Bishtblog

Wangdu Phuntsok - RIP

2010-08-29T17:44:00.005+04:00

A few days back I was devastated to learn that my dear friend Wangdu Phuntsok passed away on 05 August owing to a massive heart attack. This shocking news came as a bolt from the blue for me. Words cannot describe my anguish at this loss. We became friends in 1966 when I was studying in class V at Bramleigh Towers Cambridge Academy, Mussoorie, and had kept in touch with each other for the past 44 years. Our friendship had stood the test of time and grew stronger with each passing year.

Just last month Wangdu had informed me that he had been honoured with His Holiness The Dalai Lama's award for his dedication and devotion in working for the cause of Tibetans settled all over the world. He was the Director of the Herman Gneimer School, Kathmandu, Nepal as well as a very well known personality in the Tibetan community.

Wangdu was an extremely polite, soft spoken, down-to-earth and humble person. Thoroughly dependable and ever willing to lend a helping hand to the needy, he possessed a great sense of humour and there was always a twinkle in his eye. I can vividly recall all the tricks he used to be up to when we were studying in Mussoorie. He later on moved to Sherwood College, Nainital, to complete his schooling. I am sure everyone whose life was touched by him will mourn his passing away. I pray to the almighty God to give his family the strength to bear this loss.

Adieu my friend. Rest in Peace !

Wangdu (in shawl) receiving the award

Code Number Clocked !

2010-07-28T12:30:00.007+04:00

The title of this post is not meant to confuse anyone. When I joined the Saud Bahwan Group in December 2008 I was allotted an employee 'Code No.' My Code No. is 21217 which means that I was the 21217th individual to join this company ( the oldest serving employee as on date is Code No. 4 - employed in 1973 and currently part of the TOP management !!).

Recently, on my way back to Muscat from a branch visit I happened to notice that the odometer on my car was about to show my Code No. as kilometers clocked till date. Not bad - clocking 21217 kms in just a little over one year ! I shot the following pics on this occasion. (click on the pic to enlarge):

Code No. Clocked !
A view of the scenic surroundings
Speed Thrills are Cheap Thrills - Dont try this !

Death of a Soldier

2010-07-09T11:31:00.004+04:00

I came across the following poem in one the mail forwards someone had sent me. I found it worth sharing - so here goes !!

He was getting old and paunchy
And his hair was falling fast,
And he sat around the family,
Telling stories of the past.

Of a war that he once fought in
And the deeds that he had done,
In his exploits with his buddies;
They were heroes, every one.

And 'tho sometimes to his neighbors
His tales became a joke,
All his buddies listened quietly
For they knew where of he spoke.

But we'll hear his tales no longer,
For ol' Natha Singh has passed away,
And the world's a little poorer
For a Soldier died today.

He won't be mourned by many,
Just his children and his wife.
For he lived an ordinary,
Very quiet sort of life.

He held a job and raised a family,
Going quietly on his way;
And the world won't note his passing,
'Tho a Soldier died today.

When politicians leave this earth,
Their bodies lie in state,
While thousands note their passing,
And proclaim that they were great.

Papers tell of their life stories
From the time that they were young
But the passing of a Soldier
Goes unnoticed, and unsung.

Is the greatest contribution
To the welfare of our land,
Some jerk who breaks his promise
And cons his fellow man?

Or the ordinary fellow
Who in times of war and strife,
Goes off to serve his country
And offers up his life?

The politician's stipend
And the style in which he lives,
Are often disproportionate,
To the service that he gives.

While the ordinary Soldier,
Who offered up his all,
Is paid off with a medal
And a pension, meagre & small.

It is not the politicians
With their compromise and ploys,
Who won for us the freedom
That our country now enjoys.

Should you find yourself in danger,
With your enemies at hand,
Would you really want some Neta,
With his ever waffling stand?

Or would you want a Soldier--
His home, his country, his kin,
Just a common Soldier,
Who would fight to the skin.

He was just a common Soldier,
And his ranks are growing thin,
But his presence should remind us
We may need his like again.

For when countries are in conflict,
We find the Soldier's part
Is to clean up all the troubles
That the politicians start.

If we cannot do him honor
While he's here to hear the praise,
Then at least let's give him homage
At the ending of his days.

Perhaps just a simple headline
In the paper that might say:
"OUR COUNTRY IS IN MOURNING,
A SOLDIER DIED YESTERDAY.."

Height of Dereliction of Duty

2010-06-29T17:43:00.004+04:00

I was on leave in India from 05 May to 11 June 2010. Proceeding on leave in peak summer is not my idea of fun. The same was necessary as I had to appear for my MA (Final) exam which was scheduled during this period. After the five written papers I was required to face the viva-voce which was held on 11 June 2010. I had to extend my leave because of this as I was told that facing the viva was compulsory and I would not get the degree in case I absented myself. The test was supposed to start at 1000 hrs sharp at the scheduled venue. I reached that place at 0930 hrs and approached the venue incharge to request that my viva may be held as early as possible as I had to leave for Delhi by road since I was catching the morning flight to Muscat the very next day.
Having been assured that I would be amongst the first lot to be tested I waited for the clock to strike ten. And what a wait it was !! Around 1000 hrs there was a sizable crowd of youngsters, some with relevant notes for last minute study and all anxious for the viva to begin. There was no sign of the examiner till 1030 hrs and we were told by the venue authorities that he would be arriving shortly. The same response was given at half hourly intervals till 1300 hrs when “his highness” finally arrived and promptly settled down for “chai –pani”.
By this time I was ready to climb the wall in sheer frustration as the taxi which I had booked for travel to Delhi had already arrived and my better half was in a state of panic. When my turn for the personal interface finally came I was cheesed to the core and the examiner had to bear the brunt of my ire. I do not think I will get good marks in the viva as it was a disaster – but what the hell – this was height of dereliction of duty. Now I know why some teachers get thrashed by their students. Sadly, the lot who patiently waited with me were very docile and I had to be satisfied by the tongue lashing which I gave the examiner. Needless to say that we reached Delhi very late and spent a sleepless night owing to packing and leaving for the airport very early. How we made it in the nick of time is another story !

Timely Response & Quick Wits - A Prerequisite for Effective Security !

2010-06-18T10:00:00.002+04:00

During the recent cyclone ‘Phet’ which lashed parts of the Sultanate in the first week of this month attendance of security personnel at their posts was very thin as many stayed indoors owing to heavy rains and overflowing ‘wadis’.
One enterprising security guard who was alone at one of our facilities (normally paired duty) thought he could make a fast buck and none would be the wiser. He drove off with some expensive automobile parts in his vehicle when his reliever reported for duty. The next day all hell broke loose when the workshop staff discovered that the said parts were missing from the shop floor.
The Security Manager in charge of that area went to the site and carried out an investigation which revealed that the guard in question had made a call to someone from a colleague’s cell phone. He could trace out the number which he called and came to know that it belonged to an auto repair shop in the neighbouring town some 20 kms away. He posed as a customer and asked whether a second hand ‘such-and-such’ part was available for his car ? On an affirmative answer from the other end he grew suspicious and visited the repair shop. He asked the shop owner if the part (a high end assembly) had been purchased by him from someone recently and informed him that the matter was under investigation (though it had not been yet been reported).
The shop owner admitted that he had indeed purchased such an item from the security guard whose contact details he had kept. The errant security guard was confronted with this information whereupon he confessed to the crime. The matter was reported to the Police and the culprit is presently behind bars (after following the due course of disciplinary proceedings). This incident has been given wide publicity so that it deters other personnel who may have a similar bent of mind.
It is not surprising that some mischievous elements are present in the large guard force we have. These are exceptions – the ‘bad apples’ in the basket. What is important is that such incidents have to be seen through to their logical end, the bad apples thrown out and wide publicity given for deterrent effect. Timely response and a quick witted approach by the Security Manager saved the day for us. The assembly in question had been sold for Rs 3000/- whereas it’s actual cost was Rs 36,000/-.

Sights and Sounds of Nature

2010-05-29T21:23:00.008+04:00

Image via Wikipedia (Map of India showing Uttarakhand - in red colour)

I usually stay with my in-laws whenever I visit Dehradun. They live in the cantonment which is thankfully green and peaceful (and a couple of degrees cooler) as compared to the madhouse that Dehradun has become ever since it was declared the capital of Uttarakhand. Going to the city on an errand has now become such a pain that one tends to postpone the chore unless it is an emergency. Negotiating the 4-5 odd kms now takes an eternity thanks to the phenomenon of traffic jams, ineffective policing and indisciplined and rash drivers who deserve a sound thrashing for all the choas they create on the road. (What a pleasure that would be if I were so empowered - the thrashing I mean !!)
Living in the cantonment, however, has its rewards - especially the area adjoining RIMC - which is green and abode to a wide variety of wildlife. One does not need an alarm clock to wake up early in the morning. The cacophony of the birds does that job very effectively. Living in concrete jungles most of the time I had forgotten the melodious sounds which emanate from the jungles in Uttarakhand. I have tried to record these sounds in the following video clip. Turn up the volume and try to decipher the songs of the mynahs, bulbuls, koels, parakeets, wild fowl, sparrows and ravens. This orchestra starts everyday at around 0500 hrs and I am lucky to have a ringside seat. Living with nature could never be better !

SS 25 Monopoly at RBI, New Delhi !!

2010-05-27T16:53:00.007+04:00

I visited RBI, New Delhi on 20 May and met the newly posted (some of them posted back to Delhi !) guys at the Protocol & Security Cell. Another welcome change is that Balli is back at the helm of affairs after his recent promotion to DGM (P&S). The atmosphere was certainly better than the last time I had been to this office. Yet another happy instance I want to mention here is that guys from my course, SS-25, the 'Shorty Silvers', are literally monopolising RBI, New Delhi. Capt B.S.Jaswal and Capt Sudershan Kumar are in the P&S Cell and Capt Tapan Chakravorty is in the Foreign Exchange Dept. Here are some pics that bear testimony to this fact :

From 'L' to 'R' - Sudershan, self, Tapan and Jaswal
Balli holding 'Center Stage' with Shorty Silvers

Back to Basics !

2010-05-27T16:32:00.003+04:00

I left Muscat on 05 May on a month's leave. This is not the ideal time of the year to plan one's leave considering the mercury levels prevailing in North India. I did not have a choice in the matter as I had to take my MA (Final) exams at Dehradun (yet another example of self inflicted injury). The first of the five papers began on 08 May and the exercise will end in the first week of June with viva - voce. Since there were generous gaps between the papers I have been shuttling between Dehradun, Noida and Delhi. This time was also utilised for last minute mugging up and preparation. During one such spell I was cribbing that the subject matter was just not registering in my mind (signs of old age !!) when my niece promptly remarked "now, do you realise how kids have to cope up with exam stress ?" The answer is 'yes'. Its back to school for me and hats off to kids !!

World's Largest Body & Paint Centre

2010-05-27T15:42:00.003+04:00

The world's largest body and paint centre was recently unveiled by our company at Ghala, Muscat. It was inaugurated by Mr Akio Toyoda, President and CEO of Toyota Motor Corporation, the world's biggest automaker and third largest company overall. Mr Akio Toyoda is the grandson of Toyota Motor founder Kiichiro Toyoda. It is a massive facility having state of the art body repair and painting facilities. This is the latest addition to the humungous facilities as regards showrooms, service centres and warehouses possessed by the Saud Bahwan Group in Oman.

World Safety Day

2010-04-28T21:27:00.004+04:00

28th April is celebrated as the 'World Safety Day' all over the world. We at Saud Bahwan Group also celebrated this day at all our facilities across Oman. All employees took time out for the 'Safety Pledge' (in Arabic and English) which exhorts everyone to ensure that the workplace maintains the highest standards of Safety and to minimize accidents. A dry run of the 'Emergency Handling & Preparedness Plan' was also carried out at our corporate center. A full fledged evacuation in coordination with the Civil Defence authorities is in the offing soon.

Conclusion of 'Anaqa' Training Programme !

2010-04-28T13:00:00.007+04:00

Today marked the conclusion of the 'Anaqa' training programme series for the National Security Guards and Watchmen of Saud Bahwan Group. The programme was conducted at a place called 'Sur' which is about 200 kms from Muscat. It took six months and 26 programmes to cover the entire National staff strength of nearly 450 personnel. This journey has been a roller coaster ride in terms of coordination, administration and delivery. Feedback from the target group has been very encouraging and the impact is also visible. We are now gearing up to take this initiative to the next level ! Some pics taken today are attached :

Our HR head handing over the 'Do's and Dont's ' booklet

to the participants.
Introductory formalities !

The class in session.

Group Photo with the last batch

Reblog from nationalterroralert.com - Terrorists Seek Next Jihad Jane on English Web Sites

2010-04-23T10:54:00.003+04:00

Al-Qaeda and its ideological allies are using English-language Web sites and forums to encourage non-Arabic speakers to make war on the West as terrorists seek the next Ft. Hood shooters and “Jihad Janes.”nationalterroralert.com, Terrorists Seek Next Jihad Jane on English Web Sites, Apr 2010

You should read the whole article. Click on the underlined title above.

THANK YOU !

2010-03-31T21:12:00.002+04:00

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

2010-03-28T23:40:00.007+04:00

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

2010-03-28T15:52:00.003+04:00

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

2010-03-19T20:28:00.003+04:00

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 !

2010-03-18T12:39:00.002+04:00

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

2010-03-08T10:10:00.010+04:00

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 !!

2010-03-04T21:45:00.008+04:00

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 !

ReBlog from Jay Ganz: Intl. Assassination Team Responsible for Dubai Killing?

2010-02-19T20:43:00.003+04:00

I found this fascinating quote today:

Dubai police Monday identified 11 people suspected in the killing of a top Hamas official last month and vowed “to hunt them down.”Jay Ganz, Intl. Assassination Team Responsible for Dubai Killing?, Feb 2010

You should read the whole article.

The Sultan Qaboos Grand Mosque at Muscat

2010-02-05T20:10:00.014+04:00

The ‘Sultan Qaboos Grand Mosque’ at Muscat is one landmark which no visitor to Oman can afford to miss. Adjectives like ‘awesome’, ‘fantastic’, ‘magnificent’, ‘superb’, 'majestic', 'incredible', 'stunning', 'amazing' have been used to describe it by various visitors on ‘Trip Advisor’. I can vouch for the fact that they are not exaggerating by using such terms to describe the monument. It is aptly called ‘Grand’, which it is in every sense of the word. It is grand in appearance, architecture, ambience and aura. This mosque is very close to my residence but I got the opportunity to visit it only recently when some relatives from India visited us.

The Grand Mosque took six years to build and was inaugurated in May 2001. The whole complex with landscaping covers an area of 416,000 sq mts, of which 40,000 sq mts is the area of the mosque itself. The main prayer hall has a capacity of over 6,0000 worshippers. With the surrounding prayer areas the capacity is over 20,000 worshippers. The surrounding gardens are beautifully landscaped.

Five impressive minarets mark the outside of the mosque which symbolise the five pillars of Islam. The central minaret towers over 90 meters while the other four are 45 meters each. Besides being a place of worship, the Grand Mosque is also a center of Islamic education and literature. The complex houses a three story library which holds over 20,000 books on Islamic religion and culture.

Until recently the mosque had the largest carpet in the world. It is a single spread Persian carpet that covers the floor of the main prayer hall. It measures 70 X 60 meters and is made of wool and cotton yarn. It consists of 1700 million knots and weighs 21 tonnes. It took four years to complete and 600 women weavers worked tirelessly to create this magic. The carpet is made up of 28 colours and was made in 58 pieces which were then joined and laid inside the hall by special weavers. Most of the colours were obtained from traditional vegetable dyes.

The main prayer hall has 35 chandeliers made of Swaroski crystal and gold plated metal work. The grand Central Chandelier is 14 meters high and is eight meters wide. It weighs 8 tonnes and the radiance it produces comes from 1122 lamps that constitute it. It is said that this chandelier is also the second largest in the world.

The interiors will take any visitor's breath away. The dome comprises of a series of stained glass triangles within a frame work of marble columns. Intricately carved wooden doors each of which is topped with Quranic verses. The inner sanctum is magnificent in size and grandeur.

The interior spaces have white marble courtyards and the panelling is made up of off white and dark grey marble. The Grand Mosque symbolizes the coming the coming together of traditional Islamic art and architecture that is set in a contemporary mode.

