The weight a rank pulls matters

RS Dalal

Recently, the newspapers were abuzz with reports about the Army’s proposal to abolish the rank of Brigadier. The move is surprising, for it is a powerful rank and is embedded in the psyche of people in North Indian states, where battles have been fought and won by our brave forces. If pay parity and perks is an issue, surely, there can be some other ways of going about it. Why bury forever the grand old lofty rank? 

The rank of Brigadier is instantly recognised, evoking warmth and respect. When my elder brother, who retired as Commodore from the Navy, accompanied me to our ancestral village for the first time, I faced problem explaining his rank to the village folks. They knew nothing about Naval ranks. Then an idea hit me. I announced that he was ‘Brigadier saheb’ from the Indian Navy! There was instant sparkle in their eyes, and respect for him. They got busy shaking hands with him, nudging me to the background. Imagine, such a regal rank is facing extinction!

Is it not, that certain words, ranks and designations speak louder than actions? These get enriched and endeared through slow seasoning and constant usage over decades and centuries. ‘Brigadier’ is one of those treasured ranks.

In this part of the country, especially in Punjab, and to a large extent in Haryana, people love words that are mouthful when spoken. As they say, it must leave a flavour in the mouth and continue to ring in the ears for a while. 

In the police, when the authorities switched over from the old ‘Police Kaptan saheb’ to Superintendent of Police, we felt like a lemon squeezed  hard. ‘SP’ when pronounced sounded a bit sissy (due apologies to feminists). At the first opportunity, during terrorism days, we, on our own, upgraded it to ‘SSP’, which sounded grand. Consider the new rank of ADGP created in the police department, just to add extra pay and allowances which were better done ingeniously rather than upsetting the applecart! It sounds befuddled, like randomly reading English alphabet. Then, there used be one majestic post of ‘Chief Secretary’, now there are ‘ACSs’ dime a dozen. The rank and file jokingly translates ‘additional’ as faaltu (extra).

Many years ago, the police department devalued the time-tested, battle-scarred rank of DIG Police through a quirk of fate. It was around the late nineties that the government of the day was tottering. Opportune time for favourites to mount pulls and pressures. Suddenly, all coveted field posts of DIGs were upgraded to the rank of IG. Some of the youthfulness and sparkle of the field rank was lost. 

Why take the jump in a hurry!