Pollens are Colour Blind

By Kul Bhushan Goyle

1960, Belgian Congo is granted independence in haste and what a freedom it turns out to be - total chaos with anarchy staring in the face.

Eva, a young Canadian nurse, desperate to get away from the stifling atmosphere at work and a step mother at home, opts to work for the UN mission at Congo.

Captain Gulshan, a young army surgeon from India also lands there with his country’s contribution to the UN effort. A chance meeting, the two soon turn into passionate lovers.

Eva is saved in the nick of time from a gang rape by the tribesmen.

But the lovers’ problems never end. Eva is pregnant, returns to Canada.

Captain Gulshan returns to India and is taken a POW in the war with a neighbouring country.

Will their pure love get them together again?

• Language: English
• Publisher: Notion Press
• Release date: Aug 4, 2015
• ISBN: 9789352061549

Book preview

acknowledged.

CHAPTER 1

Eva was standing in the doorway of his office and threatening him with an impish look on her face. I will do something, she said. He knew what was coming, because it was not the first time she had done it. After finishing her work and finding him alone, when he had finished work as well, she would tiptoe in, looking this way and that, making sure that nobody was around. She would come up to him, place a quick peck on his cheek and slip quietly out of the back door. It had taken her quite some time to reach this stage since she had landed in bush country, in the heart of Africa.

* * *

Eva was a nurse, from a small town about a hundred miles away from Toronto, in Canada. She was trained in Obstetrics and Midwifery and had worked in the local hospital. Although she had put in her best effort and all her heart into her work, she was still very unhappy. The supervising nurse was always picking on her, pointing out her faults and belittling her in front of the other nurses, her colleagues and even he patients. This kind of behaviour was uncalled for and Eva was unable to figure out why her supervisor acted like this, particularly when she was liked by her colleagues and patients. It appeared that the supervisor was jealous of Eva’s good looks and her popularity. There was no doubt that Eva was beautiful: tall with blonde hair, greenish-blue eyes, sharp features, a full bosom and slender body. It was like the Creator had taken the time to sculpt her beautifully. Life had been hard for Eva from the time she was three years old, when the insane Second World War had started in 1939.

Germany had just invaded Poland and German troops were advancing very fast, occupying one city after another. Eva’s father, David who had been a carpenter by profession, had fled with Eva and had narrowly missed being captured by the Germans, although his wife and their only son were not as lucky. After tremendous hardships and on the brink of starvation, both ultimately landed on the shores of Canada, where they were granted refugee status. They were helped by the local Catholic church there, since Eva’s father, David Poleski was a staunch Catholic. In due time Eva and he moved to a small town named Langley, where he took up a job with a local construction company. Unfortunately, the trauma of losing his wife and son and the harrowing experience of running away from his country took its toll; he began drinking heavily. Eva was put in a local school run by the church. The local authorities provided them with a small accommodation where they made their home. Though Eva was still a child, she too felt the pain of losing both her mother and brother, but braved the hardships that had befallen them. Her father took control of his life, by and by. He always attempted to put on a brave face for his young daughter, so that she could have a normal life. Eva also began to slowly overcome her loneliness. She started mixing with her classmates and made a good effort to do well in her studies.

As time passed, Eva’s father met a local woman whose husband had died. They took a liking to each other and were soon husband and wife. He believed that having a lady in the house would fill the void in Eva’s life, to some extent. His new wife, Maria, would nourish the child with the love and care she needed and give her a normal childhood. But life does not always take the course we anticipate. Eva did not totally accept Maria as her new mother, in spite of Maria’s best efforts. Eva always viewed her as a stepmother.

Eva excelled in her studies and was loved by her teachers. The atmosphere in the house was very orthodox; attending church every Sunday was a must and this greatly influenced Eva. Whenever she felt upset and unhappy, she would go to the church and seek the priest’s advice. As both parent worked, it was only in the evenings or on the weekends, when all of them could spend time together. The household income was just enough to put food on the table and didn’t stretch to holidays or luxuries. Eva always felt that she was deprived of small luxuries that her friends took for granted. As she grew older, her parents encouraged her to pursue a professional career which would help her become financially independent. She enrolled as a trainee nurse in the local hospital. She liked being a nurse and went all out to get the best training and do an excellent job. She completed her training with a specialization in Obstetrics and Midwifery. She was offered a job in the same hospital and she accepted.