Following are some photos of this breathtaking mosque (click on the photos to enlarge to see the finer details):

A view of the Grand Mosque in the afternoon
The mosque at night

A view of the Dome and the Central Minaret from

within the complex

Note the carving on the frame work

Intricately carved wooden door inside

the main prayer hall

A view of the grand carpet

The sanctum sanctorum

The dome from within

The Grand Central Chandelier

6/8 Gorkha Rifles - Raising Day

2010-02-04T10:38:00.002+04:00

Today happens to be the 62nd Anniversary of the Raising Day of my paltan - 6/8 Gorkha Rifles. The battalion was raised on 04 February 1948 at Clementown, Dehradun. When India achieved Independence, all the British forces had to leave and the 2nd and 6th Gorkha Rifles were earmarked to go along with the British troops to Britain. Before leaving India, troops of both the 2nd and 6th Regiments were given the option to either go to Britain or merge with the newly formed Indian Army. My paltan was thus raised from those soldiers who did not want to go to Britain. The battalion was raised by Late Lt Col (Later Brig) J.D.Nadirshaw, VrC, SC (of 2/8 GR) and within six months of its raising it was launched into battle in Poonch, Rajauri as the first strike force of 19 Inf Bde for "Op Easy" in J&K. It won a major victory at the 'Batttle of Naghun' on 04 November 1948 for which it was awarded the Battle Honour - Naghun 1948 (J&K) and Theatre Honour - J&K 1948.

On this occasion I wish to felicitate all ranks of the paltan (past and present). May 'Maa Durga' bless the paltan in all its ventures. Jai Gorakh !

Trip to Khasab

2010-01-27T17:17:00.014+04:00

The northern most part of Oman is called the Musandam region. It is a peninsula bordered by the Arabian Gulf on one side and the Gulf of Oman on the other. This peninsula is isolated from the rest of the Sultanate by an arm of the UAE's east coast. This region is famous for its pristine beauty and awesome natural scenery. The most important town and port in this region is called 'Khasab'. Our company has a 3 S (sales, service and spares) facility at Khasab and I had visited this place twice earlier. The first trip was by air whereas the second trip was by air one way and return to Muscat by ferry. I had always wanted to drive to Khasab from Muscat in order to enjoy the breathtaking scenery. On the approach to Khasab the road traverses through the mountains which nearly touch the ocean at some places.

This wish came true on 24/25 January when me and a couple of my Omani colleagues went to Khasab in my car. The drive from my residence was 525 km one way and we had to cross into UAE and drove through the emirates of Fujairah, Sharjah and Ras Al Khaima in order to reach Khasab. Following are some pictures of the area around Khasab and its approach (click on the photo to enlarge):

A view of the gigantic mountainside at Ras Al Khaima

which caught my attention because of the UAE flag

painted on its precipitous face !

Cattle on the road at Ras Al Khaima. My colleagues

were aghast at this sight (as it is unthinkable

in Oman) but it reminded me of India.

Approach road to Khasab
On of the many fishing villages enroute.
The mountain and the sea !

A small fishing wharf.

A view of one of the numerous small virgin beaches.

Note the crystal clear water !

Returning from Khasab.

Myself and Nashib with the craggy face of

the mountain in the background.

Chairman's Staff Party 2009

2010-01-27T16:54:00.011+04:00

In our company all members of the staff hold a get together every year department wise, the expenses for which are borne by the company. This is called the Chairman's Staff Party. Owing to various committments the said party for our department could not be held in 2009 so we organized it on 13 and 20 January 2010 for the Security staff posted in the Muscat region (also known as the capital area). We have around 300 personnel in the capital region so the party was held on two consecutive Wednesdays (last working day of the week) for a strength of approximately 150 on each occasion. This was also necessary to ensure that all shifts could be covered. On both the days, the security staff (nationals as well as expatriates), let their hair down and had a ball of a time. The venue was an outdoor location courtesy a well known restuarant which provided a sumptious fare with a DJ in attendance.

This opportunity was also used to give away prizes to a select few who had shown exemplary dedication and devotion to duty during the year 2009. Following are some photos clicked during the parties :

Prizes being given away by the Chief Guest

A scene of the party
One of the boys literally pulled me on stage !

Free for all on the stage

Fareed Al Balushi and Capt Anand Rawal dancing

to a popular Hindi tune.

Aseem Sharma and Mahfoodh Al Hinai are all smiles.

Benefits of Patrolling in Guarding Operations

2010-01-17T13:58:00.005+04:00

Notwithstanding the proliferation of technology in the field of Security Management today, human barriers are still the most effective in a vast majority of security applications. Recently there was an attempted theft case at one of the vehicle yards where the breach was detected by the security guard who was on patrolling duty. The yard has a perimeter of approximately 5 kms and one tour of patrolling takes about an hour. There are contact points fixed all along the boundary wall which have to be physically touched by the ‘proxy pen’ (part of the guard monitoring system) by the patrolling guard. When the said guard reached the location of one such contact point he saw that there was a breach in the wall and four truck tyres were lying on the ground. This happened at 0300 hrs and the intruder(s) fled presumably on seeing the light of the torch which the approaching guard was carrying. On further investigation he could see a car parked on the highway which drove off as soon as he stepped out of the gap in the wall. The guard showed remarkable presence of mind by noting down the registration number of the vehicle which was passed on to the Police investigation team. The area was secured and the boundary wall repaired after the Police team had concluded their inspection of the site.

All facilities such as vehicle yards, warehouses and business premises which are spread out over a large area warrant the requirement of patrolling by the security guards, particularly at night. The above incident brought home a some lessons for us which we are in the process of addressing. These are as follows :
(a) The collusion of some insider cannot be ruled out in this particular case. Action is in hand to sort out this problem.
(b) Reducing the time taken for patrolling. In the instant case the intruders had time to remove four tyres from the parked trucks. They took the toolkit from one of the locked trucks by breaking the window glass. They may have had knowledge about the time taken for one round by the patrolling guard.
(c) The vulnerability of the unarmed security guard who has to confront such situations. A vehicle will shortly be provided for patrolling so as to reduce the time taken for one round as also to provide some measure of protection to the security guard.
(d) Increasing the frequency of patrolling and not sticking to a particular schedule which can be predictable.

Following are some photos taken at the site which will illustrate the above mentioned points better :

The tyres lying near the breach. Each costs nearly

350 Rials (approx Rs 40,000/-) !
The breach viewed form outside. Abandoned tools
are also visible.

The guard monitoring contact point on the sheet

which was damaged.

A view of the area outside the facility which is lonely

and isolated. Ideal ingredients for potential intruders !

UPSS Golden Jubilee - Some More Pics !

2010-01-05T20:05:00.008+04:00

Here are some more photos of the UP Sainik School Golden Jubilee celebrations :

Wreath laying ceremony at the War Memorial

Proceeding to the venue for the foundation stone laying

ceremony for the proposed Ampitheatre which will

seat 1000 persons.Just before the start of the AGM. Vice Admiral Paras Nath

can be seen at the bottom right of the pic.

Rakesh Gupta and Anjan Das chilling out - cultural

programme, cocktails and dinner on 19 Dec 2009 Surya Officers Institute at Lucknow Cantt was the

venue for the evening and was suitably bedecked.

Old Boys catching up on lost time !

Back to School after 37 years !!

2010-01-01T23:00:00.015+04:00

After I passed out of UP Sainik School, Lucknow in December 1972 I used to make plans every year to attend the annual 'Old Boys' meet and visit the school to refresh and recollect the plethora of memories associated with growing in my alma mater. Something or the other always came up and I could not attend a single reunion till 2009. Somehow, it was never possible for me to attend the annual functions when I was posted at various places in India. It became a reality after 37 long years and that too after relocating to Oman. It was great catching up with old friends and classmates, seniors and juniors, and reliving the cherished moments of our school life. The reception we got from the cadets was overwhelming. The entire school was lined up along the approach road clapping and greeting all the visitors despite the early morning chill of Lucknow. Following are some photographs which will tell the story better (click to enlarge) :

Myself, Rohit Varma, Abhay Dixit and Kushwaha with

the cadets before start of the programme.

Self, Rohit, Dixit and Kushwaha (Dixit was telling
us outrageous jokes - purportedly true tales)

The old boys with Mr R.P.Shukla (in brown coat) - our

Chemistry teacher who used to bash errant cadets at the

drop of a hat but was also a friend, philosopher and

guide. He retired from service ages ago but he recognised

all of us and even remembered some of the pranks

we used to play.

Class of 1972 - Anjan Das, Rakesh Gupta, S.K.Arora, self.

In front of our old class.

The Academic Block (we never had coolers !)

The 'Toofani' - given a facelift !

Class of '72 with Toofani as backdrop.

Frontage of the school (Administrative Block).

Yours truly !

Statue of Guru Dronacharya.

S.K.Arora and self

UP Sainik School Golden Jubilee Celebrations

2010-01-01T22:59:00.021+04:00

On 19th and 20th December 2009 UP Sainik School, Lucknow celebrated its Golden Jubilee. A record number of 'Old Boys' turned up for this historic occasion. There were a lot of other 'firsts' in the conduct various events - the most notable being the Lucknow half marathon which was held on 20th December. The first batch of old boys (who joined the school in 1960) were present in good strength (I think they outnumbered all other subsequent batches !) The 'Old Boys Association' really worked overtime and stretched themselves to the limit to ensure that the programme went off well. The office bearers are to be congratulated for completing this Herculean task in an impeccable manner. Following are some photos of the various events which were held to kickstart the Golden Jubilee year (click on the photo to enlarge):

The programme started with the 'Wreath Laying'

ceremony at the War Memorial.
Laying of foundation stone for the new Ampitheatre
by 'old boy' Lt Gen V.K.Chaturvedi, AVSM, VSM
Cricket match between the old boys and the cadets.

Capt Sunil Chandra Vir Chakra Dwar - the new gate.

Tug-of-War between the old boys and the cadets

(the old boys lost)

Sitting in the Auditorium for the 'Old Boys' meet.

The first batch being felicitated on the stage.

Old Boys (and some spouses) from the first batch

on stage at the cultural programme on 19 Dec. Mrs

Molly Daniel (wife of Late Col H.R.H.Daniel - the

first Principal of the school) can be seen after

cutting the Golden Jubilee cake.

Participants warming up for the Lucknow Half

Marathon on 20 December 2009 at 0600 hrs.

'Prerna' - Lucknow Half Marathon was flagged off

by the GOC-in-C, Central command, from the

K.D.Singh Babu stadium at 0730 hrs.

The Old Boys Association has resolved to conduct

this 'prize money' event every year. The idea is to

bring Lucknow at par with other cities where such

races are held every year as also to create

awareness about the school.

The start of the 5 km race for boys and girls under

18 years of age.

'The Inspiration'

Video of the flag off - Lucknow Half Marathon !

(The response for this event was very good with the

participation of a lot of well known runners from

India and abroad)

Happy New Year 2010

2010-01-01T22:53:00.002+04:00

Wishing all the readers prosperity, health and peace in the New Year !

Prepaid Taxi Woes at IGI Airport

2009-12-30T09:09:00.002+04:00

The prepaid taxi service at Indira Gandhi International Airport, in my opinion, is the ultimate 'pain - in- the - backside' for travellers. On 21 December I landed from Muscat at around 9.00 PM and the experience I had was nightmarish. The service is suposed to be run by cops (Delhi Police) who only dole out receipts after charging rounded off fares for the farthest point of any area where one wishes to travel. After that the traveller is left to fend for himself clutching his receipt and pushing his trolley trying to find out where the hell to board the taxi from. I was told that the taxi would be available outside Exit No.2 but when I reached that point I found that taxies arriving were already occupied. Enterprising travellers had made a beeline right upto the taxi stand and grabbed the cab there. I found that there were no takers for short distances and foreigners were being given preferential treatment by touts and hangers-on who were helping them find their cabs in the hope of a hefty tip. There was no cop in sight to regulate this chaos. A couple of them were sitting in a kiosk mechanically noting down names of those who were lucky enough to get the cabs. I refused to budge from the point from where I was supposed to get the cab and wasted an hour in the process. When I was sufficiently pissed off by the proceedings, I went back inside the terminal and got back my fare after arguing with the cops for another half an hour. I then rang up a friend and asked him to pick me up - having wasted nearly two hours at the airport. This was the first time I tried to take a prepaid cab from the airport and it will surely be the last.

Flash Floods

2009-12-29T20:57:00.002+04:00

On 11, 12 and 13 December Muscat and some other parts of Oman experienced heavy rainfall (by Gulf standards). Muscat received 16 to 18 mm of rain during these days which I think is the annual average. The advent of rain was a welcome sight but it had a sad fallout. Some of the areas which are bordered by hills were hit by flash floods wreaking havoc in their wake. This is a common occurence whenever it rains and the Government makes it a point to issue cautionary notices to be careful and to avoid 'wadis' (dry river beds or runoffs where roads often criss cross each other). At some known dangerous points, the Royal Oman Police even put road blocks to discourage road users. On 11 December some foolhardy people paid no heed to such advisories and ten lives were lost. One of them was an employee from my company who had just spent a month and a half in Muscat before he got swept away and died. Flash floods are very dangerous and can cause untold devastation in a split second. Vehicles of all sizes were tossed around like corks and were battered beyond recognition, a sight I happened to witness later. Rains are a welcome phenomena in Oman but one needs to be wary of the fury of nature.

UP Sainik School Golden Jubilee Celebrations

2009-12-11T11:02:00.003+04:00

Following is a news item published in TOI on 11 Dec 2009 after the Upsainian OBA convened a press conference regarding the subject at Lucknow.
Marathon to celebrate Sainik School landmark
TNN 11 December 2009, 05:54am IST
LUCKNOW: The UP Sainik School Old Boys Association (UPSAINIANS), a body of alumni of Uttar Pradesh Sainik School, Lucknow, is organizing the 21.097 km half marathon in Lucknow on December 20 to commemorate the 50th year of the establishment of the school.
The school was established in 1960 with the objective of increasing the number of students joining the armed forces. The school has achieved this objective of sending more than 800 cadets to National Defence Academy/Indian Military Academy which trains the officers of Indian Armed Forces.
The school has the rare distinction of having produced the bravery icon, Param Vir Chakra awardee (Late) Captain Manoj Pandey, who made the supreme sacrifice during the Kargil war and a host of other bravery award winners. UPSAINIAN undertakes activities for supporting the children aiming to join armed forces besides organising other social activities.
The marathon will be the first such run in state. The events on the day will be half marathon, a five km run and a 1 km run. The run is being branded as `Prerna 2009' with an intent to inspire the people of Lucknow. More than 3,000 people are expected to be participating in the run which will be starting from the KD Singh `Babu' Stadium at 7:30 am and traverse through the main areas of the city. The run would be flagged-off by the General Officer Commanding-in-Chief of Central Command.
It will carry a first prize of Rs 1,00,000, second prize of Rs 50,000 and third prize of Rs 25,000. The dream run of 5 kms will carry following prizes, first prize of Rs 15,000, second prize of Rs 10,000 and third prize of Rs 5,000. This dream run will have separate prizes for male and female categories.
The run will also showcase winners of Delhi marathon who will be the star attraction at Prerna 2009. As a special treat to youngsters a special adventure zone is being created by the Indian Army and will feature attractions like hot air ballooning amongst others.
The registration for `Prerna 2009' will commence from December 12 and forms will be available at Dr Mobile, Sri Ram Towers, Hazratganj; Modern Communication, Mithai Walla Chauraha, Gomti Nagar; Mukesh Modern Bazaar, near Punjab & Sind Bank, Alambagh; Vikendra Mobile World, Main crossing chowk amongst others.

A post from 'faujnet' !

2009-12-04T11:48:00.002+04:00

Following is a post I came across while browsing through 'faujnet' (of which I am a member -www.faujnet.com ). Those of my 'fauji' friends who are not yet aware of this may like to visit the site and become members. Coming to the subject post, here it is :

Carrear in Banking post Release/Retirement
Dear Friends,
I am Captain Bhaskar Bhattacharya (Retd) from 74 Armoured Regiment, left army in 1992. I am 41st SSC was commissioned in Mar' 1986.
I am presently employed in DENA BANK, one of the nationalised banks and working as Sr. Manager Securirty and Estate. DENA BANK is having majority of their branches in the state of Gujarat and Maharashtra. I thought it is appropriate for me to inform my fauji colleagues about carrear in banking after defence service .

