THANK YOU !

A big 'Thank You' to all my friends, well wishers and relatives who took pains to wish me on my birthday. You guys really made my DAY.

Here's a bouquet of flowers to each one of you !!

Reserve Bank of India - Platinum Jubilee Celebrations

RBI Head Office at Mumbai

RBI, New Delhi

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) was inaugurated on 01 April 1935 as a private shareholders institution under the Reserve Bank of India Act 1934. It was nationalised in January 1949. RBI entered its 75th year of existence on 01 April 2009 and thus started the year long celebrations. Various events marked the Platinum Jubilee year and the best is scheduled for 01 April 2010. The Bank is distributing Gold Coins to all its staff - serving and retired, on this historic occasion.I got a communication from the Bank asking me to personally collect my present from RBI, Bangalore. Nice gesture I must say - including retired employees in this largesse !! Well, I wont be able to make it on 1st April but am hoping my coin will still be there when I visit Bangalore in June this year !!

ReBlog from nationalterroralert.com: India’s New Terror Weapon – Hot Chili Peppers

I found this fascinating quote today:

The Indian military plans to weaponize the bhut jolokia, the world’s hottest chili pepper, by using it in tear-gas grenades against terrorists, defense officials there have announced.

nationalterroralert.com, India’s New Terror Weapon – Hot Chili Peppers, Mar 2010

You should read the whole article.

ReBlog from nationalterroralert.com: Mumbai – Terror Attack Thwarted, Two Arrested

I found this fascinating quote today:

Indian police have arrested two men suspected of plotting a series of terror attacks in Mumbai. The pair aimed to attack a market, a shopping center and a state-owned gas facility, according to anti-terrorism officers. Police said the men had links with terror groups in Pakistan and were acting on directions from handlers there.nationalterroralert.com, Mumbai – Terror Attack Thwarted, Two Arrested, Mar 2010You should read the whole article.

'POP' Day Anniversary !

Today happens to be the 'Passing Out Parade' day for SS - 25 (NT) and 16 (T) courses which passed out of OTS, Madras (now OTA, Chennai) on 18 March 1978. So me and my coursemates have completed 32 years of service today. Wow ! Doesn't seem like so many years have gone by. This day is being regularly celebrated by some of my enterprising coursemates at various places like Delhi and Mumbai. At Delhi the celebrations were held at AOC Officers Mess, Delhi Cantt courtesy Brig Kulbir Singh (COD, Shakurbasti, Delhi) on 14 March (Sunday) and the 'Mumbai Pune' chapter is celebrating on 20th March at the Army Officers Institute, Colaba. Our course also has a website www.ots25.com aptly titled 'shorty silver' since we were the silver jubilee course which passed out of OTS. So here is wishing all the best to all my coursemates and their families. Congratulations and may God shower you all with His blessings to scale newer heights of glory.

Anaqa Outreach

After having conducted 14 sessions of ‘Anaqa’ (SMART) Training Programmes for the national security guards and watchmen in Muscat, the first ‘Outreach’ programme was successfully conducted at Salalah on 08 March 2010. A total of 16 security personnel out of a strength of 19 at that location were exposed to the half day training module which has been very well received thus far. The team of faculty and administrative personnel travelled from Muscat to Salalah on 07 March and returned back to base the next day evening. Similar programmes are in the offing for various other locations where the company has its facilities with the aim of training all the 450 odd security personnel by the middle of this year. A booklet containing “Dos and Donts” for security personnel was also issued to all the participants on this occasion.

The Salalah Airport Roundabout

(breathtaking as ever)
Group Photograph
Class in Session !

Me Yakking and Mahfoodh Translating !!

Do's and Dont's - Bilingually.

The Handbook

Sink Hole !!

I was told that there was a sink hole at Hawiyat Najm Park (which is about 30 km from a place called ‘Quriyat’ on the Muscat –Sur highway) that is one of the famous tourist attractions of Oman. Intrigued at the name I tried to find out more and heard a lot of stories regarding the ‘hole-in-the-ground’ having been made by a meteorite hitting the ground ages ago. Some even said that the hole was made by ‘extra-terrestrial’ forces. Well, nothing could be farther from the truth ! A little research on the net revealed that ‘Sinkholes’ are a common geological phenomena. These holes are formed by the continued action of water on slightly soluble bedrock (like limestone) in the ground. Wherever there is underground water reacting with such elements, a cavern of sorts is created. Over a period of time this underground cavern becomes bigger and eventually when the roof caves in a sink hole is formed.

I visited the sink hole mentioned above recently and was amazed at the sight. The area is now being developed into a park with the cordoned off sink hole in the middle. There are steps leading to the bottom where crystal clear water can be seen (and swimming is allowed). The steps are fun to go down but a pain climbing up. The water (said to be more saline than the ocean but less than the Dead Sea by one traveller) is deeper at the far end (depth unknown). Since the seashore is not far away from this place I suspect there must be a connection between the water available at the sink hole and the sea. Anyway, the sink hole is a wondrous sight to behold and I was spell bound. Following are some photographs of this famous place (click to enlarge):

The Sink Hole is 20 mts deep and 40 mts wide !
Tourists enjoying a swim.

Note the clear water.

The Deep End.

A View of the Heavens from Below !