Write up by Ash
To most of us who went to NDA in January 1976, geography lessons would remind us that Odisha (Orrisa then) was nestled on the east coast just below West Bengal and above “Madras’. To the slightly more aware, they would know it as Utkala of the ancient and medieval times; Utkala the name itself means – the land of excellence in art and craft. When I joined NDA and went to Foxtrot, the state that had sponsored the Squadron and whose name is permanently and proudly adorned on its front facade is “Orissa”.
NDA has demonstrated that the association of phrases like “Cradle of Leadership and Training” and the “Maker of Men” with it hasn’t been made by erudite penmanship but by the many reminiscences that embellish it. Ladies and gentlemen of the course, it is from that memory vault, that we recall that to the 55th, Odisha sent many of its ambassadors, including Bijay Kumar Patnaik, ‘Pattu’ as he was fondly called. It is his birthday, this day.
Ramesh, his Eagle compatriot and fellow Naval buddy remembers, “Pattu, Nishi band I used to play golf together in Mumbai. Pattu always insisted on being Nishi’s partner as Nishi and I would invariably land up fighting when in the same team. While they would invariably lose, Pattu would position it in a manner when I used to wonder as to who had actually won. I very fondly remember as to how much we would argue, during the game over a preferred lie or a relief where he would stand next to me and watch carefully.”
Going on Ramesh recollects, “I visited Pattu’s home in Bhubaneshwar in 1982 and we enjoyed eating plenty of fish. Pattu’s Dad had bought a small moped and It was quite a comical sight when we both set out on that poor small machine exploring the ancient city.
The NDA passing out journal’s pen picture effaces him as “This self-appointed Black Knight rode a rough horse till his Vth term but chose to live his last term in honourable retirement.”
Pattu went on to become a submariner after he specialized in the Anti-Submarine Warfare course from the Naval Academy at Leningrad. Arun Jyoti, Pattu’s submarine electrical engineer and crew member too remembers Pattu’s fondness for fish, being a fellow piscivore. Long submarine sorties medically mandated salacious, raunchy pictures to be carried onboard to address long term libido issues. Pattu would insist on seeing all the publications of such content and would do so in public view in the Ward Room. His opening sentence would invariably be *Bloody phukker* but said with a smile that would melt the crew. A people’s submarine Commanding Officer, prominent amongst his notable habits was that if he was touching his head, it would mean that he was in a deep-thinking mode.
Pattu last posting was as DDG, NCC at his beloved Bhubaneshwar from where he decided to hang up his uniform in August 2014. He fought a long and valiant battle with his medical affliction, Vandana had stood like a rock with him, frequently travelling between Bhubaneshwar and Delhi till eventually it claimed him.
Vandana connects also through her sister Kanchan to the 55th, who is married to Sunil Jetley, a Lima submariner. Her remarkable effervescence and joie de vivre keeps the 55th Bindass Eagles WhatsApp group vibrant and bubbly. Her enthusiastic support and participation in the Association charter and build up has been instrumental. Their daughter Anubha now works in theatre while son Ajay is running a start up in Bangalore with another Naval Officer’s son.
Penned with inputs from Ramesh and Arun Jyoti.
🙏 May his soul rest in peace 🙏