SINGAPORE, MALAYSIA, THAILAND TOUR-2

NFMC  TRI-NATION  TOUR ,  DAY #2

            Day one was exciting although physically a bit exhausting, involving long walks at the malls in the afternoon and Santosa Island in the evening. Nevertheless, that couldn’t dampen our spirits as we got together in late evening hours to celebrate the Birthdays of Mrs Padma Chary and Cdr Joseph Sukumar.  Cdr Vijay Vadhera, Secy NFMC and the Tour  OIC briefed us on the activities of the next Day and relaxed the morning routine for Breakfast and departure.

         Day two was even more exhilarating and appeared more enjoyable as we boarded the luxury Bus after a sumptuous Breakfast. Looking at my Veteran’s Blazer an ex- Sqn Ldr from the Australian Airforce came and shook hands pleasantly at the breakfast point. Our tour Guide Sharyl was eagerly waiting at the Bus for our City tour and we departed at sharp 11 AM after the checkout from Copthorne. Sharyl in her charming voice welcomed us back and narrated to us the brief History of Singapore, how the name came about from Singapora and its present demography consisting  3/4^th of third and fourth generation Chinese. She stopped at the Lake viewpoint next to the Esplanade indoor Auditorium famous for the IFFA awards. We had half an hour to explore the Lake view and snap ourselves against the wonderful backdrop of Mama Malaya and Baby Malaya that was being thronged by a lot of tourists and localites. Our next halt was the Chocolate Gallery and Sharyl honestly briefed us on what to buy and what to avoid. Veterans who had been blessed with grandchildren had no choice, other than to buy loads of variety chocolates.

      Our next and the final halt was Changi harbour Cruise Terminal where all of us checked in our luggage, thanked and bid farewell to Sharyl, our beautiful tour Guide. The Dream Genting is one huge cruise liner with 19 Accom decks,  that is about one and half times the length of our Aircraft Carrier. Since it’s a huge Floating Hotel having its own territorial integrity it necessitates its own immigration procedures, whereby the tourists are required to deposit their Passports, immigration cards and E-Visas after the mandatory Security checks. This takes time, but time is a leisure and passes unnoticed in a group. RAdm Chary and Cdr Vadhera had collected our documents and returned with our Red Genting  Room cards that doubled as our Id proof and credit card for expenses onboard. It was a great experience checking into the cruise liner. All of us had been accommodated on the 9^th Deck. We dumped our handbags at our respective Balcony State Rooms and headed for our inclusive Quarter-Deck Restaurant-  LIDO, which is huge and has plenty of Buffet tables catering to all variety of exquisite tastes for a very large number of guests on board. Post Lunch we gathered at 6^th Deck reception for the briefing of the Day and decided to watch the 7 pm Live evening show  ‘China’s Got Talent’ . Meanwhile, Genting cast off on time at 5 pm and we went to the Quarter Top Deck for a fantastic view of leaving the harbour. Some ladies tried their hands at the Basketball, Table tennis an Obstacle course before returning for a turn-round for the evening show at the Zodiac. The Auditorium was huge with a seating capacity of over a thousand.  The show was amazing and awesome. After the show, we once again gathered on the 6^th floor Deck passing through alleyways of casinos and Bars and beautiful people thronging those. We were briefed on next day’s optional tour to Penang where we shall be arriving at 2pm on 27^th Aug.  Cmde Tarate and five more Veterans have opted for Penang excursion the next Day.

    We decided to gather at the LIDO again for our Dinner after which the Ladies feet automatically tiptoed to the Dancefloor,  next to the swimming pool outside.  Soon Capt Sethi, Cdr Vadhera and Raj too followed and set the dance floor on Fire with their good ladies along with  Mrs Gunjan Singh, Ms Amitha Vasanth and Drs Preeti & Binti. Undoubtedly Day#2 of the tour was more exhilarating and stupendous. Looking forward to the next Day onboard to explore the Genting further.   

