Q. What inspired you to join AFMC?A. Nothing in particular. I didn’t know at all about AFMC. My parents nor anyone else from my family were from army and neither were anyone of a doctor. When i finished my pre-medical, appeared for 4-5 entrance tests including Vellore and all that, I didn’t get selected in any of them. After 2-3 months I got a call from AFMC that I was in the waiting list. So honestly AFMC was not my choice, it was the only choice I had. So when I got selected and got called up, I came.Q. How did you come to know of this college?A. Well its a well established institution and even in 1972 when i joined, it was one of the top 4-5, so I had applied for it. But i had no knowledge from any personal friends or anyone.Q. Sir, what was the admission process like at that time?A. As far as I remember, there was a written test, mcq type. I hadn’t appeared for too many tests. I had appeared for 4-5 colleges, AIIMS, Vellore, Delhi, others. I hadn’t taken any serious coaching from Kota or anywhere else that people take nowadays. Just the usual class XI syllabus and no special preparation. So I went for the interview held at Delhi. At that time all the interviews were held at Army Headquarters, Delhi. The interview of mine was fairly brief. I wasn’t stressed out and neither were the questions very tough. The interview wasn’t very intensive because later i had become member of the interview board myself, so i know how difficult it had become nowadays. There were 4-5people – one psychologist and people in uniform. I still remember one question they asked me. They asked me who is the flying sikh. There was nothing difficult about it but when I said Milkha Singh, they were very impressed (laughs). So what I mean is that it was just destiny more than anything else. After the interview was the medical which was not a problem.Q. Sir, any memories of your college days which you remember?A. My first memory of college was when my father told me to come to pune alone as he thought that I had become big enough. He got me a second class ticket from Bombay and then from Bombay I had to come to Pune. Then I reached the hostel

were the seniors were waiting like foxes and my ragging started from the gate itself as I was all alone and my parents didn’t come to leave me. I was in 6G6 triple seaters. One of my roommates passed away and the other is a psychiatrist. The ragging was not painful, it was just mentally stressful. Murga, medical chair, medical name, Darjeeling, Shimla, black hole all these terms were there. One experience i remember was when a senior, who was 3 years senior to us, made about 60-70 of us murga and told us to do cuckudukoo in the middle of night. There was one nasty pervertish kind of ragger of I batch who is now a psychiatrist in US. We had serious batchfightswith another batch which reached dangerous levels, like gang fights. It was later resolved by senior batches. When we entered there were A, B, C and fresher’s mess. Fresher’s mess was present at the site were now the Dhanvantari auditorium is.Q. Sir, how different were the routes to classrooms in those days?A. A lot of things which you see now were absent in those days like canteen, swimming pool. For swimming and badminton we had to go to Southern Command gym or AIPTC. We had dramatics and musimatics which were one, basketball, cricket, squash and running long distance was also popular in those days. Running was practiced in the Race course. Q : Sir how was the ground then ?

A : For long distance running, we used to use a lot of the race course,race course ka jo bandar ka chakkar hai, that was very popular for most of our chaps to practice there.Long runs, endurance runs, we had some very good runners - university level and state level. Basketball, our time the standards were outstanding, I don’t know how is your current standard nationally.We had state level basketball players playing for Maharashtra. Very good level of squash, our people had been representing state.We had one or two ranji level cricketers also.

Q: What else was popular sir?

A: Dramatics has always been strong in AFMC.Excellent musicians,excellent dramatists.We had people like Ashok Chopra, Priyanka Chopra’s father.My batchmates, Mathur and

Parikh, all outstanding singers.debating was very strong.We did not have the Bombay Medical Congress, neither did we have your cultural things which you go across the country.

Q: What other cultural activities sir? We hear you were a very good singer…

A: I wasn’t very good in college, but i became better with time. Yes I used to sing in college. I got my first break in 7th term. 5-6 terms nobody gave me a chance, but 7th term, I got a chance and then in 9th term just as we were passing out, dean was retiring, general Dutt, then i got a chance to sing.yes I used to badminton for the college team.Sing a bit, debates now and then, but not much, but i participated. The average guy, made a few girlfriends.

