Shram's society: General Insurance Employees' Layout I came to Ban...

Shram's society: General Insurance Employees' Layout I came to Ban...: General Insurance Employees' Layout I came to Bangalore from Bombay during 1977 on Transfer by my employers, The New India Assuranc...

My (Ramanathan) childhood and youth stage

My Village - Arangotukara/Ezhumangad
I was born in father's house Chakkali Puthan Madham in Arangotukara/Ezhumangad village, in Thrissur District of Kerala State in India, on 20.6.1939. Up to upper primary (7th Standard) studied in the school of the village. The school is in the center of the village center on the main road and my house is about half kilo meter away. There is a rough path from the main road running down towards South. The main houses are on this rough path. This path doubles as a storm water drain during rainy season. There is a hill on the back side of the school from which all the water comes and flows through this rough path. In my school days there were no  umbrellas of the type found now. The umbrellas are made of bamboo sticks covered with palm leafs. When water is there in the rough path but no rain we keep the umbrella in the water in upside down position and keep the books in the same. the umbrellas will float in the water like a coracle. Of course we were also apprehensive of the possibilities of snakes being washed down in the water from the hill. Whenever a snake is spotted in the village the snake catcher will catch the snakes and put it in a mud pot, take the pot to the top of the hill and just throw it on the hill. The pot will break and the snakes will escape. Sometimes some of these may be found in the water.

High School study was done in a neighboring village by name Varavoor about 9 km from village.The only mode of conveyance at that time was by walk. There will be groups of students going to the school from my village and on the way may merge with other groups.  We used to have our pranks. This walk of 4 years of 9 km each way along with the god's grace has helped me to have a fairly normal health. I was a timid and a cowardly at the same time happy go lucky boy during my school days. From 11 -12 years of age, I formed an organization named as 'Balasamajam' at my village. I was not knowing how the institution came into being except that I had discussed with my school mates about the necessity to form a volunteer group to keep the village thorough fare clean especially during the village festival which was the Dussera festival of the local temple around September - October. Before the festival we clean the thoroughfare and decorate the temple for the festival. later we also clean the temple pond of the weed which almost covered the pond. I had also established a sports club by the name Union Sports Club. I got one radio (those days radios were just introduced and only the rich houses used to have radios) from the block development funds. Since no electricity was there in the village the set was working on battery system. As mentioned after the studies I went to Bombay (now Mumbai) and forgot about these. But when occasionally I meet someone who was present around those days used to mention about these and I used to get real pleasure.

College studies at Bombay

Immediately after study, I went to Mumbai for college studies. My elder brothers with lot of persuasions and pleadings made the principal of a very good college, the Ramnarayan Ruia (RR) College in Matunga. The principal was skeptical of my studies there after seeing the marks card and me. However he agreed probably only because of the earnestness of my brothers. I was just an average student and I had  not much concentration in academic studies. In the meantime there was an urgent call from father that one of us from Bombay should go to the village and help him in our business there. This was because of one of my brother who was attending to the business at the village went away from native place. Since I was not very keen on studies and my other brothers at Bombay were already employed, I agreed to go to native village to help father to run the business. I had done business for 2 years in the village. Business of provisions, textiles and stationary in the family building on the main road side. It was going on very well. But there was serious differences between me and my father. I formed a recreation club in the village with boys of my generation and were arranging tournaments with the neighborhood schools or sports clubs in foot ball, volley ball, ring tennis and physical games like running, high jump etc. Though I was mot spending money for this of my own except the general collections of small amounts occasionally as contributed by others, father felt that I was spending money from the business and my time. Generally he do not like playing. He is a very short tempered person with no tolerance. So I planned to go back to Bombay. In the meantime my elder brother who was looking after the business (shop - it was for his sake the shop was opened as he did not have much education).

