Adieu Nandybo!

Captain Arun Kumar Nandy aka Nandybo (Acronym for Nandy boy because of his energetic countenance) is the latest casualty of Covid-19 from among my naval course mates. On the 7th, the last message that he had sent on our course What'sApp group was, 

"My O2 level has dropped to 89-90 but Ruma's Sp O2 level is better at 95. I have a consistent low grade fever too. I was at Base Hospital and commenced a heavy dose of antibiotics and steroids course to retrieve the O2 levels. X-Ray too shows fair level of chest congestion. But it is felt that it is better to battle it out at home rather than getting admitted as secondary level infection at Base Hospital is on a high. Also managing a O2 cylinder just as a precaution if levels persist at 80s.

Hence avoiding WA for some time, till I tide over the crisis. Thanks for the good wishes from one and all. Deeply touched".

Yesterday evening, his condition had worsened and he was admitted into the Base Hospital for better medical management. Around 1812 hrs, this evening, I got the news that he had passed into the mist of time, leaving me numbed and shocked.

I would like to recapitulate the good moments that we'd shared from the time we met on board INS Delhi in Spring '77, after passing out from the NDA. At the Academy, he was in Kilo Squadron while I was in Hunter, we rarely criss-crossed each other but met at the service classes in the NTT (Naval Training Team) but were not that close.

On Board INS Delhi As Cadets

We were involved in flashing/semaphore exercises on the poop deck, one afternoon. Nandy, as usual, was up to mischief and was caught by Lt Sam Vazir Mohammed, one of our Training Officers who asked him to carry out 20 push ups. Nandy gave him a lost - such a lost one at that - look as if to say that he couldn't decipher what the officer meant. The Officer, then, proceeded to give a demo much to our surprise, to make him 'grasp' the nuances of the punishment which he 'innocently' carried out thereafter. All of us desperately suppressed our chuckles.

P Jayapal is one of our course mates. Many of our friends used to pronounce his name in such a manner that I was convinced he should be called 'JayaPaul' and had added a twist - a combination of Jaya Bhaduri and Paul Newman. I think it was Nandy who'd guffawed the most and the longest; it has become an oft quoted acronym in our course!

The 'Ambuda trophy' and the 'Kichodhara chuckle' were the products of those days - the one-liners and the puns thrown up by me and given wide publicity by Nandybo.

During our Midshipman days, we were on separate ships, he on board Brahmaputra and I, on Beas and hence there weren't much of interaction except for the times that we met in the harbour, at Kochi.

During The Sub Lieutenants' Courses

Both of us were in the same group for the Subs' Courses from Jan '78 and we'd lots of fun. We studied, played and worked hard. I think it was during that time that we got to know each other well and became lasting friends. He'd taken me many a time to his house at Andheri and the occasions were full of fun and frolic. At INS Valsura, in Jamnagar, we'd a tricky situation with one of the instructors which saw the both of us losing seniority!

It was during our attachment with the Signal School that the epithet Y(3-R) was originated to denote Vaithee of our course.

But the maximum were churned out during Mr Mathews' class during our attachment with the Naval Academy. Teck-nickel (technical), Fuck-ulty (faculty) and You Yes (US). I still remember the day when the last of the lot was formalised, Nandy let out a muffled guffaw and we could feel a movement behind us - we were the back benchers, you see - and looking behind, espied the CinC, Adm OS Dawson going out of the class, with a smile on his face! He, probably, took it as our boyish pranks in an otherwise boring class!!  

At Long Course

While I was at INS Hamla, in Malad doing my LLMC, during 1983-'84, he used to be a frequent visitor to the establishment to spend the evenings with me at our Mess. There were so many things that we used to discuss which were of interest to the two of us and laugh out, making many wonder as to whether we'd gone mad!

We continued to meet each other during our professional lives - at various places - and found that we always had time to spend time with each other. Our frequencies just matched and the PJs were galore.

At Puri

The last time we'd met was at Puri when we'd our course get together in Nov '19. I was saddened to see his wobble as both his knees needed replacement - which he said that he was going to do shortly, after his retirement recently. 

Our interactions continued unabated through our course mates' What'sApp group and our one-to-one channel. He was fond of my PJs, one liners and puns - often out of place - during his lengthy discourses on Bollywood movies of the past and the IPL matches and he never failed to acknowledge them promptly. 

And how can I ever forget Nandy with a 'why' and not Nandi with an 'eye'?

Since Puri, I've lost RBS Gill, Kalanidhi and now, Nandy. Those guys are having a ball up there with no one to pull their legs....hmm....they can't be left like that for long!

RIP Nandybo. Will miss you terribly. My salute, tears and prayers for a great friend! Here's wishing that Ruma and your children have the strength to tide over these difficult times.

Tailpiece.

Got up about half an hour late, the chores. Cdr MJ Paul gave a call that lasted more than an hour. Consequently, was ready by a half past 10.

Heavy rains in the afternoon.

PS.

Dateline 12 May

Today, Nandy's ashes were immersed in the placid waters of Oakhla, Delhi by Buro, his son and watched by his wife, Ruma. Have to revisit Rana's quote on the occasion.....

 "Life is real! Life is earnest!

   And the grave is not its goal;

   Dust thou art, to dust returnest,

   Was not spoken of the soul".