SUSU DONOR - Yes Foundation Short film - YIAC 2015

A thousand salutes !!!

 A Thousand Salutes!!!

(Written on the day of my retirement from Indian Navy)

It’s an awesome feeling to don the sparkling white uniform. On the lines of the advertisement of Bournville chocolate, you can't buy a pair of stripes on your uniform; you need to EARN it. It takes months / years of self-motivation to earn those golden rings on shoulders of a soldier. We all take immense pride in earning those Nelson’s rings on our stripes after the never ending days of training in Naval Academy. I don’t know about other fellow officers in Indian Navy, but my chest definitely expands little more than 9 inches every time I receive a salute (I am sure it must be more for others!).

Salutation is a customary thing for men and women in uniform. It’s a mark of respect that everyone has to follow till the time you are in uniform without any excuse. However, just to satisfy my innermost desire, I had decided to count every salute that I get during my tenure in Indian Navy. I am sure; it must be quite a silly thought for all of you!  Before you infer anything on me, let me clarify my thought. I’m not a maniac to waste my time on counting the salutes that I received almost every other minute when I was in uniform. I know that as long as I’m there in that immaculate attire called “Vardi”, all my subordinates would salute me with or without their choice. Hence I did decide to count only those salutes that I received when I was not in uniform, nor in my office and not in informal rigs for a formal official function. Now that’s what I call earning a salute. To simplify it further I will only count those salutes/wishes that I receive when I am in casual or formal attire either in civic streets or holidaying somewhere. That means someone has to recognize me without uniform and salute or mark his/her respect just out of respect for me but not for my position.  

I still believe in PRIDE; the core values of Navy (P-Patriotism R- Resolve and fighting spirit I- Integrity D- Duty and commitment E- lead by Example) that was taught to us in the training days. But more than that I believed in one thing; first be a gentleman then an officer. Every soldier I had come across was always treated with equal empathy; may be that ensures today I have earned 999 salutes in ten long years. In today’s world, forget about a salute getting a simple wish from your subordinate (be it a sailor/ jawan or a junior officer) when you are not in uniform is an achievement! It was a hell of a task for me to keep count of the salutes (with my conditions applied to them) for years, but it gives me insatiable pleasure when I see the number 999. On this day of my retirement, I was at a juncture where I would  hang up my uniform forever. Somewhere I was feeling little greedy to achieve the mark 1000. Obviously it’s fabulous to retire with 1000 salutes rather than 999. If not others, I’m sure Mr. Sachin Tendulkar would agree with my feelings on this. Now I can imagine how he must be feeling when he was struggling for his 100^th century.

Chances were bleak that I could achieve the 1000 mark, but still I had kept my hopes alive. Though I was getting salutes more than a normal day, sad thing was none of them could add on to my count of salutes as I was in uniform. I was quite apprehensive now about getting that single salute with my conditions applied to it. After the customary formal sending off party, I was supposed to go back home. No ways I can get a salute from someone to make it the golden figure of 1000 for me.

The event took place in the evening with me wearing a formal rig and being the guest of honor. Eventually farewell party was over. It was getting more difficult for me than what I thought it would be. I was getting choked inside with nostalgic feelings of these glorious years as a soldier. I was leaving that my place of duty with a heavy heart and a token of love that was presented by my last unit members in the farewell party. I won’t don that uniform anymore, I had turned into a civilian. My hope prevailed till I reached my quarter. The driver kept driving at a speed which is similar to slow motion shots in Bollywood movies. Still there was no joy !!

Finally I am back at home in my formal attire and a count of 999 salutes. That’s all I could get!! I am not Tendulkar who did reach that magical 100 centuries. The irony was I can only keep a count; the one who can help me score has to be one of my Navy colleagues. Around 11pm at night, I can’t expect anybody to come to me and salute.  Anyways I was feeling happy about 999 salutes by then.

With a grin on my face, I glanced through all my group photos taken over the years. Every memento in my living room had their own stories to say. When I was getting lost in the thoughts down the memory lane, I noticed a packed gift kept on the table. Must be the same token of love I had received in the party. I remembered my senior most sailor’s word while handing over it to me. “All we can say or give you is this. Wish u a happy life ahead. We’ll miss u, sir.”  I could not stop my tears that time.