My early employments

Accordingly I fixed up with my brothers at Bombay and went there by train. When my brothers letter came asking me to go over Bombay, father felt very bad as he did not anticipate my contacting Bombay and going back there. Within a week on coming to Bombay I had a walk interview which I attended and was selected on the spot. It was my first employment. The employer is a private company by name Rashtriya Metal Industries (also known as Binani Metal Industries) near to J B Nagar bust stop on the Andheri - Kurla Road near Chakkala, Andheri East a suburb of Bombay. My salary was Rs 100/-. As per the terms of appointment I was to be on probation and after completion of probation was to be given an increment of Rs 15. I was posted in their costing department. The department has to work the costing of the materials produced in the factory and work out the profit and calculate the incentive to workers on the basis of their contribution to the production and profit. My elder brother had bicycle which was lying idle and I was going to the work on the bicycle from Rajawadi to Andheri. Those days there were lot of dry and barren lands between Rajawadi and Kurla and there were kacha short cut path to Kurla - Saki Road. I used to take that rout e by cycle as it is not crowded and was also short cut. After about 4 - 5 months a batch of 5 - 6 freshers came to the office as apprentices. One of them a very nice boy of very good nature was attached to my work and I was giving the details about the work to him. He was a Marwadi boy. He gave me a photo of Lord Srinathjee.  The company agreed to pay Rs 150 to that boy. I felt bad and represented t the GM that the boy is learning work from me and while I was paid Rs 100, he is being paid Rs 150 which is not correct and I should be paid at least that amount. The G M  informed me that the boy was a relation of the MD one Mr Mundhra and I cannot compare his payment with mine. Then I decided to leave the job. I went for an interview for a job in a company by name M S Patel & Co near Saki Naka on the Andheri Powai Road and was selected  with a salary of Rs 150/-. I abstained from my previous employer and joined here. As per the appointment letter I have to complete 1 year of service or I have to give 1` month's notice to the employer. On the basis of that clause the first employer sent a registered notice to me. I had a friend there and he informed about it and suggested to that the letter should not be accepted. I requested my sister-in-law (I was staying with one of my brothers) to inform, the postman that I had to go to native place urgently. After 2 attempts they kept quiet. After about 2 - 3 months I went there and collected the balance amount due to me with out any problem.

In the second employment I was promised that I will be designated as assistant manger  and so many departments were t be attended by me under a Manager. I was working satisfactorily. It was a smaller factory cum office. I was also in charge of stores and stationary and hence I had contact with all the employees. we became close and I formed a welfare Association for cultural activities.  In this company also one of the relations of MD was brought in and part of my work was given to him. Then slowly all papers pertaining to my work also was being marked to him and he used to pass on to me. I went and protested to my boss the Manager who said that he is helpless and I can approach the MD. I spoke to the MD who appeared to be very nice and after listening to me promised that it was an oversight and will not repeat. He started marking my papers to me. After few days I again he started playing the trick. By that time I got an interview call from LIC where I had written test for employment and had passed in the test. Immediately after my leaving the company, the welfare association had joined the Union of one Shanthi Mehta which was if I remember correctly named as Hind Masdur Sabha (of the then PSP) and the employees went on an indefinite strike for their demands.

In the LIC interview I was selected and I joined LIC on the day I was to join after informing my present employer. I do not consider myself as a bright person. For my passing the test I am indebted to my immediate brother A  R Narayanan who had arranged for old test papers and answers solved that it was easy for me to pass the recruitment examination. In LIC I had a 3 month training (45 days theory and 45 days practice) and then 3 months probation. during training I was paid Rs 100 and on probation I was paid Rs 145 pm. Later the salary was raised several times and I got promotion to a higher cadre. In LIC there were two avenues through which one can expect promotions. One is the departmental tests and the other is the Insurance diploma examinations conducted by the Insurance Institute. I opted for the Insurance Institute route. Normally at that time in LIC to get one promotion on seniority used to take 15 to 20 years. The departmental examinations also just help to reduce the period of seniority. But Insurance Institute exams get immediate promotions and also increments in salary. The first examination of the institute is Licentiate examination. For this there is no promotion but one increment will be given. On passing the next examination, the Associate Examination  one can get 2 increments and promotion to the pre officer grade known at that time as Higher Grade Assistant. Next promotion is to Class I grade or Officers grade. I passed the Associate examination in 4 years and got the promotion immediately to the HGA cadre. I did not write the examination for passing or for promotion. I found some of my senior colleagues who were very good in their academic careers but were not able to pass the Institute examinations even after 3 or 4 attempts. Because the examinations are considered as tough many people do not attempt for the same but go to the departmental test route. I had a feeling that I should find out what is so tough in it. I appeared for the first examination and passed 2 subjects out of 3. By that time LIC started General Insurance department in addition to the life insurance business it as doing. LIC selected a batch of 15 employees for the new department and I was one of the 15. So instead of the failed life insurance subject I took one of the General Insurance subject. With this subject I appeared for one part of two of the next examination, the Associate examination and passed the subject of first examination and 2 out of 3 subjects of the part I examination of the Associate. Next I took the remaining subject of first part and the second part. I passed in the first part subject and 2 subjects of second part. Then I went for the first part of 3 parts of the next examination, the fellowship examination. I took leave for study which I had not done for earlier examinations. But as I was active in the Union activities, I could not concentrate in studies and was about cancel my leave and skip the exam. At that time one of my friend Mr Sriraman suggested to me not to cancel the leave and go over to his room in Matunga (a suburb of Bombay) and can have joint studies. Accordingly I used to go to his room. He used to read aloud and I used to listen. We used to discuss the lessons. I wrote the examination and I passed the same thanks Mr Sriraman who hails from the Trichy Thanjavur belt of Tamilnad. 

