Rear Admiral Ichettira B. Uthaiah took over as the Admiral Superintendent, Naval Dockyard, Visakha-patnam from Rear Admiral N.M. Sreekumar Nair, on May 31 in Visakhapatnam.
Rear Admiral is a naval commissioned officer rank above that of a Commodore and Captain and below that of a Vice Admiral. On handing over the helm at Naval Dockyard, Visakhapatnam, Rear Admiral Sreekumar Nair would take over as Director General Naval Project at Visakhapatnam, on promotion as Vice-Admiral.
Uthaiah was commissioned into the Indian Navy in November 1987. He holds a B.Tech degree in Marine Engineering, an M.Tech degree in Mathematical Modelling and Computer Simulation and an M.Phil degree in Strategic Studies.
In his 33 years of service, the Rear Admiral has served the Indian Navy in various capacities, with appointments at the Warship Design Directorate, Training Academies, Naval Dockyard and at the Command and Naval Headquarters.
His key staff appointments cover areas of Warship Design, Building and Acqui-sition; Warship Operation, Maintenance and Repair, Officer Training and Project Management of a mega Marine and Civil Infrastructure Project. His recent operational and staff appointments include General Manager (Refit) at Naval Dockyard, Visakhapatnam, and Principal Director (Ship Production).
On being elevated to the rank of Rear Admiral, the officer was appointed as Additional Director General (Technical) at Headquarters, Project Seabird. The mega project involves the creation of a futuristic Naval Base at Karwar, with four self-contained townships, a Naval Air station and a 400-bed tertiary care hospital.
An alumnus of the Naval War College, he was awarded the Vishist Seva Medal (VSM) for distinguished service at Naval Dockyard and was instrumental in concluding major warship construction contracts with Russian and Indian Shipyards as Principal Director.
The equivalent ranks of Rear Admiral in the Indian military are Major General (Army) and Air Vice Marshal (Air Force). Uthaiah is the son of Ichettira M. Belliappa (Bollu) and Lalitha (Cheppudira). Belliappa was serving as an officer at the Housing Board in Chennai. After retirement, he came to Kodagu and settled in Makkandur.
Uthaiah is married to Ramya, daughter of Maneyapanda Ravi. The couple has two children. While their daughter is pursuing her legal studies, their son is an architect. Uthaiah’s brother I.B. Viju Bopanna is working as a Global Drive Officer with Coca-Cola in the US.
source: http://www.starofmysore.com / Star of Mysore / Home> News / June 02nd, 2022
Vice Admiral adds new Navy attractions to Gen. K.S. Thimayya Museum at Madikeri
Modules of INS Shivalik, Sindhughosh Class submarine and AK230 Navy gun mount
Madikeri:
The INS Shivalik (F47) ship module was declared open for public viewing at ‘Sunny Side,’ General Kodandera S. Thimayya’s house in Madikeri that has been converted into a Museum and a War Memorial.
The 24-feet model, along with a Russian-made AK230 Navy gun mount (anti-aircraft gun) and a module of Sindhughosh Class submarine had arrived at the museum two weeks ago and they were dedicated by Vice Admiral Biswajit Dasgupta, Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Eastern Naval Command yesterday. He was accompanied by his wife Roopa Dasgupta.
The modules were brought to Madikeri from Visakhapatnam Naval Base. INS Shivalik is designed to escape detection by normal radars and surveillance equipment and is one of the formidable stealth frigates in naval prowess. Apart from India, only the US, Russia, UK, France, Sweden, Japan, Italy and China have the capability to build stealth warships of this size and class.
Impressed by the museum and also the culture of Armed Forces in Kodagu, Vice Admiral Biswajit Dasgupta said that the district has emerged as an inspiration to thousands of youth to join the Defence Forces. He said that it was an honour for him to inaugurate critical exhibits at the museum.
On the INS Shivalik, he said that the frigate was built in India and is one among the many warships built by India. “Shivalik was built at Mazagaon Dock. India has four public sector Defence shipyards — Mazagaon Dock Shipbuilders Limited (Mumbai), Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers Limited (Kolkata), Goa Shipyard Limited (Goa) and Hindustan Shipyard Limited (Visakhapatnam). The Cochin Shipyard is also capable of making warships and INS Virat was built there,” he said.