Dosto,

zindagi ki asli udan abhi baki hai,

zindagi ke kayi armaan abhi baki hain

Abhi toh napi hai ek muthi zameen humne,

Aage sara aasman baki hai...

Aage saara Samandar baki hai…

Shano Varuno….Jai Hind !

SINGAPORE, MALAYSIA, THAILAND TOUR - 1

NFMC  TRI-NATION  TOUR ,  DAY #1

              To commemorate the Golden Jubilee of the Western  Naval  Command,  the Veterans of the Indian Navy who had served in the Sword Arm Command in some point of their career,  decided to organize and be a part of a tri-nation tour comprising Singapore, Malaysia and Thailand.  This tour was the brainchild of Cdr Vijay Vadhera, Secy NFMC.  After 3 months of detailed planning and preparation by  See World Destinations (Shirley and Nevez), 20 veteran couples came together from Mumbai, Delhi, Bangalore, Hyderabad and Bhubaneswar by the various Singapore Flights to arrive Singapore on the early morning of 25th Aug 2018. The couples included the leading Pillars RAdm SVS Chary, Cmde SS Tarate, Capt SS Sethi,  and  Surg Capt SC Patra with their good ladies among others.   The Airport arrival was abuzz when the Naval veterans hugged each other, some after decades. They say people come into our lives either for a season, a reason or a Lifetime. We have R/V’ed for the third one even as we all wished Mrs Padma Chary and Cdr Joseph Sukumar who celebrate their Birthdays together today. We have a celebration lined up for them for the evening, that shall include besides cake cutting, sing-song session and compatibility quiz for the Birthday boy and Girl along with their Better halves.

      The Day started off with a Bang as our charming Host Sharyl gave an exhaustive briefing at the Airport that continued in our bus ride to the Copthorne Hotel, even as we were wonderstruck at the spick and span surroundings of the entire city as we viewed from the luxury bus. After a quick turn round and breakfast, the entire lot of veterans were soon on their way for shopping to City Square Mall and Mustafa market. The sumptuous lunch was arranged by our host at the Tandoor Restaurant run by a Punjabi couple. After dropping the merchandise at the Hotel, the entire lot was back in the Bus for the trip to Santosa Island for the Aquarium and the laser show, a once in a lifetime opportunity. The evening was reserved for the Birthday celebration time at the Hotel that carried on till late at night. The maiden Day very well enjoyed in the wonderful lap of Nature, exquisitely preserved by Singapore.

    Looking forward to the long-awaited boarding onto the Genting Dream Cruise afternoon of 26th Aug, after a quick tour of Singapore city in the morning hours....Jab Aagaz itna khoobsoorat hai,  toh anjaam

kaisa hoga !!  

INDEPENDENCE DAY 2018

INDEPENDENCE DAY – 2018
========================
I was pleasantly surprised when the elegant Principal of Udyanchal High School, Mrs Rekha Pandey called me up a week before our 72nd Independence Day and requested me to grace the occasion in their School. I gladly accepted the offer and thanked the Lady.
Udayachal School is situated in Vikhroli East, Mumbai,. Udayachal means "eastern mountains". It is affiliated with the International School Award that is awarded to elite schools by the British Council. Owned by the Godrej family and established in 1955, the school has approximately 1335 students.
The School had offered to pick me up from Borivali, a distance of about 30 km, but I politely declined as I and Meena had planned to drive down to our Pune Home for a few days after the function. We left our home at 0615 hrs to be at the School in an hour. We were cordially received by the Principal and were introduced to a few members from British council. We also met, Mrs Smita Godrej Crishna, the Management head of all Sections of the Godrej Schools. She was blessed with a Queenly graceful aura. From our interaction, I could fathom that the School’s educational structure and ethos stand tall on a strong foundation laid by Pirojsha Godrej and reinforced by his successors.
A smart Guard of scouts was paraded for inspection prior to we all moving to the assembly hall for the main function. After the unfurling of the tricolour, a wonderful programme was presented by the students depicting and based on the freedom struggle, Unity in Diversity, National integration and Women Empowerment. After the cultural programme that lasted for an hour, prizes were distributed to the bright students in various categories.
Although I thought of an elaborate speech, my wife who has been a teacher for 15 long years, told me to keep it short and sweet as no one is in a mood to listen to long bhashans. So I purposely kept it short by glancing at our tricolour and starting with,

