Fwd: Anchorage at Pune

10 views

Skip to first unread message

prasad padhye

unread,

Jun 7, 2013, 12:12:48 AM6/7/13

to Ajit Edlabadkar, jbpandooz, X MMM, Ajay Yadav, X Prof Ignatious Rebello, X Prof VP Raja, X Prof Boman Moradian, X Prof Tapan Wagh, X Prof Kavita Laghate, Dattatray Dongre, Nandan Hemkant Kaluskar, Anadig Masurekar K, Rajnikant Teli, St Thomas Anjani Telang, St Thomas Bashabi Ray, St Thomas Carol D'Souza, St Thomas Mahendra, St Thomas Mahesh Joshi, St Thomas Mahesh Shetty, St Thomas Uday Malya, Uday Phansalkar, Vidyanshu Srivastava, vinaya...@cadbury.com, Ramprasad Yamunachar, Yatish Shah, Yatish Shah, Mohan Zanpure

Hello everyone,

After 24 years of donning the immaculate whites of the Navy, I have retired on 30 Apr 13, "Swallowing the anchor" in Naval Parlance ! Naval life has been a roller coaster ride of exuberance and lassitude, hope and despair, Joy of camaraderie and sorrow of losing a 'brother at arms'. I got a chance to be posted all over our great big beautiful country. I have understood the true meaning of life with sozzled bachelors in Mumbai, went for anti LTTE patrols at Palk Bay, was a role model for Cadets at INS Shivaji, danced to the Tsunami at Port Blair, finally started studying earnestly at Mumbai.

Some memories that I will cherish are the smiles of my sailors in sea state 5, salutes from juniors, and the goose bumps that I still get from seeing a warship in it's cold steel grey paint. I have progressed from being 'the lowest form of marine life' as a Cadet to a lieutenant- sweating in the boiler room of an Aircraft carrier, to a 'sweating Lt Cdr' when the competition kicked in, finally making it to a Commander.

Whilst playing housie in the club they used to say 'two fat Commanders- eight and eight, eighty eight.' I had promised myself that I would not allow that to happen.In my particular case, neither Ulka's delicious cooking, nor the kids' exhortations for 'Macdonalds', nor the umpteen bottles of beer have had much effect. I HAVE put on weight, but as per regulations- ie am hovering at 64 Kgs. The daily run takes care of most problems.

We will be dropping anchor at Pune, Nyati Environ, near the airport, for the children's education. I will be on a job hunt, wherever my destiny takes me. I do hope that when you think of me, it will be with a smile.