A RAZER EDGE WALK TO ARMED FORCES
I still remember that day in Feb 1988 at Military Hospital Bangalore, when, after successfully completing a series of tough tests and interviews by SSB (Services Selection Board), comprising an array of Officers including a psychologist, which lasted for five days, I was told that I am medically unfit to join the Army due to overweight.
Though, I was not very serious of Joining Defence Services, when I went to appear for SSB, listening to this verdict after successfully completing the toughest part of selection, was quite painful,disappointing and demoralizing!!
Happiness & Excitement and Disappointment &Depression: My happiness and excitement of clearing the SSB, as one of the two , from the One hundred candidates in our batch, knew no bounds! Everyone started congratulating us!But all these praises were in vain, as I was temporarily rejected due to my overweight and I went into a state of depression.
Obstacle : My overweight has finally come between me and one of the most sought after careers,which most of the people would cherish to have.
Acceptable Weight: As per the standard practice, Military authorities had given me six weeks’ time (Forty Two Days) to reduce to my acceptable weight of ‘Sixty Four Kilograms’ from the current ‘Eighty Four Kilograms’. Their instruction was LOUD AND CLEAR,“incase, I haven’t reduced below Sixty Four Kilograms, no need to report back”.
Return from Bangalore: My return journey was quite disturbing with many questions coming to my mind, for which I had no answers.
Dilemmas: The questions which came to my mind were:
- Should I try to reduce the weight and report back to Bangalore?
2. Am I capable of reducing the weight to the permitted limit of Sixty Four Kilograms in Forty two days?
3. Has anyone ever reduced Twenty Kilograms in Forty Two days,i.e. almost half a kilogram a day?
4. What will happen, in case, I have done everything to reduce the weight and finally on the last day, I could reduce only up to Sixty Five Kilograms and fall short by one Kilogram??
5. I was Twenty Four years of age at that point of time. Till that day I have never ever made an attempt to reduce an iota of weight (though I wished) and to be precise, I had never missed even a breakfast. Will I be able to avoid my meals and that also, to an extent that my weight comes down below Sixty-Four Kilograms in Forty Two days? - What will be the impact of this drasticweight loss on my health?
- Is this Army career so good that it is worth going through all these sacrifices, struggles and uncertainties ???
8. What will happen, in case, I decide to dump this Army offer and look for some other jobs / career, instead of wasting more time?
9. What would the world say later,if I leave this offer without an attempt?OR, If I fail miserably in reducing or marginally fall short ofthe required limit of SIXTY FOUR Kg???
I was quite perplexed with all these questions bombarding me and I was at my wits end!
Decision: By the time the train reached Mavelikara station (my home town) from Bangalore, which is an Eighteen hour travel at that time, I had my answer ready.
Reaching Home : My father, as usual, from my days in NIT Nagpur, was waiting at the platform, looking into each compartment, with eager eyes to see my hands wave at him, so that he can come fast to the right compartment and give me a loving hug and help me carry my Baggage (My father is no more). My father had a Premier Padmini car and we reached home in ten minutes. Ours being a close-knit family, there were a few close relatives waiting including my maternal uncles. While having tea, my mother asked me “Mone (Meaning my Dear Son) , What is your plan / decision”?. I looked around at each one and with a smile, I told them that I have decided to take up the challenge. I could see an appreciating smile on everyone’s face, though I could sense a deeper concern about the end result too.
Logic Behind the Decision:
1. I realized that, if I did not take up the challenge, I had failed and surrendered even before the race had begun.“Quitters don’t win and winners don’t quit”
2. The thought also came to my mind, I have nothing to lose except a few kilograms, because, if I succeed, I will wear the uniform of The Indian Armed Forces with Pride, and The President of India will honor me with Commission. If not, still I will lose a few kilograms which will make me look more handsome and my clothes will have a smarter fit and will believe that God has better plans for me !
