VEEKAY’S NEWSLETTER – 11 AUGUST 2022

VEEKAY’S NEWSLETTER – 11 AUGUST 2022 For the last sixteen years I have been writing an annual newsletter. Those of you who have been reading them may be wondering why this one, in the middle of the year? Well, it is an anniversary. Not of a birthday or wedding, but another important event. Exactly five years ago, on 11th August 2017, the judgment was reserved in the my petition in the Delhi High Court to quash the proceedings in the case filed by the CBI against me concerning my book titled India’s External Intelligence–Secrets of the Research & Analysis Wing (RAW) published in 2007. On that day, after ten years of trauma, I thought that the ordeal was finally over. Alas, it was not to be. Today, after a long wait of five years, what I get is not a judgment, but the news that the case will be heard again from scratch, by a different judge. I was reminded of the game Snakes and Ladders which we played as kids – if you landed in the mouth of the serpent near the finish point, you slid down to the starting point. For the benefit of those who may not be aware of the case, I will give a brief introduction. After passing the Senior Cambridge examination in 1960 I joined the NDA in 1961. I was commissioned in 1965 in the Corps of Signals. My last appointment in the Army was Chief Signal Officer, Western Command. In November 2000 I was sent on deputation to the Cabinet Sectt., Research & Analysis Wing (RAW), as Joint Secretary (Telecom) under Project Vision 2000. I retired from Army service on 30/6/2002 on attaining the age of 58. I was then re-employed in the same appointment in RAW until 30/6/2004, when I reached the age of 60. During my stay in RAW, I noticed a number of flaws and malpractices that shocked not only me but most of my Army colleagues in that organisation. Even while I was there, I reported some glaring instances of corruption to the higher authorities. In a few cases, where equipment was being purchased at phenomenally high prices, action was taken and the ongoing projects were halted. But after I left RAW, I came to know that they had been revived and the equipment purchased at the original prices. This was understandable, since the kickbacks had already been taken by the concerned officials. It was then that I decided to write this book. The book India’s External Intelligence–Secrets of the Research & Analysis Wing (RAW) was published by Manas Publications in June 2007. It brings to light several lacunae in the functioning of RAW, the most glaring being corruption in the procurement of equipment, lack of accountability, and our dependence on foreign sources. Apart from the malpractices that I noticed, I was agitated to find that the security of important persons such as the Prime Minister was being compromised, ‘for a few pieces of silver’, which is the title of one of the chapters. On 21/09/2007, nearly three months after the publication of the book, the CBI raided my house and took away my computer, passports and diaries. The CBI informed me that they had registered a case u/s 5 of the Official Secrets Act, 1923, based on a complaint from the RAW that I had revealed ‘secrets’ in the book that endanger the security and sovereignty of India. Next day, they also raided the office of Manas Publications and seized certain items. The CBI filed a charge sheet in the court of the Chief Metropolitan Magistrate on 11/4/2008. Thankfully, I had applied for anticipatory bail and was not arrested. Proceedings in the case were stayed by High Court and charges have still not been framed. On 14/05/2008 I filed a petition (Crl.M.C.1604/08) in the Delhi High Court to quash the FIR and charge sheet filed by the CBI. After almost ten years, arguments in this case were closed and judgement reserved on 11/08/2017. It was expected that the judgment will be delivered in the next few days. But this was not to be. After 18 months, the case was listed on 22/02/2019 for clarification. Since then hearings are being held on technical matters. Why am I being targeted? One probable reason is that I was an outsider in RAW. In an article titled ‘It’s a RAW Deal’ in the Hindustan Times of 13/10/07, Barkha Dutt wrote:- Moreover, why has V.K. Singh been singled out for punishment? After all, a slew of recent books by former spies – including one by security analyst B. Raman that accuses Rajiv Gandhi of covering up the Bofors probe – have been allowed into the public domain without fuss or fury. Could it be because V.K. Singh was never an ‘insider’ but a military officer on deputation? Is this just petty bureaucratic politics playing itself out? There are several pointers to indicate that the CBI was pressurised to register the FIR and file the charge sheet against me. About two months after the publication of the book, I was invited by the CBI to deliver a talk at the CBI Academy to officers of the rank of DIG, SP and Dy SP. The subject of the talk was ‘Corruption: A Concern for National Security’. During the talk, I was specifically asked to cover the instances of corruption that I had highlighted in my book. Obviously, the CBI did not find anything wrong with the book at that time. A few weeks later, they registered the FIR against me. Another pointer in this respect is that the CBI registered the FIR without even a preliminary enquiry. During the hearing held on 26/09/07 in the Court of the Sessions Judge in Tis Hazari on my plea for anticipatory bail, the CBI was unable to produce any evidence and submitted that they had still not read the book and needed more time. Commenting on this, in an article titled ‘Malice in Wonderland?’ TSR Subramanian, who was the Cabinet Secretary between 1996 and 1998, wrote in the Indian Express on 6/10/07: ……How can a person be hauled up before court for revealing official secrets if the prosecuting agency does not even know what secrets are being revealed? This is some kind of Alice in Wonderland situation. ……V.K. Singh is basically to be seen as a whistleblower. Lt Gen Vijay Oberoi, a former Vice Chief of Army Staff, feels that the ‘pillorying of Maj Gen V.K. Singh for being a whistleblower is an affront to Indian democracy’. In a forceful article titled ‘RAW egg on their faces’ in the Indian Express of 11/7/07, he wrote: Even to a layman it would be obvious that this is a case of harassment of an upright officer, who has rightly criticised the acts of omission and commission (largely the latter), which needed to be exposed. We all talk of widespread corruption and misuse of public funds. The courts and the media have talked about the need for more whistleblowers. Yet the Government of India, RAW and CBI are hounding Singh, the whistleblower. Another reason is that the book has named several officers who were corrupt. Some of them were very senior, belonging to the Cabinet Secretariat, MHA, SPG and RAW. Their names have been published in many articles. (Double Checking by Saikat Datta in the Outlook, 28 Jan 2008). These officers were naturally extremely annoyed at the disclosure and vowed to teach the ‘whistle blower’ a lesson. I have received support from a wide cross section of society, including the media. Mr. Prashant Bhushan, a well-known Supreme Court lawyer and PIL activist, had filed the petition in the High Court. Captain (IN) Dr. BK Subbarao, a brilliant scientist who had himself suffered incarceration for a false case filed against him under the OSA, has also been arguing my case in the High Court. On my part, I have approached the National Human Rights Commission, the Chief Vigilance Commission, and the Chief Information Commission. At the end of it, nothing has been achieved. After this, will anyone raise his voice against corruption? Do statutes like the Right to Information Act and the Whistle-blowers Resolutions exist only on paper? About one and half years after the judgment was reserved, the case was listed on 22/02/2019 for directions/clarifications. When I appeared before the court I was informed that my petition prays for quashing of the FIR and Charge Sheet, but not the Complaint, which will remain even if the case is decided in my favour. Even while I was looking for the page on which the prayer was mentioned, the CBI counsel opened his file and showed me the page. I did not think this was odd at that time. Later, I wondered how he was aware that the prayer needed amendment. After several hearings, I submitted a new petition on 16/10/2019, after amending the prayer. I felt that the judgment will now be issued. Again, I was wrong. Hearings in the case are still going on. On 29/04/2022 it was listed before another judge who ordered the matter to be listed on 03/08/2022. On that day both parties requested that the case be sent back to the judge who had reserved the order. This was done and the case was ordered to be listed on 26/08/2022 before the judge who reserved the order. Just two days ago, while browsing the history of my case I found that it has again been listed before another judge on 15/9/2022. No information has been conveyed by the registry to me or my counsel regarding the case having been released by the judge who had reserved the order for listing before another bench. Fifteen years have elapsed since the FIR, charge sheet and complaint were filed by the CBI u/s 5 of the Official Secrets Act 1923. Being a complaint case exclusively triable by a Sessions court, vide Section 202 Cr.P.C. the magistrate is himself required to conduct the inquiry. Hence the FIR and subsequent investigation by the CBI is ab initio null and void. A case filed by the CBI against Aniruddha Bahal was quashed on 26 May, 2014 by Justice Veena Birbal of the Delhi High Court on similar grounds. I am now convinced that the case is being subverted by the CBI using whatever means they have, fair or foul. Now that it is known that the case initiated by the CBI will be struck down, it has sent shock waves through the agency. If this happens, it will affect all other cases filed by the CBI and other agencies by registering FIRs under the Official Secrets Act and carrying out investigations themselves. So one can understand their anxiety to delay the case as much as they can. As I mentioned in the beginning, I have suffered agony for 15 years already. In the last two years, my physical health has deteriorated considerably due to my spine surgery that went wrong. The implant in my back has ten screws, eight rods and two cages. Of these, two screws have become loose and one cage has been displaced. Due to the pain, I find it difficult to stand or walk. If the case is heard by another judge from the beginning, it may take another 10-15 years before arguments close and the judgment is reserved. With rare prescience, Rajeev Dhavan, a senior counsel in the Supreme Court had predicted my fate. In an article titled ‘Stop the Prosecution of Maj Gen V K Singh’ he wrote in the Mail Today on 13 April 2008:- So the Government chose the most cruel and safest option: to criminalise the publication. This, itself is a symbolic punishment. But it is more than symbolic. The Government will waste a lot of money - with its inept prosecutors hanging on to the case for years. But Major General Singh will find out that the process is the punishment. He will spend the rest of his life and his savings to fight the criminal case….Singh will be punished by the process even if he wins his case. Dhavan was right on both counts – I am not very far from the end of my life and almost near the end of my savings. With regards Maj Gen VK Singh 11 August 2022 PS. Those who wish to read the previous newsletters can do so by logging on to my blog veekaysnewsletter.blogspot.com. My second blog that contains chapters from my books and articles on military history is veekay-militaryhistory.blogspot.com. The third blog that has most of my articles is http://veekaysarticles.blogspot.com.