The banking sector though advertises for filling up vacancies of Ex defence officers but the job has following short comings:
1. No initiative at any level for ex officers.
2. No residential accomodation,
3. No infrastructure to perform, No assistant to work for you,
4. Excessive expectation to perform
5. Our post is for support system hence no clear career path
6. No vehicle to perform your duties, except for 2 wheelers which is rather demoralising after leaving defence force in certain authoritative position,
7. Salary is also not to match with the market CTC offered by MNCs.
8. NO family life, no social life as security is not looked upon in high esteem.
9. The people wish to be friendly for canteen facilities otherwise do not care.
10. Dealing with guards directly which otherwise being done by Havildars/JCOs in units.
11. Growth in reaching higher scale is limited to Chief Managers provided vacancy exists.
12. Lateral movement/shift in other department is practically impossible.
13. One is provided with a chair and a table with computer no cabins even after 2 decades of bank service.
Financial, positional, emotional or in all parameters the banking carrear is not rewarding except for RBI openings.

Through this forum I wish to inform one and all to weigh all pros and cons and then select banking as carrear post defence job.
I may be contacted on brc161965@gmail.com.
Thanking you & Regards
Bhaskar
PS : There were some comments appended to this post which I have not attached here. Capt Bhaskar says banking 'carrear' is not rewarding except RBI openings. Must say 'ignorance is bliss' for this remark !

The End of 'अज्ञातवास' !

2009-11-28T17:26:00.015+04:00

I had thought of various titles for this post viz : 'Breaking News', 'Arvind Resurfaces', and 'Guests in Oman' but ultimately settled for the one as given above as it seemed the most appropriate. 'अज्ञातवास' means 'exile' (whether forced or self imposed). Well, coming down to the story, I was pleasantly surprised when I got a mail from Capt Arvind Sharma some time back informing me that he and his better half would be visiting Oman around the end of the current month. They arrived on 26 Nov (evening) and I was very excited as they happened to be the first 'guests' I would be playing host to in Oman (Seetu's absence, which was sorely missed, notwithstanding !). We spent half the night exchanging notes catching up on lost time.

Secondly, the whereabouts of Arvind have been a mystery of sorts to all his friends and colleagues of late. His 'resurfacing', thus, is verily an event in itself. Well, let me be the first to break the news - Arvind is presently based in Bahrain. Bahrain is an island kingdom which is a part of the GCC states and is an hour's flying time from Muscat. He has recently landed a damn good job with the Kanoo group . Congratulations Avind and Bravo !!

Another happy event was that 27th Nov happened to be Arvind's birthday - the day when he completed four decades of his life (40 carats). This occasion was celebrated in my house by the three of us and later Arvind treated us to dinner at an Indian restuarant. Following are some photos of the birthday bash and an outing which we enjoyed today (click on the pics to enlarge).

Arvind and me with the 'spread' - pastries & wine !

Arvind 'scored' one by smearing me with pastry.
(It was 'his' day and I got smeared - not done man)
Now the score was even ! Cheers to those who cheer for us !!

Arvind and me with 'Marina Bandar Al Rowdha'

in the background.

Arvind, Anju and myself at the same spot as above.

Photographed on the way back home. Arvind

seems to be emphasizing some moot point !

Remembering Mumbai Terror Attacks !

2009-11-28T17:09:00.002+04:00

On 26th Nov 2009 print and audiovisual media was full of news regarding the subject, which was along expected lines, as an year has passed since that blatant attack which traumatised an entire city for nearly three days. On this occasion my friend and fellow blogger Balli has posted a thought provoking and insightful article titled 'We can bring the Change'. It can be read at www.balvindersingh.blogspot.com

For and in depth and minute by minute account of that episode I recommend all should read 'Sixty Hours of Terror : By the Grace of Allah' by Jason Motlagh. It is a very well researched account of the 60 hours when the city of Mumbai was in panic and the entire nation full of uncertainity and indignation. It is replete with photos and accounts of interviews and interrogations. The article can be read in the Virginia Quarterly Review at http://vqronline.org

Do's and Dont's for Security Personnel

2009-11-19T21:45:00.002+04:00

In order to augment the basic training input which the national security guards and watchmen are being exposed to, a list of 'Do's and Dont's' in English and Arabic is being published in a booklet form which will be issued to all the security personnel. This will serve as an aide-de-memoire for the security guards. The most important ones will be depicted pictorally or by caricatures to have a better impact (a picture is worth a thousand words !). These 'Do's and Dont's' are not comprehensive by any means and have been framed keeping in mind the local conditions and practices prevalent here. The said list is as follows :

DO’s
1. Keep this booklet/pamphlet with you while on duty.
2. Always obey and follow the policy of the company/department.
3. Wear your proper uniform.
4. Your uniform should be neat and properly ironed.
5. Your shoes should be neat and polished.
6. Shave daily/keep beard and mustache trimmed.
7. Ensure that you have a proper haircut.
8. Wear ‘Massar’ properly in case uniform is not issued to you.
9. Display your identity card on your person while on duty.
10. Be punctual.
11. Be alert and vigilant.
12. Be polite and courteous.
13. Be enthusiastic.
14. Be respectful to all customers/visitors.
15. Be aware of the Company’s locations.
16. Greet and reply the greetings in a friendly way.
17. Keep yourself healthy and fit.
18. Stay calm with an angry customer.
19. Deal respectfully with lady customers.
20. Know your senior staff.
21. Inform your supervisor/superiors about any unexpected or emergency situation.
22. Ensure secrecy of Company information.
23. Make sure you know your duties/responsibilities at every post.
24. Proper duty handing over should be carried out.
25. Be cooperative and build a good relationship with all.
26. Be available and flexible for any Emergency duty.
27. Do simple stretching exercises every hour while on duty.
28. Keep yourself updated about functional processes and procedures.
29. Maintain your cool while speaking over telephone.
30. Be aware of the vulnerable areas, security threats and emergency exits at your location.
31. Ensure that the premises are secure after business hours.
32. Carry a torch with you for night duty.
33. Keep a list of important telephone numbers with you.
34. Be aware of the actions to be taken in case of any emergency.
35. You should know how to frisk and check visitors if required.
36. Keep an eye on the movement of personnel and vehicles in your area.
37. Be aware of hiding places in vehicles which have to be checked.
38. Carry out regular patrolling of your area of responsibility.
39. Ensure that all security gadgets in your area are working properly.
40. Report any breaches of Security to your superior immediately.
41. Ensure proper key management.
42. Ensure that display vehicles are secured.
43. Barriers to be down/gates to be closed when not in use.
44. Make sure the first aid box is available in your post and is to be used in an emergency.
45. Make sure you know the types of fire extinguishers and how to use them in case of an emergency.
DON’T’s
1. Do not leave your post unless permitted by your supervisor or for patrolling.
2. Do not allow entry to any unauthorized person into the premises without permission.
3. Do not come to work under the influence of liquor/narcotic substances.
4. Do not smoke while on duty.
5. Do not chew gum or tobacco while on duty.
6. Do not sleep on duty.
7. Do not engage in unnecessary conversation while on duty.
8. Do not take leave without permission.
9. Do not argue with or shout at customers.
10. Don’t be busy in secondary matters while on duty.
11. Don’t indulge in rumour mongering.
12. Do not use company property or services for personal gain.
13. Do not entertain your friends/relatives in the guard post.
14. Do not listen to music while on duty.

15. Do not bring your laptop/electronic devices to the work place.

'ANAQA' Training Programme for National Security Guards

2009-11-19T20:52:00.007+04:00

We have recently emabarked on an ambitious project - that of training the national security guards and watchmen all over Oman -totalling approximately 450 personnel. These security personnel do not have a military or police background and are thus quite clueless about the basic security principles and practices. All this time they were learning on the job and were being imparted training by visiting security officers off and on at various locations. There was no structured training module which was being delivered uniformally to everyone.

A basic training programme titled 'ANAQA' which, in Arabic, means 'SMART' (which is also an acronym for 'Smile, Morale, Alert, Respect and Turnout' - the basic qualities/requirements of any security guard) has thus been launched which is being conducted every Wednesday for a batch of 15 personnel (attendance of a larger number would hamper the operations). The programme contains inputs on knowledge about the company, expectations from the cadre, legal issues and strictures, how to do one's job effectivey, emphasis on discipline, turnout and attitude, consequences of security lapses and practical demonstrations. It is expected that by June 2010 all the nationals would have been trained in this basic module. The fourth batch was trained yesterday. Following are some photos from the programmes conducted so far.

Inauguration of the Programme.
Demonstration on how to check a vehicle properly.
Proper Checking & Frisking Technique.
A session in the classroom.

The inevitable group photo !

High Speed Joyride !

2009-11-09T14:38:00.005+04:00

Recently when I was going on a branch visit I saw a funny sight on the road. It is not uncommon to behold such events in Oman but they are rare on the highways where vehicles are zipping past at speeds in excess of 120 km per hour. Since I was accompanying a colleague who was at the wheel, I got an opportunity to click the following photos. The camels were apparently enjoying the ride as they sat side by side in a snug fit in the Toyota Hylux pickup in front of us, unperturbed at the curios stares of other road users. This is what is called a true blend of tradition with modernity !!

"Whatcha looking at man ?" "C'mon, dont bother about their stares !"

UP Sainik School - Golden Jubilee Celebrations

2009-10-25T18:43:00.003+04:00

The programme for the forthcoming 'UP Sainik School Golden Jubilee' celebrations has been finalised. A host of events have been planned by the organizing committee of the Old Boys Association to commemorate this event. Since the school was established in 1960, the next year (2010) will be celebrated as the Golden Jubilee year. This year's events planned for 19th and 20th December will mark the start of the year long celebrations. Events like Flagging off the Hot Air Ballooning, Unveiling the Golden Jubilee Trophy, Baseball match and Tug-of-War between the old boys and present cadets, Wreath laying at the War Memorial, Cultural evening followed by Cocktails and dinner are some of the events for the first day.

On 20th December the 'Golden Jubilee Open Marathon' will be flagged off from KD Singh Babu Stadium, Lucknow at 0730 hrs. This is going to be a prize money, annual event which will be conducted by the OBA every year.

So, all you Upsainians out there, plan your itinerary accordingly. I am hoping to catch up with some long lost friends and am eagerly waiting for this mega event.

Interesting Mail Forwards

2009-10-22T17:04:00.004+04:00

Following are three interesting mail forwards which I wanted to share with you all. The first one was titled 'Why Pappu Failed" ! Here goes.....

And this is the second one :

"One paragraph that explains life "
Arthur Ashe, the legendary Wimbledon player was dying of AIDS which he got due to infected blood he received during a heart surgery in 1983. From world over, he received letters from his fans, one of which conveyed: "Why does GOD have to select you for such a bad disease"? To this Arthur Ashe replied: "The world over -- 50 million children start playing tennis, 5 million learn to play tennis, 500,000 learn professional tennis, 50,000 come to the circuit, 5000 reach the grand slam, 50 reach Wimbledon, 4 to semi final, 2 to the finals, when I was holding a cup I never asked GOD 'Why me?'. And today in pain I should not be asking GOD 'Why me?' "

"Happiness keeps you Sweet,

Trials keep you Strong,

Sorrow keeps you Human,

Failure keeps you humble and
Success keeps you glowing,
But only Faith & Attitude Keeps you going... "

The third one is a personal favourite...

THE SENILITY PRAYER :
Grant me the senility to forget the people
I never liked anyway,
The good fortune to run into the ones I do, and
The eyesight to tell the difference !!
Cheers !

Red Terror - The Greatest Security Threat in India

2009-10-14T08:42:00.002+04:00

I am reproducing two very thought provoking articles regarding the greatest internal security threat which is staring India in the face today. One was published in a leading daily forwarded to me by IISSM and the other was published by 'ISN Security Watch' a couple of days back.

Reign of Terror
RK Vij
The inhumane and merciless murder of Inspector Francis Induwar of Jharkhand Police, by those claiming to operate hefty schemes like ‘Janatana Sarkaar’ (people’s government), has exposed their real face once again. Many such instances have taken place in other Naxal-infested states. Until recently, before being pronounced as one of the most serious threats to the internal security of the country, Maoism was mostly downplayed by various actors of civil society including the media, irrespective of a higher death toll and the gruesome lynching of men as compared to other acts of violence. The list of martyred security men, which is read out on every 21st October (on ‘Shaheed Diwas’) is growing longer. Fearing the governments’ more focused approach now, Naxalites are trying to spread waves of terror once again. Whenever their senior cadre are arrested or killed in exchange of fire or their very existence is challenged, they take recourse to brutality.

Inspector Hemant Mandawi of Jagargunda Police Station was killed when he was assisting the villagers repair an interior road in order to restore public transport. His feet were severed, as the Naxals wanted his shoes. In another incident, Central Paramilitary Force (CPMF) personnel’s eyes were smashed with sharp weapons and hands cut to remove wrist watches. In the village of Kudur in Bastar district, policemen were ambushed with Claymore mines and then charred to death. In Ranibodli in March 2007, one of the rooms of the police camp was bolted from outside by the Maoists, and petrol bombs thrown inside towards the unaware, off-duty police personnel. Some escaping security men were targeted from tree tops, killing a total of 55 police officers including 36 Special Police Officers (SPOs). As if this couldn’t pacify the Naxals quest for sadism, they laid down Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) all around the building to hinder even the evacuation of casualties. The charred bodies of the SPOs — who were all local residents of surrounding villages — could not be recognised even by their kin. Similarly, when a Chhattisgarh Electricity Board (CGEB) party was on its way to repair a blown up high tension tower near the dreaded ‘Zhara Ghatee’ of Narayanpur, its truck was blown up with an 80 kg plus IED, killing 3 civilians. The explosion was so intense that various pieces of their bodies had to be gathered from as far as 300 metres. These were handed over to their families in bag-shaped folded bed sheets, without us even knowing whether they belong to the same person or not. The law of the jungle applies to the public as well. On-the-spot killings of civilians in the name of dispensing quick justice in ‘jan adalats’ (public court) is an old-fashioned governance style of the Maoists. Tying hands behind and beheading with sharp weapons is the Maoists’ favoured method. Showing disrespect to dead bodies is routine. Killing men and tying hidden IEDs to their dead bodies is yet another ploy to misguide the police and invite them to the scene of crime for inquest, leading to more explosions and more casualties.
Many seized documents have clearly shown that the birth of ‘Salwa Judum’(meaning peace march) in June 2005 in South Bastar infuriated the Naxalites. The villagers were forced to flee due to continuous attacks and escalating fear. The state government, realising its constitutional obligations, promptly responded and created rehabilitation camps to provide people with basic amenities. Though Salwa Judum came up as a self-motivated people’s movement in a response to the Naxalite atrocities, it was soon dubbed as a state-sponsored move. This is a well thought out propaganda by the Naxalites to malign the government. Quite a few times, the Naxalites have dared to attack even the rehabilitation camps. Though most of such attacks have been foiled by the police force, yet an attack on Errabore Rehabilitation Camp (situated on the national highway), left more than 30 killed and many injured. The fact is that the Naxalites were shaken by the increasing strength of the Salwa Judum and its commitment to re-establish peace in the area. The spurt of violence is due to the retaliation by the Naxalites in the face of the rising popularity of Salwa Judum, which led them to intimidate people so that they do not ever raise their heads.
Presently, there are about 3,000 SPOs, who assist security forces in the maintenance of order in Naxal-infested areas. These SPOs have played an important role in breaking and weakening the network of the Naxalites. Naxalites’ brutality has not even spared the families of the SPOs. Many SPOs have been killed, only to discourage them from associating with the police.
The number of policemen who sacrificed their lives in the line of duty was about ten only until 2004, but this number shot up nearly eight-fold in the last four years. Similarly, the number of civilians killed by the Naxalites was less than 70 till 2004, but swelled to more than 200 in 2006. This further strengthens the fact that the Maoists were afraid of the people’s resistance groups which had rejected their ideology in their own stronghold. The attacks on schools, panchayats and ashram buildings have unravelled their hollow talk of development. They are even opposed to developmental works. Schemes like ‘Jantana Sarkaar’ are being propagated only to hide their ugly face, smeared with cold blood. A country which was built on the edifice of non-violence cannot accept the ideology of armed struggle for class annihilation. Such mindless brutal killings by the Maoists must act as a wake-up call for civil society.

