Military Short Service Commission (SSC) – A Raw Deal...?

Musings of a Veteran on a Military Career in the Army Navy and Air Force 
Do Short Service Commission (SSC) Officers get a Raw Deal...?


This morning – I read a news report: 

Defence Ministry Denies Medical Facilities to Retired Short Service Commission Officers 

After reading this news report – I remembered an article I had written long ago on the topic of how Short Service Commission (SSC) Officers get a raw deal as compared to Permanent Commission (PC) Officers.

Dear Reader: Here is the article – once more, for your perusal and comments.

SHORT SERVICE COMMISSION (SSC) – A Raw Deal...?

Musings of a Veteran on a Military Career in the Army Navy and Air Force

By
VIKRAM KARVE

“CRUSH-AND-SQUEEZE” HUMAN RESOURCE (HR) MANAGEMENT 

Do you like sugarcane juice...? 

They say sugarcane juice is healthy. 

Sugarcane juice strengthens your organs like your brain, heart, stomach, kidneys, eyes and sex organs.

Sugarcane juice has plenty of protein and iron, prevents sore throat, cold and flu, and is a panacea for many ills.

Besides, sugarcane juice is a most refreshing drink.

I just love a tall cool restorative glass of sugarcane juice on a hot dry afternoon to quench my thirst and beat the heat. 

Have you seen the way in which they extract sugarcane juice?

The sugarcane juice stall owner squeezes stalks of sugarcane through the roller crusher. 

First he pushes through the entire sugarcane stalk, at least twice, to squeeze the juice out. 

Then he folds the sugarcane stalk into halves and crushes it again and squeezes the juice out.

Then he repeats this crush and squeeze technique again and again till there is no juice left till and the crushed remains, the fibrous waste bagasse, is absolutely dry. 

Now the man knows that there is not a drop of juice left in the crushed sugarcane bagasse.

But still he will push the totally crushed sugarcane through the roller crusher once more just to make sure that he has extracted the juice till the very last drop. 

SUGARCANE JUICE STYLE CRUSH-AND-SQUEEZE HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT OF SHORT SERVICE COMMISSION (SSC) OFFICERS

I narrated this metaphorical example of “crush and squeeze” style of Human Resource (HR) Management at the farewell party of a Navy Short Service Commission (SSC) Officer.

His permanent commission “hard taskmaster” boss wanted to extract the “last drop” from the hapless SSC Officer by “crushing and squeezing” him and making him slog even on the last day of his service till there was no “juice” left in the poor young man.

As I talked to the SSC Officer – I felt sad for him.

He was being released after 7 years service (those days SSC was for 7 years - and the SSC tenure keeps varying from 5, 7, 10 or 14 years from time to time as per requirements of the service)

The SSC Officer was still in his late 20’s – he was married and had a small child.

He was feeling quite insecure about his future.

The 7 years he had slogged in the navy had passed in a jiffy and suddenly he was thrown out on the “civvy” street and left to fend for himself.

You may say that I am generalizing, but I have observed that Short Service Commission (SSC) Officers get a raw deal.

I have seen many Permanent Commission (PC) Officers who consider themselves prima donnas and have a “superiority complex” vis-à-vis Short Service Commission (SSC) Officers.

Many PC Officers feel that SSC Officers are merely in a “supporting role” and their role is to fill up junior vacancies at the bottom of the pyramid, and then leave, thereby improving the promotion prospects of the PC Officers. 

The yeoman’s contribution of SSC Officers is not acknowledged and hence they do not get the recognition and respect they deserve.

In a metaphorical sense, like the “sugarcane”, SSC Officers are “crushed and squeezed” till all the “juice” is extracted from them, and then they are shoved out of the defence services and left to fend for themselves in the civilian world.

The incident I narrated above happened more than 18 years ago when I was in the Naval Dockyard at Mumbai.

I observed that there were a large number of young SSC Technical Officers in the Dockyard and they were performing a stellar role.

All of them were Assistant Managers, who are the mainstay in a Dockyard, and their competence and performance were indeed praiseworthy.

It was ironical that while their Permanent Commission (PC) counterparts were busy undergoing training, doing PG Courses or enjoying cushy shore appointments following their sea tenure, the Short Service Commission (SSC) Officers were slogging it out in the field.