Field Marshal Cariappa and General Thimayya Forum Convener Major (Retd.) Biddanda Nanda Nanjappa (extreme left), Vice Admiral Biswajit Dasgupta, Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Eastern Naval Command and his wife Roopa Dasgupta, Forum President retired Colonel Kandrathanda C. Subbaiah, Rear Admiral Iychettira B. Uthaiah and Madikeri Tahsildar Mahesh at the helipad in Madikeri when the guests arrived
‘Aatma Nirbhar’ Bharat
“The first indigenous warship was built by the Indian Navy in the 1960s where the concept of ‘Aatma Nirbhar’ Bharat was diligently followed. In the future, the Navy has plans to build 41 warships in the Indian Shipyards and 39 will be fully indigenous. Moreover these are the most advanced machines that have a formidable fire power that can shatter any other powerful ships of any country,” he said.
Giving a patient ear to the office-bearers of the Field Marshal Cariappa and General Thimayya Forum that played a pivotal role in converting the rickety house of the celebrated General that once housed the RTO office into a swanky museum, Vice Admiral Biswajit Dasgupta said that the dedication of the Forum, the respect shown by the people of Kodagu to the Armed Forces and also the dedication towards preserving heritage were commendable and inspirational.
Picture shows the dignitaries inside the ‘Sunny Side’ Museum.
AK230 Navy gun mount
On the AK230 Navy gun mount, he said that it has been designed to engage air and surface targets, such as anti-ship missiles, aircraft, helicopters, other types of air strike weapons, as well as small-size surface ships. It can fire 2,000 bullets from its barrel in one minute. The Navy still uses such guns and also the advanced ones, he added.
He appreciated Rear Admiral Iychettira B. Uthaiah for his efforts in bringing in the Navy equipment to the museum. The module of the Sindhughosh Class submarine was unfurled by Rear Admiral Uthaiah who handed it over to Major General (Retd.) Kuppanda Nanjappa of the Forum.
CDS late Gen. Bipin Rawat remembered
Forum President retired Colonel Kandrathanda C. Subbaiah narrated the story of establishing the museum and recalled the contribution of late Chief of Defence Staff Gen. Bipin Rawat, late Lieutenant General Biddanda C. Nanda and former Army Chief General Dalbir Singh Suhag. A minute’s silence was observed in honour of Bipin Rawat, his wife and other officers and soldiers who were killed in the recent chopper crash at Coonoor.
Kodagu Deputy Commissioner Dr. B.C. Satish presented a ‘thook bolcha’ (traditional Kodava lamp) to Vice Admiral Biswajit Dasgupta and his wife while Lieutenant General Pattacheruvanda Thimmaiah presented ‘Odikathi’ (traditional sword of Kodavas) to Vice Admiral Biswajit Dasgupta and also to Rear Admiral Uthaiah.
Before dedicating the Navy war machine modules, the dignitaries paid respects to the Amar Jawan War Memorial. They later went around the museum and were impressed by the collection
Forum Convener Major (Retd.) Biddanda Nanda Nanjappa, officer from Visakhapatnam Naval Base Nishanth B. Badoria, Kannada and Culture Department Director Darshana, SP Kshama Mishra, Sainik School Principal Col. G. Kannan, Vice-Principal Lt. Col. Seemanth Tripati, Squadron Leader R.K. Dey, students of the school and a large number of uniformed retired soldiers were present on the occasion.
source: http://www.starofmysore.com / Star of Mysore / Home> News / December 14th, 2021
C.S. Arun Machaiah, former MLC, Hon. President of Mysore Karate Association, senior Vice-President of Karate India Organisation and President of Akhila Karnataka Sports Karate Association, is representing Team India at the 10th Commonwealth Karate Championship being held at Birmingham in London (UK) from today (Sept. 7).
The 70-member Indian Team of Karatekas, led by Arun Machaiah, left for London last Sunday. A total of 70 countries are expected to take part in the Championship.
