MAKE THE HAY WHEN THE SUN SHINES.

Opportunities are thrown in front of all human beings but maybe in different in quantity, type, and manner. I was given comparatively small opportunities by God, which I made use of in my limited capability for sure. I was not a very brilliant youth of extraordinary caliber, but an average human with a trait of God-given diligence.

As mentioned earlier, my first posting was in Adumpur, during the 1971 war, while most of the time I was on the runway end doing crash ambulance duties. I had hardly got one year to work on my trade, in Station sick quarters from where being junior most I was sent to runway end to be in a crash ambulance. I was disappointed first for being placed in a runway jungle after having passed out as best in trade and best in education, of which an inscribed brass bubble is still in the ever-rolling trophy of Medical training center, Bangalore. But the experience I got by seeing the sorties, taking off, and landing for thirteen days of the war was valuable. The award-winning article "The disastrous flight" got the subject matter from there. I had the best friends among AFSOs and MTDs, with whom I lived for two years. They motivated me for higher studies at Punjab University, from where I had a meritorious pass. The anecdote", Living with Mongoose"", also derived from the amusement hours with the Airfield safety operators.

When I reached Chabua, after my course in Physiotherapy, I was disappointed as usual as Chabua was not a glamorous Airforce station at that time. My senior veterans and I had earlier given a picture of Chabua during my time, in my anecdote. But, luckily I got a chance to work in my trade-in SSQ. I had been in search of some further study prospects because there was no other entertainment in that leopard and leech-infested tea gardens. It was not easy to get admission for BEd in the nearest university, Dibrugarh, which was thirty-six kilometers away from Chabua. I had some command-represented certificates of volleyball with me. I applied for BEd with these certificates and got admission for BEd in the sports quota, with a condition that I should join the practice every day in the university volleyball team. The BEd course is a regular course and not distant education. How will you attend regular classes to attain 80% attendance for eligibility to appear in the final exam? of theory and practical teaching? The fortunes wheel turned. There were great grumbling, bull shit, and brickbats for escaping from frequent night duties, especially among familied staff in SSQ. Like a "Messiah" (the promised deliverer in the Holy Bible), I came in their midst and volunteered for continuous night duties for one year. The night duty was from 7 pm to 8 am. Wg. Cdr. M L Saini was our SMO, calling, "betta, everybody," very considerate, next to Jesus, to everybody. He was a problem solver, rather than a problem creator. He was very happy to get the night duty problem solved unexpectedly. My problems just started only. There was no regular conveyance to Dibrugarh, other than a passenger train from Chabua station, 4 Kms away from AF station. This was not at all convenient for me in the morning, but, ok in the evening. Some strange doors of opportunity opened before me in my embarrassment. The rich tea garden owners and class one govt. officials came to A F Chabua in their car for an 8 am flight, which operated from AF Aerodrome on rent. It was very easy for my IAF Police friends in the Guard Room to arrange a lift every day for me to Dibrugarh on their return trip. These rich guys had to depend upon the mercy of the IAF Police to take their private car close to the Aeroplane, which, they considered a prestige rather than, alighting at guard room and traveling in Airline bus. It was a miniature" jugad", help for me. The night duties were not very tough so that I could prepare my teaching aids and lesson plans in my spare time at night. For that, I am thankful to God to whom, my main prayer was that the inhabitants of AF Chabua should have proper sleep without any nocturnal ailments and if ever there was some small sickness, that should be during the daytime, which was good for the patient also. I had my teaching experience in the Don Bosco English Medium High School, where, the Principal was Fr. Sebastian, who was from my place Kottayam. Many Airforce students were in that school as there was no K V in Chabua. This continued for one year and accomplished my task meritoriously.......Thank you AIR FORCE.

My infatuation for M.A.(English) in the next episode.

Thank you