VEEKAY’S NEWSLETTER -2021

 

                                            VEEKAY’S NEWSLETTER -2021

Dear Friends,

    Another year has ended. For some reason, days, weeks and months seem to be passing much faster than they did ten or twenty years ago. As one grows older and the final destination comes nearer, one wonders why the time when the journey will end remains unknown. When you travel in a train, car or aeroplane, you look forward to the end of the trip. In the journey of life, you don’t know when it will end, and thank God for it. I know people who are older than me who play 18 holes of golf, run in marathons and do sky diving. Only last week, my course mate Pramod Tembe took part in a para jump commemorating the para drop at Tangail in 1971.

    Like 2020, this year has been severely impacted by COVID-19. And now another monster, Omicron, has appeared on the scene. Our lives will probably never be the same again. Perhaps the ones who are affected the most are the children. Schools and colleges are closed and classes are held online. What about the friendships that one built up and nurtured in school and college? The crushes of adolescent years; the pranks and games played with classmates and neighbours; sharing lunch boxes during breaks; the rendezvous in the college cafeteria; and the thrill of ragging the freshers - these will only be memories now. Times are a changing, and there is little we can do about it.

    The year opened with the celebration of our golden wedding anniversary on 19th January. Thanks to the pandemic, we had to make do with a small get together at home, with the children and grandchildren. There was the mandatory cake and the birthday song, followed by some photographs. Kumud and I were wondering where the fifty years have gone. Most of it was spent in packing boxes for move to a new station; long journeys by train and road; admitting the kids to new schools; getting to know the neighbours; making new friends; etc. etc. There were many holidays and trekking trips in the hills; picnics and parties; weddings, births and deaths; and so much else.

    Most of my earlier newsletters have been full of the problems associated with my book India’s External Intelligence – Secrets of the Research & Analysis Wing (RAW) published in 2007, which exposed the corruption in that organisation. Irked by the exposure, the spooks convinced the powers that be to slap a case against me under the Official Secrets Act of 1923. The Home and Law Ministries were reluctant to do this, since the book had not been banned.

    The NSA, MK Narayanan, (he was an ex spook) was pressurized by Ashok Chaturvedi, the then Chief of RAW, to do this, on grounds of national security. I had filed a case in the High Court in 2008 to quash the proceedings. Arguments in the case were closed and the judgement reserved on 11th August 2017. But the order has still not been issued. This is in spite of an order of the Supreme Court that limits the time for issue of the judgment to six months after it is reserved. With judges in our country being accountable only to themselves, there is little one can do but wait.

    Talking about the judiciary, I am sure some of you must have come across the term ‘in the interest of justice’ which is used in orders granting adjournments when one of the lawyers is absent or requests for an adjournment. This is prevalent in all courts of law as well as judicial forums such as the Consumer Disputes Redressal Forums and Commissions. In a case I had filed in the Consumer Forum in Gurgaon against Nissan Motors, their lawyer was absent for the first and second hearings. Finally, he gave a reply after several months. According to the Consumer Protection Act, the time limit is 30 days. This can be extended up to a maximum of 45 days provided sufficient justification is submitted. I pointed this out in written arguments submitted during the final hearing. However, my case was dismissed. In the order there was no mention of my arguments on the point of the time limit being exceeded.

    I filed an appeal in the Haryana State Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission in Panchkula in 2019. Nobody from Nissan appeared in the first two hearings. In the third hearing my course mate Brig HS Chahal appeared on my behalf. Again, there was no one from Nissan. The President (he is an ex High Court judge) said that the case will be decided ex parte. However, the order reads “In the interest of justice, adjourned for 06.12.2019 for arguments”.

