Why do you want to join the Army?
"Okay KRITIKA, Tell me why do you want to join Army?"
His words echoed and with this my heart started beating at its maximum pace. Before going inside the IO's room I knew this question would be thrown at me but was not even bit prepared to have it as my first question of interview.
It's a question which is generally asked during all SSB interviews and honestly speaking I also prepared it beforehand. But in the fraction of seconds, Something resisted me from blabbering out the 'so called prepared answer'.
I took a deep breathe and started
"Sir, We all see dreams, dreams with open eyes, dreams that awaken our soul. I have also one such dream and trust me It doesn't let me sleep peacefully, I said with a smile on my face."
"When I was too young to understand the real definition of 'DREAM', I dared to dream. I dared to see myself in the uniform. Then I didn't even know if this organisation recruits women, I still dared to dream. The olive green ignited my soul and the burning desire to join the elite force only increased with time and those stars are that light, which keeps me illuminated always."
Now coming to the more practical and realistic part,
"With army comes the responsibility, responsibility of comrades next to you and countrymen behind you. The army life offers you challenges and only if you are having enough potential you challenge those 'challenges'. Certain core values are instilled into officers during training like loyalty, duty, respect, honor etc and every officer live with them for their entire life."
Before I could complete he interrupted me in between and asked the next question
"Kritika, What's the motivation behind all this? What exactly motivates you to join Army?"
Without giving much thought I said, Sir the National Emblem of India.
Everyday, it keeps me reminding that I am here for a purpose, for a bigger purpose. I was fortunate enough to be born in this country that produced heroes like Capt Manoj K Pandey, Capt Vikram Batra and many other brave hearts. They made the supreme sacrifice to uphold and protect the Constitution, National flag and National Emblem of India against all odds. May be I will never get an opportunity to die for the nation but at least I can live for it and do my part. That's all Sir, That's all motivates me to join the army.
His words echoed and with this my heart started beating at its maximum pace. Before going inside the IO's room I knew this question would be thrown at me but was not even bit prepared to have it as my first question of interview.
It's a question which is generally asked during all SSB interviews and honestly speaking I also prepared it beforehand. But in the fraction of seconds, Something resisted me from blabbering out the 'so called prepared answer'.
I took a deep breathe and started
"Sir, We all see dreams, dreams with open eyes, dreams that awaken our soul. I have also one such dream and trust me It doesn't let me sleep peacefully, I said with a smile on my face."
"When I was too young to understand the real definition of 'DREAM', I dared to dream. I dared to see myself in the uniform. Then I didn't even know if this organisation recruits women, I still dared to dream. The olive green ignited my soul and the burning desire to join the elite force only increased with time and those stars are that light, which keeps me illuminated always."
Now coming to the more practical and realistic part,
"With army comes the responsibility, responsibility of comrades next to you and countrymen behind you. The army life offers you challenges and only if you are having enough potential you challenge those 'challenges'. Certain core values are instilled into officers during training like loyalty, duty, respect, honor etc and every officer live with them for their entire life."
Before I could complete he interrupted me in between and asked the next question
"Kritika, What's the motivation behind all this? What exactly motivates you to join Army?"
Without giving much thought I said, Sir the National Emblem of India.
Everyday, it keeps me reminding that I am here for a purpose, for a bigger purpose. I was fortunate enough to be born in this country that produced heroes like Capt Manoj K Pandey, Capt Vikram Batra and many other brave hearts. They made the supreme sacrifice to uphold and protect the Constitution, National flag and National Emblem of India against all odds. May be I will never get an opportunity to die for the nation but at least I can live for it and do my part. That's all Sir, That's all motivates me to join the army.
He was looking straight into my eyes and observed my body language keenly and as soon as I finished my answer he asked "Kritika as I can see you have not given any Navy SSB. Why? Does the same national emblem not motivate you enough to join it?" (Some of us were being interviewed in 33 Naval SSB and ultimately he was a Naval officer.)
There was sarcasm in his last question.
'Tricky one' I thought.
"Sir, I don't fulfill the eligibility criteria for Navy, not from engineering background.
So in next birth, may be."
And we both laughed. The interview continued for nearly 1 hour and 20 mins.
As soon as I came out of the room, the reality hit me hard.
These are not the answers you are supposed to give in an interview and specially when you are sitting for your SSB interview, I thought.
But one thing I realized that day that there are some instances when you just want to be you, when you don't try to manipulate your emotions.
May be after all these years I finally found the answers of my own questions or may be I have found the reason of my existence.
There was sarcasm in his last question.
'Tricky one' I thought.
"Sir, I don't fulfill the eligibility criteria for Navy, not from engineering background.
So in next birth, may be."
And we both laughed. The interview continued for nearly 1 hour and 20 mins.
As soon as I came out of the room, the reality hit me hard.
These are not the answers you are supposed to give in an interview and specially when you are sitting for your SSB interview, I thought.
But one thing I realized that day that there are some instances when you just want to be you, when you don't try to manipulate your emotions.
May be after all these years I finally found the answers of my own questions or may be I have found the reason of my existence.
U r right fauji sahab, even i went through all these feelings, nd seriously this happen when u came out ,u found that u have done some mistakes....like u should not become so emotional inside . ..but dear this is a profession which only can be done with true emotion nd ssb mai na chahte hue bhi u took out ur inner person. ..as it is a SSB.....to emotions h to bhar to aana hi hai.....but if our emotions are damm true ....no one can stop us......even aftr getting emotional in ssb also.....and yess...u r great my dear. ....u wrote perfect......highly appreciated fauji sahab😎
ReplyDeleteKritikaaaaa this post made my day. Though you told me each and everything after coming to room but reading it again made me more proud of you. With every passing day we learn and we grow but we faujis, we get close to our dream too. So proud of you as a friend as a true soul!! :*
ReplyDeleteI finished the entire post in about 2 minutes but something in me persuaded me to go over the account, again and again. And now I'm getting restless to comment. Whatever you said during your interview are the exact words a die-hard aspirant feels/thinks/wishes to say/wants to do in life. You're one of those who are not only passionate for the forces but will also be a supreme asset for the organization, if once stepped into it. A great friend, mentor, inspiration, compassionate soul that you are; you're bound to bring zillions of laurels. I feel uber blessed to have crossed paths with you, for you just bring out the best on the table! Luck may not be favouring you at the moment but trust me, no one can ever take away the undying passion and committment you have towards your aim. We all ought to learn, motivate and execute from you. Wishing you nothing but the best, the best is yet to come and when it will come, it will sweep you right off your feet. :*
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteWhat is the end resul u finally selected?
ReplyDelete