Blog pic

Blog pic
S. Srinivas

16 October, 2014

Issue No. 157 I September 2014

EDITORIAL

Wish you all a Happy Deepavali

It's the dawn of a new era in Yamuna. The General Body of YCGHS elected Mr. G. Ramabadhran as the new President on 28th September, 2014. Mr. Ramabadhran runs his own software company and has consequently rich administrative experience. He belongs to a generation of innovators who could implement new concepts like IT enabled paperless administration. He will be ably assisted by Ms. Seetha Venkataraman as Vice President. She was a former faculty member of IIM, Ahmedabad and has equally rich administrative experience including managing the affairs of the Yamuna Society in the capacity of Vice President in the previous Managing Committee. She has been a long term resident of Yamuna and knows its residents very well. Both Mr. Ramabadhran and Seetha have been generous and have often donated money and goods for the welfare of the Society. The same evening the Managing Committee selected Mr. Madhu Nair as Secretary. Madhu runs his own company. He also brings good Management and Administrative experience to this new assignment, Mr. P. K. K. Nair and Ms. Sudha Umapathy continue as Joint Secretary and Treasurer, respectively. It's an ideal combination of youth and experience. The new entrants can bring fresh energy, perspective and ideas to the Managing Committee and the experienced hands in the Managing Committee can guide them through the rules and procedural aspects of managing a Society. The other first time entrant to the Managing Committee and the youngest to date, I suppose, is Ms. Sumathi Chandrashekaran, our very popular Quiz master. Please give the new office bearers and Managing Committee whole hearted support to accomplish their job with dignity and respect. The various sub-committees have been constituted and the same has been displayed on the Notice Board. If any resident has any matter that relates to the specific sub-committees, which is not getting addressed in the normal course, should bring it to the notice of the convenor of the respective committees or a member thereof.

Mr. Ramabadhran has already initiated some activity to manage all the routine society activities through e-governance, to reduce the load on the staff in the office and cut down on unnecessary paperwork, To make it effective, residents should make their best effort to work through this medium.

I would like to place on record my appreciation of the selfless service of the previous Managing Committee and also that of Mr. K. S. Venkataraman and Mr. P. Krishnamurthy, who were doing a very responsible job as members of the Committee of Control.

We are approaching the thick of the festival season, packed with a plethora of cultural and social activities. A season when the weather is at its salubrious best, a time when there is a sense of euphoria and an environment of social interaction and bonhomie. Ladies and girls shashaying across the colony in their rich colourful silks and other accoutrements paint a very pretty picture. Soak in the atmosphere and mingle to get that feeling of wellbeing.

When one walks around the colony the most obvious litter one sees is that of empty wraps of chips and sundry other fast and unhealthy food. Unfortunately, the saccharine sweet blandishments of ads promoting junk food, catch the imagination of the vulnerable children with often deleterious consequences to their health . It is a welcome relief that schools have been banned from selling processed junk food. Ironically, the alternatives they offer are not very healthy either. The number of children being admitted to hospital these days with obesity, hypertension and diabetes has gone up dramatically. Let us spread the movement of healthy eating in the colony. Dr. Renu Garg of E-106 is a votary of healthy food habits. I hope she agrees to hold a seminar on the subject and more importantly let's hope there are eager participants! She also wants to start a free library for children and is scouting for a place to house the books. Residents may also donate books to her which they don't need any more.

The Pookalam and Onam dinner on 6th September, 2014 was a hit. Ninety-five people partook in the feast. The men were busy clicking away pictures of the damsels who were all turned out in the elegant Onam saris. The sartorial simplicity of the sari seems paradoxical to the effect it has on the wearer. With all the pretty ladies standing abreast for the shutterbugs, it seemed like a veritable beauty pageant. Since it meant too much beauty in one frame, all the men, me included,  inveigled a space between the ladies to lend some realism to the adage, "beauty and the beast". The pookalam painstakingly created by Meera, Sudha, Prema, Seema and Purnima, amongst others, decorated the entry to the Community Hall. With urlis and brass lamps, it lent a festive look to the place. The Community Hall AC was tested for the first time and it came as a welcome relief, as it was stifling outside. The food was finger licking good.

The faith that Prime Minister Modi will remove the cobwebs from our bureaucratic stupor and spur Industrial growth has had a salutary effect on stocks. The stratospheric rise this year of shares into dizzying valuations make them vulnerable to vertigo. Caution is the byword for those who wish to enter the market at this stage. Many a savvy investor has bitten the dust riding on the bull crest. This is not to say that select stocks may not go even higher. Do rely on proper analysis before you put your hard earned money in shares. With a belligerent China upping the ante in the northern borders and an ever willing western neighbour ready to queer the pitch, any conflict could have a disastrous effect on the economy.