The writer is a senior police officer of Chhattisgarh

The Indian Express- October 9, 2009

India Battles ‘Red Terror’
The Maoist-Naxalite threat turns up the heat in India, with extremists on the rampage, attacking civilians and killing 17 police officers this month, and the government preparing for a major military offensive, Animesh Roul writes for ISN Security Watch.
By Animesh Roul in New Delhi for ISN Security Watch
In a brutal show of force, hundreds of left-wing extremists (also known as Maoists or Naxalites) attacked a police unit killing 17 officers in Maharashtra’s Gadchiroli district on 8 October, despite threats from state and federal governments of a strong military response if extremists failed to renounce violence.
Earlier that week, Maoists extremists beheaded an abducted senior police official in Chhattisgarh state following a failed bid to swap jailed Maoists leaders.
Reacting to the latest Taliban-style execution, Minster of Home Affairs P Chidambaram told local media that the violence was a possible response to the arrest of some senior CPI-Maoist leaders.
Samarji, Maoist leader in Jharkhand, had reportedly demanded through local media that the abducted police official be swapped for three recently arrested cadres — Kobad Ghandy, Chhattradhar Mahato and Chandra Bhushan Yadav.
Maoists have been targeting legislators, security officials and government properties in regular intervals in their so-called Red Corridor, which comprises swathes of territory including parts central and eastern India.
According to government sources, the extremists control nearly 40,000 square kilometers across 20 states.
The Indian government now concedes that the Naxalites pose one of the greatest threats to the country’s security.In India, left-wing extremism emerged from a place called Naxalbari in the Darjeeling district of West Bengal in 1967 under the leadership of Charu Mazumdar. Since then, the movement has come a long way from what was a rather small-scale local rebellion of farmers and tribal peoples.
Maoists in India, as elsewhere, have adopted the ‘Protracted People’s War’ (PPW) as the strategy to achieve their political objective. The PPW is divided into three phases: occupy the land; step up the guerilla struggle; and bring power to the people.
Urbanizing terror
Speaking to ISN Security Watch, Rajat Kujur, co-author of Maoism in India: Reincarnation of Ultra Left Wing Extremism in the Twenty-First Century (Routledge, 2009, Forthcoming), said that some significant changes [have] occurred in the Maoist modus operandi of late.” He said that the Maoists were moving away from the traditional guerilla formula of ambush towards a novel hit-and-run formula and an urban strategy.
There been violent clashes between armed tribal groups backed by Maoists and security forces in West Bengal’s Nandigram, Singur and Lalgarh areas over land acquisition by the state government. And of late, many Maoists cadres from Indian metropolises including New Delhi, Mumbai, Nagpur and Hyderabad have been arrested.
According to Kujur, these developments should largely have been expected.
“Encircling the Urban areas definitely is a Maoist technique,” Kujur said, explaining that “once the guerilla warfare reaches a point, the classic Maoist formula says they must start encircling the cities, which they are doing now.”
Nihar Nayak, Maoist expert at the New Delhi-based Institute for Defense Studies and Analyses (IDSA), agrees. “In their mass mobilization effort, Maoists are now garnering support from intellectuals, students, slum dwellers, minority populations and laborers in the Cities and towns,” he told ISN Security Watch.
“In urban areas, the CPI Maoist has been forming a Tactical United Front with organizations that oppose the Indian State. It has also infiltrated existing trade unions and plans to float new ones in all big companies both for political and funding purposes.”
In a recent interview with a national daily, Koteshwar Rao, a politburo member of the CPI (Maoists) in charge of their West Bengal, Orissa and Jharkand operations, disclosed they had joined forces with northeast separatist groups and Islamist organizations in order to fight the Indian government.
Nayak recalled that “the CPI-Maoist’s January 2007 resolution had prompted the extremists to reach out to Muslims and other minorities to spread the movement throughout the country.”
On the offensive
The government is planning a multi-pronged military operation in ‘hot pursuit’ of extremists that will include a developmental package for tribal regions starting in mid-October.
The scheduled military campaign, now dubbed the ‘October Offensive,’ will be carried out with help from civilian and military agencies such as the Anti- Maoist Commando Battalion for Resolute Action (CoBRA) force, the Indian air force, the Indian Space Research Organization, paramilitary forces such as the Central Reserve Police Force and the Border Security Force.
“This will be the first time India will wage such a military offensive, though not a full-fledged war against its own people.”
However, “We do not consider this as our own Swat [referring to anti-Taliban operations in neighboring Pakistan] at all, as media are painting it,” a senior security official involved in the operation told ISN security Watch under condition of anonymity.
Nayak plays down the euphoria of a military offensive to root out Maoist extremism in India. He underscores that this “cannot be a long term solution to the protracted Maoist insurgency in the country.
“Historical evidence suggests that even if the state managed to suppress the movement for some time, the Maoist movement would [return] with new vigor and manifest itself in most a virulent form,” he said.
Similar views are expressed by Mahendra Kumawat, a former paramilitary chief who was quoted in The Telegraph (Kolkata, 4 October). In charge of anti-Naxalite operations in his earlier capacity, Kumawat questioned the government’s ‘crackdown first - development-later strategy’ and urged it to refrain from a “strike policy” that only involves bloodshed and disruption.
Kujur concurred, saying, “This military campaign and economic overtures notwithstanding, the government needs to ensure that the people of those affected regions enjoy the benefits of good governance.”
“Again, one needs to understand that Naxalism is a political problem and it needs to be solved politically,” he added.

RBI ( and 'Lungar Gupp' ) Revisited !

2009-10-12T11:06:00.003+04:00

I visited RBI, New Delhi on 22nd Sep and was overwhelmed by the reception I got from friends and colleagues. In addition to the officers and Class III staff, the way the Security Guards, Drivers and the Maintenance Staff greeted me was most touching. One day was not enough to meet everyone I knew so I went back again on 24th Sep and tried to complete the job. Reaching Bangalore on 5th October from Delhi I went to the Bank on 6th Oct and again was met by everyone with open arms. It felt as if I had never left the place when the usual 'man fridays' did some of my dirty jobs for me. Some snippets are as follows :

1. RIP - Anil Kumar. I was deeply saddened to learn that Anil Kumar, one of the drivers at RBI, New Delhi whom I knew very well had passed away in a road accident. Besides being an excellent driver and byke rider, he possessed a cheerful demeanour and was ever willing to shoulder additional responsibility. He was most dependable and would not hesitate to go out of his way to help others. I remember once when my 'Bullet' would not start owing to an electrical fault I was in a dillemma how to transport the byke to the service centre. I happened to mention this to Anil and he promptly came up with a solution. He volunteered to push my heavy byke with his left foot while riding his 'Yamaha RX 100' all the way from Vasant Vihar to Jhandewalan (a distance of approx 14 kms) - and that is exactly how we did it, much to the surprise of other road users . There are numerous other anecdotes which I can recount which will attest to Anil's generous nature. It was very disturbing to note that his byke was hit by a call centre cab from behind near Raj Ghat at night and he died on the spot owing to a head injury. May God grant his family the strength to bear this great loss. Rest in peace Anil !!

2. Callousness and Generosity. Yet another disconcerting event was learning about the plight of Maj Sanjay Avasthi who is bravely battling his debilitating disease. I learnt that he had to spend a lot of time at home on 'leave without pay' as the P&S Cell had no use for him. This, in my opinion, was a most callous thing to do to a brother officer. Thankfully, things changed for him when the present RD at New Delhi posted him at Sarojininagar to look after the VOF. I met Sanjay at his residence and found him to be a shadow of his former self. I shudder to think what would have happened were it not for the RD's generosity.

3. Foreign Training and Greener Pastures. I met Maj Rawat and was pleased to know that he was all set to proceed to UK for his stint with ARC training. He was in fact running around for his visa which had been delayed. Another guy was marking time waiting for a lucrative assignment to come through.

4. Visit to RBI, Bangalore. A jarring note at Bangalore was introduced into the proceedings by Goyal when he told me that the 'Banking Fraternity' had not taken kindly to the post 'Parting Shot' in my blog. I do not know what the hell the so called fraternity has to do with my blog. As to who they constitute was not elaborated upon by Goyal. Anyway, I have two words for them - one is a four letter word and the other has three !!

PS. Thats it for now. I will be visiting the Bank again before I leave this place on the 23rd for Muscat.

Vacation Time !!

2009-10-12T09:53:00.009+04:00

I have not been blogging for more than a month now simply because I have been on the move constantly since 20th September when I landed at New Delhi from Muscat. I am on leave till 23rd October. There were a lot of items on my 'to do' list like celebrating 'Dussehra' with the family on 28th Sep, unpack and settle down my stuff at Noida (which was lying unpacked since November 2008), search for a dwelling unit at Mussoorie (cant think of severing ties with that place), etc, etc. Presently I am at Bangalore staying with my younger son.

While at Delhi I took time off to visit RBI and spent a day meeting old friends and colleagues. The same activity was repeated at Bangalore too. More about these visits in a separate post.

The time spent at Dehradun celebrating Dussehra was full of fun and gaeity with the extended family members some of who had converged from various corners of the globe for this occasion. The visit to Mussoorie was nostalgic (as always) and it was nice to see the 'Queen of Hills' bathed in various hues resplendent in her 'autumnal aura'. At this time of the year the hills are covered with a variety of wild flowers in different colours and the climate is too good to miss. The hunt for a dwelling unit continues and I am hoping to acquire one by the middle of next year. Some photos I clicked during this trip are attached :

The boys being blessed after the 'Tika'

Found time to ride a Bullet after a gap of

nearly 4 years. Ahhh what a feeling !!

The hillside at Mussoorie covered with wild
flowers. (click on the pic to enlarge)

A view of the LBSNAA horse riding track.

A view of 'Deodars' from LBSNAA.

Friendship - An Inspirational Short Story

2009-09-06T21:31:00.002+04:00

Horror gripped the heart of the World War I soldier as he saw his lifelong friend fall in battle. Caught in a trench with continuous gunfire whizzing over his head, the soldier asked his lieutenant if he might go out into the "no man's land" between the trenches to bring his fallen comrade back. "You can go," said the lieutenant, "but I don't think it will be worth it. Your friend is probably dead and you may throw your life away." The lieutenant's advice didn't matter, and the soldier went anyway. Miraculously he managed to reach his friend, hoist him onto his shoulder and bring him back to their company's trench. As the two of them tumbled in together to the bottom of the trench, the officer checked the wounded soldier, and then looked kindly at his friend.

"I told you it wouldn't be worth it," he said. "Your friend is dead and you are mortally wounded." "It was worth it, though, sir," said the soldier. "What do you mean; worth it?" responded the Lieutenant. "Your friend is dead". "YES, Sir" the private answered. "But it was worth it because when I got to him, he was still alive and I had the satisfaction of hearing him say, "JIM........, I KNEW YOU'D COME."
Many times in life, whether a thing is worth doing or not, really depends on how you look at it. Take up all your courage and do something your heart tells you to do so that you may not regret not doing it later in your life... "May each and every one of you be blessed with the company of TRUE FRIENDS."
"A true friend is one who walks in, when the rest of the world walks out."

Click Flick Prize !!

2009-09-01T21:17:00.008+04:00

Ever since I have landed in Oman, I have been fascinated by the 'roundabouts' (large traffic islands at intersections and cross roads) over here. I have been clicking random photographs of these roundabouts all over Oman. A local weekly newsmagazine called 'Hi' conducts a monthly photography contest titled 'Click Flick' on different themes every month. Last month the theme was 'Roundabouts in Oman' and I sent a photo of the Salalah airport roundabout which I had shot during my visit to that place in July. I was pleasantly surprised when the results were declared on 28th August and I won the first prize - a brand new Olympus MEW760 digital camera. Here is the news item (click on the pics to enlarge) :

And this is the award winning photograph :

PS : There are already two claimants in the family for the 'new' camera!!

Fire Safety Links

2009-08-21T21:51:00.003+04:00

National Fire Protection Association (NFPA)-Research, statistics, quick facts and safety information for different occupancies.
www.nfpa.org

US Fire Administration- Research, free online courses , safety tips.
http://www.usfa.dhs.gov/

The Shriners produce a variety of Burn Awareness Supplies at no cost (Coloring books, crayons, stickers, etc.)
http://www.shrinershq.org/Hospitals/Burn_Awareness/

Florida Building Code 2007 ed.; NFPA 1-Uniform Fire Code 2007 ed.; NFPA 101 Life Safety Code 2007 ed.
http://www.naplesgov.com/Departments/PoliceandFire/FireBureau/
FireInspectionsandCodeEnforcement.aspx

A variety of safety tips:
http://www.fireeducator.com/

Source : Posted by Pamela DeMeo on Linkedin Groups

Carrier (read Career) or Stand ?

2009-08-17T14:04:00.002+04:00

You may have heard the story of a young officer (Y.O) 50 years ago when he got a cycle loan and purchased one from the unit canteen. The cycle was a beauty (the way mobikes/cars are today) but did not have a carrier at the back. So he sent his orderly to get one fixed. When the cycle came back with the carrier fitted the Y.O. noted that the stand was missing. He went to the CSD authorised cycle dealer and asked him why the stand had been removed. He was told, Sahib ji,
"फौज में एक ही चीज मिल सकती है - कैरियर या स्टैंड। अगर स्टैंड लोगे तो करियर ख़तम और अगर करियर बनना है तो स्टैंड कभी मत लेना !"

This holds true for other organizations as well even to this date !

Uttarakhand

2009-08-12T21:47:00.002+04:00

'Uttarakhand' is the name of the state to which I belong in India. I came across a brief historical description of my home state recently when I was invited to join a group of 'Uttarakhandis' on Facebook. I have plagiarised the passage and am reproducing it here for everyone's information.

Uttarakhand is both the new and traditional name of the state that was formed from the hill districts of Uttar Pradesh, India. Literally, North Country or Section in Sanskrit, the name ‘Uttarakhand’ finds mention in the early Hindu scriptures as the combined region of Kedarkhand and Manaskhand. Uttarakhand was also the ancient Puranic term for the central stretch of the Indian Himalayas. Its peaks and valleys were well known in ancient times as the abode of gods and goddesses and source of the Ganga River. Today, it is often called "the Land of the Gods" (Dev Bhoomi) because of the presence of a multitude of Hindu pilgrimage spots.Uttarakhand has a total geographic area of 51,125 km², of which 93% is mountainous and 64% is covered by forest. Most of the northern parts of the state are part of Greater Himalayan ranges, covered by the high Himalayan peaks and glaciers, while the lower foothills were densely forested till denuded by the British log merchants and later, after independence, by forest contractors. Recent efforts in reforestation, however, have been successful in restoring the situation to some extent. The unique Himalayan ecosystem plays host to a large number of animals (including bharal, snow leopards, leopards and tigers), plants and rare herbs. Two of India's mightiest rivers, the Ganga and the Yamuna take birth in the glaciers of Uttarakhand, and are fed by myriad lakes, glacial melts and streams in the region.At that time, present-day Uttarakhand also served as a haunt for Rishis and Sadhus. It is believed that Sage Vyasa scripted the Mahabharata here as the Pandavas are believed to have traveled and camped in the region. Among the first major dynasties of Garhwal and Kumaon were the Kunindas in the 2nd century B.C. who practiced an early form of Shaivism. They traded salt with Western Tibet. It is evident from the Ashokan edict at Kalsi in Western Garhwal that Buddhism made inroads in this region. Folk shamanic practices deviating from Hindu orthodoxy also persisted here.

Weekend Splash - Dolphin Watching

2009-07-31T11:14:00.010+04:00

On 30 July three families from my department went for a 4-in-1 trip by a ‘Glass-bottomed Boat’ which included the following :
1. Dolphin Watching
2. Coral Reef Snorkelling
3. Glass Bottom Boat Experience
4. Coastline Cruise
The trip started at 0830 hrs from the ‘Marina Al Bandar’ and got over at 1200 hrs. It was a great experience for all of us except some of the ladies who felt seasick and could not fully enjoy the proceedings. I was able to click some nice photos from the sea which I am posting here :
(click on the photos to enlarge)

Had a tough time waiting for a Dolphin to appear !
Coral Reef seen through the 'Glass Bottom' of the boat.

A natural rock formation near the coast. Boats pass

through the opening during low tide.

Another famous rock formation which resembles

a 'Goat's Head' !

The Al-Bustan Palace Hotel.

The British Ambassador's residence on a hill top.

Private luxury yachts at the marina.

Salalah in Kharif Season !

2009-07-31T11:13:00.007+04:00

Salalah is Oman’s second largest city and is the capital of the Dhofar (or southern) region. It is famous for ‘frankincense’ which is found only in this region. Salalah also has a unique climate especially during the months June to September (popularly known as the ‘Kharif‘ season) during which it enjoys cool, wet and misty monsoon. The temperature drops to twenties while the rest of the Arab world is scorching at its hottest at this time. The Kharif season is the peak tourist season when the population of this place nearly doubles and a carnival like atmosphere pervades the region. There are many places of tourist interest in and around Salalah.

I visited this place on 27/28 July after a gap of nearly six months and was amazed by the change in the climate and the environment. The barren hills around Salalah were green and the weather reminded me of Mussoorie during the monsoon. One notable destination for visitors is the Tomb of Prophet Job (locally known as Prophet Ayoub) which is located on a hilltop overlooking Salalah city. The Prophet is revered by Muslims, Christians and Jews alike and the tomb is open to all visitors. Following are some pictures of the said trip :

An aerial view of the town from the airport.

Yours truly en-route to Thumrait.

Green hills and misty skies !On the road from Salalah to Thumrait.

Footprint of Prophet Job !

The Prophet's Tomb.

UP Sainik School 'Old Boys' Get Together

2009-07-23T20:08:00.003+04:00

Upsainians will be flocking to New Delhi on 25th July (Saturday) for a get-together planned at the Air Force Officers' Mess, Western Air Command, Subroto Park, New Delhi at 1930 hrs. Wish I was at Delhi ! On the agenda is the planning for Golden Jubilee Celebrations which are due in the school in December this year. So mark your diaries accordingly and let us make it a point to converge to UPSS in December this year !!

Occupational Safety & Health - More info !!

2009-07-23T19:56:00.001+04:00

In continuation of a similiar post dated 23rd June, here are some more links to free information and resources related to Occupational Safety & Health :
http://hygeaplus.blogspot.com
http://andybrazier.blogspot.com
http://siri.uvm.edu/ppt/
http://safetyphoenix.blogspot.com
http://info.ogp.org.uk/safety/
http://freeinformationsources.wikia.com/wiki/Free_Health_Safety_%26_Environment_Information_Sources
http://fireworld.com/incident_logs/logs/
Enjoy !!!

Family in Oman

2009-07-09T19:55:00.015+04:00

My family joined me here on 24th June (at last !). The boys went back to India on 05 July owing to their own commitments but will be back later. My better half will thankfully be staying back ( I am thus enjoying home cooked food after a gap of six months). Following are some pics shot during their various outings :

Gaurav at the famous Muttrah 'Souk'
Pranav & Seetu at the 'Corniche' area
Gaurav with His Majesty's yacht 'Al-Said' in the
background !

Pranav at the Corniche

Pranav with Muttrah Fort in the

background.

A view of the Muttrah market place.

Pranav & Fareed Al-Balushi(a colleague of mine

who took the boys on a couple of memorable

'trips'). Here the duo are relaxing at the

Muscat Diving Centre.

Fareed & Gaurav

Fareed with Haji Shaban - Mr Oman, Mr Gulf and

Mr Arabia besides other titles !

The boys with Mr Haji Shaban

Fareed & Yours truly (this was the first time I

saw Fareed dressed in western clothes !!)

Occupational Safety & Health Info !

2009-06-23T23:57:00.003+04:00

Recently I came across a discussion on the subject on 'Linkedin' in one of the HSE groups of which I am a member. The discussion was very interesting and informative and a big debate was also raging on simultaneously whether such information should be made available free of cost or not. The guy who had started the discussion was of the opinion that all health and safety information should be free and had urged people to post useful links to such information for everyone's benefit. I am in full agreement with that gentleman and believe that knowledge should be shared. So here are some useful links (copied from that discussion) from where information regarding the subject can be downloaded :

http://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/leaflets.htm
http://www.osha.gov/pls/publications/publication.AthruZ?...
http://www.cdc.gov/NIOSH/
http://www.oshonline.com/Home.aspx
http://www.fmsmag.com/
http://www.ilo.org/public/english/protection/safework/
http://www.nsc.org/
http://www.ehstoday.com/
http://www.incident-prevention.com/
http://www.ishn.com/
http://www.sraeurope.org/
http://www.uneptie.org/scp/
http://www.healthandsafetytips.co.uk/Downloads.htm
http://www.osha.europe.eu/en
http://www.safetyexchange.org/
http://www.hsa.ie/eng/
http://www.worksafebc.gov/
http://www.ccohs.ca/
http://www.inrs.fr/
http://www.web-safety.com/Exchange/index.htm
http://www.fema.gov/
http://www.pdo.co.com/pdoweb
PS - All the above links will turn up on a serious web search but it will take a lot of time, patience and luck. Thanks to the discussion in question they are available on a platter - duly vetted and filtered.

Support the Armed Forces

2009-06-03T23:19:00.002+04:00

By N Vittal (former CVC)
Published in 'Mumbai Mirror' on 18 May 2009

For the health of our democracy, it is necessary that the new government should nurture our armed forces and see that their morale and commitment to professionalism are maintained.

As Indians, we can legitimately be proud of our 60-year-old democracy. The 15th general elections have just been over and we have witnessed the lively game of politics that adds spice to our democracy.

As Indians, we have particularly been lucky. From the mid twentieth century till the nineties, a large number of colonies in Asia and Africa became independent. Unfortunately, most of them became examples of poor governance. Many became single party dominated totalitarian regimes. Many went the way of communism and human liberties became a casualty. Many others came under the dictatorship of army generals and colonels.

Against this dismal record, India has emerged as a real democracy. The just concluded general elections are a glorious demonstration of this proud fact.Our unique and lucky position can be appreciated if we look around and see what is happening in our neighbourhood. Pakistan is imploding. Nepal is lurching on the edge of chaos. Bangladesh is just recovering from their last elections. Sri Lanka is struggling with a three-decade-old insurgency. Myanmar has gone into a deep freeze of democracy under a military junta. Further East, Thailand is facing a crisis between the elected government and the military which has intervened far too often in the government. Indonesia is limping back after a long spell of military dictatorship. China may be a great power but it is certainly not a democracy.

What, then, is the secret of our fortune? It is the role played by three key institutions of governance – the election commission, the judiciary and our armed forces.

We readily recognise the role of the first two. But we hardly ever recognise the silent contribution of our thoroughly professional and politically neutral armed forces. This is particularly very important when we look across the border and see what has happened in Pakistan and Bangladesh. The track record of the Indian armed forces is all the more commendable when we recall that they were all trained by the same British who set up excellent traditions in the armed forces.

As we celebrate the health of our vigorous democracy, we should not take our luck for granted. We should particularly nurture our armed forces and see that their morale and commitment to professionalism are maintained.

When it comes to health, we are all aware of the fact that prevention is better than cure. The recent scare about the swine flu underlined that message and saw many countries co-operating in ensuring that proper precautions are taken and a pandemic is avoided.

For the health of our democracy, it is necessary that the new government pays special attention to our armed forces which constitute an important pillar of our democracy. From a broad perspective one thing is important – we must be able to make our defence services an attractive career option for our youth.

One major reason for the lack of attraction of armed forces as a career is a weakening of our sense of patriotism and nationhood. The growth of regionalism and caste-based politics has greatly undermined the national sentiment and made patriotism almost anachronistic.

Equally important is the treatment meted out to ex-servicemen and veterans. We have seen the dissatisfaction of the defence services during the implementation of the sixth pay commission. How many are aware of the sense of frustration and the feeling of lack of izzat or respect amongst the retired servicemen on the issue of one rank-one pay?

More than 10,000 medals including gallantry awards, have been surrendered to the President of India in three installments.

Unless we take serious note of these signals of hurt pride and wounded morale, there is a danger that our vaunted track record of democracy may be seriously threatened. When thousands of crores were waived for the agricultural sector and populist measures like free TV have become the norm of politics, it is unfair if the reasonable demands of the defence services are not met. No government can invoke the old arguments of budget deficit. A strategic inoculation against the loss of morale in the armed forces is an important national priority for the new government.

Wheels - at last !!

2009-06-01T19:16:00.008+04:00

I got my driving licence on 16 May (exactly 5 months after I landed here !) and today I got my brand new 2009 'Diamond White' Auto Transmission Toyota Camry GLX . My colleagues informed me that the norm here was to take the vehicle to the Krishna temple for 'puja' straight from the showroom and then only think of gallivanting around. Being the team player that I am, that is just what I did and rounded up the day with hogging sweets from Muscat Bakery.

In an earlier post I had mentioned that one is 'dead' without a vehicle in Oman - so I am born again and life starts NOW ! Following are some pics shot at the temple (click on the photo to enlarge) :

Panditji applying the 'tilak'
Start of the 'puja'
This is the car folks !

About to crush the 'lime'.

Yours truly at the wheel.

PS. Driving an automatic transmission car takes some getting used to and that too in a left hand drive vehicle. My left foot was searching for the non-existent clutch at times !!

Bramleigh Towers !

2009-05-17T21:13:00.002+04:00

Folks,

Dont be confused by the title of this post. Bramleigh Towers Cambridge Academy was the name of the school I attended at Mussoorie from 1963 to 1968. Upto the year 1965 it was known as Rock Cliff Academy (being literally amongst 'rocks' and 'cliffs', just below the 'Gun Hill'). In the year 1965 the school shifted to a sprawling campus near Vincent Hill at the other end of Mussoorie and the name was changed to Bramleigh Towers. The motto of the school was 'From Peak to Peak' - no pun intended, but we did move from peak to peak literally (from Gun Hill to Vincent Hill). The mere fact that I had mentioned the name of my first school in my profile on this blog resulted in me getting in touch with four people who were part of the same school. It was fantastic getting to know my illustrious schoolmates all over again after more than four decades. As of now 5 of us are in touch thanks to the 'Bramleigh' connection.

The following photograph of the picturesque school campus was recently forwarded to me by the famous Mr Ankur Gupta (more about him in a subsequent post !) :

P S. Cant describe the feeling when I saw this photo - nostalgia, travelling back in time, deja vu.... myriad thoughts - remembering faces, thoughts, events, pranks et all. Who says time travel is not possible ??

"Old Men" No More !!

2009-05-04T22:26:00.003+04:00

The Commanding Officer in any unit is generally referred to as the 'old man' (behind his back, of course!) by all the other officers. Well this is about to change soon as the following news item will bear testimony :

"Officers to become Col after 15 yrs of service '
New Delhi: In a major decision impacting the age profile of Army, Navy and Air Force commanding officers, the government on Friday fixed 15 years of commissioned service for substantive promotion to the rank of colonel, instead of the existing 20 years. ‘‘The government today fixed 15 years of commissioned service as the minimum qualifying service for substantive promotion to the rank of colonel in the Army, captain in the Navy and group captain in the Air Force. The decision of the government has been received at the Service headquarters,’’ sources said here. Until now, lieutenant colonels in the Army, commanders in the Navy and wing commanders in the Air Force had to put in a cumulative qualifying service of 20 years after commissioning for promotion to substantive colonel and equivalent ranks. However, they became unit commanding officers even with just 16 years of service, as per the cadre management policies of the tri-services, but had to wait for another four years to be confirmed as substantive colonels and to receive the salary of a colonel. In effect, it would mean that there would be no more ‘‘acting’’ ranks of colonel, captain and group captain in the services. TNN

Source : Times of India, New Delhi Edition, dated 02 May 2009

PS : The Indian Armed Forces are going to have 'young' old men now !!

The Key to Your Safety is in Your Hands

2009-05-04T22:15:00.003+04:00

Following are some Safety Tips compiled by my colleague Deepak who is our Manager (Safety) at SBG. These were circulated on the occasion of the 'World Safety Day' but I could not upload them earlier owing to minor computer glitch.

WORK PLACE SAFETY
1. Identification of unsafe conditions & practices and taking corrective action is a part of day-to-day work activity.
2. Accidents just don’t happen, unsafe behavior causes accidents.
3. Concentrate on the job that you are doing. Always respect Safety rules & Signs.
4. Before doing any activity, know about it, plan it properly and think about hazards & potential losses.
5. In order to create awareness, always discuss accidents & near misses and its preventive measures to avoid recurrence with all concerned.
6. Avoid short cuts; use the right tool & equipment for doing any job.
7. Make use of Personal Protective Equipment wherever it is required.
8. Make use of Work Permit System for carrying out hazardous type of work
FIRE SAFETY
1. Fuel, Oxygen & Heat together can create a fire. Do not allow heat and fuel coming together as oxygen is present everywhere.
2. Do not carry out any hot work in a high fire hazard area.
3. Learn how to use fire extinguishers. Always maintain easy access to all the fire fighting equipment.
4. Do not smoke in a “No smoking” area. Do not throw lighted cigarette butts. Extinguish them properly.
5. Do not store unwanted and scrap combustible material. Dispose scrap periodically as it is a fire hazard.
ELECTRICAL SAFETY
1. Human body is a good conductor of Electricity. Avoid Wet hands while using electrical appliances.
2. Avoid multi socket connections. Follow the one plug in one socket rule. All appliances should have three-pin plug.
3. Whenever Electrical appliances are not in use, switch them off from main switch.
4. Do not store highly flammable or combustible material on or close to the Electrical appliances.
LPG SAFETY
1. LPG is heavier than air. Leaked LPG has a tendency to sink to the lowest possible level in pits, drains etc.
2. If you smell LPG leakage, do not put on/off any electrical switch. Put off gas supply valve, open windows & doors to allow the gas to escape.
3. Develop a habit of putting off LPG supply valve when not in use, particularly during night and when you are out of the house.
4. LPG is safe when burning but very dangerous when it leaks. Avoid leakage.

Anonymous Comments Galore

2009-04-30T23:00:00.004+04:00

One of my friends is posting anonymous comments on my blog in the vain hope that they will be published. All comments are moderated by me and I will publish only those ones which have the name of the author on them. I have mentioned this earlier too when I received some nasty comments on a particular post (reference post 'The Good, The Bad & The Ugly' dated 30th November 2007 - type the name of the post on the search bar and you can read it for good measure). This time round the comments, far from being nasty, are hilarious, but hey - rules are rules and my friends know what an 'OG' guy I am. So dear anonymous commentor ( I know who you are - judging from your अंग्रेज़ी !!) send me a mail me at nandanbisht@gmail.com instead of wasting your time on my blog.

My Favourite Music !!

2009-04-30T22:47:00.002+04:00

A couple of days back I stumbled across a cool feature on the blogger homepage which lets you search and save your favourite music on a widget which can be posted to your blog. These music clips are of 30 seconds duration (except for 'featured' ones which are longer) so even though one cannot enjoy the whole song it is a great deal. I got most of my favourite music which still 'rocks'. I am sure people from my generation will agree with me when I say that music of the 70's and the 80's was the greatest EVER. It was a trip down memory lane for me when I heard the clips. I have posted this on the side bar. Just scroll down and click on any title and enjoy continuous 30 second clips of MY favourite music.

WORLD DAY FOR SAFETY & HEALTH AT WORK- 28 April 2009

2009-04-28T21:32:00.008+04:00

The International Labour Organization marks its World day for Safety and Health at work on 28th April every year. World day is an international campaign to promote safe, healthy and decent work all over the world. We celebrated this day at Saud Bahwan Group with a series of events which included administration of the 'safety pledge', display of safety banners/posters at prominent locations, exhibition of safety equipment and a full fledged mock evacuation drill.

Similiar programmes were conducted at all our branches/sub locations all over Oman. The event evoked a lot of enthusiasm and was celebrated with wholehearted participation by all the employees. Following are some photos clicked on the occasion :

A poster at the 'Security Control Room'

Administration of the Safety pledge at Toyota Service.
Safety pledge ceremony at the Security Control Room

'Samosas' after the event (courtesy Deepak)

Safety & Security team after the mock drill

Facility Physical Security Management - Best Facility

2009-04-18T21:10:00.009+04:00

By the end of March I had visited all the company facilities at various places all over Oman. There are hundreds of properties of varying sizes and functions at different locations viz : showrooms, warehouses, vehicle yards, workshops etc. The best facility from the physical security point of view, in my opinion, is a warehouse, the pictures of which are appended below.

The entry/exit gate with remote controlled dual

barriers for vehicular traffic. Personnel and visitor

entry is through the security control room at the

left which contains all the access control systems.