Q: How was the training schedule back then?

A: About he buildings and all, the girl’s hostel was in the old place which you know.So in the middle of the sector the medicine was there, the central quadrant had the open air theatre.Our route used to be the same through this and then all the old buildings are well known.Lecture hall 19, we spent a lot of time there. It is still there na, opposite dhanvantari.Pharmac department had that big hall.Most of our lectures anatomy,physiology was spent in lecture hall 19 and the pharmacy halls.Fresher mess was there.We all had to borrow cycles on rent.Some people had bikes, there was no ban.8’o’clock se classes, 8 to 4.Clinics were there in the hospital.Started in 2rd prof. Hamara subject different the, we had anat and physio only in the first prof.Biochemistry was not a separate subject, it was a part of physiology.And 2nd prof mein pharmacology, pathology and forensics.Aur final mein medicine, surgery, gynae, aise hi tha distribution.Pharmacology was the most difficult subject for me.1st memories of medical education were those scary cadaveric dissections.I also have a sketchy memory of a colleague who never used to be scared of those cadavers to the extent of not putting on gloves. He would feel as if it is normal, to be playing around with cadavers. So it became a scare for the rest of us.

Q: Sir how many girls did you have in your batch?

A: 20,we were 100+20, so 20 girls, of which only one could become a PC officer at that time.19 short service and 1 PC.The rest of us were divided 50-50.

Q: Sir, what about the stipend?

A: So those who opted to become received stipend, otherwise you had to pay for everything. I had opted not to become PC.In the interview they had asked me, supposing we offer to give you PC, will you take it, I said no.I thought army mein join hi nai karna. Because no background in the family.But they still selected me.Then in the 9th term a notice came up asking for conversions from SSC to PC.So i went and signed up.Then i went and called up my dad and told him, mera ban gaya PC.He said,4.5 years you didnt take stipend, now you decided to take up PC why, Because my friends are opting, many people opted.So basically it just happens, one does not give too much thought to it.I suppose it was meant to happen.None of the girls even tried for PC later, some went abroad, some in India, some have even opted out of the profession.Girls hostel was always something to look at from various balconies,but now the distances have increased.But your mess is common, at least you have food together.

Q: Sir how was the discipline in your time ?

A: Discipline in our time was less, there were people in our batch who would go out looking for problem with the police.police ko pareshan karna was standard.There was a thana nearby, there still is that post, toh raat ko that fellow was found sleeping there, toh uski chowki se kuch samaan utha ke hostel mein le aana.Some of us actually succeded in bringing the sentry post ya notice board, ya wo inspector ka name plate.it was a display item in the hostel.We used to do that kind of things. Then of course there was the famous Unni thele wala,next to the petrol pump.Our gate was onto the main road.Both boys and girl’s hostel used to open on the main road, Sholapur Road, which is now closed.So there was our meeting point.The road was not very busy back then. So this Unni chap was always there at night.We boys used to go out there.The

girls had restrictions, so they couldn’t come out at night.

Q: Sir was there a system wherein the girls used to put down baskets and the boys used to put food in there at night?

A: Sir this mutual collaboration was there for whoever could trust each other.Because girls couldn’t leave the hostel after 9:30 or 10:00, when they locked the gate. So yes we used to help them with simple things like this.

Q:Sir we also heard that during your time the Dean’s nameplate was stolen and returned to Gen Manoj Luthra sir, many years later ?

A: Not only the Police Chowki, the Dean and commandant were also vulnerable. utha ke le jana and kisi ke kamre mein tang dena and everyone would come and look at it.There was a lot of pride in it. Someone took off with the Dean’s nameplate and he passed out. Much later he realised ki yeh mere paas kya kar rahi hai.Later on when we had our reunion we returned it to Gen Lethra, with a ceremony.Ke yaar ab apna hi banda dean hai toh wapas kar do.it belonged to the institution of the dean, not personal property of the dean.He had it with him all these years.