‘Meri Shaan tiranga hai,
Meri aan tiranga hai,
Rag rag mein bahe is Desh ka Lahu,
Meri Jaan tiranga hai’

I appreciated each item that had been put up by the brilliant students and how it had rekindled nostalgia not only in me, but all other parents present there as well. Besides congratulating the awardees, I exhorted the other students to do well. Having been a scout and NCC cadet myself and having commanded Naval NCC unit, I could establish a rapport with the young minds. I was indeed honoured and privileged to be a part of the School celebrations and thanked the management for the same.

After the program, we moved to the Principal’s office for the refreshment and interaction with teachers who were involved in the rehearsals for the past one month. I sincerely appreciated their efforts and involvement in putting up such a fantastic show on our Independence day. The smile on Mrs Smita Godrej Crishna and the pride on the Principal and her staff’s faces writ large and was evidently the high point of the Day.

After the customary pleasantries, we were escorted to our vehicle to continue our further journey to Pune. A memorable Independence Day that shall remain in Hearts forever.

PS - My NCC cadet Mayur Kamat, (presently a GC in OTA) had mentioned my reference to his graceful teacher Mrs Binaifer Chhoga, Principal of the Udyachal Primary School, for me to be invited for the honour.

PEBBLES  ON  THE  BEACH

       Post retirement, offered to choose between a further intense life filled with accomplishments or a relaxed life filled with savoring…Which one would you go for ? No one will tell you which is better for you…You yourself have to figure it out and reach for the one that gives you a peace of mind….But are you the one alone to decide your future course of action, when you are now blessed with economic independence by virtue of having served the nation for a full term. It involves two amalgamated opinions including that of ones better half, with whom you have walked the path for over 25 long years, grooming her and being groomed by her.

        Most of my coursemates have opted for the former choice and have been amply successful in it…Take the case of Harry and Krishna and AJ and Samy and many more….they all have been successful and happy post retirement. I have grabbed the later option of a relaxed life by my circumstances. My kids have been initiated on their Life’s tracks and are tacitly tackling the obstacles by themselves….One in Merchant Marine and the other in the corporate world. 

       Life is executing the other 180 degrees, after the first half turn during my growing years. My Dad was a Sargent technician of Super connie aircraft in 6 sqn Poona in mid 60s, where I started my initial primary schooling...we stayed in 10-20 area and later Viman Nagar...Our school bus used to take us across the runway, which used to close for Canberra & vampires taking off in the morning...we really used to enjoy from our bus windows, the fighters taking off....in the evenings we used to venture into the abandoned liberator aircraft and sit in the cockpit and act out pilot/ copilot, do dummy flying, ...childhood was fun.....the 6 sqn 'Pagal Gim khana' anniv used to be fun and we were allowed to go into the connie earmarked for the visit from the rear , walk up the aisle and exit the front door...the cockpit cordoned off by ropes...when I and my younger brother walked up and reached the cockpit, I asked the Warrant officer guide, for sitting in the pilot’s seat ...he politely refused...this was in 1966, me 8 yrs then...

         Irony of fate ,...fast fwd 15 yrs later 1981, I was transferred from 550 Cochin to 312 Sqn to fly the connies at INS Hansa,Goa as an AgSlt along with Gopa Kumar...My Dad must have been in seventh heaven, on hearing that I was to fly the same aircraft that he served in.

1997

        My Dad left for his heavenly abode at the midnight hour of the Golden jubilee of our independence day,(1997) when I was posted in the Naval Unit NCC Baroda....My brother rang me up just past midnight from our Jamnagar Home...

