Why Indian Army Officers Are Lifted on a Chair: The Story Behind the Jolly Good Fellow Tradition

A few years ago, in 2022, a heartwarming video surfaced online. It quickly won the hearts of civilians, and for many Army officers, it sparked a sense of pride and joy, bringing wide smiles across the nation.

In the video, Lt Gen KJS Dhillon, PVSM, UYSM, YSM, VSM, was being carried on a chair by fellow Army officers while everyone around him sang in chorus, “He’s a jolly good fellow, so say all of us.” The scene was filled with cheers and the warmth of camaraderie that defines life in uniform.

What many people saw in that viral moment was not just a cheerful celebration—it was a long-standing Officers’ Mess tradition that marks an important milestone in an officer’s journey.

The ritual usually takes place when an officer is bidding farewell to a unit or formation—whether due to a posting, promotion, retirement, or completion of command. During the farewell evening in the Officers’ Mess, once the formal speeches and toasts are over, the atmosphere shifts from ceremonial to celebratory. That is when fellow officers gather around, lift the departing officer onto a chair, and begin singing “For He’s a Jolly Good Fellow.”

Carried around and out of the mess amid laughter and applause, the officer is quite literally lifted by the camaraderie of his peers. The act symbolises appreciation, respect, and affection from those he has served with.

It is the mess’s way of saying: you were one of us, and you will always remain one of us.

Jolly Good Fellow tradition has its roots in the military mess culture inherited from the British Army. The modern Indian Army evolved from the old British Indian Army, and with it came several long-standing regimental practices, especially those associated with life inside the Officers’ Mess.

The song itself dates back to the late 18th century and became widely popular in Britain as a cheerful way to celebrate someone’s achievements or mark an important occasion. While each unit may add its own flair to the celebration, the spirit remains the same: a joyful salute to a comrade who has been an integral part of the team and whose memories will remain long after he’s gone from the mess.

To an outsider, the sight of officers executing the tradition may appear unusual. But within the military, it carries a feeling that runs much deeper. The song, the laughter, and the symbolic chair lift all reflect the affection and respect of fellow officers. It is the mess’s way of acknowledging that the departing officer has been part of something larger than himself—a unit, a regiment, a brotherhood.

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