My Mother C S Seetha Ammal - a gentle and efficient lady

My Mother

My mother's name is Chenangad Subramania Iyer Seetha Ammal (C S Seetha Ammal). She was a mild and gentle person. She got married to my father when she about to be 13 yeas of age. My mother's childhood days girls used to get married between 11 and 13 years of age. She suffered lot of humiliation when the family was joint living together as joint family. My grandmother (father's mother), my uncle's (father's elder brother)  family and father's family were together. She being a mild and gentle person had to suffer for all misunderstandings and any deficiencies in the family. My aunt (uncle's wife) was very clever and used to escape all problems. The whole family was in poverty and were virtually living with the help of others as in those days Brahmins were treated piously. My father left for distant towns and started earning. Later when father made some money the family property was partitioned  and our family had a seperate house near to the ancestral house. The ancestral house is  called the Chakkali Madham and our house being later built is called as Chakkali Puthan Madham.

I was born in a backward village by name Ezhumangad in Palakkad district, which is bordering a village known as Arangotukara (Arangode) in Thrissur district. The portion of Ezhumangad village where my house is situated  is known by Arangode or Arangotukara only. During my childhood days there was no communication facilities like that of now. The only mode is letter which may take weeks and months depending on destinations. Urgent communication has to be done through telegrams. To send telegrams one has to go to far away towns of about 10 km. But the telegrams were identified with bad news like serious illness to the nearest or deaths.  Lighting source was the lantern and oil lamps. After 6 to 6.30p m no one could be seen out side of the houses.

I am the 6th child of my parents. All my elder brothers and sister were at Trichy or Madras (now known as Chennai). Father was at far away place named Parvathipuram in the then Srikakulam district of Andhra near the border to Orissa (present Odhisha) running his own hotel there. It might have taken 4 - 5 days to reach our village from there.

I being the eldest male member at home studying in primary and the high school, she had to manage the matters of the family. Of course there were servants to attend the out side work and father had a secretary to attend to other matters. Mother had to co-ordinate their activities. She had no education as at that time girls were not sent to school for studies and the parents do not wanted the girls to study.  Her marriage with took place when she was just 13 years old as in those days marriages of girls used to take place between 11 years and 13. Father used to send money sometimes by money orders and bulk he used to bring whenever he came t the village. He had bought paddy lands, horticulture lands and plot of about half an acre (where he built a commercial building) on the main road side near to market in addition to the house with its compound of about 1 acre. Whatever father earned and brought she managed diligently and helped father to increase the property or wealth. Though she was mild and gentle she was very efficient. Since father will be out of station for about 9 to 10 months in a year, maintaining the family and bringing up all the children during the school days were brought up by her almost single handedly.

Having had to suffer poverty and humiliation she used to be very generous to the poor. The workers and beggars will get sufficient food if they come during the lunch hours. During summer when it will be very hot, if some body ask for water, she will give water and buttermilk. After several years after her death people used talk about her as a food giver.

I am really proud of having born to such great lady.

Hearty Welcome to Arangotukara - Ezhumangad

This is a web site created to give information/news /events/messages between persons of the twin village of Arangotukara (Arangode)-Ezhumangad. It is for all of those who are interested to become part of this from the village. They may be in the village itself or at other places in India or in foreign countries.

The Village of Arangode-Ezhumangad

'Arangotukara' is a village in Thrissur district, Kerala state, India. But in reality the village 'Arangotukara' is a twin village consisting of two portions. One portion is known as Arangotukara (also as Arangode and Kizhkkumuri) which is in Thrissur District and the other portion is known as Ezhumangad (also as Padinhjattum muri). The infrastructures are divided between the two portions. These two portions are divided by a sub Road of the village running from a hill with the Desamangalam Rubber Estate in the North to the end of Arangotukara in the South. Right side of the road that is the East side is Arangotukara and the left is Ezhumangad. The main road of the area is a State Road connecting Shornur (a railway junction), Ottapalam (Thaluk head quarters), Palakkad town (District head quarters)and Thrissur (District headquarters) on one end to Kunnamkulam and Guruvayur on the other.