Last year there was constant badgering from youngsters in the colony on the need to have Diwali Mela. In order to fulfil their desire, we plan to revive the Mela. Shashank Eswaran, Ramanan and Radhika Samson amongst others want us to bring back the glory of Diwali Mela in the lawn which catapulted Yamuna as the most desired mela destination in Alaknanda, GK and CR Park combined.  So long as there is a strong participation from residents in manning the stalls we can recreate that magic. In order to make a success of the mela, early planning is essential. I would request volunteers to give their names to me, so that tasks can be delegated. The first meeting of the residents to mobilise volunteers for the mela will happen in the Community Hall at 5 pm on 2nd October, 2014. All residents who wish to participate which would include children and adults alike, should be present at the meeting. Sudha Eswaran will be in-charge of the manpower and will take on the administrative role. The mela will be held on 18th October, 2014.

For the Diwali illumination competition, we will follow the same pattern of awarding prizes as last year. There will be four categories of prizes. There will be 1st and 2nd prizes for the following:

a) Best theme.
b) Best rangoli.
c) Best illumination.
d) Best overall impact.

We wish all the blocks the best of luck and hope that there is active participation to make it a feast for the eyes. This is a very unique tradition that we have in the colony which is widely praised by outsiders. It is obvious that everybody cannot win prizes, which does not mean that they have not done a good job. However, since the judges who are drawn proportionately from each set of blocks determine only the best and second best, we have to accept their verdict with humility. Appreciation of art is a very subjective process. One person's interpretation may not match with another's world view. This does not mean the judges are biased. By the very process of selection of one judge from each set of blocks, we are removing any possibility of bias.

Since we do not want residents to waste a lot of money in buying too many candles, the residents will be allowed to leave their staircase and decorative lights on in their residences. There is no restriction on props made by the residents during the day of the competition. There will be no restriction on bought out non electric lamps of any kind. However, no readymade bought out props or electric lights will be considered for the judging.

Slightly over a month from now we will have the Annual Day. Residents who want to participate in single or group performances should give their names to me. We would also request you to arrange sponsors if you can, to make the event grand. For many, the Annual Day is the marquee event of the colony and a platform to showcase their talent. For KK, who has hit the big times now, the Yamuna stage was the nursery where he honed his talent and had his debut performance. We have so much talent in the colony that many others could make it big in the world of dance, music and drama. In Sadhana we have a grooming ground within our premises. What more can one ask for?


SNIPPETS

Aruna Krishnan of F-103 has donated a table to the Society. We are indeed grateful for this largesse.
******************

Raghavendar Prabhakar, resident of A-306 has successfully completed his CA and has got a placement with KPMG. Congratulations! May you have greater successes in the future.

******************
Venkatesh, Vidhya and Sahana have moved from a A-004 to E-101. A Blocks loss is E Blocks gain.

*****************
Since A-107 did not have sufficient room for the growing needs of Shekhar Nair's family when his father moved in with him, he has taken A-004 on rent and moved there with Anu, Samiksha and Adwita. He has retained his old flat where his father would reside.


MIRTH CORNER

Four friends meet 30 years after school. One goes to get some food while the other three start to talk about how successful their sons became
No 1 says his son studied economics, became a banker and is so rich he gave his best friend a Ferrari.
No.2 said his son became a pilot, started his own airline and became so rich he gave his best friend a jet.
No. 3 said his son became an engineer, started his own development company and became so rich he built his best friend a castle.
No. 4 came back with a plate full of food and asked what the buzz was all about.
They told him they were talking about how successful their sons became and asked him about his son. He said his son was gay and he worked in a Gay Bar.
The other three said he must be very disappointed with his son for not becoming successful.
"Oh no !! said the father, he is doing good, last week on his birthday he got a Ferrari, a jet and a castle from three of his boyfriends.."
All the three fathers fainted.

-Joke contributed by Shekhar Nair A-005.


" If you want to change the world, do it when you are a bachelor. After marriage, you can't even change a TV channel..."

Listening to wife is like reading the terms & conditions of a website. You don't understand it but you still accept it...

Chess is the only game in the world, which reflects the status of the husband the poor King can take only one step at a time, while the mighty Queen can do whatever she likes.

-Joke contributed by Gita Rastogi



CALENDAR OF EVENTS - OCTOBER 2014


DATE
EVENT
TIME
VENUE
1.10.2014
DANDIA, MUSIC AND FOOD STALLS
7.00 PM
BADMINTON COURT




3.10.2014
RAMLILA AND BURNING THE EFFIGY OF RAVANA
5.00 PM
MAIN LAWN



18.10.2014
DIWALI MELA WITH GAMES, RIDES AND EATS
6.00 PM
MAIN LAWN




23.10.2014
DIWALI ILLUMINATION COMPETITION
6.30 PM
BETWEEN THE BLOCKS