HEARTBEATS OF A TANKMAN

By Lt Gen A B Shivane

‘Heartbeats of a Tankman’ is a poignant tribute to a soldier’s journey, celebrating the indomitable human spirit, through the enduring power of poetry to touch the soul. Navigating themes spanning ‘Saga of Family Heritage, Bravehearts and Battles, Tryst with Love and Destiny to Humans for Humanity’. The collection encapsulates a soldier’s life, soul, heart, and emotions. Each poem is thoughtfully accompanied by the author& 39;s personal experiences/emotions, a glimpse into the poem& 39;s essence, and a Hindi couplet encapsulating the sentiments within.
This collection serves as a testament to valour, love, destiny, and the resilient
heartbeat of a Tankman& 39;s soul.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Blue Rose Publishers
• Release date: Mar 22, 2024

Book preview

MY LIFE’S JOURNEY CALLED FAUJ

(Pic: Author at NDA, as a Lt Gen and then a Veteran)

Well, who am I? I am just a soldier who had the good fortune to walk astride many great soldiers in my journey called Fauj. I was born a Fauji and will breathe my last as a Fauji. My body has been blessed to have donned the prestigious uniform; my mind moulded to the selfless ideals of a soldier, my emotions painted in shades of Olive Green, my dreams entwined with the tricolour, and my soul forever bound to the life of a soldier.

The stars on my shoulder and the medals adorning my chest are my most precious eternal treasures. I most humbly owe it to the men I had the honour to command and the guidance cum mentorship of many seniors whom I served under during my varied tenures. Though I no longer don the uniform, it remains an indelible part of my eternal soul, and so I proudly call myself a Soldier4Life.

Retirement has merely re-attired me, allowing me to continue my enduring mission of Aspire to Inspire before I transit from being Distinguished to Extinguished. I firmly believe that our country’s flag doesn’t flutter solely because of the winds, but because of the last breaths of our soldiers who’ve sacrificed their lives to protect it. So ‘Veer Naris/Veer Families’ is a very emotive issue close to my heart.

My journey began as a Fauji brat in a military hospital in Ambala, the third sibling in my family. Interestingly, that very hospital was later bombed during a war and then rebuilt. My father hailed from a traditional Maharashtrian background, while my mother came from an affluent Punjabi family in pre-partition Lahore. Their love story, a tale of meeting at a defence club, dancing romantically, and culminating in a love marriage, initially shook both their families due to inter-caste barriers. Yet soon my mom’s loving nature endured her to all. She became from Mitra to ‘Mitraakka’ (‘akka’ – elder sister).

My upbringing was a joyous experience within a wonderful family, including our beloved dogs, Timmy and Paro. Our family was characterised by its values, secular outlook, discipline, and deeply ingrained ethics.

My father, a man of both compassion and unwavering discipline, hailed from the small town of Osmanabad, Maharashtra. In a rare feat of his time, he earned his engineering degree from Osmania University in Urdu. He was a staunch nationalist, even enduring imprisonment as a student freedom fighter during India’s freedom struggle. In 1943, he joined the Royal Air Force, initially flying ‘Spitfires’ before being transferred to the Royal Sappers in 1945, when they discovered his engineering expertise. He earned the nickname ‘Shivyane’ due to the challenge of pronouncing Indian names. Shivyane, a young officer, was stationed at General (later Field Marshal) William Slim’s headquarters in Burma during World War II. In those days the British Army had a field mobile cinema unit to screen war movies and newsreels for the troops. One day, Shivyane and his Indian friend drove in a Willys Jeep to the screening location. However, they were stopped at the entrance by a British Military Police personnel who declared that Indians weren’t allowed to bring their Jeep inside. Young Shivyane, in a fit of anger, slapped him and sped away refusing to see the movie. The next day, he was brought before Gen Slim in his Sam Browne (official dress) for disciplinary action. Gen Slim bellowed, ‘March him in!’ The charges of manhandling were read, and Gen Slim, in a stern voice, said, ‘Shivyane, you’ve committed a crime. I’ll spare you this time due to your exemplary service record, but if I were you, I’d do it again and again.’ Then he ordered, ‘March him out.’ Such were the leadership qualities of those stalwart men of steel from that era. My father retired as a Lieutenant Colonel with the AVSM award, having earned immense respect and accolades during his distinguished career. In his own words, "An officer may eventually hang up his uniform, but hanging up his spurs after a distinguished and unblemished career is a joy that grows