RAMBLING ROSES, a book on a variety of topics that I had published recently came to my rescue. I fished out the sole copy from my overnighter and found many topics that I could speak on and keep the ears of the audience busy, which comprised largely of ex-servicemen of Jhunjhunu, a district of Rajasthan, who were glued to my commentary.
 
This was a litmus test for a national TV and Akashvani commentator of 39 years standing to keep the crowd together through my word of mouth and voice with a its nuances, rise and fall of the pitch and what have you. I knew in the heart of my hearts that it was a change but no going back since I had picked the gauntlet.

 
MARTYR BECKONED
 
Why did I accept this assignment where no cash was to change hands and media coverage will be done by local papers and makers of home videos?  The sponsors of the event said that it was for a good cause; to commemorate the martyrdom of a CRPF officer who was killed in action against the Naxalites in the jungles of Dantewada in Chhattisgarh.
 
Satyavan Singh Yadav was his name, and he was a Deputy Commandant. He and 75 fellow policemen were ambushed by 1,000 strong rebel group challenging the rule of law of the govt of India. In the skirmish that ensued brave Satyavan did the short shrift of eight Maoists who were armed to the teeth but in the close quarter battle, their numerical superiority had the better of the CRPF contingent.
 
Our officers and constables laid down their lives to maintain the unity and integrity of Bharat, their motherland. The rebels hacked brave Satyavan’s body into many pieces that were given a resting place in a Samadhi in his village, Lakhu. The loved ones put on a pedestal on his statue behind the Samadhi.
 
Smt Pratibha Devi Singh Patil was kind enough to go all the way to Lakhu village to pay her Shraddhanjali and unveil the full-size image in stone of Satyavan Singh Yadav. Yours truly was the sole commentator. What happened to others? No one knows for sure.
 
Reaching the venue of function was like fighting a mini-battle. As good as a hurdle race it was. There was a communication gap between the district administration, including the police, and the organisers of the event. Consequently, no one made an entry card for me, my driver and the car. We were stopped at different check posts as the car did not display the relevant label. Time was running out. The local crowd was there as planned but mikes were silent. Some sort of nervousness had the better of the sponsors.
 
They rang up my mobile and then wisdom dawned that they had not paid as much attention to getting our passes made as they should have. Fortunately, a Dy S.P. on the prowl stopped near my car and enquired if I was Brig Sawant. On hearing “yes” he got down, came over to me and said that as a student in Sainik School, Chittorgarh, he had heard my lectures and was motivated to join a uniformed service. Thereafter, he facilitated my entry into the ceremonial pandal right up to the Commentator’s box.
 
MY MIKE CRACKLED
 
VANDE MATARAM – that is how I greeted the audience and requested them to repeat after me three times which they did. Their enthusiasm told me that the rapport with the spectators was established. Well begun is half done. Thereafter, it was just plain sailing and after a couple of anecdotes from Rambling Roses that I narrated, the audience was eating straight from my hand.
 
Collector and Additional Collector came to my open-air booth to ascertain that all was well. I thought it prudent not to mention the lapse in not issuing an invitation card or a car pass to me. They were already tense and there was no point in making it worse. It was nice of them to go through the sequence of event after the arrival of the President on the dais and also getting my confirmation that the CRPF band would strike the tune of the National Anthem at the right moment.
 
Back to my audience who clamoured for some anecdotes from the battle field. The interesting episode of Rajesh Pilot, an MP from Rajasthan until his sad demise, was liked by one and all. In the 1971 war, Rajesh was on a flying mission to bomb Dacca and his call sign was”your good wife”. The Pakistan air controller heard the call sign and wanted to trap Rajesh Prasad (the word Pilot was added when he chose to contest an election for the Lok Sabha) by guiding his bomber to a height where the anti-aircraft guns could shoot him down. As our Pilot neared the enemy airport, their air controller came on the wireless and said “your good wife here.
 
Descend more before dropping the bomb.”Fortunately the Indian Air Controller heard this deception plan and said “this is your real good wife, do not descend more, drop the bomb from where you are and return home.” Our pilot did that and came home safely. This story went very well with the audiences.
 
I must have narrated a dozen war stories and all of them were received well. With a view to giving rest to my vocal cord I invited a bhajan mandali to sing songs eulogising the life and deeds of our hero, Satyavan Singh Yadav. They were from the Arya Samaj to a neighbouring town and did a good job here. I praised them publicly. It was an incentive to them and when called upon to sing a chorus, they recited a couple of Veda mantras too and explained their meaning in the local mix of Rajasthani and Harianvi dialects.
 
When I eulogised the bravery of officers and men from Rajasthan in various battles fought against Pakistan in 1971 or the recent one in Kargil in 1999, the clapping were much louder. It was deafening at times and indeed a morale booster for one and all.
 
PRESIDENT APPRECIATED
 
The high rostrum had a number of VIPs and all of them were impressed with the 50,000 strong crowds behaving so well. The Rajyapal of Rajasthan, Shivraj Patil, Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot, chairman of the organising committee, Sumer Singh Yadav, elder brother of the martyr spoke on the occasion. President Pratibha Devisingh Patil expressly appreciated presence of women in colourful dresses and the new generation in appreciable numbers.
 
She said martyrs like Satyavan Singh Yadav inspire the youth to defend the nation against external and internal enemies. President said that she loved to visit Shekhavati again and again as it is the bravery of people of Rajasthan that beckons everyone. She is as appreciative of the contribution of men and women of Rajasthan to the national ethos as any historian. The 50,000 strong crowd and the VVIPs stood to attention as the CRPF band again struck the National Anthem. It was a sight to see how disciplined our rural folks are. It augurs well for India that is Bharat.