Granite and conglamerated stones

OFFICERSHIP IN THE ARMY.
Readers would be aware that there are number of entry schemes for officership in the Army.
Direct entry schemes.The qualification for an officer would be is graduate in any discipline.There are number of institutions which educates and trains young boys suitable for Army service.After the +2 level education in these schools the boys can write UPSC Examination for entry into the National Defence Academy(NDA).Such schools are;

1.

     (a)Rashtria Indian military Academy.

     (b)Sainik schools.

     (c)Military schools.

     (d)Army public schools.

     (e)Govt and Private public schools.

     (f)Pre commission Training also given by Technical  Arms like Corps of Engineers,Signals

       and Electrical Mechanical Engineers.

2.Since graduation is edn qualification,any graduate can also write UPSC Exam.

3.NCC Enty scheme.

4.In addition to the above when the safety,honour and integrity of the country is threatened,Emmergency is declared and Emmergency commission is opened to graduates.

5Commission is also granted to serving soldiers on merit basis.

Irrespective of the type of entry all are given basic military training at Indian Military Academy,Dehradun.

To be contd......

What is great about Army

What is great about Army.
Officership in the Army used to be beyond the imagination of the general public in southern part of India They are agriculture workers and some of them did possess little land also.Most of the boys do not complete SSLC and get on to agriculture.Girls do not even go to school after their maturity.From such back ground Ganesan came out as an officer and started learning the tricks and trade of the Elite crowed.But unfortunately education or high style living do not guarantee Character.Honesty, Integrity,and Patriotism etc are to be thought over by the individual and developed on his own at the risk and cost of his upcoming.Even as a village boy Ganesan had such qualities and that is the reason he did not care to stick on to his kith and kin and earn his living at any cost.
  College of military engineering located at Pune.Maharashtra is the highest Training centre for the Corps of Engineers of the Army.Many civilians including well educated thing that Army means keep staying at the borders of the country and  keep looking at the enemy side through a set of binoculars.when you sight a person just shoot at him.It is not so .Army is a  multy disciplined organisation covering all aspects of science and technology and also physical,mental and psychological aspects of human life.
To be contd.....

Initiation to Army life.

Initiation to Army life.
The Army training for Officers used to be two years in four terms of six months each and a break of about 10 days after each term.Since the country was under Emergency and Army  being expanded  many folds Ganesan's training was cut short to 6 months and programmed accordingly.
The initial training was restless physical endurance and for village boys like Ganesan it was nothing new and he took it like fish thrown into water.Most of the practical lessons instructors were either Junior commissioned officers or Non commissioned officers and they took the classes in Hindi only.It was difficult for Ganesan to follow and he was at the mercy of his hindi speaking friends.Nevertheless his outstanding  physical fitness earned him "Corporal" appointment at the end of first three months training.
The next three months training was mostly on real war like situation based on real operations of 1947,62 etc.There was 14Km cross country run and obstacle competions and Ganesan had won prizes in both events.This had earned him "Atheletics"Blue at the Officers Training School.On 03 MAY 1964 Ganesan was commissioned into "The corps of engineers" and was directed to college of Military Engineering for Young Officers Training.
Ganesan went home as commissioned officer on 14 days leave and returned to CME.

Painfull parting
There was great un easiness and disturbances at home on hearing the news about Ganesan leaving PWD and joining the Army.Generally the impression with everybody in rural area is that Army means WAR FRONT,injury disablity and death only.so a general gloom was set at home.Ganesan's brother  went to an astrologer to find out life expectancy and safety of Ganesan.Then both of them went to a distantly known Army person to find out about Army life.He was a middle aged person who has retired from Army recently.After informal chat Brother introduced Ganesan and requested him to explain about life in the Army.He had an eyesight examination of Ganesan and talked high about Army life.Then he asked Ganesan what Trade did he get?Ganesan said that no trade is given.He was little disturbed and said that every person joining Army is given a trade including Barber,Sweeper,Cook etc.Generally no one is interested to do such trade work and hence  it is not told to the candidate initially.You must be carefull and find out your trade.Ganesan got angry and said "What nonsence! I am an engineer in PWD and going to join the Army as 2L/T after some training.There is nothing called trade for Officers.
  The person who was casually sitting and talking suddenly got up on hearing the word officer and apologised to Ganesan and explained that "Officers are born with silver spoon in their mouth" and it is really great news that you are going to be an Officer.He congratulated Ganesan's brother.With all such prelimineries and funs Ganesan was exited that he is going to  travel beyond the boundries of his village , of his district,of Tamilnadu state.
The cosmic force on external world blessed its FRAGMENT in the internal world of Ganesan and started guiding and directing there on.
Ganesan left PWD on 05 october 1963 and joined Officer's Training school Pune,Mahashtra on 09 oct in Emergency Course no.8.

