NOEL ELLIS' GOOGLE BLOG

A TRIBUTE TO SANGAM JHA

LT COL NOEL ELLIS

24/XI/2022

My heart is heavy as I pen these few lines in remembrance for a very dear friend, a fellow ‘Cheetah’ of 66 Course NDA, Brig Sangam Jha (Retd). He breathed his last yesterday. My heartfelt condolences to the bereaved family. May God grant strength to the family to bear this loss.

Sangam, you left a little too early. It was only yesterday that we were together in NDA, Charlie sqn. A tall, fair, lanky, smart, soft-spoken Bihari from Sainik School Taliya. A good buddy and above all a simple and down to earth soul. ‘Jha ji’ as we all used to call you so fondly, you were known for your soft spoken and friendly way of life.

How hard you tried to be a ‘terror’! It was beyond you. Because you just couldn’t be one. It was not in your nature. You were a gentleman personified, unlike many Biharis I encountered. Sangam, your soft approach was loved by one and all. I am sure the juniors would vouch for it.

I remember you were good at cross country. You were a born runner unlike us who were the fourth enclosure types who repeated cross country just after finishing cross country practice, or were found floating in the ‘Charlie Well’ after that gruelling session. How hard people like me tried, we could not ‘up’ our enclosure. All those who have undergone the Charlie Well session know what I mean.

I also remember you had an issue with the ‘High Horse’ of ‘Ghutna Bend.’ The ‘broad horse’ or the ‘long horse’ being repeated by you over and over again till you perfected it. I also remember standing on the other side of the horse, when the squadron would have rushed for tea, requesting me to stay on, just you and me in the battalion area near the cycle stand.

We would discuss how to seedha karo your ghutana when you took flight to cross the horse. I would stand behind the horse to protect you from falling, as you repeatedly jumped till you had no stamina left. Fondly, you would say. Noel, kal fir karenge. Finally, when there would be just enough time to take a bath and sit down for study period, I would give you a white demo, before we lifted the Horse and mat and kept it to the side.

It was fondly we spoke after so many years when you were in Bombay and I in Alibaug. The last we spoke after your retirement a couple of months back. How we recollected our squadron days and life in general. I wish we could have met but destiny had something else in store.

I could feel your smile across the phone because I have experienced that unmistakable smile of yours first hand. God Bless you and your soul. May you keep smiling on us from wherever you are brother. Das Vidaniya, till we meet again.

In Grief, Noel

Comments

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