On 14th April, we got an early morning call from Polly Byce (Rear Admiral PS Byce, now retired and settled in Jaipur) that Pranab Roy had passed on. So ended an association of 74 years.
In July 1951, after moving from Udaipur to Jaipur, I was admitted to St. Xavier's School in Standard VII. The class had around 30 students and I was a shy kid but I somehow found the two Roy brothers in our class easy to talk to. And so I got friendly with Pranab and Prasun whose age difference was less than a year. Their father was a doctor and they lived in Bani Park, a fair distance away, but my house was close to the School and we often adjourned there to chat and play after School.
By the time we came to Standard X, the Senior Cambridge year, our class had whittled down to just 9 with the Roy brothers and me hanging there. Somewhere down the line, we got it into our heads that we should attempt to join the National Defence Academy (NDA). I had already been influenced by my two Mamas in the Navy and I guess that had passed on to the brothers as well. So amidst opposition from our parents and guardians, we submitted the application forms.
Our Senior Cambridge exam was in December 1954 and as the NDA written exam was soon after, we went to Delhi to appear in it without any preparation more for a lark than any serious intent.
All three of us qualified and got called over to appear before the Services Selection Board, Bangalore, with free Inter class train tickets to and fro. At that stage, Pitaji, my Nana and guardian, put his foot down and said I was not to go. I pleaded with him to let me make the free trip with my friends and argued that physically frail as I was, I had no chance of getting selected. Finally, the three of us got into the train for a 2-day journey to Bangalore.
During the journey, we discussed our chances of qualifying. Pranab was just over 5 feet and not too fond of sports, I had barely touched 5' and was grossly underweight and boney, while Prasun was 5'5", stocky and athletic. Pranab and I agreed that we had no chance of making it but Prasun would surely get through. Prasun kept a discreet silence but we could see that he was in agreement.
Imagine our shock and surprise when Pranab and I qualified while Prasun was rejected! Poor Prasun never quite got over it.
Pranab and I got our instructions to join the 14th Course becoming the first two from our School to get into the NDA. Possibly it would have happened anyway but that gives me an opportunity to claim that we set a path for others to follow that soon produced two Chiefs, Admiral Madhvendra Singh for the Navy and Air Chief Marshal SP Tyagi for the Air Force.
As directed, on 22nd July 1955, we reported to the NDA. Pranab was sent to 'Baker' squadron and I to 'Fox' a little distance away. In our second term, I was transferred to the newly-formed 'King' squadron which was adjacent to 'Baker' and so we became neighbours able to spend much free time together.
After NDA, we were cadets together on Tir and, as Midshipmen, on Mysore. Then we separated as Pranab was moved to the Supply and Secratariat branch because of his weak eyesight and I remained in the Executive. We never served on the same ship but were in the same station a few times.
Pranab married Pronoti, commonly known as Rita, a good 7 years before I did. But after meeting each other, Rita and Akhila got along very well and remain close to this day.
I took premature retirement and Pranab retired in 1993 and settled back in Jaipur. Though we are in Delhi, Akhila and I go to Jaipur frequently and an exchange of visits, meals and seeing movies at the Army Picture Hall together with the Roys has been a must on every trip.
When we last went to Jaipur end-January, Akhila spoke to Rita and they talked about seeing the movie "Sky Force" at the Army theatre soon. Just a few days later, Rita told us that Pranab had a fall in the bathroom early morning and though he was fully conscious and the injury was attended to immediately, he slipped into a coma and was admitted to a hospital. Rita herself was down with a viral fever and not in good shape. Akhila and I came down with viral fever too and were badly debilitated. Pranab remained in coma and after about 10 days, the hospital authorities said his vital signs were OK, the hospital could do no more and Pranab should be taken home and attended to there.
End-February after we had somewhat recovered and felt OK to go back to Delhi, we visited Rita but Pranab remained in coma.
This state of affairs continued with Pranab being taken to hospital a few times as required. He was in hospital again when he finally passed away early morning on 14th April.
A classmate, coursemate, citymate and a true friend for 74 years, is no more. May his soul RIP.
Fond memories, always...
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