The Take off.
India was advocating ,"Non alligned"international policy andhence Army was given only scanty attention.The chineese attack on India came as a biggest blow and proved the proverb" if you want peace be prepared for war."senior intellectuals started advicing youngsters to join the Army and strengthen the country.so the Executive engineer did not accept Ganesan's resignation and instead advised him to join the Army.Being from absolute rural background Ganesan did not know anything about Army.The department sponsored him to attend Services selection board at Bangalore in june1963.without any preparation and without any knowledge about Army life Ganesan attended the Services selection board at Bangalore.To his great surprise Ganesan was selected and directed to attend Officer's training on instruction from Army headquarters.
More.....

jobs searches for seekers
In 1961 getting a job for engineering qualifications is not difficult at all.The Govt based on results of professional courses appoints qualified students and the appointment order automatically reaches home.No.14,Sivankoil street,Sannanallur has become very familiar address as the post man walked  many times delivering appointment orders for Ganesan.Superviser in Highways and Rural works,PWD,Electricity dept,Union engineer Panchayat union,Public sector Projects etc started pouring in.Obviously Ganesan was confused to select the best.As usual his elder brother came for rescue.He was Upper division clerk in Highways and seen engineering supervisors making hey left and right.Corruption was not unknown in govt depts.So he advised Ganesan to opt for PWD and on 15th August 1961 Ganesan joined Special Minor Irrigation Programme Dept of PWD at Pattukkottai.It was investigation  preparing renovation works for irrigation tanks in dry areas which depends on  rain for agriculture.With in two months Ganesan was transfered to Avadayarkoil near Aranthangi of Thanjavur dist.By early 1962 he was transfered to Peralam close to his native place.By mid 62 he was transfered to Koradachery.Perhaps all these moves are his elder brother's work to keep his brother close by.By october 1962,a project acroos Vettar near Melattur"Conversion of an anicut into a Regulator came up in Vennar division of Thanjavur.It was about 7-8Lakhs project literally pouring into the river.The dept was looking for resonably honest,bachelor to execute it.Ganesan was selected and moved to the site immediately as the work is to be executed during off season Dec-May
    In oct-Nov 1962 Indian political scene seriously changed due to Chineese attack on India and the country was under Emmergency.The project at Melattur started in full swing as river water was closed at upper level Regulator.By April -May1963 the project was completed.Ganesan got about 2-3000 bags of cement saved for the dept and closed the accounts.But the contractor broke open the cement shed claiming that it was his profit.The dept supported the contractor as it was contract work,the loss or gain should go to the contractor only.Ganesan resigned PWD job.

wings Growing

The flying hazard of just growing wings.
  Chettinad is dry rocky area,the ancestral land of Nattukkottai Chettiars popularly known as Nagarathars.The famous people in this community are Raja Sir Annamalai Chettiar and Dr.Alagappa chettiars.It was actually Kanadukathan where the polytechnic was located.Ganesan stayed in hostel from 1958 to 1961 and appeared for final exam by the Directorate of Technical Examination in April 1961.When the result was published a month later Ganesan did not find his number.He was shocked and tried to locate his friends numbers.To his utter surprise not a single number from his polytechnic appeared.When the principal was contacted it was told that the results of  all students appeared from Annamalai Polytechnic are with held as mass scale copying suspected.Students from that institution will appear for a Re-examination from a changed centre Trichirappally. With out any hesitation Ganesan went to Trichy and stayed in his sister's house and appeared for the re-examination.Days passed and Ganesan was busy in his father's aggricultural avtivities.One day in the late evening a friend of him casually mentioned that some polytechnic result has come in the morning news paper.Ganesan got exited and ran here and there and got the paper.In some corner three lines news appeared" Result of Annamalai polytechnic Re-examination" and only ten numbers appeared,three first class and seven second class.Ganesan was thrilled to see his number in the First class list.....
More....

It was 1958 when I left my village in pursuit of higher education.I had literally no idea about higher education
but followed my eldest brother's instruction blindly.He on his own decided to educate me on Engineering line.But instead of looking at long distant goal he was in a hurry to get quick return and hence decided to send me to diploma course only.I do not know where all he had applied but one day he came home and told me that I have to go for an interview at Annamalai Polytechnic,Chettinad,then Ramanathapuram district.In june 1958 I accompanied him to Ramnad along with my documents.
    The destiny started drawing new lines on the life book of Ganesan.The wings started growing.