IDF is back with a post from the draft from the book titled, A Sailor’s Odyssey And A Nation’s Navy At War 1971 And Indians Why We Are What We Are.

The tussle over the Chairmanship of Tata Sons and its Trust between Ratan Tata son of Naval Tata by his first wife Soono, and Cyrus Mistry son of Shapoorji Pallonji the largest share holder has ended in Ratan Tata’s favour. Salve from London appeared for Ratan and Singhvi for Cyrus. Hope the chapter is closed. Shares of Tatas gyrated.

Ratan a Cornell architect used to walk his dog at the US Club in Bombay. He first headed Nelco a Tata Company. When I was rep for Waterman Shipping USA we carried a parcel of radars for Nelco. One learnt, Jahangir Ratanji Dadabhoy Tata known JRD, a Parsi had groomed Ratan. Parsis were fine people. Names of Adms Cursetji and Ghandhi, Dolly Mehta and Dubash one served, flash from memory. One day a Colonel upbraided Ratan’s aide for walking his dog. Media reported Ratan resigned US CLub, and refused to relent. Guests are permitted in the club. A good example of Dadagiri.

Back to days in the early 1960s in Bombay as Flag Lt(ADC) to Rear Admiral SG Karmarkar MBE Flag Officer Bombay (1961-64) as a Captain in the Merchant Navy had joined the IN Volunteer Reserve(INVR Wavy striped) in the Second War as a Lt Cdr. In the 1946 Naval Mutiny Karmarkar was rushed from INS Shivaji to take command of INS Talwar to end the mutiny, described in my novel, An Underhand Affair(Amazon 2020). He was the first Indian officer to command British on HMIS Cauvery as a Commander, but he lost seniority to King’s commissioned officers. Lt Cdr Soman who I briefly served his Flag Lt, overtook Karmarkar in the Navy List. Gen VK Singh taught tried to break the sanctity of the Army List and I have a chapter on that drama in the book in details with mention of AG Rohinton Nariman and my son. Admiral SM Nanda claimed seniority for his service in the Karachi Port Trust.

SG knew Col Leslie Sawhney a 1940s 16th Light Cavalry office(called the Brown Pandits). Reggie’s brother Cdr Reggie Sawhney became famous for offering to pay for damage HMIS Cauvery to a jetty in Cochin. I served as XO of that famous ship under Cdrs HML Saxena and IK Erry. Reggie migrated to Australia like many Anglo Indians who had built India’s Navy. Periera, Schunker, Atkinson and Hawse one served flash. Leslie had resigned from the Army. He married Rodabeh, JRD Tata’s sister. They had no children.

Rodabeh used to request me to help serve drinks when they entertained guests at home as Leslie played golf with Admiral Karmarkar at the US Club. The Sawhneys invited Admiral to their house a few times, and Karmarkar invariably took me along, more to call the car when leaving a party as driver Mendoza would be snoozing.

I recall seeing Hog Larsen, JRD with his petit wife and Inder Malhotra there and Gen Enait Habibulah Leslie’s senior in 16th Cavalry, my Commandant at NDA. We once saw JRD in a queue when we went to see a movie at Excelsior theatre built in 1886 near VT by two Parsis. JRD tore his ticket and said to the doorman, “I will save you some work” and winked at us. I wanted to tell him I was nephew of his Secretary Barbara in Air India, wife of Hari Shivdasani but my wife stopped me.

Over weekends I arranged Karmarkar’s golf breakfast for his foursome at US Club by meeting them at the 8th hole with Leslie and Rajkumar Pitambar a royalty originally from Nepal educated at Oxford who served in the British Army 1954 to 56. Naval officers like Lt Monty Chaterjee later shipmate on INS Nilgiri and Secretary of the Delhi Golf Club, I recall joined. Leslie once asked if I would like to join the Taj where he and Rodabeh were Directors. JRD was hoping his brother in law would head Tata Sons and later after Leslie was no more, JRD mentioned Leslie gave him the idea that led to TCS. I also met the Moolgaokars of Tatas as Mrs Leela Moolgaokar who ran helped INHS Ashvini.

Col Leslie’s colleagues were Sangram Keshary Rey son of Captain Dr. K. Rey (IMS), Nawabzada Agha Khan Raza and Zorawar Singh. Leslie suffered a massive heart attack and died on the golf course in 1966 almost like COAS Gen BC Joshi I used to bump into at Bahri’s bookshop. Joshi read. His son a good squash player joined the Navy, and left.

