A Blueprint for J&K's Ex-Servicemen

Lt. Gen R S Reen

rsinghreen@gmail.com

A recent post on LinkedIn caught my attention. It was a lament, a familiar one, about the fate of our Ex-Servicemen (ESM). The perception, widely held, is that we are destined for a second career as security guards or logistics managers. It is a complaint born of frustration, a feeling that a lifetime of leadership and sacrifice has been reduced to a narrow, often thankless, professional existence.

It got me thinking. After a deep analysis of our situation, a few uncomfortable truths surfaced. The Army, in its benevolence, gives us pay, pension, healthcare, and accommodation. Yet, in doing so, it can inadvertently breed a certain dependency, a loss of that raw, entrepreneurial edge that drives others to build empires from scratch. We retire young, full of energy and experience, but often look for a safe harbour rather than a new horizon.

So, what can be done differently? The first, and most critical, step is a mindset shift. We, the Ex-Servicemen, must decide to be employers, not employees, unless, of course, a truly exceptional professional opportunity presents itself. We have led men and women in the most challenging circumstances; we are trained to plan, execute, and overcome. Why then do we settle for being cogs in someone else's machine?

To understand what we are capable of, one need only look at our brethren who have already blazed the trail. We have Col Gupta from Jammu, whose company, Senani Logistics, has become a significant player in the national capital. We have Col Subhash Deswal, the 'Carrot King of India', who turned a village in Bulandshahr into the nation's largest producer of English carrots through his company, Sunshine Vegetables. Then there is Col Ashit Mahapatra in Odisha, who co-founded Milk Mantra, a dairy cooperative that has grown into a Rs 100 crore enterprise, and also launched the successful EHA juice brand. In Delhi, we have 'Hum Fauji', a financial management company catering specifically to the armed forces community. And in Gurgaon, Col Sharma has built a construction enterprise that has successfully delivered five residential societies. Colonel Shabbir Sahid runs a successful online course on financial management across the globe.

These are not anomalies. They are proof of concept. They demonstrate that our training, honesty, and integrity are not just virtues for the battlefield but formidable assets in the marketplace.

My focus, however, is on my home, Jammu & Kashmir. We have a large pool of ESM from regiments like the Dogra, J&K Rifles, J&K Light Infantry, Sikh, and Punjab, mostly from our border districts. Our potential is immense, yet we remain unorganised. Our existing ESM organisations are often reduced to mustering crowds for rallies or serving political objectives. We are not an organised vote bank; we are a scattered population. A badge or a cap associated with a Sangathan is unproductive. Politics will not give us space beyond that of a party karikarta.

What we need is a paradigm shift. We need to move from being a league to an Enterprise. Here is my blueprint for a meaningful second innings in J&K:

The ESM Enterprise Model: I recommend all ESM to come back home, back to our roots. Let us form ESM Enterprises with headquarters in Jammu and Srinagar. We each take the risk of investing Rs 5 lakh, a sum most of us can spare. We build a work model that generates a minimum of Rs 50,000 a month, slowly scaling it up to Rs 3 lakh a month for our men, creating a legacy to hand over to the next generation in 15-20 years.

From Land to Market: Our land is our most vital resource. Instead of fragmented farming, we must adopt a single-crop model. Take a cue from Col Deswal, who exhibited his leadership to bring farmers together. Why can't we do the same with Rajma, which sells for nearly Rs 400 a kg and has a great shelf life? The Army itself is a massive market, and we can secure Government-mandated spaces in mandis to ensure our produce has a guaranteed market.

Building 'Sainik' Brands: We have the potential to build our own brands. Select a seed and build your 'Sainik Oil' to compete with established brands. The same applies to dairy. J&K has a milk deficiency of almost 50%. An ESM cooperative can bridge this gap. Start with one cattle unit and upscale. Milk Mantra started as a cooperative movement; there is no reason we cannot replicate that success in the Valley.

Tapping the Tourism & Hospitality Sector: J&K's economy is tourism-based. We have excellent houses, even in rural areas, with fewer people at home. The Gen Z traveller is looking for 'off-beat' locations. Pool your resources. Build a chain of food courts, say 50 of them, along the National Highways in J&K. Take a cue from the one on the highway at Pathankot. Have a common architecture, a standardised menu, and an SOP for hygiene like KFC. Name it 'Veteran Food Court'. Don't go for a franchise; build your own brand.

Organised Defence Logistics: Defence logistics in J&K is a big business but remains largely unorganised. All we need is a good logistics company, with Government support or assurance from the Department of ESM and the Ministry of Defence for business.

Most of our jawans have a working age of 20-25 years post-retirement, and officers have 10-15 years. With the faith in our officers and men that we have in our regiments, we can achieve this. Our Raising Day should not just be a social gathering but a platform for enterprise skill development.

Yes, there will be challenges. Sometimes greed kills initiative, or the ego of being a 'Retd. Equal' gets in the way. But every enterprise has a structure, from the corporate leader to its members. A senior officer can take your case to the Government, the Sainik Board, or the Military Authorities. With the new pool of Ex-Agniveers joining our ranks, who will have about ?20 lakh to begin with and fewer family liabilities, the timing could not be better.

Successful ex-servicemen corporation at state level like Punjab Ex-servicemen corporation (PESCO), UP Purva Sainik Kalyan Nigam Limited (UPPSKNL), Tamil Nadu Ex Servicemen Corporation (TESCO) can be replicated in J&K.

Let us stop being props for political rallies and start being seen as serious employers. Let the Government help us with policy support, not preference. Let us be part of an open market competition.

I could have taken a job anywhere in the country but decided to come back to my roots. I travel once a month and my calendar is full. If I can do it, so can you. We are all equally trained from a similar organisation. Let's unite and take the call. Let's build our next career, not as job seekers, but as job creators.

(The writer is a retired Lieutenant General of the Indian Army)