The Ezhumangad portion is under the Thirumittakode Panchayath, Ottapalam Thaluk under Palakkad District of Kerala State in India. This portion is having the Aided Upper Primary School of the village. This school is about 90 years old, founded by the late A R Krishna Iyer of Chakkali Madam. It is one of the best upper primary schools of Palakkad and Thrissur Districts. The Ezhumangad portion is having the Main shopping center of the twin villages. Ezhumangad (Padinhgattumuri) is having the Ezhumangad Mahadeva Kshethra (temple) and the Mullakkal Durga Devi temple. The Mahadeva temple is one of the oldest temples in the area. Sivarathri (night of Lord Siva) is the main festival of this temple. The Mullakkal temple is having the annual festival of 'Thalappoli' (a procession of ladies with traditional dresses carrying a plate with a lighted oil lamp with the accompaniment of Panchavadyam (an orchestra producing rhythmic sound)and Thayampaka ( a long drum played to produce rhythmic sound) an Oracle (Velichappadu - a male with long hair dressed with auspicious red color dress carrying a sword in right hand and chilambu - a brass hollow oval shaped ring with small balls inside which makes sounds when the balls move and the population of the village. The procession will follow the decorated elephants numbering about 1 5 to 30 depending on the availability). This procession starts from the Main temple of the Village in the Arangotukara portion known as Karthyayani Devi Temple to the Mullakkal Devi Temple. This portion of the village is having a library established in the year 1943 known as the Vidya Poshani (enhancing knowledge) Public Library with a reading room. This library got the award of the best library of the Palakkad District recently.

The Arangotukara portion of the Village is in Desamangalam Panchayath, Thalappilli Thaluk, Thrissur District, and Kerala State in India. The post office is in the Arangotukara portion. This portion is having one of the oldest rubber estates known as the Desamangalam Rubber Estate, Arangotukara. This portion also has the Karthyayani Temple near the South side and another temple known as the Thrikovil Ambalam (Sacred temple) to the North. The Karthyayani Devi Temple is dedicated to the goddess Durga with 2 festivals annually. One is the Dussarah festival lasting for 10 days during the period of Sept – October. The other one is Karthika deepam festival of one day. The Thrikovil Ambalam is dedicated to Narasimha Swamy (god with the head of a lion and body of a man) one of the incarnations of Lord Maha Vishnu. This temple pond (tank) known as the Thrikkai Kulam (sacred palm pond) is of about 2 acres in area. The legend is that this tank was made by the pressing of the palm of Sage (maharishi) Agasthyan or Ashtavakran.

The first top most executive of Press Trust of India (P T I)in independent India was the late Sri A S Bharathan who was from this village. His son, Raju Bharathan was a famous cricket commentator in the Illustrated Weekly of India (a Times of India news group). The P T I was a British owned news agency. The same was nationalized later.

This twin village of Arangode-Ezhumangad was very important village center for many villages around this place. People from these surrounding used to come here for their main provisions and clothing. The main road was an important road connecting various parts of Palakkad and Thrissur districts. Buses from Palakkad/ Coimbatore to Guruvayur were going through this Road. With the conveyance facility improvements and people of other villages also setting up trades in their villages, the commercial importance of this place was reduced.

This village used to have a Saturday Bazaar (sani aazcha chantha) in the compound next to the school on the left side. This was owned by late Kutti Kunjan Nair. People from near and far away villages used to bring their merchandise of vegetables, fruits, pulses, animals, household items etc for sale in the chantha.

However, after the election of EMS Namboothiripad, the 1st Communist and chief minister of India and 1st non Congress Chief Minister of Kerala, from Pattambi Constitution, he got a bridge built across the Bharatha Puzha. After this all major vehicular traffic was diverted via Pattambi and the number of vehicle plying through this place was reduced considerably.

The price rise a major concern

The price rise is a major concern for all.

However, the effect of the same is mainly confined to the lower and upper middle class.

The rich class do not have problem of the price rise as they pass on the burden to the market as they are mostly in business or trade. The poor class's main need is food. They get the main food items like the pulses at a very cheap rate of Rs 2/- or even free in some states. The balance amount of their income is available of  their daily necessitates. Their necessities are also limited. Any way if the prices are stabilized, this group can improve their living standard.

If we observe over a period of 2 - 3 years we can observe that the prices rise on the once hand and on the other we find that the farmers in trouble of not getting enough support prices for their produce. This anomaly is because of the middlemen hording the commodities and release the same in such a way that they can make huge profits. This profit is accumulated as black money and is ploughed back into the market to further horde the commodities. It is a vicious circle.

Who is to regulate the supply and demand? The Government of course. They are not in a position as they have to do things in such a way to get elected the next time. They have to adopt a strategy to retain, if not increase the vote base, and to counter the opposition's strategy. In between this there is the position of dependence on regional parties for support as no single party gets majority. This dependence make it difficult for the major parties to take any firm steps.

Even the public organizations like the anti corruption movement of Anna Hazare is only a fooling program of the public. The real issue is a corruption free Governance. Is it possible by having one more institution like the Lok pal to eliminate the corruption? Corruption is a mental attitude of each person and this becomes the collective as far as the nation is concerned. The Lok pal or any other new institution will be like the existing institutions like the C A G, C V C, C B I, Enforcement Directorate etc. Immediately for a few months it may be effective. After that this also will be like its predecessors. Then another Hazare has to come and fool the public to contain their resentment.

