CINC’s  GOLFING  OUT

The establishment is abuzz with a flurry of activities during the month preceding the Commander-in-Chief of a Command hanging his boots. The CO’s of establishments bee-line his Staff Officer for an evening convenient to the Admiral for a farewell Dining out at the former’s Ship/ Establishment. Golfing out is a sought after event for the C-in-C, with a love for the White ball game on the lush expansive greens.  

 

Materials Organisation (Mumbai) volunteered to shoulder the Organisation and conduct of MO(Mbi) Invitational Golf Cup 2023 and Golfing out of VAdm Ajendra Bahadur Singh, PVSM,AVSM,VSM, ADC, FOCinC(W)/ Patron, US Club, on 25 and 26 Feb 23 (morning session on each day), followed by Prize distribution / Golfing out ceremony, PLD and Lunch at 1230 hrs on the second day at US Club lawns. Cdr Salin George was tasked to prepare the lists of the Participants (both serving and retired) and all other arrangements in coordination with US Club. The irony is that the lists for the two days was not finalised till the Tee-offs both days, with last minute drop-outs and amendments. Nightmarish for Salin for the last few days as his phone never stopped ringing. There was an overwhelming response from the serving and Veterans and the 80 slots for each day were oversubscribed and a few keen golfers had to forgo the prized tournament.   

 

THE TOURNAMENT

On both days the US Club Golf fairways were abuzz during the forenoon with white balls flying around and some golfers ducking at the shouts of “Ball !!”. On the first day 80 golfers played their round of 18 holes and competed for the Max drive (6^th Tee), closest to Pin(11^th Tee) and closest to centreline(9^th Tee).  On 26^th early morning the prime four Ball were VAdm AB Singh, our CinC, LtGen HS Kahlon (GOC M&G), VAdm K Swaminathan (COS) and VAdm R Swaminathan (DGNP), who Tee’d off from Tee No 1 at the Gun shot at 7 am, together with all other foursomes from Tees 2 to 18. Prior to this the golfers started congregating at the club from 6 am, fetching caddies from Caddy master & registering at the reporting counter. On arrival of CinC, the Golf Sec briefed the Golfers and read out the rules, specified the OB areas and wished the Golfers happy golfing. After Tea/Coffee the golfers proceeded to the respective Tees for the Gun shot Tee offs.

At 1130 hrs Chip and Put had been organised for couples at the T Six lawns, where merry golfers cheered the participants at the artificial green mat, as the husbands chipped and their ladies put. LtCdr Shailja kept their scores to decide the winners. It was a grand meet & greet festival and it was a pleasure interacting with Senior officers and Veterans who had come from all corners of Mumbai. Apart from the serving golfers there were many Senior Veterans who had been invited too, viz VAdm MJ Singh, VAdm P Jaitley, VAdm SKK Krishnan, VAdm Girish Luthra, VAdm AR Karve, LtGen Jagbir Singh, Air Mrsl AP Garud, Maj Gen Atul Mehra, RAdm CS Rao, RAdm AK Saxena, AVM Rajat Mohan(AOC MAO), Brig TK Sinha, Cmde Mike Bhada, Cmde BK Ahluwalia, Cmde VIS Bal, Cmde PS Sahi, Cmde RS Arshi, Cmde Ramesh Kumar and a few younger Veterans too. Besides 3 offrs from the sister service, Coast Guard also participated : DIG Rajesh Makwana, DIG Atul Joshi & DIG Sudhir Sahni. The Golf course wore a charming look with 11 ladies too swinging their clubs on the white ball for two days : Mrs Jyoti Singh, Mrs Jayana Kalpesh Rawal, Mrs Pramila Rakhi Ram, Mrs Priti Chopra, Mrs Manita Singh, Mrs Srilakshmi Tummala, Mrs Seema Singh, Mrs Shanta Rao, Mrs Jyoti Shah, Mrs Ankita Kishore and Mrs Poornima BS. (The list of 160 participants is placed below)

At this point in time it would be prudent for the reader to glance at the enviable profile that our CinC and Patron is blessed with.

 

VADM AB SINGH,PVSM, AVSM, VSM, ADC, FOCINC WNC   

Vice Admiral Ajendra Bahadur Singh assumed the duties as the Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief. Western Naval Command on 01 Dec 21. An alumnus of the prestigious National Defence Academy, he was awarded the Vishisht Seva Medal in 2011. Ati Vishisht Seva Medal in 2016 and Param Vishisht Seva Medal in 2022 for his exemplary service to the nation.

