Nawang: The Kapdewala

By
Col Abhishek Singh, SM
(Mighty Meiktila-1)

 

My earliest memory of Nawang was Nov 1999, when we joined OTA and we both were a part of Meiktila-1 platoon. Besides brief introductions, we were soon going to be partners in the long, arduous training which lay ahead of us. I remember our dorm was on the first floor and our beds were interspersed. Typically the kids from a fauji background hung out together and the civil kids were busy finding their feet. Nawang was a decent, reserved and a very well behaved youngster. I never recall him being angry, using uncouth language or having any bad habits. He was instantly registered as a ‘Good Kid’ by all. As our training went by I remember that Nawang had a strong upper body and would pass his difficult PT tests with ease. Inherently being bulky he really improved his running during his stay in the academy. We all had our strengths and weakness and we advised each other on the ways to pass a particular test. My Pl cdr was Capt YR Acharya, who was a commando instructor and a tough task master. He would catch rouges in an instant and could easily see through anyone acting smart. Nawang was amongst one of the few cadets, who was never caught or punished by Capt Acharya, due to his simple nature.

At the end of a long day of training, Nawang and I would often sit together and talk about our families. One thing which was clear was that both of us had indulgent mothers and we both got the best stock of eats from home. Friendships in academy were also concretized on the basis of who had the better eats and who was willing to barter. It was during one such interaction, Nawang told me about his background. He told me that his family had a cloth wholesale shop in the old markets of Mumbai and it was their family business. In fact the surname ‘Kapadia’ was drawn from the words Kapde Wala. It was since then, we would lovingly call Nawang a Kapdewala instead of Kapadia.

One of the most difficult times in the academy was the training camps. These camps involved staying outdoors in the inhospitable surroundings for up to five days and would culminate into a 40 Km run back. During one of such camps, me and Nawang were made buddy pairs. This was done as our GC numbers were one after the other. By virtue of being buddies, meant we both had to dig our own trench and fight the simulated battle together. Chennai weather being sweltering coupled with the hard labour of digging through rocky ground had left us exhausted. We were not allowed to bathe in the adjacent lake due to filthy waters and had only one change of clothes. On the first night me and Nawang unanimously decided to flout the orders and bathe in the lake. We were not caught but came out dirtier than before. Learning our lesson we quickly abandoned this plan but on the next day, Nawang had noticed a army water bowser, which was parked about a kilometer from our location and was strictly meant for drinking water only. Typically we would be digging our trenches or doing battle drills late into the night. Our instructors would also hover till midnight. Nawang hit a brainwave that we sleep early and wake up at 3 AM. It was planned that when everyone was asleep exhausted and our instructors would be gone, we would quietly go to the water bowser and have a bath with drinking water. This was a huge risk and we were wasting precious drinking water. Still we snuck up to the bowser and had the bath of our lives. We quietly sneaked back to our trench and kept this a secret between us. Its no surprise that the following four nights only two cadets in the company always looked fresh as they had bathed with drinking water every night. Though Nawang shifted to Kohima company in the second term, still we cherished our secret whenever we met. Little actions of brotherhood like these are often repeated in the face of the enemy too. True to his blood, Nawang proved this by going back to recover a injured comrade and laying down his own life in the bargain. Few will understand what drove him to do that, but it’s the call of his comrades and the flag of his regiment which were more precious to him than his life.

I will never forget the smiling dimpled face of Nawang or the twinkle in his eye when he did anything naughty. He was and always will be remembered as a simple and a good man. As my regiment celebrates its Raising Day on every 15 Dec, I always pay a silent tribute to Nawang and wish my friend a very Happy Birthday.