What is really required is correction of the mental attitude. What is the way for the change?

One way is for the spiritual organizations to co-ordinate with each other and have a common program to arise the attitude of followers. Since around 95% of the spiritual institutions suffer from the same attitudinal deficiency, they cannot do any service to the nation.

The other way is the communist method. This method in theory, is to produce for the nation and distribute according to need. This method is most impractical as it involves a dictatorial way of enforcement. No human being wants to be dictated. If dictation was tried, it may succeed for a very short time but it will be overthrown at the earliest available opportunity. We have the examples of USSR, East European countries and China. In China it is still prevalent in a truncated form.

The what is the remedy? The remedy lies in each of us. We should go for self development. We should, individually stick to the principles and try to persuade by discussions with our family members, neighbors and friends so that it become a different type of mass movement. Once we do this irrespective of what happens around us, this movement will become strong as majority of the people of the population is good. Once the majority become effectively good, the persons standing elections will be good and the government elected will be good and the governance will be good and the condition in the country will be good. To me this is the only way out.

Osama Bin Laden

Osama Bin Laden's Killing and the hide and seek play of USA & Pak

On the basis of what is reported in the media about the killing operation of Osama, we cannot conclude that Pakistan is cornered. In such sensitive matters there will always be some factors not made known to the outside world.

Both for USA and the Pakistan there are domestic compulsions to be taken into consideration. For the USA the Presidential election is coming in the next year. So it is a crucial point to score a point for Obama over his possible opponents both in his party and the opposition party. Besides, Osama is the declared enemy No 1 of USA and if Pakistan was to have supported Osama, the operation would have been in a different way. At the same time he may have to protect the Pakistani interest also. Therefor it is quite possible that he is projecting only part of the facts. Pakisthan is one of US allies since over 60 years. So US cannot dump Pakistan into lurch. The full truth may be known only to 3 - 4 persons as such an operation has to be done in a quiet manner. If any such matter is to be done in a public domain, nothing could be done.

As to Pakistan, Osama Bin Laden and the Al Qaeda are both a helping hand and a liability. Since Pakistan is fundamentalist Muslim Country trying to project as a champion of Muslim countries, they cannot appear to be against the Osama. At the same time they also know that Osama is the number one enemy of the USA and giving protection to Osama will put them against USA. Pakisthan is surviving only on the strength of the lavish aids being received from USA. Pakisthan also know that it is no match against America. Hence they will not take a stand of antagonizing USA by supporting Osama. Would it have been possible for USA to strike without anybody in Pakisthan being aware in such a strategic spot like the military base and within such close proximity to the Capital of the country?

Under the above circumstances both the USA and the Pakisthan are just leaving the world to discuss and conclude in any way they want. Only time will tell some more facts of the case. The full truth may not be known at any time.

General Insurance Employees' Layout

I came to Bangalore from Bombay during 1977 on Transfer by my employers, The New India Assurance Co Ltd. During my observations here, I came across the feeling and efforts of some of my then colleagues to form a housing layout for members from the company. After a year or two I happen to note that similar efforts were going on in the other 3 subsidiaries also of the GIC. Then all the 4 groups felt to merge together and make a layout for the General Insurance Industry.

The persons who were active in the  project of forming a layout for the employees of the Insurance Industry proposed to form a House Building Cooperative Society, buy land and form the layout. There were representative from all the 4 subsidiaries of the General Insurance Corporation and the pioneers worked hard for about 10 years. By that time some of the active persons were either about to retire or were on transfers. Hence they decided to call for a meeting and elected a new committee with N R Krishnaiah as the president, my self as the General Secretary and  S V Nagaraj as the treasurer with 2 members each from the subsidiary companies. This committee also tried to form a layout and found it not easy. They met the ministers concerned through some of their relations who were members of the Society. As the circumstances existing at that time the situation was not favorable to form layout by employees associations by themselves. Hence it was decided to form an Association as a collective Representative of employees members interested in plots and find out and negotiated for the members with the established cooperative societies who may have sites to offer to the members. Accordingly the General Insurance Employees' Welfare Association (GIEWA) was formed.

Synopsis of Layout

The General Insurance Employees' Welfare Association (GIEWA) was formed with the idea of having a housing layout for the employees of the General Insurance Industry. Earlier there was a ‘proposed House Building Co-operative Society’ with committee members from National Insurance, New India Assurance, Oriental Insurance and the United India Insurance to develop a housing colony for the General Insurance Employees. The committee tried sincerely for about 10 years. Due to the political circumstances prevailing at that time, the committee felt it will not be possible to pursue the objective further. Most of the Committee members were either transferred out of city or were due for retirement from service. Hence they called a meeting and elected a new committee. This committee after holding a general body meeting decided to form a layout through an existing house building co-op society and refund the amount collected by the ‘proposed house building co-op scy’ to the respective members.

