AFVOA Newletter August 2020

Section 2 – News / Updates from the Association CV 2 No. 02 / 2020 Page 20 of 237 Newsletter – Review, Feedback & Analysis RAGHU’S REAR VIEW MIRROR (Review of our Newsletter 01/20 by Cdr M Raghunath) Apart from the Patron’s benedictory message, the eBook begins with a concise preface recounting prominent past activities of AFVOA and setting a bright agenda for the future. By the way, that the patron was also the first president gets highlighted in the brief under the group photo of the past presidents. The calendar of events during the past year (2019-20) is amazing and makes members feel proud of their association. It is also heartening that ‘Hello Veterans’ goes beyond AFVOA membership to include all veterans in and around Chennai. The timely sinking of NRP Vega, a micro warship of Portugal indeed saved INS Delhi. The graphic details by Air Marshal Ramachandran bear ample testimony to his sharp memory! Visit to Chennai Metro Rail by Wg Cdr Ravichandran is an exciting journey above, below and through the city of Chennai. It is a project beyond one’s belief and reality. If you sow hundred seeds, only a few of them germinate. Col Balaswamy and his ilk must be having golden hands for the one and only seed that they planted has grown into a gigantic banyan tree called AFVOA through their tender nurturing. As a fellow Met Officer (from the Indian Navy), I envy Mohandas for the innumerable monkey tricks he had up his sleeves. Thank god that he did not have to borrow ‘Airavata’ ( ऐरावत ), Indra’s white elephant to drive away the elephant herds from his air station. What a marvelous island Bali is! It is truly the eastern outpost of Hinduism. On reading the exotic description of its culture, history, environment, business by Mrs Premilla Rajan, I am sad that it is