Recently, my granddaughter asked me to share some humorous anecdotes from my pre-army days. Memories came flooding back! In early June 1960, I received a call to appear for the Services Selection Board Interview in Bangalore (now Bengaluru), which would determine my admission to the Indian Military Academy in January 1961. Our batch was accommodated in Baird Barracks on Cubbon Road for the five-day event.
After a document check, we underwent intelligence tests, followed by picture perception and discussion tests. A picture was shown to us for 30 seconds, and we had to write a story on it in three minutes before the next image was flashed. One image, I thought, showed a young man sitting on the steps of a mandir, perhaps, while an elderly lady was imploring him. Having recently seen a Dev Anand movie with a somewhat similar scene, I wrote a story. My story was chosen for group discussion. Interestingly, others in my group had ‘seen’ the image differently and vehemently opposed my perception. But I stood my ground and defended my story, referencing the Dev Anand movie!
It was rumoured that the Mess-bearers observed our behaviour, including our dress, deportment, table manners, and friendliness, and reported to the group testing officers and interviewing officers. We took this very seriously and behaved accordingly! Looking back 64 years later, I chuckle at our naivety and foolishness.
Being 19 years old, we decided to explore at least one ‘forbidden pleasure’. Three of us Tamilians from orthodox families visited a bar on Brigade Road and ordered a single bottle of beer, which we shared. Our hands trembled, and our minds wandered, worried about being seen by someone known to our families. After finishing the beer, we checked each other’s breath and left the bar, looking around nervously. We even bought ‘Rinton’ (peppermint-flavoured globules) to mask any beer smell!
Having cleared all the tests, including ‘physical’, I faced Col Jesudian for the final interview. Preliminary questions over, he asked me about the home aquarium that I had claimed to have. Actually, it was my eldest brother’s, but I was able to answer mostly. He asked me about my claims of mono-acting and mimicry skills, and I told him I had photo proofs for them in our college magazines. He said thank you, and I got up to leave when he threw a bouncer: “How many buttons do you have on your coat sleeve?” It was a borrowed one, so I had to look. He said, “You are wearing it, and you should know it!”
I felt defeated, but when the selection results were announced in November, I was overjoyed to have made it!