Kargil 1999 can be described as India's first war that we saw live on television. Millions of Indian realised for the first time, the discipline, dedication, and courage that characterise the armed forces. We watched in awe, humility and sadness the the sight of young men valiantly laying down their lives for the nation. People understood that these men were not just symbols of heroism. Like the rest of us, they too had families, dreams and desires.

Wing Commander R Ranganathan is one such man. He is not just another retired Air Force officer, but a remarkable academician too. Inspired by the Indo-China war, he left his civil career of research in forest pathology and decided to join the Indian Air Force. In 1964, he was commissioned in the Administrative Branch of the IAF and successfully completed his training in the sub-branch of Fighter Controllers as the topper in the course. He served as member of the Air Defence team and became a Category B Fighter Controller by 1970. 

Somewhere along, the academician in him took charge. In 1970 he pioneered efforts to establish the Air Force Intelligence School. Wing Commander Ranganathan was a distinguished teacher in this school and a building there has been named after him. Later he was the head of a Selection Centre for inducting personnel into the Indian Air Force. At the prestigious Defence Services Staff College in Wellington, he completed a course in inter-services training. He then went on to become a teacher in the Air Force Academy, Dindugul, and commissioned a number of courses for Flight cadets as Pilot officers. 

He then became the lone Air Force officer among 600 army officers, at the College of Military Engineering, Pune where he taught a range of subjects "from bomb disposal to management and methods of teaching" for 3 years. Interacting with officers of other services, he says, "was a nice experience". He completed his MBA degree at the Pune University at that time. He was then posted to Air Force Headquarters in New Delhi as the Chief of the Air Force Police personnel. This was in 1983. For the rescue work done in the aftermath of the assassination of former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi he was awarded a Commendation by the Chief of Air Staff, this year. His stay of five years in Delhi was very fruitful because as the head of personnel function, he did a lot of good work for the IAF that made him well-liked there. He then headed the Air Force School of Physical Fitness at Belgaum for a year. His last place of work before retirement was Air Force Station, Avadi, where he served as the Chief Administrative Officer. Here too he got a commendation.

Responsibilities as an Air Force officer did not diminish Wing Commander Ranganathan 's passion for learning. Despite his hectic schedule, he completed his M.Sc in Defence studies from the University of Madras, MBA from the University of Poona and the BGL degree from Annamalai University. Shortly before his retirement, he registered himself for a PhD in Defence Management with the University of Madras. After his retirement in 1993, he has served as the Dean/Head of the Department/Director of various management institutions in Chennai and is currently the Head of the Department of Management in the SRM Engineering College, a premier self-financing institution near Chennai.. 

It is interesting to note that despite being an Air Force person, Wing Commander Ranganathan has focused on Navy related topics for academic research. While in service, he submitted to the University of Madras, an M.Phil dissertation titled, "Indian Naval Strategy 2000 AD" in 1992. The dissertation was published in 1994. He then went on to work for a Doctorate degree, the topic for research being, "Induced Instability in the Indian Ocean Region". This was a study on strategy. He says, "a person outside the Navy can look at its requirements with more objectivity than one in it". In 1995, along with his PhD guide, Dr.Gopalji Malvia, he wrote an article titled, "Security Aspects of Indian Ocean Resource Management" for the Strategic Studies Journal published by the Aligarh Muslim University. 

All that was required for Wing Commander Ranganathan to become Dr.Ranganathan was the viva-voce to be conducted by the University of Madras. The sudden detection of throat cancer made him request the University to hold the viva-voce as early as possible. The Vice Chancellor of the Madras University took personal interest in the case, illustrating the fast work done by the University staff, quite in accordance with the Five-Star Status accorded to them by the accrediting agencies. 

The discipline one acquires being part of the armed forces was very evident during the viva-voce of this officer, conducted on October 5, 2000. Speaking to a captivated audience, Wing Commander Ranganathan touched upon the nuances of his study and his vision to see a united Indian Ocean Region. Later he defended his study on being questioned by the large audience a very convincing manner. The octogenarian retired Air Vice Marshall F.V.A.Scudder was the external examiner who conducted the viva-voce. He described the thesis as "brilliant". Other members of the audience remarked that this was perhaps the best Ph.D presentation ever seen at the University. 

The ever-smiling Wing Commander Ranganathan accomplished his cherished desire to hold a Doctorate degree on Oct 9, 2000, when, in another lightning move, more akin to the armed forces, the Vice Chancellor of Madras University, P Kodhandaraman, awarded the degree to this officer with effect from Oct 5, 2000 and got the letter personally delivered to him by hand of the officer's Guide, Dr Gopalji Malviya, another brilliant academician. But this is not all. As Dr.Gopalji Malvia says, " I recently discovered he is a very good poet and had composed several interesting poems including one on guidance for Ph.D. There is a lot more talent in him than what we have been made aware of so far!"