Club for Jawans and JCOs

[Daredevil]

Club for Jawans: Army's attempt to abolish the relics of British Raj

CHANDIGARH: In a serious attempt to do away with much of its colonial trappings in the 1.5 million strong 'hierarchy conscious' Indian army, the western command has opened a recreational club for the junior commissioned officers (JCOs) and Jawans-a facility, which was confined to the officers' class till date.

The state of art institute opened last week by chief of army staff, General Bikram Singh, is the first of its kind in the country in terms of standards, where Junior Commissioned officers/other ranks and their families would avail the facilities under one roof such as restaurant, gymnasium, library, cyber cafe conference hall and indoor games.

Development is seen as an attempt to bridge the gap between the officers and others ranks at a time when Army's colonial-era institutions are generating a crisis within its ranks. Earlier in the first week of May this year, the Army had announced that it was considering doing away with the colonial-era practice of sahayak or batmen, where soldiers are assigned to serve as valets.

Importantly, navy and air force had already such facilities for its JCOs/ORs rank but hierarchy-conscious army had not taken any initiative in this concerned and was yet to waken up from the 'colonial way' where white officers were being separated from the local soldier.

The newly opened recreational club at Chandimandir cantonment for soldiers has been named as 'Jadunath Sainik Institute'. Naik Jadunath of army fought the Indo-Pakistani War of 1947, where Pak irregular had attacked Indian territories in Jammu & Kashmir. He died in the battle and was later awarded with country's highest gallantry award--- the Param Vir Chakra (PVC). Sources confirmed TOI that army is going to set up more such institutes across the country for its lower rung troops.

Till date, most of the cantonment and cities have institutes/clubs meant for officers only, where officers and their families are members for recreational activities.

Terming the development as 'winds of change' in the army, the defence fraternity is of the view that rule and regulations should change as per change of social and economical changes in the society.

Major General K S Bajwa, an officer of first batch of IMA, commissioned just before the India attained independence, said, "Today's jawan is well educated, more inspirational, having better expectation of life and the move would give them a sense of belongingness".

While terming the move as farsighted with large implications on troops, Gen Bajwa said that it would help in curbing the incidents that has occurred recently creating conflicts within ranks.

 

[Kunal Biswas]

CHANDIGARH: In a serious attempt to do away with much of its colonial trappings in the 1.5 million strong 'hierarchy conscious' Indian army, the western command has opened a recreational club for the junior commissioned officers (JCOs) and Jawans-a facility, which was confined to the officers' class till date.

I can assure everyone that these days ( After VK Singh ) Media is trying harder to defame Army from public eyes..

JCO club and mess is not new it exists in eastern command and probably in southern command too since 90s or even early ..

 

[Ray]

The Officers Clubs are financed by security deposits, subscriptions etc of members.

The Staff is civilians employed by the Club.

How are the PBOR Clubs to be financed and staffed?

The PBOR, who get facilities free will surely not take it kindly if they have to pay.

Units have their JCOs Club and NCOs Club which are paid through Regimental Funds and staffed by PBOR.

In Eastern Command we have a large and well appointed restaurant and some facilities for PBOR run by a Contractor inside Fort Wlliam (near the Water Gate) that was the brainchild of Maj Gen Jitender Singh, who was then the GOC, Bengal Area. Are you meaning that?

In so far as such Clubs would help in curbing the incidents that has occurred recently creating conflicts within ranks that is a moot point.

The problem that are caused is because there is too much of leisure time wherein one has time to brood and feel that the system is not giving one his dues. Hard training, robust games and proper recreation activities and non populist 'welfare' measures across the board from the Flag ranks to the junior most jawans, is what would keep an Army fighting trim and happy.

For instance, dinner nights are no longer in vogue in the Messes.

Take the Annual Inspections where there used to be a Guest Night where the Brigade Commander and those of his Staff on the Inspection team used to attend. It was not done because the Brigade Commander wanted to have a free drinks and food session. It was done to see if the Mess was maintained befitting the Army wherein the building was not in disrepair, the crockery and cutlery were of standard, whether the cook knew how to cook, the mess staff knew how to serve, that all officers had regulation mess dress and so on.

But today, it is a jamboree and a free junket with fancy food catered from outside and so on, ladies being invited and so on. The whole purpose is lost and instead it give rise to the feeling that senior officers and their wives have to be looked after 5 Star; and worse, the senior officers start believing that that is what is to be done!

I know of a real situation where a Brigade Commander (a Gorkha Rifles officer) snubbed most roughly a CO who suggested that for the Mess Inspection, Mrs X and the kids could also come and the Inspection could be a party on the lawns so that all could enjoy. The Brigade Commander curtly told him that he had ample food at home for his family and the only enjoyment that the Mess could provide anyone was that it was run as a Mess should be run (I am saying what he said in polite terms. He was more lucid and blunt)!