I was more thrilled than shocked to see the unwrapped gift. What I could see was unbelievable; the entire team in sparkling white uniform standing together and saluting the naval way. And I was looking for one salute to reach the magic figure 1000!! A gesture like this only made me feel that no matter how many salutes I could earn, each one them had a message - “YOU are worth it”.

Even today, I get goose bumps when I say ‘Jai Hind’. Even today I feel proud to say “I was a Soldier”. Even today my hand comes up when I see a national flag to SALUTE.

A big salute to all those soldiers who are worth it !!! Jai HIND.

My Father .....a writer....an inspiration!!!

A tribute to LOVE

In today's strange world where it nearly impossible to find "true-unconditional-eternal Love", I am fortunate to grow up seeing love in these two souls growing stronger with time. 

On this Valentine's Day, I dedicate this video to my parents for making me believe that LOVE does exist in its TRUE & ETERNAL form. 

 http://youtu.be/AFczqEVcUMc

A creation close to my heart - Gudiya

 http://youtu.be/G4moL_NrlU0

                                                                          GUDIYA

"Gudiya" is the name of a girl child in the womb who's yet to see the world. It's a story about her love for her father in spite of knowing the harsh reality. She wishes to see her future like a dream even before she's born. Her dream gets shattered once a machine detects her gender. Our technology could only detect her gender but not her emotions for her father.  Gudiya invokes a strong message for every culprit in India who kill the fetus in the womb without any guilt of such a heinous crime. 

          Facts on GUDIYA : 

• Made in 48hrs from conception to final cut. Experimental treatment. Low budget. 
•  Screened at International Film Festival of India, Goa , Western Union Short Film Competition and International Indian Film Festival, Australia. 
• Selected as promotional movie for "Save the girl child" campaign by Ministry of Health,Goa.

Tere Liye

Tumse milne ki khushi bhi hai 


                   Tumse bichadne ka gham bhi hai

Dilko thodasa sukoon bhi hai aur 


                   Ankhon me thodisi nami bhi hai


   

Tere saath hone ka ehsaas bhi hai aur

    

                          
Ek toote huye khwab ki dastaan bhi hai

 Is dilme tere yaadon ka samandar hai
    


 
     




Par usme tere lehron ki kami aaj bhi hai

A Dance to Remember

You must check out this video to realize no words are ever required to communicate when there is music. These kids didn't understand my language and I neither did theirs , but its amazing to see that we had established a connection while dancing to tunes of an almost unknown song for them. I thank all these angels to make my new year memorable for life !!!

Kab Kahan Kaise (1min version)

Synopsis

A one minute film that explains the concept of God. We don't know whether God exists in this world or not, but we know one thing for sure - "when we are in need and about to give up hope, the one who comes up from nowhere to help us and brings up hope,is no one but God". God is all around us in every possible form,therefore love your fellowmen; you may somehow end up meeting God  sometime somewhere !!!!

You n Me

I'm still smiling !!

She was here and here no more ;
I was struggling with the waves
when she walked off the shore !!
I'll miss the light as it will be dark ;
Ever in my dreams I could think
that she would never come back !!

But I'm still smiling !!!
Smile is here but no sign of joy ;
Time played a prank with me
or was it destiny's own ploy ??
Tears roll out when i try to smile ;
I've a promise to keep so I'll smile
just to make life for her worthwhile.

So I'm smiling !!!!

Ajeeb Dastan Hai Yeh.....

 

रिश्तों  का ये  सिलसिला इस कदर उलझा क्यूँ हैं  ?

होठों तले छिपे अल्फाज़ अचानक खामोश क्यूँ हैं  ?

जिसे  चाहते है हम बेपनाह , वो हमारी   चाहत से बेखबर क्यूँ है ?

जिसे ठुकरा दिया हमने कभी, उसे आज भी हमसे मोहब्बत क्यूँ है?

अश्क  गिरते है जिसके लिए उसे कद्र  नहीं उसकी पर

किसी अजनबी को हमारे अश्कों की इतनि  फ़िक्र क्यूँ है?