AFVOA Newletters of Year 2004

Page 102 of 153 3. We had till recently featured all the winners of the Param Vir Chakra. There were 21 in all, and we have written about each one of them in the last couple of years. We do plan to keep our focus on such military matters – and that as the Master of Ceremonies in most TV serials would say – just after a short break!. 4. We plan to feature some of the people who have made a mark in the shaping of the Modern India. And as this issue will be with you before the beginning of October, which will herald the 135 th birth anniversary of the Mahatma Gandhi – the Father of the Nation, we shall carry a few thoughts about him in this issue. We hope to add on to this in the future Newsletters. Besides, such personalities, we also wish to include some of the modern day gurus – be it in the field of management, health, warfare or ‘Art of Living’. And in this context we are carrying an article by Sri Sri Ravishankar who is the founder of Art of Living Foundation, who conducts courses which some of you have possibly already attended. I was talking to a new acquaintance at a dinner party, and the conversation got around to unemployment. “You know, it’s really sad,” she said, “when so many people are out of work, and here I am living off the fat of the land.” “How do you manage that?” I asked. She lowered her voice to a confidential whisper and replied, “I’m an aerobics instructor. Never tell people how to do things. Tell them what to do and they will surprise you with their ingenuity. ~ General George S. Patton Meeting Gone By - A Resume 5. The 24 th August meeting was a memorable one in many respects. One of the many reasons for this uniqueness, was that it was the Tenth Anniversary of the Association. Another was that it was the second time in the history of the Association that an updated version of “Hello Veterans” - the Telephone Directory of all retired officers of the three Defence services who had made Chennai their home was being released. And the month of August was significant in that 365 years ago on the 22 nd August 1639 , Madras – the present Chennai was founded. And it was also here that the East India Company started the Madras Army, where the foundations of the present Indian Army were laid. And as the President of the Association remarked in his talk, it is also the month in which our Patron – General Sundara Rao was born. Thus there were reasons enough for the celebrations and merriment during the Meeting. 6. The Meeting commenced with Brig SP Balachandran, the Secretary reading out the Agenda for the Meeting and then proceeded to give out the sequence of events relating to the Release Function. In view of the fact that this was a special Meet, it was decided to dispense with the Tombola, with which our normal Meets commence. 7. After these announcements, members were requested to rise and observe silence for a minute as a mark of respect to the brother officers and their families of the Defence Forces who passed away since the last Meeting. 8. Col KR Perumal was inducted into the Association, but was not available to be formally introduced. 9. The Secretary mentioned that the next Passing Out Parade (POP) at the Officers