Eva relished her newfound independence. She began resenting the constrained atmosphere at home and what she thought was the absence of motherly love. The working conditions in the hospital too grew unpleasant, mainly because of the constant rebukes of the supervising nurse. Eva felt like running away and leaving it all behind. Her chief confidante was her best friend, Lisa, who was also a nurse in the same hospital. The only way out was to find a job in another hospital in another city, which would mean leaving her father, something she wasn’t quite prepared to do. The pressure on her at the hospital was pushing Eva into depression.

Even love and passion were missing from her life. Her only brush with romance so far had been a brief infatuation with a classmate which hadn’t turned out well. The boy had only one thing on his mind – sex.

Eva began to feel like she was at a dead end with no light at the end of the tunnel. Lisa was her only friend, and she opened her heart to her at times, and felt some measure of relief. In any case life had to go on. The only bright spot in the midst of her woes was tennis. Lisa and she were both good at it and managed to catch a game in their spare time.

One day, she had just got to the hospital at the start of her shift when she found Lisa waiting in excitement, at the entrance of the ward. Lisa had a copy of a local newspaper in her hand. She took Eva aside and waved the newspaper in front of her. It showed a big advertisement asking for trained nurses to work in Africa under the World Health Organization, a branch of the United Nations. The job promised adventure, besides a very tempting salary. The work was to look after poor and neglected patients. There were promises of spotting wildlife in their natural surroundings, where one was bound to fall in love with the natural beauty of the place. Lisa implored Eva to look into the offer, it might just be the escape she was seeking. In fact they could both go!

Eva wanted some time to understand the offer and promised to discuss it seriously, after they had finished the day’s work. During the day, even as she was working, the contents of the advertisement filtered through Eva’s mind again and again. The big question was whether she could overcome the likely objections from her folks at home and her own fear of the unknown. However, at the end of the day, when both girls had time to discuss the issue, they decided they would find out more, before they made any serious decisions.

The next day, before the afternoon shift, Eva and Lisa rang the number listed in the advertisement for more details. They were told by the WHO official, The job pertains to the country previously known as the Belgian Congo which has been granted independence recently. There is an acute shortage of trained nurses, particularly with experience in Obstetrics and Gynaecology, in the local Congolese hospitals. Since most of the Belgians have left, it has fallen to the United Nations Organization and World Health Organization to staff the hospitals and provide medical care to the patients. The offer included free air passage from their home country to Congo and back, with one month’s holiday every year. The staff would be provided free accommodation and rations from the United Nations’ resources, besides a full time housekeeper-cum-cook. Apart from the work, it would be a big opportunity to meet and interact with people from all over the world who were employed by the United Nations. It was emphasized, This is indeed a humanitarian appeal to people who can lend a hand in looking after patients who have been left in the lurch very suddenly.

On the face of it, the offer was very attractive and a bit exciting. They fitted the requirements perfectly in view of their special training in Obstetrics and Gynaecology. Now all they had to do was overcome the resistance from their families. In any event, they left their telephone numbers with the office concerned, in Toronto. More in-depth thinking about the pros and cons of the offer was required. It was an undoubtedly a big opportunity for Eva to get away from the bad situation she was in. Tossing and turning in bed that night she thought it over and resolved to go for it, unless some drastic evidence convincing her otherwise, showed up. She also wanted to wait for Lisa’s answer.

The next day when she met Lisa, Eva found her very positive though she had some reservations. Lisa’s parents’ agreement was essential if she was to go. The girls got in touch with the WHO office again and informed them about their willingness to accept the offer. They asked the person at the other end of the line to mail them the necessary documents that had to be completed.

Now, the big question was, how and when to break this news to their parents. The issue was put on hold for the time being. Lisa met Eva the next morning before starting work and from the look on her face; it was evident that something had already transpired between her parents and herself. Lisa told her, I had a chance to talk to my family last night and I’m really discouraged by their lack of support. They told me that I would be walking into a country full of physical danger, even cannibalism!

