An Officer..and a Gentleman !

1.While he retires later this month, he would have completed an astounding 42 years of service guarding the nation & it's assets.

2.A fine taskmaster, he understands the intricacies of dealing with people who don't necessarily have the best of educational degrees tagged to them.

3.A recipient of President's police medal for meritorious service, I can vouch for the fact that he hasn't made even 42 paise in his 42 year career through unethical means .

4.Having served in almost every part of the country from Tripura to Mumbai , Himachal to Tamil Nadu , this man knows even the most remotest of the villages in the country like the back of his hand.

5.Starting off with a career in CBI & having guarded some of the most sensitive installations in our country , he would command about 3000 troops at the time of retirement in his position as DIG of the Central Paramilitary Force that he works in.

6.On a softer note ...even today when my friend asks me how I am so comfortable talking to people who are neglected by the rest of the crowd ,I am practicaly left fumbling for answers . Somewhere I inherited that trait from this man.

Whenever we go visiting outposts/dutyposts , I see him take the pain to make sure that the saluting jawan has seen him returning the salute. Republic / Independance day Barakhanas (A feast organised in troop barracks) would invariably mean him jumping out of the officer's enclosures and joining the jawans with their meals . Most of them would be taken aback when he surprises them with queries on their children's class X results or daughter's marriage plans.

All in all , It was a fabulous journey for me all these years being part of a force thats considered one of the best in the country in terms of discipline & effectiveness .Meeting people from different backgrounds & social upbringings was an unmatched learning experience .

And yes, just in case you haven't identified the man yet ....That's my Dad !