Arun Machaiah has represented India in various International Karate Championships across the globe and has brought laurels to the country.
source: http://www.starofmysore.com / Star of Mysore / Home> News / September 07th, 2022
CabinA homes are built keeping in mind the local landscape, flora and fauna, but without compromising on modern-life luxuries.
Sunny Watwani and Adithya Roongta could be termed as dendrophiles—people who love trees and nature. The two founders of CabinA have been backpacking to the hills for years. Since they live close to the coastal city of Chennai, they love spending time in the Nilgiris.
An experience that usually promises serenity, however, didn’t feel quite peaceful in the last few years. The mountains are inundated with crowds, commercial spaces and reckless new buildings today. “People in India love travelling to the mountains and have, over time, even created second homes there. But the way they’ve built their homes is alarming—there’s little or no regard for the surrounding nature. People have blocked natural streams, cut down trees and damaged the local biodiversity. Looking at this we realized that a sustainable, responsible and sensitive concept for homes was the need of the hour, and that’s how we came up with CabinA in 2019,” says Watwani.
One of a Kind
To give their dream a form, the founders reached out to several architecture firms that they’d worked with before, and had strong connections with. The idea that Watwani and Roongta fostered was to have small homes that were fitted with modern-day luxuries. The homes would have minimal carbon footprint, a pre-fab structure that could be transported from the factory to the site, and would not need clearing of land; it would also be able to very seamlessly merge into the surrounding landscape. With several discussions and iterations, they fine-tuned the design.
While the work for these cabins is on-going in several locations such as Coorg and Conoor, with all cabins customized according to the landscape, the first of its kind is now ready in a coffee plantation in the picturesque mountain range of Suntikoopa, Bettagere Estate, Coorg for an upcoming resort called Betta Living.
This CabinA24 was built for client Vishal Sivappa, for an upcoming experiential boutique stay called, Betta Living—a concept and design of an upcoming resort that makes use of a series of these cabins to create a wonderful new living experience. While the conceptual render for the cabin is by SPASM Design Architects, the design development and execution was done by the firm Dev Desai Architects and Associates (DDAA), who also made several reiterations to reach the final design.
“We have another company called CabinA Living that speaks to landowners, planters and people in the hill station who want to create homes, resorts or gated communities responsibly—and we help them execute the project,” says Watwani.
True to the Land
On its conceptual render, Sangeeta Merchant, co-founder of SPASM Design Architects says, “Creating a concept for this was challenging for us as we’re used to working on large-scale, high-end residences and such. A small cabin that is fitted with all luxuries was something new yet exciting for us. As for the sustainability factor, we envisioned the entire cabin to be made with recycled, eco-friendly materials. The biggest convenience would be that it can be very quickly put together.”
The CabinA24 is the smallest cabin in the Cabin A series with a carpet area of 250 square-feet. “Every corner strives to visually, if not spatially, connect with the natural context, be it the bathroom, which is furnished with all the modern amenities or the kitchen that captures stunning views of the valley,” says Dev Desai of DDAA.
“The featured project is one of the smallest cabins in the series with a carpet area of 225 square feet. The form stems from the desire to celebrate a strong architectural identity while ensuring efficiency and functionality of each space. Nestled amongst the site’s towering trees and a lush coffee estate, the sleek, prefabricated cabin manages to both, contrast and complement its natural context. The spatial configuration consists of a spacious living space and a cozy bathroom. Every corner in the cabin strives to visually if not spatially connect with the natural context, be it the bathroom which comes furnished with all the modern amenities or the kitchen that captures stunning views of the valley,” avers Desai.
While the bespoke furniture blends in with the interiors, the tinted pendant lights accentuate the interiors with a warm yellow glow. The exteriors are clad in ACP walls and the outdoors are in ACP black roofing. The flooring is in a granite base with click and lock SPC tiles. The entire cabin can accommodate two-to-four people. What’s interesting is that it rises 2-5 feet above the ground, so that the fauna underneath is left untouched. “We visualize that all other cabins too will be equipped with temperature control. Even the tiniest details like a kettle, to wardrobes hangers, will be provided. The loose furniture—from the beds, breakfast table to lighting—will be equipped in all cabins, so the client literally has to (only) move in with his clothes,” Watwani says.