In my opinion, SSC Technical Officers, most of whom were engineering graduates from premier institutions (like IIT, NIT etc) were better suited for technical work on the “production floors” than the  “in-house engineers” being produced by the navy.

There a few Women SSC Naval Officers too.

I distinctly remember a couple of Lady Naval Architects in the Naval Construction Branch who were giving an excellent account of themselves working shoulder-to-shoulder with their male colleagues on the dock-floor and in workshops. They were highly technically proficient and it was openly acknowledged that they were as good as, if not better than, their male counterparts.

I also remember two accomplished Computer Engineers who were engineering graduates from prestigious Regional Engineering Colleges or RECs (now called NITs – in 2003 – all RECs became NITs or National Institutes of Technology).

Just because they were women, they were being employed as Education Officers though their talents could have been better utilized in the Technical Branches of the Navy.

These technically gifted ladies had joined the Education Branch because, in the Navy, Women could not join the Sea Going Technical Branches (those days, women officers did not serve on ships – I wonder whether this policy has changed and whether women serve on ships now).

It was a sad waste of the finest human resource – a waste for the Navy – and a waste for the officers themselves.

In fact, this is what I feel about Short Service Commission (SSC):

From a long term perspective, isn’t short service commission a waste of expertise for the navy and for the officers themselves?

I do not understand the rationale behind having Short Service Commission (SSC).

Are SSC Officers supposed to be like the Contractual Employees in the Industry?

More than that, I wonder why young people want to join as Short Service Commission (SSC) Officers when the option of directly joining as a Permanent Commission (PC) Officer is available.

DOES SSC PREPARE YOU FOR A SECOND CAREER...?

It is a myth that Short Service Commission prepares you for a second career.

Let me give you two reasons.

1. Firstly, if you are already thinking of a second career even before joining the armed forces, then why join the armed forces?

You might as well join your preferred civilian career directly from campus placement.

2. Secondly, it is a fact that “industry specific experience” is valued more in the civilian world rather than the “jack of all trades” experience you get in the armed forces (army and navy).

So what is the point of dabbling with something which will not add as much value to your CV (career value) as compared to specialized experience in the industry that you wish to finally join...?

I have seen that after leaving the armed forces, most SSC Officers land up in the ubiquitous “HR” appointments rather than in specialized technical front-line appointments in the industry.

I have met many SSC Officers who are doing well in the industry, but all of them agree that they would have done much better had they directly joined the industry after college instead of taking a career detour via a short service commission in the services.

If you interested in a career in the civilian world and ultimately want to join the industry then why waste your best years slogging in the armed forces as a Short Service Commission (SSC) Officer...?

And if you are really interested in a lifelong military career then why not join as a Permanent Commissioned (PC) Officer...?

Short Service Commission (SSC) versus Permanent Commission (PC)

I am not sure – but in the 1970’s – when I joined the Navy – there was no such thing as Short Service Commission (SSC).

I do not recall any SSC Officer undergoing training with us.

Officers joined either via the National Defence Academy (NDA) Khadakwasla Pune – or via the Naval Academy (NAVAC) Cochin (Kochi) – and both entries were for Permanent Commission (PC).

An old Sea-Dog once told me that after the 1962 war – Short Service Commission (SSC) had been started in the Navy for some years – but then – it was discontinued in the early 1970’s with the advent of the Naval Academy. 

However – SSC seems to have been restarted once again – since later – in the late 1980’s – I did come across a young Short Service Commission (SSC) Engineer Officer on my ship while serving on a frontline destroyer.

I think Short Service Commission (SSC) proliferated in the 1990’s – and thereafter – especially due to the induction of women officers in the navy.

I have heard of various durations of short service commission – 5 years, 7 years, 10 years and 14 years.

These tenure periods keep changing from time to time.

Someone told me that, at present, the tenure (or engagement period) of short service commission is 10 years.

Like I said earlier, if you are really interested in a lifelong military career then it is best to join as a permanent commissioned officer.

But if you are interested in a civilian career, it just makes no sense of wasting 5, 7 or 10 years of the prime of your life in the army or navy.

You don’t agree with me...?

Let me give you two examples.

Suppose you a male and you take short service commission (say 5, 7 or 10 years).

You will be never able to settle down and enjoy your military life as the “Sword of Damocles” will be constantly hanging over your head as time ticks away.

I have seen many Male SSC Officers postpone their marriage till they settle down in their second innings in the civilian world.

