AFVOA Newsletter 03 of 2020

Section 2 – News / Updates from the Association CV 2 No. 03 / 2020 Page 16 of 167 in sports in Services is enchanting. It was remarkable that his father achieved excellence in football when there was no tangible reward for the sportsman beyond some halfhearted recognition. How true is the adage -“The battle of Waterloo was won on the playing fields of Eton”! How many of you know that Arulanandam is our own Sherlock Holmes! His clue solved the mystery of a crash of AN-12 aircraft. More than the clue, he needs to be congratulated for successfully convincing Inspectors Lestrade, Gregson and their ilk in the Air Force. He may very well write a monograph on the AN-12 flap system! Crossing the Line Ceremony is an age old tradition in most navies. In the olden days, the sail ships were at the mercy of harsh weather. From Europeans shores, to venture into southern hemisphere through hurricanes and storms and to return safely after six or twelve months were no mean achievements. Sarathy details accurately how crossing the equator is celebrated in the Indian Navy. There is an interesting aside. In the wardroom on board a ship (the Officers’ Mess), setting elbows on the dining table is strictly prohibited unless you had crossed the equator. One elbow for just one crossing and both elbows for multiple crossings – is the general rule. Time and tide wait for no man. Brig Subramanyam and his men literally toiled for many days to ensure civilian punctuality for the national flag to be hoisted at the appointed time on the Independence Day. The success of his operation depended on the efficiency of the extensive communication network he had set up through the streets of Delhi. What a momentous occasion for a ten year old Krishnasami to sit in a pavilion enclosure and watch the very first hoisting of India’s tricolor! And that in the company of Melville de Mello! Many of us still remember the pleasure of listening to de Mello reading the 9 p.m. news in his resonant and mellow tone of voice. Does it make any difference whether the author spells his last name as ‘Mello’ or as ‘Mellow’ in the title of the article? Once Rajaji met de Mello in an official gathering. He could not recollect the name of the guest. At the same time, it would be an affront to ask directly a distinguished personality for his name. Rajaji approached de Mello and introduced himself, “I am Rajagopalachari.” Who would not know Rajaji! Melville took the hint and with a smile responded, “I am Melville de Mello.” Sivasailam’s caricature of humor in civil services is interesting. The poor station master must have waited an eternity for response from his divisional superintendent as the tiger finished his human meal on the platform. There was a collector in Cuddalore (some eighty years back). He traveled by his own car on an official visit to Panruti some fifteen miles away. The audit returned his claim for mileage on the ground that he should have used rail service for his visit. The collector responded: ‘road inspection’. The AG returned the claim again with a note that the explanation was acceptable for onward journey and