Positive attitude in Corporate life: The National Defence Academy way This is dedicated to my Alma Mater National Defence Academy and my course mates buddies seniors and instructors and all Ex NDAs since first pass out. That place gave us so much in life to learn and most important to have a positive attitude always come what may.

1. Positive attitude in Corporate life
Remembering
The National Defence Academy ways
Positive
Attitude
BY LT COLONEL (RETD)VIKRAM BAKSHI
( Ex NDA 1986-1988 Batch )

3. What are some examples of Positive Attitude in Army
Parlance related to also Corporate and personal life ?
 Cross obstacles with result in sight
 Jump and Swim in sea of problems with Josh and Hosh

 Last out the process with endurance and as a team without leaving any stragglers
 No wastage of resources
 Train your team and carry them
 Run for miles and not in yards
 Discipline and Punctuality
 Never lose hope
 Give a tough fight to your competitor
 Take Strong medicine on your chin
 Celebrate success

4. Where I learned positive attitude
NATIONAL DEFENCE ACADEMY
• In my case when ever at age of 45 years old now, if I am in doubt over changing to a
negative attitude I go for a memory trip .
• Being in Pune, I always go back for a drive to Khadakwasala National Defence
Academy and spend time there reminiscent old days in this fine cradle of leadership.
• The course mates and instructors all come back rushing in my memory lane as if it is
happening now

5. Where I learned positive attitude
FLASH BACK
27 YEARS BACK

6. Cross obstacles with result in sight
• There used to be many Physical tests that were mandatory to
pass before going to next term. I was good and ok in most of
the Physical test against many of my course mates who were NEVER SEE THE
excellent. Anyway there was one Test I encountered in my BEGINNING NEAR EDGE OF
third or fourth term which was 9 feet ditch. I crossed and AN OBSTACLE
jumped over comfortably initially like others despite many
were hesitant .
• Anyway one day I slipped over and twisted my ankle. When
I recovered in realized I was not able to cross over due to
some mental block of hurting myself again. I had a full battle
gear on me with a rifle and we were all suppose to jump in air
and cross that 9 feet width ditch which was also 4 to 5 feet
deep. I realized if I missed the far edge or did not take the
leap from the initial edge of ditch in time I would go hurtling
down an break my leg again .
• I felt ashamed of my fear also and decided to come later in
evening on my own and overcome that fear. In evening I
was all alone and contemplated how to overcome my stupid
fear. There was my PT teacher who was cycling home and he
stooped. I told him sheepishly that I was sacred of the
obstacle and how to overcome that fear.
• He told me something that has been with my attitude rest
of life. I was doing the mistake of watching the initial
edge where I was suppose to take the leap of faith in air ALWAYS JUMP OVER AN
and was stopping before it as I was not confident that I
would land in far edge after flying in air for 9 feet. The OBSTACLE WITH FAR EDGE IN
trick was to see the far edge as I ran with speed toward
the ditch with my rifle . SIGHT. TAKE THAT LEAP OF
FAITH THAT YOU WILL NOT GET
• I did that not bothered when and where I tool the leap of faith
in air and wow…I landed much ahead of 10 feet also and I HURT TO FALL IN DITCH BUT
ran back and did that again and again never bothering what
and where was the obstacle starting, just took the leap of faith CROSS OVER
in unknown and landed safely across the obstacle.

7. Jump and Swim in sea of problems
but with Josh and Hosh
• We had a 10 mtr jump in swimming pool
test and as usual it was initially bit fearful.
• It's like 5 stories high to give you goose
bumps
• It was not bad to fear but aim was to
over come the fear of sea of problems.
• Anyway I devised a plan to overcome my
initial hiccups, I avoided standing at
jump board 10 mtr above water like a few
and see the depth and then turn back in
fear.
• I then used to run with speed on the
diving board with Josh and take that
leap of faith in air without much
thinking and jump into the pool
• As soon as in entered depths of pool
water….my josh was over but due to cry of
my lungs gasping for oxygen, I switched
over to being conscious of danger and
swam upwards for my lungs to get oxygen JUMP WITH JOSH IN SWIM WITH HOSH
ANY PROBLEM

8. Last out the Endurance March of
a challenging work as a team
In work also , carry all weak and non
• We used to have 25 to 30 km cooperative team ,members against
endurance run competition over wild their curses but bring them close to
terrain and mountains with full battle end of a project with as a team .. You
gear and rifle in hand.
will be hated also at times but do it
• The team that won, where I was party carry all especially those who crib
to such wind in my sixth term and also against their wishes
fourth term was that we carried our
weak runners also with us. At times we
carried our mates rifles also.
• We all closed in as a team and did not
allowed any stragglers.
• The team that comes as a combined
without stragglers with least
amount of time taken was the
winner.

