Saturday 19 August 2017

Fw: How to crack SSB? A QnA session

----Forwarded Message -----


Sent: Saturday, August 19, 2017 11:32
To: ...
Subject: How to crack SSB? A QnA session

Dear Member,

 

Do you know any Indian Armed Forces aspirant giving the SSB? Any aspirant who is struggling with questions such as, what it takes to crack SSB interview or how to write a story on those pictures in such short time OR Is Allahbad a rejection center for SSB - OR any other SSB related question?

 

Soldier2ndlife is conducting a session on How to crack SSB, with

  • Col Sunil Prem (Retd) Ex- NDA, President's Gold Medalist at IMA
  • Col Ajay Singh (Retd) ex-IMA and CEO of Soldier2ndlife
To send us your questions, please visitbit.ly/Ssbevent​
Your questions will be taken up by our experts during the session. 
 
The session will be posted on 2nd September 2017 at 11 am on our website - www.soldier2ndlife.com
 
Thanks & Regards,
Col Ajay Singh
 
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Tuesday 15 August 2017

Congratulations on Your Military Service... Now Here Are 9 Reasons Why I Won't Hire You

 

Congratulations on Your Military Service… Now Here Are 9 Reasons Why I Won't Hire You

 

So, you've decided to hang up the uniform after years of distinguished service to our great nation. You've attended a few transition classes and have your interview suit and shiny new resume as you make the leap into the civilian world.

You feel confident, because you've seen your colleagues leave the uniform on Friday and come to work the following Monday in a suit and tie making twice as much salary. You storm the job boards and job fairs. Never mind that although you've drafted a plan of action and milestones (POA&M) for every significant evolution of your military career, some of you have invested the least amount of time and effort into your own transition POA&M.

Those of us in the hiring and recruiting business know firsthand that not all veterans are created equal, and, sometimes, it's a great business decision to hire a military professional into our companies. Often, though, many don't. Why? Because you're just not the right fit. A more impressive candidate captured our attention, or maybe, through no fault of your own, we found someone internally or received a referral from one of our own employees.

The irony is that many veterans and servicemembers have the skills and experience to make the cut, or even get the second interview, but blow it. As a military candidate recruiter, I see consistent themes in why military professionals don't get the job. Many may blame the new Transition GPS, their branch of service's career center or even the employers themselves, but here are the top real reasons why you'll never get hired:

 

1. You Can't (or Won't) Accept That You're Starting Over

Let's suppose that immediately after graduating from college or high school, I went to work for one of the well-known defense contractors. During the course of my 20+ year career at that company, I was very successful and promoted to the position of Program Manager, frequently working with the military. However, I'm now at that point in my career where there isn't any opportunity for further advancement, or I'm simply weary of the industry.

I'm now in my late 30s or early 40s and decide it's time to leave the company to pursue a different career. I've worked with the military my entire adult life, so I decide I want to join its ranks. Because of my previous experience with managing multimillion dollar budgets and hundreds of personnel, I feel I'm the equivalent of a Commanding Officer or Senior Enlisted Leader. When I talk to a recruiter about my level of entry, what would they tell me?

The cold dose of reality is that despite all of my experience, I'd have no idea what the organizational culture is like in the military. I'd be set up for failure if someone allowed me to don the collar devices and step into a command position. On day one, something as basic as sending an email to a flag officer could go very sour very quickly. This is because even though I may have transferable skill sets, I lack the knowledge of industry norms and protocol experience to succeed.

A senior military professional transitioning into the private sector faces the same dynamic. The transition is a bit easier within the Department of Defense and Federal arenas, but you're starting anew. It's imperative that you understand this. As a result, you should seek ways to learn the organizational structures of potential employers many months before you'll be entering the job market.

Just as I would have been far better informed had I spoken to a military recruiter before I left my civilian job, so should you be similarly informed before entering your last year of service. Use recruiters, headhunters, employment counselors, hiring managers, etc. to gain intelligence and information so you can be pragmatic in your expectations and planning. Also, getting a mentor who has successfully navigated into the private or government sector and is also a veteran will provide invaluable insight from a perspective you'll be able to relate to.

 

2. You Believe You're Unique (Just Like Every Other Transitioning Person That Day)

Each and every day, 200 to 300 servicemembers exit the military. This number will only increase as the nation's wars come to an end and forces continue to draw down. In 2012, an average of 470,000 resumes were posted on Monster each week. Essentially, for every job opening in the U.S., there are roughly 187 qualified and unqualified job applicants.

