AFOVA Newletters of Year 2000

Page 15 of 22 ARMED FORCES VETERAN OFFICERS ASSOCIATION AFVOA NEWSLETTER # 5/2000 Dear Member: When this newsletter reaches your hands, we would have celebrated both the Dusserha and Deepavali - the Festival of Lights. Though the festivals are widely celebrated, the significances are possibly seldom remembered. The former relates to the victory of good over evil. Legend has it that Ravana had ten heads. But one wonders – did he really have ten heads? Ravana, was a scholar and well versed in tire fine arts, but suffered from some reprehensible negative qualities. As one learned man mentioned each of the ten heads symbolises a negative quality – anger, envy, jealousy, violence, selfishness, adamancy and obstinacy, et al. And the victory symbolizes the destruction of all these negative qualities. How much good it will do, if only we recall the legend, and strive to get rid off all our negative qualities! Deepavali, appropriately called the Festival of Lights, signifies banishing darkness (ignorance) and ushering in light (knowledge). Over the years, the Festival of Lights has become the festival of noise – what with firecrackers resounding to unbelievable levels of decibels. Thus it was a very good omen, to note that a large number of children particularly in New Delhi – the capital, decided to shun noise-defying crackers, and concentrate on lighting lamps/diyas so as to dispel cobwebs in the minds and enlighten ourselves. Having served in the Armed Forces, we as veterans should not rest on our laurels, but continue to play a positive role in shaping the destiny of the Society and the Nation at large. It is rather strange to note that the media – visual in particular be it the popular KBC show or debates on defence related matters, the sunny south is neglected. Even the USI has not held any meeting in the southern region. A large number of distinguished defence luminaries have made Chennai as well as other cities in the South as their home. In order to make our presence felt, we should organize awareness programmes on National Security and its ramifications and invite distinguished guests from various walks of life – such as bureaucrats, police, businessmen, academicia, media personnel, informed civilians and members of the public to take part in such deliberations. Only then will our presence as an organization be felt. In view of this, the AFVOA is contemplating to organize such programmes. *(Please see stop Press). The Meeting Gone By The fifth meeting of the year was conducted on the 24 th of September, at the Community Centre of the Defence Officer’s Colony (DOC). In spite of the dark clouds, and occasional lightening, it was a very pleasant evening that greeted the large gathering of over 150 people who had turned up. New Members