800 NAVAL COMMANDERS WRONGED

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            Indian Navy is the finest Service of our prestigious Armed Forces. Prior to the commissioning of the NDA in Khadakwasla in 1954,  an interim training academy known as JSW(Joint Services Wing)  was set up in Dehradoon on 01 Jan 1949. After 2 yrs of training, the top 25 cadets were sent to Dartmouth UK for further 2 yrs of pre-commission training into ‘Indian Navy’. (Adm L Ramdas, VAdm JN Sukul and Cmde SK Bhalla were from this batch -01 JSW).The remaining went to Army and Airforce as per merit. Navy has been a Royale service that can be vouched for by all Naval men. Yet, about 800  Naval  Commanders were wronged by their own senior brother officers in the corridors of power in the Naval Headquarters.   

         In a move to reduce the age profile of commanding officers and to ease rank stagnation at the level of Majors and Lt Colonels, the government in 2004 announced acceptance of major recommendations of Ajai Vikram Singh Committee, that was announced by then Defence Minister Shri Pranab Mukherjee.   The Govt accepted all the recommendations put forward to it by AVSC  to "ensure career prospects of army officials and reduce the age at combating level of Commanding Officers." The AVSC recommendations pertained to all three, Army, Navy and Air Force.  As per the recommendations, while the Army and the Air Force promoted their LtCol(TS)/WgCdr(TS)  to Col(TS)/Gp Capt(TS)  on having accomplished 26 yrs commissioned service. But NHQ  alone,  while implementing the AVSC Part I recommendations had introduced an additional clause namely, protecting the’ inter se seniority’ as per Navy List, despite clearing Commander (TS) to Substantive Commanders on 16 Dec 2004. The promotion of all Commander(TS) were put on hold for 11 yrs,  till such time all Select Commanders were promoted to Captain(TS),  protecting their inter se seniority.

        Commander Kshirsagar contested the decision in Supreme Court, graduating from lower courts, but the Naval respondent  got the court’s decision in its favour by the googly of  ‘inter se seniority’. The irony is that there exists ample proof of cases of flouting the ‘inter se seniority’ norms of promotion within the Navy itself. However to garner Judge's sympathy and a favourable verdict the Naval Respondent had committed in the Honourable Supreme Court that  only 237 officers would be affected and rest all shall be promoted, but in effect only 5 officers were promoted in Aug 2016 with loss of seniority, whereas about 1000 Commanders were left in the lurch and made to superannuate as Cdr(TS) from Dec 2004 till Aug 2016. 

         While within the Navy, the protocol issue was not much of an issue, but in the inter-services organisations, the protocol went topsy-turvy. I had been posted to NCC in the sunset years of my Naval Career. The Army and Airforce Officers who had been my subordinates, became my seniors owing to their promotion to Col/GpCapt  Time Scale. I discussed the issue with CNS during his visit to Kolkata in 2009. The CNS mentioned that he shall look into the issue on return. However  the COP, VAdm B had made up his mind against the pleas of Commanders(TS) despite making them substantive Cdrs on 16 Dec 2004. These Commanders were wronged on two counts: ONE -Imposition of negative seniority from the time they were granted TS promotion.  TWO- Not granting them Captain TS, despite they fulfilling the laid down AVSC criteria.

       PRESENT  STATUS:  After all select  Commanders were promoted to Capt(TS) after 26 yrs commissioned service, now all officers are being promoted to Commander  at 13 yrs service and those that miss selection grade to Captain  are promoted to Capt(TS) after 26 yrs of commissioned service.

     EFFECTIVE IMPLICATION: All Officers who continue to superannuate  after  full service (33 yrs)  shall retire as Capt(TS)  and no one shall hitherto retire as Commander beyond 26 yrs commissioned service.

    REPERCUSSION: The OROP stipulates equalisation of pension of the Same rank with the Same length of service. But since there shall be NO Commander retiring beyond 26 yrs commissioned service, what formula shall be worked out for about 1000 Commanders who superannuated with 30+ yrs service? The effect of financial loss would work out to Rs 20,000/ in the first equalisation in 2019 and the loss shall be colossal in next equalisation. This anguish could have been foreseen by NHQ and these affected  Commanders been granted Captain(TS) a day prior to their superannuation/ retirement. But alas !!      

IS  THAT  NOT  GROSS  INJUSTICE  METED  OUT  TO  THESE  COMMANDERS  OF  THE  INDIAN  NAVY  ??  HOW  WOULD  IT  BE RESOLVED  BY  THE  HEADQUARTERS  OF  NAVY  SO  THAT  THEY  ARE  NOT  PENALISED  THEIR  OROP  BENEFITS ??    

        Commander  Sudhir Dua has congregated hundreds of Commanders under one Umbrella to discuss the gross injustice meted out to this group of Commanders.  Commander  KK Trehan and Commander  Sudhir Dua are spear-heading the cause to ensure justice. Hundreds of ‘Redress of Grievances’  have been forwarded to Naval Headquarters. Cdr S Dua has appealed to the fence-sitter Commanders to join the struggle for Justice, by contacting him on mob-8828111408. 

WILL  THESE   COMMANDERS   WHO HAVE BEEN  WRONGED,  EVER SECURE  JUSTICE  FOR  THEMSELVES  ?   

WAY OUT: To scale the impasse  the present  ‘Chief of the Naval Staff’   is requested to grant  Capt(TS)  Rank to the affected Commanders to ensure that they are not bereft of their rightful OROP  benefits and Justice ultimately acquiesces. 

