AFVOA Newletters of Year 2013

Page 7 of 61 interacting with the GOC, his SOs and all other serving officers present. There were around 300 all ranks present for the function. All Veteran Officers present were from AFVOA which included Maj Gen CT Chari and Brig Muthulaxmi, our President and Vice President respectively. We were all glad and proud in the knowledge that our regular member on such occasions, founder member Col Krishnaswami was attending a similar function at Dacca, the geographical origin of Vijay Diwas. Col Krishnaswami and his wife were the State Guests of Bangladesh, on 16 Dec 2012, to grace the Vijay Diwas Celebration there. He, I presume would definitely bring out his experience of the occasion, in our Newsletter. Just a point to ponder. The strength of the Veterans was far below the expectation. Let us resolve to improve the same from next year onwards. Maj Gen D Ranganathan, with all his physical challenges was there. Lt Gen C Sundara Rao, who is over 90 years of age, was there. Brig NBS with all his medical problems was there. Therefore, we cannot blame the Veteran Generals and Brigadiers for lack of guidance. We cannot blame the Official patronage for the function either, since the Area HQ had been going all the way to accommodate as many Veterans as possible on any such occasion. We Veterans can only blame ourselves for the lack of enthusiasm. On such events, the Veterans require only intimation and no invitation. Lt Gen Sundara Rao, on taking leave from the GOC after the tea, said, "General sorry, I have to leave early. I have to watch the Cricket Match". Now, we can understand how he is keeping himself active at the age of 90. That is the zest for living!! Let us not forget our moorings, which are tied to the Armed Forces. Col TN Raman EULOGY DELIVERED BY MAJ GEN CT CHARI, PRESIDENT AFVOA AT ALL FAITH MEMORIAL SERVICE ON 15 DEC 2012 Greetings to all of us gathered here to honour and pay homage to the martyrs of uniformed services of Independent India. As I start, I see many of our girl cadets in uniform taking me back to the time I was an NCC Cadet in Loyola College, in the Naval Wing. To set the tone and tenor of my oration, I go back to my school days. In the anthology of poems that we were required to read, was a fine piece written by one John McRae, an Army officer. The backdrop was World War I. John had seen the death and destruction first hand and wrote that piece describing the valiant deaths of thousands and thousands of soldiers in Flanders Fields. Flanders is approximately North West of France and South of Belgium, This was the scene of vicious battles between the Allies