Lisa added, I’m closer to mom and she is dead set against my going, she even said that if I went to the Congo, I would possibly never see her face again. I am so sorry Eva, I won’t be able to take this up.

This was definitely a big setback for Eva and her first instinct was to cancel her application as well. But she held back and decided to think it over once more. That evening, after dinner, she broached the subject with her parents. Her stepmother, Maria became almost hysterical, and she told Eva that it was sheer madness to even think about taking up the job. Eva was surprised at Maria’s vehemence as she knew in her heart that there was no love lost between the two of them. Her father, to whom she was more attached, was very silent for some time. Finally he said, Eva, you are a grown woman now. Fully capable of making your own decisions. I only want to point out that right now, there is no law and order in that country and going there is risky.

This was a further dampener to Eva’s enthusiasm and she began to seriously reconsider staying back.

The next day she recounted the whole experience to Lisa and it became apparent to both that the new job was not a viable proposition. It would be fair to let the WHO office know of their decision based on the fears and objections of their families. Eva, in her heart of hearts, was still not convinced that she was doing the right thing in rejecting the offer. Her current situation at home and work weighed on her even more heavily as her dreams of exotic Africa went up in smoke. A part of her still wanted to go even if she had to go alone.

In the past, whenever Eva had to face conflict and confusion, she always sought comfort and guidance from the priest in her local church. After having the Father patiently hear her out and give her good advice, she would come back clearer headed and better able to take on her problems. I need Father’s advice now, more than ever, she thought.

The next day was a Sunday. Eva excused herself from her parents after morning mass in church and went to meet the Father. The Father was very patient and listened intently as she proceeded to explain her predicament. The priest had been aware of the situation in the Congo for a long time as the majority of the population was Christian and predominantly Catholic. Though he agreed about the prevalent confusion and the poor state of law and order, he allayed her fears about things like cannibalism being practiced openly in the country. He told her there is abundance of natural flora and fauna and the people are basically simple and harmless. The Father’s advice to her was very encouraging, since he viewed it as a great opportunity for her to be of service to humanity.

Eva came away happy after the meeting, since Father’s advice had helped counter all the negative arguments put forth by her family. Lying in bed that night, she was able to critically reassess the pros and cons of the prospective job with a clear perspective. She decided she would go, whether her family liked it or not, whether her friend accompanied her or not. Decision made, she fell sound asleep.

The following morning, she told Lisa of her resolve to accept the WHO job. In the evening, she told her father of her decision to accept the new job in the Congo. She requested him to inform Maria of her decision. No more drama, please father. I promise you that if I face any kind of difficulty or threat, I will terminate my contract there and come back. Her father seemed sad but accepted her decision.

She took the day off and along with Lisa, drove down to the WHO office in Toronto. They met the officials concerned and Eva started on the paperwork. The necessary documentation was completed and a formal contract signed detailing the terms and conditions of the new job. Eva was asked to hand over her passport so that they could complete the visa formalities on her behalf. She was asked to report back to the office after fifteen days, fully prepared to proceed to the Congo any time thereafter.

In a way Eva was relieved that the decision was now taken and the die was cast. She began winding up her affairs and saying her goodbyes. She told the hospital administration of her decision to quit. She also acquired a few necessities to take with her, keeping in mind the weather and living conditions of the new place. She met the Father in the Church and told him of her decision to move to the Congo. The Father was very reassuring and promised to put her in contact with his associate in that country. Someone whom she could approach without any hesitation if she faced any difficulty or problem.

Finally the day of her departure arrived. Eva left on the long journey to the unknown, bidding a tearful farewell to her parents. She was accompanied by Lisa who had insisted on driving her to Toronto. In Toronto, she collected her passport and other travel documents and spent the night in a hotel arranged by the WHO. Eva had to fly to Brussels in Belgium the next morning, where, after changing planes, she would be flying to Leopoldville the capital of Congo, her final destination. She was supposed to report to the head of the WHO mission after reaching Leopoldville.

