Do the ‘Men in White’ still inspire?

They guard our 7,500kms coastline and take on the pirates on the high seas.

But as the Navy marks its 60th Navy Day, do we still look up to them or have the Nov 2008 terror attacks sullied that a bit? While most youngsters think highly of the Indian Navy and are all praise for their efforts, there has over the years been perceptible dip in the number of people and the enthusiasm over Navy Day and Navy Week.

At a time when world class frigates and war ships can be seen at the flip of a remote, are we beginning to get inured to the men who keep or should be keeping our seas safe?

No, says Resham Yewle, a 20-year-old management student, who gives a thumbs-up to the Navy, but feels they should do more to keep drug traffickers away. “The Navy is doing an excellent job especially where pirate attacks are concerned. But the drug trade in Goa is flourishing due to huge quantities of contrabands smuggled through,” says Yewale.

Then there are a few like Deep Shah who is doing all he can to make the cut and get into the Navy. He says, “The Indian Navy boasts of a number of brave heroes. In the war of 1971, when INS Khukhri was hit by a Pakistani torpedo, its commanding officer Capt Mahendranath Mullah chose to stay put on the vessel and went down with it. Recently, at Gateway of India, when a woman slipped into the choppy waters, it was a naval sailor who jumped in to rescue her. It would be an honour to be associated which such an institution,” says the 21-year old, who recently gave his Combined Defence Services exam.

Sunny Dhawale, a 23-year old student from Government Law College, believes that with the given resources, the Navy is at its best. The Indian Navy is the world’s fifth largest Navy in terms of personnel. He says, “The Indian Navy needs to increase its fleet and update its technology so that India’s defense can be at par with others.”

A 20-year-old freelance photographer Bhanu Pratap Singh, admits that the 26/11 terror attack was a blemish but quickly adds that just because a few terrorists got lucky it shouldn’t have a bearing on the Indian Navy’s image. “The recent pirate attacks on Indian merchant ships near the Somalian border are incidents where our Navy did their best. They swooped in to save the day, in spite of the tricky situation,” he points out and adds, “We don’t respect our armed forces when they are the ones who deserve it the most.”

However, many youngsters don’t consider it a lucrative career option. Arjya Pattnaik, a 23-year-old Zee TV executive producer, never considered joining the Navy or any armed forces. “Our society doesn’t allow women to opt for such careers. It is difficult for a woman to adapt to that kind of life style,” she adds.

Bhavna Kayasthe, 40, a teacher, thinks that the youth are not motivated enough as compared to the earlier generations who considered joining the armed forces as a matter of prestige. Today things like lifestyle, a high-flying career and money are all that the youth are after so the career in the armed forces pales in comparison.

“Very few youngsters consider joining the Navy. This could be because they are not aware of the work involved. But motivation is also a key factor, most youngsters want to lead a life of ease and luxury,” she adds.

The Public Relations Officer for Defence, Capt Manohar Nambiar says that the Navy has a lot more to offer to adventure-loving youth.

“The Indian Navy is a way of life. It’s an option for people who can take on challenges. It provides an opportunity to venture out on ships, to travel to different places and to meet people,” he adds.

Captain Nambiar says the Indian Navy have the best trained personnel working for them.  “We have technologically advanced services in which people are trained during the year on various aspects like ship maintenance and upkeep. Post the sixth pay commission, the pay package of the armed forces has seen a quantum jump. We have many women officers working under the Short Service Commission for a period of 10 to 14 years,” he adds.

The Navy PRO feels that things have changed drastically since the 26/11 terror attacks and a repeat occurrence of such an event is unlikely. “Unlike land where there are borders, the seas do not have any. The Navy along with the Coastguard has increased the surveillance of the Indian coastline, both in the East and West. We have definitely learnt something out of 26/11 and will not let such an incident occur again,” he assures.