9. No wastage of Resources
• I remember the words my firing One Shot One Kill .
instructor used to say…Hold the
trigger, steady your breath , watch the Get results first time
target and unleash a single shot of
death. without rework
• This learning was save your
resources and use it economically and
for effect to its completion.
• You may never get a second chance
again as enemy will shoot the second
bullet on you if you miss first time.
• Same was in project execution, use
your resources economically and
timely and for its aiding in
completion.

10. Identify the limit where you can train
your team and does not break them
Such training was very much required
Training discipline go hand in hand as it made all mentally tough to endure
With welfare and fun physically pain
TRAINING
FUN

11. Run for miles and not in yards
Be the guy who builds and preserves his
stamina to speed up in end and mental
• Cross Country 14 KMs. toughness to last the whole race, when
The whole academy breath is failing you, till end come up in
takes part with inter early finishes of work completion in life.
squadron competition.
There also team work
matters.
• The squadron that closes
with all its cadets in early
timing enclosures with
less stragglers is the
winner.

12. Discipline and Punctuality Matters
• Discipline in Drill at drill square • life is all about that in same
and synchronized movements . context of doing work in
or in academic classes means time with synchronized
to be in correct time and in related activities
correct place with a perfect turn
out dress.

13. NEVER LOSE HOPE
GET BACK TO YOUR FEET!
• I fell sick in my fourth term terribly sick and • Medical illness will come and go, let it not
had to undergo a life saving surgery against defeat you till you can breath . Do as much
a tumor despite losing my kidney to tumor in as you can till your body reacts . Soul is
that operation. never dead.
• All had lost hope on my career also if I will
be retained also in NDA and complete my
training.
• Even in post operative rehabilitation as
there was too much work to do on me by
physiotherapist but thanks to my mates who
took extra hours with me to get me my
strength and fitness back in gym
• I fully worked back to my fitness and did
camps and cleared all my physical
endurance test . I was always Medical
shape One for next 20 years in Army life
• I served in all parts of the country and was
at fore front of all activity and still kicking
alive.

14. Give a tough fight to your competitor
Be Gracious and Sportsman ship
in losing to a better guy but after giving it all in own efforts
• I was not the boxing kind either technically or experienced , but
was pushed into Boxing ring by fate, probably my instructor saw • Feel Happy for a better
the fighting streak in me . guy who may have
worked harder and
• There was a senior called as nick named Junior Mike Tyson beaten you squarely .
famous for knock outs. He had been boxing all his life from
military school and was heavier and muscled than me
• Be inspired and
• My squadron had already worn on team points and individual
encouraged to do better
event of mine final heavy weight was left that would not have next time
made much difference to my team results. Hence I was
satisfied in my team results
• Unfortunately for me , I met this Mike Tyson in finals, he could
have won easily from me on technical points with more number
of punches on me , but he had a point to prove to knock me
out. Unfortunately for him also , I was not willing to get
knocked out without giving a real fight to him.
• It was the most ugly and bad fight and I lost out to a better guy
by a few narrow points , but for me I had a personal victory
that I lasted all the rounds alive but so what with swollen lips
and broken tooth and closed bruised eyes.
• Both of us went to hospital later but we became friends for life
time. He knew he was lucky to have won that fight narrowly
but we respected each other for inner resolve that we

15. Take Strong medicine from your well meaning senior/superior without
any ego problems if done something wrong
The same seniors look after us later also

16. Celebrate success after going through a difficult
journey to get your goal
The first passing out Parade

17. NDA MOTTO
Karmanevadhikaraste ma phaleshu kadachina
(Your duty is action with no eye on the fruits it will bring)
This ideal has guided the noblest of men, such as Gandhi and Lincoln.
It is important to remember that this ideal
does not remain confined to a few specific kinds of action;
it stresses that in thought and deed in every sphere of life
the self has to be subordinated to a higher end, a nobler purpose.