        An hour later I with Meena and two small kids were on road in our Maruti Van...Non stop we drove...till then I was in a tearless terrible shock...in the morning we stopped at a tea-stall...while I just had my first sip, this song with a lot of meaning , welled up my emotions and lifted the shutters of my tear dams...Altaf Raja had just appeared on the musical scene with his record..."Tum toh thehre pardesi"

PS- I dedicate this post to my Dad, Late Hon Fg.Offr BR Dutta,...Miss you Dad...May your humble Soul remain blessed always and shower your blessings on us 

Self, Dad - Mom, Sister and Brothers (1969)

Bidar

126 PC  Navy

Self with Parents

Course Get-together Shikra

Self, wife and Kids

INDIAN NAVY  ACQUIRES  MARITIME EYES
=====================================

       

        The genesis of INS Rajali lies in the think-tanks of Navy acquiring the maritime aircraft in mid seventies, the Super-connie from IAF and the IL-38 from Russia and later the TU-142Ms in 1988, all of which had INS Hansa, Goa  as their home base apart from the Alizes, Kirans, Harriers and Kamovs. Although the connies had phased out in 1984, Hansa was getting saturated with fresh induction of TUs and a need was felt for a separate Airbase for the TUs. Extensive studies resulted in homing on to Arakkonam near Chennai which had an abandoned airfield of British times.  The airfield was abandoned after the WW-II and lay unused until the 1980s, when it was transferred to the Indian Navy who rehabilitated and commissioned the airfield as INS Rajali on 11 March 1992. Even as INS Rajali celebrates its Silver Jubilee this year with fresh inductions the Poseidon P*8I, I ‘am reminded of my association with the First  maritime Aicraft of Indian Navy.   

       

           The Navy’s first long range Maritime Reconnaissance squadron was commissioned with five ex IAF Super Constellation aircraft on 08 Nov 76 at INS Hansa, Goa. Cdr RD Dhir was the commissioning Squadron Commander. I and my course mate Gopa Kumar had  flown the resilient Super-connie for 2 yrs in early 80s at INS Hansa Goa, the largest Naval Air Base of Asia prior to Arakkonam. Resilient, I mention, because in its sunset days with the Navy at Goa, the aircraft although seemed to display fatigue with malfunction of Hydraulics and misfiring of spark plugs, but always brought its crew back safely, after having tested their emergency actions…The aircraft gave some harrowing times to the poor Flight Engineer (FE) stationed behind the copilot, keeping an eye on the 72 sparkplugs of the 4 piston engines, on a scope that resembled an ECG monitor in an ICU..Either you could see the FE busy feathering one of the four engines, due to shorting of a sparkplug or pumping away the emergency hydraulic pump to get the undercarriage down, after an inadvertent drop of Hydraulic pressure due to a small leak somewhere on the old pipelines….DP Ashtekar, R Jayraman, MP Verma and Deen are some names that I recall, who ensured their good rapport with the spluttering engines coughing often nearing the fag end of their lives…. We were known as the mighty albatrosses. A crew room of the mighty albatrosses was a fun room with crew engaged in scrabble, chess and the never ending tea flowing in…Our  eversmiling  Snr ‘O’, Lt Cdr Rajesh Sharma  was  an instant  wit, who  heralded  the era  of  stand in  comedy…He once  stopped  Lt  Arya  in  the  sqn  corridor and  asked  him, “ Tu  Aa  riya  hai, ke Ja riya  hai ?” (Are you coming or going). Our  Snr Flt Engrr, Lt Jayaraman  had a quick fix solution for every thing under the Sun. Our Snr ‘P’ Lt Cdr Theo, later Cmde, was mostly engrossed in virtual world with his daily changing Novel in the briefing room, before the computers invaded the world and  made us realize that there is a real world around us. Lt Rakesh Saxena with his baby face did make the crew room buoyant with his mere entry.  Our Sqn Cdr, Cdr Macaden, was a very soft spoken Officer, who owned a vintage car, but he was mostly seen under his car than inside it as it invariably broke down at the road approaching the wardroom area and  we  saw him trying out a spanner under it. Our request for pushing it was politely declined with a complementary smile. He was a humble man leading a rowdy pack. If ever there was Life in the Navy, Haminasto-Haminasto-Haminasto (it was here, it was here, it was here).   

