ART40 - INSIGHT TO A CAR RALLY FOR SIGHTLESS

Blind Men’s Car Rally has always been “the event” for the year for Ahmedabad Round Table # 40. And as the years passed by, rally became our annual event which like any annual event gets organized and celebrated. This was the 12th year in succession when we had opportunity to organize the event. The time we approached Blind Peoples Association (BPA) we found a different enthusiasm in them. This was suppose to be 200th Birth Anniversary of Louis Braille, the saint (as they call him), who invented Braille. Coincidently the birthday was on 4th Jan which was also a Sunday. The stage was set and knowing the importance of the day for BPA we also had to do our homework. Next meeting was the time to decide our Car Rally Convener. After little hesitance Tr. Daman accepted the responsibility. From that very moment I was sure that we are not going to organize this event we are going to live this event for the rest of our life.

Event: 12th Blind Men’s Car Rally – 2009
Organizers: Ahmedabad Round Table # 40
Convener: Tr. Daman Thakore
Co-Convener: Tr. Deepak Shah
Date: 4th January 2009 – Sunday
Time: 8.00 AM onwards
Venue: Blind Peoples Association, Vastrapur, Ahmedabad
Chief Guests: Mr. Atul Karwal, IPS – Commissioner of Police (Traffic) – Ahmedabad
Mr. I. P. Gautam, IAS – Commissioner, Ahmedabad Municipal Commissioner
Number of Participants: 117 Cars (Record of all sorts till now)
Key Supporter to event: Ahmedabad Ladies Circle # 64
Ahmedabad 41ners Club # 105
Other Tables Support: Ahmedabad Heritage Round Table 193 – For Marshals & Route Survey
Ahmedabad Dynamic Round Table 170 – For Publicity Designing
Ahmedabad Frolic Round Table 199
Rally Distance Covered: 68.40 KM in and around Ahmedabad
Corporate Houses Rep: Zydus Cadila, Wagh Bakri Tea, Vadilal Industries, Adani Group etc.
NGO Supporters: Lions Club International
Media Partners: Radio Mirchi 98.3 FM
Media Houses Present: Zee TV, NDTV, E TV, TV9, Doordarshan, CNN IBN, Aaj Tak
Press Correspondents: The Times of India, Indian Express, Ahmedabad Mirror, DNA, Sandesh, Gujarat Samachar
Online News Publication: Yahoo News, and http://www.roundtablecarrally.com/

Car Rally Report:
I was toying in my mind as to in which facet of tabling I should report this event. Car Rally, to my mind, is an event which is complete tabling in itself. The report is a snapshot of different facets of tabling which we experienced in this event:

Fellowship:
What does fellowship means? Simplest answer is - Fellowship means having spent good time with your friends. Starting from the day in Nov 2008 when we decided to organize car rally we at ART 40 are having a good time together. Sometime it was just getting together at one of the tabler’s offices for an extempore meeting and having tiffin lunches together and other times having a drink session at night packing marshal kits at a tablers home. We were having a ball for the entire period of two months. Mornings used to be when we used to get wake up calls from our route surveyors at 6 am in chilling winters pulling us along for route surveys. Day time it was fully booked for our rally convenor who used to pull us along for fund raising, selling participation forms, publicity and meeting at BPA. This was no end to it, nights used to be livelier packing marshal kits, joyriding a mock rally, pulling one’s leg and enjoying a peg. Every single moment was fun and zeal to do something, no by now it was creating something.

Fund Raising:
Which industry did we miss out? There was retail – Titan and AB Jewels, there was infrastructure and real estate – PACIFICA, there were biggies in automobile – BMW and General Motors, there was textile – Raymonds, there was engineering – JCB Machines, Jay Pumps, there was energy – India Wind Powers, there was food industry – Super Breads and Kabhi bhi, there was media – Radio Mirchi, Car Magazine, Overdrive and HET Graphics, there was IT company also – Service Tax Online & Shri Vinayak GPS Systems. If this was not enough, we even did not leave other NGOs – Lions Club International was convinced about our management skills and it agreed to be a lead sponsor for the event where we bargained them not be part of organizing team. In cash and in kind, “FUND RAISING” was more than Rs. 5 Lacs but “FUN RAISING” was beyond count.