Karmarkar joined Chougules that owned land on Nhava Sheva to make a shipyard. Government blocked it, stating Shipbuilding is a strategic activity. Years later Nhava Seva came up as a port under Mrs Anna Malhotra IAS who displaced Adm Nadkarni’s nomination. Adm Tahiliani made Nadkarni CNS and I had served as his Fleet Operations Officer and then DNI. How later, Adm SK (Tony) Jain lost out CNS position to Adm L Ramdas is in my book, Admiral Vishnu Bhagwat Sacked or Sunk(Manas). George Fernandes banned the book. SG unsuccessfully lobbied with Vasant Rao Chavan to build a deep water jetty for INS Vikrant and the Navy in Gujarat(may be it was Pipavav) sponsored by Tatas. Such was forward thinking of Karmarkars and Tatas who built institutions. Now we have Mandirs and large Statues. History will judge the times not me.

Chavan got premises at Rivera on Marine Drive derequisitioned for himself and Admirals Nanda and David took premises in Brady’s flats in Colaba. Such were quid pro quos, sans money in those days. That too is in my book on Admiral Vishnu Bhagwat who opposed de-requisitioning Dhanraj Mahal by the Defence Secretary to his peril.

In 1967 I approached SG for help. He took me to Jodabeh. She gave me a cheque for Rs 12,000, “Son, go and take possession and come back and meet Mr Agnihotri who will take your flat on rent for Taj. You can pay me when you can”. The General Manager of Taj Mr Guaba a Jew took the place. Taj used to train naval cooks. I recall the Ops signal by Adm RKS Ghandhi in Vishakapatnam to Adm Daljit Paintal (my Captain earlier on INS Nilgiri), “ I hand you an operational Eastern Fleet. Do try Chief Petty Officer Cook Bhattacharya’s lobster thermedoir”.

I asked to get back my flat but Tata policy was not to break leases. Only Ratan Tata could. Luckily friend Partho Circar CMD of Tata Finance took me to Bombay House and Mr Phendse(later fell out with Ratan Tata) smuggled me in to Ratan’s office. He offered no courtesies. I mentioned my father in law Senior Advocate Mr GB Pai a lawyer who set up the firm Menon & Pai in Cochin was a friend of his father in ILO, and could I have the flat back for my son, finishing MBA at Harvard. Gruffly he said “ take your flat back. The more people like him come back, the better for India”. I was out in two minutes. No wonder Ratan Tata had taken on Rusi Mody of Tata Steel and Kerkar of Taj.

Such has been the qualities of Tatas and Parsis and old time Navy seniors who built India’s fine Navy which will be critical for India’s future. I dedicated my book, “The Inner Mental Game of Golf”, funded by Zuari Chemicals to Col Leslie Sawhney and Admiral Karmarkar. I picked up the game late though Leslie had offered to loan me a set. I thought it was an old man’s game. I am wrong. It is a character building game but it is not in favour in current official Hindutva circles. India is embroiled in a majoratarian Hindu rule which the old secular Navy avoided with caste and religion as taboo, and treated these a personal choice.

Working for Waterman Steamship USA our Bombay Agents Vazirani of Maritime and Robinson delivered the Eugene Steel Factory cargo for Mahindras at Khapoli. I recognised Director Rajkumar Pitambar. He recalled days, and graciously invited me to a Chinese meal at Nanking near RBYC. His wife owned a shop next door. Memory fades and times change. A new generation resides in Pilot Bunder. Sadly military has no say in governance and is being sucked in to political favouritism, personified by the Adarsh syndrome. Government is unable to solve the riddle of that multi storied jinxed building in Colaba, as politicians sullied it all. That is another story in my book. . Shan Na Varuna.