          This was the same aircraft that was the pride of Air-India in the ’50s, before being handed over to the IAF. My Dad was a Sargeant  technician of Super connie aircraft  in 6 Sqn Poona, where I started my initial primary schooling...we stayed in 10-20 area and then Viman Nagar...Our school bus used to take us across the runway, which used to close for canberra & vampires taking off in the morning...we really used to enjoy from our bus windows, the fighters taking off....in the evenings we used to venture into the abandoned liberator aircraft and sit in the cockpit and act out pilot/ copilot, do dummy flying, ...childhood was fun.....the 6 sqn 'Pagal Gim khana' anniv used to be fun and we were allowed to go into the connie earmarked for the visit from the rear , walk up the aisle and exit the front door...the cockpit cordoned off by ropes...when I and my younger brother walked up and reached the cockpit, I asked the Warrant officer  guide, for sitting in the pilot’s seat ...he politely refused...this was in 1966, me 8 yrs then...irony of fate ,...fast fwd 15 yrs later 1981, I was transferred from INAS- 550 Cochin to 312 Sqn to fly the connies at INS Hansa,Goa as an AgSlt, along with Gopa Kumar...My Dad must have been in seventh heaven, on hearing that  I was to fly the same  aircraft that he served in…

          My perfect  Naval  Salute  to the  original Albatross  of the Naval  Aviation , the mighty  Super-Constellation. These  aircraft  herlded  the  era of the  mighty  Tuplov  T-142 M and of later  the  Poseidon  P*8I both based at Arakkonam near Chennai …

 Best Wishes to INS  Rajali on its Silver Jubili  on 11 Mar 2017. The Naval  aviation  has  come  of  age  !!  Shano Varuna…Jai  Hind  !!

KHESE  PARK

============ 

“Work. Good, honest work, whether it’s working with your hands to create an artwork, or manual labour, brings forth a sense of divinity at play. The only prerequisite is that whatever the work is, it is done sincerely and in congruence with the soul’s true origin and intent, then, without any effort, one experiences a flow, wherein one feels a part of the plan of the entire universe.”  Says  Kamand Kojouri, the poetess author of ‘The Eternal Dance’ …..The above is a tribute to Meena and all people who revel in working with their own hands. 

         Meena and I divide time between our  Borivali Flat and  sprawling  Pune Bunglow in Khese Park. The former is on lease from her parents, (who are nested in Jhansi), and later is the house that jack, nay Raj built.

         The two storey bunglow has a 10KL underground water tank  for replenishing an overhead  500 Lts syntax. The underground sump demands annual cleanship  for which last year  we employed a local tank cleaner. The guy charged a ransom  for  an hour’s work with average results. Having watched him, a brainwave hit Meena  and this year she decided to do it herself with a little help from her bitter half.  So after her parents, who were here on a vacation, left  we planned the annual  ritual, as the sump was almost dry.

         We filled up the overhead tank, watered  the garden…refilled  the tank….repeated  the process…until the sump water kissed the bottom. Then Meena descended into the sump, after we eased a ladder into it. When she did step onto the sump floor along with a bucket and mug,as I held the ladder, she found the bottom to be extremely muddy, nay marshy….She kept filling up the bucket and passed on to me for watering the plants…As the sump was huge, about 20 buckets of mucky water had to be fished out. Later the floor had to be sponged with clean water. In the nick of time the job was executed, as the municipal water supply  started gushing into the tank, to fill up a foot deep in the allotted hour’s supply.  . 

        Our  Borivali  neighbours  Mr Ramesh Kadam with family  dropped by on their drive to Bangalore, to drop their Beagle with us. The pup is quite fond of Meena and even in Borivali spends more time in our house. He is fond of stroll any time of the day/night , and indicates it with his bark and as she says ‘Pattaa’, he will fetch the leash for being taken out.

      He was most of the time peeping into the sump, when meena was inside. Have a look.