THE ROAD TO DESTINY

             “Dreams is not what you see in sleep it is something that does not let you sleep”        - Dr. APJ ABDUL KALAM

                                                                                                        This quote was the key, which unlocked my dreams. The day when I realized that I could not sleep at night because of my thoughts, I found that these thoughts are my dreams or the destiny, which I need to reach. Yes, my road to destiny was hard with lots of negative vibes, discouragements, underestimations and successive failures. I only decided that I should not regret later. I never take a loss easily. However, this journey made me to take each loss as a lesson to succeed. It all started in 2011, with an unintentional visit to Madras Regiment Centre, which wavered my entire path. Until then, I was aspiring to become an IAS officer. The defence establishments and turnouts naturally fascinates us. Similarly, it happened for me as well but the twist here is that my whole family were attracted towards it. My mother, who was serving in postal department at MRC, made a strong promise to herself that both her sons will be given to the army one day. Obviously, it might sound weird but she did it. With that same fascination, my father also insisted me to appear for Sainik school entrance examination.  I appeared but could not make it. Thereafter, I started focussing more upon my 10^th & 12^th grades and once after completing my schooling I gave a try for NDA with zero knowledge. This was my first failure in following my passion. Later on, I realized that there is something much more in the selection process of an officer in armed forces. I started to read about SSB, the game changer that did not let me sleep. Finally, I unlocked my dream and then the road to my destiny begun. The result of my First ‘10+2 Entry’ was screened out, second was conference out and 4 continuous screen outs after that. In the meanwhile, my college life started and I felt the need of tuning myself to become a perfect chap before attending the next SSB. I Joined NCC and became the best NCC cadet of Trichy group, joined public speaking club and became one amongst the finalists of ICTACT youth talk, learnt new games, increased my stamina, became the President of my department, won many prizes representing my college in tech fests and quiz competitions and soon I gained the confidence that I will make it one day. My pillars of confidence were Colonel Sivanathan sir and Wing Commander Gunasekaran sir. Both inspired me a lot during my NCC Republic day selection camps. This was the period when I as a student started transforming into a gentleman cadet.  After graduation, I appeared in NCC entry at Bangalore and got conferenced out. At There for the first time, I met a naval recommended candidate Mr. Tamilarasan. We met again at AFSB, Mysore. Unfortunately, we both got conferenced out but we became good brothers. I wonder why God made me to meet him twice but right after my recommendation, I realized the need. After that AFSB, he told me to contact Col. Balasubramanian sir who is running Shankar SSB academy. As soon as, Mr. Tamilarasan left to INA, I started to train under Col Balasubramanian, and I felt what actually the assessors in SSB really wanted. He regularly trained me over phone and soon the skills, which I developed in my college, collided with his teachings and I started to live like an officer. During my personal interview too I made the same statement that “I am already living like an army officer and thinking like an officer”. This should have been my scoring point as well. Yes, a defence aspirant should also think like an officer. I did the same.

I got the call letter for TGC to Kapurthala (31 SSB). I reported on time. I was screened in and told all my travel experience to the interviewer when he asked about my journey. My interview and psychology tests were perfect like an officer but my GTO days were average. I was cooperative and kind to all during GTO days. At the time of conference, there were discussions for about 10 minutes before calling me in. I knew that Group testing officer would have got some doubts and he was clarifying it by discussing with others. When I was called inside the hall, a colonel rank officer asked me, which was the most exciting event of all 5 days. I replied that GTO was exciting for me. All of a sudden, everyone was shocked and saw each other’s face. They too knew that my GTO score was less. He asked me again which test did I performed good. I said psychology. He asked that if you have done psychology well, then why you are saying GTO as the exciting one. I replied that I learnt new things in GTO and wherever I learn new things, I get excited. I was very natural throughout my selection process and that naturality was like an officer. According to Balasubramanian sir, one should think that he is always the best and he should be always like an officer. This strictly moulded me to reach the destiny, which I deserve.

PROFILE:

NAME         :  MOHAN KUMAR

EDUCATION  :  BE (EEE)