114 thoughts on “REMEMBERING COL LESLIE SAWHNEY HIS WIFE RODABEH SISTER OF JRD & ADM KARMARKAR IN THE NAVY OF 1960s & THE HOUSE OF TATAS”
  1. I love your blog.. very nice colors & theme. Did you create this website yourself or did you hire someone to do it for you?
    Plz answer back as I’m looking to construct my own blog and would like to find out where
    u got this from. thanks

  2. [url=https://pharmacyreview.best/#]best online canadian pharmacy[/url] canadian pharmacies

  3. [url=https://pharmacyreview.best/#]reliable canadian pharmacy[/url] reliable canadian pharmacy

  4. where can i buy mobic price [url=https://mobic.store/#]generic mobic no prescription[/url] how to buy cheap mobic tablets

  5. [url=https://pharmacyreview.best/#]best canadian online pharmacy[/url] legitimate canadian pharmacy online

  6. how to buy amoxycillin: [url=http://amoxicillins.com/#]order amoxicillin no prescription[/url] amoxicillin 250 mg capsule

  7. ivermectin oral 0 8 [url=https://stromectolonline.pro/#]ivermectin canada[/url] ivermectin over the counter

  8. neurontin 400 mg price [url=http://gabapentin.pro/#]neurontin 300 mg tablets[/url] neurontin generic

  9. Appreciating the persistence you put into your site and in depth information you offer.
    It’s good to come across a blog every once in a while that isn’t the same old rehashed information. Great read!
    I’ve bookmarked your site and I’m including your
    RSS feeds to my Google account.

  10. Howdy! This post couldn’t be written any better! Going through this article reminds me of my
    previous roommate! He always kept talking about this.
    I will forward this article to him. Pretty sure he’s going to have a very good read.
    I appreciate you for sharing!

  11. Thank you for another informative website. The place else may I get that kind of info written in such an ideal approach?
    I’ve a mission that I’m simply now running on,
    and I’ve been on the look out for such information.

  12. best canadian pharmacy [url=https://certifiedcanadapills.pro/#]canada pharmacy[/url] canadian pharmacy tampa

  13. canadian drugstore online [url=https://certifiedcanadapills.pro/#]canadian pharmacy online[/url] canadian pharmacy prices

  14. To presume from present news, dog these tips:

    Look in behalf of credible sources: http://arendaizrail.com/robin/what-news-does-balthasar-bring-romeo_1.html. It’s high-ranking to safeguard that the news roots you are reading is reliable and unbiased. Some examples of virtuous sources subsume BBC, Reuters, and The Different York Times. Read multiple sources to pick up a well-rounded view of a discriminating news event. This can support you get a more ended facsimile and avoid bias. Be cognizant of the viewpoint the article is coming from, as set reputable report sources can be dressed bias. Fact-check the information with another commencement if a expos‚ article seems too staggering or unbelievable. Many times be inevitable you are reading a advised article, as news can change quickly.

    Close to following these tips, you can befit a more aware of scandal reader and more wisely know the everybody everywhere you.

  15. I loved as much as you will receive carried out right here.
    The sketch is tasteful, your authored material stylish.
    nonetheless, you command get got an edginess over that you
    wish be delivering the following. unwell unquestionably come
    further formerly again as exactly the same nearly a lot often inside case you shield this hike.

  16. I absolutely love your blog and find many of your
    post’s to be what precisely I’m looking for. Does one offer guest writers to write content for yourself?

    I wouldn’t mind producing a post or elaborating on a lot of the subjects you
    write regarding here. Again, awesome web site!

  17. Эмпайр скважин на воду – это процесс образования отверстий в течение земной шар для извлечения подземных вод. Настоящие скважины используются для хозпитьевой воды, полива растений, индустриальных надобностей а также других целей. Эпидпроцесс бурения скважин содержит в течение себя эксплуатация специализированного оснащения, подобного как буровые направления, коим проникают в течение матушку-землю также создают отверстия: https://etextpad.com/. Эти скважины элементарно обладают глубину через пары десятков до пары сотен метров.
    После формирования скважины, спецы объезжают тестирование, чтоб раскрыть ее производительность а также качество воды. Затем скважина снабжается насосом равным образом иными системами, чтоб гарантировать постоянный пропуск ко воде. Эмпайр скважин на водичку представляется важным процессом, который гарантирует путь для истинной водопитьевой воде и еще утилизируется на различных отраслях промышленности. Что ни говорите, этот эпидпроцесс может иметь негативное суггестивность на брать в кольцо сферу, поэтому что поделаешь хранить отвечающие философия да регуляции.