The boundary wall (9 feet) with a chain link fence

topped with barbed wire(3 feet) running

all around the facility.Hydrant pipes along the boundary wall with outlets

at various places. All outlets have a box with two

hose reels and a branch pipe/nozzle.A view of the warehouse from outside. Protective

lighting all around is with metal halide lamps which

have a long life and replicate sunlight best

(these are the types used at sports stadiums). Overground hydrant pipes and lighting poles can be

seen in this photo. Underground water pipes do not

last long owing to the high salt content in the soil.Drain holes along the boundary wall secured

with a tamper proof wire mesh.

In addition to the above the facility has an excellent fire prevention and fire fighting system consisting of dual water tanks with dual fire pumps. A fire alarm system, sprinkler system, manual call points, alarm bells outside at regular intervals, break glass units etc. This is one facility which I found conforming to most of the principles of facility physical security management.

Internet Connection - At Last !!

2009-04-10T19:15:00.002+04:00

At long last I got my broadband connection through Omantel a couple of days back. I had applied for the same on 19 January 2009. This was made possible by some intense follow up by my colleagues in our telecon dept as well as some lobbying by friends. While I was cribbing about this state of affairs to the guys who had come to install the peripherals, all the response I could elicit was "Mabrook" ( which means "मुबारक हो !" or "Congratulations"). It seems folks who had applied for a home connection as far back in August 2008 are yet to get it.

The ADSL modem (which I had to purchase by paying cash) cost 26 Rials (or Rs 3380/-), installation cost is 10 Rials and the monthly rental is 12 Rials. Wait, the best is yet to come, the icing on the cake is the free download/upload I get. I am entitled to a grand 1 GB of free download/upload per MONTH !! Yes, you read that right - 1GB per month. Beyond that I will be charged at 1 Rial per GB of download/upload. Even e-mail attachments count towards this.

The other fantastic discovery I made is that a host of websites are blocked (not just the 'pondy' ones, which can be expected). Voice over Internet Telephony (VoIP) sites like 'skype' are also blocked (there go my dreams of anticipated long chats with my better half !)

Some friends here who are enjoying this luxury tell me that their bills are in the range of 30 Rials per month if they behave themselves and refrain from spending too much time on the net.

All this is thanks to the monopoly of the sole service provider. Well, since beggars cannot be choosers, here I am, blogging from the cosy confines of my residence. It is better than trudging to the nearest cyber cafe, waiting for my turn on the PC and finally paying the exhorbitant fee and counting my steps back.

Birthday Bash !!

2009-04-01T21:17:00.012+04:00

On 31st March I took my colleagues out for lunch and did not let it out that it was my birthday. We went to a restuarant nearby and one of the guys who knew let the cat out of the bag (the bum !!). Well, after lunch we came back to office and went about our business as usual. I got a call at 5.00 PM to reach the Security Control Room (my office being a short distance away) asap. Imagine my surprise when I saw everyone gathered over there waiting for me to cut the cake (which they had arranged at short notice). I was overwhelmed and my day was made ! I enjoyed every minute that day.
I would also like to thank all my friends and well wishers who had sent me e-cards, mails, wished me on this blog, sent me SMSs and even called me up. A big THANK YOU to all you folks.
Following are some pics which were shot on that day.

Settling down for lunch at TFC (not to be confused

with KFC) - Trivandrum Fried Chicken ! Howzzat ?

Fareed, self, Paresh, Santosh, Mahfoodh (hidden),
Nashib, Deepak and Ismail.

At the office after hogging the cake.

Santosh (hidden), Mahfoodh, Nashib, self,

Paresh and Deepak

Khalid, Ismail, Santosh and me.

Recession in Oman !

2009-03-29T21:07:00.001+04:00

The effects of recession are now being felt in this part of the world too. Of course, things are not as bad as in some other countries. It is not that folks do not have money to spend – just that everyone seems to be adopting a ‘wait and watch’ stance. As far as the automobile sector is concerned, people are waiting for prices to fall, which is a remote possibility. This posture was fuelled by American carmakers slashing their prices in the face of possible financial ruin. Japanese and Korean car manufacturers seemingly have no such ideas. The price of crude, which is now witnessing an upswing, is also an important factor in this game. As per the market buzz if the price stabilizes at around $ 60/- per barrel it will auger well for the economy here.
In order to ensure that their bottomlines are not dented too much private companies have started adopting the following measures :
1. Putting fresh recruitments on hold.
2. Downsizing the workforce -shedding excess baggage and non-performing assets.
3. Adopting cost cutting measures.
4. Encouraging overtime and multi-tasking rather than adding manpower.
It remains to be seen as to how long this state will last !!

World's Fastest Ferry Service !

2009-03-20T13:06:00.004+04:00

On 18th of March I happened to take my first ride on a ferry - the world's fastest ferry ride. I had gone on a branch visit to a place called Khasab which is located on the northern tip of Oman a day earlier. I flew to that place on the 17th and since return flights are only on alternate days I took the ferry service (which is daily) back to Muscat. 18th March also happens to be the day I was commissioned into the Indian Army in 1978. So it was a memorable day for both reasons. Actually ‘ferry’ is a misnomer because the vessel is more like a luxury cruise liner. It was a good experience for a first timer like me. The ship cruises at 48 knots per hour and sitting inside one does not feel as if one is travelling over water. The crew (nice looking ladies) keep feeding you throughout the five hour journey to Muscat and with music and TV programmes to keep oneself busy the journey was a pleasure. We left Khasab at 1100 hrs and docked at Sultan Qaboos Port at 1600 hrs. So I can now say that it took 31 years of service for me take my first boat ride. Following are some pics I took :

The ferry leaving a trail of froth on departure.
Crossing the Strait of Hormuz.
Ships at Sultan Qaboos Port.

Beggars on Wheels !

2009-03-20T13:03:00.001+04:00

Some time back it was reported in the press that beggars have been seen in Muscat. This was unheard of not so long ago. Well, I have not seen any beggars around till date, not in the way we are used to in India, at traffic lights, places of worship and streets. But on two different occasions I was accosted by car borne gentlemen (accompanied with families) while I was walking to the mess where I have my meals (a 10 minute walk from my residence). Both of them gave me sob stories about coming to Muscat on a visit and having lost their wallets and being generally high and dry, children not having eaten a morsel etc, etc.

Imagine the sight of a Toyota Corolla or a Nissan Tiida coming to a halt near you and the occupants giving you such bullshit. These incidents happened within the space of a week. I came to know that one family was from India and the other from Pakistan (both countries truly represented !). Well, they did not get a single ‘baiza’ from me but got a long lecture regarding painting our respective countries in poor light. Later on I was discussing this issue with my colleagues in the office and was surprised to learn that nearly all my Omani friends have faced such situations. And gentlemen that they are, they got conned and parted with various amounts upto a maximum of 10 Rials (Rs 1300.00).

“ I call them Car Borne Beggars -Saale bhikari yahan bhi aa gaye !!”

Obtaining a Driving Licence in Muscat

2009-03-04T21:08:00.002+04:00

Getting a driving licence in Muscat is akin to obtaining a 'Green Card' by illegal immigrants in the US. The process has become so tedious and time consuming that it is a project in itself. For obtaining a driving licence, one should be above the age of 18 years, produce two passport photos, fill the relevant application form, produce the sponsor's approval and copy of Passport and Civil Card and pass the physical and eye test. Upon successful completion of all these activities and depositing the requisite fees (5 Rials) one gets the 'learners licence' in a booklet form. Learners are allowed to drive in Oman only through a certified driving instructor in their vehicles. These vehicles are white in colour with maroon stripes and display the name of the driving school etc (mobile driving school). The instructor familiarises the learner with the rules, systems and roads. All vehicles are 'left hand drive', rules of the road are rigidly followed and speed limits are upto 120 kmph. The instructor charges 5 Rials per hour with the clock ticking from the moment you sit in the car till you get out.
Four tests are to be passed in the following sequence before a regular driving licence is granted :
1. Traffic Sign Test - Here the learner is required to identify various road signs pointed at on a chart by the Royal Oman Police (ROP) officer.
2. Drum Test - In this test one has to reverse through two rows of empty 200 litre drums without touching any of them. The eight drums are positioned in two rows of four each in such a way that there is barely enough space to park the car. The entire exercise has to be done in reverse gear ONLY and shifting to any other gear or the car moving forward leads to failure.
3. Slope Test - Here one has to move up a slope from a standstill position without rolling backwards or without the wheels making a screeching sound. The slope is cemented and is smooth so as to make the proceedings more miserable.
4. Road Test - In this test the ROP officer sits in the co-drivers seat and gives instructions to test your driving skills on the road in traffic. Even a minor mistake or lapse earns a disqualification.
Failure in any test means a retest for which the requisite fee has to be deposited again and a fresh date for the test is allotted. One has to go back and practice again for that particular test. At present the waiting period in Muscat between two tests is 30 to 40 days. I cleared my drum test in the second attempt on 28 Feb 2009 and I have to appear for the Slope test on 16th March. Going by the present trend it seems unlikely that I will get a licence before May. Thankfully my company pays for 25 hours of driving classes. For any time spent learning/ practising beyond that, one has to foot the bill himself.
P.S. There is NO other way to obtain a driving licence in Oman unlike some other places I know !!

Images of Oman

2009-03-01T18:53:00.015+04:00

During the last two months I have been visiting various places all over Oman where my company has branches. Getting out of Oman I was fascinated by the scenery and the natural beauty of the surroundings. I am posting some photos which I clicked during these trips

View of Fujaira (UAE) from Dibba (Oman)
Gateway to Sohar - the Industrial hub of Oman

Sultan Qaboos Grand Mosque - this marvellous work

of art is a few minutes walk from my residence.

Scenery just after leaving Muscat leading to Nizwa

Beautiful straight roads !!

Sunset before reaching the destination.

Some more scenery !

The grand mosque at Rustaq.

Roundabout at Salalah.

View of Salalah airport from the guest house.

This place is just like Kerela with banana

and coconut plantations aplenty

Salalah roundabout at night.

View of Salalah by night.

Apologies !!

2009-03-01T18:48:00.002+04:00

I have not been able to update my blog as often as I would have liked to much to the chagrin of my friends and well wishers who yearn for news from this end. My sincere apologies to them. Well the reasons for this are twofold, firstly I have been quite busy in visiting all the company's facilities all over Oman (about 35 locations !) and secondly, I have still not got my internet connection despite applying on 19 Jan 2009. Will try my best to be regular in future.

The Passing of a Legend

2009-03-01T18:44:00.001+04:00

Sheikh Saud Salim Bahwan, our late founder chairman, who passed away on 20 August 2008, was truly a legend. He will be remembered for building a world class corporate empire setting new standards in corporate social responsibility. I just happened to go through his obituary published in the September 2008 issue of 'Business Today'. Log on to http://www.businesstoday.co.om/ and go through the article to know more about this great individual. There are many employees in my organization whose lives were touched by this legend and for whom he will always be the most unforgettable personality they ever met !

My New Job !!

2009-01-10T13:22:00.004+04:00

I have been getting a lot of queries from my friends, acquaintances and well wishers from the Security fraternity in India regarding my new job and the environment in Muscat. Some have even asked me if I regret leaving the Reserve Bank of India where I was amongst the top ten in the combined all India seniority. There is no question of regret as I have walked into this with my eyes open and regret is a wasteful emotion in any case. Some are curious to know about the pay and perks I am getting and so the list goes on. I will attempt to give all the relevant information here so that you guys can breathe easy :

1. The job. Well, I have now spent 25 days over here and have taken over the assignment after my induction programme. I am heading the 'Safety & Security' section which is responsible for safety and security aspects of the entire group. The company has its HQ at Muscat and the branches are spread all over Oman. There is a branch at 'Salalah' which is 1200 kms from here. My designation is 'Assistant Senior Manager - Safety & Security' and I am the seniormost in the cadre. There are 8 officers (4 nationals and 4 expats) in the section who report to me. The total strength of the staff is 631 as on date (out of which 450 are nationals and the rest expats). My job is to ensure that safe practices at the workplace are followed and foolproof security measures are available at all the facilities. Other than this, I am not involved in any 'fundi' jobs (ah, what a relief !!). I report to the Head of the Commercial Department who is a very senior officer having put in more than 30 years service in the company.

2. The benefits.

(a) Accomodation. The company is providing excellent facilities like a fully furnished 3 bedroom flat ( the market rent for which is around 650 Omani Rials (OR) at present - multiply that by 125 to get the figure in Indian Rupees) It is a HUGE flat with three bathrooms, all having different types of fixtures. Four split AC units, a 680 lits fridge, an Italian 5 burner cooking range, 9 kg fully automatic washing machine, a 29 inch Sony TV and a 21 inch Panasonic TV , a wall unit, 8 seater dining table, 7 seater sofa set, centre and side tables etc etc. Bed material like matresses and pillows, bedsheets and covers and even a couple of towels were provided by the company. The accomodation has recently been taken on lease and I was the first occupant in my new flat. The residence is 25 km from the corporate office bu tit takes just 15 minutes by the company coaster as it zips at 100 kmph which is permissible speed limit.

(b) Transport. The company provides pick up and drop facilities to all employees from various locations and this is provided even when a personal car is taken by an employee. After I pass the driving test (more about that in another post) which may take any time from 2 months to 5 months, I will be entitled to take a brand new car from our company showroom as per my eligibility i.e. either a Toyota Camry, Ford Mondeo or Kia Opirus (as all these brands are being distributed by my company in Oman). After one gets the car he is eligible to get 60 Rials for petrol. The cost of petrol is 10 litres for one Rial (around Rupees 12 per litre). Folks pay more for water per month than they spend on fuel.

(c) Settling Down Allowance. A one time allowance for purchasing kitchen items and bed material is also provided which is quite substantial.

(d) Timings. The job is 5 days week starting from Sunday. Timings are 8.30 AM to 6.00 PM every day. Friday and Saturday are the weekly off days. My off days are spent in household adm as I am staying alone at present and the house is as big as a playground. Luxury also has its pitfalls !!

Messing. I am dining in one of the single officers messes which is close to the house and I pay around 30 Rials per month for food. The company has an arrangement to pick up hot food from the mess and it reaches my office well in time. The only flip side is that it is Malayali fare as the majority of the single guys are my 'Mallu' friends. But I have gotten used to it and am liking it. That is better than having to cook my own meals. As it is mornings are a mad rush as the coaster leaves dot at 0755 hrs.

So thats it. I hope all your apprehensions have been addressed and curiosity satisfied.

Muscat Musings III

2009-01-06T19:08:00.006+04:00

Folks,

I have not been able to update my blog as regularly as I would have liked to. This is partly because of the internet connectivity we are facing in Oman at present and partly because I have not yet got my own connection (another couple of weeks to go). The prospect of coming down to the nearest internet cafe (which is always crowded) to check mails etc is quite daunting. However, I am posting some photos which were taken soon after my arrival here (as the telling date stamp will reveal) :

This is my very own personal 'jacuzzi' !!

A view from my bedroom window.

This is the view from the other window. The building in

this photo has the nearest departmental store 'Rawasco'.

Artificially landscaped greens just adjacent to my residence.

Saud Bahwan Group - Feel Good Factors

2008-12-25T09:26:00.003+04:00

1. The Saud Bahwan Group is known to be the best employer in the middle east. It employs nearly 11,000 people and the annual turnover is around 5 billion US dollars. It is a trading company dealing with a lot of brands, all of which are market leaders. These are Toyota, Ford, Kia, Man, Hino, Komatsu and Thermoking to name a few. The company buys, stocks and sells products belonging to these brands. It has a very strong service and spares backup owing to which it has 50 % of the market share in passenger vehicle sales. It has 63 branches all over Oman with the aim of having a branch within the reach of every Omani resident. The sales, service and spares in each vehicle category are distinct profit centres. The company has well established and tested systems and procedures. It lays great emphasis on customer as well as employee satisfaction.

2. I have completed a week at the Saud Bahwan Group and am enumerating some feel good factors which I have experienced :

(a) An officer from the HR department along with a vehicle was

present at the airport to receive me. This is done for every new appointee.

(b) I was taken straight to my flat which had brand new furniture and furnishings. The caretaker was there to explain the functioning of various gadgets and to hand over the keys.

(c) The following items were kept in the kitchen which did not form part of the inventory :

(i) Tea rations viz : Sugar, tea leaves and milk pkts.
(ii) Two bottles of mineral water.
(iii) A can of ‘Mountain Dew’
(iv) A packet of biscuits.
(v) One steel ‘thali’, two ‘katoris’ and a glass.

