Brother to Brother

My earliest memories of Baba go back to the days in Scindia School.  Baba boarded in Mahadji House and I was in Shivaji House.  The only reason we ever met was to share the letter that Dad wisely wrote to both of us, but addressed to him.  Baba always delayed to show me the letter, which annoyed me no end, but the bully that he was prevailed and I had to accept it meekly.  We used to meet during holidays at 7 Dupleix Lane, but our meetings mostly ended in arguments and fights which I lost invariably.  Nevertheless, Baba was always very protective when it came to others trying to bully me!

After Senior Cambridge at Scindia School, Baba wanted to passionately join the Navy, but unfortunately was found to be colour blind.  That was a severe disappointment.  So he joined St. Stephen’s College and went into a prolonged girl-friend phase, all of whom loved him to distraction but could not settle down to any long term arrangement.  After College Baba did some farming and worked a tractor for several years till eventually he got into IMA, Dehradun as a direct entry. 

It would not be out of place to say that in these early years Baba had a yearning to meet his mother whenever he could.  It was something that brought out all his sense of loyalty and love.  It was so wonderful to see with what devotion he applied to this love right through the years till Mama passed away.

We joined the Army six months apart.  Baba got the arm of his choice and joined CIH in 1954.  We were together in 1 Armoured Division from 1955-57.  For him Central India Horse (CIH) was not just a regiment he had joined, but it was life itself.  He was totally enthralled and captivated by the army way of life and he became the quintessence of the tank-cavalry man.  His zeal for the Services continued right through his life and was a landmark of all he was occupied with.

I was fortunate to meet Baba when he commanded 8 JAK Rifles at Gurdaspur.  Baba always rubbed it in that commanding a regiment was not something they taught at the Staff College!  It was illuminating to see the love that his battalion gave to him, off and on parade.  Baba went all out to be the best commanding officer of JAK Rifles.  The fact that he put regiment before self did not find favour with many of his seniors, but it did not stop him from carrying on.

Baba’s love for the rural environment took shape when he bought Sonarang Farm at Garhi Harsaru.  He went about a total shift in his life-style with great enthusiasm even to the extent of milking the cows himself!  Baba and Shirin’s life at the farm was something they enjoyed together for over two decades.  He continued to be aggressively involved with all things military, be it of CIH, 66 Armd Regt, 8 JAK Rif, through their regimental histories, unions, raising days or meeting with retired persons.  And he held on to them right through till his dying day.  It was quite wonderful to see his utter devotion to the ‘pongo’ regimen.

When it came to the family, Baba provided a deep source of knowledge regarding family history and relationships.  The details that he could recall were ever a source of wonder and amazement.

In the last 10 to 15 years Baba acquired a keen interest in things religious.  He became the lay Pastor of the CNI church at Gurgaon and evoked a strong presence as their honorary treasurer.

Finally, as a brother I know I could always depend upon Baba to choose the righteous way even though sometimes it would be according to his own idea of doing things.  However, he had a sense of humour that made it possible to argue endlessly with him without there being any sense of rancor, bitterness or malice.  How can one not miss the man behind that sonorous, ear-blasting, “SEN” that one heard whenever he answered the phone!

From Aruna and Mini Minhas and Brig. T. Lall:
TO RUSTY WITH LOVE- A REMEMBRANCE

Ranjit Sen, Rusty as he was fondly known by his comrades and RegimentalOfficers, and Baba to family, stood in a class of his own. Born in 1931, in thehouse of Rai Saheb C K Sen, educated at Scindia school and St. Stephens Delhi,commissioned on 6 June1954 from IMA, he joined The Central India Horse on17 June 1954. From there he made tracks to 66 AR on 2nd January1967, and then 8 JAK Rif in May 1970. He held a long and eventful commandof 8 JAK Rif from Oct 1971 to July 1976. He was then posted to the ProvostMarshal’s office at Army Headquarters. He had also held appointments as DQ 16(I) and at AHQ during the course of his career. After hanging up hisspurs in 1978, Col Sen then made excellent use of his time as Secretary of theCavalry Officers Association from 1981 to 1992, playing a pivotal role in thequalitative contribution to the newsletter that we know as the Post HornGallop. He married the charming and vivacious Ms Shirin Robertsonwhilst in CIH and together the two of them made a wonderful life of theirown, holding hands during the sad times and brightening each other's worldsduring the glad times.

Col Sen, Our Living Encyclopedia in History, could always be counted upon toknow precisely whose grandfather served in which Risala, or whose grandchildhad achieved what laurels. As a "Ready Reckoner" for the ArmouredCorps and 8 JAK Rif, he would never have to refer to any paper if you suddenlyconfronted him with queries on people - It was all there in that amazingmind of his! People were his passion and he keenly listened to theirstories and willingly shared them with the rest of the world.

