WILL YOU JOIN THE NAVY
The Armed
Forces as a Career Option – Then and Now
Musings
By
VIKRAM KARVE
I am often
asked the quintessential question: “If you had to live your life again will you
still join the Navy?”
I answer: “Yes
and No.”
Let me
explain.
If I could go
back in time and turn the clock back to the 1970’s then I will certainly join
the Navy.
Yes, if I can reverse
the clock 40 years back in time to the 1970’s I will join the navy.
But if I can’t
turn the clock back then I will not join the Navy.
If I possessed
the same qualifications as I did way back then in the 1970’s when I joined the
navy (B. Tech. in Electronics and Communication Engineering) then in present
day circumstances the Navy is certainly not an attractive career option for me since
nowadays there are so many impressive exciting lucrative and prestigious career
options available for a bright young engineer.
I think the turning
point was the advent of liberalisation and globalisation the consequent
paradigm shift in economic policy in 1991.
In the 1970’s
and in the pre-liberalisation days there was no great disparity in pay and
career prospects between the navy and civilian jobs. Those days, I remember
that the salaries and career prospects in the navy and the industry were comparable. In fact, there
was a glamour attached to uniform which gave us naval officers a sense of pride
which outweighed the slight salary advantage our counterparts in the civvy
street enjoyed.
Post 1991, as
liberalisation set in, the economy and scenario began to rapidly change and now
the flow of liberalisation is unstoppable, inescapable and irreversible.
With
increasing liberalisation and globalisation soon there was an investment boom,
a financial boom, an industry boom and an IT boom, so many booms, the “growth
story” and everything changed.
Today there is
no glamour attached to uniform and, in fact, it is the corporate sector and
jobs in Business, Finance and Information Technology that have become
glamorous.
Today everyone
knows the names of the Corporate Czars and successful businessmen and bright
young entrepreneurs are the toast of society.
In contrast,
if you talk to youngsters you will realize that hardly anyone knows the names
of our army, navy and air force chiefs (unless they get embroiled in some
controversy or scam which is given publicity by the media).
Change in
inevitable.
And things
have indeed changed with the rapid progress of liberalisation and
globalisation.
Unfortunately
the “steeped in tradition” navy seems to have been caught in a time warp
because of its resistance to change owing to the deeply entrenched Auld Lang Syne Complex.
Maybe it is
the same story with the army and air force too.
The archaic service
culture seems to be out of sync with the aspirations of the bright young people
of today who are highly educated knowledgeable smart well-informed career-focussed
success-oriented and ambitious.
So if I were a
well-qualified engineer from a premier institution in today’s world I would
certainly like to explore better career options with excellent career prospects which are more likely to fulfill my aspirations and enable me to grow intellectually, realize my maximum
potential by allowing me to make full use of my talents, earn money, create
wealth and achieve material success to have a good standard of living and quality
of life and accomplish something significant in life.
In the 1970’s
the navy was a great place to be in – the navy was not a mere job, the navy was
a way of life.
Now?
You tell me.
Let me end on
a lighter note.
When I joined
the Navy (in the 1970’s) there was a recruitment slogan: JOIN THE NAVY AND SEE
THE WORLD.
Things have
turned topsy-turvy, haven’t they?
Today you have
a better chance of seeing the world in a civilian job, especially if you are in
the IT Industry.
VIKRAM KARVE
Copyright © Vikram Karve 2013
Vikram Karve has asserted his right under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988 to be identified as the author of this work.
© vikram karve., all rights reserved.
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About Vikram Karve
A creative person with a zest for life, Vikram Karve is a retired Naval Officer turned full time writer and blogger. Educated at IIT Delhi, IIT (BHU) Varanasi, The Lawrence School Lovedale and Bishops School Pune, Vikram has published two books: COCKTAIL a collection of fiction short stories about relationships (2011) and APPETITE FOR A STROLL a book of Foodie Adventures (2008) and is currently working on his novel and a book of vignettes and an anthology of short fiction. An avid blogger, he has written a number of fiction short stories and creative non-fiction articles on a variety of topics including food, travel, philosophy, academics, technology, management, health, pet parenting, teaching stories and self help in magazines and published a large number of professional and academic research papers in journals and edited in-house journals and magazines for many years, before the advent of blogging. Vikram has taught at a University as a Professor for 15 years and now teaches as a visiting faculty and devotes most of his time to creative writing and blogging. Vikram Karve lives in Pune India with his family and muse - his pet dog Sherry with whom he takes long walks thinking creative thoughts.
Vikram Karve Academic and Creative Writing Journal: http://karvediat.blogspot.com
Professional Profile Vikram Karve: http://www.linkedin.com/in/karve
Vikram Karve Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/vikramkarve
Vikram Karve Creative Writing Blog: http://vikramkarve.sulekha.com/blog/posts.htm
Email: vikramwamankarve@gmail.com
AMAZON
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B005MGERZ6
SMASHWORDS
http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/87925
Foodie Book: Appetite for a Stroll
If your are a Foodie you will like my book of Food Adventures APPETITE FOR A STROLL. Do order a copy from FLIPKART:
http://www.flipkart.com/appetite-stroll-vikram-karve/8190690094-gw23f9
About Vikram Karve
A creative person with a zest for life, Vikram Karve is a retired Naval Officer turned full time writer and blogger. Educated at IIT Delhi, IIT (BHU) Varanasi, The Lawrence School Lovedale and Bishops School Pune, Vikram has published two books: COCKTAIL a collection of fiction short stories about relationships (2011) and APPETITE FOR A STROLL a book of Foodie Adventures (2008) and is currently working on his novel and a book of vignettes and an anthology of short fiction. An avid blogger, he has written a number of fiction short stories and creative non-fiction articles on a variety of topics including food, travel, philosophy, academics, technology, management, health, pet parenting, teaching stories and self help in magazines and published a large number of professional and academic research papers in journals and edited in-house journals and magazines for many years, before the advent of blogging. Vikram has taught at a University as a Professor for 15 years and now teaches as a visiting faculty and devotes most of his time to creative writing and blogging. Vikram Karve lives in Pune India with his family and muse - his pet dog Sherry with whom he takes long walks thinking creative thoughts.
Vikram Karve Academic and Creative Writing Journal: http://karvediat.blogspot.com
Professional Profile Vikram Karve: http://www.linkedin.com/in/karve
Vikram Karve Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/vikramkarve
Vikram Karve Creative Writing Blog: http://vikramkarve.sulekha.com/blog/posts.htm
Email: vikramwamankarve@gmail.com
© vikram karve., all rights reserved.
2 comments:
Vikram Ji
I am your ardent fan and have deep love and respect for you. Pls pardon me because i am going to tell you some hard facts.
1. You joined navy not because of Money and or career. But the love for the country, adventure, disciplined life and respect from all was in your mindset. even in that time if you would have joined the civilian post you could have got more money plus money respected status in the society. But not the respect, disciplined life and the adventure. To get your job done you would have compromised with Political and Union leaders. To get promotion you were bound to take the ill means but not your actual capability.and pls remember the highest recognition of your talent exposure to various types of work in difficult condition was never possible in any civil type of Job.
I believe even in today you would have definitely opted for Defense services. I wished to join but my physical standards and eyesight came in my way.
Pls do not have any hard feeling. I wrote thid because I love you very much.
Dear Mr. Pradip,
I think you are right. In my young days I was a patriot and an idealist (I think I still am) and that is what propelled me to the defence services.
I also agree with you that for a straightforward and honest person, the defence services is a good option because of the relatively clean life as compared to civilian jobs.
Thanks
Regards
Vikram
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