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Delhi Gymkhana Club, 2, Safdarjung Road, New Delhi 110011

Vol. 01 • No. 24August 2019

From the President’s desk

club lifeA monthly in-house newsletter for private circulation only

swimming gala

special

Dear Members,

Much water has flown down

the Jamuna over the last

month and for days very close

to the danger mark. The Club,

located near one of its banks

could not be an exception.

Similar dangerous waters have

flown through our institution

also at this time.

We had proposed to hold an

EGM and all but holding the

actual event happened to us.

The agenda was circulated after

consultations for over an year –

and yet it sadly wasn’t palatable

to a few members. Naturally

being humans and following

Rene Descartes “Cartesian

doubt”, one does not expect

that all of us think alike. But the

fact that some of us approached

the High Court to actually stall

it, does speak volumes of the

extent and intensity of feeling

that groups of members have

for others. If there is something,

I could not complete my entire

ambitions of what I set out to do

as President, it was the mental

integration of all members

into the club – not seen just

as a physical entity but a body

inculcating a value system that

we wish to venerate. Sadly, it

remains where it is.

Further unfavourable adversity

is also upon us. To our utter

dismay we do not even have

enough members volunteering

to come onto the General

Committee. This is a first in our

history as long as I remember

it. I am trying to imagine the

reasons. For one, the constant,

concentrated criticism about

Committee members on various

WhatsApp groups makes it

difficult for those who wish

to preserve their dignity, to

volunteer themselves for this

harsh criticism, bordering

on abuse. Such GC duties

are unremunerated and

entirely voluntary at cost of

the members’ own time and

expense. This situation thus, is

an inevitable result.

Secondly, and I wish to dwell

on this subject, all Committee

members, as a result of various

inspections by government

authorities are potentially in

danger of being held liable for

Lady Willingdon Swimming Bath

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PREVIEW

Independence day 03

Talk on BreasT cancer 04

Book cluB evenT - Weapons of kalkI 04

Gc BrIef reporT 2018-19 05-08

Book cluB evenT - The paTh ahead 08

“paan” aT The IndIan BanQueT aT IslaMaBad 09

“When In douBT look aBouT” 10

syndIcaTe ruMMy TournaMenT 11

reTIreMenT 11

BrIdGe resulTs auGusT 2019 11

achIeveMenTs of our MeMBers 12-13

ladIes nIGhT 14-15

annual sWIMMInG Gala 2019 16-20

aMazInG cucuMBer 21

‘Go’- The GaMe of lIfe 22

free denTal check up & sMIle assessMenT 23

healTh food counTer ‘sIMplIfe ‘ 23

In face of deaTh 24

hIsTorIc MIlesTones 25

edITorIal 25

noTIce annual General MeeTInG 26-27

our BurMa sTory 28-29

Why only cIvIlIan or MIlITary offIcers BecoMe cluB presIdenTs 30

oBITuary 31

forThcoMInG evenTs 32

the decisions or mistakes made by their

respective Committees. And the fact is that

such inspections have been ordered at the

behest of our own members’ complaints

and visitations to these bodies. So the rug

is actually been pulled beneath our feet

by our own ilk. This is yet another aspect

we have to mull over with tremendous

concern. If we do not buck this trend I

shudder to think the fate of our revered

institution, even in the not too distant

future. It is also usually accompanied by

unwanted publicity in the media as it is for

the court proceedings launched by some of

our members against the club.

This General Committee is into its last

month as also my tenure as President.

Much though I didn’t wish to, I have had

to, with due apology, flay these matters

in our penultimate issue of this magazine.

Members might wish to ponder over and be

a little more circumspect in their comments

on future handling of matters, personal or

otherwise, related to our club. The Club

management must be permitted to function

freely. We are one large family and this is

just an extension of our home.

May I therefore sign off seeking

improvement in these matters in times to

come. I wish the next General Committee,

all but actually elected, the very best. I also

wish the best for the election of the three

Presidential candidates and wish our Club,

a happy and fruitful future.

With my highest regards,

Prashant Sukul President


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indePendence day at delhi Gym - 15th august 2019


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Book cluB event - Weapons of kalki - Ritika Kochhar in conversation with Manju Kapur Dalmia- 13th aug 2019

talk on Breast cancer by Dr Shefali Agarwal - 9 aug 2019

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A few members have been very active on ‘whatsap groups’ seeking information from the General Committee/Club Secretariat, possibly not having the time and energy to peruse the minutes of the General Committee Meetings. This has led at times to inaccuracies in the exchange of communications amongst the ‘Whatsapp Groups’ members.

Objectives of the Club are enshrined in the Articles of Association.

A Primary objective of the Club is to promote Sports.

OutdOOr And IndOOr SPOrtS Sub COmmIttee

The total expenditure on sports for the financial year ending 31 Mar 2019 was approx. Rs 5 Crores and revenue was approx. Rs 60 Lakhs.

the following sports events were organized during the year with enthusiastic participation and resounding success:

• Road to Wimbledontennis in partnership with all

England club.

• Northern India Squash partnership with SquashAssociation of Delhi.

• AllIndiajuniorrankingtennisinpartnershipwithGrandSlam Foundation.

• Diplomats Tennis tournament by DGC for all foreigndiplomats.

• DoonSchoolSquashtournamentwasheldinDGC.

• Annual club tournaments – Tennis, Squash, Badmintonfor ladies, gents and juniors.

• AnnualSwimmingGala.

• Squash tournament in partnership with SquashAssociation of Delhi.

• Rulesandsportsregulationswereupdated.

• Proposedclaycourtfloodlightsunderinstallation.

• Bridge/RummyTournamentsheldregularly.

• RummyRulesframedanddisseminated.

• Yogaclasses.

• Ambienceof theBridgeRoomandRummyRoom was improved.

• UpholsteryRummyRoomchairsandtableschanged.

• ReplacementofBilliardTablescloth.

• 23 DGC Teams and hundreds of Bridgeplayers from all over the Country participated in the Indian Open Bridge Tournament. This year saw a record participation.

FOOd & CAterIng Sub COmmIttee

•Anincreaseoncatering sale of approx. Rs.303 Lakhs over the last year.

•ClubeventslikeMembers Night,

Annual Sports Dinner, Christmas Eve and NewYearEveDinner.

• Introductionof‘TheNewHealthyBreakfastMenu’.

• Organized food festivals to give addedgastronomic variety to the members.

• TherenovationofthePastryshop,KashmirLawns Dish washing area and bakery area.

• New crockery has been introduced in theKashmirLawnandDiningHall.

bAr & beverAgeS Sub COmmIttee

•Rationalizationoftheliquorpricing policy.

•Specialpriceofferofliquorwere introduced

and more brands were added.

• Provided highly subsidized price offers forvarious Club events.

General committee BrieF rePort 2018-19

mr Gurpreet singh chairman outdoor

ms nisha Bahadur co-chairperson outdoor

ms Gayatri roopchand chairperson

col mohit nasa chairman

cdr arun saigal c0-chairman

ms nisha Bahadur co-chairperson

Brig ravinder kumar mehta (retd)chairman indoor

mr n s katochco-chairman indoor


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• Purchasediscountsand sponsorships fromliquor companies have been successfullynegotiated for the benefit of the members and the total support received was approx. Rs.179 Lakhs an increase of approx. Rs.22 Lakhs which is approx. 15% higher than previous year.

• Ladies Night event was organized on 10thAugust 2019 and it was a huge success.

• NewsnacksareofferedintheBarMenuonfortnightly basis.

StAFF WelFAre & It AutOmAtIOn Sub COmmIttee

•Retirement

benefits from

member’s

contribution

were reduced by

50%.

• Retirement gratuity would be paid in one

single installment.

• StaffStandingOrderswerestreamlined.

• The GPA policy was renewed and the

insured sum per employee was raised from

Rs.50,000 to Rs.2,50,000.

• PFBoardofTrusteeselected.

• The proposal for an AI based video

surveillance system was approved.

• Portable video recording cameras for

Security Staff was approved.

• Baggage scanner and enhanced access

controls implemented as per the directions

of SPG.

• Installation of equipment for facial

recognition. A total of 5 cameras with audio

visual capabilities have been installed.

