Call Sign " Mike India Kilo "

India's naval air fleet does long-range training flights and Oman was their favourite place to land for technical support and layovers.

A fleet of at least three to four accompanying Indian-built Dornier aircraft used to come a couple of times a year on their training missions.

Once on such a mission, I went to meet them on arrival to facilitate their requests.

On that occasion, they were on a short transit and the fleet commander informed that they wanted to go to the Duty-Free area to see the place and do some shopping as well.

I had to politely decline their request because all of them were dressed in military fatigues and the Royal Oman Police does not allow anyone in military fatigues to enter the transit area.

Arrivals and departures too were through strict security and with a proper escort only.

I explained the reasons for my decline, and the commander seemed puzzled.

He said, "On our last visit, one of your colleagues’ call signs, Mike India Kilo, allowed us to do so."

I thought that he was fabricating a story to gain access somehow, so I referred the matter to the ROP again.

The request was pointedly denied.

They were not much happy about the outcome and left after a couple of hours.

The incident was forgotten almost, but after some days I was trying to figure out who was my colleague with the call sign Mike India Kilo if the commander’s claim was legitimate.

Then I shared the incident with another colleague of mine and he immediately asked, "You don't know who Mike India Kilo was?"

I had to admit that I was clueless about it.

He said it was Ismail, and have you not seen the back of his high-viz jacket was marked with his full name in Initials’?

Mohamed Ismail Kurshid was his complete name.

So the commander was not fabricating anything, but I was curious as to how he managed such a stunt.

I asked Ismail when I met him next how he managed to give them access while they were in military fatigues.

He said that he told them if they wanted duty-free access, get into their civilian clothes, and a few changed to their civilian clothes and gained access.

He added the coup de grace, that those who love booze will do anything to secure their next fix.

PS.

Ismail was a master storyteller who had a tale or anecdote for any situation. A man with many life experiences, both good and bad, may this serve as a monument to him since he is no longer with us.