    I attended the next hearing. The hearing was held in another court. A lawyer appeared and submitted a power of attorney on behalf of Nissan. I told the Chairman that the time limit for submitting the reply had already been exceeded. But again the order reads “In the interest of justice, adjourned for 08.04.2020 for arguments”.

    Due to the pandemic the next hearing kept on getting postponed and took place on 29 Nov 2021. Brig Chahal appeared on my behalf. After the hearing he told me that nobody had appeared for Nissan. However, when I down loaded the order next day, I found that a lawyer was present and had requested for a date. Again, the order read “in the interest of justice, the case is adjourned for 07.04.2022 for arguments”. I was surprised and rang up the Secretary of the Commission. He could not explain how the order showed a lawyer for Nissan being present when actually he was absent. But I know how this happens, since this is not the first time. Lawyers usually grease the palm of the reader or court clerk who types out the order. The judge obviously does not remember what exactly happened and signs the order. The lawyer gets paid for every hearing, so he does not mind sharing a part of it with the court clerk.

    Two things are brought out. The first is the angle of corruption mentioned above. The second is the one of accountability. The judges, knowing fully well that the case should not be heard in view of the time limits, still adjourn the case “in the interest of justice”. Should not the order read “in the interest of injustice?” The Consumer Protection Act was enacted to protect the rights of the consumer. Are the judges not violating the letter as well as the spirit of the law?

    Another interesting case relates to the AWHO. I have mentioned something about it in my newsletters of 2009 and 2010. After taking over a flat in Sector 56 in Gurgaon in 2002, I measured the size of the rooms and discovered that the area was less than what was claimed by the AWHO. I had filed a complaint in State Consumer Commission in Delhi in 2003. After about four years I noticed that my case is always listed in the end and is thus never heard. A little amateur detective work revealed that the lawyer employed by the AWHO has ‘arranged’ this, through the subordinate staff. At the next hearing, I mentioned this to the President, Justice JD Kapoor, who assured me that he would decide it in the next hearing, which he did. Vide an order passed on 20 Jan 2009, the AWHO was asked to pay me Rs. 75,000 within one month. Copies of the order were given on 18/3/2009.

    As expected, the AWHO did not pay up. After a month had passed and they did not appeal in the National Commission, I filed an application for execution of the order. Suddenly in October I received a notice for a hearing to be held in January from the National Commission. I discovered that the AWHO had filed an appeal. I wondered how this was possible, since the time limit was one month. When I went through the copy of the order of the State Commission that had been attached to the appeal by the AWHO, I discovered that the date was different from what was given in my copy. The date of issue written in hand in my copy was 18/3/2009. In the copy submitted by AWHO, it was 18/8/2009. The figure 3 had been altered to look like 8! I brought this to the notice of the Registrar of the National Commission, who was shocked. He said that this could not have been done without the involvement of his staff. He promptly raised a query with the State Commission which confirmed that copies had been given to both parties on 18/3/2009. It was a clear case of forgery. I subsequently filed an FIR with the Delhi Police, but nothing came out of it.

    We got our COVAXIN doses in March and April. The second dose was administered on 10 Apr 2021 but the certificate shows the date as 16 April. How this happened is another story. We got the shots at the PHC in Palam Vihar, very close to my house. After the second dose, we did not receive any message. Col Anil Vaid who lives nearby had also got the second dose along with us. He walked across to the PHC and questioned them. Apparently they had not uploaded our test results. Finally, on 16 Apr we got the message and downloaded the test report. The date shown is 16 Apr, instead of 10 Apr, when it was actually administered. So much for the authenticity of our official records about the COVID vaccines.

    Like many others of my age, I have been afflicted with medical problems for the last 20-30 years. I have been suffering from lumbar canal stenosis for many years. It all started with two fractures in my vertebrae in 1965 while doing PT during the YOs course. I was taken to the MI room within 15 minutes of the injury. The MO felt that all YOs are ‘shammers’, and prescribed APC and heat treatment for a week. He did not even bother to lift up my OG jersey and examine my back. Needless to say I was in terrible pain. After a week I went back to him and he repeated the treatment. Next week I went to him again and requested him to send me to the MH, since the pain was unbearable. Very reluctantly he referred me to the surgical specialist in the MH.

    If I remember correctly the surgical specialist was Maj Kalra. He promptly asked me to get an X ray done. When he saw the X ray he mounted on me. He asked me why I had come to him two weeks after the injury. There were two fractures, one of which had not joined properly. I told him that that the MO had seen me and prescribed only APC. He picked up the phone and got through to the MO in the School of Signals (I do not recollect his name, but he was a Bengali). Maj Kalra berated him for his negligence and told him that because of him I may suffer later in his life. He did not downgrade my medical category but I was excused all out door work including PT and games till the end of the course. After this I did not have to carry cable drums during outdoor exercises. During the 1965 war, there was a blackout in Mhow and YOs had to do a lot of night patrolling. I was asked to man a field telephone in the Airfield Mess and report any untoward incident if it came to our notice.

After the course, I was posted to 17 Div Sig Regt in Sikkim. It was located at MS 9 on the Gangtok-Nathula road. The CO was Lt Col PK Roy Chowdhury, the 2ic was Maj George Paisley and OC 1 Coy was Maj SK Dovedy. After about a month, my course report reached the unit. It was mentioned that the officer had not done any outdoor exercises or tests such as PPT, BPET. I was told that since I was not medically fit, I could not serve in HAA. I pleaded that now I was OK and should be allowed to remain in the unit. Finally, Maj Dovedy intervened on my behalf and I was allowed to stay. Interestingly, he was from 1st JSW course and I am from 26th NDA. Between him and me, there was no other ex-NDA officer. I think that accounted for his soft corner for me. But he was quite strict. In Dec 1965 there was incident in North Sikkim when an Indian patrol was ambushed by the Chinese and some Indian soldiers were killed. A Flash message was initiated by the unit (17 AR). I was on ADSO duty but after the traffic was cleared I had gone to my tent at about 2 am and was fast asleep when the Sikh LI runner came and woke me and told me that the Superintendent had asked him to inform me about the message. I told him to get the message cleared and went back to sleep. After an hour the Sikh LI orderly came and told me that OC 1 Company wanted me in the Signal Centre. When I reached there, I found the CO, 2ic, OC 1 Coy and DSO all here. Maj Dovedy gave me a mouthful and told me to put on full FSMO and start walking towards Gangtok as soon as my shift ended. When I reported to him after a couple of hours, he told me to forget it. “Don’t do it again,” he said.