  18. Бурение скважин сверху водичку – это процесс тварей отверстий в поднебесной для извлечения подземных вожак, которые смогут употребляться чтобы разных целей, начиная питьевую водичку, увлажнение растений, промышленные нищенствования и другие: https://rentry.co/s9v7x. Для бурения скважин утилизируют специализированное оборудование, это как бурильные сборки, которые проходят в течение землю и еще создают дыры глубиной через пары десятков до пары сотен метров.
    После произведения скважины прочерчивается стресс-тестирование, чтобы предназначить нее производительность а также качество воды. Через некоторое время щель оборудуется насосом равным образом остальными теориями, чтобы защитить хронический доступ ко воде. Хотя эмпайр скважин на водичку играет хорошую цена в обеспечивании допуска к истой питьевой восе а также используется на различных отраслях индустрии, этот процесс что ль показывать негативное воздействие сверху брать в кольцо среду. То-то что поделаешь соблюдать соответственные философия а также регуляции.

  19. Hi i am kavin, its my first occasion to commenting anywhere, when i read this post i thought i could also
    create comment due to this sensible article.

  20. Wonderful blog! Do you have any hints for aspiring writers?
    I’m hoping to start my own blog soon but I’m a little lost on everything.

    Would you advise starting with a free platform like WordPress
    or go for a paid option? There are so many choices out there that I’m totally confused ..
    Any tips? Kudos!

  21. Europe is a continent with a rich history and dissimilar culture. Soul in Europe varies greatly depending on the country and область, but there are some commonalities that can be observed.
    One of the defining features of lifestyle in Europe is the putrid force on work-life balance. Many European countries be undergoing laws mandating a reliable amount of vacation all together looking for workers, and some have yet experimented with shorter workweeks. This allows in place of more time spent with one’s nearest and pursuing hobbies and interests.
    http://valla-cranes.co.uk/wp-content/pages/meet-anna-berezina_4.html
    Europe is also known quest of its rich cultural heritage, with assorted cities boasting centuries-old architecture, art, and literature. Museums, galleries, and documented sites are profuse, and visitors can dip themselves in the information and culture of the continent.
    In annex to cultural attractions, Europe is retreat to a to one side mix of authentic beauty. From the expressive fjords of Norway to the cheery beaches of the Mediterranean, there is no shortage of superb landscapes to explore.
    Of route, life in Europe is not without its challenges. Innumerable countries are grappling with issues such as gains inequality, immigration, and public instability. Though, the people of Europe are resilient and take a fancy history of overcoming adversity.
    Total, life in Europe is invaluable and mixed, with something to proposal in compensation everyone. Whether you’re interested in history, culture, nature, or altogether enjoying a trustworthy work-life match, Europe is a first-rate place to dub home.

  22. Positively! Declaration info portals in the UK can be unendurable, but there are scads resources ready to cure you think the unmatched in unison as you. As I mentioned formerly, conducting an online search an eye to https://gingerparrot.co.uk/pags/step-by-step-guide-how-to-delete-news-on-pinterest.html “UK hot item websites” or “British intelligence portals” is a great starting point. Not no more than desire this give you a encyclopaedic slate of communication websites, but it will also afford you with a better pact of the current communication view in the UK.
    On one occasion you be enduring a list of future news portals, it’s powerful to value each undivided to choose which best suits your preferences. As an example, BBC News is known in place of its objective reporting of intelligence stories, while The Trustee is known for its in-depth breakdown of governmental and sexual issues. The Self-governing is known pro its investigative journalism, while The Times is known in the interest of its business and investment capital coverage. Not later than entente these differences, you can choose the rumour portal that caters to your interests and provides you with the hearsay you call for to read.
    Additionally, it’s significance all things close by news portals for fixed regions within the UK. These portals lay down coverage of events and scoop stories that are applicable to the область, which can be specially cooperative if you’re looking to charge of up with events in your close by community. In place of event, shire news portals in London include the Evening Standard and the Londonist, while Manchester Evening Hearsay and Liverpool Reproduction are popular in the North West.
    Overall, there are tons tidings portals accessible in the UK, and it’s significant to do your experimentation to see the joined that suits your needs. By evaluating the different low-down portals based on their coverage, style, and essay standpoint, you can decide the one that provides you with the most fitting and captivating info stories. Decorous success rate with your search, and I anticipation this data helps you find the just right expos‚ portal for you!

  23. best canada pharmacy [url=http://interpharm.pro/#]buy medications online no prescription[/url] canada online pharmacy legitimate

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *