AFVOA Newletters of Year 2013

Page 47 of 61 FROM THE OUTGOING PRESIDENT’S DESK We had a most enjoyable Saturday morning luncheon meet on 27 Jul 2013. The tombolo session was full of anticipation since the snowball was within reach. Brig VA Subramanyam conducted the session with his usual efficiency and precision. Smt Shashi Sampath assisted him. Lt Col SJ Baskar Rao, Brig SP Balachandran, Col EJJ Issacs, Smt Vijaya Shankar, Smt Sampath and Smt Raman were some of the prize winners. The snowball rolled over to the next meet. REPORT ON THE RAISING DAY CELEBRATIONS On this day, 27 Jul 2013, we celebrated our Raising Day that falls on 7 Aug. Speaking on the occasion, Lt Gen C Sundara Rao, PVSM our Patron said: I have had the privilege of being the first President of EXSOA, the forerunner of AFVOA. It was on 7 Aug 1994, 19 years ago, that Col SR Raju seeded the idea of setting up the Ex-Service Officers Association. It gives me great pleasure to stand before you as the Patron and greet you on the occasion of our Raising Day that we are celebrating today. The membership of the Association steadily grew over the years and the activities also increased. The dawn of the millennium brought about a change in the name of the Association. Maj Gen Aban Naidu, PVSM, AVSM suggested that EXSOA be renamed AFVOA. This was unanimously agreed to by all the members. Gen Naidu could not come to this function because of his health. He has conveyed his greetings and best wishes to all of you on this occasion. AFVOA has been active in many community service projects. From providing guidance to aspirants wishing to join the defence services, organizing talks on matters military in civilian and student groups, raising contributions for the families of Kargil heroes, helping officers and their wives in need and in distress, to creating awareness about the Armed Forces through the media, AFVOA has done it all. In addition, AFVOA serves as a link between the Serving and Retired Community. The Association also helps in finding jobs for retiring officers, honouring octogenarian veterans, participating and providing support at funerals as required, furthering the objectives of the ECHS so that the veterans and their families get optimum benefits, publishing newsletters, bringing out telephone directories and useful compilations for next-of-kin. Most importantly, the Association assists veterans and spouses in a crisis and sees through the entire process of restoring emotional and financial stability. We have built up our finances over the years by carefully watching our expenditure. We have also gained acceptance as a mature organization from the three Services at Chennai. The Presidents and their teams have done great service to the Association. Many of them are with us today. I compliment the office bearers over the years and appreciate their contributions in making this Association what it is today. We need to make a difference in the lives of our veterans and their families. We have a great future and let us work hard to make this a model organization of veterans. With these words let me wish you all and your families the very best in the coming years. Col and Smt RI Subramanian arranged for the Anniversary Cake. Led by Lt Gen and Smt Sundara Rao, the veterans and their ladies cut the cake amidst much clapping and cheering. Sqn Ldr CK Unni gave us a throaty rendition of the Anniversary song and many of our veterans and their ladies sang along with him. The festive mood continued with some peppy numbers from Unni. Smt Meera Parthasarathi joined him and sang a Tamil song. The ladies distributed the pieces of cake around the assembly and many of our veterans helped and ensured that everyone in the gathering partook of the cake. Thanks were conveyed to Mani and Usha who arranged for the delicious cake and to Unni who livened up the proceedings.