The Beautiful Children of the Republic

As India celebrates the Republic Day, we are proud of its many achievements and leaders in its history.  For one day let us be united  in this celebration, though we are so diverse in language, culture, religion just to name a few.

We have been preparing for our 1st IKANS-89 project of adopting and  helping the patients who seek care at the Surgical Oncology unit, in the  Govt Royapettah Hospital. Our plan is to install 2 A/C units in the post operative ward at this unit.  The inauguration will happen on 13th Feb , 2010 when a workshop in Gynaec-Oncology is being conducted by the department. The Tamil Nadu  state Health Minister and Health Secretary are invited to this event and are likely to be involved in the inauguration of the A/C.

The Medical Superintendent is very pleased about our participation and the hospital is also going to initiate some improvement measures to the ward , like changing windows and doors to optimise the A/C effect.

You can expect IKAN89 banners and photographs etc.  It will be great if other IKANS 89 could join this inauguration. Expect more details on the time and program via email.

The bank account we had during the reunion has been converted, so that 3 members - Vasanthy, Viswanathan and myself can operate this account. Anyone interested in donating , please send money to the following account. Will send yearly statement of accounts and if there are other ways of transparency please let us know.

 

A/C number 33333, Indian overseas bank ,

Nehru Park Branch, 

Poonamalle high road 

Chennai -600084.

Swift Code - IOBAINBB306

Prabhakar Devavaram

Pongallo Pongal

Happy Pongal. I will be enjoying some sugarcane later.

Prabhakar

Happy Pongal/Once upon a time in Springfield

I love Pongal; the festival. Cool days in Chennai, sweet Pongal,  dressed up cows and best of all the sugarcane. Sugarcane is unpredictable , you don't know till you have taken the first bite. But when its sweet and right; its heaven. 

So I took a trip to Tana street in Purasawalkam where all the Pongal hustle and bustle should be . Unfortunately the street vendors are being replaced by supermarkets. But there are  a few hold outs. The vegetable ladies from whom I used to buy are still there, but my favourite, I learnt had died in the past year. She used to save the best mangoes when they were in season and would sell them only if I didn't visit her that day. In later years I would always visit her during my trips to India and last year introduced my children to her.

Now for  a trip to Springfield. I have been a fan of  The Simpsons for a long time and learnt that the TV show is celebrating its 20th anniversary. More recently I have been buying Simpson comic books and enjoy them immensely. The combination of high brow comedy, silly antics, satire of current events, as well as political humour is sublime. My favourite character is Chief Wiggum- the donut eating police chief. After spending quality time  with my children watching  cartoons, I have become a fan of Sponge Bob and Chota Bheem as well.

I  believe that comics and cartoons should be added to the school curriculum; I for sure would have been a better student.

I hear that there has been snow and a cold front in the UK and people are not coping very well. Panic has set in - is one of the news headline from the UK. So UK docs send us pictures, post them on reminisce2009. My advice , wear several layers.

Prabhakar