Lisa saw her off at the airport the next day. The atmosphere was emotionally charged. Lisa made Eva promise to remain in touch with her and let her know every detail about her new life. Finally, Eva was on her way, with her mind full of uncertainties and expectations about her new job in a faraway land, so different from her ordinary world.

* * *

The Belgian Congo had been granted full independence at the end of June 1960, and what a freedom it turned out to be. The country had been completely unprepared to take over from the Belgians when they left. Until independence, everyone who mattered in the government or was responsible for the running of the country had been white. Even the local politicians who eventually took over had been very few in number, since the whole process of granting independence had been quite hasty. There had been no time or even an inclination on the part of the rulers to train an adequate number of people and prepare them to take over.

The Congo had become a colony of Belgium first as a free state under King Leopold in the late nineteenth century, until the year 1908 when the running of the colony was taken over by the Belgian government. Like any other colony, the policy of the rulers had always been to plunder and loot the rich natural resources of the country. Slavery in the garb of forced labour had been practiced. There was a forced migration of able bodied men, from one part of the country to the other, to work in the mines and the other establishments. A majority of the local people survived on the meagre produce from small areas under cultivation or on food collected from the wild. Millions of the locals had died. The worst kind of apartheid was practiced. The blacks, who lived on the fringes of the cities, were not allowed to venture out of their houses during specific hours. The education system was by and large controlled by the church, mainly Roman Catholic. The education was only up to the primary level; secondary and higher education was non-existent for the blacks. There were separate schools for the whites.

There were very few key local political players, like Joseph Kasa-Vubu, Patrice Lumumba, Antoine Gzenga and Moise Tshombe. It was actually after the end of the Second World War in 1945, that the demand for freedom became more serious. The era of colonialism had ended with many countries in Asia and even in Africa gaining independence from their western rulers. Pressure was put on Belgium by the United Nations to review its rule in the Congo. In the material sense, nothing much happened since the Belgian government did not take any concrete steps to bring about a change. Actually, the circumstances and events regarding the Congolese independence had taken a sudden turn in 1951 when King Baudouin succeeded his father after his abdication. The new king strongly supported the idea of both white and blacks living together in harmony and enjoying equal rights, but this did not work. In the years that followed, the movement for Congolese independence gained ground, and it became apparent to the Belgian government that something needed to be done. There was a strong fear that if the movement turned violent, it would not be possible for the government to control the situation. In January 1959, a demonstration of a prohibited political party in Leopoldville turned violent, and heavy rioting led to the deaths of hundreds of people. The event was so shocking and unnerving that early the following year the king declared that his government would work towards granting full independence to the Congo. The government had hoped that it would be possible to grant gradual independence but the local government found itself facing complete non-cooperation. The Congolese people refused to pay any taxes or obey any orders and the possibility of a big law and order problem looked real. The Belgian government had no intention and perhaps no means to take full scale military action to control the situation, and hence was more willing to grant full independence to the Congo, hoping that somehow things would work out and that the very ill-prepared Congolese people would be able to govern themselves.

In early 1960 a handful of prominent Congolese political leaders were invited to Belgium and their demands, including full independence were all agreed to by the Belgian Government. A general election was scheduled to be held in the month of May, the same year. This was followed by a declaration of independence, and on the 30th of June 1960 the Congo became a free nation. The elections did not result in an absolute majority for any one party, and it was obvious that some sort of a coalition government had to be formed to govern the country. The coalition government as envisaged earlier, did not work out. Ultimately a compromise was worked out in which, Joseph Kasa-Vubu, leader of one party was made the President and Patrice Lumumba, head of another party the Prime Minister. Soon after the declaration of independence, big problems started surfacing. The Province of Katanga declared independence from the mainland with Moise Tshombe naming himself the President. Another state, South Kasai, also rebelled against the central government. The central troops were sent to put down the rebellion and a large number of civilians were massacred in the process. Katanga was a different ball game. It was too big a problem to be tackled by Patrice Lumumba, so he asked the United Nations to intervene. He threatened to call the Soviet troops in case the UNO failed to liberate Katanga. The United Nations did not agree to his request, so Lumumba requested the Soviet Union for help. Everybody in the Congo feared that the Russians would certainly take over the country. Even the Western powers, particularly the USA, were unhappy with this development. After taking over as Prime Minister, Patrice Lumumba had appointed Joseph Mobotu (once his personal aide) as the chief of the Congolese army which already had a large presence in all the big towns of the country.