(d) Home delivery of packed food (all three meals) for one week from

the nearest single officers mess (there are kitchens catering to nearly 4000 single guys)

(e) Assistance in paperwork related to obtaining the civil card, opening of Bank account etc.

(e) Provision of advance of salary in cash on the first working day.

(f) A structured and well organised induction programme.

3. That’s it for now. Will post more experiences in due course.

Muscat Musings II

2008-12-24T17:56:00.001+04:00

Positives

1. Neat & clean environment (voted second cleanest city after Singapore).
2. Well planned city with excellent roads and lot of greenery.
3. No flies or mosquitoes.
4. No power cuts.
5. Clean drinking water round the clock.
6. No traffic jams.
7. No stray dogs (or any other quadrupeds !!)
8. No beggars.
9. ‘Feel’ of India – 80% expats of which most are Indians.
10. Strict implementation of rules and regulations.
11. Incorruptible officials in public life.
12. Strong economy – hardly any effect of recession.

Negatives

1. Some items prohibitively expensive if converted to rupee terms.
2. Telephone calls very expensive – a 3 Rial mobile card gives only 10 minutes of talk time (ie for nearly Rs 400/-)
3. If you don’t have a car – you are dead ! Public transport system not good as everyone is rich and has a car.
4. Driving classes expensive (4 – 5 Rials per hour ) and getting a driving licence is a pain. If you fail in the first attempt (which is a likely scenario) the next date allotted may be only after a month.
5. Crossing of the road (any road) can be fatal as vehicles regularly ply at speeds in excess of 100 km per hour.

Muscat - First Impressions

2008-12-23T15:38:00.000+04:00

1. I have started the ‘fourth innings’ of my career with the Saud Bahwan Group on 15 December 2008. I have not been able to catch up with my pending mails and I know that a lot of you guys must be wondering what’s up with me ! Well, the company has an induction programme which they conduct in right earnest and I am in the thick of it till 24th December after which I will be posted to my department. In addition to this, me and some other new appointees have been busy with a series of medicals - (company medical and then the all important ‘Ministry Medical’) After the report is found OK we will be required to get our fingerprints registered with the Ministry and then we get the ‘Civil Card’. This is the most important document without which one is NOT eligible to get even a telephone connection. The Govt here maintains a database of all the nationals as well as the expatriates. Commit a misdemeanour or a breach and one can be traced in no time and then it is cooling time in the clinker – no questions asked. Added to all this was the mandatory filling up of various forms etc. I am now ‘Code No. 21217’ in the company records.

2. With all this happening at a furious pace, I would say it is too early for me to form an opinion about this place. The one thing which struck me first was the fantastic condition of the roads lined with greenery and flowers and the speed at which vehicles ply on them. Despite the official limit of 100 kmph (and 120 kmph on some roads) everyone meticulously follows the rules of the road and is very disciplined. No honking and no overtaking – just follow the guy in front and make liberal use of ‘flashers’. Otherwise there would be a pileup at every crossing.

More later !!

Parting Shot

2008-12-12T11:01:00.004+04:00

Folks,

Today is my last day of service in the Bank and I am being relieved 'at close of business hours' !! Being a vehement proponent of the fact that Security Officers should only be doing 'Security Management', particularly in these 'terrible' times, I have penned a couple of lines on this occasion :

" कह चले हम अलविदा RBI को सथियो ,
अब तुम्हारे हवाले 'झाडू-पोचा' और 'trolley' साथियो "

PS : To be sung to the tune of the famous song from the movie "Haqeeeqat"
PPS : My friends who believe that we should take on whatever additional tasks are dished out to us may find this post 'offensive'. My apologies !!

Lungar Gupp L

2008-12-05T12:43:00.006+04:00

This happens to be the 50th (and also the last !) post in the ' Lungar Gupp' series. I feel that it would be inappropriate for me to 'Gupp' further as I will cease to be a part of the 'Lungar' soon.

1. Faux Pas. I was in Delhi recently when I happened to read an unflattering article in the HT supplement 'Lutyen's Delhi' dated 29 Nov 2008 (Saturday) regarding the hassles of the common man in getting soiled notes exchanged for clean ones at RBI. The last para was particularly startling. Click on the article to enlarge it :

2. Promotion Fever. It seems that the ball is in motion as regards the promotion interviews for Grade 'B' to 'C' in our cadre is concerned. Capt Sudershan just told me that his particulars have also been called for. Looks like we may have 6 new AGMs (in case the vacancy created by my leaving is also taken into account !). This was the general topic under discussion when I visited the P&S Cell at New Delhi - Col Roy (who was a bit under the weather) was in command.

3. Posting - Lady Officer. A newly recruited lady security officer who was posted to New Delhi has achieved the 'impossible' - she now stands posted to Bangalore and is likely to report on 15 Dec 2008. She managed to convince the powers that be (either you convince me or I will convince you !!) that she should be posted to Bangalore.

Lungar Gupp - RIP !!!

New Management Theory - MBI

2008-11-25T14:55:00.005+04:00

Move over all ye ‘Business Schools’ and ‘Management Gurus’ – a brand new management theory is being propounded right here !!

1. Charles Sennewald in his book ‘Effective Security Management’ has mentioned some ‘Jackass Management Traits’ (which have nothing to do with Security Management) at the end of the book. They are hilarious scenarios of typical traits of ‘mismanagement’ exhibited by the top managers in various organizations. These traits cover most of the ‘idiosyncratic’ oddities displayed by managers in any organization. Well, the new management theory that I am going to describe does not even fit into the ‘Jackass Traits’. And remember, this is not even remotely akin to ‘MBO’, which we all know is ‘Management by Objectives’.

2. MBI stands for ‘Management by Idiots’. I am sure you all must have come across this scenario at some point of time in your careers. If you are lucky enough NOT to have endured these traits in your bosses – wait awhile – your time will come ! In MBI, the top boss deliberately and knowingly installs ‘Idiots’ on important chairs. These ‘dumb characters’ are grossly unfit for the appointments which they hold and as a consequence chaos reigns supreme in all facets of office life. Why would a top boss commit such a folly, one may ask ? Well, this is done to ensure that there is absolutely no resistance from any quarter, to the ‘whims and fancies’ of the boss. His writ thus runs large and ‘thy will be done’ – Amen! All the idiots are ‘Yes Men’ of the highest order.

3. Bosses who resort to the MBI style of management have some typical traits. They are professional nincompoops who suffer from a massive sense of insecurity. They are mortally scared of the fact that people may NOT do their bidding which, of course, is a totally unfounded fear. They are suspicious of everyone else and trust nobody except for members of the ‘dumb inner circle’. They encourage ‘back-biting’ by lending a patient ear to the tales that the ‘idiots’ carry. They will not tolerate even a mild suggestion from anyone unless it has been duly endorsed by one of the ‘idiots’. In fact everyone is told to route everything through these ‘dumbos’. A façade of ‘every thing is in order’ is carefully maintained. Complaints are promptly bounced back from where they originate and all cases of impropriety/indiscipline are brushed under the carpet. The boss is just not willing to listen to any voice which is raised against the incompetence of any idiot. In fact he eulogises the non-existent achievements of these dumb characters. Such bosses, more often than not, have double standards and do NOT practice what they preach. They only do the preaching – practicing is for others !

4. The ‘idiots’ also have some peculiar traits – chief among them being the ability to sing paens about the boss at the drop of a hat. They will leave no opportunity in singing thus, openly, much to the embarrassment of the people at large. The boss’s magnanimity (of which only they are the recipients !), large-heartedness, vision, professional expertise (which is visible to only a select few !), and transparency are often the topics of praise. This blatant flattery is evident at all gatherings (be it official forums or private audiences), leaving everyone else fidgeting on their seats. Another trait is their fantastic ability to ‘lay eggs’ over any case which lands up on their desks. Procrastination is the name of the game and they believe that if a case can be delayed long enough then there is no need to do anything about it !! Yet another trait is the constant game of one-upmanship which they play against one another. In their efforts to earn ‘brownie’ points from the boss all other work takes a backseat. In case one espies a sullen visage on one of them, it means that some other idiot has beaten him to the punch in scoring points with the boss – leaving him to ponder what HE must do the next day.

5. So how do you like the ‘MBI’ theory ? Have you come across such a scenario in your professional life ? Count yourself lucky in case you haven’t. This reminds me of an Urdu couplet :

“ हर शाख पे उल्लू बैठा है,

अंजामें गुलिस्तान क्या होगा ?"

Diamond Jubilee Celebrations in the Paltan

2008-11-14T13:12:00.015+04:00

My paltan (6/8 GR) celebrated its Diamond Jubilee of raising at Dehradun from 02 to 05 November 2008. It coincided with the Battle Honour (Naghun) day which fell on 04 November. I visited the paltan after 21 years and met a lot of officers with whom I had served at various locations. It was a memorable event made possible by the present lot of officers under the able leadership of Col. Ganapathy. It felt like home-coming and all of us were transported back in time. It was fun to watch old timers behave like kids with everyone pulling each others' leg. I am glad that I decided to make the trip to Dehradun for this event with my better half. In retrospect, all I can say is that I wouldn't have missed it for anything in the world. The following pics will tell the story better :

(click on any photo to enlarge it )

Self and Maj DB with the Diamond Jubilee Trophy

Entry in the old visitors' book dated 09 July 1978 -

reporting for the first time.

My Record of Service in the paltan !
At the 'Bar'
Maj DB, Col A.K.Mehta, Col Naithani
and self in the mess

Col Chow, self and Maj DB at the 'Barakhana'

A group photo of the old gang (Khanabal)

Jaiwant, Naithani, Brig Mehta, Col Bones,

self and Maj DB

Signing the 'book' at the Quarterguard !

Chow, Anil, self, Ashwini and Jaiwant at the QG.

A group photo with the Officers & JCOs

Special Sainik Sammelan.

Col V.Ganapathy, the present 'old man' !!

(Full marks to him and his team for the excellent show !)

Lungar Gupp XXXXIX

2008-11-11T12:40:00.002+04:00

1. Interviews for AGMs. It is understood that the much awaited interviews for promotion from Grade 'B' to 'C' may be happening soon. Nobody is willing to hazard a guess as to when they will actually take place. I think it may happen towards the end of December or even in the New Year. This is MY guess !!

2. Cab Woes ! For those of you who go to Delhi and are in need of a taxi - never, ever go for the newly introduced Call Taxi service (tele 43434343 ). I nearly missed my flight to Guwahati on 06 Nov thanks to this so called 'high tech' service. The cab never turned up and on complaining the driver had the audacity to tell me that my 'servant' had cancelled the service. Of all the lame excuses this one surely takes the cake.

3. Varying VOFs. Visiting Officers Flats at various places evoke different reactions every time one visits them. The New Delhi VOF at Sarojininagar now has AMs manning the reception round the clock. The same place was in a pathetic condition less than a year ago. The VOF at Guwahati has an attendant who is related to Houdini - always performing the disappearing act and not to be seen when required. At Kolkata everything is fine as regards the decor and facilities are concerned, however be prepared to ignore the hygiene aspect. Moreover, there is no market anywhere nearby so one is at the mercy of the culinary expertise of the staff posted thereat.

4. Update !! I just got a mail from Sumit Upreti. He seems to be doing pretty well for himself. He is the Head of Security for an MNC emerald mine at Zambia and is enjoying the challenging assignment.

5. CPP & PSP Exam. The said exams were held on 01 Nov 2008 at USI Club, Rao Tula Ram Marg, New Delhi. A good number of participants turned up for the exam. I managed to reach the venue just as the test was about to begin. Capt Khan from RBI, Kolkata was there taking the test for PSP and a surprise participant was S.S. Raman (wonder how many more certifications he is aspiring for ?). Well, here's wishing both of them all the best !!

Dont Write Me Off - Yet !!

2008-10-31T14:19:00.003+04:00

An interesting event occured yesterday ( I am on leave from today till the 9th of Nov - enjoying my last LFC trip) while gossipping in the office. A colleague of mine asked me if I would be meeting mutual friends/acquaintances at Delhi ( I am planning to stop over for a day over there). I remarked that I would make all efforts to meet as many guys I know as possible as I dont when I will get the next opportunity to do so. Then I said that I was looking forward to the forthcoming Security Managers' Conference at Mumbai where I would get to meet all our friends from the cadre. Whereupon my friend interjected with alacrity that why should I be attending the said conference as I was about to leave the Bank. For a moment I was nonplussed at this line of thought - I still have more than a month to go ( 12 Dec 2008 to be precise) - and my friends have already written me off and are busy making their own plans. Well, so much for unity of the cadre, brotherhood, so called friendship. camaraderie etc, etc, et all.

I had to rudely remind my friend that I have not retired as yet and the option to reconsider my decision is STILL open ( I have already received feelers to that effect !)

Who needs enemies when one has such fair weather friends ??

Strive for Balance in your Life ....

2008-10-30T08:49:00.002+04:00

An insightful extract from a speech by Bryan Dyson (CEO of Coca Cola)

"Imagine life as a game in which you are juggling some five balls in the air. You name them - work, family, health, friends and spirit and you're keeping all of these in the air.
You will soon understand that work is a rubber ball. If you drop it, it will bounce back. But the other four Balls - family, health, friends and spirit - are made of glass. If you drop one of these; they will be irrevocably scuffed, marked, nicked, damaged or even shattered. They will never be the same.

You must understand that and strive for Balance in your life........."

HAPPY DIWALI !

2008-10-27T17:59:00.003+04:00

This is to acknowledge the best wishes of all my friends who have sent me SMSs and e-mails on the auspicious occasion of Diwali. You feelings are heartily reciprocated. May the festival of lights bring happiness, prosperity and peace to you and all your loved ones. Happy Diwali !!

Lungar Gupp XXXXVIII

2008-10-20T13:12:00.001+04:00

1. Reporting after Leave. I have reported for duty today after being away for 22 days. Most of this time was spent at Dehradun with a small trip to Delhi included. I had gone to take one of the papers I had missed for my MA (Previous) exam which was scheduled for 29 Sep 08. After that I fell sick (sic !!) and am now at Bangalore being 'fit' to resume duty.

2. Newer Climes. I have been receiving frantic calls from all my friends and colleagues as to where I am going after leaving the Bank. Well, this is to inform all you curious busybodies that I am joining the automotive division of SB Group at Oman and will be based at Muscat. I am planning to join them by mid December.

3. New Recruits. I am told that only four newly recruited Security Officers have joined the Bank as of today. While I was on leave I got a call from a lady officer who wanted to report to Bangalore office instead of New Delhi where she has been posted owing to domestic reasons. Lets hope she succeeds in her endeavour though I have serious doubts about this issue judging by past experience.

4. AGM's Posts. It is believed that out of the five posts of AGMs which have been recently sanctioned the breakup would be as : SC -1, ST-1, Gen-3. As per the grapevine interviews may be held next month.

5. Footnote. One positive fallout of my leaving the Bank is that one vacancy in the post of AGM in our cadre will accrue on 31 Dec 2008. As per the panel year 'funda' some old horses may run again in Jan/Feb 2009 . Best of luck guys !!

Nostalgia !!

2008-10-05T20:21:00.005+04:00

I had gone to Delhi for a couple of days (02 and 03 Oct 2008) to meet some old friends and associates. On 2nd I met Mr David Cresswell at the Hotel Crowne Plaza, Gurgoan where he was busy conducting the second Security Management Stage I course for Security Professionals from Cairn India. It was a pleasure meeting him after more than six years. On the 3rd I met a lot of colleagues at RBI, New Delhi and a dear old friend from my school days. Mr Rohit Varma, who is a VP in an apparel company at New Jersey was in Delhi for a business trip. I met him after nearly 30 years and it was a nostalgia trip catching up on all that we have been through in our respective lives.

Rohit and myself at Moti Mahal Restuarant, Malcha Marg, New Delhi

Rohit Varma - as dapper as ever !

David is busy checking up his e-mails at TGI, Gurgaon.

Lungar Gupp XXXXVII

2008-09-18T10:51:00.003+04:00

1. The Phone Has Not Stopped Ringing...... Since yesterday I am at my wits' end responding to queries regarding my putting up my papers. Most of them have been regarding where I am going next. Well, I have some good offers in hand and am likely to zero in to one of them in the next month or so. I was pleasantly surprised to get calls from even guys whom I have never met. The other query has been 'WHY'. To this I must elaborate that I am not happy with our job content in the Bank. Since Maintenance and Protocol form part of our jobs, these aspects are used as a flogging stick, more often than not, in order to put one down and our core function which is Security Management takes a backseat. In the present security scenario prevailing all over the country where we are literally having to 'live' with terrorism, I feel we should be focussing only on Security Management !! However, as opinion is divided on this topic even within the cadre, I dont see any radical changes being brought about in this direction. So that is why I am bidding 'adieu'.