Processing of Proposals

The new committee got about details of 20 proposals where registered House Building Societies having plots to offer. Out of these only on Housing Society by name the Amarajyothi House Building Co-operative Society (A J) was in a position to meet with our requirements and after discussions with the society an agreement was reached. As per the agreement we are to be given 250 sites as bulk allotment in one place. The agreement was reached in 1989. Till 1995 the society had to fight  with landlords in courts and during 1995 The supreme court gave an order that this society along with 7 others were not having enough genuine members and are indulging in real estate business in the name of housing society activities. Hence the lands acquired by the State Government for these societies were to be given back to the respective landlords. The landlords were to repay the payments received from the societies by installments to the State Government.  The Government in turn is to repay the amounts to the societies in installments after receiving from the landlords. With that background a meeting of GIEWA members was called to ascertain their opinion as to the future course . Most of the members felt that the Association should request the A J to renegotiate with the landlords and buy enough land to form lay out for our members. A J authorities promised and they had shown us some places. But after sometime they intimated that it will not be possible for them to provide a layout for us due to the complications they were expecting and wanted to stop their activities in housing. They agreed to refund the amount paid by our members through us in installments as and when they receive from the Government.  However, by that time the procedures for formation of layouts were comparatively easier and our Association decided to try to form a layout for its members.

GIEWA Layout

In view of the above position the General Insurance Employees’ Welfare Association (GIEWA) in a general body meeting decided to form its own layout with the help of developers. Accordingly the Managing Committee of the Association consisting of S/s N R Krishnaiah of National Insurance, R Mohan of Oriental Insurance, A R Ramanathan of New India Assurance Co as the office bearers; and the following committee members: Sri V Narasimhan from National Insurance Co; Sri P Suresh Babu from New India Assurance Co; Sri S V Nagaraj and Sri K M Sadanandamurthy from Oriental Insurance Co; and Sri L Chandrasekhar and K E Vijaykumar from the United India Insurance Co was elected by the meeting. The Committee got the Association registered. It took a lot of time and some committee members ( Krishnaiah, Narasimhan, Mohan, Chandrasekhar and Vijaykumar) resigned and Sri R Sathyanarayana and M N Viswanath were elected as committee members. GIEWA  Committee saw many proposals of prospective places for the layout shown by prospective developers. Finally the committee zeroed in a place in the Kembathahalli Village near Anjanapura Village about 16 km from City Railway Station and Town Hall. The Committee felt that none of the members being experienced in layout procedures decided to take the help of real estate developers to form the layout. The Committee tried 4 -5 developers (Lakshman a contractor of BDA; One Srinivas nephew of the Konanakunte Village Panchayath President who was to give the land; Basaviaiha & Nagaraj associates of Amarajyothi Society; the Secretary of the Vysya Bank Employees credit society who was also trying to form a layout fr Vysya Bank employees and Pegasus Promoters private developers). and finally felt that the Pegasus Promoters and Developers will be able to help us and an agreement was entered in 1999 with them to let us have around 85 sites in the first phase and another 150 sites in the next phase. But the members were not indicating clearly as to who were all interested to own sites. In the absence of this indication it was felt that 'silence is confirmation' and considered as all were interested for plots and we proceeded towards forming our layout.  

BDA acquisition notice of our sites and land.

After registering about 80 sites, we had a setback. The BDA issued notice to acquire all the lands around our layout including our sites. We had to represent and pursue with the BDA through our Developers, M/s Pegasus Promoters & Developers (they were also GPA holders of the landlords involved) to get the sites released from BDA. It took around 2 years. This caused some fear in the minds of the members waiting for sites and the response for further sites was lukewarm. Because of this further delay was there and the developer was not in a position to wait for us and sold the proposed 2^nd phase area to another private developers by name Classic Developers, Koramangala. During this process some of the Committee members withdrew themselves and no new ones were willing to come forward. Many members who had expressed their desire to have the sites also left the association taking back the deposit amounts paid by them for sites. 

