President's Message
:
As we drew curtain on 2007
with a gala of member-friendly activities, we have to set our goals for 2008
based on our experiences of the past. Even though attendance for our monthly
meetings has been a problem, a slight improvement is visible recently when
programs were scheduled for Saturday mornings with lunch sponsored by various
organizations who used our meetings as platform to publicise their products
and our philanthropic members when they celebrated birthdays and wedding anniversaries.
As the new
Managing Committee took charge of your Association in July 2007, your Committee
has decided to concentrate on two areas which were very closely associated
with our life-Travel and Health Care. We had approached Air India for a considerable
discount on our travel outside India and Air India had offered appreciable
discount provided we achieve a target of nominal turn-over. However, as of
1 st January 2008, Air India unilaterally enhanced the target to an impossible
level and so we had to pull out ourselves from the deal. We hope that Air
India will consider our request favourably in the near future.
The next area that we
would like to concentrate is Health Care. We would like to approach Corporate
and other reputed hospitals in Bangalore for quality and hassle-free check-up
and laboratory investigaton and later treatment, if required, promptly at
a concenssional rate. The committee formed by your Managing Committee has
been looking into this important area.
The change
that we have initiated is to hold our monthly event on Saturday morning to
facilitate the members' participation without too much about traffic. We hope
this change will improve the attendance in our monthly meetings. We welcome
sponsorship for lunch on these days. Members may think of celebrating their
birthdays and wedding anniversaries through sponsorship of monthly event.
We remember with gratitude the sponsorship of the members who had come forward
voluntarily to lessen the financial burden of NRIPA. We also gratefully remember
the sponsorship of various organizations who sponsored our programs.
I whole heartedly
appreciate the efforts taken by our members in getting advertisements to our
Newscape.
We have a few more
member-friendly programs besides arranging lectures from eminent personalities
and picnics to places of interest which will be informative as well as entertaining.
I wish all the members and their families a very happy and prosperous 2008.
B. Janardan
REPORT OF THE HON. SECRETARY FOR THE YEAR (2007-2008) BEGINNING
ON 14TH JULY 2007 TILL DATE
Mrs & Mr Arya hosted
one of our meeting by contributing Rs. 1850/-. NRIPA thanks them.
Diwali Mela
was celebrated on December 1st 2007 at Mythic Society with a lot of gusto
and enthusiasm. Who says we seniors lack energy and spirit of excitement?
There were lots of games and prizes. Perth Test - Indian players would have
been amazed to see our competitive spirit sans attitude of Australians.
One of the highlights
of this period so far has been the signing of the MOU with Air India on 11th
December 07. Consequent to the merger of Air India with Indian Airlines &
Alliance air, we have been informed that this MOU will extend to the other
2 airlines also and hence a new MOU will have to be reached. NRIPA awaits
a fresh communication from Air India. In the meanwhile members who want to
fly Air India can do so through Travel Tours.
MC has formed a small
sub committee consisting of Mr. B.Janardan Air Marshal (Retd), Dr. P.M. Sundaram
and Mr. N.K. Murthy to have an exclusive arrangement with select hospitals
like Apollo, Wockhart, Mallya, etc for our members. We want every member to
be hale and healthy, and this arrangement is to have checkup and treatments
(if necessary) at special rates (Lower than their normal rates).
For this annual day we
are having a humorous comedy in kannada and trust everyone will enjoy.
We are thankful for the
support of our members and look forward to their encouragement to take NRIPA
to greater heights (apart from flying in Air India!!)
There were 3 outings in
this period and all were arranged 3 committee member, Mr. M.R. Mahadevan to
whom NRIPA extends warm thanks.
Trip I: Horselay
hills, Rishi Valley School, Madanapalle & Kaivara temple.
Trip II: Malnad
Region: Chickmangalur, Baba Budangiri, Mullainagiri; Horanadu, Belur, Halebid,
Sravanabelagola. One night halt was at Planter's court, Chickmangalur and
another night halt was at Hoysala village in Hassan.
Trip
III: Pilgrimage visit: A day trip which included Swami Chinmayananda Ashram,
in Kolar Dt. Mulbagal Anjaneya Temple, A Madhva Mutt in Mulbagal, Maha Ganapathy
Temple in Kudalmalai, Antara Ganga, Mulbagal, Durga (Kolar Amma) temple in
Kolar, & Koti Linga temple near KGF. Lunch was at Woodys, near Kolar on
NH4 Breakfast/dinner were at Kamat's at Narsapur on NH4.
All the trips were very
enjoyable and the 15 members who went on a pilgrim have accumulated a lot
of 'Punya' and other members who didn't join, if desirous, can partake the
'Punya' from them.