This is the challenge you face in relying on job boards as your sole method of getting a job. I suggest you think of hitting the "apply" button as being similar to walking down to the local convenience store and buying a lottery ticket, then deciding to not do anything else (or continue buying lottery tickets) until they call your number.

Are job boards still relevant? Yes. However, it's best to post your resume to a niche job board that aligns with your background or industry — and make sure your resume is targeted specifically for the jobs you apply to.

 

3. Your Resume Is Longer Than the CEO of Our Company's (or Shorter Than a Recent College Graduate's)

A long resume doesn't impress me at all. Even worse, a resume that has neither definition nor clarity is guaranteed to be placed in the trash. I'm probably going to look at it for six seconds, tops.

Your resume should be a windshield document. That is, it should reflect the positions you're going towards. (Click here to tweet this thought.) It shouldn't be a rearview mirror which simply lists all of the duties you performed. It should contain keywords, which websites such as wordle and tagcrowd can help you identify in both job announcements and your resume. This is because your resume will most likely be filtered by Applicant Tracking Software before it even gets to a human resources screener.

And, while I appreciate that you volunteered to clean up a highway or had some collateral duties in addition to your main assignments, I'm looking for candidates who have years of matching relevant experience, the right job titles and are in the same industry. Most importantly, I'm not looking for a "jack of all trades"; if I were, the job posting would have said so.

How do you craft a resume that's forward-looking? Find about 15 to 20 job announcements that match up with your ideal target job title. Incorporate their language into your resume and make it contextual by inserting your metrics. Review each bullet point you've chosen to use by asking yourself if it demonstrates a problem you solved or action you took and the results that were accomplished. The actual length of your resume? It depends on your audience. Seek out current or former employees at the companies you've identified in your target list and ask them what their company's preference is.

 

4. You Didn't Proofread Your Resume

I would be a millionaire if I got 10 bucks for every time I come across a candidate who's an "experienced manger." There isn't any substitute for attention to detail here. Don't trust spellcheck, and don't rely solely on your own review. Have your resume reviewed and critiqued free of charge by as many eyes as possible. The trained professionals at your Fleet and Family Support Centers, Army ACAP, and Airman & Family Readiness Centers are the best resource to catch those mistakes before I do.

After getting your resume reviewed for spelling and substance, take it to the local university's English department and have it critiqued for proper grammar. Seem a bit excessive? Well, if I see misspellings and poor grammar on your resume, what will I expect from you if I need you to communicate with my clients?

 

5. You Don't Have a LinkedIn Profile (Or, Even Worse, It's Not Complete)

In a 2012 JobVite survey, 89% of hiring decision-makers and recruiters reported using social media sites such as LinkedIn to find their candidates. If this is the case, shouldn't you have a profile already?

Your knowledge of managing your online presence lets me know how proficient you are in using technology to communicate. It also allows me to see your skills, even if they're nascent. If you have an incomplete profile, it may communicate that you might also expect me to complete your work for you.

Take the time and get your LinkedIn profile set up right. There are lots of places and resources available online to get help at no cost, so there isn't any excuse for not having one. Additionally, a complete LinkedIn profile allows you to take advantage of LinkedIn Labs' Resume Builder to automatically generate 11 different resume styles based on your LinkedIn profile. Talk about a time saver!

 

6. You Think Social Media Is For Kids or Sharing War Stories

If you think social media is a huge waste of time and doesn't offer real value, watch this video.

The reality is that two out of three job seekers will get their next job using social media. What does that mean to you? It translates to lesser-qualified people using technology to their advantage to get hired. They know how to use each of the social networking sites to the maximum extent in their transition action plans. If you think Twitter is of little use to a job seeker or professional, your competition will be happy to land the job you want because they're using it and you aren't.

 

7. You Didn't Prepare For The Interview

During the course of your military career, you've conducted countless boards and interviews. It seems to make sense that you should have no problem interviewing. After all, you did pretty well in your transition class mock interviews, didn't you?

Wrong approach. I've seen instances where the most junior servicemember outperformed a much more seasoned military leader because of one simple strategy: practice, practice, practice. Practice with someone who regularly hires or who has hired people at your level recently.

Why do you need to practice? Because you need to be able to be conversational, convey energy and yet let me know you're aware of what my business is, who my competitors are and even who I am. Did you go to the company's website to see if we have a Facebook, LinkedIn or Twitter page? Did we make the news recently? Google News is a great way to find this out.

I want you to distinguish yourself from the regular job seeker. I want to know you're as passionate about my company and what we do as I am, not just out to get a paycheck and benefits. Make sure you have a set of questions that I haven't heard before, and when we're about to finish the interview, ask for the job. Don't worry; I'm not going to be offended, because I want to see that fire in your belly. Just don't overdo it by saying something presumptuous such as, "So… when do I start?"

 

8. You Wrote a Thank You Note (But Only to Say Thank You)

Sending a thank you note is something that sets you apart from the competitors also vying for this position. And while it's appreciated and infinitely better than sending nothing at all, don't just send the note to say thank you; use it to tell me how much passion you have for my company and the job. Remind me of those things that excited you during our interview and, if there were any areas you looked vulnerable in, ease my concerns.

 

9. You Don't Know What You Want to Do

When asked what you want to do, the worst possible answer you can give is, "I don't know" or "anything." You have to be able say specifically what types of positions you're interested in and how you can add value to them. If you don't, you're essentially saying, "Invest lots of time and money in me, and maybe it will help me figure out if I want to do something else."

If you have no clue where to start, start by looking at colleagues with backgrounds similar to yours who have recently transitioned. Which industries are they in? What companies are they working for? Where are they living? What job titles do they have now? The LinkedIn Labs Veterans App is a great tool to help with this. Be sure to check it out. Start volunteering to gain professional experience and seek out internships long before you sign your DD214.

Employers want to feel secure in knowing that you'll last and that they can depend on you in your new work environment. Doing an internship or volunteering will help both the employer and you determine if a position is a good fit. Additionally, due to the flood of resumes that come in for each job posting, applicants who have volunteered or performed internships will stand out well ahead of the others.

Military professionals, especially senior ones, have a lot to offer our country when they hang up the uniform. The President and American companies are working hard to ensure that servicemembers and veterans have well-paying jobs with opportunities to advance. However, no one is ever guaranteed a job, and the more senior you are, the more challenging the transition can be in terms of education, credentials, certification and relevant industry experience required. Having a powerful network is essential and can open doors for you. That said, your comrades, friends and family can generally get you to the door, but it remains up to you to be fully prepared when the door is opened.

 

Saturday 12 August 2017

Controversial Khadki bungalow turns into institute for soldiers

 

Controversial Khadki bungalow turns into institute for soldiers

TNN | Updated: Aug 12, 2017, 11:21 AM IST

Former President Pratibha Patil was allocated the bungalow in 2012

 

PUNE: A sprawling bungalow, allocated to former President Pratibha Patil in 2012, is now Rajendra Sinhji Army Mess and Institution (RSAMI). It will be inaugurated by Lt Gen P M Hariz before Independence Day.

Patil gave up the bungalow after a controversy rose over its sheer size.

Later, the government allotted her a new bungalow called Raigad on Pashan Road. Southern Command authorities took over the first bungalow's possession.

A senior officer closely associated with RSAMI told TOI, "In mid-2015, higher authorities decided to convert the bungalow into an officers' mess."

"The city has a huge number of serving army officer and veterans. The Rajendra Sinhji Institute often gets crowded. Hence, most officers prefer to make their own arrangement at private facilities. The new institute will address this issue," the officer said.

Serving army officers posted at Bombay Engineering Group and Centre, College of Military Engineering and Shivneri Brigade in Aundh can avail this facility.

 


Since the previous construction was meant to be a residence, the army had to change the building plan.

 


"We had to change the size of the kitchen and create open space keeping in mind the requirements of the institute," the officer said.

 


The institute, constructed by BEG and CME at a cost of Rs 7 crore, can accommodate 2,000 people.

 


It has a "Khadki" theme with the dining hall named after Mula river and the bar after BEG's battle honours.

 

Wednesday 9 August 2017

Doka La ground report Part III: A first-person account of the tense border area

 

Doka La ground report Part III: A first-person account of the tense border area

IndiaPTIAug, 10 2017 09:05:07 IST

 

Editor's note: This is the last in a series of three ground reports from Doka La that look at the state of the region in light of the fluctuating animosity between India and China.

 

Curiosity got my goat, nearly. After all I'm a journalist and the India-China spat on Bhutan's turf is all over WhatsApp,  so I too got sucked in. So, just for the heck, I wrote to Army Headquarters for permission, which reached me via WhatsApp. The next thing I know, I'm on a flight to Bagdogra Air Force Airport. Confident I'll be in Doklam in no time, I hired a cab from the airport. I was through Chicken's Neck in a jiffy, heading like an arrow to Gangtok Base.

