An I-Day memory

This picture was taken in 2002 at the Navy House in Chennai. I was then the Naval officer-in-charge of Tamil Nadu and Pondicherry.

Seen in the picture is me with M Fathima Beevi, the then Governor of Tamil Nadu, and my wife, Joya Franklin.

The picture was taken during a reception hosted by us to the Governor on the occasion of Independence Day. I remember Fathima Beevi to be a very competent person. She was one of the earliest women judges of the country and a very down-to-earth person.

People in the armed forces are all apolitical. For us, Independence Day is the day we got our freedom and is celebrated irrespective of caste, creed and religion. On a ship, we do not discuss religion and politics, and in our messes we do not discuss women.

So, in that sense, we are simple people who eat the same food, who live and work together as one homogenous team.

In the Indian Navy, we do not observe Independence Day as a holiday in its real sense. After a parade and flag hoisting, we have what we called a ‘Bada Khana’ in the Sailor’s Mess. In the evening, we have an officers and ladies reception in the Officer’s Mess.

I joined the National Defence Academy when I was 15 years old in 1961. I decided to join the Indian Navy after seeing three movies on submarines when I was just seven years old.

Since my father was in the Army, I did my schooling all over India, but completed my Senior Cambridge from Bishop Cotton Boys’ School.

We lived on Edward Road, off Queen’s Road (the old Tasker Town).  Old Bangalore was beautiful. We would go to Hotel Imperial for biryani, the Plaza theatre for movies, and frequented Koshy’s for their ‘appam and stew’.

Over the years, the concept of Independence Day has changed.

Today, the younger generation is more distracted and glued to their gizmos. They look at Independence Day as yet another ‘getaway’ holiday and rarely listen to the speech from the ramparts of the Red Fort.
When we were young, we would be glued to the radio to listen to what Nehru had to say.
In these last 70 years, my generation did a lot for the growth of this country from a totally dependent to an independent state, and that should not be forgotten by this generation. The younger generation must, in turn, work hard to take this country from here, right up to the top.

Commodore PR Franklin, AVSM, VSM, IN (Retired)
(Franklin can be contacted on [e-mail])
(As told to Nina C George)