    For the next 25 years or so, I had no problem and even did the commando course in 1966. It was in 1989-90 when I was posted in JC Wing of the College of Combat that I started having pain in my leg when standing or walking. As a result, I was permitted to take classes, including sand models, sitting on a chair. This continued even in my next tenure in Wellington in 1991-92. There was no MRI then but I was able to keep the pain under control by extension exercises. It was only in 2001 that an MRI done during the periodic medical board revealed that my spinal cord was being compressed at three places – L3, L4, and L5. My medical category was downgraded for six months. I raised a hue and cry but the surgeon in BHDC said he was helpless. Before my retirement in June 2002 the release medical board found the same problem and I retired with 30% disability. I was in low spirits till my course mate Man Mohan Singh, who was then in AG’s Branch, told me that I should be celebrating. He sent me a copy of the orders which said that the disability element as well as the service element of the pension was exempt from income tax. So, my disability turned out to be a blessing in disguise.

    This year, on 23rd March, my life changed forever. The LPG cylinder had to be changed. Our part time maid had left so I decided to change it myself. I had to bend down for quite a while because the regulator was not fitting properly. When it was done, I realised that I could hardly stand due to the pain in my back. Kumud had told me to sit on a stool while fitting the regulator or call my son who lives upstairs, but I did not listen. That is why they say that you must always listen to your wife! I didn’t and am paying for it now. The next couple of months were spent in visiting various hospitals to consult neurologists and spine surgeons. Finally, I had to undergo surgery of the spine at the Indian Spinal Injuries Centre on 22nd June 2021. The procedure is known as surgery Posterior Pedicle Screw Fixation + Decompression + Discectomy + Fusion. This was all Greek to me. When I searched for it on the net, I found a number of videos on YouTube which explained how it is done. I now have ten screws, eight rods and two cages in my back. Though the ISIC has given me an Implant Certificate, I doubt if I can go anywhere by air. The X-Ray machines will start beeping and not stop. It has been six months since the surgery but the pain is still there, especially when I stand or walk. Some parts of the body such as the back are completely numb. There is some numbness in the hands and feet also. They say that it may go away with time.

    As if this was not enough, on 16th December Kumud’s brother Col Jitendra Singh (82 Armd Regt) also underwent a major operation, when his right leg had to be amputated in the RR Hospital. It was found that his arteries were completely blocked and attempts to clear them by ballooning failed. Bypass surgery was tried but did not work and the only option was amputation to stop the spread of gangrene. He had already lost his left leg in 2007 in similar circumstances, when an operation to remove blockages in his arteries by inserting a stent performed by Dr Naresh Trehan in Apollo Hospital went wrong and the wound became infected. He was discharged but had to be readmitted twice. Finally, the leg had to be amputated. Shortly after this, in 2011, his son, Maj Aditya Singh died in an accident in Kashmir, leaving behind a young wife and four old son. Needless to say, the whole family is traumatised by the latest tragedy. There have been cases of officers losing both legs but these usually happen at a young age. (Late Lt Gen Pankaj Joshi lost both his legs in Sikkim in 1966, when I was there. He was our Sergeant in my 1st term in C Squadron. Took part in the Himalayan Rally with me in 1982). Jitendra is seventy three years old. But he is a strong willed man who does not lose heart and we are sure will come out of this misfortune also.

    What we miss most now is our annual holidays and the weekend picnics with the grandchildren. There is hardly any socialising and even the annual Corps Day party of 15th February is not being held. The same goes for the biennial reunion of my unit in Hisar. It was due in November 2020 but had to be cancelled. Now another year has rolled by. We have regularly held the monthly Meet & Greet of our NDC course from 1984 onwards, without a break. After February 2000, even that is being held through Zoom. The same goes for the course get together. One never knows if it will remain like this forever.

    We are staying at Abhimaur Vikum in G-31, Palam Vihar in Gurgaon since 2004. The plots behind our house (East) and the two on the side (South) were vacant and we enjoyed sunlight almost the whole day, especially in winter. About a year back, a new house began to be constructed to the East, next to the vacant plot next to our house. Like most houses in Gurgaon, it has five floors, the ground floor being used for parking and the others for residents. As a result, our quota of sunlight has been drastically curtailed. I now realise that those living flats in condominiums are better off, since they have balconies on 2-3 sides. It cannot replace the luxury of sitting in your lawn but at least you get the sun. When we moved to Palam Vihar, only two floors were permitted. Over the years, builders got the limits changed to three, then four and now five. This is now true of all plotted colonies, including DLF, Sushant Lok etc.

    My son Abhimanyu lives on the first floor with his wife Jasmine and their two children Bhuvanyu (19) and Khushi (17). Bhuvanyu had passed Class 12 last year and joined the College of Vocational Studies in Delhi University. My daughter Mauravi and her hubby Vaibhav are still living in Trinity near the DLF golf course, with their two daughters, Mriggya (19) and Eshaana (17). Vaibhav, a Captain in the Merchant Navy is presently on the high seas and will be coming home only in March 2022. Mriggya has already changed several colleges. She had initially joined Sophia in Mumbai last year and started her online classes. Once admissions were opened in Delhi she was admitted to Miranda House. But she had to take Bengali as an additional language and was not too happy with it. So she decided to switch over to another college. She is now in the College of Jesus and Mary. She has lost a year but is not at all perturbed.

    I think I have already written more than enough. This is my 15th newsletter. Those who wish to read the previous newsletters can do so by logging on to my blog veekaysnewsletter.blogspot.com. My second blog that contains chapters from my books and articles on military history is veekay-militaryhistory.blogspot.com. The third blog that has most of my articles is http://veekaysarticles.blogspot.com.

Wishing all of you a Merry Christmas and a Very Happy and Prosperous New Year.

                                                                                                            Vinay and Kumud Singh

                                                                                                            Tele: 0124-4074077

                                                                                                            Mob: 9873494521, 9899110913

                                                                                                            23rd December 2021

This picture was taken in July 2021 about a month after my spine surgery. Standing from left to right: - Ben, Khushi, Jasmine, Mauravi, Mriggya, Eshaana and Bhuvanyu. The boys are missing. Vaibhav is sailing and Abhimanyu is taking the photographs.

VEEKAY’S NEWSLETTER -2020

 

VEEKAY’S NEWSLETTER -2020

Dear Friends,

The year 2020 has been the most extraordinary and unpredictable of our lives. The Corona virus has literally transformed the World, affecting almost everyone and everything. Who could have ever imagined that there will be a day when we cannot hug and kiss even our family members and close friends? Throughout our lives, we recognised colleagues, co-workers and neighbours by seeing their faces, which are now hidden by the mask. Even their voices are muffled. Children can’t sit next to their mates in a class room or play with them in the park. Except for those who perform manual labour in farms and factories, white collar workers now see the faces of their supervisors and colleagues only on a computer screen or their smart phones. The housewife can no longer haggle with the vegetable or fish vendor and everything is now purchased online. The joy of window shopping, seeing movies on a large screen and hearing live music at a concert is gone.   Senior citizens miss the time they spent walking and chatting with old friends in the park. With the news of the vaccines being developed and likely to be available soon, all this may soon end.

