) at 9:00 am, my daughter Arundhati - while appearing for her JAG SSB selection process at Bangalore, suffered a serious debilitating fracture on her left foot and had to be airlifted to Lucknow - where my father was battling between life and death. She was admitted and operated in the neighbouring Base Hospital, Lucknow. She went into the Operation Theatre smiling and came out richer with two screws in her left ankle.
• A few days later, my Mother-in-Law (Mrs Mahendra Kharbanda) was discovered with a "Macular Hole" in the Retina of her right eye, for which a major surgery was necessitated to be expeditiously performed. We were able to provide the requisite medical aid and her eye surgery - a procedure called "Vitrectomy" was performed and despite her advanced age, I am glad to report that she emerged unscathed and victorious.

The "100" Days - The Story So Far...

The decision to join CHAI has been probably one of the best decisions that I could have taken. Had I not joined CHAI at Lucknow, I would never have been able to spend those memorable few weeks with my father, would not have been by my mothers' side when she needed me the most and could not have been able to coordinate his emergent treatment to the best of our ability before he passed on to "Valhalla". Both Arundhati and my mother-in-law are rapidly improving and God willing both of them will convalesce expeditiously and regain their capability to Walk Unaided and 6/6 Sight, respectively - sooner than later.

I have no hesitation in stating the fact that the journey so far has been absolutely spectacular and unique - both as a "Serving Officer" and now as a "Veteran". It reinstates my belief in the adage which my Mother (and also Amitabh Bachan) always reiterates - Man ka ho toh achcha .... na ho toh zyaada achcha !! kyun ki phir wo Ishwar ke man ka hota hai, aur Ishwar aap ka hamesha achcha chahega !!!

I close this piece by a fervent wish that we should all bow to the will of God Almighty. The events in the recent past have made me a firm believer in this expression so succinctly stated by Samuel Rodigast in his poem "Whatever My God Ordains Is Right".

Today at 12:00 pm as I complete exactly "100" days as a "Veteran", I decided to share a glimpse of these turbulent times with my family/friends/peers/colleagues/readers, for that matter everyone in the extended LinkedIn family.

Thank you for being a part of my journey.......Deeply appreciate your continued support and benevolence.