If you are a Female SSC Officer, in the Indian Social Milieu, it will be difficult for you to remain unmarried till you settle down in your second career.

Maybe you will be almost 30 years old by the time you leave the navy and stabilize in your new career.

Now 30 is considered as an “unmarriageable” age for a girl in our traditional Indian society since there will be hardly any boys left to marry.

If you marry a civilian during your service then you will have to be ready for a long distance marriage which is quite painful especially in the first inchoate days of married life.

And if you marry a fellow naval officer – well then all your problems will be solved...!!!

(If you are a woman army officer it is a great advantage to marry a fellow male army officer, and maybe it is the same for the air force too)

It is no wonder so many “sister” officers are marrying their “brother” officers and these “in-service” alliances are marriages of great convenience.

But let’s come to the moot point.

Why have a short service commission...? 

What is the need for SSC...? 

What is the solution...?

But before I propose a solution, here is a small digression. 

WILL NEW NATIONAL PENSION SCHEME (NPS) WILL MAKE PC AND SSC IRRELEVANT?

As you know, around 2004, the government introduced a New Pension System or National Pension Scheme (NPS) for all civilian government employees. 

NPS seems quite an attractive scheme due to its flexibility and its contributory nature (the government gives you a matching contribution).

One wonders why the Armed Forces were excluded from the NPS...?

Maybe, as has happened in many other cases, like the Assured Career Progression (ACP) Scheme and Non-Functional Upgradation (NFU) – the civilian bureaucrats did not want to give the benefit of NPS to the defence services.

Or possibly – the Military Top Brass did not want the NPS.

Maybe they feared an exodus of officers.

Because with the advent of the NPS, the “20 Year Syndrome” will disappear.

Also, if the New Pension Scheme (NPS) is introduced in the Armed Forces, concepts like Permanent Commission (PC) and Short Service Commission (SSC) will become irrelevant.

But that is another story.

The moot question is: 

“Do SSC Officers Get a Raw Deal...?” 

DO SSC OFFICERS GET A RAW DEAL...?

Tell me, especially if you are a Short Service Commission (SSC) Officer, did you like the “sugarcane juice story”, and do you feel that SSC officers get a raw deal...?

If you are a Permanent Commission (PC) Officer – I urge you to introspect: 

Is is fair to apply the “crush and squeeze” style of Human Resource (HR) Management to SSC Officers...?

And – instead of tinkering with tenures – why have Short Service Commission (SSC) at all...?

Why have two classes of Officers in the Defence Services...?

Why not scrap the concept of Short Service Commission (SSC) and have only the Permanent Commission (PC) for all Officers...?

Dear Readers: Comments welcome – especially from ex-SSC Officers... 

VIKRAM KARVE

Copyright © Vikram Karve 
1. If you share this post, please give due credit to the author Vikram Karve
2. Please DO NOT PLAGIARIZE. Please DO NOT Cut/Copy/Paste this post
© vikram karve., all rights reserved.

Disclaimer:
1. This story is a fictional spoof, satire, pure fiction, just for fun and humor, no offence is meant to anyone, so take it with a pinch of salt and have a laugh.

2. Views expressed in the blog post above are personal.

3. All stories in this blog are a work of fiction. Events, Places, Settings and Incidents narrated in the story are a figment of my imagination. The characters do not exist and are purely imaginary. Any resemblance to persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental.

Copyright Notice:

No part of this Blog may be reproduced or utilized in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical including photocopying or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the Blog Author Vikram Karve who holds the copyright.

Copyright © Vikram Karve (All Rights Reserved)

© vikram karve., all rights reserved.

  

Revised Version of Article First Posted by me Vikram Karve at 6/23/2013 03:10:00 PM in my blog at url: http://karvediat.blogspot.in/2013/06/short-service-commission-ssc-raw-deal.html  and  http://karvediat.blogspot.in/2013/06/short-service-commission-ssc-raw-deal.html  and https://karvediat.blogspot.in/2014/03/humor-in-uniform-crush-and-squeeze.html  and  http://karvediat.blogspot.in/2014/07/humor-in-uniform-making-army-short.html etc and http://karvediat.blogspot.com/2017/08/do-short-service-commission-ssc.html  and https://karve.wordpress.com/2017/10/11/military-musings-short-service-commission-ssc-officers-do-they-get-a-raw-deal/ etc  

   

News Report Defence Ministry Denies Medical Facilities to Retired Short Service Commission Officers  URL https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/defence/defence-ministry-denies-medical-facilities-to-retired-short-service-commission-officers/articleshow/66858023.cms

Doctors Day Story – Memories of “Doctors” in Uniform

“DOCTORS” IN UNIFORM

A Fictional Spoof

By

VIKRAM KARVE

“DOC DANEEKA” STYLE MILITARY HEALTHCARE

When anyone asks me about life in the Armed Forces (the Army, the Navy, or, the Air Force) – I tell them to read the famous World War II Novel CATCH-22 by Joseph Heller.