We had based our calculation in such way that the rate for the first phase will be on an even basis without making any profit as our Association is founded on the principle of 'No loss No profit'. We presumed that after registration of some sites to members there will be confidence in the minds of the prospective site owners and new members will join for sites. We felt that we can charge a higher rate for the plots from these new members and the extra amount will take care of the completion of the layout works, build an overhead water tank, a mini wind mill for standby electric power during power cuts, planting of selected species of trees on Road sides, proper public light system and to meet the regular maintenance expenses of the layout. But the response as stated earlier was lukewarm and we had to abandon the further registrations. Those few members who were waiting for sites were given back their deposit amounts. On account of this we could not generate extra funds for the completion of the layout works and provide for the maintenance expenses of the layout. In view of this a call was given on the basis of the general body decision of the Association for extra contributions from the registered site owners of the layout to fulfill the above mentioned requirements. 

Due to some misunderstanding about the integrity of the Office Bearers and delay the response for the call of additional payments from members was not encouraging. Only about half of the registered site owners paid one installment of the proposed two installments. This response was discussed in a subsequent General Body meeting of the Association and it was decided that after trying one more attempt to collect the amounts from balance members refund the additional amounts collected if the response is not encouraging.Since the response was poor the amounts collected were refunded to the concerned members. By March 2002, Mr Sadanandamurthy, the then President who was active with the Secretary was transferred to Mysore. He was at Bangalore only on weekends and holidays. Since he had 2 establishments one at Mysore and the original at Bangalore he could not give much attention. Another active member Mr S V Nagaraj was having serious health problems and could not give much assistance. One of the Commi9ttee members Mr Suresh Babu was made as Branch in charge by his employers  and had very less time to spare for this activity. Due to all the factors mentioned above the layout work could not be concluded to the extent of 100 %. Some final touch ups were to be done.

During 2006 a new committee was formed.  This new committee after some starting troubles took up some repair works. By the time the work was being done some persons tried to encroach the sites in the layout. The encroaches in one place put up a compound wall and in another place fixed fence posts. The office bearers of the then committee expressed their inability to attend to this matter as their office work did not permit them to move out during office hours and an Ad hoc committee was formed with Mr S V Nagaraj as the Secretary and other members as Committee members.  This ad hoc committee with the help of some previous office bearers took up the matter of encroachments with the Police authorities concerned and partially succeeded in removing the encroachment and demolish the compound wall. However the party went to court against us and the case is pending. But regarding the encroachment by those fixing fence posts the police suggested to go for joint survey by the Survey department of the Government. The Police officials themselves wrote to the Survey department for survey. Even after persuasion till now the survey department did not do the survey (till 31.5.2012). The effort is continuing by some members under the present committee of the layout management.

In the meantime Mr S V Nagaraj could not spare time for further actions and he called for a General Body Meeting in 2009 or 2010 and a new committee and officer bearers were elected. The Office Bearers are: President - Sri S Ramesh, Secretary - Sri S Prabhakar, Treassurer - Sri P Nitiish and Committee Members - S/s M L Venugopal, T Tammi Reddy, R Ganeshan, L Domanic Mariya, C S Balasubramanian, A S Natesh and K M Ramachandra. Subsequently I presume the committee co opted Smt K S Manjula as additional member. Smt K S Manjula with the assistance of Sri R Ganeshan agreed to follow up the legal matters with the advocates. It is heartening to note that the new committee has collected additional funds from the members and have called quotations for construction of compound wall and the work is nearing completion.

My idea for a model housing plot colony for insurance employees

As explained, my idea was to have a housing layout of about 250 to 500 sites. Those who are already members (about 85) will be given concession in rates (almost one third of teh then prevailing rates in the area) and new members will be charged more so that on the whole it will be even. Later when the demand increases for sites from new members the rates were to be increased in proportion with the market rate increase. Accordingly the formation of the layout was proposed in 2 to 3 phases. The increase in the price will generate some extra money which could be utilized for providing amenities to the colony. The amenities proposed was for leveling of the entire layout and raising the level to higher than the road level, providing 2 overhead tanks for supply of water to the entire colony, arranging for one or two bore wells for water supply, a windmill for producing electricity for the colony and also for lifting the water from the bore wells to the overhead tank with the wind power, establishing a school in the colony, having a compound wall all around the colony, an emergency nursing room facility, persuading nurses, doctors, railway employees and KSRTC employees, persons form police department or having connection with police department and some advocates etc so that the colony will become a self contained one with all facilities to members. These were informed to some members, but many could not be informed. Since response was not there for more sites as expected because of various factors, I proposed a higher amount to be collected additionally so that these ideas could be implemented and make the colony a model one. Unfortunately for various reasons it could not materialize and I am very much disappointed. 