2. The Young Turks are Coming ! We are about to get one of the newly recruited Security Officers. Maj Dinesh Sharma is reporting to RBI, Bangalore on 22 Sep 2008. A mail regarding his arrival on Sunday the 21st Sep by Rajdhani Express had details about his coach and berth numbers. So we have arranged to receive him at the Railway Station lest he gets disappointed on day one in the new environs. He will also be 'dined' in at my place in the evening.

3. Welcome Kit. A welcome kit for newly recruited Security Officers has been received from the Central Office containing two annexures, one spelling out the 'Duties of Security Officers' and the other detailing some 'Do's and Dont's'. I was asked by my office to add anything I felt was necessary to the already heavy dose of literature which I declined.

4. 'Et Tu Brute' ! I am told that some more resignations are in the offing in our cadre. Some youngsters have landed good jobs in MNCs I am told. To them I say "भाग ले बेटे " before you start getting second thoughts or succumb to peer/family pressure.

Calling it a DAY !!

2008-09-17T13:02:00.002+04:00

This may come as a bit of surprise for those who do not know me well ! I have put in my papers for voluntary retirement from the Bank's service today. It is no secret that I am not happy with our job content and I feel that I have had enough now. Since I cannot change the system - leaving it is the next best thing rather than developing stress related diseases (which, mercifully, I am free from). I have requested the Bank to relieve me from my duties on 15 December 2008. Watch this space for what I do next. For the time being there is a pile of personal adm to attend to !!

Kottayam & Kochi Trip - Some more pics !!

2008-09-09T13:52:00.008+04:00

Click on any photo to enlarge !!

Cheers to those who cheer for us !

And ....... to those who dont.
The eco-friendly loo at the Windsor Castle.
The shower section was an open air affair.
Took some getting used to !
Living with nature !! Windsor Castle.

The GM (Security) giving me a mouthful.

Sunset over KottayamAnchoring ! This is one of the four anchors of the

dredger 'Lord Willingdon' which was brought

from Scotland in 1938. She sank in an accident

in 1979 in the Arabian Sea. This anchor is at

Fort Kochi.

Programme on Security Management for Security Officers of Banks & Financial Instutions

2008-09-09T13:08:00.006+04:00

CAB, Pune conducted the subject training programme from 03 to 05 Sep 2008 at the 'Windsor Castle Resort', Kodimatha, Kottayam, Kerela. Most of the participants were from Commercial Banks and RBI was represented by just three officers (Moudgil, Shailendranath and Dharmendra). The setting was 'out-of-this-world' in the sylvan surroundings at Kottayam. I had the opportunity to handle a session on Security Risk Management and Security Audit at this programme on 04 Sep. This programme was very well taken by all the participants. Shashi Nair and Alok Chaturvedi were instrumental in giving shape to this event. Following are some photos taken during the training programme :

A technical 'glitch' before the start of my session !
Maj Alok Chaturvedi performing the introduction.

Introducing the presentation !!

Relaxing with Alok and Nair after the session.

Kochi Trip

2008-09-06T08:46:00.033+04:00

On my way to Kottayam, Kerela, where I was supposed to handle a session in a training programme conducted by CAB, Pune (more about that later !), I took a couple of days off to see the sights around Kochi. This was my first ever trip to Kerela and it was an amazing experience. It is rightly called 'God's Own Country'. Two days were enough to make me fall in love with that part of the country and I am definitely going to see more of it whenever I have the opportunity. It is a state full of lush greenery, exotic flora and fauna, neat and clean environment and is inhabited by polite and helpful locals. During the three days I spent at Kochi and Kottayam I did not see a single stray dog in the streets ! Even in the countryside where the highway has houses on either side for most part of the way one could see the blend of modernity and traditional ethos. No garbage piles were seen anywhere and it was remarkable NOT to see the sight of people relieving themselves unashamedly in the open. A high literacy level coupled with economic strength, in my opinion, are contributory factors to this state of bliss.

Kochi is the biggest city of Kerela and is the state's commercial capital. It consists of the mainland Ernakulam and the islands of Mattancherry, Fort Kochi, Willingdon, Vypeen and Bolghatty. From ancient times this place has been an important hub for seafarers. Chinese, Arab, Dutch, Portugese and British seafarers followed the sea route to Kochi and left their imprints on the town. Various historical monuments enrich the heritage of Kochi. It is also called the 'Queen of the Arabian Sea' and is still the hub of trade in spices, oil, coffee and other cash crops.

Following are some photos which I clicked during the trip. Enjoy !!

The 'main land' skyline. A view from one of the islands.

A view of one of the islands from Ernakulam - the main land.

One tip of the man made Willingdon island which

is situated between the main land and Mattancherry.

The HQ Southern Naval Command is located here in

addition to other important government offices.

Fort Kochi beach.

Chinese Fishing Net at Fort Kochi. Such nets dot the

sea front and are a semi-mechanical means of

catching fish. This method is said to be brought to

India from China by traders of Kublai Khan's court.

They are used at high tide.

The Bolghatty Palace built by the Dutch in 1744 AD

is situated on the narrow Bolghatty island. Later

it was the seat of the British resident and is now a

hotel run by KTDC.

The clock outside theJewish Synagogue circa 1760 AD.

The Jewish Synagogue in Mattancherry island was

built in 1568 AD. It contains the great scrolls of the

Old Testament, the copper plates in which grants of

privilege made by the Cochin rulers were recorded,

hand painted Chinese tiles and Belgian chandeliers. 'Sarah's Hand Embroidery' - a must visit for

exquisitely embroidered clothes and accessories.

And this is 'Aunty' Sarah - still busy with

her embroidery.

Jew Street near the Synagogue in Mattancherry.

It is full of shops selling artefacts and antiques.

The Dutch Cemetary near Fort Kochi. It is

maintained by the Church of South India (CSI).

Directions ?? It is best to go around the islands

on foot and enjoy the peaceful laidback feel.

The old world charm is evident in the foreign

influenced architecture of the buildings.

A war memorial dedicated to those who died in

the World War I outside St Francis Church.

This is where Vasco da Gama was initially buried.

'Fort Kochi' is now the residence of the Collector.

Many such tablets dedicated to ancient Dutch

soldiers and travellers are preserved at the

St Francis Church.

The famous voyager Vasco da Gama was initially

buried at the St Francis Church but his mortal

remains were taken to Lisbon, Portugal,

14 years later by his son.

The interiors of the famous St Francis Church.

This Protestant church was built by the Portugese

in 1510 AD and is said to be the oldest church

built by Europeans in India.

Local fishermen trying their luck in the backwaters !

The'anchor' near the beach at Fort Kochi

A ship (dredger) near the mouth of the Arabian Sea
Ferry service between the main land (Ernakulam)

and the islands which from part of Kochi. The

islands are connected to the mainland/other islands

by bridges also. This is a convenient and cheap mode

of transport. A trip from the mainland to Mattancherry

costs Rs 3.00 and lasts 15 minutes.

The Kochi Port Trust Office on Willingdon Island

(a man made island created from the material

dredged while deepening Kochi port).

Lungar Gupp XXXXVI

2008-09-01T11:43:00.005+04:00

1. 'What a Relief' ! - for Avasthi. At long last Avasthi is being relieved from Guwahati on Friday. Earlier they were waiting for a reliever (one of the newcomers) despite the fact that he was getting his treatment done at AIIMS. He had been promised that he would be sent back to Delhi way back in May. It has taken nearly four agonising months for the transfer to come through. Avasthi plans to try Ayurvedic treatment and thus will be porceeding to Kochi by the middle of this month. Here's wishing him a speedy recovery !!

2. Second Tour of Foreign Training. Capt Sharad Sharma is all set to go to US for a training assignment. This will set a precedent for others to follow - earlier HRDD were firm on their stand that Security Officers would be sent abroad only once.

3. New Recruits. It is understood that joining letters have been sent to the newly selected lot of Security Officers. Let us see how many and when these folks join the Bank. One of them is supposed to be joining my team at Bangalore !

4. Training at Kottayam. CAB, Pune is conducting a training programme for Security Officers (not CSOs as mentioned in an earlier post) from Commercial Banks at the Windsor Castle, Kottayam from 03 to 05 Sep 2008. I am supposed to be handling a couple of sessions on 'Security Audit' on 3rd Sep. I have taken a couple of days off so as to see Kochi and the surrounding areas. Am looking forward to the trip as I have never been to Kerala - God's own country - earlier ! More on this trip later !!

Interesting Sights of Bangalore

2008-08-30T11:04:00.009+04:00

I am sure you will not find the following

photos in any guide book !!

The gigantic Louis Vuitton briefcase greets passengers at the Bengaluru International Airport. This has been called a 'marvel' by some and an 'eyesore' by some others depending on the point of view.

You must have heard of 'Public-Private Partnership' but

have you ever witnessed 'Public-Public Partnership' ??

'Rest in Peace' - Vehicle graveyard near a Police Station !
हिन्दी इस्तेमाल नही करनी है और अंग्रेज़ी आती नही !
Yet another example of English language being murdered !
Doggies at crossroads ! I am sure Bangalore must be

having the largest number of stray dogs in India.

Security Training News

2008-08-12T14:28:00.005+04:00

Guys,

Be prepared to be spoilt for choices as far as training programmes related to Security Management are concerned. Following are some of which I know about :

1. First Security Management Stage I course conducted by ARC Training International Academy for Security Management, UK - 25 Aug to 05 Sep 2008 at Gurgaon.

2. 2nd Security Today Knowledge Summit - 27 to 29 Aug 2008 at India Habitat Centre, New Delhi.

3. Programme for CSOs of Banks by CAB, Pune - First week of Sep 2008 at Kottayam, Kerela.

4. Second Security Management Stage I course by ARC Training - 22 Sep to 03 Oct 2008 at Gurgaon.

5. Disaster Management course for RBI Security Officers at DMI, Bhopal tentatively scheduled for Oct 2008.

6. IISSM 2008 - International Seminar - 12 to 14 Nov 2008 at Hotel Cidade de Goa.

Start managing your bosses so that you get to attend at least one of these courses !!

Terror Trail

2008-08-11T07:45:00.004+04:00

On Friday last I got a call from one of my colleagues from the fraternity who wanted information on what explosive material was used in the various bomb blasts that have taken place in the country in the recent past. Well, we do get to read about the type of device used in news reports in the aftermath of such events, but I could not readily give him any useful input. Later on I remembered that the information was available in the 11th August issue of 'India Today' which I am reproducing here.

1. Mumbai – 25 Aug 2003. Two blasts occurred at Zaveri Bazar and Gateway of India. The death toll was 46 and the device used RDX packed in two taxis.

2. Delhi - 29 Oct 2005. Three serial blasts rocked the capital before Diwali at Sarojininagar and a DTC bus. Death toll : 62 and the device used – IEDs in satchels.

3. Varanasi – 07 Mar 2006. Three explosions including one at a famous temple and one at the Railway Station. The death toll was 21 and the device used was IEDs in pressure cookers.

4. Mumbai – 11 July 2006. A series of seven bomb blasts struck six local trains at the peak evening rush hour, The death toll was 209 and the device used was IEDs in pressure cookers.

5. Malegaon – 08 Sep 2006. Two bomb blasts ripped through the town in Nashik district in Maharashtra. The death toll was 40 and device used was IEDs on bicycles.

6. Panipat – 19 Feb 2007. Two IEDs went off on the New Delhi-Wagah Samjahuata Express. The death toll was 66 and the device used was firebombs triggered by timer.

8. Hyderabad – 18 May 2007. Twin blasts at the Mecca Masjid, The death toll was 12 and the device used was a pipe bomb triggered a cell phone.

9. Hyderabad – 25 Aug 2007. Twin bomb blasts at Lumbini park and a popular snack stall. The death toll was 42 and the device used IEDs with timers.

10. Jaipur – 13 May 2008. Nine blasts in a market place. The death toll was 63 and the device used IEDs on bicycles.

12. Bangalore – 25 July 2008. Six low intensity blasts at various places rocked the city. There was one casualty and the device used IEDs.

13. Ahmedabad – 26 July 2008. 22 Blasts at 17 places within the city. The death toll was 53 and the device used –Improvised directional anti-personnel mines and car bombs.

Terrorists have now started using copies of the Claymore anti- personnel mines used by the Army. These copies were even shaped like the real thing packed with a cocktail of explosive materials like Ammonium Nitrate, Gelatin sticks, crude oil and urea and having tightly packed pellets to achieve maximum damage.

PS : The said issue of 'India Today' has a very good cover story as well as other thought provoking articles as to what should be done to contain this menace !!

Remembering Solzhenitsyn

2008-08-08T12:37:00.002+04:00

Nobel laureate Alexander Solzhenitsyn who breathed his last on 03 August 2008 was one of the greatest Russian writers of the 20th century. He was born on 11 December 1918 and died of cardiac arrest aged 89. His books chronicled the horrors of the Russian prison camps – the gulags. He was the first to speak aloud about the inhuman Stalinist regime. He served in the Soviet army as an Artillery officer during the world war and spent eight years in the prison camps shortly after 1945. He was awarded the Nobel prize for Literature in 1970. His first novel ‘One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich’ was published in 1962 and was based on his own experiences. Though he was better known for books like ‘The Gulag Archipelago’ and ‘The Cancer Ward’ this short novel is also a little known classic and was the only novel to be published in Russia.

I had written a ‘Book Review’ on “One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich” when my battalion was stationed at Fort William, Calcutta in 1980, which I am reproducing here:

“One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich” is an absorbing portrayal of human depravation perpetrated in Russian concentration camps under the regime of Joseph Stalin. The writer who was an inmate of such prison camps, found and preserved enough authentic material to reveal human suffering and subjugation under a certain political order of the post war era. “One Day…” thus found its way at a proper time as a dramatic and absorbing literary epic forcefully recording the ever changing political acrobatics and its stigma on human behaviour in labour camps.

The book throws light to reveal prison life in its totality, that is, the mode and conduct of its inmates as well as that of their masters husbanding the prison affairs under a despotic rule. It meticulously depicts various backgrounds of the inmates and the staff coming from different strata of both political and social bearings, the type and measure of food and accommodation they receive, the unending volume of labour they have to put in under strict terror-ridden surveillance of a lot of unfeeling robots trained to persecute the inmates to extreme limits.

The book gives a graphic account as to how human potential is gradually decimated and ultimately destroyed in the labour camps. How the prisoners’ faith in God if any, faith in human values, faith in religion and even faith in their own selves is shaken off and their existence reduced to mere nothingness. The governance, the food, living conditions, working conditions and other aspects of life in the prison camps are so minutely depicted by the author in their enormity that the reader does not fail to get a fascinating understanding as to how human life comes to a stage of void and waste that so many like Ivan in these camps have no feelings, emotions, sensations, desires and anxieties whatsoever other than a desire to survive with animal instinct until life is suddenly extinguished.

Ivan’s belief that “The stars keep on falling down, so you have got to have new ones in their place” when he tells the ‘Captain’, his prison mate, about his faith in God (page 119) is a precise epigram of the described prison camps as well as an epitaph of those who have gone into oblivion through the sufferings in such camps. In a nutshell, the book is intellectually educative and may take a long time to become obsolete, if at all.

Photos posted on Bishtblog now on Picasa !

2008-08-03T15:22:00.003+04:00

All the photos posted on this blog are now available on Picasa at :
http://picasaweb.google.com/nandanbisht/Bishtblog?authkey=qJkJxbUKhQw
Just click on the above link to see the photos. Click on a photograph (s) to enlarge and view one at a time.

Automatic Notification for new Posts on Bishtblog

2008-08-03T15:18:00.003+04:00

If you want an automatic notification each time a new post is added on this blog please go to http://www.changedetection.com/ and sign up for their FREE service !!

No Background Verification ? Employ at your own RISK !!

2008-08-02T19:41:00.003+04:00

Background verification is not taken seriously by many employers in India. It is only MNCs and more recently the software industry that do have such checks in place. At other places, I am sure they haven't even heard about the term - and it is in such companies that con artists make hay ! The attached story is about one such gentleman who was successful in pulling wool over his employers' eyes TWICE.