• AllAMC’sreviewed,negotiatedandawarded.

• CompleteupgradationofITrelatedsoftware.

WOrkS, HOuSIng & mAIntenAnCe Sub COmmIttee

•FormulationofSOPonworksand maintenance services and streamlining procedures.

•Measures to save on energyand power tariff were ensured which was not carried out since

last 10 years.

• Atotalof35Nos.ofnewinverterACswereprocuredforcottages, saving of approx. Rs.12-14 Lakhs was ensured.

• Complaints of irregular water temperature in showersduring winter months was resolved by enhancing availability of hot water by installing an additional 300 ltr hot water boiler and regulating water temperature through Thermostats.

entertAInment Sub COmmIttee

•The sponsorship raised byClub during the year was approx. Rs.22,45,000, which was for specific events.

•Some of the notable eventsduring the year were:

a) Shillong Choir Performance

b)NewYear’sEve

c) Baisakhi Function

d) Plays & Events:

• LushenDubeyPlay

• MattTodoYehWadi

• BritishArmyBand

• JazzBand

• VijitMalik–RootBand

• InderThakurLiveLohriFunction

• PramodJiPlay

• TaliaBentsonSingingShow

• GhulamShabbirQawaliProgramme

e) Regular band performances at the Main Bar/ Centenary Bar by a variety of performers.

ms suneeta trivedi chairperson

mr vikram Bhalla chairman

mr n s katochco-chairman

mr rajinder rai co-chairman

mr sunil Ghadiok chairman

mr rajinder rai co-chairman


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memberSHIP & dISCIPlIne Sub COmmIttee

•Grant of permanentmembership to UCPs wasstayed by a court order.

•42 UCPs were grantedPermanent membership prior to the Club being served with the stay.

• StayorderwasvacatedinAugust2019.

• Subsequent to vacation of stay 65 UCPs were issuedletters for permanent membership and based on the response, 36 have been made permanent members.

• 60moreUCPshavebeenissuedlettersandoncompletionof formalities will be made permanent members.

• SinceOctober2018,56Government,26NonGovernmentand36UCPshavemadepermanentmembers.

• Clubhas2947UCPsand5389GreenCardHoldersasondate.

• Disciplinarycases:

a. Show Cause Notice - 20

b. Suspension - 14

c. Warning - 04

d. Membership Terminated - 02

gArden Sub COmmIttee

•Arrangement of regulargarbage collection vehicle for the collection of garbage from a centralized place for disposal.

•Speedlimitboardshavebeendisplayed at prominent places and road junctions to make

them visible. Parking has been regulated by putting up sign boards.

• Counterforsaleoffarmproducewasestablished.

• A budget of Rs.18.50 Lakhs for the organic farm andnursery was sanctioned. Organic vegetables and flowers are made available to members.

• Bonsaigardenhasbeencreatedwithaninitialdonationof

a total number of 72 plants by Dr. R C Aranya.

lIbrAry & bOOk Club Sub COmmIttee

•The AnnualLiterature and Ideas festival was organized on March 22 & 23, 2019. Twenty four eminent authors

participated in discussions on their books, on topical current affairs and narrated real life adventure stories over 10 sessions. Parallel sessions were organized for children.

• TheLibraryhasatotalcollectionofaround38519 Volumes of books which includesFiction, Non-Fiction, Children and Hindi books.751booksworthapprox.Rs.1,08,929have been added during the tenure of the present Committee.

• TheLibraryissubscribingto18newspapers(Rs.43,000 approx.) and 59 national and international periodicals (Rs.1,50,000 approx).

• 13BookClubmeetingswereheldintheclub.

FInAnCe, ACquISItIOnS & tenderIng Sub COmmIttee

•The return oninvestment has increased from 7.35% as on 31st Mar2018to8.65%as on 31st Mar 2019.

• During Sep, 18 & Oct, 18, all funds underBroker Mode were either redeemed or converted to Direct Mode. As on 31st Mar 2019, all funds are under Direct Mode.

• Appointment of advisors for properinvestment and management of funds.

• Drafting stringent investment policies tosafeguard our funds.

• Operationallosseshavebeenreducedfrom

mr Prashant sukul chairman

dr ajay dua chairman

mr suresh k Goel chairman

Brig ravinder kumar mehta co-chairman

cdr arun saigal co-chairman

dr ajay dua co-chairman

mr mandeep kapur co-chairman

ms suneeta trivedi chairperson


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approx. Rs.3.5 Cr to approx Rs.1.5 Cr

• StreamliningofallpendingGSTreturnandpayments.

• Recovery of GST to the tune of approxRs.90 Lakhs.

• Reduction of cost tomembers atOrientalLoungebyreducingGSTfrom18%to5%.

• IncreaseinRevenuefromOrientalLoungeby approx Rs.25 Lakhs in a year without any increase to members billing.

• Reductioninpurchasecostofconsumablesdue to transparent and efficient tendering procedures.

• SettlementofM/sAhluwaliaConstructionsat approx Rs.26 Lakhs against demand of Rs.45 Lakhs approx. Resulting in saving of approx. Rs.19 Lakhs.

• EfficienthandlingofmultipleMCAnoticesto protect the interest of the Club.

mr rajinder rai chairman

Brig ravinder kumar mehta co-chairman

legAl & memberSHIP AudIt Sub COmmIttee

• A total of 22caseswerepending in theLabourOffice/Courts. Out of which 12 cases have been disposed of in

our favour.

•10 labour cases are pendingand verdict is likely to be in our favour.

•No fresh labour cases havebeen filed during the current GC term.

• AlokMehndiratta&OrsCase.TheHighCourthasruledthat the jurisdiction of their case regarding membership to their overage children lies with the National Company Law Tribunal and not with the Civil Courts thus clearing the way for grant of permanent memberships to the alreadyballottedUCPs.

• MediationprocessisgoingonwithM/sInfoBaseServicePvt Ltd. who produced the Club Directory to finalise and settle their dues.

Book cluB event - the Path ahead - transformative ideas for india - Amitabh Kant in conversation with Sanjeev Sanyal - 21st aug 2019


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“Paan” at the indian BanQuet at islamaBad

Fifty Four years ago, following the 1965 Indo-Pak War,

Pakistan snapped diplomatic and trade links with India.

Trade between the two countries remained suspended for

10 years. A Pakistan Trade Delegation arrived in New Delhi

in December 1974 to break the thaw and resume the trade

between the two countries.

India responded by sending an Inter-Ministerial Trade

Delegation in January 1975. The Delegation was led by late

Mr.Y.T.Shah,thenSecretary,MinistryofCommerce,India.

I was then Director, South Asia desk in the Ministry of

Commerce and was included in the delegation to Pakistan,

along with representatives of several other concerned

Ministries.

The negotiations between the two sides were held over 3

or 4 days in a cordial and constructive work atmosphere.

The only hiatus was over the ‘offer lists’ of each country’s

trade items. India had over 200 items on offer whereas

Pakistan offer list was much lower. As this could have

political repercussions in Pakistan, the Indian offer list had

to be pruned to a reasonably acceptable level.

Trade Agreement between the Government of India and the

Government of Islamic Republic of Pakistan was signed on

23rdJanuary,1975byMr.Y.T.Shah,Commerce

Secretary for India and Mr. Ezaz Ahmed Naik,

Commerce Secretary for Pakistan.

The leader of the Pakistan Delegation, Mr. Ezaz

Ahmed Naik, Commerce Secretary, Pakistan

hosted a banquet in honour of the Indian

Delegation. In a short welcome speech at the

dinner he remarked that the leader of Indian

delegation, Mr. Shah could well be the name of

the leader of Pakistan Delegation while he, Mr.

Naik could be the name of the leader of Indian

Delegation.Thislightheartedquipmadeitto

the front pages of Pakistan media the next day.

The Indian leader,Mr.Y.T.Shah,hosted the

return banquet on the concluding day of the

talks and sprang a surprise when he revealed

in his post-dinner speech that as people in

Pakistan had been starred of the Indian ‘PAAN’

for 10 long years, special arrangements were

made by the Indian delegation to bring with

themadequatequantityof‘Paan’ from India

for serving to the Pakistan delegates at the

endofthebanquet.

On his signal, the hotel staff marched in with

trays loaded with the Indian ‘Paan’ wrapped

in silver foils.

This unexpected but welcome gift was greeted

by the guests with loud cheers. They not only

relished it but carried one or two ‘Paans’ for

sharing with their wives and parents.

The Indian ‘Paan’at the IslamabadBanquet

made front page news in the mainline Pakistan

newspapers the next day.

The Pakistan Government, in a replay of

the 1965 snapping of trade links with India,

has done it again. It may well deprive the

connoisseurs of their favourite Indian ‘Paan’ .

r k Puri (G-303) [email protected]

Leaders of Indian and Pak Trade Delegations, Mr. Y. T. Shah (left) and Mr. E. A. Naik (right) exchanging the Trade Agreement. The writer, Mr. R. K. Puri is next to Mr. Shah

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“When in douBt look aBout”

With no claim to originality, I

must clarify discovering this

anonymous limerick on the

fine nuances of Dining Room

etiquette, while assisting my

grand-father re-arrange his

vast collection of books and

weed out some of the old

pamphletsoflittleconsequenceforhimnow.

On enquiring about the origin of the limerick,

grandpa stated that he received it along with various

other training documents on joining the National

Academy of Administration, Mussorie for training of

Civil Service Probationers in the 60’s.

The limerick could also be of interest to the young

aspirants of DG Club’s membership who too “When

in Doubt, could look about”

The schoolboy’s essay maintains “One should eat to live

Not live to eat” but the question remains How should one eat?

The art of eating has its rules Whether in Eastern or Western style

Listen and learn how it’s done, the while you are dressed in dinner style.

The basic language of eating Has the following adjectives,

Neat, tidy, orderly, noiseless, graceful, Not ugly, not spilling, not over-full.

The Opposable Thumb, we must own Was what helped us to come down The tree, and start our biped life

Since when we learnt to use a knife.

One, two, three, four, fingers The fifth is a thumb

But use not your five fingers As if they were all numb.

Tilt the soup-plate away from chest Lift your soup-spoon gently to lips Break your bread and don’t tear it

And drink your soup in gentle sips.

The fork is an all-purpose tool by itself unlike the knife.

Which is always held in the right hand and never put to the mouth.

When in right hand the fork is wielded alone, But when in left it is balanced by a spoon

Held in the right.

The knife in the right hand firm and deft, is used to cut meat into pieces.

While firmly pinned by the fork in the left On plate made slippery with greases.

Butter-knife upon the butter-plate. Is meant for the butter to take,

The actual spreading on your slice Is done with your own knife.

The glass of water is best managed With hand un-dipped in curry For finger-prints have often led

The police to their quarry. Dry Phulka or greasy chappati,

are both equally a worry when not served on a thali Then with fingers you dip them deep

Into spicy curry, dal and meat.

Now on plate at left they are placed Then broken and with fingers neat

Taken in left hand to face While with fork in right the mouth is fed.

The serviette is a piece of linen Spread on your lap as precaution,

like netting in the circus ring, held taut ‘neath trapeze location.

Ask the person in the place To pass the salt or sugar

across his plate or cup or face Reach not your arm so eager.

Remember, if you want some more, Never place knife, spoon or fork

Together in parallel lines, for Your plate will be removed with a jerk.

But place them in an inverted V For the bearer to clearly see

And you will get a second helping Without undue fuss or guessing.

In polite and easy conversation But never with your mouth full

Engage your neighbour’s attention, While all the while being helpful.

As we have stressed above one must be nice eater,

whether he be a rice eater, Meat or Vegetarian eater.

So take these tips and strive To improve your style, the whole you accept them without a shout

And remember - when in doubt, look about.

Aparna Joshi (u-0997) DaughterofShobhaandVibhasJoshi


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syndicate rummy tournament - 14th august 2019 reSult - JOInt WInner: Wg Cdr D Nath- Coordinator Rummy, Ms Omee Srivastav, Ms Lalita Lal, Ms Pamela Prakash, Ms Leena Anand

team oF Four

1st Mr Vijay Sawhney, Dr R L Sanghi,

Ms Veena Viswanathan, Mr Dilip Coelho

2nd Mr Ashok Singh, Ms Gopika Tandon,

Mr Arun Jain, Mr S Behuria

3rd Mr Arun Kumar, Mr Anil Gupta , Mr Devangshu Datt,

Mr Yogesh Tiwari, Ms Savleen Thadani

Pairs

north-south1st Ms Sheena Khorana – Mr Jasjit Singh

2nd Ms Madhvi Bery – Mr Kawaljit Singh

3rd Ms Meera Shemsher Singh – Ms Saroj Vasudeva

east-West1st Mr Vishal Marwaha – Mr Saran Dhupia

2nd Ms Kalpana Varshney – Mr D D Gulhati

3rd MS Rita Bhagwati – Mr Amar Sinha

BridGe results auGust 2019

retirement

mr b C Joshi, Sr Store Clerk retired on 30th June 2019

mr Pitamber dutt, Head Pantry man and mr P k ramachandran Sr kitchen Store Assistant retired on 31st July 2019 after rendering meritorious service of 36 and 33 years respectively. We thank them for their long service and wish them a very healthy and happy retired life.

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achievements oF our memBers in sPorts

mr ‘JAz’ JASJIt SIngH (P-2287) – tennIS

Mr. ‘Jaz’ Jasjit Singh, has been one of India’s finest Davis cup players. The International Lawn Tennis Club of India recently

recognized the achievements 71 year old Jasjit Singh. He has played all

Grand Slams events and beat Tony Roche world no 2 and Brian Gottfried World no 4 and achieved a career high rankingof89.

'Jaz', as he is popularly known in tennis circles, played a

pivotal role in beating Australia and taking India to the Davis Cup

finals in 1974.

Mr. Nandan Bal, former India Davis Cup player and coach, Mr. Anil Khanna, President of the All India Tennis Association, andMr. Bhupinder Singh Hooda, Former Chief Minister of Haryana, felicitated Mr. Jasjit Singh at a simple ceremony at the Delhi Tennis Association stadium on August 24th 2019.

AsIndiacelebratestheachievementsofitsyoungsportspersons,HimaDas,KomalikaBari,PVSindhu,SumitNagal, etc., we are proud to celebrate the achievements of two of our own senior members – sportsmen

who made history in their respective fields, persevering against odds to put India on the world map at a time when information was relayed through traditional media of newspapers only.


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Arhan bagati, son of Anubha and TapeshBagati(UCP1618) andgrandsonof Sqn Ldr AshokAhooja and Dr. Asha Ahooja (P3820)launched a mobile

app to help para-athletes to look up accessible places in Tokyo during their visit to the city for the 2020 Paralympics Games. The 2020 Tokyo Paralympics is scheduled to begin from August 25 and will go on till September 6. Over 4,000 athletes from across the world are scheduled to participate in the event. The application -- Indtokyo -- which was launched by Arhan Bagati, Awareness and Impact Ambassador of Paralympic Committee of India, at the 'Countdown to Tokyo 2020' event, has features like information on para-athletes and accessible places in Tokyo among others. Congratulations.

brIgAdIer rAJ mAnCHAndA (P-2674) – SquASH

Brigadier Raj Manchanda nick named the ‘Old Fox’ and ‘The Major’ was one of India’s most dominant squash player in the late70s. A national champion for record six times from 1977 to 1982, he wasalso an office bearer of the Squash Federation,

holding at one time the post of vice president. Brigadier Raj ManchandareceivedtheArjunaAwardin1979-80.Heisalsothe recipient of Best Services Sportsman, which he received in1980-81.

He became famous in India in 1965 when he won the Servicestitle inSquashandthenendedupasarunner-upintheNationalSquashCompetition.Afterthathewonthesilver medal in the 1984 Asian Championship at Karachi.ManchandaacknowledgesthattheDelhiGymkhanaSquashcourts provided him the opportunity to perfect his game over long hours of practice.

His most memorable performance was in the Asian championship held at Jordan in 1954 where he won the bronze medal.

Writing about him in India Today in 1982, Aroon Purie said “Major Raj Manchanda is to Indian squash what Bjorn Borg is to international tennis: a machine. Last fortnight he won the 28th National Squash Championships for the fifth consecutive time. Before that he had won the Services championships in Dehra Dun for the ninth time, a record. He also won the Rajasthan and the Delhi state championships this year.

The most surprising part of Manchanda's triumphs is that

he's no spring chicken but 37 years old, which in squash terms is aged; and he's beating opponents over a decade younger than him. In the recent nationals he beat 22-year-old Ananth Nayak convincingly in three straight sets (9-5, 9-2. 9-1). From the spectators' gallery his game looks deceptively simple and easy with looping parallel shots but for those who get into the court with him it is one of high precision and matchless timing. He kept his young opponent dancing round the court forcing him to make mistakes.”

Raj Manchanda, born 4 Aug 1945 is from the 27th NDA course. He retired as a Brigadier in the Electrical and Mechanical Engineering Corps of the Indian army.

Editors Note: we regret that the Brigadier’s name got left out inadvertently while compiling and publishing the Roll of Honour of Arjuna Award winners in the Club’s Centenary souvenir.


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ladies niGht - 10th august 2019


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Annual Swimming Gala 2019


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RESULTS: ANNUAL SWIMMING GALA 2019CHILDREN & DEPENDENTS EVENTS

1

Girls above 06- below 08 years

Any Stroke 1 lengthFirst MUSKAAN SHARMASecond AMEYA GOPALThird AMYRA KUMAR

Boys above 06- below 08 years

Any Stroke 1 lengthFirst RUHAN SEHGALSecond VEER WALIAThird REHAN RAJ

2


Free Style 1 length First ARSHIA LUTHRASecond NAIRA MOOKHENThird RADHA BAHL


Free Style 1 length First SAMARTH MEATTLESecond SHOURYA SIROHIThird NISHQ DUBEY

3

Girls above 10- below 12 Years

Free Style 1 lengthFirst SANAA K LUTHRASecond AMRITA KAPURThird DHIRA

Boys above 10- below 12 Years

Free Style 1 lengthFirst KRISH AGGARWALSecond DHAWAL GUPTAThird ABEER DUTTA

4


Free Style 2 lengthsFirst REVA BABBARSecond KYRA SINGH SEHGALThird SHREYA SIROHI


Free Style 2 lengthsFirst SATVIK PANDESecond KABIR DUTTAThird NIRVAAN

5


Breast Stroke

2 lengthsFirst REVA BABBARSecond KYRA SINGH SEHGALThird SHREYA SIROHI


Breast Stroke

2 lengthsFirst NIRVAN BAWASecond RANJIT DESPANDE

6


Free Style 2 lengthsFirst REVA BABBARSecond KYRA SINGH SEHGALThird SHREYA SIROHI


Free Style 2 lengthsFirst RANJIT DESPANDESecond NIRVAAN BAWAThird PRITHVI

7Boys above 16- below 18 years

Breast Stroke

2 lengthsFirst AARYA VOHRA

8Boys above 16- below 18 years

Free Style 2 lengthsFirst AARYA VOHRA

9Girls above 18- below 21 years

Breast Stroke

2 lengthsFirst REVA BABBARSecond KYRA SINGH SEHGAL

GREEN CARD/ UCPs/MEMBERS

1Gents above 21 Years & below 30 Years

Free Style 4 lengthsFirst DAKSH TRIVEDISecond Arvind Mehta

2 Ladies above 21 Years & below 30 Years

Free Style 2 lengthsFirst Simran HaryalSecond Swati Khanna


Free Style 2 lengthsFirst Daksh TRIVEDISecond Arvind Mehta


Free Style 2 lengthsFirst Dimple KOCHARSecond Bhavila ANAND

5 Gents above 40 Years & below 50 Years

Free Style 2 lengthsFirst Arvind MehtaSecond Surjeet NUNDY

6Ladies above 40 Years & below 50 Years

Free Style 1 lengthFirst Bhavila aNANDSecond Dimple Singh Kochar


Free Style 1 lengthFirst Daljit singh Second Arvind Mehta


Free Style 1 lengthFirst Charu Wali KhannaSecond Mala Kumar


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Any Style 1 lengthFirst Raghav ChandraSecond Rajiv Rai


Any Style 1 lengthFirst Madhu MadanSecond Monica Kapahi

11 Gents above 65 Years & below 70 Years

Any Style 1 lengthFirst Shamsher SINGHSecond Deepak Vohra

12Ladies above 65 Years & below 70 Years

Any Style 1 length First Renu GulatiSecond Anita MEATTLE

13Gents above 70 & below 75 Years

Any Style 1 lengthFirst Anup DhindsaSecond Ashok Chawla

14Ladies above 70 & below 75 Years

Any Style 1 lengthFirst Madhu SethiSecond Simran Grover

15 Gents above 75 & below 80Years

Any Style 1 lengthFirst R KhubchandSecond Ashok Chawla

16 Ladies above 75 & below 80 Years

Any Style 1 lengthFirst Swarna Grover

17Gents above 80 Years …….

Any Style 1length First Cmde Ranjit RaiSecond Brig Ravi Mehta

RELAY RACES: DEPENDENTS (A) Team of 4 – Free Style ( Total 6Teams – 4 lengths)

1 RELAY BELOW 10 Free Style 4 Length

FIRST NIARA, ANIKA, RADHA, ARSHIA

SECONDMOKSHA, NIRANJANA, SAMAIRA, KIHANA

THIRDSHOURAY, SHAMIK, NISHQ, MAHAVIR

2 RELAY BELOW 14 Free Style 4 Length

FIRSTAMRITA, YAMINI, DHEERA, RUDRAKSHI

SECONDKYRA, REVA, SIDHANTH, PRITHVI

THIRDREYANSH, SAVYA, ABEER, KABIR

3RELAY BELOW 16 - 21

Free Style 4 LengthFIRST KAVITA, ARYA, REVA, RANJEETSECOND SANA, ARNIKA, NAIRA, AYESHA

Medley Races Above 40 & Below 40 Years

1Medley Race Below 40 Years

Free Style 4 Length FIRSTSuranjit, Daksh, Daljit, Amira Singh

SECOND Ranjit, Kyra, Aarya, Reva

2Medley Race Above 40 Years

Free Style 4 Length FIRSTArvind Mehta, Daksh, Rajiv Rai, Khubchand

SECOND Brig. C.D.PuriFUN EVENT

1BOYS & GIRLS Below 10 years

“Collecting PlatesFirst KIHANASecond MAHAVIRThird MOKSHA


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amazinG cucumBerFanciful way to solve common problems

1. Cucumbers contain most of the vitamins you need every day, just oneCucumbercontainsVitaminB1,VitaminB2,VitaminB3,VitaminB5,Vitamin B6, Folic Acid, VitaminC, Calcium, Iron, Magnesium, Phosphorus, Potassium and Zink

2. Feeling tired in the afternoon, put down the caffeinated soda and pick up a Cucumber. Cucumbers are a good source of B vitamins and Carbohydrates that can provide that quickpick-me-up that can last for hours.

3. Tired of your bathroom mirror fogging up after a shower? Try rubbing a Cucumber slice along the mirror, it will eliminate the fog and provide a soothing spa-like fragrance.

4. Are grubs and slugs running planting beds? Place a few slides in a small pie tin and your garden will be free of pests all season long. The chemicals in the Cucumber react with the aluminum to give off a scent undetectable to humans but drive garden pests crazy and make them flee the area.

5. Looking for a fast and easy way to remove cellulite before going out or to the pool? Try rubbing a slice or two of Cucumber along your problem area for a few minutes, the photochemical in the Cucumber causes the collagen in your skin to tighten, firming up the outer layer and reducing the visibility of cellulite.Works great on wrinkles too.

6. Want to avoid a hangover or terrible headache? Eat a Cucumber slice before going to bed and wake up refreshed and headache free. Cucumbers contain enough sugar, B vitamins and electrolytes to replenish essential nutrients the body lost, keeping everything in equilibrium,avoidingbothahangoverandheadache!!

7. Looking to fight off that afternoon or evening snacking binge? Cucumbers have been used for centuries and often used by European trappers, traders and explores forquickmealstothwartoffstarvation.

8. Haveanimportantmeetingorjobinterviewandyourealizethat you don't have enough time to polish your shoes? Rub a freshly cut cucumber over the shoes, its chemicals willprovideaquickanddurableshinethatnotonlylooks

great but also repels

water.

9. Out of WD 40 andneedtofixasqueaky

hinge? Take a Cucumber slice and rub it along the problematic hinge, and voila,thesqueakisgone!

10. Stressed out and don't have time to massage, facial or visit to the spa? Cut up entire Cucumber and place it in a boiling pot of water, the chemicals and nutrients from the Cucumber with react with the boiling water and be released in the steam, creating a soothing, relaxing aroma that has been shown the reduce stress in new mothers and college students during final exams.

11. Just finish a business lunch and realize you do not have gum or mints? Take a slice of cucumber and press it to the roof of your mouth with your tongue for 30 seconds to eliminate bad breath the photo chemical will kill the bacteria in tour mouth responsible for bad breath.

12. Looking for a 'green ' way to clean your faucets sinks or stainless steel? take a slice of cucumber and rub it on the surface you want to clean not only will it remove years of tarnish and bring back the shine, but it would not leave streaks and would not harm you fingers or fingernails while you clean.

13. Usingapenandmadeamistake?Taketheoutside of the cucumber and slowly use it to erase the pen writing, also works great on crayons and markers that the kids have usedtodecoratethewalls!!

raaj dhawan (P-3154) [email protected]


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‘Go’- the Game oF liFe

Go (Chinese Chess or Weiqi)-the2500-yearold,

Chinese strategy board game, featured in world headlines in 2016 when an artificially intelligent computer (AI) ‘AlphaGo’ crushed the world's

best human player, Lee Seedol, 4-1 in a match of 5 games. It took 19 years more to develop such an AI after the world's best chess player, Garry Kasparov, lost to one in 1997. The variationspossible on a full-size Go board (19X19) are more than the atoms in the known universe. This fact, along with the Netflix documentary "Alphago" inspired me to learn the game in May, 2019.

The beauty of Go is that while the gameplay can be complex depending on the players’ skill, the rules of the game are simple. The pieces once placed on the board cannot be moved by a player, in contrast to Chess. Like real-life actions and events, each player’s move is permanent in a sense. The winner of the game is one who captures greater territory on the board. While Chess has a winner-take-all approach, Go emulates real life more closely where the game is about incremental increases in assets or market share. Like in life, a Go player is deeply integrated in a system of connected pieces on the board. The game may seem to be a highly combative or aggressive game, yet top-ranked players have told me that it is, in fact, a game about balance. Every move is about maintaining the balance in favour of one's gains achieved over risks assumed.

When this balance is reversed, where the risks exceed the gains, one loses. A player has to constantly assess his/her own position in terms of strengths and weaknesses. Winning strategies include diversifying one's position on the board but at the same time strengthening it against invasions. A crucial skill is the ability to change one's game plan depending on the circumstances- in this case, the opponent's gameplay. Another is having the emotional resolve to lose in a small part of the board in favour of winning the entire game. Today, Go is being used in various spheres of life. China's geopolitical and military strategies, including its Belt and Road initiative, have unmistakable resemblances to Go strategies. The game is taught to schoolchildren in China. The cells of amino acids, which are the building blocks of the human body's protein structures, fold and make patterns in ways exactly like those made by Go pieces. Hence, AI computers proficient in Go are used for medical research to discover ways of preventing

diseases like Parkinson's and Alzheimer's disease. The game in which it is forbidden to commit suicide, Go is truly the game of life.

I play on a website (www.online-go.com) and stick to the 9X9 board size for which the average game duration is 10 minutes. It is possible to find an opponent in less than 5 minutes on the global site. I have progressed by six ranks since starting my Go journey. This would not have been possible without the suggestions and support of online

players from all over the world who have not only guided me towards helpful videos but have also analysed many of my games to show me effective strategies. My profile username on the website is 'Patterns' and you may see my performance graph, match history and ranking. I'd be happy to teach or play with anyone. My email address is [email protected]. I hope that the Club also gets a facility (a board) for its members to enjoy live, offline games of Go.

Prabhat Prakash (G-7106) [email protected]

notes• Pleaserefrainfromdivulginganyprivatedetailsongamingwebsites.• GoboardPictureCredits:www.theverge.com


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Free dental check uP & smile assessment by Dr Abhinav Kumar And Dr (Mrs) Priyanka Sethi Kumar - 23rd-24th aug 2019

health Food counter 'simplife ' was inaugurated at the erstwhile SIP Factory Outlet - - 26th aug 2019


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in Face oF death

As president of All

India Management

Association(AIMA)for1998-

99, it was my responsibility

to organise the ‘99 Annual

Convention’, biggest event

in every president’s tenure

of one year and, without

saying so, sort of a test of how successful the

incumbent has been. One of the important

tasks is to find a Convention Chairman – head

of a well known large company – who would

also, normally, sponsor the event.

After much deliberation, I had narrowed down

to couple of Delhi based industrialists, and on

top of the list was Dr Parvinder Singh the then

CMD of Pharma major Ranbaxy. Parvinder was

extremely well known, he was articulate, had

a tremendous presence and was heading the

country’s largest pharmaceutical company…..

a true leader who had proven his mettle by

achieving scorching growth in the company.

KrishanChugh,pastpresidentofAIMA,knew

Dr Singh well and offered to fix a meeting. We

were asked to call on him one afternoon at his

Aurangzeb Lane house. On the appointed day

–perhapsinMarch–Chugh,AIMADGKhurana

and I reached there. We were received by the

CMD’s executive assistant and made to sit in the tastefully

appointed living room.

Soon, Dr Parvinder Singh walked in. He was wearing a

dressing gown. I was a bit surprised that he’d do so at a

formal meeting but dismissed the thought; he was probably

taking a siesta. In any case, he greeted us warmly, offered

tea & snacks and after some polite talk, wanted to know

everything about AIMA and the convention.

I switched on the laptop and made a power point

presentation; origins of AIMA, some very distinguished past

presidents, our activities, sponsors of previous conventions,

how people like Yogi Deveshwar had been convention

chairmen earlier, our plans for the 99 event etc etc. Finally,

I proposed that we were very keen that he be the Chairman

for our convention in September.

“Mr.Kalra,youareaskingmetomakeacommitmentforan

event six month from now, when I am not sure if I would be

alive after six weeks” the man had spoken in an even tone,

without any emotion, very stoically, very matter of fact.

We were all speechless. Finally Chugh broke the ice,

“Parvinder, why are you talking like that?” “Mr. Chugh, I’m

suffering from terminal cancer and perhaps don’t have more

than couple of months. There is so much to do before I go.

I am sorry I can’t accept the Convention Chairmanship. We

will of course give you a sponsorship. Now, another cup of

hot tea anyone ?”

Some more chit chat & Dr Singh graciously saw us off at the

gate. No trace of self-pity, no seeking sympathy, no regrets,

just the desire to complete some of his unfinished tasks.

In July 1999, the great man passed on aged 56, a week after

putting in place a succession plan that was firmly in line

of his vision of a professionally run company. He did not

induct his sons to the Board.

krishan kalra (P-4530) [email protected]

The author is a former president of All India Management Association and now

doesvoluntaryworkinseveralsectorsincludingHealthCare.Viewsexpressedare

personal.

Parvinder Singh MD Ranbaxy

Cdr Arun Saigal Indian Navy (Retd)

editorial

A u g u s t 2 0 1 9

historic milestones

rePeal oF art 370 of the constitution oF india

In a historic decision the

Government of India repealed Article 370 of the Constitution of India which had given a special status to the state of Jammu andKashmir. Itwasrepealed through a Presidential Order and the passage of a resolution in Parliament.

The process was started when the Home Minister first introduced twobillsandtworesolutionsregardingJammu&Kashmir(J&K)first in the Rajya Sabha on Aug 5, 2019 and the next day in the Lok Sabha. The state has been bifurcated into two Unionterritories–JammuandKashmir,whichwillhavea legislature,and Ladakh, which will be without a legislature. The provisions of Article 370 ceased to exist from the date President of India issued a notification.

Indianowhas9UnionTerritoriesand28States.

chandrayaan-2

India’s moon mission named Chandrayaan-2 was launched on

22 July 2019 at 2.43 PM IST by a Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle Mark III (GSLV Mk III). Itconsists of a lunar orbiter, a lander, and a lunar rover named Pragyan, all of which were developed in India.

The soft landing of Chandrayaan-2 Vikram lander on the south poleof the lunar surface is scheduled between 1:30 am to 2:30 am on Saturday, September 07, 2019. This will be followed by the Rover roll out between 5:30 am to 6:30 am.

We congratulate ISRO on this historic achievement which is a tribute to India’ s engineering, software, instrumentation and other technical prowess.


The Annual S w i m m i n g

Gala of the Delhi Gymkhana Club was once again a resounding success. The Lady Willingdon Bath swimming pool wore a festive look which beckoned children and

elders alike. This issue is dedicated to the swimming event. The Ladies Night was also a rocking success. The photographs tell their own story. The current General Committee’s Report Card is also carried in this issue.

August has been an eventful month. India celebrated its 73rd Independence Day with the pride and hope of a continuing importance and relevance on the world stage as it marches to its destiny. In this issue we record for our archives two historic events: the abrogation of Article 370 and the successful launch of the Chandrayaan 2 mission to the south pole of the moon.

It has been a privilege for me to edit the Club Newsletter. At the time of going to press I am not certain whether there

will be another issue of the newsletter prior to the AGM. As a long- time member of the club I had the privilege of being elected to the General Committee which serves as the Board of Directors of the Delhi Gymkhana Club, acompanygovernedbySection8oftheCompaniesAct2013. I recall the words of my Commanding Officer when Iwasfirstpostedtonavalheadquartersfourdecadesago.He said, “In life strive hard to be an Institution Builder and not a Wrecker”. During the past year I have tried to live up to his advice. The many legal cases in Court do not augur well for this Club which is one of the finest in the country. We members need to introspect, restrain our friends and counsel our Committees as we chart our future course through some treacherous shoals.

I would like to place on record my sincere thanks to Team Benchmark Graphics who have very ably and creatively supported me in my endeavours to bring out newsletters which capture the flavor of club and other events of national importance to make enjoyable reading. Benchmark Graphics also designed the Logo, stage backdrops and publicity material for the annual Literature and Ideas Festival of the Club.

Au Revoir and may God Bless you with fair winds and followingseas!


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Notice is hereby given that the AnnuAl generAl meetIng of the members of the Delhi Gymkhana Club Limited will be held at the club premises 2, Safdarjang Road, New Delhi-110011 at 1400 hours on SundAy, 29tH SePtember 2019 to transact the following business:-

Ordinary business

Item no. 1

To receive, consider and adopt the audited Balance Sheet as at 31st March 2019, Income & Expenditure account for the year ended on that date together with the Report of the Auditors and General Committee thereon. (Copy of Balance Sheet Attached)

Item no. 2

To ratify the appointment of M/s. Khanna &Annadhanam, Chartered Accountants, as Statutory Auditors of the Company for the F.Y. 2019-2020and to fix their remuneration.

Item no. 3

To elect seventeen members of the General Committee including a member to be designated as President.

notes:

1. the business set out in the notice will be transacted through electronic voting system and the Club is providing facility for voting by electronic means.

Instructions and other information relating to e-voting are given herein. The Club is also sending communication relating to remote e-voting which inter alia would contain details aboutUserIDandpasswordalongwithacopyof this Notice to the members.

2. The present auditors M/s Khanna &Annadhanam, the retiring auditors, are eligible for ratification of appointment.

3. In accordance with section 152 of the Companies Act 2013:

(a) Every member (other than a member who has left at the club office a notice under section 160 signifying his/her candidature for a Committee Member) proposed as candidate for a Committee member shall sign, and file with the club, his/her consent, in writing to act as a Committee Member, if appointed.

ACCORDINGLY, THE REQUISITE CONSENT OF THECANDIDATE, AS PROPOSED UNDER NOTE 3 ABOVE MAYALSOPLEASEACCOMPANYTHEPROPOSALREFERREDTOIN THAT NOTE

(b) A Member, other than a Committee Member re-appointed after retirement, shall not act as a Committee Member of the club unless he/she has within thirty days of his/her appointment signed and filed with the Registrar, his/her consent in writing to act as such Committee Member.

4. members should fill in the attendance slip for attending the meeting.

5. Relevant documents and Register as prescribed under Companies Act, 2013 will be available for inspection at the AGM.

6. In case members wish to ask for any information about accountsoroperationoftheclub,theyarerequestedtosendtheirqueriesinwritingatleast7daysbeforethedateofthemeeting, so that the information can be made available at the time of the meeting.

7. Members, who have not registered their e-mail addresses so far, are requested to register their e-mail address forreceiving all communication including Annual Report, Notices, Circulars, etc. from the Club electronically.

8. Information and other instruction relating to e-voting are as under:

(a) Pursuant to the provisions of Section 108 of theCompanies Act, 2013 and the Companies (Management and Administration) Rules, 2014, as amended, and other applicable provisions, if any, of the Companies Act, 2013 the Club is pleased to provide to its Members, the facility to exercise their right to vote on resolutions proposed to be passed in the Meeting by electronic means. The Members may cast their votes using an electronic voting system

imPortant noticeannual General meetinG

29th sePt 2019


A u g u s t 2 0 1 9

from a place other than the venue of the meeting (“remote e-voting”).

(c) The Members who have cast their vote by remote e-voting may also attend the Meeting but shall not be entitled to cast their vote again.

(d) The Company has engaged the services of m/s karvy Computershare Private limited (“karvy”) as the Agency to provide e-voting facility.

(e) The General Committee has appointed Mr RMS Liberhan and Mr V L Tuli, as Chief election Commissioners to scrutinize the remote e-voting and e-voting at the meeting in a fair and transparent manner and he has communicated their willingness to be appointed and will be available for same purpose.

(f) A person, whose name is recorded in the Register of Members maintained by the Club as on the cutoff date i.e. 22nd September, 2019 only shall be entitled to avail the facility of e-voting or voting.

the process and manner for evoting is as under:

i.M/sKarvywillcreateauser Id and Password and will send it to all the Permanent members by email address available with the club. In case where there is no email id or the mail bounces back for wrong IDs, such members will be sent login ID and password by registered mail on the address available in club records.

ii. MailofM/sKarvywillbeselfexplanatoryanddisplaywindowwill be user friendly for the voting indicating the date and time for e-voting.

iii. E-voting will be open for three days starting on Thursday, 26th Sept 2019. Only 2 votes per IP address are permitted

iv. E-votingwillcloseon28thSept2019at5pmonthe3rddaywhich will be a day prior to the AGM.

v. E-voting will be closed by the Chief Election Commissioner after 5.00PM of the last day, prior to the AGM.

vi. After closing of the event by the Chief Election Commissioner,M/sKarvywilldownloadthedatawhichwillbe uploaded on five computers installed at the AGM venue on the date of the AGM for insta-poll voting by members who could not vote online.

vii. Thevotingwillbecompletedby8:30pmonthedateoftheAGM and results will be declared at the scheduled time which is 10pm.

viii. The members would be able to cast their votes at the

meeting through Instapoll/Tab voting provided

byKarvyiftheyhavenotavailedtheremote

e-voting facility. If the vote is cast through

remote e-voting facility then the members

would not be permitted to exercise their

voting right at the general meeting.

(ix) The Election Commissioners shall immediately

after the conclusion of voting at the general

meeting, first count the votes cast at the

meeting, thereafter unblock the votes cast

through remote e-voting in the presence of at

least two witnesses not in employment of the

Company and make, not later than three days

of conclusion of the meeting a consolidated

Election Commissioner’s report of the votes

cast in favour or against, to the Chairman or to

any Director or Officer who may be authorized

by the Chairman for this purpose.

(x) The Result of the voting shall be declared

by the Chief Election Commissioners or any

person authorised by the Chairman on or

after the receipt of consolidated Election

Commissioner’s report. The result along

with the Election Commissioner’s report

will be placed on the club’s website www.

delhigymkhana.org.in and on the website of

theKarvy.

(xi) Subject to receipt of requisite number of

votes, the Resolution shall be deemed to

be passed on the date of the Meeting i.e.,

29th September 2019.

(xii)Kindlynotethatontheactualdayofvoting

members will be able to cast their votes at

the meeting through Instalpoll/Tab voting

orphysicalballotprovidedbyKarvyifthey

have not availed the remote e-voting facility.

If the vote is cast thorough remote e-voting

facility then the members would not be

permitted to exercise their voting right at

the General Meeting.


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our Burma storyBurma was once a part of

the British Empire. Many Indians had settled there during the colonial period and had literally struck gold after emigrating to Burma. According to some estimates the hard-working and business-savvy Indians formed over five percent of the population in the 1930s and were among the more prosperous of its population, fuelling resentment among locals. Political grandstanding often centered on anti-Indian rhetoric.

During World War II that lasted from 1939 to 1945, Burma became an important theatre of a three-year long war between Japan and Britain and came to be known as the Burma Campaign. It was fought amidst hostile weather, disease and in difficult terrain and was meant to hold the advancing Japanese army from gaining a foothold from where to launch an invasion of India. The Japanese captured the main port of Rangoon (now known as Yangon)in March 1942. Burmese insurgents helped the Japanese advance and establish themselves. A mass exodus of refugees began to take place. My family was amongst them.

We would like to share a leaf out of our family’s history based upon a letter from our grandfather, the late Brigadier Surendra Nath Verma, AVSM, 8Cavalry, Indian Army.

I remember talking about the Second World War with my father in April 1941. I wanted to know from Pitaji whether I should join the local college in

Mandalay or was he was considering taking us all back to India, whence he had come to Burma in 1911. He said we shall stay put – that the Japanese would stop at Singapore and that even if they came and captured Burma – for us it would mean merely a change of rulers.

We did not think

that the Japanese would move very fast. However, in the autumn of 1941, they had got a toe-hold in the southern tip of Burma and began their climb up along the Tennaserim Coast. By December 1941 they had begun bombing Rangoon and we felt its tremors at Mandalay. Our families started collecting at Mandalay.

Starting in January 1942 I made a few rail trips to transport our families to Sahmow. Surprisingly Courts and Schools and Colleges were still open. Pitaji, who was an advocate, stayed back for the sake of his clients. I also stayed back to look after him and cook for him, except that after testing my culinary efforts – he decided to cookforusandrelegatedmetothetaskofdish-washing!

Mandalay was bombed in early March 1942. Courts and educational institutions closed. Pitaji and I reached Sahmow by 7th March. My grandfather had preceded us by a few days. There was a time when we had decided to stay on at Mandalay but then we started receiving tales of Japanese ill-treatment of locals, especially Indians so we decided to move up north. Rangoon had fallen in December 1941. There was a land route for the refugees to go to India but we decided against it because of my mother’s delicate condition.

To go back a little – in December 1941 Pitaji had booked berths for all of us on a boat from Rangoon to Calcutta. He was however persuaded by our family astrologer in whom he had tremendous faith, to give up sea-travel because water was risky for his elder son - that’s me. To prove the astrologer right I almost drowned in the river Irrawaddy in Myitkyina on 13th April 1942. I was caught in a whirlpool and sucked in. After several valiant attempts my grandfather fished me out. Only then, when Pitaji learnt of this incident did he tell us why he had cancelled the boat tickets.

We chose Sahmow because my maternal uncle lived there. We stayed with him for nearly three weeks. Sahmow had a sugar mill. It discharged its effluent not very far from where we were living. Its smell was unbearable. I don’t know how the town survived in this stink. My mother was also getting restless – we were far too many in that house which already had over a dozen people. My uncle had eleven children. When we were to fly out from Myitkyina I went back to Sahmow to persuade him to follow us by air. But circumstances intervened and he decided to take the second land route – the HukongValleyroute.Onthewayhiswifeandeightofhischildrenperished.

We decided to move further north to Myitkyina 40-45 miles away in the last week of March 1942. My father and I went on a house-hunting mission and found a double storey wooden house - empty and abandoned – in a forest, a mile away from the town. It’s rent-free status appealed to us. It had no water or electricity but that didn’t dampen our spirits. Two days later fifteen of us moved in without a lease deed.

We had a whale of a time for the next four weeks playing cards, swimming in the river and wandering in the forest. Work in the house wasequitablydividedbetweenthetwosexes.Myfatherwasformallyappointed the wood-chopper. He was a tall strong man. I don’t know where he got hold of an axe which he swung with great skill and fervour. Whenever he was peeved - for whatever reason and God knows it was fairly often - he would release his anger on a hapless tree and bring back an extra load of chopped wood. He was a wonderful person - a great sport and support and a gentleman to the core.

Brigadier Surendra Nath Verma, AVSM

Divija Singh

Avijit Singh


A u g u s t 2 0 1 9

A few days later we realised we were running short of cash. I hit upon a not so original idea of selling the household effects to raise funds. We all knew that if we had to take the land route to India, we would not be able to carry all the boxes. I sat down one day and with the help of my sisters began sorting out the unwanted disposable stuff. Whenever I picked one of my mother’s favourite items she would let out a shrill wail of anguish. From the following morning I started carrying two boxes filled with all kinds of stuff to the market daily and auctioned the whole lot at whatever price I was offered. When I returned home in the evening and told my mother that I hadsoldanewwoollenblanketforRs2/-(about5UScents)shebemoaned thedayshegavebirth tohergood fornothingson! Inthe beginning both my brothers-in-law made fun of me but a few days later accepted me as their guru to learn the tricks of the trade. Auctioning- in local dialect ‘khaee-popo’ - kept us all busy for a week during which period I had collected the princely sum of Rs 700 ($ 15) - the only cash with which my parents arrived in India on 22nd April 1942.

It was around 15th April when I saw a few American soldiers and a large local labour force levelling a stretch of ground about a mile from our hut. I approached them diffidently and spoke to an American Officer. What I learnt was that an airstrip was being prepared and that Dakotas would be flying in from 20th April onwards to evacuate Indian refugees. I ran back home all the way to give the news. We had a hurried conference and decided to leave our foster country. My brother in law and I went back to the American office at the airstrip and booked fifteen seats on the flight for 22nd April.

In fact from a week before we had been debating our future plans. We did not then know about this air evacuation. The land route was considered and rejected because of my mother’s growing weight!We also considered living the way we were in the forest which was not such a good idea. By then my father had started showing signs of restlessness. It was at this moment that help came, descended literally from Heaven, in the form of Dakotas. On 22nd April early morning, we arrived at the airstrip with all our remaining boxes about twenty in all - only to be told that we could each carry just a handbag weighing not more than 7 lbs. That was the second time my mother let out a wail of anguish- shriller than the previous one. But it was to have no effect on the hard-hearted so & so Americans. Five days later Myitkyina fell to the Japanese and air evacuation ceased.

An hour later we landed at Dinjan- got into a toy train which ran on a two feet wide track to catch a steamer in which we sailed for two days and one night on the river Brahmputra and reached Dibrugarh. From there we came by rail to Calcutta and stayed in a refugee camp for the next five days. On the morning of 27th April we were given Rs 50/- each and free rail tickets to our respective home towns. We left the same evening but for different destinations.

My sisters and their families proceeded to Delhi and Akalgarh and we to our ancestral home in Lasurikalan, a village now in Pakistan. We reached our village on 30th April 1942. In June I went to visit them in Akalgarh. On my way back to Lasurikalan, our bus overturned when negotiating a culvert, somersaulted and eventually settled down with all its four wheels in the air. During this topsy-turvydom my co-passenger, a bearded old fellow landed on me. Even after the bus had stabilised he would not get off my chest for the simple reason that he was dead. Let me end my Burma story on this note.

Avijit Singh (G- 4963)divija Singh, (G-5641)

(Editor’s Note:

1. Dinjan Airfield was built on an Assam tea plantation by thousands of plantation labourers, beginning in March 1942, as a result of the Japanese invasion of Burma in December 1941. It opened in the spring of 1942.

2. In August 1943, Churchill appointed Mountbatten as the Supreme Allied Commander South East Asia Command (SEAC) with promotion to acting full admiral. He oversaw the recapture of Burma from the Japanese by General William Slim. Mountbatten received the Japanese surrender in Singapore on 12 September 1945. South East Asia Command was disbanded in May 1946 and Mountbatten returned home with the substantive rank of rear-admiral. That year, he was made a Knight of the Garter and created Viscount Mountbatten of Burma, of Romsey in the County of Southampton as a victory title for war service. He later rose to become the First Sea Lord and received the title of Admiral of the Fleet. History has recorded that as Viceroy of India he was still a serving naval officer posted on temporary duty! (Ack: Wikepedia)


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Why only civilian or military oFFicers Become cluB Presidents –imPrint oF British history on dGc today

While reading a recent book “british in

India: three centuries of Ambition and experience” by historian and researcher David Gilmour(2018),Iwasstruckby how his observations and

conclusions reflect certain parallels in the history, membership and conventions of our club.

Gilmour describes the life and times of the British who first came in the reign of QueenElizabeth I to India up until early post-Independence India and beginning of the reign ofQueenElizabethII.

During most of these 350 years, from the time when the East India Company came to trade and established British settlements administered by them, till the last 90 years from1858to1947,whenitwasdirectlyunderBritish rule, the relationship of the British with India and Indians underwent distinct phrases, culturally, sociologically, politically and militarily.

Gilmour says that virtually every strata of society from England Scotland and Wales sent soldiers, foresters, missionaries, administrators and traders. But his approach in this book, unlike most historians, focuses on the stories of individuals and how they reacted to their experience at different levels of society.

He goes on to describe the different phases in the relationship of British over this period and arrives what he classifies as major social groupings and behaviors in each category.

• The first category whom he describes as the‘Civilians’ were members of the Indian Civil Service which mostly comprised British and Scots who came to serve in the ICS, and some other essential services like Indian Police Service, Indian Medical Service Indian Forest service etc.

• Thesecondcategory,byfarthelargest,werethosewho came to serve in the ‘Military’ which included both commissioned officers of the British and British Indian Armies and enlisted men. In fact certain schools and colleges focused on sending their boys to serve in India and once a member of the family arrived, usually the son or and grandsons stayed on to serve.

RudyardKiplingspeaksofthemas‘dolphins’.Toquotehim,“Certain families serve India generation after generation as dolphins follow in a line across the open sea” In another place Kipling writes “Clever Chins went into the Civilservice, dull entered the Woods and Forests services” Not quite true the author says ,as many genuinely enjoyedopen spaces, forests, hunting and adventure.

• Thethirdbroadgroupingoftherestofthosewhocame under the category of ‘Boxwallahs’. In Britain this denoted someone originally dealing with bales and boxes or to describe a businessman or entrepreneur of some sort, not considered a’pukka sahib”, a real gentlemen; though many came from the gentry and were sons of parsons and traders. Many came to work as missionaries. In the 1950s and 60s Calcutta was the home of the Boxwallahs, who by then constituted an elite group of managers and executives serving India”s largest private companies like ITC and many others.

The last group and smallest were the ‘Aristocrats’ , usually younger sons of Baronets and Dukes sent to India because their family estates could not support them in the style they were accustomed to. Many served on governing councils and some became Governor Generals at various times and held other such high appointments.

Here I would draw your attention to the history and legacy of British era clubs in India , including the Delhi Gymkhana Club (DGC), going back to more than 100years. These institutions had elements of the gentlemen’s clubs’ of Britain dating from the Regency and Georgian eras, in which either women were not admitted or if they were allowed entry, were not entitled to membership.

Apart from a few clubs which were set up by the military as ‘Garrison clubs’, like the ones in Secunderabad, Wellington etc, all the rest of the Gymkhanas and others


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like Willingdon in Mumbai, were private clubs, focused on sports. In fact the word Gymkhana is supposedly derived from the word ‘gaind’ or ball, hence ‘gaind khana’ or Gymkhana.

Our club, previously known as the Imperial Delhi Gymkhana Club, was founded in 1913 by 7 individuals. Out of them, 5 were “civilians”, 2 being members of the Council and a Foreign Secretary, plus 2 from the ICS and 3 were from the army, together they were representative of the 2 elite social groupings of the time. Its main aim was to promote sports which such as ‘horse riding and polo hunting, racing, tennis and other athletic sports and pastimes’.

The history and management of the DGC and its membership profile since then, closely reflects the character and ethos of its founding fathers .An amendment in the Club’s Articles in 1950 by its largely ‘civilian elite’, decided to reserve 50% of its Permanent memberships for the Civil and Defence services.

By the same tradition, the President ship of DGC is held only by a representative of the “Civilian’ or the ‘Military’ establishment .Thus, DGC even today, still follows the unwritten rule under which candidates for the club President ,alternate between the “civilians” and the “military” as defined under the British Empire.

mrs. urmila gupta (P-3179) [email protected]

On passing on of those cherished DGC Members who departed from the shores of life, the Club Fraternity solemnly pays its respects and condolences

Mr Prem Singh (P-1216)

Mrs Pamela Lal (L-1889)

Mrs Yog Nayar (L-1280)

Maj Gen Gurdev Singh (P-2484)

Mrs Hema Gupta (L-1059)

Dr P K Chakravarty (P-4614)

Mr Thomas Varghese (U-0884)

Mr Satish K Shrinagesh (P-0533)

Mrs Manjit Kaur (L-1418)

Ms Drupadi Rijhumal Thadani (L-0057)

Mr R K Nair (P-3858) Wg Cdr Deepak Kumar Seth (P-4504)

Lt Gen Kuldeep S Khajuria (P-0836)

Lt Col Ranjeev Lal (P-5315)

V/Adm S P Govil (E-0091)

Mrs Oonita Kathpalia Hiremath (L-1744)

Mrs. Mohini Pall (L-1472) (Regret inability to obtain photograph)

emPloyee oF the month

mr.Prakash,aSafaiKaramchariofEstateDept.has been declared “employee of the month” for his sincerity, dedication and hard work. A token of appreciation as Cash prize Rs.1000/- and a certificate of merit was awarded to him.

August, 2019


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delhi Gymkhana club ltd Registered Office : 2, Safdarjung Road, New Delhi -11 • Tel: 91-11-23015531–35, 23010588, 23010614 • Fax: 91-11-23019709

Email: [email protected] • [email protected] • Website: www.delhigymkhana.org.in • CIN U93000DLI901NPL000024

Editor: cdr arun saigal (retd) [email protected]

Views expressed in the articles are those of individual members and not the official views of the Club.

Photograph on cover page and editor’s page courtesy Mr Ravi Puri (P5092)

designed and Printed by Benchmark Graphic Pvt. Ltd., [email protected]

FoRthcomIng EVEnts

Mr Arun Jaitley (P-7003) served as the Minister of Finance and Corporate Affairs of the Government of India from 2014 to 2019. He had earlier held the cabinet portfolios of Finance, Defence, Corporate Affairs,

Commerce and Industry, and Law and Justice in the Vajpayee government and Narendra Modigovernment. From 2009 to 2014, he served as the Leader of the Opposition in the Rajya Sabha. He was a Senior Advocate of the Supreme Court of India. He oversaw the introduction of the Goods and Services Tax which brought the country under one GST regime, demonetization, merger of Railway budget with general budget and introduction of Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code. Mr Jaitley decided not to join the Modi Cabinet in 2019, due to health issues.

TheformerUnionMinisterwhopassedawayattheage of 66 was a part of the capital’s cricketing world. Once an article in Business Standard said that there were no pictures of gods and goddesses in his office. Instead, there were framed replicas of legal certificates and mementos from various cricket associations,testifyingtotheotherloveofhislife!Delhi’sFerozShahKotlaStadiumistoberenamedas Arun Jaitley Stadium.

In Mr Jaitly the Club has lost a member who was a well-wisher of the Club and was readily accessible to the Club President and happily spared time to lay a foundation stone and inaugurate new projects.

(ack: Wikipedia)

ObItuAry

Arun Jaitley (28December1952–24August2019)

lady willingdon swimming bath club life - delhi gymkhana€¦ · delhi gymkhana club, 2, safdarjung...

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