 

[Ray]

Major General K S Bajwa, an officer of first batch of IMA, commissioned just before the India attained independence,

Is this correct?

IMA was established in 1932.

Here is the details.

The Indian Military Academy, Dehradun (also known as IMA) is the officer training Academy of the Indian Army. IMA was established in 1932.

The Government of India transferred the erstwhile estate in Dehradun of the Indian Railways' Railway Staff College, with its 206 acre campus and associated infrastructure, to the Indian Military Academy. Brigadier L.P. Collins was appointed the first Commandant and the first batch of 40 Gentleman Cadets (GC), as IMA trainees are known, began their training on 1 October 1932. The institute was inaugurated on 10 December 1932, at the end of the first term by Field Marshal Chetwode.

The alumni of the first batch to pass out of the academy in December 1934, now known as the Pioneers, included Field Marshal Sam Manekshaw, General Muhammad Musa and Lieutenant General Smith Dun, who became the Army Chiefs of India, Pakistan and Burma, respectively.

Through the first 16 regular courses that passed out of the academy, until May 1941, 524 officers were commissioned. But the outbreak of World War II resulted in an unprecedented increase in the number of entrants, a temporary reduction in the training period to six months and an expansion of the campus. 3887 officers were commissioned between August 1941 and January 1946, including 710 British officers for the British Army. The academy reverted to its original two and a half year course of training at the end of the war.
Indian Military Academy - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

I know of two Maj Gen KS Bajwa.

One is from the JAT Regt and the other is from the Artillery.

The first batch passed out in Dec 1934.

Take it that they passed out at the age of 20.

Therefore, how old would the Ist course batch be as of today?

Incorrect reporting as I see it and passing out as facts!

 

[Kunal Biswas]

In Eastern Command we have a large and well appointed restaurant and some facilities for PBOR run by a Contractor inside Fort Wlliam (near the Water Gate) that was the brainchild of Maj Gen Jitender Singh, who was then the GOC, Bengal Area. Are you meaning that?

Sir, AOI with golf course, But for JCO one is near Cinema hall saw that in 2007 ..

 

[Ray]

It is fashionable to call age old, time tested traditions and customs as 'relics of the Raj'.

I concede there are some traditions and customs which have been tweaked keeping with the contemporary times.

But there were some method in the madness of the traditions and customs evolved.

The more we reject these customs and tradition merely because they are 'relics of the Raj', the more we find ourselves slowly moving towards difficult times in command, man management and discipline.

But then, that is a subject for another thread.

 

[Ray]

Sir, AOI with golf course, But for JCO one is near Cinema hall saw that in 2007 ..

I am a member of the AOI. Totally civilian staffed.

Renovated many times over since when I used to visit it with my father as a child and it used to be called Fort William Institute.

I even got chucked out during New Years when I wore the NDA blazer (combination as one would call it now) instead of a suit!

I was the Deputy when the PBOR 'Club' near the Water Gate and Cinema was commissioned. It was Maj Gen Jitender Singh's (Dogra Regt) brainchild.

Initially, it did not pick up because they were shy about bringing their wives in an 'uncontrolled' environment, but then when the PBOR got a hang of it, it became a success.

 

[AshutoshNSingh]

First improve the quality of rations provided to jawans, make jawans and officers eat from the same kitchen then talk of luxuries like club etc

 

[Kunal Biswas]

make jawans and officers eat from the same kitchen

Everyone have there place and everyone gets the same rations not different, But in case of officers the quality comes from there own pocket..

 

[AshutoshNSingh]

Everyone have there place and everyone gets the same rations not different, But in case of officers the quality comes from there own pocket..

then why the quality of asc supplied rations so much criticised?

 

[Ray]

First improve the quality of rations provided to jawans, make jawans and officers eat from the same kitchen then talk of luxuries like club etc

How will that help.

The routine is not the same for jawans and officers.

The officers after training have to go to the office and look after administration and other station duties.

The jawans, clean their weapons, go to the lines, wash up, have their lunch and then rests.

Rations are same, but officers also have supplements paid for by themselves.

The officers are usually doing adm work till about 1400h or more and then they go home or to the Mess, have their lunch and join the troops for games.

Thereafter, the jawans go back, bathe, attend roll call and then have dinner, then have their indoor recreation to include watching the TV and then go to sleep. Those detailed for duties go off for the night duties.

 

[Ray]

then why the quality of asc supplied rations so much criticised?

Because the rates sanctioned by the CDA are so low, the ration quality that is procured is commensurate to the rate fixed, which is way, way below the market rates, even civil market contract rates.

The cooks are of the same standard, they are all called Chefs these days, even though some are called Chefs (Officers Mess).

Actually the standard of the cooks is also very poor.

Cooking for 120 or more naturally does not produce the quality that one gets at home!

Nothing mass produced is as good as individually crafted!