            But all this is known to everyone. A newsletter must have something that is not known to one and all. As I had mentioned in my last newsletter, the case concerning my book about RAW that was published in 2007 is still going on. After the CBI filed a charge sheet in the court of the CMM, we filed an application in the Delhi High Court in 2008 to quash the proceedings. Arguments had been closed and the judgement reserved on 11^th August 2017. Surprisingly, the judgement has still not been issued, even after more than three years. In the last hearing held on 7^th February 2020 my counsel Prashant Bhushan had requested the judge to issue the order, but the request was denied and the case adjourned.  Due to the lockdown, there have been no subsequent hearings in the High Court. The proceedings in the court of the CMM has been stayed, and hearings are held by video conferencing. Naturally only adjournments are given. The lesser said about our judicial system the better.

 

As regards the other cases filed in the Consumer Commission and RERA, I had given a brief outline in my previous newsletters so I will not repeat them here. Due to the Pandemic there has been no progress in any of them and things stand where they were a year ago. But the lockdowns have also affected several activities that were considered routine until early this year. Even the monthly visits to the ECHS clinic and the canteen have been curtailed, due to risk of infection. Visits to malls, shopping centres and restaurants are all on the banned list. For family events such as birthdays and anniversaries no outside guests are invited and food is usually cooked at home. Local travel by cab is also avoided. The only way to move around on essential visits is your own car. Due to health reasons I usually don’t drive except for short trips in Palam Vihar itself. For the last several years I have been hiring a driver on a daily basis, especially for trips to the court or outstation journeys. Now even that is avoided and I take the help of a family member. With almost everyone in family including two of the grandchildren now able to drive, there is no dearth of volunteers for this chore.  

 

The problems related to my health seem to be multiplying. Fortunately I have not had any major afflictions like many others of my age. Apart from the problems associated with my back and my eyes, the new one added in 2019 was BPPV (benign paroxysmal positional vertigo). The first attack came in the middle of the night on 22 November 2019. The second one was on 25 March 2020, again at night. On both occasions I had got up to have a glass of water. As advised by the ENT specialist as well as the Neurologist I tried to do some exercises such as the Hall and Pike and Epley manoeuvres but these only seemed to aggravate the problem. So I gave it up and now take Vertin tablets whenever required. I was told that this form of vertigo goes away on its own, but one has to be careful while it lasts. The important thing is to avoid sudden turns of the head. Even if you have to turn your body, it has to be done very slowly. With the gym in the DSOI closed since March, I have resumed my morning walks on a deserted stretch of the road near my house or in the park. But I find that my walking speed is quite slow, unlike what I could do on the treadmill in the gym.

 

I thought that the weakness and giddiness that I felt was entirely due to the BPPV. Then on 30^th October something strange happened. At about 0830 I had just returned from my morning walk and was sitting on a chair in the sun doing pranayam when I suddenly felt weak and giddy. My wife and son helped me to the bed where I lay down. I had got all my tests done about four years back in Medanta, which revealed that I have a deficiency of salt. Kumud reminded me of this and I spoke to the medical specialist in the ECHS clinic who has been treating me for the last 10-15 years. He advised me to get the tests done again. Sure enough, there was a deficiency of sodium chloride and Vitamin D. For the last couple of years, we had been using rock salt instead of common salt. After I spoke to the doctor, he advised me to take Tata salt and Vitamin D supplement - Calcerol sachets once week for three months. I started these immediately and the results were remarkable. The weakness gradually reduced and I was able to walk around at my normal pace.

Our NDC course has been having a monthly get together since 1994. It is in the form of a lunch hosted by members in turn usually on the first weekend of the month, either at his home or in a mess or club. This has been going on for 25 years without a break. To celebrate the Silver Jubilee we had planned a more elaborate affair in the form of an outstation trip to a holiday resort. It was to be held sometime in November or December 2019 but had to be postponed by a few months. With common consensus it was decided to visit Jaipur and Samode. Almost all members and their better halves, including those staying in other cities agreed to attend. Using different modes of transport, we congregated at the ITC Rajputana in Jaipur on the evening of 19 February. Some of us were meeting after almost 25 years and there was a lot of hugging and back slapping. After cocktails and a fabulous dinner we broke off quite late and retired for the night. Almost everyone stayed at the hotel itself, except those who had close relatives in Jaipur. This included me – Kumud is from Jaipur. Though she did not accompany me on the trip, I had to spend the night in her house, like a dutiful son-in-law.

Next morning we went in two buses to Samode, which is located about 40 Km from Jaipur. We had planned a short visit to Chomu also but had to drop it since it would have delayed our return to Jaipur in the evening. Reaching Samode at about 1130 we spent about an hour going around the fort and palace, which is now a heritage hotel. I had visited Samode several times earlier with my father-in-law and other members of the family.  I might mention here that Kumud is from Chomu which has close links with Samode, both being fiefs of the Nathawat Rajputs. Here a brief introduction to the Samode and Chomu would be in order.

Chomu and Samode are kotris (principalities) of the princely state of Jaipur.  Both are held by the Nathawat branch of the Kachwaha clan, which claims descent from Kush, the second son of Lord Rama. The Kachwaha dynasty established its rule in Dhoondar or Amber (later Jaipur) in early 13^th Century after defeating the Meenas. Around 1600 AD, Prithviraj, who then ruled Amber gave each of his 12 surviving sons his own fief (kotri) to rule. The third son, Nathoo, was assigned Chomu, his descendants being known as Nathawats. The family has, since then, had a very illustrious military tradition. Having proved his mettle in various battles, the ruler of Chomu was appointed to command the vanguard of the Jaipur army and the first seat on the right-hand side of the Maharaja was granted to him in Durbar – a privilege he enjoyed till amalgamation of Jaipur into the Indian republic in 1947. According to James Tod, the Political Agent to the Western Rajput States and author of Annals and Antiquities of Raja’sthan, in early 19^th Century Chomu was the largest of the 12 kotris, contributing the maximum revenue and the largest personal quota of horsemen to the ruler of Jaipur.

