To War With Wisdom

After visiting the Madras Regimental Centre Museum, it was time to visit a reputed college. We never thought we would drive those grand arches with the motto ‘Yuddham Pragya’ (To war with wisdom) with the grand wise owl as it’s crest perched up elegantly at the grand entrance of the college. Once inside the impeccable manicured gardens lined with hedgerows, well designed and visually appealing signages were an instant reminder that we were in an institute that is very fastidious in their methods.

We had glimpses of students dressed smartly in woolen jackets and ties carrying their with black briefcases on their way to class. But these were not young kids of the typical boarding school. This, was the Defence Services Staff College or DSSC. It seemed surreal that we were here. The numerous cars in the parking lot with number plates from different states, a clear indication of the diversity of the students, in this case military officers from various branches attending this prestigious course.

Headed by Brigadier S.D. Verma who was the senior most Indian Army instructor at that time in Quetta, was not only given charge to set up the college in India but also served as it’s first commandant. Interestingly, all commandants till date have been from the Indian Army. Field Marshall Sam Manekshaw (who went on to become the Army Chief during the Indo-Pakistani War of 1971), Lt. Gen KS Brar (who commanded Operation Blue Star in 1984), Lt. Gen V.P Malik (Army Chief during the Kargil War) are some of the illustrious commandants who went on to serve in higher command posts later in their military service. Initially the representations from the Air Force and Navy were few when the first course commenced in 1948. As the years progressed by amalgamating & establishing the Air Wing and the Naval Wing in 1949 and 1950 respectively, the college was renamed the Defence Services Staff College or DSSC.

Apart from classroom instructions & war game simulations the course includes a visit to a Joint Forward Area Tour (JFAT) visiting the border areas India shares with Pakistan, China, Bhutan or Bangladesh. The Industrial Demonstration Tour (IDT) includes military factory tours in Bangalore, Naval Base in Vishakhapatnam, institutions such as the National Defence Academy and even recently as far as the Andaman and Nicobar Islands which is also home to the only tri services theatre command of the Indian Armed Forces. The intention is to witness best practices followed in both the Indian Civil and Defence establishments. The officers are some of the brightest minds in Indian Military circles. As a former commandant stated, ‘It is not generally realized that the DSSC not only trains its students to be junior staff officers, but also trains its instructors to be high grade senior staff officers and formation commanders.’ This speaks very highly of the mentor – mentee relationship & the primary focus on excellence that has made the DSSC into a premier professional military education institution of the Indian armed forces.

This would be one college we would have enjoyed staying a little while longer.

Special Thanks To:

Commodore Nitin P (Indian Navy)

Capt. Abhijith Bhute (Indian Navy)

Mansoor Khan (Film maker & Owner – Wild Acres Farm, Coonoor)