Being the friendly sort, I struck up a conversation with the cabbie. I asked him about Nathu La and how I could get there. He called up a fellow driver friend to take me to Nathu La Pass from the base. I was beginning to feel things weren't as bad as portrayed in the media. At 8 pm, I was booking another cab at Gangtok Base. This cabbie told me to get a valid Army pass. I told him I had permission from the headquarters in Delhi. The next day, I woke up at 6 and headed for the local Army unit. The guard at the gate stopped me. I showed him the AHQ letter. He said he couldn't help, his seniors were all out, patrolling. The guy was like ice on Everest, wouldn't melt.

Dash to Nathu La
I had wasted four precious hours. I explained it to the cab driver Norbu Hakshi, a wily chap. He wanted a report on Buddhists on fast over issues that concerned them published in Delhi and I said OK to that. He called in a 'border cab' to take me to Nathu La. Border cabs can move freely. They have local passes. This cabbie's name was Shangnu Dorje. We haggled over fare for a minute. I was desperate, so we settled on a figure and got started. Crossing the next Army barrier was easy. The 'local pass' did the trick. The cab took the road to Nathu La Pass. It was a pathetic excuse for a road. After about 30 km we were in a village and I told the cabbie to stop. I stepped out, started clicking pictures and talking to the villagers. But the cab driver shouted at me to come and sit in the cab. He said I was a galat-type person. I showed him my documents. He said he was taking me back to Gangtok Base.

 

Warning signs near Indo-China borders in Sikkim. Firstpost/ Manoj Kumar.

Silver lining after a hard day
Two days into my trip to Doka La and nothing to show for it. Back in Gangtok, I spotted a chaiwallah and told the cabbie to halt. I bought a cup of tea and sipped. Soon, a dozen soldiers came and started talking, about Doka La no less. I kept my face in the cup and my ears pricked. I learnt that 70% of the forces at Gangtok Base had moved to the Line of Actual Control. A soldier said Chinese bunkers were made of steel. Then they compared Chinese and Indian supply lines. One of them said the PLA had better supply chains. I told him to validate his point. He pulled up some photographs on his mobile. I looked up and realised they perhaps suspected me to be an enemy mole. The sewadar (orderly) running the place told me to get the eff out of the place.

Read Part 1 of the series

Read Part 2 of the series

The other route
Beaten, I went back to Norbu. I was cold and the jacket I had brought from home was poor foil. Norbu, knowing I had had no success, agreed to help me if I wrote about Buddhist Relay Fast. I let him blackmail me. He told me he'd get me a police pass up to Kupuk village for a price. I went to bed at 11 pm and was up at 4 am. It was 22 July. We left with Norbu promising he'd send the police pass on my WhatsApp. After 60 kilometres we were on the Old Silk Road. The cabbie told me this was the road China wanted. I found the road in terrible condition. Then, Norbu called to tell that his police officer was on leave, so no police pass. The cab driver said he'd get me past the army barrier. We went past barrier and Kupuk without being hollered at. The cab stopped at a deserted spot. It was about 1 pm. I saw army bunkers, red flags and warning signboards. I clicked pictures and shot videos. About 5 km ahead we stopped again. But the eerie silence and 'bad' vibes of the place made me take a U-turn.

Night at tea kiosk in Kupuk
When we reached Kupuk village it was late. My cabbie got me lodgings in a house of tin– a tea-kiosk in front, and three-partitioned off rooms behind. I positioned myself at the front. And sure enough, a group of soldiers gathered. Some had just returned from border duty. Others were to join duty. They talked. I listened. One of them told another that the Jat Regiment was manning the front row with only cameras. I gathered from the talk that war was inevitable. One young soldier explained to the others how the Chinese road construction machine was waylaid with an Indian earth-moving machine. "We got orders to stop them at any cost," he said. The soldiers remained at the kiosk till midnight.

A local shop closed due to tension in the area around Gnathang Valley, Sikkim. Firstpost/ Manoj Kumar

The place
During my failed foray into Nathu La, I saw only one human settlement. No-man's land starts from where army bunkers begin. There is an army post after every kilometre. Hooters are installed at intervals to sound the alarm. There is snow and frost and fog and it drizzles intermittently. Visibility is challenged but soldiers have all-weather equipment to see through fog and suspicious characters. People survive on rice and potato. Rice, beef and yak meat. Soldiers I saw were all young and chirpy. Most of them had just flown in from Srinagar, Valley-hardened. Many were Special Forces. Tall guys with a swagger, sure-footed.

