AFVOA Newletters of Year 2002

Page 23 of 84 ensuring that there was a manageable numbers at either of the counters. The evening came to a very pleasant end with each one of us carrying warm memories of time well spent. Letter received from Maj Gen RPRC Naidu. AVSM, VSM. on the occasion of his leaving Station “ Hello Everyone , This is to bid farewell to all our Veteran friends in Chennai. In keeping with our inbuilt nomadic nature, we are shifting base to Bangalore on 9th March 2002. We shall have a base in Bangalore but will also be involved intensively with small time organic farming at a nondescript, small but charming place called Palamaner. Our address in Bangalore will be: 1289, 10th B Cross, HBR Layout 1st Stage, 4th Block, Bangalore 560043. This is close to the junction of the Ring Road and the Hennur Road. It is about 1 km from Sena Vihar / Jal Vayu Vihar. We don’t have a telephone yet but hope to have one soon. I hope to be in touch on email off and on. We are in the process of constructing a modest dwelling at Palamaner (AP). Hopefully it should be ready by mid-May 2002. The place that you would like to visit is Palamaner. It is 180 km from Chennai on the Chennai Bangalore Highway No 4. The landmarks on the way are Ranipet (100 km), Chittoor Bypass (35km from Ranipet) and Palamaner (40 km from Chittoor Bypass). It is a 3 1/2 hour drive from Poonamallee. At Palamaner, turn on the Gudiyattam Road and our patch of paradise is exactly 5.8 km on this road and right on the road at the 5.8 km stone. I must hasten to add that it is a poor man’s paradise with no marble flooring or grand pillars but there is pure crisp air, a cool breeze, and a soothing silence and we can choose the vegetables for lunch and pluck it form the garden half an hour before mealtime. It is 2000 feet high and relatively cool throughout the year. The winters are definitely cold and we needed a razai this winter. It is broken country and nice for jungle treks and waterfalls in the rainy season etc. Our postal address at Palamaner is: Bhoodevi Farm, Chinna Kunta, Vill and PO Pengara Gunta, Palamaner 517408, AP I have applied for a telephone and it may take about a month to come about. This is a standing invitation to any of the Veterans to visit us especially if you are passing through to Bangalore by road after May 2002. I am still a member of the AFVOA and whenever I am in Palamaner at the time of our meetings I hope to be attending. Finally, it has been wonderful for Usha and me to have lived in Chennai for about 27 months. The AFVOA has been our main social contact and it has certainly enriched us. We wish you all the very best and may our organisation prosper. Ram” &&&&&&&&&&&&