HRD:
Leading experts say that what you don’t learn in class room teaching, you learn on the job training. The entire management skills were put to test for all of us. The event had different challenges to be met –
- Planning
- Organizing
- Resources Management
- Directing
- Co-ordination
- Reporting and
- Budgeting
We found our strengths in many areas which we capitalized on and weaknesses in few areas which needs to be corrected in such other events. All in all it was a great exercise on team work, leadership, management skill test.

Community Service Projects:
The very moment we decide to undertake a Car Rally as an event with BPA we have a project in itself. To my mind, whenever you bring a smile on face of someone you have done community service. Imagine the happiness a blind navigator feels when he navigates a CEO of a company who mans thousands of people under his command. For a Blind Navigator this is feeling like being on top of the world for those three hours of car rally. This is what we do as community service under this project. We do not spend money on this project but we bring happiness and smile on face of those differently abled jems.
Of course part of profit from the event goes to BPA for their development activities also. This year we will have a fund account created in BPA named ART 40 - Fund Account which will ensure the funds on projects being used as per direction of ART 40 and also the publishing of our ART 40 Fund Account in Balance Sheet of BPA which reaches who’s who in the society at large.

Extension
This year we had a unique idea floated by our Car Rally Convener, he had printed feedback forms which were compulsory for every participant to fill. The unique idea was we had kept two rows which questioned whether the participant is below the age of 40 and was he interested to know more about and join Round Table movement. The idea has clicked. We have more than 40 feedback forms which has positive answer to this all important question on extension. Our extension convener has a tough year ahead.
Publicity
“Press and Media Makes or Breaks an Event”. It was so very true for our the success of event. A major breakthrough was achieved when we formally and officially signed a MOU with Radio Mirchi to be our media partner for the event. More than 100 spots were allotted for publicizing the event at every 10 minutes during peak hours by Radio Mirchi. There were interviews of last year’s participants, winners, organizers, ladies circle, live coverage during mock rally and even live coverage of entire car rally till the end with Mirchi Lal Bumberwali Gaddi participating in the event for the entire route of 68.4KM and that too till the end of the event. A curtain raiser by The Times of India was also there just 2 days before the rally.

On the day of the rally and the day after till I write this report, I have news that the event is already covered by Zee News, E TV, TV9, NDTV, CNN IBN, Doordarshan and Aaj Tak. The event is also well covered by press media which includes leading dailies like Ahmedabad Mirror, DNA, Indian Express, Gujarat Samachar and Sandesh. There would be more coverage still since there had been other news channels and press reporters who have taken back the story. A detailed report for this is being separately compiled.

The only aspect on which I have nothing to report on is supply house and greeting cards. Had those Braille watches for winning navigators not been sponsored we would have covered this aspect also. But yes, we have other ideas too to cover this aspect in years to come.

The entire team of ART – 40 is fully charged up after this event, I have sent a separate message of thanks as including the same in this report will make it even longer and more importantly that message I wanted to give it personally to all those who have been of help to make this event a huge success.

The pictures attached herewith are only a glimpse of tons and loads of fun and community service activity we have done under this event. We feel, we have live with this event for the rest of our lives.

