I still feel we are 'Captains' only while in command of a ship. I am a proud Master Mariner.
During the last company seminar while people were introducing themselves, there was only one master who didn’t prefix his name with a Captain. He said his name is Rakesh R, Master, so and so vessel. He probably was the youngest of the lot. Everyone else prefixed their names with a Capt.(maybe there were others, but I did not notice). At least an overwhelming majority made sure they had the prefixes in place.
While attending a course where 19 of the 23 of us were master mariners and some had over 20 years in command. Yet again while we were asked to introduce ourselves the majority had prefixes in place. But toward the end of our course there was a concern raised by a fellow master mariner. A genuine one I should think. It happened when we were handed our course certificates to check for any errors. He pointed out that while none of the Master Mariner candidates had a Capt prefixed the course coordinator and the principal had their prefixes in place. Now that he said was injustice. After all both of them had discontinued active sailing before some of us had begun our careers. Someone said they needed it so their egos remained massaged!
Why do we need to? Do we not have enough ego massages onboard. Why do we have to carry it down the gangway. Yes it is a matter of pride to be called Captain. It feels nice. An ego massage. But should we not take an initiative to make sure we are addressed right. Why should we get our authority or pride only because we have a prefix. Why should it not suffice that we run an ship as well as we can and then drop the prefix as we go down the gangway .
Why get offended if people don’t call you sir. It is the colonial hangover that still forces us to sir everyone. You don’t have to be knighted to be sirred. You just have to be Indian. And if from the south even better.
The armed forces carry their rank to their grave and beyond into peoples’ minds. They serve the nation. We serve some greedy ship owner intent on milking every bit he can squeeze out of us. It would only serve his purpose to massage our egos and call us captain. We don’t serve these ship owners when we sign off the articles. Then why the rank. Drop it. Live the name your parents gave you. Or theone you chose. Be a proud captain when in command. When not, be happy who you are. Take pride in the four stripes and the blues. But please shed them for your civvies when you get off the gangway. We have our own Captains while at home. Let us massage their egos and everything else . Keep them happy till they push us out to get more bread. And then we can come back, don our blues with the stripes and shout into radios.