If you have served in the Defence Services – in all probability – you would have read the hilarious war novel Catch-22 – and even if you have not read the book – you would have experienced the essence of Catch-22.

Are you are a motivated youngster who intends joining the Army, Navy or Air Force...?

I suggest you read Catch-22 – so that you will be well prepared for the inimitable characters and unique situations you will encounter during your military service.

In CATCH-22 there is a character called Doc Daneeka – a Medical Officer or MO (as military doctors are called).

His style of diagnosis and treatment is simple.

In fact – Doc Daneeka has succeeded in elevating medicine to an exact science.

Doc Daneeka fully delegates diagnosis and treatment to his assistants – two soldiers called “Gus” and “Wes”

These two soldiers run the healthcare system in the military unit on their own with so much efficiency – that Doc Daneeka is left with nothing to do – which is fine with him – since he hates medical practice anyway.

The “modus operandi” of the Military Healthcare System is as follows:

All “patients” (who report on sick parade) have a thermometer shoved into their mouths and have their temperature taken.

1. Those with body temperatures above “102 degrees Fahrenheit” are rushed to the hospital in an ambulance.

2. Those having temperatures below “102 degrees Fahrenheit” – they have their gums and throats painted with gentian violet (throat paint) – and they are given a dose of laxative – to clear their stomachs and digestive systems.

3. Those patients who have a temperature of exactly “102 degrees Fahrenheit” – they are told to come after one hour – to have their temperature taken again – so that the line of treatment could be decided as follows:

(a) Temperature more than 102 – rush to hospital

(b) Temperature less than 102 – throat paint + laxative to clear digestive system

4. After one hour – if a patient’s temperature is still “102 degrees Fahrenheit” – he is asked to keep reporting to the clinic every one hour – till his temperature either goes above 102 – or his temperature comes down below 102 – so that he could be treated accordingly – as per option 1 or option 2 above. 

During my long service in the Navy – and in inter-service establishments – I came across many such “Doc Daneeka” style Doctors in the Military.

You cannot escape these “Doc Daneeka” types even after retirement – since they pursue you in the “ECHS” too.

“DOC DANEEKA” STYLE HEALTH-CARE IN THE “ECHS”

(ECHS = EX-SERVICEMEN’S CONTRIBUTORY HEALTH SCHEME)

I have observed another “Doc Daneeka” technique – used sometimes by the ECHS in its clinics – since it works better when dealing with ageing old retired veteran senior citizen ex-servicemen (who are considered a nuisance).

There is a saying: 

“Time is a great healer” 

The essence of this ECHS technique is to make the patients wait indefinitely in the crowded waiting room of the clinic – and let “time” do the “healing”.

On reporting to the ECHS clinic – the hapless old-aged frail unwell senior citizen ex-serviceman is made to stand in a long queue – and then he is given a chit. 

Of course – before this – they try to get rid of the veteran by raking up some issue about his ECHS Card – and – the hapless veteran is sent on a “wild goose paperwork chase” and put in a “red-tape spin”.

But – if the veteran is lucky – then the sick old man is made to wait indefinitely – for a long time – in a congested jam-packed waiting hall.

Four things can happen to the patient – a sick and ailing old man – while he waits at the ECHS clinic:

1. The patient drops dead.

In this case – no further treatment is required at the clinic

2. The patient faints – he becomes unconscious – or he goes into a delirium – as he becomes seriously ill.

In this case – he is rushed to the nearest Military Hospital

3. The patient gets fed up of waiting at the ECHS Clinic – and so – he goes to the nearest private clinic for treatment for which he has to pay from his own pocket.