Countdown Begins : There were long drawn discussions, with my uncles and aunts contributing, their view points, and we finally came to the following conclusions:
- Need to switch over to salads
2. Take less calorie fruits.
3. Drink plenty of water
4. Exercise a lot.
5. Keep praying to GOD to give the strength to stick to the decision and remain focused. - Start now.A different Routine: By lunch time, I had a different menu on salads and fruits, while my brothers had Chicken Biriyani with cutlets and Ice-cream with fruit salad. It was a struggle to keep myself firm on my decision and I knew that each and every day and probably every minute, was very important and should some way or other help me to achieve my target, to avoid getting disheartened by losing the selection by a marginal difference.Exercise: I started cycling at five o’clock in the morning for hours, and normally came back only by ten o’clock. After having salads and some fruits, I used to go for long walks in hot summer, as it was the month of April- May, which I considered as good, asit may help me lose weight faster by sweating in hot temperature. After long walks,sometimes even up to fifteen kilometers one way, at a stretch, when I would come back, people stared at my exhausted look. Even while I lyingand resting at home, I kept my fingers, hands and legs moving, hoping these small incremental exercises, may help in shedding a few grams.
Family Support: My parents and the entire family and relatives were very encouraging and were doing every bit to help me to stand firm on my decision.They even sacrificed their delicious food when I was around.
Weighing Scale: The weighing scale arrived from my uncle’s house. The weight loss was relatively fast in the beginning. The thought that, by just losing Twenty Kilograms, I will be a Lieutenant, Captain, Major and Colonel one day, and will have the pride of serving the nation and also earn the respect from the family, friends and fellow countrymen, had kept me motivated and going, during this uncertain period.The result was unpredictable at that time.
Papanasham (Renunciation Sins) : One day my uncle while discussing with his friends regarding my weight reduction efforts, got a suggestion that, going to Papanasham near Varkalaon the way to Trivandrum will be good, as there is a ‘Naturopathy Center’ which has treatments that can help in reducing the weight faster. The name Papanasham meaning “Renunciation of Sins/ Destruction of Sins” is apt in this case, as if I am going there for repentance for all those foods consumed earlier, without any compromise. The stay at Papanasham at the Government Naturopathy Centre, having leaves, juices and some boiled vegetables, which were tasteless,other than the coconut water, ironically added value to my weight reduction spree. Body started shrinking on a quick pace and at the same time had weakened the body resistance, and thus succumbing to Chicken Pox. Thus, my stay which was planned for a longer period, got curtailed on the fifteenth day and I was put in an isolation room at home, with only my mother entering my room with food. Anyway, I believe that contacting Chicken Pox was a blessing, as it has further accelerated my weight reduction. There is a saying during those days that, “Contacting Chicken Pox is a sign that the Goddess is pleased”. May be my single-minded grit and determination has pleased the Goddess,My weight was fast reducing, but there was no surety like the century of Sachin Tendulkar, whether I will finally make it into the Uniform or not.
Sixth Week – Thirty Fifth Day: On the Thirty Fifth day, though there was a drastic reduction in my weight to Sixty Eight Kilograms (Four Kilograms still to be reduced in another seven days), tension was mounting in every one’s mind, whether I will finally make it or not. Body shrunk considerably, and I was very weak by that time, and continuing the routine was an ordeal.Only prayer and hope kept me going. The rate of weight loss became slower as most of the body fat was burnt off.
Forty First Day (A day prior to reporting back to Military Hospital):The Train ticket was reserved in advance to go to Bangalore. As I was very weak, and also without normal food for such a long period, the family had decided to send with me, my younger brother who was doing Dentistry. I think, another intention of the family was to keep me in good spirits, if I lose the battle. The anxiety of the dearand near oneshad reached the saturation.The whole world is now aware of my selection in the Armed Forces, temporary unfitness, my weight reduction efforts, the dramatic changes in my physical appearance in these days especially with Chicken Pox Marks all over my face.They were all praying for me, to keep my weight within the prescribed limit. I was weighing at Sixty Five still and the only way now was to stop the water intake for a day at the risk of dehydration. With the advice of my uncle who is a doctor, I stopped the water intake also for a day and he gave me a tablet to keep my vitality on, while helping to drain out water from the body.