Click on the Link Below to enjoy a relevant  presentation  

 https://www.youtube.com/watch?=RELPUodqM4k&t=6s 

  INITIAL  PRIME  MOVER - CDR RAVI KSHIRSAGAR 

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 a Master of Ceremonies and a blogger. http://rajdutta26.blogspot.com/

AGM-2019  AT  IMSC

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        The bliss of interacting with like-minded Veterans is Priceless…The Annual General Meeting of the Naval Veterans of Mumbai Chapter at IMSC Colaba, is a much-awaited affair organised in Apr/ May every year. This year it was programmed for 28^th Apr and conjoined with Adm BS Soman memorial lecture, for which the guest speaker was the International  movie legend Mr Ananth Mahadevan, who held the entire audience in a spell as he spoke from experience with a rich sprinkling of humour on ‘Breaking the glass ceiling of nepotism - A Common Man’s Journey To Success In Bollywood’. This was followed by interaction with him over drinks and lunch at IMSC.
 

    Later the AGM was conducted at the same venue at 1500 hrs, steered by Commander Vijay Vadhera. Over 200 veterans have registered into the Foundation during the past year, updating the strength to 1178. A min’s silence was observed as a mark of respect to the Veterans who had left our gang for their Heavenly abode in the last one year. Friends of the Veterans who had breathed their last recounted their memories and invaluable contribution to the Navy and the Society post-retirement. This was followed by the new members introducing themselves and their good ladies, some with a touch of humour, declaring themselves to be ‘happily married,’ a class oxymoron that’s second to none. Every year to encourage penmanship for Quarter Deck magazine, NFMC awards Veterans whose articles find a place in QD as per the promulgated topics. Cdr Raj Dutta,  whose article was published for 6^th  yr in succession was awarded Rs 5K. Meena Dutta was felicitated for being the Official photographer for 2018-19. After getting the audited Balance sheet of last year passed by the majority, a few ECHS  Agenda points were discussed. It was then time to honour the Octogenarians. They were pleased to receive their Mementos from Veer Naris. RAdm RM Bhatia, President NFMC, in his concluding remarks thanked all Veterans for their cooperation to him and his team in the smooth running of affairs of the Foundation for the past 3 yrs. Due to his relocation to Gurugram recently it was decided to hold the election of the new President in the near future.     

     

       A spectacular day spent wonderfully. Awaiting next interaction with Veterans during the forthcoming Navy Week celebrations…Cheers!  

       Agar koi hum Veterans se poochhe, ke zindagi mein kya khoya aur kya paya ? Toh hum be-jijhak kahenge, ‘Jo khoya vo hai hamara bachpan hamari nadaani, aur jo paya wo hai hamare Rab ki meharbani ’… !!!

 

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AMAR JAWAN- THE BABY IS TWO YEARS YOUNG

           I was indeed glad to receive a call from Lt Shreekant Bhende yesterday during my return drive to Borivali from Colaba, where Meena and I had savoured some funtastic moments capturing snaps during the Adm BS Soman memorial Lecture conducted by NFMC and steered by Cdr Vijay Vadhera, that was followed by AGM-2019 and farewell to RAdm RM Bhatia and his good Lady Bala ma’am the same evening.  

            I pulled the Car to the left and was glad to learn from Lt Bhende, the Architect of ‘Amar Jawan’ monument in Borivali  that the Baby is 2 yrs young and that he has invited RAdm & Mrs RM Bhatia for celebrating its 2^nd Anniv by wreath laying at 4pm. He and Cdr Kutty with their charming ladies had just arrived and we greeted each other with euphoric delight although we had met in NFMC meet a day previous. Indeed the feeling of emotive bonding between Veterans during any congregation is priceless. Soon RAdm RM Bhatia arrived with his good Lady Bala ma’am. The love and affection that the Adm and Lt Bhede possess for this monument was visible in their moist eyes as we all climbed up to pay our Homage to the ‘Amar Jawan’. The monument  depicts every soldier who has laid down his Life in every War that India has fought. The ‘Amar Jawan’ is also representative of every Soldier who stands guard at our Borders in Sun and Rain, Day and Night. Adm Bhatia laid the wreath as we all saluted and paid our Homage to the Martyrs. It was 2 yrs ago when the Adm had himself inaugurated the monument as President of NFMC in the presence of Veterans of Mumbai Suburbs.

       After the wreath laying Lt Bhende invited us to his white marble abode that’s at a stone's throw from the monument. The interiors of the huge home have very exquisitely been crafted by Lt Bhende and his good lady. We all recaptured and narrated moments from our Naval past which had some uncanny resemblances. Their maid, a nice lady, who has been like their family member for long served us assorted sandwiches, biscuits and fruit Juice. Later Mrs Bhende prepared and served us delicious hot coffee.

     It was kind of RAdm and Mrs Bhatia to have driven down 56 kms from Colaba to be with us all to celebrate the second Anniv of ‘Amar Jawan’. He lovingly patted us all before departing. Salutes Sir and Bala Ma’am.

     Thank you so much Lt and Mrs Shreekant Bhende for calling us for the Solemn occasion. Sir, you and Ma’am are energetic Veterans from whom Meena, I and many young veterans draw inspiration….JAI HIND !

To View the first Blog on ‘Amar Jawan’….click the link below.

 http://rajdutta26.blogspot.com/2019/01/amar-jawan-monument-borivali-26-jan.html