A visitor to Admiral RK Dhowan’s office could well be bemused to find the Navy chief standing at the back of a specially-made desk and disposing of his official work. And he does so throughout the time he is in his office — “be it seven hours or eight hours”.
“I picked up this habit as a navigator during my younger days. I had to stand on the bridge of the warship for hours together as part of duty and the only chair placed there is meant for the captain of the ship,” he tells The Pioneer.
For Dhowan, this habit has become a part of his routine and above all, “standing and working does not make me feel lazy.” On a lighter vein, he points out: “This also discourages the visitor from wasting my time and stick to business talk.”
His day starts at 4.30 am with one and half hours on the treadmill. “I have to be on the treadmill or else I feel lost,” Dhowan says adding that he eats sparingly. “The workout also allows me to ponder over the work to be done on that particular day and prioritise.”
If Dhowan is a fitness freak, his Army and Air Force counterparts General Dalbir Singh Suhag and Air Chief Marshal Arup Raha match him with their own strenuous workout and dietary regimen.
Men in uniform have to look smart and fit. And the three Service chiefs live up to this image leading from the front. Sans pot bellies or extra flab, they can put any younger officer to shame with their fitness levels.
Army chief General Suhag runs five km on weekdays and 10 km on weekends.
“I became a running enthusiast during my school days and after joining the National Defence Academy (NDA) it was part of our training.”
“However, I do not stick to any dietary plan and unlike many others who do not eat at night I do eat home cooked food at night,” Suhag says.
Before becoming the Army chief, he used to run at various parks of the national Capital. But he had to revert to treadmill or a cycle due to security reasons after becoming the chief. “Simply put, I have to run at least five km day be it in the morning or evening,” Suhag points out with a smile.
For Air Chief Marshal Raha, being a fighter pilot, he has to remain fit and alert in order to fly sophisticated planes. He also prefers the treadmill but for him regular yoga is the reason behind his fitness level and him being in shape.
His aides point out their chief refrains from eating oily or spicy food. The IAF chief prefers to eat fruits and boiled food.
late night parties are a strict no-no for the trio. “We have to be fresh and alert the next morning,” they stress. This is a professional requirement too as they report regularly to the Defence Minister and the Prime Minister and cannot afford to be sloppy.