July, 1986. A guided missile frigate of the Indian Navy called INS Godavari docked near the Statue of Liberty at New York City. 15 years ago, a United States Navy aircraft carrier had steamed into the Indian ocean – threatening India for its action against Pakistan in the 1971 conflict. Years passed, and the first Indian naval ship to reach the US coastline was finally ready for its own performance.
It wasn’t missiles they fired off, but a rousing rendition of jazzy tunes, conducted by Manjit Singh Neer – the Navy’s most venerated musician. The naval ship was in New York as part of an International Fleet Review to mark the statue of Liberty’s bicentennial year, and few things build international camaraderie as well as music. Musicians from India’s armed forces have since played across the world – making music a viable career prospect within the military.
Music in the Indian Armed forces stems from a long and old tradition, usually dated to the arrival of the British in the 1700s. It’s never been about marching tunes alone – you can catch Mozart, Tchaikovsky, jazz, pop hits, Bollywood songs, Indian classical and even the Pirates of the Caribbean theme being played by various martial bands.
Victor Bhushnam remembers the life of being in one such band. For 35 years, he served as a civilian musician with the Electronic Mechanical Engineers, who fixed battle tanks and built bridges for the Army. Engineers need their music, and Victor was part of a 16-member band that provided it, along with a singer called ‘Crazy David’.
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