Rags To Uniform

By M K Devidasan

This is the story of an Air Force officer who helped a boy who had been struggling to earn for food and schooling, in spite of financial difficulties he himself was facing.
Haridas was an airman when he met Baburaj, studying in the seventh standard, who was working as a coolie on a railway platform and when he came to know that the boy was first in his class and his mother was sick, he felt sympathy and decided to help him in his studies. Haridas had to support his two brothers in college for their education, in addition to the financial help to his father. Haridas passed his engineering degree privately and got a *commission as an officer in Indian Air Force. Meanwhile, Baburaj passed his tenth,** and Haridas helps him to get recruited as an airman in Indian Air Force. Later, what happens when Haridas meets Baburaj? The big question remains.

• Language: English
• Publisher: M K Devidasan
• Release date: Nov 28, 2020
• ISBN: 9781005847364

M K Devidasan

M K Devidasan is a graduate engineer in Electronics and Telecommunication Engineering  with Post Graduate Diploma in Business Management. He had served the Indian Air Force for 32 years as a technical officer and retired as a Wing Commander.

Book preview

Rags

To

Uniform

An Air Force Story

M K Devidasan

Copyright © M K devidasan

The views and opinions expressed in this work are the author's own and the facts are as reported by him, and the publisher is in no way liable for the same.

All rights reserved.

Preface

Few care for other’s welfare and extend all possible help for the furtherance of deserved ones in their education and career. Without considering even the stringent financial condition they might be facing, their efforts to help others, in need and deserving, do not dwindle and derive satisfaction in their benevolent acts. Also, they show scanty interest to get popularity and, in a few cases, even take efforts to hide their charity work for fear of generation of inferiority in the affected beneficiaries.

On the other hand, many crave for publicity of such efforts, though might be minuscule, by calling the press and photo shoots with the sole aim to gain popularity and importance. The society, which is educated and wise, do not refuse to recognize their aim, but remains at the weak wicket and enjoy the benefits.

The former remains happy with the firm belief of the benefits they might be able to reap for their good deeds, from the almighty, at later part of their life. They derive satisfaction observing the happiness of the beneficiaries without belittling them. And that is the broadmindedness which the society looks for, though seen seldom.

Prologue

This is the story of Haridas, an airman, who inadvertently met Baburaj, a boy studying in the seventh standard, at Trichur railway station, who approached him to permit to carry his luggage from there to the bus stop.

While waiting for the bus, Haridas could learn from Baburaj that he was studying in the seventh standard and was first in his class. When Haridas knew that his father had expired and mother was lying sick in the slum behind the railway station, he was moved and took a decision to extent possible help to uplift that poor family. He knew well that he could not afford to think of diverting a portion of salary he received as an airman, as he had to support his parents and younger brothers to meet their college expenses. He had to earn the wrath of his brothers while his intention of helping Baburaj was let known to them.

Haridas encouraged Baburaj to study and after the tenth standard, he guided him to get enrolled in the air force as an airman. After arranging a house on rent at Bangalore, he persuaded them to shift to that.

Will Baburaj be able to achieve the aim his mentor Haridas dreamed of? Will the sacrifice Haridas underwent be of any benefit to that small family? Will he be able to derive happiness from what he did? Many questions arise. You will find more interesting answers to all these.

-1-

The posting truck reached the Chandigarh railway station. Picking up the suitcase and bed holder, Haridas, along with his friend Narayanan, walked to the platform and looked at the reservation chart displayed outside to note the compartment and seat number. The train to Delhi was already on the platform and passengers were entering the compartments. After a coffee from the platform tea stall, both entered the compartment and located the reserved berth and kept both suitcase and bed holder, over that. Those days, the bed holder was a must for soldiers undertaking train journeys, as sometimes they may have to travel by unreserved compartments with bench seats without cushion. As the name suggests, bed holders were used to carrying a thin bed and pillow and the shoes and other items which could not be adjusted in the suitcase.

After spending some time together, Narayan got up. If I continue sitting with you, the posting truck will leave and I will have no means to reach the air force station back. So, I will take leave. I wish you a very happy journey. If you find the time, do care to write an inland letter informing me about the health of your mother.

Haridas nodded with a chuckle. His leave program was sudden as he received a letter from home informing of his mother’s hospitalization.

Much before the scheduled time of departure, the compartment was filled. The majority were soldiers and there was no trace of any female in the compartment. The Ticket Examiner came and checked everyone’s tickets. 

