AFVOA Newletters of Year 2003

Page 78 of 170 he had gone to Srinagar on duty. The next evening, Mrs Rajam informed him that the Lt Gen Sen Gupta, DEME was retiring, and she was receiving congratulatory messages for his promotion and appointment. The General refused to believe her and said that he would obtain confirmation from Gen Sen Gupta who was expected the next day to meet him at Srinagar. The DEME confirmed the news late the next evening and Lt Gen Sundara Rao assumed the appointment of DEME on 01 July 1970, at the age 47 years! In 1971, Gen Manekshaw, the then COAS deputed him to represent the COAS at two important functions in the UK. In April 1973, he was offered the job of Managing Director of Bharat Heavy Plates and Vessels Limited (BHPV), Vishakapatnam. Then on 25 August 1973, he was retired from the Army and took over the new appointment. On the Republic Day in 1974, he was awarded the Param Vishist Seva Medal (PVSM) by the President of India, in recognition of his distinguished services. After serving for three years at BPHV, Gen Sundara Rao, decided to seek out new pastures. He accordingly joined Enfield India Limited as Executive Director in charge of their Tiruvottiyur plant. He was responsible for a number of improvements which led to increased efficiency, reduction of inventory and financial savings. Accordingly, the Managing Director Mr Viswanathan offered him a handsome present, which the General declined to accept. However on his insistence, he accepted to visit officially places in the UK, US and Japan, In October 1984, grihapravesham of the present house where the General stays was performed. It is named Suraj – Su for Sundara Rao and Raj for Rajam. In 1982, he retired form Enfield, and joined Brooke Bond India Limited (BBIL) in 1984 to manufacture BSA motor cycles. However the project was a non starter and closed down in 1987. In 1994, Gen Sundara Rao - one never to sit idle, joined Enfield Agro Base Private Limited – a project to grow items using organic manure only. Finally in 2002, he decided to confine his activities to working from his spacious residence only. A point that runs through this narrative is the determination and perseverance of the General – be it whilst in uniform or otherwise. He is one of the founding members of the AFVOA, which commenced during August 1994. Gen Sundara Rao lives at ‘suraj’, No 6, Arundale Beach Road, Kalakshetra Colony, Besant Nagar, Chennai – 600 090. He can be contacted on telephone No 2490 1185, and email id raosundar@hotmail.com . Shri K A Rajagopalan Shri K A Rajagoalan was born on 24 th April 1923 at ADUTHURAI – a village in Tanjore District Tamil Nadu. His father was a policeman turned school teacher. He studied in a school which was located in thatched huts. In May 1947, he married his dear friend’s sister Ammani at the Temple of Light in the Theosophical Society. He joined the 29 th GD Pilots course in May 1942. Due to an Air Crash, he was medically reclassified in March 1943 and was commissioned into the Royal Indian Navy and was granted an Emergency Commission. While with the Royal Navy, he served on Mine Sweepers and as Instructor in Signals Training School - HMIS TALWAR – Bombay. Once the World War II ended, he volunteered for Class A release and was demobilized during October 1946. Though he served only for a short while in the armed Forces, he remembers a few incidents vividly. One relates to the elementary flying training which he underwent at Secunderabad. Every Friday was the Commanding Officer’s parade, and hence everyone was to have a haircut the previous evening. On a Thursday evening, Rajagopalan had to do a cross country flight of 45 minutes duration. Somehow he got delayed for the take off and hence he