Dehradun, Sept. 28 -- Every so often, life presents us with coincidences so extraordinary that they feel like passages lifted from a novel rather than episodes from one's own life. Recently, I had one such experience-triggered by nothing more than an old photograph that came back into my life after nearly twenty-five years.

The photograph was taken at a function long ago in which I am seen presenting bouquets to two young ladies - Meghna and Sanyogita Singh. Meghna and Sanyogita are the granddaughters of one of India's most celebrated soldiers - the late Lt General Sagat Singh. The occasion was an inter school debate competition held in Delhi Public School, which had just been founded in Jaipur. We wanted to get Lt General Sagat Singh to...