His"Rusty-isms" - The parting shots of - " Don't be good , I sitcorrected, As never, Ah I see said the blind man " amongst others , werewitticisms that will go down in Regimental Archives as will his actions ofpunching youngsters like us in the middle of the chest when least expectedduring Regimental get-togethers, etc. He was one of those who encouraged by examplethe trend for Quarterly Regimental Get-togethers, which has now been defactoinstitutionalized as on a short notice we could muster up anything between 50 -80 members of our close knit Regimental family in India and abroad. He was also the prime interface-cum-umbilicalcord between the CIH family in Indiaand the CIH Association UK, which is one of the largest amongst the old CavalryRegiments and still continues to grow even as the old order gives way to thenew. During his visit to CIH at Ranchi,almost a decade ago, he interacted with Officers and their men and threw open acompetition of the best culinary treats of each region of the Squadrons. For three days the Regiment was treated to adelightful array ranging from Dal - Baati - Choorma to Madra - Rajma -Chawal to Litti - Chokha, and not to miss the CIH specialities of Kuan walaAnda (fried eggs enclosed in a loaf of bread and smothered in honey etc ) andTAN - RAT (sardines withchillies ) the culinary creation of Late Maj S N Tandon and Col O D P Ratnam, hence the name, but the underlying message to all this was that in his own inimitablestyle, Col Sen was promoting camaraderie amongst the Officers and men -something that he was always striving for!

He and Mrs. Sen were infallibly there for every Regimental Get-together, everyOfficer who was celebrating and more importantly they never failed to be by theside of those who needed solace or help, or anyone in bereavement or illness. Ona personal note, during the time when I was Co-ordinator for CIH quarterly get-togethersat Delhi, Iexperienced his meticulousness when invariably he was the first to givehis contribution much in advance, sometimes even handing me a Cheque for thenext gathering which was yet to be fixed. Their X'mas parties since theirdays at Sonarang Farm have been an Annual feature on our calendars, and thosewho attended their last do on 18th Dec were most disbelieving to hear the sadnews 5 days later. Yet, we like to think that he is perhaps in a happy place, surroundedby old friends and family (including my late father Ris Maj Hony. Capt JanakSingh Minhas VrC, IDSM who enjoyed a unique bond with Rusty, dating back towhen the latter joined The Central India Horse and especially their concurrenttenures at NDA, Khadakwasla, when Rusty was an Instructor and my father, theRisaldar Major, (Administration ), propped up in his easy chair with his booksand dogs around him and of course since it is the festive season, thefruit punch (as potent as his own) and fruity plum cake are in a neverending supply.

Thegreatest contribution by Rusty was when he took the trouble to get into theArchives and painstakingly note the names of all Officers of CIH from 1857(when the Regiment was raised), and also compiled our address book, thumbnailbiography of each Officer and most preciously the Draft Regimental History VolIII of CIH which we hope will someday see the light of day after necessaryupdating and approvals as per requirement. That perhaps will be the biggest tributeto Rusty, the undisputed historian Czar of the CIH.

RIP Uncle Rusty. The pearls of wisdom that you have scattered amongst us oftaking pride in our Regiments and their histories - a history not just dulyrecorded in books, but more so the anecdotes that are gleefully passed downalong generations of Officers , Soldiers and Ladies - is a legacy that willnever be forgotten .......... and as we say in the CIH –

BHAGYA VEER PAKSH DHARAM
FORTUNE FAVOURS THE BRAVE................
and we at The Central India Horse were indeed fortunate to have been favoured by the Almighty to have this brave amongst us.

From Tuti:  MY WAY IN STYLE OF FRANK SINATRA LYRICS

And now the end is near And so I face the final curtain My friend I'll say it clear I'll state my case of which I'm certain I've lived a life that's full I traveled each and every highway And more, much more than this I did it my way. Regrets I've had a few But then again too few to mention I did what I had to do And saw it through without exemption I planned each charted course Each careful step along the byway And more, much more than this I did it my way. Yes there were times I'm sure you knew When I bit off more than I could chew But through it all when there was doubt I ate it up and spit it out, I faced it all And I stood tall and did it my way I've loved, I've laughed and cried I've had my fill, my share of losing And now as tears subside I find it all so amusing To think I did all that And may I say not in a shy way Oh no, oh no, not me I did it my way. For what is a man what has he got If not himself then he has not To say the things he truly feels And not the words of one who kneels The record shows I took the blows And did it my way Yes it was my way.

From Rev. & Mrs. Nicholls:

Dear Shirin, Your e-mail with the sad news of the death of Ranjit came as a great shock to us as his death was to you. Thank you for sharing this sad news with us. The empty chair on Christmas Day must have been very hard for you.  Ranjit was one of our very best friends in India. He always sent us greetings on our birthdays and we always looked forward to his Christmas letter and the Christmas times we spent with you.  Ranjit always kept us up-to-date on news of the people in our Church of the Epiphany - a church he loved and where he was loved and respected. We will miss him very deeply. We prayed for you at our breakfast table this morning. May you find peace and comfort from the Good Shepherd in your loneliness. We pray that Psalm 23 will have special meaning for you as you 'walk through the valley of the shadow of death'. Every evening shadow is followed by a morning of hope and light and joy.  May the hope of Christ risen from the dead be your hope too, for in Heaven we will know each other in a new and better way.
God bless you.
With our love,
Bruce and Kathleen

