Spice of Life | When olive green legacy connects five generations

My nephew was recently commissioned at the Indian Military Academy, a moment of immense pride that sustained our family’s century-old tradition of joining the profession of arms. His status as a fifth-generation soldier did not go unnoticed by the Army Chief, who reviewed the passing-out parade.

Our military lineage dates back to the late 19th century when my great-grandfather took part in the Afghan Campaign in the North West Frontier Province, now Khyber Pakhtunkhwa in Pakistan. He was part of the legendary 36th Battalion of the Sikh Regiment (now 4 Sikh) during the era of the Battle of Saragarhi, though stationed at a different outpost. His son, my grandfather, joined the Royal Indian Artillery and served in both World Wars. A recipient of the Order of British India, he fought in the Battle of Bir Hakeim in North Africa in the Second World War (posted in 2 Fd Regt), a conflict that blunted the German Panzer offensive and turned the tide for the Allies.

Following suit, my father joined the artillery and fought in the defining wars of 1965 and 1971. I eventually joined the same regiment, commanding it during Operation Meghdoot on the Siachen Glacier, while my brother, now a Brigadier, opted for the infantry with 20 Jat. Even my nephew’s maternal side carries this DNA, with four consecutive generations seeing active service since World War I.

With this kind of background, where donning olive green is not an exception, but the rule, my nephew’s joining his father’s ‘paltan’ was a given. But when newspapers covered the story and the young officer became a celebrity on social media, I realised that families like ours have become a rarity. What was once a calling of nobility is no longer the sought-after career it once was, even for those with a military background.

Is it a preference for comfort over the rigours of combat, or a materialistic shift in society that dissuades the nation’s best from the uniform? Perhaps the ‘cut above the rest’ status of the forces has been diluted. Whatever the reason, the trend is concerning and does not augur well for the nation’s health and growth.

A soldier yearns for glory; it is pride that makes him charge even in the face of death. Has this self-esteem lost its sheen? Britain’s Iron Lady Margaret Thatcher once remarked that it would be a sad day for a country when a Brigadier’s son opts for money or comfort over his father’s regiment.

I take solace in the fact that by opting to join his father’s regiment, this Brigadier’s son reiterated that the country comes first. The stars that once shone in his eyes now shine brightly on his shoulders. [email protected]

The writer is a Mohali-based freelance contributor.