Q:Sir how was pune in your time ?

A:Pune, I wish you could have a look at that.Absolutely much calmer,much cleaner,we used to see much more happier people.Aaram se chal rahe hain, road pe ghum rahe hain.There were very few vehicles back then, even the two wheeler density was low.This culture of girls wrapping these things started much later.it wasn’t there in the 70s.Girls used to enjoy riding, but they wouldn’t cover their faces like terrorists.Ab toh ladke bhi ganda sa masks lagate hain, horrible looking things, they look like aliens.Pune was a beautiful place. Everybody used to walk or cycle all over the place.We didn’t use the bikes.Hiking was common.Yahan se goa jana during the breaks,few days kept for hiking with 3-4 friends.Hiking was very popular.Sometimes on leave or in vacations.people used to go very frequently o Khandala, Lonavala.

Q:Sir how were 4th August celebrations in your time ? Where was it conducted?

A: Those celebrations were always very good. You have been to Bharadwaj auditorium, we didnt have Dhanvantari.So all our cultural activities were in Bharadwaj.But we used to sometimes take the Southern Command auditorium for APS junior wing.That whole gymnasium used to be given to us for cultural programmes.We used to be here for basketball,badminton.We used to come here for sports as well as cultural things. But I don’t remember getting entry into our Officers’ mess. 5-7 years ago jab CCM nahi tha toh your boys used to come to the main Officers mess for cake cutting.I don’t remember as a student coming to AFMC central officers mess.First memory is that of coming for training as captain, but later they encouraged getting guys into the mess to get used to it.

Q: Sir, your favourite posting?

A: Most of the time I have been in pune only. I have served in CH,Pune , as a captain, major,.. all appointments.So my favourite posting was when I came back as HOD.That gave me a chance to do professionally what I could do.But otherwise my favourite posting was when I was commandant.That gave me a lot of excitement.When you go out of AFMC,you are named as AMC to the whole environment.Thats a different exposure.When you are working with the co-commander and you are answerable for everybody.So thats a good challenge.yes that was a very enjoyable posting.And then you are directly commanding 50-60 officers,and 500 people,thats a great opportunity.

Q:Do you prefer beng a clinician or an …?

A: I prefer being a clinician anyday.I’ve been missing my clinical work for 6 years.Though I’ve tried to keep myself happy, Ijust want to get back to clinical work.I am retiring now and straight-away going into clinical work.I am joining a hospital.I’m supposed to bring up a cancer centre, a charitable institution.

Q:Sir, which was an event which was famous for it’s high levels of notoriety in your college days?

A:We had gone to lonavala for holi.So we had Bhaang or rum, jo bhi mil gaya.So we were very happy all of us and got into a local train.Log baithe hue the and we started dadagiri.isko hatao, usko hatao, like that.So people got disturbed.Somebody started objecting,and we got more aggressive.So kisine maar diya.Jab maar diya to baat aur badh gayi. So one thing led to another and we realised ki yeh to escalate ho gaya.Then some of us broke the berths.Us time dande wali beths hoti thi.Toh humne wo rod todi and we used them.So it became an ugly fight .Now people were ganging up against these 5-6 chaps.With every passing station station, senior people and adies started getting down.Everybody got down and finally at one station only we were left in the compartment. Then we wanted to get down, and we saw that there were people in the station shouting Maaro Maaro!!, so we locked ourselves in, Then, finally Pune station came. So there was this South Indian guy jo peeche taraf sa nikla, saamne police station tha, wahan jaake apne mamaji ko pakda. Bola hum AFMC ke students, docyor log hain aur log humko maar rahe hain. Then the police came in and escorted us out and he took our side against the crowd. So, finally we returned home safe.

Q: Sir, How do you think AFMC has changed?