My lack of skills a stumbling block

I had the ideas but could not effectively communicate to the members and others who might have been interested in joining the colony. I used to discuss the matter to some of the close associates but in retrospect I feel that I could not enthuse them towards the ideas. I could not also inspire other committee members and other associates about the project and there was not much pushing from the side of the committee members and others. With the result the the ideal colony remained as an unfulfilled dream only. As mentioned in an earlier paragraph, most of the committee members, due to other pre-occupations could not spare much time after March 2002 when the  BDA problem came. Then there was a problem of a storm water drain canal of huge size made by the BDA on the Northern border of our layout. They took some land from our layout and the neighboring property to make the canal. Consequently some of whose sites were at the Northern end had lost some portion of their site. Some others had gained. One person had lost most portion of his site. Since many members were not coming forward because of the developments mentioned, the remaining land reserved for the 2nd phase of the layout was sold by the Developer to another developer. Unfortunately 5 members had already registered sites in then proposed 2nd phase portion and the sites were gone to the purchaser of this portion, M/s Classic Developers. Myself and Mr Sadanandamurthy had been pursuing this matter with our developer who used to promise to sort out the matter. But nothing happened. In the meantime I had the health problem of prostate enlargement and was under treatment  which ultimately was surgically removed in April, 2007. My age,  health and distance between my house and the layout and the developer's house being about 25 km did not allow me to have frequent visits to him. Besides he being a real estate business man and has his own properties to develop was not available when we go to his house. He never used to attend the phone calls from us. As mentioned elsewhere I had to give up the active participation due to my age, health in addition to the misunderstanding about my integrity  by some of the members. Under that circumstances if I continued it would have created further complications. Hence in 2006 a new committee was formed with many of those who had doubt about me.

The Present problems

There are mainly 3 problems affecting some of the members. One of the problem is the inertia of members. Another problem is court cases. The third problem is the mischief of the greedy land grabbers.

The sites were registered to the concerned members during 2001 and 2002. From that time till about beginning of 2012 no member took any initiative to attend to their sites either individually or collectively.  This inaction, indifference t the properties of members with the steep rise in land value attracted the land grabbers. Bangalore like any other center is having large number of mischievous advocates  who find out the then minors, now majors with inducement of getting the property or share from the one sold by their guardians during 2001/2002. Some of the land grabbers too abet them in this nefarious activities.  This has resulted in some descendents of the erstwhile landlords to stake claims on the sites owned by our members. While few have gone to courts against the site owners of the layout, in some cases the site owners have to go for legal proceedings due to the encroachment activities of the miscreants. The committee has been persuading the members from 2004 either surrender the sites to the Association so that the same can be given to those who came to the committee for sites in the layout, take back the amount and give the sites - if they are not happy with the sites or make contributions to create a maintenance fund for building a compound wall  for all sites so that each site is protected and the entire layout is also walled in. The fund was to cover addition the provision for a deposit so that the interest from the same can take care of the running common expenses of the layout, make a bore-well and overhead tank, planting trees n the roads have security arrangement and other collective activities taking co-operation of the village neighbors around the layout. Unfortunately response for the same was very poor and had to drop the idea. Then 3 sets of committees were successively to take care of the common interest. However as the members had no interest in the common interests of the layout nothing much could be done. 

New Generation - Better Generation

Each successive generations are better than the previous ones. This is due to various factors. One of the reasons is that the new generations have the advantage of a better enlightened parents comparedto the previous ones. Another reason is that there is lot of intermingling with larger number of persons. One more reason is the all round progress of technologies where there is diversion for the mind. Then there is more freedom to the present generation from their parents comparing to the previous ones. This reduces the tension of conflicts allowing more time to concentrate on the work in hand. There are more avenues for furthering the interests of the individuals comparing to previous generations. The development of internet and internet sharing, social groups interactions, visual media news etc have given enough scope for development of the personality and knowledge of the individuals. We can expect to have better citizens with each successive generations and can expect a better world to live.

Cricket is an idlers game

Cricket is an idlers game with colonial legacy. This is the only game played throughout the day time.

This game was devised by the idle British Lords. When Britten was at its peak as an empire, they were enjoying their life at other countries costs by plundering these countries who were under them. The people of these countries were their slaves. The benefit of this plunder naturally went to the upper class of the Society of United Kingdom. In those days these people were not having anything to do except to eat rich food and loiter around. In order to pass time and have some physical exercise, these people devised this game so that they can leisurely play this game to burn out the extra energy they get from luxurious food and living. They used to employ servants to run around to pick up the ball etc. When some of the higher ups were posted in their slave countries like, India, Pakistan, Srilanka etc these people brought the game to the slave countries. These colonial countries adopted this game as if it is a wonderful game and continued the legacy left by the erstwhile matters.

If we look around the world, none of the developed countries play this game. It is only the erstwhile mater country (Britten) and the erstwhile colonies of this empire, where this game is played.

These ex colonies not only keep this game, but give undue importance to this game in comparison with other games.

It is high time we look at the game in proper perspective and keep the same in its proper place and not give the over indulgence to it as is now the case.