And the secret is spilled out
Next morning on 23 July, I went up a hill to take some pictures. My bad luck. I was 'spotted'. I was questioned. I showed them my AHQ credentials. Nevertheless, I was told to scoot. I came down the hill in double step. I was tired, sleep-starved and hungry. I dozed off in the car, only to be jolted awake. The cab was circled by a ring of soldiers. In hid my camera mobile phone in the car. I was asked to step out. My other mobile and laptop were confiscated. The soldiers frisked me, checked my luggage; scanned the contents of my laptop and my other mobile. Not finding anything I might pass on to the PLA, they comforted me with a cup of tea. Then, I was told to scram. I took my leave with a light heart. The flight out from Bagdogra was late by two hours. I was assured that I was back home, safe.

 

Published Date: Aug 10, 2017 08:57 am | Updated Date: Aug 10, 2017 09:05 am

 

Doka La ground report Part II: Amid threat of war, soldiers place their faith in a fallen comrade

 

Doka La ground report Part II: Amid threat of war, soldiers place their faith in a fallen comrade

IndiaManoj KumarAug, 09 2017 13:11:36 IST

 

Editor's note: This is the second in a series of three ground reports from Doka La that look at the state of the region in light of the fluctuating animosity between India and China. Part one of the series, Amid New Delhi-Beijing mind games, 'patient' Indian Army braces for long haul was published on 08 August, 2017

The People's Liberation Army (PLA) is at our gates holding war-games and talking war. But behind even the wet ears of PLA must lurk one thought: What of Baba Harbhajan Singh, has the Chinese president Xi Jinping taken account of 'Him' who rides the snowy nights?

Perhaps, China couldn't have picked a worse place to get into a spat with India on the border than Doklam. The tri-junction happens to be the favourite stamping (or stomping) ground of the 'Ghost who rides the white steed', guarding the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in the eastern Himalayas. And the Indian Army marches as much on its stomach as on a steadfast belief in the power of faith. India's borders, from the west to the east, are strewn with shrines to dead soldiers, spirits who keep an eye on the enemy across the border.

Nothing will and can explain the faith that Indian soldiers have on fallen comrades who, they believe, have acquired saintly powers beyond that of mere bombs and missiles.

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The temple where Baba Harbhajan Singh is revered. Firstpost/ Manoj Kumar

 

At the age of 22, sepoy Harbhajan Singh drowned in a glacier in 1968. However, he continued to serve the army in spirit and was formally retired only in 2006, 38 years after he was buried in snow. In the intervening period, he was promoted up the ranks as would any Indian Army soldier, ending up as Captain Harbhajan Singh.

On Saturday, China threatened that the PLA was fully capable and more than fully armed to "annihilate" the Indian Army at the LAC. Maybe soldiers of the PLA haven't had any recent 'sighting' of the only Indian Army soldier who is on duty 24/7. That, or the Global Times and President XI don't know of the legend of Baba Harbhajan Singh.

If that's so, then it would be quite in contrast to the belief in the Indian Army camp. Every Indian Army personnel, from Sepoy to General, would swear that with Captain (Retd) Baba Harbhajan Singh "on duty", the PLA can do zilch to annihilate the Indian Army.

Nathu La has two shrines dedicated to Baba Harbhajan Singh. One of them is the Old Baba Mandir (OBM) on the Old Silk Road. The other is called the New Baba Mandir (NBM) within Nathu La, closer to Doklam. Both OBM and NBM are thronged by devotees throughout the day and year. They are guarded by men in uniform 24/7 who have complete faith in the powers of their fallen comrade.

As the folklore goes

Indian soldiers believe that Bab Harbhajan will warn them at least three days before Chinese attack. Firstpost/ Manoj Kumar

 

According to Army records, Harbhajan Singh, a resident of Kapurthala in Punjab, was inducted in the Punjab Regiment in 1956. In time he came to be posted in Nathu La. One day in 1968, while leading a mule train, he and his mules fell into a glacier (some say a 'raging river') and he was not to be found. Somebody in the Army even floated the canard that Singh had absconded.

