On 17 July 1979, I was on leave from fifth term of NDA. I had spent about two weeks in Pune and was spending balance four weeks with my parents and brother at Chennai. I had a wonderful holiday, as these always are, after tough NDA Schedule. Doing NOTHING!! Eat, sleep and be happy!
I was to head back for NDA two days later, for my final term. A grand passing out parade would be held at the end of the term. My father had promised to attend. A day before, my father had suggested that I could visit his office for a change. I had a few friends there. So, on 17 July morning I was supposed to walk down with him to office in Fort Saint George, Chennai, from our house ‘RAIL VIEW’, which was very close.
As usual on 17 Morning, I slept on like a typical NDA Cadet on leave. It just slipped out of my mind that I have to accompany my dad to office. Unfortunately, nobody woke me up in time. Around 9 am, when he was to leave, he still found me sleeping. Since he had to go office, he told me to fetch up later and left.
I felt sorry for that and quickly got up, changed, had my breakfast and started for the office. I was wearing my NDA T-shirt to show off to people in office. I had a few friendly uncles there.
When I reached, I headed straight to the Regional Manager’s office. My father was the boss, so I had nothing to fear. When I entered the office, I did not find him. I spoke to someone known to me there. I was told that he has gone to Central Railway station at Chennai and will be back soon. They told me to wait.
After some time, one of the dad’s colleague said, ‘let’s go to Central Railway station’. I asked why should we go there. He replied that my father asked me to come. I was surprised, but nevertheless moved with him.
It took about 20 minutes for us to reach the railway station. It was a walkable distance. I was told that my father had come to meet the general manager, of CSD who was passing by in a train to Bombay. We went to the platform where the Dadar Express was to leave. But the train had already left and my father was not to be found.
We started searching on other platforms also but could not find him. I was getting restless now. Although he was healthy except for diabetes, I was a bit worried.
After sometime, I saw a small crowd near the MCO’s office in Chennai. I just went to see what was happening. There I got the first glimpse.
My father was lying on the ground! I wondered why should he lie on the floor with all his new clothes. I rushed closer and then bent down to shake him up. I saw his nostrils closed with some cotton. I did not quite understand. I started calling ‘Appa, wake up, why are you lying here?’
Then a Havildar of Army who was holding my father’s office bag gestured me to calm down. I said ‘why, what’s happened to him?’
He replied that it could be a heart attack. I shouted at him, ‘have you called the Doctor?’ Is there a doctor here?’. We then rushed to a railway Doctor nearby. The Doctor said that he tried his best but could not help. He was trying to write the Death Certificate. I said ‘What for’. Nothing has happened to him. Come on wake up!’
They were not ready to listen to me. I was getting annoyed. Then I went back to my father. But he wouldn’t get up. I tried shaking again. What the hell, why doesn’t he get up. There was no mobile in those days, I could not even talk to anyone. I really didn’t know what to do. Nobody would listen to me.
By this time lot of crowd had gathered. suddenly, someone from crowd came to me asked, ‘Are you from NDA? What do you do there?’. I was in no mood to talk. Just told him to buzz off. I was simply not ready to accept that the person I saw today morning just two hours ago was lying here. And he was just 53 years old. Unbelievable!
It so happened that, as he left for office, he met the assistant manager on the way, who was going towards the station. On enquiring, the assistant manager said that he got a call from the GM that he is passing by and wanted some information. So, my father sent the assistant manager back to office and went to railway station himself, instead. He was getting late as the train was to leave at 09:50 am. He must have started walking very fast or running, thinking may be that if his son could do running at NDA, then he could also try!
He reached in time to meet the GM but was panting badly. As the train was leaving, GM told the Havildar who had come with him, to take care. After the train left my father sat on a railway bench and started noting some points. He had written about six points and was writing no 7, when his pen slipped and he fell to the side. The Havildar, although from AMC, could not resuscitate him up. He let him collapse. Then I think they referred him to a railway doctor who was another cool cat. Must be one more ‘case’ for him. He also didn’t do much. Irony was that the Govt General hospital was just outside the Central station of Chennai.
In fact, in those days many documentaries were on TV showing how to save heart attack patients by pressing the chest and breathing into the mouth. During one of the shows on TV, I had suggested to my father that we should also practice but he had laughed it off.
I feel I could have saved him. Had I got up in time and walked down to office with him, probably he would not have gone to central station at all. . Even if he had, I could have arranged an auto or taxi, in spite of the short distance.
All because I overslept and nobody woke me up.
I do regret to this day...
… wish someone had woken me up !
