How I Remember Lt. Kapadia
By Major Praveen Kumar
We received a heart warming email from Major Kumar and wanted to share it on the web-memorial
“First let me introduce myself. I’m Maj Praveen Kumar, 1/5 GR (FF). I got commissioned on 3 mar 2001 from OTA. I was in Kohima Company.
Lt Kapadia sir was in Jessami Company. The only time I had an interaction wit him was during dinner. You might be aware that during dinner when a senior gets up from the table or is standing near you then you are supposed to stop chewing & come savdhan (attention) position. Well on that eve, as usual I was very hungry & didn’t notice sir getting up & was busy eating away. He came close to me & asked me ” jungu ( that is how juniors are addressed in OTA) you seem to be very hungry?”. For a moment, I thought that am going to spend the night behind the Jessami Company barracks doing all those punishment excercise. To my surprise he jus sat next to me & said to eat as much as I can. After some time I told him that I am done but he told me not to stop & made me eat till I was about to throw up. That day he taught me two lessons
One, that you should be human while treating your subordinates.
Two, you should also follow the time tested tradition of an organisation & should not be carried away by your emotions.
Later on sir passed out from the academy & as luck would have it I not only became a senior but also became the battalion cadet adjutant of Ranjit Singh battalion.
During my stay as senior I followed the same way of punishing a junior in the dining hall & also in other spheres.
After commissioning I was in the base camp of Siachen when you & madam had come for lunch to our mess. I don’t think you remember me but I had lunch wit you & we chatted for a long time.
I always admired sir & will always do.
The Khukri is a very good thing & will definitely honour any one wearing it but as I had mentioned earlier that I belong to the First battalion of the Fifth Gorkha Rifles so I won’t be able to wear it on my dress. So please don’t send it to me.
I had written this mail to jus tell you how I admire sir & how I deeply I respect him. He was a true gentleman & a true Gorkha”