Brij Mehta Diaries

My tenure at Gaya Ji was a short one, but it was filled with memorable and eventful experiences. Gaya was then a small town on Howrah Line , and I continued to assist the Company Clerk in his daily duties in my role and responsibilities in the army.

The town was declared “out of bounds” for troops except on official work. On one occasion, I was sent on an authorized out-pass to get a dak box(mail box repaired. After having it welded & rectified by a local mechanic, I was returning to the unit in a rickshaw when the Commanding Officer happened to pass by and noticed me. By the time I reached the Company Lines, the information had already reached the Subedar Major and the Company’s Senior JCO. Fortunately, it was an official and authorized task, and hence I escaped any adverse or disciplinary action.

My stay at Gaya ji also provided me with an opportunity to visit the holy river Phalgu and perform rituals for our ancestors, including Pind Daan, as advised by my father.

During this period, the unit participated in a major exercise near Azamgarh. For me, it was a unique field exercise involving troops as well as the Air Force. I was still too young and inexperienced soldier to fully understand the scale and significance of the exercise, as I participated merely as a member of a section but got excited & thrilled seeing tree top flying by Fighter jets.

Despite my military commitments, I remained connected with my studies whenever time permitted. I had applied for the B.A. Part I examination as a private candidate. My friend, Ish Kumar, was extremely helpful in forwarding my roll number and other examination details9Date sheet & examination centre etc) . However, as the examination dates approached, my leave had still not been sanctioned, and I became increasingly anxious.

After exhausting all channels at my level ,Finally, I sought an interview with the Company Commander, a Sikh officer from the ASC who was attached to our unit. He understood both my passion for education and the necessity of continuing my studies. Much to the displeasure of the Company’s Senior JCO, he sanctioned my leave.

I immediately boarded the first available train to Khanna. Although I had been studying on my own whenever possible, my preparation was far from complete. Upon reaching Khanna, I met my friend Ish Kumar and our neighbor Sushma, both regular college students. I requested their guess papers (selective questions based on previous years papers) and using them as a guide, prepared my own likely-question notes. I then concentrated on selective preparation before each paper.

Many may find it difficult to believe, but I not only passed the B.A. First Year examination, I actually scored higher marks overall than both of them(my friends)—without any malice intended against them. This achievement greatly boosted my confidence and strengthened my determination to fulfil my dream of becoming a commissioned officer in the Army.

After taking my examination and finishing casual leave prepared to return to Gaya ji via Delhi & I still remember the return journey from Khanna. It was a nightmare travelling from Delhi by the overcrowded Toofan Mail, as I spent most of the journey standing on the door of a general compartuntil Aligarh.

Soon afterwards, our unit moved from Gaya to the Kashmir Valley, opening a new chapter in my Army life.