Chomu and Samode being held by the same clan, they have always had very close links, the ruler of one often adopting the son of the other if he did not have a son of his own. Kumud’s grandfather Th. Devi Singh also gave his eldest son Sangram Singh in adoption to Samode, while the second son Raj Singh inherited Chomu. Sangram Singh’s grandsons now run the Samode Palace hotel and Samode Bagh resort. Kumud’s father Th. Bharat Singh was the seventh son of Th. Devi Singh (the 5^th was Lt Gen K Umrao Singh, the GOC 33 Corps in 1962 who disagreed with Gen LP Sen when orders were issued to throw out the Chinese, leading to NEFA being taken out of his command and placed under the newly created 4 Corps; the 6^th was Maj Gen K Bhagwati Singh, IC-1, whose son Madhvendra Singh became CNS).

In Kumud’s absence, I had to brief the others regarding the history of Samode and Chomu. After visiting the Fort and Palace, we moved to Samode Bagh for lunch. It is a beautiful resort with luxurious tented accommodation for guests. The management had permitted us to bring our own drinks. So after a couple of beers we had a sumptuous lunch for which the menu had been given by us earlier. Since some members wanted to do some shopping in Jaipur we started back at around 1530, reaching Jaipur at 1630.

In the evening we again assembled in the ITC Rajputana for drinks and dinner. There was a lot of singing interspersed with jokes and stories to keep us entertained. We finally broke up just before midnight. Since this was to be our last evening in Jaipur, everyone wanted it to last forever. Next morning we checked out from the hotel and everyone left for home, some catching flights and some by road in their cars or cabs. I was in a bus that we had hired from Delhi. After a short break en route for lunch, we reached Gurgaon at about 1600, where some of us debussed, the rest going on to Delhi.

As it happened, our Jaipur trip was just in the nick of time. Less than a month later on 15^th March COVID-19 was declared a National Disaster. Schools, courts, restaurants, clubs etc. were closed and the series of lockdowns started. Life turned topsy-turvy and the sense of fear and panic started creeping in. The alarming number of deaths in India and around the World left us aghast.   Whenever one heard of the passing away of a family member, close friend or colleague, it naturally caused a lot of tension. One could not even attend the last rites of those we loved and cherished and the anguish was only compounded by the uncertainty of a vaccine being found soon enough. Knowing that the elderly and those with other afflictions are the most vulnerable, we had to be more vigilant than others. Naturally, precautions such as social distancing, regular washing of hands and wearing masks became a part of our lives.

Though there is encouraging news about vaccines being developed by several countries, it may take a couple of years before everyone gets it. The other problems facing the country are not abating. Millions lost their jobs and thousands their lives due to the lockdown, triggering a migration that lasted for several months. The security scenario is another cause for worry, with relations with China, Pakistan and now even Nepal worsening by the day. The massive protest by farmers against the new laws does not seem to be losing steam and only God can help us if it turns violent.

On a personal level, I find that lives of veterans is becoming difficult with each passing day. The peace and tranquillity that one looked forward to after retirement is missing. Almost every day, one gets a shock when a new card is introduced or a new form is to be filled. The retired officers’ identity card is not enough- now you need additional ones from the DIAV and the Zila Sainik Board. The ECHS card has already caused a lot of worry. For some reason the original card was replaced by a 32 KB card. Now this is to be replaced by a 64 KB card because it had a validity of 10 years. Why does it have to have a validity at all? If it had to be renewed why can it not be done in the clinic itself like the Canteen Cards?  And why should you have to pay for it? The worst is that all these cards are to be collected in person, even if you are 90 years old or disabled. If credit cards, Aadhaar cards, Voter ID cards and passports can be delivered by post, what is the problem with our Veterans Cards, ECHS cards and ZSB cards? My veterans’ card is lying in the Station HQ for several months. My new ECHS card has not been made even though almost a year has expired since I applied for it. I still have not applied for a ZSB card. As is well known, ZSBs are manned by civilians and function under the civil government, unlike the Station HQ which are manned by uniformed personnel and come under Area HQ. Then why change the system? The latest is the high security number plate and colour coded fuel sticker for the car. I had got the number plate and the fast tag sticker when I bought the car early this year, but at that time there was no colour coded fuel sticker.  Now the traffic police in Delhi is issuing challans if you don’t have the sticker. Again, you have to pay for it. 

 I think these are all examples of the brother-in-law syndrome, which I prefer to call the Vadra syndrome. This has been happening since long in various government departments and PSUs. When a person in authority wants to oblige a relative or close friend he will place orders for unnecessary purchases which are not needed. Even if a tender is floated, the specifications are tailored in a manner that only the favoured vendor can fulfil them. I saw several instances of this in RAW, where equipment purchased years ago was lying in unopened crates and had to be written off. I have given several examples of this in my book.           

The Pandemic has had another effect – it has added several words to our vocabulary. New professions and callings such as Instagrammer and You Tuber are now part of our lingo, especially on some TV channels. The new system of working from home has added another word to our lexicon - Workcation. Many office workers now combine work with a vacation and move to a place in the hills or near the sea where they can work and also have a family vacation. This way, you avoid the pollution and other problems in big cities such as Mumbai, Delhi, Gurgaon or Hyderabad. The locals have been quick to cash in on the new opportunity and small cottages have come up all over the hills as well as near beach resorts. All that you need is a place to stay, eat and 24/7 internet connectivity. In the years to come the Workcation may become a way of life for most white collar workers.

On a personal level, what pains me most of all is the distortion of military history.   A book titled “Watershed 1967 - India’s Forgotten Victory over China” has recently been published. The author is Probal Das Gupta, a former Army officer. When I read the book, I was flabbergasted. The author has taken a lot of material from some books and articles that I have written, without my permission. What is worse, he has twisted facts and distorted events, high lighting the role of his own battalion and totally ignoring that of others that were involved in the battle. Surprisingly, this book was selected for a book discussion during the Military Literature Festival held in Chandigarh from 18-20 December 2020. I have written a review article on the book which is likely to be published soon in the USI Journal. I have already posted my comments on my blog which can be read by clicking on the link http://veekay-militaryhistory.blogspot.com/2020/06/.

We are still staying at Abhimaur Vikum in Palam Vihar in Gurgaon. Though two malls – Ansal Plaza and Global Foyer – are located nearby, they have hardly any footfalls, thanks to the Pandemic. The gym in the DSOI next door is closed, and my girth has increased by at least two inches. My son Abhimanyu lives on the first floor with his wife Jasmine and their two children Bhuvanyu (18) and Khushi (16), who go to the Sun City School. Bhuvanyu had passed Class 12 this year and joined the College of Vocational Studies in Delhi University. My daughter Mauravi and her hubby Vaibhav are still living in Trinity near the DLF golf course. Their two daughters, Mriggya (18) and Eshaana (16), study at the Kunskapsskolan School. Vaibhav, a Captain in the Merchant Navy is presently on the high seas and will be coming home only in January.  Mriggya also finished her schooling and has already changed several colleges. She had initially joined Sophia in Mumbai about two months back, and started her online classes. Once admissions were opened in Delhi she was admitted to Miranda House. But she had to take Bengali as an additional language and was not too happy with it. So she is exploring options like switching over to another college. That process is still on.

