AFVOA Newletters of Year 2007

Page 44 of 68 Elizabeth I A Special Request to Members: In case you are changing your address, phone / cell number or your e-mail ID please do let us know so that we can update your information. From the President’s Desk THE ONWARD MARCHI Following on our last news letter of 25 Aug 2007 wherein we heralded the momentous 60th year of Indian Independence, other significant events of relevance to the Veterans who have chosen Chennai as their resort in their post retirement, were also under recall at the last Bimonthly meet on 9 September 2007. The AFVOA raising day (4 Aug 1994) brings us all into the teeny years of our fruitful Association (thirteen going on to fourteen!). The ‘Chennai Week’ highlighted the historical beginnings of Chennai almost 368 years ago as a small village yielding to external pressures to become the birthplace of colonialism as an extension of cultural and intercontinental trading pursuits pioneered by voyagers as a world phenomena. The Fort St George has indeed claims as a monument to the beginnings of the present day Indian Army. The year 2007 has also been acclaimed the ‘Year of Placement’ by the Ministry of Defence to create greater opportunities for the large numbers of retirees joining the veteran ranks equipped with their multivaried skills and expertise acquired in their service careers and ready to take on second careers, and to participate in and contribute to our national endeavour to become a significant player in today’s global scene. Our Chief Guest at the Bimonthly meeting, Maj Gen Eppen Kochekkan, SM, VSM, GOC ATNKK Area, notably an alumnus of OTA (commissioned on 30 April 1972) revisiting Chennai after a whirlwind of a career of achievements over 35 years. The GOC in his address has charted out many action issues which need to be addressed for enhancing the opportunities for resettlement of retirees and also enabling the quality of life of the Veterans. The need for an Officers Institute, on the lines of DSOI which should attract active participation by all retirees towards improving their social, cultural and intellectual activity levels in keeping with their life of voluntarism and dedicated service to the primary call for national security. Issues relating to health and welfare, the physical and psychological well being of the Veteran have been addressed through initiatives as the CHENNAI HOTLINE. Working arrangements for a retreat for War-Widows through NGOs (as NIMMADHI in Chennai), Monthly meets for families of Veteran and Serving Officers as a routine event and other welfare activities should help in enlarging our ability to develop and sustain more resource based initiatives in Chennai. The “Lady Alongside the Man” Mrs Saro Jacob Kochekkan, a Master of Sociology, a teacher over the years for students of diverse cultures all over India, has been, apart from her lead roles in the AWWO, has also been personally reaching out to the causes of Special Children. As our honoured guest at our meet, it was also an opportunity to meet with some of our veterans actively associated with Chennai based organisations as Madhuram Narayanan Centre, Spastic society of TN, Vidyasagar, Nimmadi etc.. In our endeavour to keep abreast in our understanding of the world around us, one primary felt area, is the urge amongst many Veterans of yore to be apprised on the current services doctrines guiding the present generations of Servicemen which we may find at variance with those our times. Our guest speaker of the evening, a distinguished (young!) Veteran, Lt Gen S.Pattabhiraman, PVSM,AVSM,SM,VSM, has been till recently at the helm