Before the train departed from the station, Haridas opened the bed-holder and prepared the bed. After going to the toilet, he climbed up to the upper berth to sleep.

The tea vender’s call woke him up. Without coming down from his berth, he looked down and could learn that the train had reached Delhi. Within seconds, he folded the bed-holder and came out with the luggage. The train to Madras was in the evening. He was not sure of the reservation for his further journey; from there to Madras and from there to Trichur, Kerala. Went to the waiting room and brushed his teeth. Wanted to have a bath, but the line in front of the bathroom dissuaded him from such an attempt. After keeping the luggage in the cloakroom, he went to the RTO office (an office maintained at large stations exclusively for military personnel) to check up his further train reservation status. The person on duty carried out a thorough search in the register and said that the further reservation from New Delhi to Madras by Grand Trunk Express was confirmed, but the status from Madras to Trichur was waiting list in Cochin Express. Thanking that person, he went to the railway restaurant and had idli, vada with sambar and tea. He continued to sit there, thinking of ways to while away the time till evening. 

Haridas came out of the station with a plan to go to Connaught Place. From New Delhi railway station, the distance was of walking but he decided to hire a Tonga. After fixing up the rate for the journey, he climbed into that and the Tonga Wala moved out of the station gate and waited outside waiting for other passengers. Within minutes, he got passengers, as he desired, and the horse was made to pull Tonga at a comparatively good speed. At the entrance to Connaught Place, Tonga was stopped and he got down. 

Went to a cinema theatre and saw a movie. For lunch, he went to Madras Hotel, in Connaught Place and had a very sumptuous south Indian vegetarian food - rice, sambar, and many side dishes. There was nothing else to do and he walked back to the railway station. The sun was hot and by the time he reached the station, he was perspiring profusely. In the waiting room, located a vacant cane chair and slept comfortably.

The Grand Trunk Express was at five-thirty. Picking up the luggage from the clock room, he moved slowly to the platform. The train was lying like a huge python on the platform. He had difficulty to locate the compartment and entered that. He identified his berth and it was the lower. Shoving his luggage under the seat, he occupied one seat. One beautiful young lady, in kameez and salwar, entered the compartment and examined the berth numbers and said looking at the opposite seat occupied by Haridas, in Hindi. This is my number. She sat opposite him and asked looking at Haridas, again in Hindi. Your berth number?

You are a Malayali? Haridas asked without responding to her query.

Yes. How could you make out? She expressed a slight surprise.

When I heard your style of speaking Hindi. He smiled. He found her suddenly turning offended. He felt he should not have told so. I am sorry if you have taken that seriously. When she was found without any reactions, he asked. You are studying here?

No. I am working.

Where?

Here itself, in Delhi. In a hospital.

Haridas could guess that she was a nurse. Your native place?

Kottayam. You are working here or….?

No. He grunted.

You must be from the Army.

No. Air Force.

She smiled. My brother is also in the Air Force.

He became inquisitive. Where he is stationed?

Few people were seen rushing into the compartment and turning towards their direction - two elderly people with two teenage girls. From the very look of their attire and spoken Hindi, it was certain that they were from north India. One teenager was having a small child of about six months, in the arm. They kept their luggage on the upper berth and under the lower berth and sent the porter away after making payment and made them comfortable by taking the lower berth seats. By then, Haridas and the nurse occupied both window seats and kept watching the new occupant’s commotions. 

The tea vendor came and Haridas ordered two teas. He offered one to that girl, but she showed reluctance to accept. On insistence, she took from him showing hesitation and thanked him with a subdued smile.

The train started moving. He kept looking outside to see many hands going up to wave wishing a happy journey to their near and dear ones.

He asked her with a smile.In which Air Force Station your brother is working? 

Pathankot.

Do you know his trade?

Wireless mechanic. Quick came the reply.

I am also a wireless mechanic. He said. He would be quite senior, isn’t it?

‘Not much. He joined only about four or five years back." She said after thinking.

Haridas thought, then that person could be almost of his seniority. He was inquisitive to know more. What is the name?

My name is Gracy.

He chuckled. "Not yours. What is his name?’

Varghese.

He straightened his body in the sitting position and asked with anxiety. Is he, Elinjikkattil Ouseph Varghese?

Quite unexpectedly, she reacted to his query and asked with surprise. Do you know him?

