The article here was the one in 'The Hindu ' ,Open page and I certainly beleive that every Indian has to read this one at this point of our bllooming economy.
Not enough to draw youth into armed forces
To say we honour our soldiers and to practise it are two different things
Sonika Uppal
A second generation army wife married to a fourth generation army officer, it is not just a way of life for me, it is my entire life....and that is by no means an understatement. I grew up in this cocooned world, never doubting even once that there was something lacking in it, and there wasn’t!
It was a wonderful way of life, comfortable and secure, drifty, voyaging, invigorating and always peppy. A certain glamour and romance attached to the austere sober side.
Nowadays, I sometimes sit and wonder where that old way of life has gone. Somewhere it got lost or probably left behind in this new world where mind-boggling salaries and unheard of amounts are paid to young boys and girls, who have yet to learn the value and worth of hard earned money.
The old age saying of “simple living and high thinking” has literally flown out of the window. Everybody seems to nurse a wholesome passion for all the “good” things in life ...a monthly six figure salary, a luxurious apartment, latest cars and gizmos and of course vacations abroad. No altruistic desires to change the world, just pursuing one’s own dreams. Frankly, I don’t see anything wrong with it; it is a new changed world with new changed needs. Money is no longer a dirty word.
All pains and no gains?
So why should an army officer feel differently? Or is it that simply by virtue of being in this profession, his dreams should be limited to sacrificing his whole life for the country, all pains and no gains? No wonder our country has a shortage of 13,000 officers at present, a shame considering our burgeoning population. We need to wake up to reality.
To expect a young man to join this profession and stick to it, you have to make it attractive and worthwhile. We all know there is no dearth of talent and brains in our country. But the top lot never opt for the defence services and even if they do, it turns out to be a very dissatisfying vocation for them. It might seem that I am flogging a dead horse here, but the truth is out there for all to see.
Many army officers I know, some of them close friends, have either put up their papers or are in the process of doing so. And let me tell you, among them are mostly the toppers of their respective courses, highly intelligent, self-motivated, and hardworking individuals. And why not? In spite of putting in their best, working undefined ungodly hours, in the worst of living conditions, separated from their families for half the year if not more, no guarantee of promotions and putting their life at risk, these are still among the low paid class A gazetted officers in this country.
Their frustration is inevitable and understandable. To say we honour our soldiers and to practise it are two different things. When our cricketers run around the stadium with our country’s flag after winning a single match, they are treated like god and are gifted crores from the taxpayers’ kitty, and yet what most of us do not know is that the amount paid to a soldier for being awarded a Sena Medal for gallantry is Rs. 250 a month, with lower awards getting no monetary compensation.
A commercial pilot gets paid a few lakhs a month for transporting people safely, and a soldier posted at Siachen gets a few thousands for keeping the tricolour safe. Why would anyone want to do this? The so called “josh,” the thrill of serving your country, does not last long when these frustrations set in and when you know that you have it in you to be the best, and if out there with the corporates, you could be earning your present salary manifold.
We as a nation need to dwell on these issues in detail, to refocus on the criticalities ailing the armed forces, and make becoming an officer an attractive ideal to the youth of today, a youth faced with alternative attractive options as well. For starters, it would serve well to let a good remuneration package and the armed forces be synonymous.
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