Wangdu Phuntsok - RIP

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 !

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

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

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 !

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

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 !!

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 !

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

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

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 !

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

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 !

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

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

Reserve Bank of India - Platinum Jubilee Celebrations

RBI Head Office at Mumbai

RBI, New Delhi

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

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

I found this fascinating quote today:

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

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

You should read the whole article.

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

I found this fascinating quote today:

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

'POP' Day Anniversary !

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

Anaqa Outreach

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

The Salalah Airport Roundabout

(breathtaking as ever)
Group Photograph
Class in Session !

Me Yakking and Mahfoodh Translating !!

Do's and Dont's - Bilingually.

The Handbook

Sink Hole !!

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

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

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

Note the clear water.

The Deep End.

A View of the Heavens from Below !

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

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

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

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

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

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.