As the President and the Prime Minister were at daggers drawn with each other, in a lightning development, Joseph Kasa-Vubu used his Presidential powers to dismiss Lumumba from the post of Prime Minister. Since the senators had backed Patrice Lumumba, he dismissed Joseph Kasa-Vubu from the post of President, thereby creating a constitutional crisis. The Congolese court upheld the decision of the President in dismissing the Prime Minister as correct. Consequently, Lumumba was placed under house arrest.

Soon after gaining independence, the black Congolese army had mutinied against the white officers. To protect the remaining Belgian residents in Congo, there was an intervention by the Belgian military along with some support from the UNO, and all the whites residing in the Congo were evacuated from the country. By then, it had become obvious to the world and the UNO, under the Secretary General Dag Hammarskjold, that a massive international effort comprising men and materials would be required to get things going in the Congo, which had been completely paralyzed with the local army calling the shots. A mandate was given to the UNO to mobilize the aid required from anywhere in the world. The request went out to many countries for troops and other trained personnel. Troops were requested mainly from non-aligned countries, because of the cold war between the two super powers, USA and USSR and their allies. The UNO and it agencies like the WHO started recruiting personnel to fill the void after the sudden departure of the Belgians from the Congo. The UNO was of the opinion that independent Congo should be a one unified country instead of small independent states. If many small states were to be created, they would find it difficult to sustain themselves economically because most of the natural mineral wealth was concentrated in the southern part of the country. Since an urgent effort was required, the donor countries were asked to provide aid as soon as possible. India being a big country with plentiful resources, was also asked to provide men and materials, including a big, fully equipped and functional military hospital, which could provide medical facilities to all the UN personnel, including the troops serving in the Congo.

CHAPTER 2

Captain Gulshan Kumar had just finished the day’s work, making the rounds of the wards and seeing patients in the outpatient department, when the phone rang.

Captain Gulshan? asked the voice on the other end. Yes sir, he had responded, recognizing the voice as that of his Commandant, Colonel Raja.

Do you want to go? the voice asked.

Yes sir, replied Captain Gulshan. In the army you generally don’t ask questions particularly to the senior officers; neither do you refuse straight away.

Should I put your name down? asked Colonel Raja again.

Yes sir, replied Captain Gulshan.

Done. With that, the Commandant hung up.

It dawned on Captain Gulshan that he had not asked him where he was supposed to go. So, very hesitantly, he rang him back and asked, Sir, where am I supposed to go?

Sorry young man, since you did not ask me in the first place, why I should tell you now? said Colonel Raja light-heartedly, as he put the phone down again.

Col. Raja had a soft corner for Captain Gulshan. Since the time the Captain had been serving under him, the Commandant had observed his dedication to work and his complete professional integrity. He also liked his officer-like qualities of truthfulness, straight forwardness, fairness, respect for seniors, and taking pride in the uniform he wore. He had seen him spending a lot of time after official hours in the hospital, looking after patients. The abrupt conversation with the Commandant left Captain Gulshan perplexed. He thought perhaps he would be sent on temporary duty to some small, peripheral military hospital, to attend to surgical emergencies, as many of those hospitals lacked full-time surgeons.

As a bachelor and the youngest surgeon on the rolls Captain Gulshan was the first to be called upon for these short, temporary duties. Since nothing happened in the next few days and there were no further instructions from his boss, Captain Gulshan stopped worrying about the issue and busied himself with his usual work.

Three weeks later, the phone rang again. Is that Captain Gulshan? asked the voice at the other end.

Yes sir, said Captain Gulshan recognizing Col. Raja’s voice.

