Veer Chakra and Vijaya Dashami (Dussehra)

Today is the Vijaya Dashami. Day to remember our heroes. I am moved to share this with you today.

It is normal for me to take a 16:03 fast train from Thane to Dadar twice a week. It reaches Platform No.6 @ 16:29 and this time the station is quite relaxed and not crowded. I walk past the Station Master's Office under renovation and take a cab to my destination.

Last month while strolling towards the exit, I realized suddenly that my shoes needed bit of attention. Stopped at shoe shine box and allowed the guy to do his best with a smile. Normally, during such activity @ CST, my attention is drawn to the busy crowds flowing and rushing past me. Here @ Dadar, I was facing a granite wall.

Suddenly, my attention was caught by a brass plate with Government of India emblem @ my eye level. I read the inscription on the plate. It read as follows:

Flt Lft Pradyot Dastidar
Awarded Veer Chakra on 15th September, 1965
For exceptional Bravery on West Front (Pakistan)
This plate is installed in honour of him here in Dadar Station as
his residence is just 2 km away @ Parel.

Veer Chakra is 3rd Highest honour for bravery during war after Param Veer
Chakra and Mahaveer Chakra.

Before moving on, I stopped and gave my salute to my brother Pradyot. His bravery and courage allows me to live a good life. Most importantly, he gave his best without a thought
to the consequences. India is made of these heroes, which make me a proud Indian.

After reaching home, tried to know more about this great hero of Mother India. The details are as follows:

Sqn Ldr(Retd) Pradyot Dastidar, Veer Chakra

On 15th September 1965, Flt Lt Pradyot Dastidar was detailed as the navigator of target marking aircraft to lead a massive attack on the heavily defended Peshawar airfield. Visibility was so bad that he could see the airfield only when he was directly overhead. As soon as he dropped a flare to see the target, the anti-aircraft guns opened up a heavy barrage. Undaunted by the shells and tracers he made a steady run and marked the target for the bombing stream coming behind. Then he turned around to see his bomb, while the anti-aircraft guns were firing and shells were bursting around him. After sighting the target indicating bomb, he passed the bombing index to the leader of the stream. He left the vicinity of the airfield only after he had confirmed that the leader of the stream had understood the bombing index. In this and seven other missions, Flt Lt Pradyot Dastidar displayed courage and skill of a high order.

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Loving Dogs

To begin with, well, the Dogs are nice.Don't you think so. Much nicer than human beings. More consistent. More loyal. They, also, listen better.

Research shows that you live longer if you have a dog. When you come home after a terrible day, dogs wag their tails, happy to see you again. They actually wait for you to come home. How many spouses do the same ???

Dogs know instinctively when you are down and they try their best to lick your worries away. Dogs work for us and demand very little salary. A little dry kibble and a sqeaky toy, that's about it. They can keep you warm at night and keep one eye open for the burglar at the same time.

Dogs help us by sniffing bombs planted by evil bombers and save lives during earthquakes and building collapses and lost skiers. They become our eyes if we go blind. Dogs do whatever we ask, whenever. Yet, the truth is, we have so much to learn from them. Above all they know how to play. Something we have forgotten long ago. For Dog life is fun. Just smelling life makes their juices flow. Waking up in the morning is incredible experience for a dog. It's being Alive! Is it any wonder that we like any Ad which has dog in it ?

Advertising legend Lee Clow takes his German shepherd to work. Students and Teachers at reputed Miami Ad school bring their dogs to school too. They use dogs to select the students. If a prospective student comes to the school and shows fear or disrespect to the pup at the door, they send the prospect to another school. Smudge, the chocolate Labrador Retriever and the official school Mascot , wanders in and out of the classrooms, sits on the sofa and listens attentively.

It is high time the HR starts using Dogs in the selection process in corporate world. It may be good tool to find good team players.

One of the Hindu Gods Dattatreya takes Dog as his Guru.

To end this dog story, as my Father said: 'More I look at Man, More I love My Dog'. So next time you meet one give him your Smile.