An investiture ceremony from the past.

Today's investiture ceremony at the command parade ground at Kochi, saw yet another batch of officers and men of the Indian Navy being awarded medals of gallantry and meritorious service by the Chief of the Naval Staff. The gaiety, pomp and celebrations associated with the occasion were very much evident all over the base, as Sebastian drove me into the office in the morning.

And I was transported 23 years back in time, to another such ceremony where I was presented with a Naosena Medal(Gallantry) for my exploits in Sri Lanka during 'Operation Pawan' while in command of the landing craft, INLCU L36! It was Apr 1988 and the venue was the Kohli stadium of the Western Naval Command at Bombay.

Every award winner is permitted to get two close relatives to take part in the events connected with the Investiture Ceremony. Since I was a bachelor then, there was no wife and my parents were unable to attend as they're busy at their work. I'd, therefore, invited my friends Dr. Dinesh Kapadia and his wife, Indu staying at the Marine Lines opposite Opera House to be my chosen relatives and boy, didn't they enjoy their outing with the IN? I remember them clapping the loudest and the longest as my citation was read out and the Chief pinned the medal on to my chest.

The defining moment was when Indu said that she was proud to be associated with a brave, young naval officer and she reinforced this aspect in many get togethers that she'd organised subsequently!

PS.
Dinesh and Indu had become my friends thanks to the Indian Railways in Jan '79. Dinesh, by virtue of being the President of the Indian Dental Association, alongwith Indu had come to Madras to attend their annual conference. They're stuck at Arakkonam thanks to a lightning strike called by the locomen of the Southern Railway and on the advice given by the railway staff that guys from the defence forces were the most accommodative on such occasions, had approached me for help as I was on board the only Bombay - bound train that day. I and my friend had accommodated them in one of our berths in the Ist class while I offered to sleep on deck with my hold all spread. That was the beginning of our long association!