Eulogy by Col. Virender Dogra, CIH

My name is Col. Dogra and I am from the Central India Horse– the parent Regiment of Col. Ranjit Sen, who joined it in 1954.  I fist met Col. Sen in December 1962 on my joining the Regiment. He was then commanding a Squadron somewhere on the foothills of Sikkim. The Regiment was then deployed in the East. I had almost 50 years association with him.  Besides being my senior and a brotherly figure, he was friend, philosopher and guide to me. He was fondly called ‘Rusty’ and affectionately ‘Baba”.  Col. Sen was a seasoned veteran. He joined the Central India Horse on commissioning – and also served in 66 Armoured Regiment and commanded 8 JAK Rifles.  Rusty was a noble soul, full of love, compassion and regard for all. He was forthright, sincere and always called a spade a spade. He believed in dignity and honesty in all his dealings. He was considerate and thoughtful. He fondly and regularly sent handcrafted and handwritten greetings on Christmas, New Year, anniversaries and birthdays.

Celebrations on his 80th birthday and Christmas – just over a month ago – are still fresh in our minds.

Rusty was a born missionary and had a zeal for social work and charity. He never said no to those who sought his help. He maintained regular contacts with all and never missed Regimental functions and get-togethers.  He liked music and was fond of jazz. He was a man of form and celebrated life fully in his own way. Rusty had a flare for writing. He liked writing on history and historically important events. He even went to National Archives for digging out original and authentic information on the subjects he dealt with. He regularly contributed to Service magazines and publications with his articles and write-ups. Rusty also helped in collation and writing of the Regimental History of The Central India Horse.  He rendered a yeoman’s service in organizing, consolidating and running the affairs of Cavalry Officers’ Association and its signal publication, the Post Horn Gallop.  Rusty also maintained regular contact with British Officers’ Association of the Central India Horse in London and helped officers and their families on their visits to India.
He gave dignity and respect to his relationship. He kept his promises and honoured his commitments.

May God bless the departed soul with eternal peace and moksh.

Lt.Col.K.M. Jha (kim)    TRIBUTE TO A SOLDIER

I, Kim Jha on behalf of JAK fraternity, my wife Rekha and children consider myselfhonoured to have been given this unique opportunity to speak about Col. RanjitSen whom we fondly called 'Rusty'. Col.Sen joined The 'Elite' 8 JAK Rifles in 1971 at Mizoram as CO designate. Having come from the great Armoured Corps,apprehensions were rife in the Battalion of him being a snob, articulate, overambitious, and sophisticated. But Rusty,during a short span of time while he was still in waiting for command, provedall speculations wrong. He commanded the Bn for 5 long years at Newmal andGurdaspur with an iron hand but with ease and respect. A true regimental soldier, with vast andvaried experience, he believed in an unconventional approach, which proved tobe an asset for the future generations.

Col.Rusty at no cost would compromise on values, honesty and military ethics. His simple and candid approach to manycomplicated issues generated unprecedented confidence, courage and leadershiptraits to his subordinates but in doing so, he frequently rubbed the rightpeople (seniors) on the wrong way. A manis known by the way he treats his subordinates. The number of calls I havereceived from all over the country on his demise proves in abundance that hewas a commander with 'Head and Heart'. He will always be remembered by whoevercame in contact, both in civil sectors and services, for his indepth knowledge,his commitment to a cause, and zest for life.  His signature style of complimenting "Bravo--------Bravo" in all the gatherings will be missed and our get-togethers will never be the same. In fact both Rusty and Mrs. Sen taught all of us, besides many useful andimportant things, how to live life "King Size".

Myson , Shishu, who was so fond of his favourite Uncle and being unable to comeon this day sends a tribute for the great soul for whom we have assembled hereto seek eternal peace from the Almighty God. He says--------

Do not stand at my grave and weep; I am not there, I do not sleep.  I'm thousand winds that blow,  I'm diamond glint on snow. 

When you wake in the morning hush;  In the swift, uplifting rush;  Of quiet birds in circulating flight;  I'm the soft star light at night

Do not stand at my grave and weep;  I'm not there, I don't sleep.  Do not stand at my grave and cry,  I'm not there; I did not die.
 

From JAK RIFLES Special Part 1Order:  OBITUARY

1. With profound grief and sorrow we inform the sad demiseof IC 6763 Lt.Col. Ranjit Sen of our bnwho left for his heavenly abode on 23 December 2011. Lt.Col Ranjit Sen got commissioned in the Indian Army on 6 June 1956 in CIH, served in 66 Armd Regt and subsequently commanded “ELITE EIGHT” with distinction from 17 October 1971 to 12 July 1976 as its eighth CO. A true regt soldier, he was an icon of the JAK RIF REGT who inspired and guided generations of “ELITE EIGHT” soldiers with his vast and varied experience. He was well known for his unconventional trg methods, which were well ahead of their times.

2. In this hour of sadness, we express our sincerely condolences to Mrs. Shirin Sen and pray to Durga Mata to give her the strength to bear the irreparable loss.

“JAIDEV”
(AD Swami), Col CO