10-round challenge set the course

MP Nathanael 

It was on a cold wintery morning of December 1964 in New Delhi when most boarders of my school — then Air Force Central School — had gone home for winter vacations that some of us were warming ourselves around the fire, where a drum of water was being heated. Hot water in the drum would never run out as anyone taking hot water had to pour a bucket of tap water. Few of us, whose fathers were posted down South or in the eastern parts, had to linger on in the hostel as the six-day train journey would cut short our sojourn at home to less than four days. Not worth it.

Squatting in our night suits, we were soon joined by Panditji, a middle-aged man from the hills who was tasked to take care of the boarders. After chatting for a while, he threw open a challenge that whoever ran 10 rounds of the adjacent hockey ground, bare-bodied, will be offered double dinner on the day of English dinner — Wednesdays and Saturdays. It meant six additional slices of bread with butter, of course, and a liberal offering of mutton and vegetables. The allurement was too tempting to let go off. While others were still ruminating, I took up the challenge.

Not the one to give up easily, I removed my night-coat and vest, rolled up my pyjamas and started running in that biting cold weather. One round, two, three and gradually the harsh weather ceased to have any effect over me, as I was in my elements picking up speed. ‘Lotus ghee zindabad’ cheered my fellow mates as I kept running. This brand of ghee was used as a cooking medium in the hostel and that was our standard style of bucking up our boarders when we played against the day scholars. Though almost exhausted in the 10th round, I could manage to complete it with my fellow boarders applauding me for the feat. Deftly concealing my exhaustion, I asked Panditji, if I should go for more rounds. No, he retorted. Then came the moment — Saturday dinner. Additional slices of bread and butter arrived on the table for me. Before I could lay my hands on them, they were distributed by my fellow boarders among themselves. More than the dinner, it was the joy of having completed 10 rounds that was more satisfying and encouraging. 

I was just a 13-year-old lad then. 

That steely determination saw me through the tough courses in the Army and the CRPF, despite serious bullet injuries in both legs that I sustained during an encounter in Manipur.