AFVOA Newletters of Year 2007

Page 8 of 68 Members of AFVOA congratulate the Officers for their achievement and wish them many more laurels in the years to come. 30. Days to remember. The AFVOA offers its greetings and compliments to our Veterans for the following important days:- (a) Military Farms Corps Day - 01 Feb (b) Signals Corps Day - 15 Feb (c) Army Postal Corps Day - 01 Mar (d) Army Ordnance Corps Day - 08 Apr 31. Veterans’ visit to OTA. In response to an invitation from the Commandant, OTA for an interaction with the Cadets, 80 members (incl spouses) visited the Institution on 18 Feb 2007. The programme commenced at 1000 hrs with the screening of “Salaame Ishq” – a hindi movie. For most of the veterans, watching a movie on big screen, carried them to their yesteryears when watching movies were confined to open air theatres in the Stn Cinemas or covered theatres in towns. The movie shown was good and entertaining. This was followed by interaction with the Cadets in the New Cadets’ Mess. As the two buses carrying the veterans and their families screeched to a halt near the Mess, the Commandant, Deputy Commandant, Staff Officers and about 40 Gentlemen & Lady Cadets greeted the veterans to a warm welcome. 32. After the initial exchange of pleasantries the Secretary, AFVOA announced that the AFVOA would be presenting a souvenir to the New Cadets’ Mess and requested the immediate past President, Maj Gen C Govindaswamy to say a few words. Thanking the Commandant for the gesture of inviting the veterans to interact with the Cadets for the first time he requested Maj Gen Aban Naidu, PVSM, AVSM to say a few words. The General Officer briefly mentioned about his nostalgic memories of his days in the Academy and complimented the Commandant and the Staff for getting such a beautiful Mess constructed. He also advised the Cadets on their role on the borders as well as in CI environment and wished them the very best as Officers in our Army which happens to be the third largest in the world. 33. Maj Gen C Govindaswamy, then requested the Patron, Lt Gen C Sundara Rao, PVSM, to say a few words and present the souvenir to Maj Gen RK Swamy, AVSM, VSM, the Commandant, OTA. The Patron, at the very outset, thanked the Commandant and all Staff Officers for their fine gesture by inviting the veterans for interaction with the Cadets. He expressed his appreciation for bringing up the new Mess for the Cadets and went on to explain the essence of “Geetopadesh” in brief, as the highest level of motivation which was most essential for the Cadets. He then handed over the souvenir to the Commandant to a thundering applause from all those present. The Commandant, in his talk thanked the Patron and all members of AFVOA for accepting his invitation and also for the valuable souvenir gifted to the Cadets’ Mess and assured that it would find a prominent place in the Mess. Lunch was announced and it was very nice to find Maj Gen & Mrs. RK Swamy displaying their warm hospitality by moving from one table to the other enquiring the veterans and their families about the lunch. Once lunch was over, at the desire of the Commandant, a group photograph of all veterans and their families was taken in front of the main entrance of the Mess. It was a great honour for everyone present to have Vice Admiral & Mrs. Samson also seated for the group photograph. After the photograph all the invitees thanked the Commandant and other Staff Officers present for their invitation and left.