Academy days: The wrong hand

The days in academy can never be forgotten in an army officer’s life as it forms a part of his childhood in services. If you pickup any biography of a renowed army man it will definitely have a chapter on his academy days. It is during this time that all of us coming from different parts of this diversified nation come to a common grid after the trg period. During this process various incidences connected with humour take place which become memorable for life and such nostalgic times are cherished during the course socials even after decades where everyone  forgets his rank and falls to the same grid to recall the past memories of academy days.

One such incidence took place in 1987 during a ‘Grenade session’. The ustaad taught us in a theory class on how to launch a grenade after explaining its parts on the blackboard placed on the easle which we all listened carefully sitting on a semicircular concrete bench under a  banyan tree besides river tons in IMA. He very clearly explained how a clip is removed with the left hand while holding a dummy grenade in the right with its lever facing the palm so that the lever is not released even inadvertently. After this he made each one of us practice by taking us to the actual grenade firing site. Every one  waiting in a single file  was called  one by one with a dummy grenade wherein after extracting the pin from left hand the grende was thrown behind the protective wall with the right hand. After this the clip was handed over to the ustaad and the cadet ducked down his head for a few moments depicting to hear the sound of the blasting grenade and thereafter came out of the trench allowing the next person to follow the same drill. After doing sufficient practice the D day came after two days when actual live grenade firing was to be carried out.

The first cadet came and performed as practiced. After taking out the pin from the grenade with the left hand and throwing the grenade behind the wall with the right he handed over the clip to the ustaad and ducked down his head to hear the sound of the blast before proceeding further to get out of the trench. After hearing the blast with excitement  he proceeded further and came out of the trench. Likewise he was followed by the second cadet and it carried on with everyone. Finally it was Prasad who came for his debut grenade launch. He was a left hander and could understand hindi with great difficulty but by watching everyone the drill was set in his mind with the visual mode of learning. He came with the grenade in his left hand took out the pin with his right hand and threw the pin behind the protective wall instead of the grenade and handed over the grenade to the ustaad while bending down to hear the blast ducking his head between his knees.

“Arey yeh kya kar rahe ho GC “shouted the ustaad and with a good reflex action and his wisdom he  threw away the grenade behind the wall and also ducked down joining Prasad. The grenade blasted after 3 seconds.

Thank God ! Such Ustaads with mettle are posted to IMA to deal with such situations.

Prasad is now a Brigadier in the Army and has more than three commendation cards to his credit.