The ECHS view is that though ECHS contribution is forcibly deducted and membership of the healthcare scheme is mandatory – it is the patient’s personal choice whether to avail ECHS treatment – or to go to a private medical practitioner – so ECHS is quite happy if the military veteran goes elsewhere for medical treatment – thereby – unburdening ECHS load. 

4. If the military veteran patient persists in waiting at the ECHS clinic – he is got rid off by referring him to an “empanelled” civilian hospital 

If you wonder what happens to the sick military veteran patient when he is referred to an empanelled civilian hospital – well – the horror stories could easily fill a huge tome – and more.

5. Well – there can be a happy experience too – for the military veteran patient who perseveres in waiting for many hours at the ECHS clinic. 

The patient actually starts feeling well during the waiting period – the sick veteran is cured by the long relaxed wait – a long period of “rest”.

After all – taking “rest” is the best cure for many illnesses.

Now – after “resting” in the waiting room – since the “patient” has become “well” – the military veteran “patient” does not need any medical treatment at the ECHS Clinic – so he can go away happy – after spending a leisurely relaxed day at the ECHS clinic. 

Dear Military Veteran: 

Do visit an ECHS clinic and tell us whether you see such “Doc Daneekas” around – and tell us about their style of medical treatment of patients. 

THE DOC DANEEKA PRINCIPLE – Make “Patients” Disappear 

(Ultimate Goal = Zero Patients)

Remember – the cardinal “Doc Daneeka Principle” is to make patients disappear and realize your ultimate goal of a “Zero Patient” situation.

And – in this direction – I think the ECHS is trying hard by introducing more and more “hurdles” like increasing red-tape and paperwork – introducing hassles like repeated renewal of cards etc – locating clinics in inaccessible distant places – and is trying its best to motivate military veteran patients to go elsewhere to seek medical treatment – so that soon – ECHS achieves its ultimate goal of “zero patients”

By the way – it was also a “Doc Daneeka” type masterstroke by the Armed Forces Doctors in the 1980’s – when – the Defence Services abdicated responsibility for the post-retirement healthcare of their own military veteran retired ex-servicemen – by creating a new organisation called ECHS – and they effectively passed the buck of post-retirement healthcare to ECHS.

A “DOC DANEEKA” PEDIATRICIAN IN UNIFORM

THE “CHILD-SPECIALIST” WHO HATED CHILDREN  

There are many excellent doctors and brilliant specialists in uniform – but most of the professionally outstanding “fauji” medical officers are posted at VIP Military Hospitals in New Delhi and large stations like Mumbai, Kolkata, Pune, Bangalore etc where abundant medical facilities already exisit in civilian hospitals.

There are many first-rate doctors posted in smaller units also.

So – by and large – there may be more “Doc Daneekas” in smaller units/ships – but – if you observe carefully – you can spot a few “Doc Daneekas” in big military hospitals too – like - the pediatrician who hated children.

Yes – a pediatrician is a child-specialist – and is supposed to like children – but this child-specialist hated children.

This happened long back – when my kids were small – in Vizag – when I came across this unique “Doc Daneeka in Uniform” Pediatrician – a Navy Lady Doctor in uniform – a child-specialist who hated children.

Yes – believe it not – she was a Pediatrician who hated children.

This Child-Specialist “Fauji” Doctor was unmarried – she had no experience of handling children – and worse – she hated children.

This “child-hater” Pediatrician was a “Doc Daneeka in Uniform” specimen of a different kind. 

Her tactic was to avoid seeing children (who she hated).

She insisted on proper “paper work” – and – she would not see sick children unless you had got a “referral” through proper channel. 

If anyone took their child/baby to her directly – she would scream and create a scene – and – shout at the hapless parents to follow proper procedure – and get a proper referral from their unit/ship doctor or general OPD.

The result was that – due to all these hassles and delays – the parents of sick children took their children to civilian doctors (paying from their pockets).

So – hardly any “children-patients” reached the “child-hater” Pediatrician – and she was having a relaxed tenure. 

AN EXCEPTION TO THE RULE 

A “FAUJI” DOCTOR WHO WAS NOT A “DOC DANEEKA” IN UNIFORM

Luckily – we had a Command Medical Officer (a Surgeon Commodore) – who was an exception to the rule – he was certainly not a “Doc Daneeka” in Uniform – in fact – he was a genuine Doctor in Uniform.

Ths Surgeon Commodore – the Command Medical Officer (CMO) – was himself a renowned pediatrician – an outstanding child-specialist – and he loved children. 

