E-Paper
With death staring in face, he watched bombs fall
SIMPLICITY IS his speciality. He served the Indian Air Force (IAF) for 30 years and retired as a Group Captain. Before joining the IAF, he was a teacher of English but kept pursuing his passion of reading and writing despite his various official responsibilities in the Education branch of the IAF.
SIMPLICITY IS his speciality. He served the Indian Air Force (IAF) for 30 years and retired as a Group Captain. Before joining the IAF, he was a teacher of English but kept pursuing his passion of reading and writing despite his various official responsibilities in the Education branch of the IAF.
He has three novels, a collection of plays and another of short witty answers to his credit. Besides, he has written a number of articles, short stories and poems in Hindi and English, which have been published by several newspapers, journals and magazines of repute.
A recipient of Commendation by the AOC-in-C twice, Group Captain (Retired) Mahendra Nath was commissioned in the IAF in October 1963 and due to emergency, which was imposed after Chinese aggression in 1962, he could not appear in the interview for the State's Provincial Civil Services because the IAF was not allowing leave to any officer. Since he had performed very well in the written examination of the civil services, dates for his interview were extended, but perhaps his luck was only in favour of the IAF.
After retiring from the IAF, he is trying to adjust with the civilians. Since he is a well organised, disciplined and very particular about punctuality, many a time he has to face inconvenience when others fail to take care of punctuality.
His wife Asha, who is often engaged in spiritual studies, extends maximum co-operation to him in his literary pursuits and he too reciprocates in the best possible manner.
The excerpts from the interview:
Basically, I was a teacher and remained a teacher throughout my life. After doing MA in English from Allahabad University, I started my career as an English teacher at Chandausi in Moradabad. And even after joining the IAF I taught Man Management, War Studies and Public Speaking to the Air Force personnel. Even after retirement, I love to guide students. I am enjoying the post-retirement life and making the best use of my days by playing golf and bridge and visiting my friends.
I was a young officer posted at the Jammu Air Base during the Indo-Pak conflict in 1965. We were told to defend the base since all the Army units had moved out to the front. I was given a small area to patrol. Nine airmen, including two NCOs were given to me along with 7 breach loading rifles, 2 stenguns and a revolver.
On September 9, Jammu airfield was attacked by Pakistani bombers. When the first load of bombs were dropped on the airfield some 300 yards away from where we were standing, we all panicked and jumped into the trenches. We lay in a position that was advised by our drill instructor to protect ourselves but nothing happened for about five minutes and I raised my head to look up at the sky. What I saw froze my blood and is indelibly printed in my memory.
There were three bombers in formation just over our heads about 300 feet above the ground. These Aircraft opened their bellies and big bombs —three from each aircraft were descending right over my head. I closed my eyes and lay down on the floor of the trench, my chest close to the ground. I was certain that it was the end of my life.
Not for a moment did I think of my newly wedded wife nor of my mother and not even myself. I was only thinking "what does a man, who is about to die, think?" Any way the bombs fell about a 100 yards away due to the momentum of the aircraft and I survived to tell all about it.
In 1968, two Defence Exhibitions on trains were organised to create awareness among the people. I was given the charge of Metre Gauge exhibition and covered several areas of southern India in three months. I remember that then Chief Minister of Kerala, EMS Namboodaripad, took keen interest in the exhibits after inaugurating the show at Trivandrum (now Thiruanantpuram) railway station. The exhibition was opened by Jaichamrajendra Wadiyar, scion of the erstwhile Mysore State at Mysore station.