He smiled and said showing utmost happiness. Why not? I know everything about him. He is one of my best friends. We both joined the Indian Air Force together as wireless operators. We both had the initial training and passed out from Jalahalli West, scoring high marks. Again, we did the conversion course to a wireless mechanic together. There also, we scored high marks. He was posted to Delhi and I was posted to Madras. He felt his mind was jumping high with joy. When did he leave Delhi and moved to Pathankot?

A perceptible change of mood was observed in Gracy. She leaned forward towards him and said with more happiness. Only two months back. He arranged my job in Delhi. I am working in Safdar Jung Hospital. I am working as a nurse there.

I remember to have told by him that he has three sisters. Then, father and mother.

She nodded with a great smile.

On completion of conversion training at Jalahalli west, before proceeding on one-month annual leave, Varghese had approached him with a request for two hundred fifty rupees on loan for treating his ailing mother in the hospital with a promise to return immediately after reaching Delhi, but so far, he had not written letter or received a money order from him. His home address was given to Varghese asking to send the amount, by money order, to his father, but nothing had happened. Though, he had decided to tell her about that, reconciled thinking of not spoiling the mood of both. In fact, he was annoyed with him for not sending even a letter, till then. Could be because of his financial constraints, he concluded.

How is your mother now?

She was suddenly taken aback. What happened to my mother?

I remember to have been told by him about some operation.

She smiled. Oh. That was two-three years back. Uterus removal. Showing surprise, she asked. You know all about that?

Yes. He shook his head in affirmation. He felt like saying he had taken a loan of two hundred fifty from him for that operation, but again decided not to. He had told me everything.

They remained silent for some time. Why didn’t you join the defense after the nursing course? I believe, there is a lot of vacancies in the armed forces hospitals.

I did three years course after my SSLC. I am not eligible for that.

Why didn’t you try for a job in Kerala?

There, it is very difficult to get a job. Only a few private hospitals are there and even if I get, the pay they offer is very low. 

Sisters got married? His inquisitiveness kept increasing.

No. They are all much younger than me. They are studying. Her facial expression suddenly changed. Her eyes were filled and lips quivered. Last year our father expired. It was a massive heart attack."

Sorry. I didn’t know about that.

Brother is also on leave. She smiled. He reached home yesterday. On the next Sunday is our father’s death anniversary. We are all getting together to remember that day.

The baby held by the girl, adjacent to Gracy started crying aloud. Whatever methods that girl adopted to control the child did not work out and the baby continued to cry. Gracy turned towards that baby and cajoled holding the hand and making some funny sounds and the baby stopped crying. The baby started looking at her and smiling. When Gracy smiled looking at the child, the child raised both hands indicating a desire to take. She took the child and pampered with some shrilled noises.

The elderly lady sitting by the girl’s side kept looking at Gracy and said with a smile. Good couple. It seems they are newly wedded without a child. She likes children. God is sure to give them a child soon. The elderly person sitting opposite that lady smiled looking at both Haridas and Gracy and nodded with a smile. 

When Haridas looked at Gracy after hearing the comment of that lady, she looked down with a grin, expressing shy.

Gracy was seen with sudden hatred on her face and holding the baby away from her body, she said. The baby has passed urine. The girl took the baby from her and wiped the wet portion of the kameez with her kerchief expressing concern.

Looking at the scene, Haridas said. There is a saying in our place in Kerala that baby’s urine is as pure as the consecrated water from the temple. There is nothing to worry about sprinkling consecrated water of that baby on your body. He smiled. I think, you are very fond of small babies. He chuckled.

She smiled. Who doesn’t like to pamper babies? Everyone likes babies. She looked at that baby and saw again the raised hands demanding to carry.

If you take that child again, probably you might get a big present next. Be careful. In such a case, wiping with kerchief will not work. He laughed and said. 

One person came to the compartment to take orders for lunch. The food was to be served at the next station. Haridas ordered two vegetarian foods and gave money. Gracy was seen opening her handbag and he could guess her intention of giving her share to him. Gently he disallowed the attempt. If your intention is to take out money for giving me, don’t do that. Haven’t you heard, what those people were telling about us? Let us not give them a chance to think otherwise. He smiled.

When the tea vendor came, again he gave money. Don’t worry. I will take it from you later. 

She felt happy and agreed with a nod. She opened her handbag and took out a few magazines and asked him. Do you need anything for reading? When she held Malayala Manorama weekly towards him, he accepted that with a broad smile. He turned the pages and saw the cartoon serial, ‘Bobanum Moliyum’ on the last inner page. After going through that he asked. Have you seen this? 

