AFVOA Newletter August 2020

Section 7- From the Archives CV 2 No. 02 / 2020 Page 229 of 237 Aban Naidu was mentioning that AFVOA was looking for a suitable location to hold our annual picnic, Dr Thomas suggested that we could explore Camp Gloria. The place was truly idyllic with manmade structures blending with nature. There were trees providing shade, enclosures for ducks, geese children’s park and a beautiful medium sized auditorium fashioned in the Laurie Baker style and a few cottages and adequate clean toilet facilities and sweet drinking water and enough parking space. The picnic of the year was a great success. This became the permanent picnic location for the AFVOA ever since as till today no other place met all our requirements including the rentals. Our member of the editorial team Wg Cdr Ravi Mani has covered the “Meeting Gone by” in the News Letter 1 of 2002. Tribute to Wg Cdr Ravi Mani Ravi had that inherent quality of making friends by his courteous talk. His opening sentence while he talked over the phone was “Can I help you” Even a cynic would have been disarmed and would say “Thank you” Ravi theMet Officer had mademany friends from the sister Services in the Association. On Matters Air force, we relied on him totally to enhance membership. He was a volunteer for all occasions and never waited for somebody to tell him to take it on. He would do so on his own without a murmur. He served the Association as the Secretary and later as Vice President Very good with his pen; he was the Editor’s aide for the column “Meetings Gone By.” His unflinching loyalty and affection for the organization and in spite of being out of station in Belgaum has continued the membership and never misses to renew his contacts with old comrades whenever he visits Chennai. A living example of Camaraderie in the real sense between sister service officers of our Association. Sponsors for Newsletter In response to the request to members who are gainfully employed in business to sponsor an issue of the Newsletter, Major S. Balachandran, our founder Secretary, who was running a Service Station was the first volunteer to co-sponsor Newsletter 1 of 2002 dated 7 Feb 2002. A leaflet giving out the details of the Service Station was distributed to the members requesting them to patronise his venture. Meeting on 17 Feb 2002 – Participation by GOC The first meeting of the year 2002 on 17 Feb was remarkable as the attendance was large and was a heartening trend as the managing committee left no stone unturned to meet the expectations of the members. The highlights of the Meet were to formally honour senior veterans of the three services irrespective of whether they were members or not. That apart, the President had invited the GOC ATNKK Area Maj Gen AS JAMWAL AVSM, VSM and his wife to be guests for the function. The President Maj Gen Ram Naidu in his welcome address thanked the GOC and his wife for gracing the occasion and helping the Association by providing transport to