OK, go and get your passport ready and wait for further instru­ctions, said the Commandant before disconnecting. The idea of getting his passport meant an overseas trip, which was enough to make anybody’s heart skip a beat. In those days, it was difficult to even think of going abroad, particularly for someone in the armed forces, given the tight service conditions and fewer opportunities in India. Captain Gulshan was excited enough, but the mystery of the foreign trip was still worrisome since there was no indication where that trip was going to be. In the next couple of days, the news began leaking, little by little, until it became clear that the trip was to the Congo in Africa.

The government of India had received a formal request from the UNO to help provide an adequate number of medical personnel for duty, in the recently independent country of the Congo in central Africa. The orders from the Ministry of Defence were passed on to the Army headquarters, which in turn conveyed the requirement to the Director General of Medical Services, Armed Forces who worked out the actual type and the number of personnel required.

They decided to mobilize a four hundred bed field hospital, fully staffed and equipped, to be sent to Congo in the next few weeks. One good thing about the Armed Forces is that once a decision has been made, things start moving very quickly, on a war footing, so to speak. Accordingly, the instructions were passed down the line to different units to spare specialists, nurses and paramedics as required, and to get them to complete the necessary formalities and be ready to move at short notice. Since the requirement of personnel was huge, it meant tapping many units and establishments spread across the country; hence the news was no longer a secret and spread like wild fire.

Captain Gulshan was the only officer selected from his unit and he knew nothing about the Congo except that it was one of the countries in Africa, which had been recently granted independence by the Belgian Government. There was no real information available regarding the weather or the living conditions. The only information one could gather from the maps, was that the country was situated somewhere near the Equator. His colleagues in the unit, though equally ignorant of the facts, still volunteered all sorts of information about the country, each one insisting that the information provided by him was the most authentic. This was even more confusing and did not help very much. In any case, the next few days were very hectic, getting photographs taken, applying for the passport which was normally issued by the Ministry of External Affairs, and getting the required inoculations and vaccinations, including a special inoculation against yellow fever which could be done only at a few places.

He had also had to procure the things to be taken along and inform his folks back home about the anticipated move. He was not sure what their reaction would be after hearing the news, since they did not have the faintest idea about Congo. They only knew that it was inhabited by black people, most of whom lived in the bush and that the country was full of all sorts of wild animals. Time was short, since he could be asked to move any time, he requested a four day leave, which was granted. He went home which was a couple of hundred miles away, to let his people know about his intended move and to say goodbye. The fact that he was the only one from his family who had joined the armed forces after finishing his medical education and training, was not in his favour. Even though a commissioned officer in the Armed Forces used to command a high degree of prestige and respect those days, the appreciation varied according to each family’s own perceptions and priorities. In Captain Gulshan’s case, his parents and family had hoped that after qualifying, he would either join the government service and work in a civil hospital nearby, if not in the same town, or that he would settle down in private practice.

Captain Gulshan’s childhood was spent in the countryside as his father being a revenue officer in the government, had to deal with farmlands and peasants. His father’s jurisdiction had extended to a few villages spread over a large area, so it was convenient for the family to live in the village itself, near his place of work. Besides owning a few milching animals, the norm in villages, his father also had to keep a horse, because his job involved going into the countryside to inspect and measure the cultivated farm lands, on which the annual revenue due to the government was calculated and collected from the farmers. In those days most villages did not have a primary school. Good schooling was available only in the towns nearby. The nearest school to the village they had lived in, had been a couple of miles away. As public transport to these villages was unheard of, reaching school early in the morning was a big problem. It was not advisable for young children to go walking in the dark. Captain Gulshan’s father was very clear that the children had to attend school and that would have to reach on time, somehow or the other. So, the only option left to young Gulshan Kumar and his older brother, was to get ready early and go to school on horseback. The family help would walk alongside and hold the horse’s reins. On the way back after school, both brothers would walk back to the village on foot. This was their daily routine for a few years, till they were old enough to peddle to school on a bicycle. The school was a matter of pride and a show piece of a princely state that was ruled by a Maharaja, and the level of schooling was good. The school had well-kept lawns and playgrounds and the children were encouraged to take part in and excel at sports for which tournaments were periodically arranged. The winners were given generous prizes by the Maharaja himself at a special function. The teachers were also dedicated. Life on the whole had been simple but full of fun and frolic at the same time.