Yes – he was a Pediatrician who loved children – unlike the young lady “child-hater” Pediatrician in the Naval Hospital. 

Now – Command Medical Officer (CMO) was a staff appointment – so his job was to push files in Headquarters. 

Had he been a typical “Doc Daneeka” in Uniform – he would have preferred to do paperwork rather than treat patients – but – the CMO was a genuine doctor who wanted to practice medicine. 

He opened a “Child OPD” in his office in Command Headquarters – and – we all used to take our children to him for treatment.

However – even this magnanimous act of the CMO had no effect on the shameless “Doc Daneeka” in Uniform child-hater lady pediatrician – who seemed to be quite happy at the turn of events – since now – everyone took their children to the CMO – so the lady “Doc Daneeka” child-hater child-specialist had to see no “children-patients” – whom she hated anyway.

WHY ARE THERE SO MANY “DOC DANEEKAS” IN UNIFORM...?

In order to understand why there are so many “Doc Daneekas” in Uniform – let me give you a simple illustrative example.

Suppose there a two surgeons. 

The first surgeon does 100 surgeries per month.

The second surgeon does only 10 surgeries per month.

In Private Practice – it is obvious that the first surgeon (who does more surgical operations) will earn more money – and the surgeon who performs more surgeries will also progress faster up the ladder of professional success and fame.

In case of “Fauji” Doctors – it does not matter – because – whether you do 100 surgeries per month – or – 10 surgeries a month – or – even if you do zero surgeries per month – you will get a fixed monthly pay as per your rank and seniority – and – promotion is by seniority – so you have to wait in the queue for your turn to come – irrespective of your merit and work performance.

If someone has joined before you – he is ahead of you in the queue – and so – he will get promoted before you.

So – a “Fauji” Doctor sitting in Headquarters pushing files will get the same pay as his batchmate who is slogging it out treating patients in a military hospital.

And – in case the File Pushing White-Collar Babu “Fauji” Doctor has joined the Army Medical Corps earlier (and is senior in service) – the “White-Collar” Babu “Fauji” Doctor doing administrative work will be promoted earlier than the Professional “Fauji” Doctor who is actually practicing medicine in the field – in accordance with the sacrosanct principle of seniority.

So – maybe – it is the “system” – which creates so many “Doc Daneekas” in Uniform.

I am sure you have read about some of my hilarious encounters with these “Doc Daneeka” style “Fauji” Doctors in my blog – of course – I will tell you some more from time to time. 

Now let me ask you the moot question: 

If you are thinking of studying medicine – would you like to be a “Doc Daneeka” in Uniform...? 

Ha Ha Ha...

And – Dear Military Veterans: 

Did you encounter any “Doc Daneekas” in Uniform during your Military Service or after your Retirement...? 

Yes...? 

Do tell us about your experiences. 

Wish you a Happy Doctors’ Day

VIKRAM KARVE

Copyright © Vikram Karve 
1. If you share this post, please give due credit to the author Vikram Karve
2. Please DO NOT PLAGIARIZE. Please DO NOT Cut/Copy/Paste this post
© vikram karve., all rights reserved.

Disclaimer:

1. This blog post is a fictional spoof, satire, pure fiction, just for fun and humor, no offence is meant to anyone, so take it with a pinch of salt and have a laugh.

2. All Stories in this Blog are a work of fiction. Events, Places, Settings and Incidents narrated in the stories are a figment of my imagination. The characters do not exist and are purely imaginary. Any resemblance to persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental.

Copyright Notice:

No part of this Blog may be reproduced or utilized in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical including photocopying or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the Blog Author Vikram Karve who holds the copyright.

Copyright © Vikram Karve (all rights reserved)

 

This article (humorous fictional spoof) was written by me Vikram Karve almost 7 years ago in early 2011 and posted online by me Vikram Karve a number of times in my blogs including at urls: http://karvediat.blogspot.in/2014/02/doc-daneeka-in-uniform-hilarious.html  and   http://karvediat.blogspot.in/2015/08/humor-in-uniform-my-hilarious.html and http://karvediat.blogspot.in/2016/04/humor-in-uniform-health-care-military.html and http://karvediat.blogspot.in/2016/08/military-medicine-doctors-in-uniform.html and http://karvediat.blogspot.in/2016/12/humor-in-uniform-military-medicine.html etc