A Tribute to the first Indian 'Rambo' - my father!

Born in one dusty village called Usthi in the interiors of the then largest district of undivided Bengal, then travelling to the bustling city of Mymensingh and then to the big bad city of Calcutta to complete his schooling, Malay Lahiri went on to join the National Defense Academy and passed out with a silver medal. While still in NDA, a bunch of teenagers comprising the NDA football team created history by reaching the finals of the Durand Cup in 1953. They lost to a team that boasted of more than half a dozen players representing India at that time.

Malay Lahiri went on to join the Gurkha Regiment, represented India in many an international football tournament and then by some cruel quirk of fate missed out on being selected for the 1960 Olympic football team. Demoralised, he kicked a football around for a few more years before putting his all into his career in the Indian Army.

In 1963 he was selected to attend the Rangers Course in Fort Bragg, North Carolina and a few months later after passing out from there, became the first India Green Beret, a la Rambo. He then went on to start the Commando Wing for the Indian Army.

Many years later, when he was a Brigadier, he commanded the Counter Insurgency and Jungle Warfare School, that is today a premier institution for the training of soldiers for counter insurgency and jungle warfare, getting soldiers from the world over.

I had the privilege of participating in a few of the jungle treks and other maneuvers while he was the Commandant.

I think the jungles, the mountains, the outback, the bush, the inhospitable terrain away from the comforts of city life was something that grew in me through my association with my Father, whose shoes are so big that attempting to fill them is an exercise in futility. But I do try and walk in his shadow, try and follow his footsteps, hope that he is not too disappointed with the way his first born turned out.

The OTA Survival School is a humble effort on my part to prove myself to be a worthy son to an illustrious father. Two days ago he would have celebrated his 80th birthday. Sadly it was not to be as he passed away prematurely to cancer 15 years ago.

I miss you dad.