Memory with Territorial Amy

I was recommissioned in Territorial Army  (TA)in 1983, it was with 107 Infantry Battalion, The unit was located at Lebong, Darjeeling, West Bengal. I was the parade commander of TA Day, 9th October 1983, at this location, the only parade ground which is used for training for TA, Race Course, helipad Football ground.

The weather was full of fog and cloudy. As a parade commander, I could not see the VIP at the saluting base. I could hear the sound of arrival at the said base. I ordered 'Salemi Sacha' I could see the VIP when I went to report him.

The 'Aajkal' the Bengali daily newspaper from Kolkata carried a story on TA on 9th October 1983, it was difficult to get a copy of the same. I had to go to Darjeeling Railway Station where I could get a copy of that issue.

I got a chance to see the ground protection of Farraka Bridge, on river Ganga of Murshidabad and Malda districts of West Bengal. The Central Industrial Force (CISF) were deployed for the same.

I had the opportunity to see and take part of  'Durga Puja' at the unit location, It started with 'Full path" and culminated with 'Dussera' The meat and drink was the main item of celebration.

We had a camp at Bangdubi, near Sukhna, West Bengal. The area is full of elephants. The campsite was very close to the area where PWs of 1971 operation were kept. We had to keep the fire on at all sides to prevent any attack by the elephants.

The Territorial Army Institute's ( now Territorial Army Officers Institute)  pavilion and National Cadet Corps's pavilion are at Kolkata maidan. In the '60s and 70's the Brigade parade ground was very active on Sunday morning, the TA Personnel and NCC Cadets had training activities there.
The public buses were full of these personnel during their training time.

The Sunday parade for TA personnel is no more at this time. People are joining the TA as a lively hood. It was not in the past. TA Day is observed on 9th October, There was a regular TA Day parade at Brigade Parade ground. It was an ambition to command a contingent for this parade for young TA Officer.

Territorial Army affiliations with Indian Army

Buddies of 17th Short Service Commissioned Officer (Non Technical)

17th Short Service Commissioned Officers who had passed from Officers Training School (now Academy), Chenai, we had no social media like now, we occasionally mate each other at various Armed Forces Training Courses, events,  professional duties. and in civil life.

The OTA Alumni Association is active at least every year some of the course mates are meeting various parts of our country, may be other parts of the World.

 Chandra Mohan Dhoop, Artillery,setteled at  Kolkata, he his running his family buisness which is located at central Kolkata, an ideal location to visit.He got married at Kolkata, a reception was made at Territorial Army Institute Kolkata.I had the privilege to attain the ceremony. He is blessed with three daughters, a good gunner.

Umesh Chopra,

I have returned Kolkata, I got an allotment of 450 sq fts flat at Salt Lake, I required guarantor  for documentation of this flat, our buddy helped me, he was then posted to Eastern Command Signal Regiment.

I mate Pradeep Kumar Niyogi at Barrackpore, West Bengal

&   I had joined Post Commissioning Training with 2nd Sikh. He was then Staff Captain (Intelligent). We had few get to gether with our buddies at Kolkata and Kanchrapara.I went to Lucknow, he was then posted there.

Vijay Kumar Malhotra, Artillery and joined Rastriya Rifles was the ADC to GOC Bengal Area, he took the initative to locate me at my office location at Kolkata.

In December 1983  I along with West Bengal Mountaineers & Trekkers Foundation of Kolkata, jointly organised Promotion of Mountain Adventure for West Bengal a programme supported by Youth Services Department, Government of India, Territorial Army Group HQ Eastern Command, Kolkata & others. We had an opportunity to meet few days at Territorial Army Institute at Kolkata.

I joined State Bank of India, I planned to visit Vishakapatnam in 1988 from Bhubaneswar, Our buddy Ananta Rao was posted at SBI.Regional Office there.

He took pain to guide me this place. I had seen Indian Meteorological Department  Cyclone Forecasting Center, Indian Navy Dock here I found first time submarine from out side and INS Sandhak, this survey ship was built at Gardenreach Ship Building  Company, a PSU of MOD. I have the memory to attain the ceremony when this ship was commissioned there. It seems a parking lots for ships at Naval Dock Yard. I could see another Ship Building Company Hindustan Ship Builders.

I was posted to 121 Infantry (Territorial Army) at Kolkata  Praveen Mehata of Garwhal Rifle

  was posted there.

I went to Devlali, Maharastra where my last Army unit was located, I had not informed my unit of my arrival to give them a surprised, in return I got surprised my unit had moved from that location. I mate there .Chander Sekhar 

he got commissioned in Artillery.

Asok Nath,

the only writer of our Course. His book on Armoured Corps, published by United Service Institute of New Delhi. I mate him at this Institute when both of us was attending the first programme in India (2014) of Centenary of First World War.This was orgaised jointly by USI of India and MEF. He had visited this city with his wife.