The “D” Day : The Bangalore Express reached Bangalore by 0700h. After freshening up in a hotel, we reached the Military Hospital by 0900h with all the previous documents. They checked the documents and refused to accept that, I am the same person whose photo is affixedon the documents and they told us that they will initiate a case for impersonation. The officers were right in their own way, as I had no resemblance with the photo which was taken when I was Eighty Four Kilograms and also my face was full of marks (courtesy Chicken Pox) which were not there before. With much difficulty, we explained the whole story to them and asked them to verify with the Identification body marks which were given in the 10th Marks book. We repeated the facts to the senior officers and at lastthey were convinced that the person standing in front is the same person as shown in the documents. Finally, they decided to go ahead with checking my weight again. With great anxiety,I stood on the weighing scale. After a little fluctuation the needle finally stopped at Sixty Three and people around us have spontaneously erupted into clapping their hands and started congratulating me saying that “You are selected and welcome to the Uniform”.
After the Final Selection: My brother who was there, hugged me in happiness and we finally moved out with our selection documents and informed our parents about the happy outcome over the phone. When we reached back at Mavelikarathe next day, there was a big group of family, extended family, neighbors, friends and acquaintances waiting to receive me at the platform. The reception was more like that of receiving a “War Hero” even before I joined the Armed Forces. The story becamevery popular in my native place (Mavelikara) at that time and in the family circles and amongst the friends, this episode is told and retold even today with lots of fondness.
Transformation: When I look back on this real story of mine, the following are the reasons for achieving this transformation in such a short span:
- Availability of an Opportunity in hand
- Own decision / choice to make it happen
- Willingness to accept the outcome either way, despite all our efforts, believing that God has better plans
- Single minded determination and hard-work
- Taking one step at a time and continue doing that.
- Surrounding myself with positive, encouraging and supportive people
- Regular Prayers at all times, much more at breaking points
- Hope and Faith
- Keeping Cool at all times.
- Seeking support from well wishers and people who were capable and matured than me.
- Settings eyes on the goals and not on the obstacles.
- Visualization of outcome and possible rewards, happiness and glory.
- Action with long term vision than with short term.
- Application of Nature’s Rule :When we really want to achieve something and start taking visible determined steps towards the same, all the people around us and the nature & the world itself will come with us and help us achieve that.
My Dear Friends, God has given each one of us the freedom to make choices. The outcome of our own life will be based on the choices we make. Where ever we are, Whoever we are, we can transform our lives, when we make that choice and single minded decision to achieve it. The whole world, nature and God is waiting for that opportunity to help you transform but the onus is on us to take that first step. Let us overcome our challenges and transform ourselves positively and let the world rejoice in your transformation.
A quote of Paulo Coelho is worth mentioning here:
“And when you want something, all the universe conspires in helping you to achieve it.”
(About the Author :Lt Col John Jacob (Retd), is a Graduate in Civil Engineering from NIT (Visvesvaraya) Nagpur. He started his career as an entrepreneur and was running his own construction company. Later, he was selected in the Army and was trained in Indian Military Academy at Dehradun before getting commissioned into Corps of Engineers and served for 22 years in different capacities, which varied from Military Regiment, to Army Headquarters, to DRDO, to Training Centers and to Construction. During his service in the Army, he served in 09 organizations which were located at geographically distant places across India. He also possesses a “Masters in Personnel Management”, “Masters in Applied Psychology” and “Post Graduate Diploma in Quality Management”. He also did an ”Executive Program (Regular) in Business Management from IIM Bangalore”. After working with “Indus Towers”, the “World’s largest Telecom Tower Company” at Delhi and Mumbai in different capacities, he currently works as the “Chief Operating Officer (COO) and Associate Provost” of SAINTGITS Group of Institutions, since 01 Jul 13. He has a long illustrious career of 33 years spanning from Entrepreneurship, Army Career, Corporate Life and now in SAINTGITS.