Lieutenant General .R.Gopal

It has been a long journey for many of us in the decades since college—a rollercoaster for me personally. Yet, what brings immense pleasure is watching close friends climb steadily, and seemingly effortlessly, up the ladder of success. The joy and satisfaction of seeing friends scale the heights of their careers are so profound that you must experience it to truly understand.

One such friend, Lieutenant General Gopal R, UYSM, AVSM, SM, of the 8 Gorkha Rifles, retires from the Indian Army today. Another mate, K.T. Ajith, the quintessential Kannur leftist-liberal bibliophile (if I may say so), who forsook a promising career as a Chartered Accountant to join the State Bank of India mid-career, will retire tomorrow as Chief General Manager.

Lieutenant General Gopal R (Retired) stands out. He held the reins of the prestigious Spear Corps, one of the largest and most operationally active corps of the Indian Army, headquartered in Dimapur, Nagaland. An alumnus of the Indian Military Academy, Higher Command Courses, and the National Defence College, Gopal has had an illustrious career encompassing command, staff, and instructional appointments. These include commanding an infantry battalion on the Siachen Glacier, a mountain brigade, and an Assam Rifles Range in South Assam. He was also among the first members of the team that established the Defence Command and Staff College in Botswana.

Gopal is unique for his unwavering commitment to a single goal: a career as a commissioned officer in the Army, pursued with enviable success. His love for the Army, his ambition, his dedication, and his uncompromising devotion to this goal set him apart. Unlike many of us, including myself, who harboured varied aspirations, Gopal’s sole obsession was to be a soldier—a choice he lived with unparalleled passion. What makes his retirement so remarkable, as no diamond could be, is his fulfilling and proud 40-year career in the infantry, a path he chose with singular focus.

I first encountered him at Model High School, Thiruvananthapuram, though we barely interacted then, as I was a different sort, with friends and priorities far removed from lessons or the NCC. Later, while at Mahatma Gandhi College, I would see him pass by every afternoon at precisely 3:40 p.m., speeding home from Mar Ivanios College on his bicycle. We greeted him daily with howls and catcalls, to which he responded with a shy smile before whizzing past, sometimes in his NCC uniform. We would yell “pattalam” (soldier). Now, I can proudly say that I am among the two or three who still dare to call him “pattalam” to this day.

Two years later, we were classmates at Mar Ivanios College, where I came to know him closely as a paradigm of dedication and honesty. His fascinations and indulgences were limited, unlike most of us. His primary passion seemed to be gathering knowledge—sometimes, one felt he was trying to know too much! A teetotaller, he likely left his share of spirits for me. I cannot forget an incident years ago in Tiruppur, when mobile phones were still the stuff of science fiction. Gopal sent me a letter informing me that his Gorkha would pass through Tiruppur (with the train number and time specified) and asked if I would collect a crate of beer. Did I need persuading? Though the train arrived eight hours late, I found a diminutive Nepali Gorkha standing on the platform, holding a crate of beer and a placard bearing my name.

The chaos that preceded his 1980 train journey to New Delhi for the Indian Military Academy interview and selection process remains vivid. An inebriated ticket examiner who tried to obstruct his travel nearly met a furious Gopal’s wrath, for the man was threatening his sole dream. Would he, for the love of God, let anyone shatter it? Fortunately, the situation was defused, and Gopal travelled without further hindrance.

Gopal has a unique trait: he seeks out old classmates, wherever they may be, visiting them during his vacations in Thiruvananthapuram. I have seldom seen such loyalty in anyone else. I, Christy, and Aravind will never forget the regal treatment we received as his guests in his Dimapur bungalow in December 2018. It was awkward and embarrassing when sentries at his gate saluted us each time we stepped out for a stroll or lounged on the lawn. As ordinary civilians, such deference was overwhelming, but looking back, we felt proud to be his friends and guests. That unique status mattered. The times we spent with him in Wellington, Coonoor—first as a Major and student at the Staff College, and later as a Lieutenant Colonel and Colonel—are unforgettable.

If I were to propose a role model for aspiring young people, it would be Lieutenant General Gopal R (Retired). His uncompromising ambition, earnest efforts, dedication, sincerity, and honesty in achieving his goals are exemplary.

Welcome, mate, to the world of civilians and the social media you long avoided. The honour of remaining our “pattalam” is yours alone. With immense pride, I conclude. (I just spoke to Raji, his wife, who said she’s at home waiting for him while he’s at his office in South Block.)