S. Duiia from EME was posted Base Work Shop at Kankinara, I understand he had settled at New Delhi

S Debnath settled at Kolkata, he was posted at HQ Eastern Command (Artillery). On 9th May 2017, I had contacted him over phone, he is medically not well.

I mate Alamjit Singh in Sri Nagar (J &K) where he was posted in 1984. I went there to attain a programme on mountainnering organised jointly by Indian Mountaineering Foundation, New Delhi & Air india.

Ajit Odekhar , Artillery, from Pune,

he had attained 2010 Regiment of Artillery Reunion at Devlali.


Ranbir Singh Pathania ,

he had also joined SBI, I first mate him at Pathankot, I was travelling to Dalhousie on hulidays with my wife.


 Our buddies attained OTA Golden Jubilee Programme, I got an opportunity to meet them.We had attained the General Body meeting of OTA Alumni Association, I was elected as a Coordinator of Eastern Chapter of OTAAA due to vocal support from our buddies. On 8th March 2013 a lunch was arranged by GOC of Tamil Naidu, Karnataka & Pondichery Area Lt Gen Pillai of our Course. Mrs Pillai gave us brass 'Pancha Pradeep' to all our lady wives.It was International Women Day.

I had attained Gautam Sanyal's marriage at Salt Lake Gautam Sanyal

. We had mate at AOI & TAOI when he was posted at HQ Eastern Command. He has settled at Salt Lake.

I had mate Jaitley, he was NCC Group Commander, of NCC Group HQ, Kalyani, West Bengal. We had organised awareness programme at NCC Camp at Kanchrapara, North 24 Parganas, West Bengal.


I was a correspondent of Hindustan Samachar, a news agency of regional languages. Their office  located at central Kolkata. It was then a walking distance from my home at central Kolkata. I started filing news, initially from 1973, before  joining OTS Chenai. I used to file news on police, fire and sports. After returning from Indian Army in 1979. I took permission from SBI to continue as freelance writting which was allowed to me. I used to cover the defence matter. On 14th January 1981, the CPRO Defence Office, Kolkata advised me to cover the Army Day programme which was held under XXXIII Corps. then GOC in Chief & later General Arun Shridhar Vaidya Padma Vibhushan, PVSM, MVC and Bar, AVSM with Mrs Vaidya  along with media from  Kolkata were  flown from Kolkata air port by a special air force plane 

Reaching at the event location I found Khambata, an officer from Brigade of Guards was one of the Pilot of the programme. 
 After the event we the media personnel left earlier to Bagdogra airport to catch the air craft. I could not speak to Khambata. I had collected his contact no at New Delhi. I had spoken to him after 35 years. 

Social get together at New Delhi on 12 May 2017 ( Visuals : courtesy Ranbir Singh)

From: provirsinghkashyap via ss-17coursemates <ss-17coursemates@googlegroups.com>
To: "ss-17coursemates@googlegroups.com" <ss-17coursemates@googlegroups.com>
Sent: Saturday, 13 May 2017 3:54 AM
Subject: Re: 42 years after

Same here. I am sure all those who missed this opportunity to meet their coursemate/companymate/platoon mate , must have had genuine reason for not being able to make it. Notwithstanding that we hope and pray that we are able to make it to the next get-together wherever it is held. Do add my number in the coursemates group so that one can view the photographs/videos of yesterday's big "DHAMAKA".

Sent from my iPhone

On 12-May-2017, at 11:05 pm, khudaspa@gmail.com wrote:

Greetings to All Course mates we were remembering you all at the larger gathering at Delhi tonight from Eddie Francis ( Maratha L I ) Ashok Nath ( Armoured Corps ) , we had a nice long chat over drinks and dinner remembering days of yore .

From: "khudaspa@gmail.com" <khudaspa@gmail.com>
To: ss-17coursemates@googlegroups.com
Cc: echfrancis@gmail.com
Sent: Friday, 12 May 2017 5:35 PM
Subject: 42 years after

Greetings to All Course mates we were remembering you all at the larger gathering at Delhi tonight from Eddie Francis ( Maratha L I ) Ashok Nath ( Armoured Corps ) , we had a nice long chat over drinks and dinner remembering days of yore .

Social Media an extension programme of Poynter's University at Kolkata, India

By now we the citizens are aware of use and importance of social media are well informed the Governments, Non Governments Commercial Houses all are using this media in their cause. It is an important tool in democratic society. Each individual is empowered for his or her rights.

The tendency is increasing day by day. Poynter's News University This was a webnier programme

The programme was attained by the  media social  media and NGO representives.  Q&A session was there. The programme was held with the support of US Consulate General of Kolkata at their Center at Kolkata.