 

There is lot that one can talk about but I think I have already written more than I should have.  This is my fourteenth newsletter. Those who wish to read the previous newsletters can do so by logging on to my blog veekaysnewsletter.blogspot.com.

 

My second blog that contains chapters from my books and articles on military history is veekay-militaryhistory.blogspot.com. The third blog that has most of my articles is http://veekaysarticles.blogspot.com.

 

Wishing all of you a Merry Christmas and a Very Happy and Prosperous New Year.

Vinay and Kumud Singh

Tele: 0124-4074077

Mob: 9873494521, 9899110913

22^nd December 2020

 

VEEKAY'S NEWSLETTER - 2019

VEEKAY’S NEWSLETTER -2019

Dear Friends,

The year 2019 has been full of trials and tribulations, interspersed with moments of joy and bliss. It started on a sombre note and promises to end in a similar fashion. As I had mentioned in my last newsletter, the whole family was in Jaipur during Christmas and New Year. Unfortunately, my daughter in law, Jasmine fell ill and was diagnosed with Swine Flu which was then raging in Jaipur. As a precautionary measure everyone else started the treatment for H1N1 virus. The New Year celebrations were on a subdued note, though the kids danced to their heart’s content. We had to cut short our trip and returned to Gurgaon on 2^nd January.

The year 2019 has been hectic. Apart from the court case that has taken an unexpected turn, there have been several other developments that have kept me busy this year. On 6 March I came to know that my Facebook account has been hacked by someone called Hoang Annh from Vietnam. He removed my photo from the profile and replaced it by his own. Apparently he did it by using my old e-mail account on hotmail, which I have not used for over 10 years. Of course, I immediately blocked the Facebook account and opened a new one, with the name vinay singh, linked to a different e-mail account. I also informed all my contacts on e-mail and WhatsApp.  

In my last newsletter I had mentioned that the case filed against me by the CBI at the behest of RAW in 2007 in connection with my book India’s External Intelligence – Secrets of the Research & Analysis Wing (RAW) was on the verge of closure, since arguments had been closed and the judgement reserved on 11^th August 2017 in the case filed by us in the High Court in 2008 to quash the proceedings. I had been browsing the website of the High Court on a daily basis to check if the judgment had been issued. In mid February I was surprised the find that the case had been listed on 22 Feb 2019 for directions/clarifications. Due to short notice, my counsel Captain (IN) Dr BK Subbarao could not come from Bombay and I appeared in person. The judge said that in our original prayer in the petition filed in 2008, we had prayed for quashing of the FIR and charge sheet, but there was no mention of the complaint filed under the Official Secrets Act. Before I could open my copy of the petition, the CBI counsel opened the page from his copy and showed it to me. Obviously, he was privy to the reason for the case being listed for clarification.  I then asked the judge if we should amend the prayer. She asked me to consult my counsel and adjourned the matter to 15 April.

 During the next hearing, the judge made the same observation. When my counsel wanted to submit a written note, he was asked to amend the prayer and file it. We filed the application for amending the prayer which was heard on 13 May. Since the CBI counsel was not present, the case was adjourned to 22 Aug. On that day the CBI counsel was again not present and a proxy counsel appeared. The judge asked him if he had any objection to the amended prayer. When he said they had no objection she said she would like to hear this from the main counsel. After several telephone calls, the CBI counsel came and said that he had no objection. We thought the matter would end here. But the judge then asked us to amend the petition containing the amended prayer and file it within 4 weeks. The case was adjourned to 22 Nov. On that day, the CBI counsel again had to be called and came only after lunch. When the judge asked him if he had any objection to the amended petition, he said that he had still not received instructions and wanted more time. The case has now been adjourned to 7 Feb 2020.

Seeing the way things are going, I am doubtful if this case will ever end. According to guidelines issued by the Supreme Court, a reserved judgment must be issued within six months. In this case the judgment was reserved on 11 Aug 2017 i.e. more than two years back. If we submit an application to the Chief Justice, he will just transfer the case to another judge, who will start hearing the arguments from the beginning. So, there is not much one can do except wait. These endless hearings are causing considerable stress, along with wastage of time and resources. It has also now started affecting my health. I wonder when it will end.

Apart from the case in the high Court, there are several others in various forums. The case filed by me in connection with the Nissan Terrano that I had bought in 2016 has still not been decided. This year, I have already made four trips to Chandigarh, to appear in the appeal filed in the State Consumer Redressal Commission. In the previous hearings, no one from Nissan Motors appeared, so the judge had said that he will decide it ex-parte in the next hearing on 6 Dec. Surprisingly, on that day a lawyer appeared and filed his vakalatnama. I objected that since he was appearing more than 30 days after receiving the notice, this should not be entertained. But the judge adjourned the case to 8 April 2020 and told me that I can argue on this point in the next hearing. It appears that neither the lawyers nor the judges want the cases to end. This seems to be the main reason for the backlog of cases in various courts, rather than shortage of judges as often claimed by the judiciary.

A similar thing has happened in the two cases filed by me in RERA.  Several years back, my daughter and son in law had booked two flats in a condominium called Paras Dews in Sector 106 Gurgaon. They have already paid more than 90% of the cost. Early this year, the builder offered possession of the flats. When we went and saw the flats, we found that they are not in a liveable condition. Moreover, according to the statements of accounts being sent by the builder, only about Rs. 9 lacs was the balance about to be paid for each flat. The builder was now demanding Rs 15 lacs. The agreement had many other clauses that were contrary to the RERA Act. For instance, in case of delay in completion by the builder, his liability was just 5% interest. In case of delay in taking over, the buyer was to pay interest at 18%. Naturally this was unacceptable. Since my son-in-law had to leave to take over a new ship, I undertook to look after the case. We filed two cases in RERA in March 2019. Since there was no reply to the notice sent to the builder, the cases were listed for ex-parte decision on 24 Sep by the Adjudication Officer. When I went to the court room, we were told that he will not be hearing any case today. I went and met him in his office. When I asked him the reason for not hearing the case, he told me that there are orders from above. He could not give any indication of the next date. Suddenly, towards the end of November, I received an e-mail informing me that the status of the case had been changed and it would now be heard on 27 Nov in the main court room.  I went to the court room on the scheduled date along with my daughter. We were informed that all cases would be heard on 23 Jan 2020. No reason was given for the adjournment. Also, the format of the complaint had been changed and we have now to submit a fresh complaint. It appears that RERA has still to get its act together. I think it would have been better to file the complaint in the National Consumer Commission directly, where laid down procedures are followed properly.

