Last Day in the Academy

13th July 2013


9.30AM

                         Finally the day has arrived. As the last duty officer, I have been informed by our Course Director Nidhi Ma'em that we would be relieved on the forenoon. Accordingly i inform my fellow officer trainees. I meet Our other Faculties Meera Ma'em and Sonzalian before i leave the building.As i am leaving,  I happen to meet Mr Negi our  PT instructor who warmly shakes my hand and wishes me the very best in life .

As i step out of the building , I take the opportunity to capture the beautiful Academy Building for the last time

11.30 AM

                        We make a beeline for the Academy office and collect our relieving orders and our service books from Satyajit . I go with Amit Patodi to do the same..somehow for a change, even the ever jolly Amit is strangely silent as we walk along the hallowed corridors of the Academy together for the last time. As my mom is undergoing treatment in Delhi, I have already made travel arrangements to leave for Delhi that very evening.

1.15 PM

                         Amit, Prashant, Harish, Mehraj and I go down to the mess room for the last time. We have our lunch together for the last time. It suddenly dawns on me that my batchmates have been my family for the last two years and that in a matter of hours we will all be going our different ways. I would be missing the loud chatter of Mehraj speaking on his phone or Khalid always greeting with "ki haal hain Hambert" or our beloved Chandershekar with his nonstop chatter , Lokesh Nirapure my wallmate for two years always banging my door to wake me up, Harish with his constant support Sanjay always bringing cheer to my face and making me smile even when i was down , those gandhi road jaunts to Mughal darbar with Sripati, our happy go lucky Lokpriya, and our 'bhai' Hemant who would supply me endless supply of sweets , Vivek with his trademark galis , Prashant whom I would always disturb and Sunny with his smart salute whenever he saw me and most of all, Amit who has always been by my side playing pranks on each other .

3.00 PM  

                         Khalid , Vijay and Mehraj are leaving. We hug each other as we see them off . I try hard not to show my tears .

                        A Few minutes later, its the turn of Lokesh to leave. we all see our Daddu off as he boards the auto. We see lokesh for the first time trying hard to hold back his tears as the auto leaves . Amit and I return back to our rooms and Amit helps me finalise my packing .

9.00PM

All packed and ready to quit room no.40 North Hostel

                 
Amit and I go to the South Hostel where we join Sanjay and his wife for a quick dinner. Amit and I share food for the last time. After that i go to Sunny's room who remind me to inform him when my auto would arrive .





10.20 PM

                    Naved, the autodriver I had asked to come and pick me up has finally arrived. As i take my bags down assisted by Amit, i find my remaining batchmates waiting down near the auto to see me off. Theres Priyanka Sarin, Urvashi , Mudasir, Santosh , PC , Hemant , Lokpriya , Seema H all waiting to bid me farewell. I hug each and everyone of them with promises to keep in touch. in the melee and flow of emotions , i decide not to see Sunny knowing very well that if I met him, I simply won't be able to control my tears no more. Sorry Sunny, you were simply soo dear to me that I couldnt bear to meet you for the last time knowing that I would have cried like a baby .

                      As i sit in the auto, Amit squeezes in next to me. As the Auto starts, amit and i silently travel. As we reach South Hostel, Amit quietly gives me a last hug and i hold back my tears as Amit gets down from the auto and we part our ways. The auto moves on and Naved the auto driver tells me that if I am ever in Dehradun again to definately call him again .

                       I tell Naved to stop when we reach the Main FRI building. I get down and take one last good look of the beautiful grounds around me which had been my home for the last two years. I get in, trying hard to hold my tears in as Naved started the auto.

11.55 PM 

                   I leave by the Dehradun AC express for new Delhi to be with my parents before I join active service serving the Government of Meghalaya with all my dedication and efforts. I recall my days at the academy as i am sitting in my seat.
                   I remember telling Hamklet on my first day at the academy that I would hate it here in the Academy but now realising that these Two beautiful glorious years in the academy were diamonds etched forever and shinning brightly in my life . All I can do for now is look at the photos on my mobile and relive each and every single day of the two glorious years gone by .

05.45 AM
I meet Prashant, harish and Uday at the station exchanging farewells. I look around in vain for Sripathi who was on the same train but I see him no more. So i Take the taxi to Rajiv Gandhi Cancer Hospital  where my Dad would be waiting to receive me .