General Sundararajan Padmanabhan PVSM, AVSM, VSM (General Paddy) (5 December 1940 – 18 August 2024) –was our Artillery Brigade Commander in 1986 and I, a Lieutenant with 75 Medium Regiment (BASANTAR RIVER,) then located at Gurgaon. 

Our first interaction was during the Administrative Inspection of the Regiment.  I was positioned at the Radio store that day.  Brigadier Paddy walked in and asked me to demonstrate measuring the resistance of the cable drums in the store.  I took out the multimeter, positioned the switch to 1000Ώ, connected the probes to the cables and read off the resistance.

Brigadier Paddy asked me the principle on which the resistance was measured.  I explained, “Multimeters measure resistance by injecting a small current into the circuit, and then measuring the voltage drop across those points in the circuit. The known current, and the resulting voltage drop are then used to calculate the resistance using Ohm’s Law, V = I × R.”

“What principle is it based on?” queried Brigadier Paddy.

“Ohm’s Law, Sir” I replied.

“Isn’t it based on Post Office Box?” asked Brigadier Paddy.

“A Post Office Box is used to measure an unknown resistance. It works on the principle of Wheatstone bridge to identify the resistance of wire connected and then by using wire resistivity and cross section calculating length of wire and thus determining where the cable had broken. This is based on the Ohms Law, Sir” I stood my ground, having faith in the basics of physics taught to us by Mr. PT Cherian at Sainik School Amaravathinagar. (To read more about Mr. PT Cherian, please click here.)

“Well done young man, I need to go back and revisit my basic physics,” said Brigadier Paddy patting my back as he left the store.

After the inspection, Colonel Mahaveer Singh, our Commanding Officer while debriefing all the officers said, “Reji, I must compliment you for your confidence and knowledge.  I did not understand a word of what you discussed.  I thought you both were conversing in Thamizh.”

“Thank you, Sir,” I said.

“It is not easy to engage in a conversation with Brigadier Paddy.  You got him confused,” said Colonel Mahaveer in his innocent way.

Fast forward and our next encounter was during the Gunners’ Day celebration at Delhi in 2001.  General Paddy was the Chief of the Army Staff, and I was a Lieutenant Colonel posted at the Army Headquarters.  I wished him good evening and went on to thank him for all the support he gave our Commanding Officer Colonel Mahaveer Singh on quite a few issues that I had had with the local police.  (Click here to read more about it.)

“You were the young man who made me re-visit my basic physics when I visited your regiment.  On your issues with the Police, it was your Commanding Officer who took a strong stand supporting you and I had to follow suit.  I did hardly anything other than backing your Commanding Officer,” replied General Paddy.

After that I met Mrs. Angela Rajan conversing in Thamizh with an elegant woman, gracious and stylish.  Mrs. Rajan is the wife of Major General Daniel Rajan from our school – he was the Military secretary to General Padmanabhan.  They both had commanded 7 Field Regiment (GAZALA.)

On seeing me, Mrs. Rajan greeted me in Thamizh and said, “haven’t met you for a long time since our meeting at Udhampur in 1991. How is the family?”

Our conversation in Thamizh went on for a few minutes and the other lady joined in.  After five minutes I asked, “We haven’t been introduced, Madam, you are….”

Mrs. Rajan promptly said, “Reji, what!!! You do not know her? She is the Chief’s wife?”

I realised that the brick that I dropped had actually landed on my toes. Flustered a bit, and apologising, in a jiffy I evaporated from the scene to condense among our course mates in the party.

A few years later I was in command of my unit and we were deployed in Op Parakram. The Gujarat Riots had broken out. When the army was called out, General Paddy tasked the Bison Division, then Commanded by General Zameer Uddin (Zoom) Shah for the task of quelling the riots. The task of course was executed with typical military efficiency in 48 hours. But it was the decision then that I had contemplated with great admiration. Years later, General Paddy said that many eyebrows were raised at the choice of the formation for the task and that he had to hold his ground, entertaining no debate on a military decision.

That was the quintessential General Paddy. Brilliant, witty, extremely generous and a true leader of men. Adieus General, we pray your legacy will live on and flourish.