Of course, these cases are not the only ones I am involved in. Just for the record, in 2019 there were 9 hearings in the High Court; 6 in the CMM’s court in Tis Hazari; 3 in the CBI court in Rouse Avenue; 2 in the Consumer Forum in Gurgaon; 4 in the Consumer Commission at Panchkula; and 4 in RERA in Gurgaon. This makes a total of 28, which is almost the same as in previous years. Apart from the hearings, I have had to make many more trips for sundry jobs such as inspection of files, obtaining certified copies etc.

I think now that we have spent enough time on the legal matters, we can turn to more pleasant memories. This year there were three weddings in the family, two in Jaipur and one in Lucknow. It started with the wedding of Nainika, who is the granddaughter of Kumud’s elder sister, which was held in Jaipur in July. Like most weddings in Rajasthan, it lasted all of five days. Since one has to wear a different set of clothes for every function, we had to carry at least ten changes of clothes, two for each day. Because of the baggage, we had to take three cars – my Maruti Ertiga, Abhimanyu’s Skoda and Mauravi’s Captiva. Leaving Gurgaon on 6^th July, we returned on the 11^th.

I had thought that we would all get a few days rest. But I had to fly down to Jodhpur on the 16^th to attend the centenary celebrations of Gen Sagat Singh, organised jointly by Southern Command and Maharaja Gaj Singh. It began with the inauguration of a bust of the General in the Jal Vatika in the evening, followed by a dinner hosted by the Army Commander in the Konark Mess. Next morning there was a seminar in the Konark auditorium. There were two sessions with 4-5 panellists in each. I was asked to speak about the leadership qualities of Gen Sagat, whose biography I had written many years ago. In the evening there was a dinner hosted by the Maharaja in Umaid Bhawan Palace. Apart from guests from the Services, there were many prominent civilians, some of whom spoke about him. Gen Sagat’s son, Col Ranvijay Singh also spoke about his memories about his father. I spent the next morning going round the Jodhpur cantonment, accompanied by the CSO, Brig DK Tiwari. I had held this appointment in 1992-1993 and found it difficult to recognise the buildings and roads that had come up since then. The same evening I flew back to Delhi.

In the first week of November, there was another wedding in Jaipur, that of Aditya, the grandson of my cousin, Dr RP Sahi, who lives in Lucknow. His wife, Jaya, is Kumud’s cousin. Jaya is the daughter of Late Lt Gen K. Umrao Singh. He was GOC 33 Corps in 1962, when the Sino-India conflict commenced. He had disagreed with the COAS (Gen Thapar) and the Army Commander (Gen Sen) when the Govt’s orders to ‘throw out the Chinese’ were conveyed to him. To get him out of the way, NEFA was taken out of his jurisdiction and a new Corps – 4 Corps - was raised under Gen BM Kaul to control operations in NEFA. Incidentally, it was Gen Umrao who was instrumental in arranging my marriage with his niece Kumud. Like the previous wedding in July, this too was an elaborate affair, lasting about five days. Once again we travelled by road, returning on 11^th November.

The third wedding was in Lucknow from 22^nd to 25^th Nov. Due to an important hearing in the High Court on 22^nd, I could leave only next morning, by air. I had to fly back on the 25^th since there was a hearing on the 27^th in RERA. As it turned out, I had to rush back for nothing, since there was no hearing and all cases listed that day were adjourned to 23^rd January. I had to postpone my plans to spend a few days with the rest of the family in Lucknow and visit our ancestral village in Sultanpur, where I have not been able to go for more than three years.

In my previous newsletters I had mentioned about the problems associated with my back and my eyes. In 2019 there were some new ones. One was insomnia that has been going on for over a year. But a more serious one is BPPV (benign paroxysmal positional vertigo). For the last couple of months I had been noticing that I felt giddy when I got up from a chair or the bed, or turned my body suddenly. The medical specialist in the ECHS advised me to consult the ENT specialist as well as the Neurologist. I did this just a week ago. Sure enough, both have diagnosed it as BPPV which occurs due to displacement of a crystal of calcium carbonate in the inner ear. I have been asked to do the Hall Pike maneuver which helps in moving the crystal to its correct place. I understand that this form of vertigo goes away on its own, but one has to be careful while it lasts.

This year, we again missed our annual holiday in the hills. Now that the grandchildren have grown up, I find that they have very little time and spend almost all their time preparing for some exam or the other. In fact, my grandson Bhuvanyu was a very keen cricketer and had reached the state level in the under 16 team. But he has had to give up cricket because of his tuitions. I sometimes feel sorry for the present generation of kids, who are missing out on so many things that our generation enjoyed, such as outdoor games and sightseeing trips.

On 29^th June I also joined the “75 club”. In fact a large number of my course mates also celebrated their 75^th birth anniversary this year. Instead of an elaborate celebration, we had a small get together at home, with our children and grand children.

This year also marks the 25^th anniversary of our NDC course. Ever since the end of 1994 when the course ended, we have been having a monthly get together, hosted by one of us in turn in his home or any other venue of his choice. Considering our age – most of us are around 75- we decided to meet at lunch on the first or second weekend of the month. Instead of their homes, most members now prefer an officers’ mess or a club. We have maintained this tradition without a break for 25 years now. For the silver jubilee, we are planning to go to Jaipur for two days in February and stay in a five star hotel. During the day, we intend visiting Samode Palace, followed by a picnic lunch at Samode Bagh.

We are still staying at Abhimaur Vikum in Palam Vihar in Gurgaon. With two malls – Ansal Plaza and Global Foyer –located nearby, the traffic situation has become chaotic. The only consolation is that the DSOI next door has an excellent gym, which Kumud and I visit every morning. My son Abhimanyu lives on the first floor with his wife Jasmine and their two children Bhuvanyu (17) and Khushi (15), who go to the Sun City School. Mauravi and Vaibhav are still living in Trinity near the DLF golf course, where they moved in 2016 from Hextex Commune. Their two daughters, Mriggya (17) and Eshaana (15), study at the Kunskapsskolan School. Vaibhav, a Captain in the Merchant Navy is presently on the high seas and will be coming home only in February-March. Nowadays, he has to schedule his breaks to coincide with the kids’ holidays or exam schedules.  

There are so many other things that one can talk about but I think I have already written more than I should have.  This is my thirteenth newsletter. Those who wish to read the previous newsletters can do so by logging on to my blog veekaysnewsletter.blogspot.com.

My second blog that contains chapters from my books and articles on military history is veekay-militaryhistory.blogspot.com. The third blog that has most of my articles is http://veekaysarticles.blogspot.com.

 

Wishing all of you a Merry Christmas and a Very Happy and Prosperous New Year.

Vinay and Kumud Singh

Tele: 0124-4074077

Mob: 9873494521, 9899110913

20^th December 2019