The Flag Oficer has served on a large number of operational naval ships. He was the Navigating officer of INS Kamorta (during OP PAWAN), and Destroyer Ranjit, besides being the Fleet Navigating Officer of Western Fleet during Op PARAKRAM.

All four operational commands of the Flag Officer have been of ships based at Mumbai. These include Indian Naval Ships Veer (Missile Vessel), Vindhyagii (Frigate). Trishul (Guided Missile Frigate) and Viraat (Aircraft Carier). He has also been an instructor at the National Defence Academy at Pune, Navigation & Direction School at Kochi and Directing Staff at Defence Services Staff College Wellington. VAdm Ajendra Bahadur Singh was also the Chief of Staff of the Western Naval Command from Jan 18 to May 19. He is one of the very few officers who has the unique distinction of being the C-in-C of both operational Commands of the Indian Navy.

The Flag Officer is married to Mrs Charu Singh and the couple are blessed with two daughters, Ambika and Ajita.

PRESENTATION CEREMONY

 The presentation ceremony was a grand affair. The program was well compered by MCs LtCdr Tanu and Lt Deep Sodhi. The CinC, GOC, COS, DGNP and Mrs Charu Singh gave away the prizes to the Winners, which was followed by farewell speeches recounting the progress of the Golf course during the Parton’s tenure. Indeed the proof was visible in the from of lush green fairways and greens. The Golf Committee had been fabulous and the MO organizers with Cmde Gokul Dutta leading from the front had ensured all nitty-gritties were looked into to make the golfers comfortable and pampered during the Golf and the ceremony thereafter.  The delectable elaborate multicuisine Lunch was served at two separate enclosures, topped with mouthwatering desserts : cakes, Kulfi and Faluda. Three cheers to the Kunjali Naval Band who in their dashing attire had regaled the audience even as  Cdr Dhillon sang the ‘Chalte Chalte’ song in honour of our CinC and the good lady Mrs Charu Singh.   A predeparture visit to the Panwala was a must, who served the edible leaf with assortments of your choice.  

 

MO Golf Cup 2023 winners

Gross / overall - Cdr GPS Dhillon

Gross Runner Up - Cmde Aditya Hara

Net winner - Col Arun Shukla

Net runner up - Cdr VV Pylla

Ladies net winner - Mrs Srilakshmi Tummala

Longest Drive - Rear Adm Mahesh Singh

Closest to Pin - Cdr PS Rawat

Straightest Drive - Cdr V Puranik

Max birdies - Capt Boyiri Varma

Max Pars - Cdr V Goswami

ORGANISERS 

The Golfers were indeed amazed by the conduct of the Tournament and the associated Happy Hours organised later. Kudos to the team of M.O.(MB), who deserve a big round of applause : Capt Harshad Patil, Capt Hari Nair, Capt Anup Joe, Cdr Salin George, Cdr MK Sharma, Cdr N Kapil Singh, Cdr Pranav Joshi, Lt Cdr Shailja, Lt Cdr Shabaz, LtCdr Avinash Babu, Lt Cdr D Bhattacharjee & Lt Mandanna. (MCs- LtCdr Tanu & Lt Deep Sodhi)

 

The two days of Feb : 25^th and 26^th Feb were a grand exuberant affair for the Naval golfing community at the US Club, exceptionally well organized by MO(MB) for Golfing-out our Commander-in-Chief, well captured by NFMC photographer Meena Dutta and the Naval Photographer from Cd Photo Sec, to be reflected back in footprints of time to come.   

 

Sam No Varunah

Jai Hind

(Please double click the videos and finger zoom for comfortable view)

   You-tube Video Link (Meena Dutta)

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UXtpcpzpPNw&ab_channel=MeenaDutta

   

SNAPS

About the Author

Commander Rajinder Dutta (Retd) has been a Naval Pilot and a Qualified Flying Instructor with about 3000 hrs of flying on various fixed wing Aircraft of Indian Navy, viz HT-2, HPT-32, Kirans, Islander, Super Connie, Fokker F-27 and IL-38.

 He is the Hon Secy of NFMC, a Master of Ceremonies and an avid blogger. http://rajdutta26.blogspot.com/