But, as the legend goes, he appeared in the dream of his soldier friend Pritam Singh and told him where to find his body. The Army followed "dead Harbhajan's" instructions given to Pritam in his dream, and lo behold, Sepoy Harbhajan Singh's body was found at that exact spot! In subsequent dreams, late Sepoy Harbhajan Singh guided the Army as to what it should do: Cremate his body at Nathu La; build a temple in his name on the spot; and be on the guard at all time because he would too!

Local legend is Baba saves local villagers and soldiers of the Indian Army from "evil spirits" and the "evil designs" of the PLA. And while on patrol, if he comes across a sleeping soldier, that worthy is slapped awake!

Today, with the PLA issuing a threat a day, it's a grand battle between the 'Chinese Dragon' and the 'Indian Sentinel'. And, guess what, it's the 'Indian Sentinel' who has got the Chinese soldiers spooked! The Baba appears to both Indian and Chinese soldiers. But if he comes to his Indian comrades in their dreams as a benign saint, to the PLA soldiers he appears as an avenging angel riding a ghostly white steed, rearing on its hooves. Or at least that's what the local soldiers will have you believe.

Firm faith

The Baba follows all the customary rituals followed by any living soldier. His bed is laid out in the bunker built specially for him inside the shrine. Firstpost/ Manoj Kumar

 

All the Indian Army soldiers posted in the region make it a point to visit the shrine of the Baba to seek his blessings on the way to their duties from Gangtok base. It's said Baba Harbhajan Singh guards the frontier from Jelepa Pass to Nathu La Pass. He is believed to "patrol" the border when even the snow leopard sleeps and the Yak nod.

The NBM is located 4km from Doklam where all the attention is on nowadays but there is no dearth of soldiers and civilians dropping in at the Baba's shrine throughout the day. Visitors come to pray and seek favours. Each one of them is given a prasad of dry fruits and halwa by the barefooted soldiers who are on duty to serve Capt Harbhajan Singh.

People believe the 'Baba' has the powers to heal. They come to his shrine with bottles of water and leave them at the shrine for a week. By the time they pick up the bottle of water, it would have turned into a cure for all ailments, they believe. Soldiers on duty at the shrine told Firstpost that all the units of the Indian Army posted in the region seek the Baba's blessings.

The Baba's shrine has a brass bust of him in the central room along with large framed portraits of the young soldier who was, apparently, killed in 1968. Devotional songs play throughout the day. The Baba follows all the customary rituals followed by any living soldier. His bed is laid out in the bunker built specially for him inside the shrine. His clothes, shoes and other important items are also kept in the shrine.

Shuttling his portrait from central room (office) to bedroom at given times is part of the drill. Firstpost/ Manoj Kumar

 

Uniformed men are deployed at the shrine. They make up his bed, wash his uniforms and polish his snow boots. Shuttling his portrait from central room (office) to bedroom at given times is part of the drill. Soldiers on duty remain barefoot at all times. They swear that the Baba sleeps on his bed every night after patrolling the LAC. They point to the crumpled bed sheets and soiled snow boots.

Till he hadn't formally retired at the age of 60, Capt Harbhajan Singh would go on annual leave to his home in Kapurthala where his mother lived. His belongings would be packed and taken along "with him" by soldiers "in his command". Leave over, he would return to Nathu La by the same train.

PLA's reverence

Havaldar Jasbir Singh of the Sikh regiment is a regular. He said the PLA knows of Baba Harbhajan Singh. He has been told that by none other than Chinese soldiers. The PLA is curious about the mystery of Baba Harbhajan Singh and the legends associated with him.

"From their questions, it's clear they are in complete awe of Babaji. They are aware that the Baba patrols the border round-the-clock to keep a tab on their activities," said Singh.

Such is the respect and reverence that the Chinese have for Capt (Retd) Harbhajan Singh, they leave a chair empty for the Baba at the flag meetings held between the Indian Army and the PLA.

A captain told Firstpost that the shrine of Baba Harbhajan Singh is located on the Old Silk Road on which Doklam is located and which China wants to turn into OBOR. He said men of the PLA never use foul language when talking of the Baba; that they too were aware of the 'Spirit that Rides' and guards the LAC.

The soldiers believe the eternal spirit of Capt (Retd) Harbhajan Singh will warn the Indian Army of an impending PLA attack three days in advance. So far, after the Doklam standoff began in mid-June, no warning has come from the Baba! So, nothing to worry.

 

Published Date: Aug 09, 2017 08:13 am | Updated Date: Aug 09, 2017 01:11 pm