AFVOA Newletters of Year 2007

Page 46 of 68 1. Bi-monthly meeting was held on 09 Sep at the Palm Grove Ecological Park and Sports Complex. The meeting commenced with a game of Tambola with a SnowBall of Rs. 1,000/- in 52 counts. 2. It was a well attended meeting and it was an important meeting on three accounts as follows:- (a) Maj Gen EJ Kochekkan, SM, VSM, GOC, ATNK&K Area was the Chief Guest of the evening. He was accompanied by his staff officers. (b) Lt Gen S Pattabhiraman, PVSM, AVSM, SM, VSM (Retd), former VCOAS addressed us on an interesting topic viz, Indian Army’s Futuristic Vision vis-s-vis the Forthcoming Era of Opportunities and Challenges. (c) 07 Aug was our Raising Day. In commemoration of that date Col A Krishnaswamy, Vrc, VSM & Bar, one of our founding members took us down ‘memory lane’ and spoke in an interesting manner about our origins and growth. This was followed by a cake cutting ceremony and distribution of cakes to all present. The President Introduced the Chief Guest. 4. Major General Eppen Jacob Kochekkan, Sena Medal, Vishisht Seva Medal was born on 28 May 1951 at Mavelikkara, (District Alleppy), Kerala. He did his school and college education in Kerala. An alumnus of the prestigious Officers Training Academy, Chennai, he was commissioned in to the 1 st battalion the 5 th Gorkha Rifles (Frontier Force) on 30 Apr 1972. 5. The General Officer has been in active service in Jammu and Kashmir, NEFA, Mizoram, Manipur, Assam and Sri Lanka. He was awarded the Chief of Army Staff Commendation Card for his exceptional devotion to duty during the Delhi Riots of 1984. He commanded the Second Battalion the Fifth Gorkha Rifles (Frontier Force) in Siachen glacier, the highest battlefield in the world. As a Deputy Inspector General Assam Rifles, he commanded an Assam Rifles Range in the disturbed state of Manipur wherein for his exemplary service he was awarded the Vishisht Seva Medal (VSM) in 2003 and Sena Medal (SM) in 2005. He was the General Officer Commanding of a Mountain Division in the North East with operational responsibilities in Manipur and South Assam before assuming the present appointment. 6. The General Officer has done an instructional tenure in the Indian Military Academy, Dehradun. He was the Military Adviser to the Government of Seychelles and head of Indian Army Training Team. He has been a Directing Staff in the prestigious Defence Service Staff College, Wellington. He has done a tenure in Army Headquarters, New Delhi, as a Director in the Military Training Directorate wherein he was entrusted with the important task of handling pre-commission training. Later, he also held the appointment of a Director in the Additional Directorate General of Staff Duties dealing with organizational structures. As a Brigadier, he held the coveted appointment of Director (Military Affairs) in the Ministry of External Affairs. During his tenure he was a leader/member of over 30 official Government of India delegations both in India and abroad, dealing with counter terrorism and co-operation between India and various other countries. 7. The General Officer is a post graduate in Defence Studies from the Madras University and has also obtained a M Phil degree from Madras University. A keen sportsman, the General