Remembering an old friend

Our reader Balachandran sent us a moving obituary of Lt Col KV Thomas, his school friend, who lost his life in a recent air crash.

Lt Col Thomas

Looking at the smiling photograph of Lt Col KV Thomas on the front page of Malayala

Manorama, I can not get myself to accept that death has robbed one more of us, while in full flight.

Thomas ( 704/76 ) was one we could not net into our yahoo groups despite best of efforts. He was out of our mind too of late, but for attempts to remember everyone roll number wise at our alumni gatherings. I had told KG last month that we need to make one more effort to net the very few missing ones, but this one flew away.

Did he know he would leave abruptly? Did he keep away to minimise the pain of parting ?

As I hit the mud track in Subhash Park with the day yet to break in, I realise that time or distance does not diminish one bit, the pain of losing a gentle soul who shared his childhood with us. The memories are too fresh and fond. We were neighbours – Thodupuzha and Muvattupuzha being barely 20 kms apart. We were of B division, we were Ashokians, we were 76ers, we slept on adjacent beds for better part of 7 joyful years.

No one can beat school boys when it comes to nicknaming. As with caricatures, the most prominent trait gets picked up. And often it turns out prophetic as with KV Thomas and I. He was called Subedar since the time he was in class VI. Anyone who met him would immediately sense that he was made for the Army. Always cheerful, KV’s enthusiasm was phenomenal.

Would you believe it? He loved the ceremonial parades, cross country races, physical training and even NCC along with everything else at school. Immaculate in turnout, he was fond of keeping his cupboard in order always. His writing too was bold and distinctive.

He was good at football and was at times mad at Jocky* for deliberately kicking the ball out of play into the adjacent ravines. Though not particularly fond of cricket, he once nearly did a Javed Miandad, hooking a bouncer over deep fine leg for a six off the last ball, to almost win a sub junior cricket final for our house, before crashing on to his wicket. He had to be picked up from the heap of stumps and bat, but came away smiling despite the defeat and injury, knowing that he had done his best. How I wish the salvage teams too had likewise picked him up smiling from his crashed chopper.

He was the first to introduce me to The Bible and to the church at Chandavila Gate. The last time I drove past this gate, I noticed that the Church has been renovated and briefly remembered the Easter Sunday of Class VII when KV took me to the church for the first time. He was a devout believer.

He was always composed and once when we were caught red handed by one of the wardens for mischief, told me ” Onnum illedaa. Nee Vaa. He won’t report.” He was clear in thinking and was a voice of reason when things were beginning to get out of hand during our class XI crisis.

KV Thomas had the rare distinction of being an alumnus of all the feeder institutes of the Army – SSKZM, OTS, NDA and IMA. The last time I met him was when we spent a night at his home immediately after his Passing out Parade. He was a charged up Second Lieutenant, and me a wannabe, leaving to join the Officers Training School, Madras for the 32 NT course. I wanted to try out his new uniform, but he said, “Bal C, you are almost there. Earn it.” and smiled. He used to write to me from 56 APO during my OTS days advising me to bear the torture of training with fortitude so as to earn my stars. I did not, deserting the Army while in transit from 32 NT at OTS to the 70th course at Indian Military Academy to join Indian Overseas Bank.

Back home, after walking for an hour, filled with loving memories, my eyes go back to his smiling dimpled picture beaming at me from Malayala Manorama – to the only thing that was slightly out of sync about KV Thomas, the left canine that reluctantly stood half a step ahead of the rest. This photograph is so full of life, this news can’t be true.

Dear Annie, George and Raphael (whom I never got to meet ) – God recalls the ones he loves most so that they do not have to grieve. We join you in grief and  prayer.

Adieu brother.

*Jocky- nickname of another friend who hated football and would time and again kick the ball away into the adjacent ravines so that he could rest while others took time retrieving it!

SSKZM – Sainik School Kazhakootam

OTS – Officers Training School ( now Academy)

32 NT – 32nd Non Technical course at OTS

56 APO – 56 Army Post Office (All Army Post offices are identified by numbers)

NDA- National Defence Academy

IMA-Indian Military Academy