Page 88 - Leadership in the Indian Army

Sandeman, where the new CO, Lieutenant Colonel Lewis, was waiting for
him impatiently. Since he was to take over as the permanent Adjutant—till
now he was only officiating—his delayed arrival resulted in the

postponement of a patrol on which the battalion was to leave the same day.
Thimayya received a severe tongue-lashing for his tardiness, and had he not
been the Adjutant, would probably have faced disciplinary action. After this
inauspicious beginning, Thimayya realised that he would have to be careful
if he wanted to avoid trouble in future. Also, he did not want to give British
officers an opportunity to question the reliability of Indians when entrusted
with important assignments.

The other two battalions in the brigade comprised the Sikhs and Gurkhas.
There was considerable rivalry between the three units, especially on the
sports ground. The Hyderabads were always bested by the Sikhs in hockey
and by the Gurkhas in football. Being the only battalion with Indian
officers, they were also treated with derision and scorn. Thimayya decided
to change all this and undertook to train the battalion’s hockey team

himself. The Sikhs, who normally beat the Hyderabads by several dozen
goals, were surprised when they had to suffer a defeat, thanks to the
fighting spirit instilled by Thimayya among the Hyderabads. He also trained
the battalion band till it was almost as good as the Gurkhas, who were
reputed to have the best brass band in NWFP.
Lieutenant Colonel Lewis was one of the best officers Thimayya had
come across, and he soon became a role model for all the officers in the

battalion. Scrupulously fair in his dealings with both British and Indian
officers, he was a thorough professional who set very high standards for
himself, as well as the battalion. As the Adjutant, Thimayya was the closest
to him and learned a lot during this tenure. Very soon, the battalion began to
do well in every sphere and earned the grudging respect of the entire
brigade. During this time, several other Indians—Mohinder Singh Wadalia,

Mohammed Azam Khan and Kanwar Bahadur Singh—joined the battalion
after passing out from Sandhurst. Captain (later General) S.M. Shrinagesh,
who was senior to Thimayya, also came to the battalion from the Madras
Pioneers, which had been disbanded. The presence of a large number of
KCIOs enhanced the reputation of Indian officers in the eyes of the men,
who found that they were as good, if not better, than the British officers.
In 1934, a new CO took over. He was the exact opposite of Colonel

Lewis, and had very little interest in what went on in the battalion. He left