Yeoman Service

Arun Patil conducts exercises under the benign gaze of late Sridevi Kapoor (in case you missed the billboard in the background)

It is exactly a week that Arun Patil got us all to pull our socks up and be in time for the exercises (ref post of February 21). Much as the move was instinctively resented by many, the effect was visible the very next day. Punctuality shot up magically as a majority of latecomers reported on time. More significantly, not a day has since passed when attendance has dropped below 20 during the exercises.
Today the very same Arun Patil, who had been reviled for his autocratic attitude, was applauded for rendering a “big service” to the Club. From a time when attendance was floundering at single digit, he has succeeded single-handedly in restoring our strength to an optimal level. “This only goes to prove that discipline matters,” quipped Nahid Siddiqui.

Siba Prasad Maitra (r) strikes a sobering note

Kajal Babani (l) celebrates with jelly lozenge

Yusuf Rassiwala agreed. “It feels nice to see so many members turn up and exercise together early morning,” he remarked.
Arun is no doubt flattered. Most likely, he had not expected in his wildest dreams that his diktat would go down well in the Club. But he wasn’t admitting it: “I knew very well that most people here are very obedient. See, how I have enforced the cap rule. It took me time, but today you will hardly find anyone without the Club cap on during the exercises.”
In all this, Siba Prasad Maitra had a word of advice for Arun: “The problem with you is your tongue. Whatever you are doing is fine, but you must learn to use gentle language. You can’t be using rough language. This is not a military school!”

Lt Col Angad Singh (retd):
Arun Patil's harsh language may not be appreciated, but it has yielded results. Hope our members do not force him to use harsh words in future!