The farmers usually had small holdings of land and worked hard practically throughout the year, but at the end of the day they had just enough to feed themselves and remained poor on the whole. This suited the rulers as well because according to them it was easier to manage and rule poor people rather than those who were well off. This logic has been practiced by most monarchs throughout the world, history being a witness.

As it got closer to his retirement Gulshan’s father began thinking of moving his family out of the village. They planned to move to a town which had educational institutions and also more opportunities for other work or business, so that the family could be provided for. A few months after winding up his affairs, and when the school session was over, he moved to a place approximately fifty miles away, where he had already bought a house near those of his own elder brothers.

His father had set up a small business of his own and the family became used to the urban lifestyle. During his undergraduate years, Gulshan took subjects which would make him eligible to join a medical school if he scored well. After two years of college, his hard work and good luck secured him enough marks to join a medical school, in spite of the fact that there were very few seats. For the first time, he left his house to join a medical college in another city and live in the college hostel.

Life in a hostel is very different from living with family. There is total freedom and one feels a sense of complete independence. One comes across fellow students of the same age, living under one roof and it is here where one develops lifelong associations and friendships. At this age one really develops mentally and physically. Gulshan with his flair for sports, participated in all sorts of games and athletics, though tennis was his favourite, and he played it regularly. He would bag a number of prizes during the annual college sports event.

At the end of five years not only did he qualify as a doctor, but he had developed into a tall, athletic young man. Qualifying as a doctor, in those days, was considered an achievement in itself, but Gulshan had further ambitions. Even during his student days, he had fancied becoming a surgeon. Luckily for him, he managed a junior residency in his favourite subject, surgery, on the merit of his final examination. Life as a surgical resident was extremely busy, but since the saying was, Work more, learn more, it did not really matter even if one was putting in up to fifteen hours of solid effort every day.

Surgery is a craft, and since there are a large variety of different kind of operations, one always learns while observing, assisting or operating. As a resident one is directly connected to the patient’s treatment and seeing them doing well, gives one a feeling of additional responsibility and confidence. There was a lot of interaction with the other staff and the atmosphere was ripe for friendships to develop. Night duties were particularly fun; after the last doses of medicines had been distributed to the patients and the wards were quiet, some lucky individuals had an opportunity to make the most of it.

After a year’s residency, one way or the other one had to decide, whether one would pursue further studies and training, settle into general practice or get another job. Gulshan decided to pursue further studies and training and ultimately qualify for a master’s degree in surgery, provided he had a chance to do so. With a little bit of luck on his side coupled with his past performance, he was selected for a master’s degree. The next two years were extremely busy and it felt like he was living in the hospital itself. These two years also passed and a day came when he had successfully taken the final examination and was awarded the degree of Master of Surgery.

Once more he was faced with the question: What next? To start one’s own surgical practice was very resource intensive given that a large establishment was required, unlike a General Practitioner. To get a job in a civil set up was not very attractive in view of the dismal working conditions and poor remuneration. So, in spite of objections from his family, and in keeping with his own flair for travel and adventure, he decided to join the army. Since he already was a post-graduate and physically fit, he was accepted straight away for a job in the Indian Armed Forces and was asked to report to the training centre.

After saying good bye to his colleagues, long-time associates and to the place he had spent eight long years, perhaps the most valuable and memorable time of his life, he returned home to say goodbye to his people before proceeding to join the place of duty. This was the first time that anybody from his family had ever ventured to join the armed forces. With mixed feelings, he bid a rather tearful farewell to his parents and family and proceeded to the training centre a day before joining duty. The first seven months were spent attending courses that imparted basic military training. In addition, he had to learn the dos and don’ts about what was expected from a commissioned officer. After finishing these courses, he was to be observed for his professional competence, so he was posted to the army hospital under the supervision of a senior consultant surgeon. After a few weeks of observation, he was favourably recommended by the Consultant and was thereby deemed fit to perform duties as an independent Surgeon, though he was the most junior one. Rank and seniority matter in the armed forces.

