![]() Also, Thapa had not made an appearance at all in the identification parade.Ī seemingly exasperated Rakesh Sharma sat tapping his fingers on the table impatiently as Bipin confessed he could not identify the man. 'Well! You seem to have lost your ID card. A bewildered Bipin could not identify the man, since all the fair and slim Gorkha boys looked similar to him. 'Which of them is your sahayak?' he asked. 'Who is your sahayak?' When Bipin looked unsure, Sharma summoned the boys who had gone to pick him up from the railway station. ![]() 'No one has given it to me,' Sharma exclaimed, looking a little miffed. 'Good morning, Rawat!' Sharma replied, looking up from the papers he had pretended to be busy signing. 'Welcome to the unit! Let me see your identity card, please.'Ī puzzled Bipin replied that he had already handed over his ID card to his sahayak, who, he was told, would be delivering it to the adjutant. He greeted Sharma with a crisp salute. '2Lt Bipin Rawat reporting, sir!' he said. 2Lt (later Lt Gen.) Rakesh Sharma, also a participant in the mischievous plan, scampered across the corridor to ensconce himself firmly in the unit adjutant's chair just before Bipin marched in. In twenty minutes, the jeep had driven into the unit location, where the sentry on duty quickly gave a call to the main office, announcing the new sahab's arrival. Thapa led him to the jeep waiting outside and, instructing the driver to drive the 'new saab' to the unit location, assured Bipin that he would follow in the one-tonne along with the luggage. By then, the other soldiers had picked up the luggage waiting on the platform. Bipin reached into his pocket and handed over his identity card to Thapa. Adjutant Sahab has asked for it),' Thapa informed Bipin in Nepali, blinking innocently. Adjutant Sahab le mangarnu bhaeko cha (You will need to give me your identity card. 'Ma timro sahayak hun (I am your sahayak.') Bipin saluted him back. 'Ram Ram, hajur!' he bellowed, clicking his heels together and bringing his arms smartly to attention. Thapa broke into a quick sprint and was there by Bipin's side in a flash. It left no doubts about the identity of the officer who, at that moment, was busy dragging down a heavy khaki canvas bedroll with thick leather straps. Stencilled on the side of the box, in bold white font, was '2Lt Bipin Rawat, Indian Military Academy, Dehradun to Amritsar'. 'Pahilo kaksako dibba,' he called out, pointing towards the first class carriage from where a smartly uniformed and slim Pahadi officer was stepping down-beads of perspiration on his face, cheeks red from the effort of pulling down his shining black steel box, which now rested on the platform. As the train whined to a stop, Thapa hastily put on his jungle cap and, reminding the four Gorkha troops with him to not address him as 'Sahab' in front of Bipin, started walking along the platform to look for his guest. ![]() ![]() The noisy steam engine rushed past him, pulling along its cavalcade of bogies. There was the wail of a horn, and Thapa looked up to find a train thundering down the tracks. The then Commanding Officer of 5/11, Lt Col (later Brigadier) Ravi Devasar, was out of the unit location for some official work that day and completely unaware of the mischief brewing behind his back. A delighted Thapa had rubbed his hands in glee and immediately agreed. He had been tasked to receive Bipin and steal his identity card. All he had to do was remove his rank insignia. With narrow, twinkling eyes and a guileless smile, Thapa was tailormade for the role. Being a Gorkhali, he had been chosen to pose as Bipin's sahayak (helper). Thapa had driven down to the railway station in a jeep, bringing along a one-tonne (truck) for Bipin Rawat's luggage. It also added some excitement to the lives of the officers and men, who were a little bored with their staid regimental tenure at Khasa, a small army cantonment near the Wagah border, about 14 km from Amritsar. A mischievous plan had been hatched to rag Bipin, and it was now being put into action. ![]()
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |