Page 58 - Leadership in the Indian Army

In 1926, Nathu Singh was posted to 10/7 Rajput, which was the regiment’s
training battalion, at Fatehgarh in the United Provinces. He was there for three
years before being posted back to his parent battalion in 1929. During his stay in
Fatehgarh, he continued his association with Congress leaders, such as the Nehrus,
Muhammad Ali Jinnah and Sarojini Naidu, whom he had met while giving
evidence before the Skeen Committee. The committee, which had been appointed
in 1926 with Sir Andrew Skeen as Chairman, was to examine the possibility of
setting up an Indian Sandhurst. Pandit Motilal Nehru and M.A. Jinnah were
members, along with several others. The committee examined 122 witnesses,
which included commanding officers, KCIOs, their parents, and VCOs. Among
the KCIOs who gave evidence were Cariappa and Nathu Singh. It was during this
period that Pandit Motilal Nehru, who resigned from the committee in March
1926, heard about Singh’s desire to leave the service. A nationalist to the core,
Singh was unhappy serving the Indian Army—an instrument of British power.
Motilal Nehru spent a couple of evenings at Nathu Singh’s house in Fatehgarh,
where he also met some British officers and their families. He strongly advised
Singh to stick to the army instead of joining the national movement or the political
department of the Government of India, or return to Dungarpur State Service, all
options that Singh was considering. Nathu Singh followed this advice and
continued to serve in the army, even though his heart was not in it.
While in Fatehgarh, his battalion was graced by a visit from the C-in-C, Field
Marshal Sir William Birdwood. All the officers had been lined up to be introduced
to him. Nathu Singh was wearing a safa (turban) instead of the usual regulation
hat. He had been wearing the safa ever since he had been commissioned and,
surprisingly, no one had objected to it. When the C-in-C reached Nathu, he
mistook him for a VCO, who normally wore such headgear. Shaking his hand, he
asked in Hindustani: ‘ Kaisa hai, Sahib ?’ (How are you?) VCOs were usually
addressed as ‘Sahib’, as JCOs in the Indian Army are even today. Without batting
an eyelid, Nathu replied, also in Hindustani: ‘ Bahut accha hai, Sahib. ’ (Very
well, Sir.) By now, the CO had realised the confusion and introduced him to the C-
in-C, as Mister Nathu Singh. The Chief quickly said: ‘How do you do, Nathu
Singh?’ Once again, he replied: ‘Very well, Sir.’
Nathu Singh returned to 1/7 Rajput, which was in Razmak, in Waziristan, in
1929. The battalion moved to Peshawar in 1930, and in the following year Nathu
Singh was promoted Captain. Soon after this, the C-in-C, Field Marshal Birdwood
again visited the battalion. He enquired about the number of Indian officers
present in the unit. When told that Nathu Singh was the only one, he came up to
him and said: ‘How are you getting on? Remember, one of these days you will
command this battalion. Learn how to do it now, so that you can do it well in
battle.’