Brig Yeshwant Desai, AVSM

My association with Brig Yeshwant goes back to 1952 when I was posted to the Signals Directorate as GSO3 (Traffic and Procedure) and he was the GSO2(Comns). I can rightly say that he was the one who introduced me to staff work at Army HQ and dealings with the Ministry of Defence, which was to stand me in good stead for my subsequent tenures at the Directorate. It is almost over six decades ago, but I cannot recall any situation that ruffled him. Needless to say there were many, in the early days of establishing procedures and standardising the functioning of Signal Centres'. The General Staff at Army HQ, as we saw it, had little depth of knowledge of communications problems. He, to his credit, resolved almost all of them at his level. His demeanour, as an immediate superior, was polite and understanding. Guidance to junior staff was based on thorough knowledge and clarity of thought. A good lesson to have learnt in one's early years.
I had the pleasure of meeting him at a recent SOinC's Conclave Social a couple of years ago and he was his usual cheerful and affable self. Little did one realise that would be a farewell meet. In him the Corps has lost a veteran whose qualities of an officer and gentleman could and should be well emulated. He and his wife Suhas were a very likeable couple and they made both junior officers and others feel comfortable in their company.
We invoke the Blessings of God for the departed soul and strength and courage to his wife and the family to bear his physical absence with fortitude.
Lt Gen MS Sodhi (Retd)