Hi Everybody,
I have been hopelessly out of touch with most of you. For many, many years now. I have been this way in my younger days, too, and my immediate family members would vouch for it). I do concede that it is not necessarily a great way. It is about two years ago, when I went back to my home town of Bangalore on an assignment, that I met cousin Lakshmi and she gave a summary of what her nephews and nieces, besides her own son and daughter, had been doing. It was quite awe-inspiring that just one branch of our family had given birth to so many sub-branches and each branch bearing some wonderful flowers. I realised that I had allowed too many developments to overtake, even bypass, me. I suggested to her that we must do something to stay in regular touch with every branch.
My brother Gopi - Col PM Gopinath - is far better informed about all these developments, though he has always been physically farther away from Bangalore, where the main trunk of our family tree is rooted. It speaks a great deal about how he is ever keen to be constantly informed and updated about the goings-on in the family, including the extended family of cousins and their offshoots. My eldest brother, PM Sreenivas, has of course, been the strong and main link with all our relatives. Right from his youth, he has been a tremendous volunteer, available to every body and for all occasions. I have marvelled his energy levels. Both my brothers - though have more than compensated for my weak family links - always give me a complex with their deep commitment to family values.
This blog, though ironic that it comes from me, is an attempt, by no means not insincere, to make amends for not keeping in touch with all of you, at least most of you, for many years. Besides helping us to know one another better, it can also help us build a huge family tree, The Big Banyan like. It can also be a database which will remain even after us and help posterity to be aware of its own family history. Of course, with the huge talent pool available within the family, amazing things can be achieved by tapping the same.
I hope you would all encourage this initiative. We can start with simple things like introducing - even re-introducing - ourselves, listing out our interests, post photographs, indulge in nostalgia,
recall and record all those memorable occasions, etc.
If you so wish, we can make this reconnecting process possible through a combination of blog and facebook. Please spread the word about this initiative.
I look forward to participation from one and all. I am sending out mails to those of you whose e-mail IDs I have. I know that GenNext has a great role to play in making this initiave a success as it is they who are net-savvy. The youngsters in the family, besides talking about themselves, can perhaps lend secretarial assistance to the elders, particularly those who don't use/access the net. They can get interesting anecdotes from their lives or enrich the blog with what ideas their previous generation may have to offer. I don't think it should take too much time. Even as little as an hour a week should do.
Come on, let's get cracking. Wishing you all a fabulous year ahead.
With affection and warm regards,
Vijendra