Yes. It is really good. She smiled.

From where, Mr.Toms gets this much of ideas every week? Really commendable. Most of the people buy this weekly only to see this cartoon.

And to read the jokes which appear on one page, every week. She added.

They continued with their reading. She asked him. Do you like horror stories?

No. He made face to express hatred.

Why? I think you are a scared type.

To a certain extent, you are right. See, during the daytime, I am courageous. But, as the sun sets, that slowly diminishes.

What are you scared of?

He bit his lips. He was in a dilemma as to whether to open his full weaknesses in front of her. That was the question of challenging the manliness. He hesitated and said. Darkness.

She looked at him, wondering what sort of soldier he was. With a smile, she asked. Do you believe in ghosts?

To be frank enough, there is no scientific evidence on this and I do not believe. But, my weakness is that, when I am alone, as the darkness sets in, my thoughts fly away to such unnatural things that scare me.

With confidence she said. I do not believe in these things and I am not scared of also. But, I am scared of two living beings; one is the human being itself and the other is a snake.

I am also scared of snakes. As I am scared, I have some unbelievable connection with that reptile. A few days back, one was lying on my bed as if waiting for me. While in Madras one was lying under my cot inside my room. Once in Srinagar, I had to sit with that in the Direction Finder cabin for six hours.

Raising her eyebrows, she showed surprise and asked. How?

He began thinking. In Srinagar, I was detailed for the duties in the Direction Finder hut that was located at the end of the runway. In the morning at seven, I walked to the DF hut wearing a long grey coat made of wool and head covered with a balaclava. That was December month and snow was falling. With the gumboot on, I walked about more than one kilometer and reached the hut. The flight plan was from eight and I was to get ready with the equipment on, much before that time. I opened the hut and switched on the equipment and read the parameters and reported its serviceability. I sat on the chair and did the job of reporting the aircraft positions as and when asked for. After six hours of duty, when my reliever came and as he entered the room he shouted and stepped back expressing fear. When I inquired, he said that there was a huge snake in that room, just near my chair in a corner. When I saw that I ran out leaving everything as such. He laughed. This is one of the thrilling experiences that I had to talk and laugh. He remembered Sobhana, his uncle’s daughter and girlfriend, who was born on star ‘Aayilyam’, the star of the snake god. But, he did not mention her as he felt that would be out of context.

The ticket examiner came and examined everybody’s tickets.

After some time, the food was brought. The plates were to be handed over at the next station. As per that, all were seen hurrying through their dinner.

As time passed, the thoughts of making arrangements for sleeping came into certain passenger’s mind and they got up and lifted the middle berth and were engaged with spreading their beds over the berth. Haridas yielded to the demands of the family traveling with them and made his bed opening the bed holder and spreading a sheet over that on the upper berth. Gracy took the upper berth opposite to that of Haridas, giving her lower one to the old man.

Before leaving the compartment taking the plates away, the caterer took orders for the next morning breakfast. Considering Gracy’s choice, Haridas gave the order for two plates of idli-vada. Haridas observed Gracy moving towards the toilet side. After a while, when he saw her coming running in tears he became curious. What had happened? He cried aloud.

Pointing towards the toilet side, she cried. One person tried to molest me. That person was keeping an eye on me, right from New Delhi railway station.

Haridas looked annoyed. He got down in a jiffy and looked to that direction and asked. Who is that person? Holding the hand of Gracy he walked quickly towards the toilet. Saw one person with a cigarette on his lips standing, leaning over the door. Is he the person? He shouted.

Wiping the eyes, she said. Yes.

Without thinking anything further, he held that person by his neck and shouted. Don’t you have sisters or mother at your home?

That person without showing any sign of regret asked. Who are you to ask me? Is she someone of you?

Shut up. She is my wife. He just said to gather the support of other passengers.

His face suddenly was seen changing. Showing a sign of fear, he suddenly moved inside and sat on his berth, expressing fear. Haridas was still not in a mood to leave him. Moving towards his berth, he shouted. Will you keep quiet if someone tries to misbehave with your wife? Actually, you should be handed over to the police.

All passengers, nearby, looked stunned and inquired of the reason for such shouting and commotion.

Haridas drew everyone’s attention and said. "She is my wife. When she went to the toilet, this person tried to molest her. Is he not