A Responsible Future
For building these cabins, Watwani and Roongta are cognizant of the fact that not a single tree should be cut. And so, the two, along with the architects, evaluate the position of where the cabin should be placed. “In case we do cut trees, we undertake replantation. Apart from that, we’ve tied up with the global organization called OneTreePlanted.Org. So, for every cabin we sell, we donate for 10 trees to be planted. For our future cabins that are underway, we’ve given completely off-grid solutions so the cabins are self-sufficient and powered by solar energy,” says Watwani.
source: http://www.architecturaldigest.in / Architectural Digest / Home> Decorating / by Aditia Mahesh / Photography by Kunal Daswani Photography / November 08th, 2021
Category : FACE TO FACE / Author : Sowmya Dechamma
Professor and Head Centre for Comparative Literature, University of Hyderabad
Q. Could you tell us a little bit about your area of research, and why it is of particular interest to you? What has your journey been like?
Currently, I am interested in and working on the languages of the minority. While this term ‘languages of minority’ itself demands some explanation, my interest in this springs from the fact that I speak one such language, Kodava, a language that is spoken by many ethno-linguistic minorities in Kodagu, Karnataka. Although I have been interested in the politics of languages ever since I can remember, I began working in this area for the last 5 years or so, especially because the language discourse is so dominated by English Vs. Indian Languages, Hindi Vs. Other Languages, debates around ‘national’ language’ — in which these languages of minorities have become almost invisible, although the number of such languages are many. I also work on Translation Studies and related areas. Language and translation for me are inseparable from other factors that are so decisive in our lives. So, my attempt is to understand how caste, gender, religion, class and other factors frame our histories alongside language and translation.
Q. Coming particularly to the question of language, there has been a concerted attempt to impose certain languages – for instance, the assumption that Hindi is the ‘mother tongue’ and ‘national language’ of the country, neither of which is true. But even on regional levels, there may be further levels of stratification and domination of some languages over others. How does this work, and what has been the result of such policies?
You are right. I had written elsewhere as to how this one nation — one-language, one nation – one religion kind of idea is actually new even to European nations. The nationalization of particular languages in Europe is an exercise in what is known as European modernity. Despite our critique of colonialism, it is ironic that nationalists here in India subscribe to this one nation – one language / religion policy. This as you mention is replicated at the regional levels as well. I am vary of using the term regional, I think Kannada nationalism, Malayalam nationalism, Tamil nationalism are nationalisms that pretty much follow the same pattern, in different contexts. I find that in Karnataka, because Tulu, Konkani and Kodava speakers wield some kind of political pressure, these 3 languages are recognised at some level. But there are innumerable other ‘small’ languages that do not get any recognition in the public at all. The worst scenarios are in Tamil Nadu and Kerala where language and intellectual chauvinism has had huge implications for speakers of smaller languages, (more often than not from the Adivasi communities). This obviously points to the situation of the people and the conditions they live in, not just of the language.
Q. The relationship between the ‘written’ and the ‘spoken’ is often discussed in terms of languages – where only languages with a script are seen as legitimate while others are dubbed dialects or even ‘broken’ languages. How do you see this in terms of your own language, Kodava?
This distinction between a ‘written’ and ‘spoken’ one is so popularized that we forget that almost all languages are spoken and have survived in the spoken form since speech has evolved. Except perhaps in the case of Sanskrit and Latin which are ‘dead’ in their spoken versions and survive only in their written form. So, one has to remember that written is a privileged form that has been associated with powers that began with record keeping, religion, surveillance, in their monarchical and now nation-based contexts. Throughout history, only a miniscule of the population (not more than 1%) have had access to writing. Many productive communities never required the act of writing but have used memory-based performative acts for transmission of knowledge and survivals.
