By Himmat Butalia
Marketing Head, Sony Pix
I remember the first time I was yelled at -- I was about five years old and obviously not very wise about properly excusing myself from the dining table after a lovely meal of chole and bhature (my favourite dish at that time). When my father gave me my first taste of discipline, I could not believe that I was being punished for lack of table manners. This incident may sound odd, but trust me, it’s very common in Army households.
My sister and I have had the privilege of shrugging off the ‘civilian’ tag for the most part of our lives. Growing up in an Army cantonment is full of adventure, sports, pets, great food and of course having the entire school live in the same colony, as all of us went to the same Army School. Postings in the Army happen every couple of years, and we would be constantly on the move, the upside being that we knew the country from East to West and North to South. The cantonments are located at quaint places like Pathankot, Gangtok, Babina, Mhow, Tibri, Jhansi, etc., to name a few.
I went to boarding school for a few years when I was studying in the VIIth grade, as my folks packed me off to Sherwood College in Nainital. I was terribly upset and missed my family. To make things worse, I had to face my biggest fear of living amongst ‘civilians’. I felt like an alien and didn’t understand how my world could be so different. Those three years passed quickly, but were full of pleas to my parents to take me home. But of course, my folks, being ‘fauji’, told me to stop whining and be a man.
My father was also strict about exercise and routine, which meant early morning ‘pithu’ i.e., a fast run. After And so I ended up shifting to Mumbai to pursue my advertising dreams and fell in love with the city. Today, thanks to my father’s strict rules and discipline, I deal effortlessly with Mumbai’s madness and chaos.
In conclusion, I’d like to quote the Indian Army Short Service Commission motto – ‘An Army man for five years but a gentleman for life’. I am grateful to my Army background for giving me a life which can only be experienced and not really described. I’m glad to have moved around the entire country, played all sports possible on the planet and lived a disciplined life – it is of immense help today in my personal as well as professional life.
Feedback: himmatb@setindia.com