In a short time, Captain Gulshan had made himself popular with his colleagues and seniors, thanks to his competence and mild manners. The patients under his charge were also happy as they were well cared for. Day-to-day life went smoothly, though he had to put in an extra effort as he was the junior-most surgeon. He was in the good books of the Commandant of the hospital, as well.

* * *

After reaching home, he broke the news of his being ordered to go to the Congo. This was a shock, particularly for his mother to whom he was very close. The initial response was that the offer had to be rejected outright. His family had heard of people going to England for higher studies, but they had never heard of anyone going to the Congo, in the heart of Africa, fraught with danger. A sort of a gloom had descended on the household and it felt as if life had come to a standstill. Gulshan sat with his mother for long hours, explaining that the situation was not as bad as they thought and that their fears were because they did not know much about the place. He also impressed on her that he would not be alone and that a few hundred of his colleagues were going as well. It was only after he promised her that he would make an effort to get out of going and would try and get his orders cancelled, that she came around. After reaching his unit, with the promises to his mother ringing in his ears, and some of his own reservations in mind, he picked up the courage to go and seek the Commandant’s advice. He asked if his name could be deleted from the list of people going to the Congo. The Commandant, who was a very senior and experienced army officer, understood the confusion and apprehension Captain Gulshan was experiencing and hastened to allay his fears. He told Captain Gulshan of his own experiences of serving in a UNO mission to Korea many years earlier. He conveyed to him, in short, the wonderful experience he had had of serving under the UNO. He encouraged Captain Gulshan saying, Even if there is some risk involved in going to the Congo it is worth it, any day. These opportunities come only once in a while to a lucky few. Now, that you have joined the army, you should know what army life is supposed to be all about. Besides you should think yourself very lucky to get a foreign assignment very early in your career and accept it without any fuss or fear. The encouraging advice of his Commandant lifted Captain Gulshan’s spirits, and the issue of going to the Congo was settled.

In the next few days, as per their orders, the full complement of the hospital, including all men and materials were sent to New Delhi, and a function was organized to bid them bon voyage. The Minister of Defence had personally come to say goodbye and convey his best wishes. Considering the large number of stores and personnel, the American Air Force was requested to organize an airlift from New Delhi to Leopoldville in the Congo. Captain Gulshan’s brother had come to New Delhi to see him off and also collect the belongings he planned to leave behind. Captain Gulshan left in the last sortie with sixty odd paramedics under his charge. Thus he left for a distant land with a degree of excitement and some misgivings as well.

* * *

Eva’s journey to the Congo was nearing its end, when just after daybreak, the air hostess announced that they would be landing in Leopoldville in another thirty minutes. Usually this kind of announcement causes a flurry of activity as the passengers ready themselves to collect their belongings, make last minute visits to the washroom and put on their seat belts as advised. Eva had even more on her mind, all the fears of the unknown.

It is to the credit of the UNO that once a mandate has been given the execution is fairly quick and is carried out as smoothly as possible. The core staff, comprising of the permanent employees as well as those who have worked for the organization earlier, are the first to be moved to the new site of operations. A headquarters is usually set up, which was the case in Leopoldville, too. The staff had already busied themselves with acquiring accommodation, arranging transportation, setting up communications, setting up an office for administration and finance , arranging supplies and provisions and most importantly, establishing a liaison with the local authorities.

Eva had stepped out of the aircraft after saying the customary goodbye to the crew. She moved along with the other passengers following the signs written in French, which was not a problem, since she spoke both English and French very well. Having passed through immigration, she was approached by a middle aged man, who introduced himself as Mr. George from the UNO as she was collecting her baggage. He had come to receive her and this put her at ease immediately. She collected her baggage with the help of Mr. George, and soon they were out of the airport building. She was escorted to a car waiting outside and soon they were on their way to the city. The beautiful airport terminal, the quick and organized immigration process, the polite airport employees (all local Congolese), and the fact that she had even been received at the airport, had already made her feel considerably relaxed. They had to drive