Yes, as long as I can remember, when I say I speak Kodava, people ask “Does Kodava have a script?” This again is a notion that wrongly connects a language with a written script. If we pay attention we realize that most European languages, be it English, Spanish, French, German use the Roman script and this is true for India as well. Hindi, Gujarati, Marathi, Bengali and almost all Indo-Aryan languages use the Devanagari script.
Q. You have been associated with a vibrant and politically diverse campus, HCU. It has also been a space of institutional discrimination and a fightback against this, as in the case of Rohith, Senthil and others. How has this shaped your experience and approach as a teacher and also a member of the academic community?
It has been a learning experience throughout my journey in Higher Education. All the movements you mention have made many of us more aware of the backgrounds students come from and how we need to fine-tune our pedagogy into one that places students at the centre. It also points to the problems with the manner we understand and functionalize the idea of ‘merit’; who is a ‘good’ student and who is not. I think as teachers what we need to focus on is how we shape our curriculum and how we engage with that curriculum and students. Teaching cannot separate itself from the vagaries of our lives and we need to address our experiences in the classroom and outside. It is a lesson we are still learning.
Q. The recent NEP-2020 also had sparked controversy due to its focus on Sanskrit and active ignorance of other languages of cultural and literary value such as Arabic. Do you see this merely as a failure of policy or as reflective of something deeper?
Absolutely. Although the NEP mentions institutionalising ‘mother tongues’, what it means by mother tongue is itself not clear. And how do we plan for the training and required infrastructure for teaching in multiple mother tongues in a classroom? How do we accommodate without appropriating languages like Gondi, Chenchu, Ho, Irula, and such?
Needless to mention, languages like Arabic, Persian, and Urdu which have had a rich history on lines with Sanskrit but different from the ones mentioned above find no place. This only strengthens our argument that it is not language per se, but the people and the history of the language that the NEP and by extension, the government is uneasy about. Languages therefore cannot be thought of in a vacuum, but will have to see how they mutually shape histories, politics, and communities.
Q. Finally – the pandemic is something we cannot escape when we talk about education or pedagogy. What has your experience been, whether as a scholar or a teacher? How have your students coped with the immense challenges and difficulties of it?
As a scholar, teacher, and as a parent, this pandemic has taught us many things. I am acutely aware of how I am able to work with my own children, teaching them a wide range of things — from cooking, gardening, playing sports and academics — all this despite the constant anxiety of our friends and family being ill and sometimes dying. This in itself is distressing because most of my students are undergoing stress, some have lost their dear ones and many do not have the means to access digital education. We have been trying to reach out to students through various means, to enable them both academically and personally. But the anxieties are real and it is not easy to cope. From women students being pressurized to get married, from having no access to digital means, living in a one-room house and sharing one smartphone among siblings for online classes, having to take care of many household responsibilities including financial, having to deal with almost an impersonal mode of pedagogy, what we call academics is undergoing a turbulent phase. I only hope this will make many of us reflect on the state of education in India and push towards an equitable public education that is holistic.
source: http://www.auramag.in / Aura / Home / July 2021
An ancient Shiva Temple, said to be about 700 years old, has been discovered at Bollumadu village in Virajpet taluk. The temple, found at a spot behind the Post Office on Kadanga Paraane is in a highly dilapidated state and is on the verge of total collapse.
The temple, said to be built using red stones, first came to be known to the villagers through Tantris in 2008. Subsequently, the villagers had cleaned up the spot by cutting down the trees around the temple. But as the temple was not accessible by road, no renovation works could be taken up and the temple remained in its dilapidated state.
However, the temple exploration resumed two days ago with villagers again cleaning the vicinity by cutting down the bushes and other plants. During the exploration, a Shivalinga stone sculpture was found in the well of the temple premises. Also, the almighty’s Ayudha (weapon) ‘Kadtale’ and small Ganapathi idols have been discovered. This apart, the stone sculptured images of Tripata, Kumuda, Jagatti, Kanta, Pattika and Devakoshta Sopanas were found at the temple foundation. After the discovery of the ancient temple, Bollumada villagers contacted Nayakanda Prakash, who is staying at Mysuru, seeking his help for tracing the history of the ancient temple. Prakash is a former official of Archaeological Survey of India and had also served as a site supervisor at Ram Janmabhumi in Ayodhya, UP.
