The poet pleads with his Agniveer-his Fire warrior-to stay his course notwithstanding all hurdles. His protagonist faces formidable life challenges. The probable initiator was renowned poet Harivansh Rai Bachchan who titled his famous 1973 poem Agneepath (Path of fire). Since Agnipath/ Agniveer have been alluded to, it is only fair to trace their modern avatar. Their ability to conduct such vigilance with a mix of trained and partly trained short-turnover soldiery for the majority of who there will be demobbing in store except 25 per cent selected for absorption in mainstream forces needs review. Its armed forces have paid a huge price to keep India sovereign. Born in battle in 1947, India, 75 years on, remains eternally vigilant in near-war and proxy war deployment. It is thus important to take a reality check on the Agnipath/ Agniveer scheme since it will affect the core foundations of our armed forces. This allows MoD to get more bangs for its defence bucks through acquisition/ modernization coterminous with ‘leaner’ forces. The mind-boggling mathematics of the TOD scheme however focuses on the monies saved. This assumption can be seriously questioned. It clinically suggests (there is no reference to military ethos) that since most soldiers die young, a short ‘Tour’ produces soldiers as good in quality as fully trained and ‘educated’ soldiers. This humane and deep-rooted approach runs counter to the beguiling logic in use for supporting short tours. These are learnt not taught.Įven when a sudden border crisis gives little learning time as happened in 1962/1971 when under-training personnel were rushed into battle, the raw soldiers’ need to deliver was based on his implicit faith that whatever may be the consequences, whether death, injury or glory, he would be looked after by the very army ethos/ way of life that drove the raw soldier to volunteer. These are big chunks of the military’s Regimental system which binds all ranks to its ‘one for all all for one’ (courtesy Alexandre Dumas) credo… to its Naam-Namak-Nishan and Mai-Baap belief sets. Collectively, these could be clubbed as ‘A way of life military ethos military ethics. An Agniveer selected for an operational mission has to earn that faith/ trust/ respect and that takes time. They are felt and seen in the soldiers’ body language and actions through verbal and non-verbal gestures. These qualities, values and ‘belief sets’ attitudes, are complex and thrive in the mind-space. No sacrifice for those you trust or serve with honour and integrity, such as unit or country, is big enough. It brings in respect, admiration and pride-in oneself, in peers, and for country even at cost of death. Trust is thus an infectious ‘feel good’ factor that establishes faith across all ranks. Its presence wins wars its absence ensures defeat and compromise. It must be earned, felt and experienced through delivered performance and adherence to the army’s ethos and ethics. Whether general or jawan, it cannot be demanded be rushed. It took time for both I and the Army in terms of subordinates, peers and seniors to understand each other well enough to place our lives on trust it being a critical component of army ethos. This is because my Agniveer experience was life changing, searing. Nothing could, however, be more disrespectful or irrelevant. I could therefore say with misplaced smugness and complacency that I am a survivor been there, done that… been through savage Agniveer travails yet had top-of-the-shack army siblings/ relatives at home reminders of permanent commission duties and benefits. I’ve served in both single and All-India-All-Class units and had no issues with either. They underwent three years training at NDA a fourth year at IMA before commissioning. I have three ex-NDA brothers, a spiffy ex-NDA nephew and several brothers-in-law. Early in my career of almost 39 years, I found myself posted to the globally benchmarked National Defence Academy (NDA) as an instructor- among the very few Short Service officers to be so selected. I am among those in my 1968 batch who ‘made the cut’ for permanent commission before my ‘tour’ of five years ran out followed by surgical demobbing without benefits for those not making the cut. I am a short service entry officer, call me an ‘Agniveer’ if you will.
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