Q. What inspired you to join AFMC?

A. Nothing in particular. I didnt 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 didnt 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 hadnt
appeared for too many tests. I had appeared for 4-5 colleges, AIIMS,
Vellore, Delhi, others. I hadnt 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 wasnt stressed out and
neither were the questions very tough. The interview wasnt very
intensive because later i had become member of the interview board
myself, so i know how difficult it had become nowadays. There were 45people 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 didnt 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 freshers mess. Freshers 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 dont 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 Chopras 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 wasnt 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 girls 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.
8oclock 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 girls
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 couldnt 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 couldnt 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 Deans 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 Deans 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 wasnt there in the
70s.Girls used to enjoy riding, but they wouldnt 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 didnt 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 dont 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 dont 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.Ive been missing my clinical work
for 6 years.Though Ive 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.Im supposed to bring up a cancer
centre, a charitable institution.
Q:Sir, which was an event which was famous for its 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 wouldnt 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 wouldnt 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 UGs ?
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 dont be shy or feel scared.
Q: Sir,Do you have anything from your college days herea picture or
something that we can show to the museum.
A: College time ka album hai. Black and white pictures.But I cant
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 guards area,there came a
descent.I didnt know what to do.Chalaya nahin kabhi scooter.Girl
stitting behind me, I didnt 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 didnt 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 dont 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 dont 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 dont 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 thats 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 blessed
Q: 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 time
Q: 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 didnt 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 dont resist them flow with the tide dont use much
brain unless you have an inner calling to become a cardiac surgeon
dont fight it but if circumstances are making you a neurosurgeon and
not against it so dont 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 dont resist
too many things life carries on better
Jada 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 dont 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 you
Be happy , play, enjoy and have fun but dont cross limits
Well thank you was a pleasure