Prakash, who visited the spot, opined that the temple dedicated to Lord Shiva may be 600 to 700 years old and it may also be a contemporary of the times of the ancient Bhagamandala Temple.
Prakash, who collected some documents regarding the site, observed that an excavation was necessary to trace the complete history of the temple, according to Bollumadu Gram Panchayat President Matanda Arun.
Pointing out that the spot where the temple has been discovered is said to be a Pysari land, Matanda Arun said that a few families are residing in the vicinity of the newly discovered temple. Though the temple was discovered earlier, it could not be reached as there was no access and as such no one bothered to go there. Now a huge tree has fallen on the temple’s ‘Garbhagudi’ (Sanctum Sanctorum), destroying it.
Now, a villager has come forward to part with his land to make way for accessing the temple, Arun said adding that the Kodagu District Administration will be appealed to take up excavation of this centuries old temple.
source: http://www.starofmysore.com / Star of Mysore / Home> News / October 23rd, 2022
The second-seeded men’s doubles pair of Rohan Bopanna and Matwe Middelkoop finished as the runners-up at the European Open.
Rohan Bopanna(right) and Matwe Middelkoop / @Twitter
The second-seeded men’s doubles pair of Rohan Bopanna and Matwe Middelkoop, on Sunday, finished as the runners-up at the ATP 250 European Open. The Indo-Dutch pair went down 6-3, 3-6, 5-10 to the all Dutch pair of Tallon Grieskspoor and Botic van de Zandschulp in the a hard-fought final.
Bopanna and Middelkoop started well as they broke right in the second game of the first set. The Indo-Dutch pair then cruised to win the first set 6-3, but Grieskspoor and Zandschulp were too hot to handle for the remainder of the contests.
During the duration of the match, Bopanna and Middelkoop hit nine aces and converted 3 out of their 4 break points. They had earlier reached the final with a hard fought 7-6 (8-6), 2-6, 10-7 win over Sander Arends and David Pel in the semifinal.
Rohan Bopanna and Matwe Middelkoop had combined to lift the men’s doubles title at Tel Aviv Open earlier this month.
source: http://www.thebridge.in / The Bridge / Home> Tennis / by The Bridge Desk / October 24th, 2022
. Picture shows the students’ mother Jayanthi Poovaiah (daughter of Bottolanda Ponnanna of Hinkal, Mysuru) receiving the cheque from BVB Hon. Secretary P.S. Ganapathy as BVB School Principal Vijaya Narasimham and Class teacher Shashikala look on
Twin brothers K.P. Subbaiah and K.P. Somaiah of Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan (BVB) School in Vijayanagar, Mysuru, who have secured 624/625 and 615/625 marks respectively in the recently held SSLC examinations, were given Rs. 50,000 by the BVB Mysore Kendra to help them pursue further education.
Picture shows the students’ mother Jayanthi Poovaiah (daughter of Bottolanda Ponnanna of Hinkal, Mysuru) receiving the cheque from BVB Hon. Secretary P.S. Ganapathy as BVB School Principal Vijaya Narasimham and Class teacher Shashikala look on.
BVB School has been achieving 100% results in SSLC every year and this year also, out of 148 students, 120 cleared the exam in distinction and 28 in first class.
source: http://www.starofmysore.com / Star of Mysore / Home> Photo News / June 01st, 2022
Colonel Chengappa and his wife were there to receive them outside their charming, colonial-era cottage, located on top of a hill and only a short walk away from the town.
Sketch of the characters | Illustration: Danesh Bharucha
The taxi was waiting for them at Coimbatore station for their early morning arrival. The 70 km ride to Kotagiri, located at about 1800m above sea level, offered stunning views of picturesque tea plantations dotting the road on either side, with a circle of misty blue hills wrapped in dense Shola forests enveloping the entire landscape. It is these mist-clad hills that had given the name “Nilgiris” to this range of mountains in South India, since ‘Nilgiri’ literally means “Blue Mountain.”