Science Express at Barrackpore Railway Station, West Bengal

It is afternoon of summer time, the 1^st May of 2017, the Science Express which has started its journey 77 days before from Delhi Safderjung Station under Northern Railway) on 17^th February 2017. This is 29^th Railway station this train has opened for the visitors.

Such trains are running in our country since 2007, this is Phase IX in the series. This time theme is Climate Change. It will run 19000 kms and reached 68 railway stations till 8^th September 2017. There are six Central Government agencies they are from Department of Science & Technology, Department of Biotechnology, Ministry of Environment, Forest & Climate Change, Indian Railways and Vtkram & Sarabhai Community Science Center & wild Life Institute of India. All the exhibits are in 13 railway coaches. The staff are there to explain the exhibits, some exhibits are interactive.

The Scouts & Guides with their adult leaders of Bharat Scouts & Guides of Eastern Railway, Barrackpore Railway Group are there as a volunteers.  This train will be opened at Barrackpore Railway station till tomorrow. Next day it will be stationed and open at Kalyani Railway station.

A stall of publications of Botanical Survey of India is also there.

Local organiser should have planned more publicity for the benefit of local people.

Rock climbing training of the Institute of Exploration of Kolkata

A programme on handing over certificates to the participants who have done Rock Climbing course at Sushunia, Bankura of West Bengal.There were about 95 trainees from the state of West Bengal. It was a 4 days programme. Participants are mainly youths of both the sex.The organiser was The Institute of Exploration (TIOE) of Kolkata. This was their 48th Rock climbing course. They had started such training since 1971. The training area is generally at Sushunia Hills where the trainees get the opportunity to learn to climb  the rock, rappelling, negotiating crevasse, use and maintenance of rope and other climbing and camping equipment. The instructors and other organisers are all volunteers. They do pay for joining this training programme.There were young aspirants who were given to learn nature, Basic, Advance and Method of Instruction .  TIOE is having their office at central Kolkata at Creek Road. The members assembled here on Saturday afternoon.

This time they invited Bipin Ganatra, a civic volunteer to help in fire accident and felicitated him. The young trainees were inspired by his talk.

 Ardhendu Sekhar Nakar, Director Field Training of 48th RCC gave a report of this course

The best trainees were presented was medal. A team of Medical practitioner joined for giving medical service to the local people of the surrounding villages. They were also volunteers.

M A Nabi, the General Secretary of the IOE gave a report of the activities for about last one year.

In 2017 the IOE has organised Ronti Saddel round trek at Uttrakhand. The leader of the trek prsented a slide show 

The slides on Mount Polo Ganka (6632 meters) of Ladakh area was presented by Prasanjit Roy. Leader was MA Nabi 

44th Graduation Ceremony of TIOE

Voluntary donation of blood at Nil Ratan Sarkar Medical Hospital for a patient who is admitted there

Do you remember when you have donated blood ? In case you are regular donor, it is difficult to remember. Any able body can donate blood once in three months. There is a regular system in our body to generate blood in a normal way.

In the past I had given blood for the patients when it were required. I came to know need of one of our friend from Bangladesh had come our city for treatment, I went o donate blood for him. In 2015  one organisation of north Kolkata organised blood donation for Indian Army, the representatives from Command Hospital (East) had collected blood.

An ex student of Rabindra Bharati University Subash Singha is now admitted to Nilratan Sirkar Medical College, Haematology Department, Sealyham. He required blood & blood products for transfusion as per medical advice. Subash is from Purba Midnapore, he is the elder son, The blood donar cards have been collected from Civil societies, State Bank of India Officers Association (Bengal Circle) & others. The required blood product are not available most of the time at Blood Banks  Government of West Bengal at Kolkata.

Recently one of the representative from patient called on the Director of Blood Bank of NRS Medical College, he verbally agreed to help to collect blood from volunteer(s) at the premises of NRS Medical College Blood Bank , Ground floor and same will be available to the, hopefully to Subash Singha who is admitted there at.

You can give your opinion about donate blood and your experience of donating there at. Please take initiative to save by voluntary donating blood. The representative of blood bank will examine your health before blood collection.

My memory with Himalayan Club

It was in 1970, we were 7 members who went to Amarnath (J &K) following the normal route.
Brief on trek to Amarnath

We hired sleeping bags  and inner fly of artic tent ( condemn items) from Himalayan Club, the store was located at 63/E Mahanirban Road,, South Kolkata, we had a good experience of weting inside the tent at Panchatarni in the month of August.We shared one sleeping bag among two of us. The getting mountaineering equipments at Kolkata was not so easy at that time.

Next year in 1971 we had established The Institute of Exploration at 11/B Indian Mirror Street, the chamber of (Late) Dr Manindra Lal Biswas.. We started visiting National Library searching information on Indian Himalayas including Himalayan Journal.(HJ)

The Institute of Exploration received 5 volumes of HJ from Himalayan Club., it was a great gift for us.