A: while for one, I think your teaching has become far more organised, far more involvement of the faculty. Our faculty wouldn’t push us so much. They gave their lectures and left. Padnah hai padho, nahin padnah hain toh math padoh. Nobody chased us for attendance. Our faculty was good but they wouldn’t get under our skin. Secondly the opportunities for developing other talents has vastly increased. Whatever our people did, they did it by their own skill and effort. Abhi tho ithni societies ban gayi hain. Your food is much better than ours. The room quality was not good. Small rooms, triple seaters and common bathrooms and no balconies. Hamain tho kapde dhona padtha tha. Paisae kiske pass the, jo dhobi ko dhe sake. I remember a time when we had gone for a match to law college, it was my birthday. After the match finished a fight

started between the chairing parties on both, pathraav, stones, maar-peet. Mujhe ek side kada kar dhiye.So in that fight my lips split and tooth broke. So I was admiitted for 2-3 days with stitches. I got all the nurses and batch girls , do-theen tak meri seva ki thi.

Q: Sir, how was NCC during your time

A: Our NCC camp used to be held at Ram thekdi. We wre made to dig to our own snake trenches, pitch our own tents and help in making the food. NCC means, you got to do all that. You have your camp in the middle of the city.It is not conducive for a camp like environment. We used to trek up there. Spend 3-4 days and have camp fires. One has good memories of life together.

Q: Sir, How was your posting as HOD at AFMC?

A:I was not posted at AFMC. Biut at command hospital. i have never been posted to AFMC as a faculty but was at CH for 5 years.

Q: Did you take any classes for the UG’s ?

A: Yes, plenty. I am quite fond of taking classes. I found that we were rogues as students, our teachers had a tough time. But when I came back as a teacher I did not experience that. Even as a young major I used to take final year surgery classes. I never had any trouble.In our time we used to throw chalks at the teachers in our time. Maybe they were nice to us as they were ex-AFMCites. Sona hai tho so jao. But I never felt any aggressiveness as a teacher.

Q: Were there fines in your time?

A: Yes, very much. Jo galthi kare uske 5, 10 rupay kat jathe the. Cash fines were all that. There were no other punishments. But we were scared of the TO and Dean. Dean tho diktha hi nahi tha. So, have fun. This is one of the best colleges, your career is assured. It is a huge thing, feel privileged and develop

whatever faculties you have. Everybody has lots of talent, So don’t be shy or feel scared.

Q: Sir,Do you have anything from your college days here…a picture or something that we can show to the museum.A: College time ka album hai. Black and white pictures.But I can’t retrieve it now.

Q: Sir, how was the girl boy relationship at that time ?

A: It was healthy.Meri jitni bhi friends ya girlfriends , we used to play badminton together, we were in the dramatics club together, and had no problems.4 or 5 girls out of the 20 got hitched within the first two years.Out of the 15 left, 1-2 shy toh hamesha hoti hain.Anybody could sit with any group.We had very friendly relationships.I shall tell you one episode,when we went for a picnic to Khandala.The plan was to go on scooters but I didnt know how to ride one.But there was a girl who said, chalenge ? maine kaha chalenge.Ab girl chalne ko taiyaar hai toh fir jana padega. I borrowed a scooter from one of my batchmates.Ab scooter le liya, girl is waiting outside,kick maari, start ho gaya.Theory toh pata hi hota hai and level ground pe chal bhi jata hai.Nikal gaye pune se and all went well till Khirkee.Traffic was lighter those days and I didnt have a license.Then we entered the guard’s area,there came a descent.I didn’t know what to do.Chalaya nahin kabhi scooter.Girl stitting behind me, I didn’t know what to do.I just lowered the gear aur bhagwan par chod diya.2 lives were at stake.We negotiated a couple of turns and came to a stop.People around were asking, tujhe scooter chalana aata hai kya? Imagine this was the level of our ignorance(laughing) and we finally managed to come back from the picnic.Very sporty kind of thing. We used to go to movies a lot , groups of 6-8 and to movies .Oh I didn’t tell you jawani diwani was the movie playing in our first term in theatre aur ragging se bachne ke liye roz picture. Watched it atleast 8 times in 2 months sometimes in western by the end of it I was the master in jawani diwani every dialogue, song happened to most people , kamre main ahi rahna hai , bhaag jao.So we have a vibrant k batch website every girl and boy are on it on forum & and now ae are that stage that people a re