Colonel Chengappa and his wife were there to receive them outside their charming, colonial-era cottage, located on top of a hill and only a short walk away from the town. Colonel Chengappa was a tall and sturdy man with an erect posture that belied his seventy-odd years. He sported a thick, military-style moustache under a large, fleshy nose and a high forehead topped with a balding pate with straggly wisps of grey hair on the sides and on his temples.
A caricature of Colonel Chengappa. | Illustration: Danesh Bharucha
Standing by his side was his wife, a slightly plump woman in her mid-sixties, with a kindly, smiling face and a pair of glasses with circular frames that emphasized the roundness of her face. The house had a quaintly rustic air about it with its high sloping roof, flower patterned window curtains and red oxide tiled flooring. The two bedrooms had large, brass four poster beds with white mosquito net canopies and the snug coziness of the small sitting room was enhanced by ample leather armchairs around a brick fireplace and hearth.
At one end of the garden was a wooden shed that the Colonel had converted as his study. His study was his own private domain to which no intruders were allowed. The door of the study was kept permanently locked and only the Colonel had access to this exclusive haven where he isolated himself for long hours during the course of each day.
Inside the shed was a large roll-top desk with several drawers and cubbyhole compartments. One drawer was stacked with letterheads, envelopes and blank sheets of paper, whilst another was filled with medals and mementos. The small compartments on either side were crammed with fountain pens, ballpoint pens, pencils, paper clips, staple pins and other miscellaneous stationery items.
Next to the writing desk was a wooden bookcase with a sliding glass door containing row upon row of hardbound books, ranging from classical tomes and contemporary novels to volumes of the Reader’s Digest collection of condensed stories, books on warfare and military strategy, and self-help and do- it-yourself manuals.
The opposite wall was lined with two large wooden stands with several dust-covered shelves piled high with back issues of sundry magazines, sheaves of newspaper cuttings bundled together with string and a large heap of filed correspondence, both personal and official. Two shelves contained an array of sport trophies, collectables and souvenirs gathered from the Colonel’s several trips around the world, whereas the lowest shelf contained several tin boxes filled with old family photographs.
When they had moved from the city to their retirement home in the hills, the Colonel’s wife had suggested that they clear some of the clutter and get rid of some of the unwanted stuff. But the Colonel had been adamant. He was a hoarder and loathed discarding anything.
“These are my most valued possessions and I would never consider giving anything away,” he remonstrated with his wife. “Who knows – one day some of these items might come in use.” Knowing how stubborn her husband could be, his wife let the matter drop and the move to the hills was completed lock, stock and barrel, with nothing discarded or left behind. The Colonel’s precious possessions were left intact and found their new home in his den in the converted shed.
One morning the Colonel’s seclusion in his den was interrupted by an urgent summons from the town’s Municipal Council, of which he was an active member. He popped his head into the window to tell his wife that he was going down to the town, and left hurriedly, accompanied by the person who had come to fetch him. Lakshmi was helping her mother in her cake-making whilst young Shruti stood by waiting to lick the leftover batter off the sides of the cake bowl.
Twelve-year-old Aarti was pottering around in the garden, restless and angry with herself for having forgotten to bring along her favourite story books. She stomped around from one end of the garden to the other and stopped before her grandfather’s study. She was surprised to see that the door to the shed, which normally was always locked in the Colonel’s absence, had been left open. She hesitated, remembering her grandfather’s commandment that no one was allowed inside his study. But curiosity got the better of her and, opening the door a fraction, she quietly tiptoed in.
She stared wide-eyed around her in amazement at the wide assortment of objects that crowded the little room. Ignoring the writing desk, she walked towards the bookcase. Should she take one of her grandfather’s books? There were so many, surely he would not mind parting with one of them? She gingerly slid aside the glass sliding door and rifled through the stack of books on the lower shelf which she thought might contain an interesting story book. Her eyes settled on a book with a charming cover of a street scene with white snow-capped roof tops and gentle snowflakes falling on an old-fashioned street lamp. It was “A Christmas Carol” by Charles Dickens. She was sure she would like the story and closing the bookshelf she tucked the book under her arm and turned around to leave.
She passed one of the wooden stands and her eye was caught by a biscuit tin on the lower shelf with a picture of a fluffy looking grey kitten with a bright red ribbon around her neck. Aarti loved cats and this new discovery was too tempting to let by. She crouched low and opened the tin. It was full of old photographs and right on top of the pile she saw a familiar looking picture of a girl around her own age. She let out a squeal of delight as she realised that the girl in the picture was none other than her own mother. She was on the verge of going through more photos when she heard the sound of approaching footsteps on the gravel outside. She quickly shut the box of photos and stood up just as she saw her grandfather enter through the door of the shed.
Aarti had been caught by her grandfather on forbidden territory. Not just that, she had taken one of his books without his permission and she would now have to bear the consequences. However, not one to be easily flustered, she quickly gathered her wits about her and faced him boldly: “Grandpa, I was looking for something to read and since the door of your study was open, I came in and picked up one of your books. I am sorry. I hope you don’t mind.”
She was expecting to be severely reprimanded but to her surprise, her grandfather just glared at her and said:
“It’s OK. Just be sure you put it back when you have finished reading the book.”
Relieved, she mumbled a quick thank you and, her heart thumping, she rushed out of the shed and back into the house. At the lunch table that afternoon no mention was made of the morning’s incident either by the Colonel or by his granddaughter. But later in the privacy of their bedroom Aarti confided to her mother and related to her exactly what had transpired:
“I am sorry Mummy; it was wrong of me to have taken the book without asking. But Grandpa has so many books in his study. Wouldn’t it be nice for him to give some of them to us? Shruti is still young, but surely he must know how fond both of us are of books and reading. Do you know, he actually asked me to put back the book after I had finished reading it?”
Lakshmi tried to calm and sooth her daughter:
“Aarti, I know how upsetting this must be for you. But that is the way Grandpa is. Don’t let it bother you. Sometimes people do get a bit funny in their old age.”
“I understand, Mummy. But in his study Grandpa also has so many old family photographs. I saw a lovely picture of you when you were my age. I would like so much for him to share these memories with us. We could all sit together and enjoy seeing them. I am sure Grandma would like that too.”
“I will speak to him, Aarti, and we will try and get something organized. I know you would love to see some of his travel souvenirs too.”
Author’s Note: Will the Colonel be persuaded to unlock his past and share his memories and possessions with his family? You must read the full story to find out. Be prepared for a surprise !!! (Colonel Chengappa’s Legacy » is available in a collection of 15 illustrated short stories entitled « The Missing Tile and Other Stories » in Kindle and Paperback versions on all Amazon platforms worldwide.)
Bangalore-based writer, Saeed Ibrahim, is the author of two books – “Twin Tales from Kutcch,” a family saga set in Colonial India, and “The Missing Tile and Other Stories,” a collection of 15 short stories. Saeed was educated at St. Mary’s High School and St. Xavier’s College in Mumbai, and later, at the University of the Sorbonne in Paris. His other writings include newspaper articles, some travel writing, several book reviews and two essays for the Museum of Material Memory. His short stories have been published in “The Deccan Herald,” “The Beacon Webzine,” “Bengaluru Review,” “The Blue Lotus Magazine” “Borderless Journal” “Muse India” and “Outlook India.”
source: http://www.outlookindia.com / Outlook / Home> Outlook Weekender / by Saeed Ibrahim / September 13th, 2022
It was a proud moment for Colonel Bommanda Dhiraj Chengappa from Kodagu as he led a contingent of 46 horse-mounted Bodyguards and presented the National Salute to President Ram Nath Kovind.
The President’s Bodyguards also escorted Kovind to the Parliament House for the swearing-in.
Later, both President Kovind and ex-President Pranab Mukherjee were given an Inter Services Guard of Honour separately.
On conclusion of the Guard of Honour, The President’s Bodyguards escorted Mukherjee from the forecourt to the Iron Gate of the Rastrapathi Bhavan.
source: http://www.starofmysore.com / Star of Mysore / Home> News / July 25th, 2017
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