developing health problems & and issues , so philosophical chalta rhta haibut afmc is a great bonding for life so make good friends and stick with them that another piece of advice I can give you don’t take friends lightlyallare lovely as all have same backgrounds, the same intelligence, potential, so make great friends & remain in touch with your batchmates they last your lifetime.

Q: how do you see the future of afmc?A: absolutely wonderful I don’t see any competition anywhere as we holistic which you never get in any institution as a opportunity to become a better doctor or a better human being you see afmc gives you the best I can say that although not seen other colleges all have their advantage but afmc gives you extra but that should not mean to get any superiority complex, guard against it. But this , people come from all part of the country, all ranks like jco children and officers, so people overcome barriers human to human whereas in some colleges are certain communities, we are fortunately protected from that, a big unifying factor, but no need to feel superior anything just value it but never look down upon any one , cannot do that in life otherwise you get carried away& and how you face crisis is really seen when the crises some well all think we are good but when a situation happens tab pata lagta hai kaun kya hai so don’t compete with anyone, compete only with your self improve on yourself beating the next guy, whats the big deal but if you beat yourself , if you are better that today that’s the biggest battle which you have to win, life long battle, life is beautiful enjoy it & tough times will come I can promise you that will you ready ? (laughs)Q: how do you like medicine as a profession?A: great feel so blessedQ: did you choose anything?A: I had no option like for college had no option , so for job also had no option somehow never felt would make a businessman or a banker, never thought of any other thing , parents engineer brother but never thought of anything else but lucky to become one in the college in which I got selected, the only subject I want to specialise in just fortunate but I suppose if you

remain focused then universe also helps you if you want to become a particular kind of doctor then stop thinking about others things much and it will happen over timeQ: why did you choose onco surg over clinical medicine of all the subjects ?A:well when I was doing ms surg , thing is you normally rotate within 2 yrs to all plastic ,neuro everything as it will happen we had an adviser who took a liking to me as a trainee was also the oic of surgical division that means he controlled the rotation I never went ot plastic, ortho that time muhs didn’t have anything like a logbook before he wanted me as a assistant in onco so he was happy to put me in onco for most of my command phase, final phase and I guess I got used to it as a captain got into oncology just another aspect of looking at life if things a happening don’t resist them flow with the tide don’t use much brain unless you have an inner calling to become a cardiac surgeon don’t fight it but if circumstances are making you a neurosurgeon and not against it so don’t fight it because you got a break for a particular purpose generally intrusions should be trusted or circumstances unless you have a strong reason take that as a piece of advice don’t resist too many things life carries on betterJada ho gaya na dose(laughs)Kyu bahai body builder if you are in a group that goes to gym then go yaar or swimming then go yaar point is just enjoy anything which you do rather than selecting things then all your energy goes into selecting and then be like ab maja nahi aa raha don’t waste energy in that enjoy whats happening that means be in the present live in the moment and acceptance of whats happening Q: sir one last question what is the advantage and disadvantage of being an afmcite ?A: disadvantage toh koi nazar nahi atta no disadvantage sab bariya toh hai all good great network of people 40 years later you go across the world koi na koi toh mil jaega sense of security that someone will relate to you kisi ne kaya lena hai kisi se but the the sence of the institution in which you have grown spread across the world and doing good for themselves great and be prepared to help anyone not necessarily afmcite

just anyone golden principle hai help karo logo ko, keep doing good to others and good will keep happening to youBe happy , play, enjoy and have fun but don’t cross limitsWell thank you was a pleasure