Tr. Prakash Udeshi
Chairman
Ahmedabad Round Table # 40

PHRT 182-Christmas day Celebration and picnic

Date : 25th Dec , 2008
Venue : Fort Jadhav Gadh Heritage Hotel
Event : Christmas day Celebration and picnic
Attended by : 10 tablers along with wives and 15 twinklers
Fellowship Report
Since we were planning our picnic on Christmas Day , we decided to also have a Christmas Day celebration especially for the twinklers . So on 25th Dec , everyone assembled at ten in the morning to proceed to Fort Jadhav Gadh . Situated in the rolling hills of Saswad and located 22 kms from Pune at a height of 2511 feet above sea level , Fort Jadhav Gadh takes your breath away once you arrive . This unique project , brainchild of Vital Kamat, to enable us to experience the Maratha history ensconced in luxurious comfort. Infact , the moment you enter the fort gate and walk up the paved pathway , there is a feeling of having entered the pages of history .
Tour of the Fort
We were greeted by trumpet bearers and soldiers from Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj’ s period . We first started with the museum tour which showcases traditional artefacts that were part of homes during that period . We were then led by the hostess dressed in a typical Maharashtrian nine yard sari for a walk around the property . After all the restorations and additions, what has emerged is an eclectic mix of contemporary and traditional architecture. After we saw the luxurious rooms, we decided that we needed to come again for an outbound here. During the tour of the fort, it’s history unfolded before our eyes. The story of Jadhavgadh started from the grandson of Chhatrapati Shivaji, Chhatrapati Shauji, who built the fort in 1710 as a place of residence and safe haven. Built on a hilltop it is a fine example of Maratha craftsmanship .
We were first taken into the dungeons which were secret underground pathways to escape in times of war. One of these is more than 17 km long and runs across the ghat. The passages through the fort were narrow and took sharp turns to make the task of enemy troops cumbersome and giving precious time for those inside to escape through the dungeons. After the forbidding dungeons, it was a relief to come to the poolside and spa and then we were shown the multi level presidential suite which was in the process of getting completed. We were then taken to the watch towers at the top most level where we had a view of the entire surroundings. We could also see the houses of the descendants of Shivaji who own the fort and more than 25 acres land surrounding the Fort .
Tour of the Fort Photo Gallery
Christmas Day Celebrations
After the tour we started our Christmas day celebrations . There was a major surprise in store for all the little ones as Santa himself was there to entertain the kids and distribute Christmas presents . While the guys ordered beers for themselves , Santa started with some games for the children and mothers . Soon after all the fathers joined in with their children with Santa’s version of musical chairs . With all the fathers running to Santa jingling, it was great fun . Finally , what all the children were waiting for . Santa had bought Christmas presents individually for all the children . One by one he distributed them and all of them got what they had wished for . After this it was time for a late lunch followed by some more fun and games .

Prepared By
Vikas Agarwal
Chairman – PHRT 182

PHRT 182-Inter Table Bowling Championship

Event : Inter Table Bowling Championship

Venue : 3D at Mukundnagar

Hosts : Amit Patodia, Vikas Karamchandani, Nikhil Shah

Date : 21st Nov , 2008

Total No. present : More than 160 nos including tablers, wives & twinklers


Fellowship Activity Brief and photographs :


Our Fourth Annual Inter Table Bowling Championship was held on the 21st of Nov at the swanky bowling centre, 3 D at Mukundnagar. When I organized the first Inter table bowling competition as the fellowship convenor, four years back, I would never have thought that this would become one of the most eagerly awaited annual inter table event . You could see the enthusiasm in all the fellow tablers for the event as by 8.00 p.m. most of them had assembled and were raring to go. We had invited participation from each table by forming a team of four tablers and two ladies and had got a confirmation from all tables with most of them participating with two teams as no tabler wanted to get left out of the event .

The tournament got off to a timely start with four teams participating in each round. When the team from PHRT 182 and the second team from PRT 65 started, it became clear that the competition was between these two teams as one strike followed another and both teams were neck to neck till the end . But in the end with our vice chairman, leading from the front, PHRT 182 emerged the clear winners with a more consistent scoring from all team members. Tr. Amit Patodia from PHRT 182 was on a roll and finished with a score of 129 closely followed by Tr. Sunil Punjabi from PRT 15 and Tr. Satyen from PRT 110. With a total team score of 574 from Tablers Vikas, Amit, Amol & Abhay and our in form female team members, Karishma and Nisha, PHRT 182, the defending champions retained the trophy . The rest of the trophies were swept by PRT 65 . With a team score of 569 they claimed the runners up trophy and Sheetal , wife of PMRT 65 chairman, Sanjay Mathrani winning the Pinblaster female trophy .

We made sure the kids were also entertained and had organized tokens to keep them busy playing videogames .. It was time for dinner and by now everyone had worked up quite an appetite. Our hosts for the evening, Tabler Amit Patodia, Nikhil Shah and Vikas Karamchandani had worked hard for the event and made sure there was a lavish spread. Their idea of having all live Italian and Chinese counters made sure the food was piping hot right till the end and everyone could customize their dishes to their individual tastes. The noodles and pasta were a hit with the kids.

The prize giving ceremony with a special guest Area 9 Chairman Bhavesh and Area 3 Vice Chairman Jaspreet handing out the trophies was next . Along with the trophies all the winners received sports bags and the two pinblasters each received a 2 night holiday voucher at Saj resorts , Mahableshwar

Thanks to the hosts and the enthusiastic response of all the tables, it was a fantastic event and wholesome entertainment for the entire family. We are now looking forward to the tournament the next year and winning it again.

Yours in tabling

Tr. Vikas Agarwal
PHRT 182

PMRT65 Cricket Tournament

27th Dec - Go Sports Academy.

Rahul Hatkar Fellowship Convener PMRT 65

Cricket: The common religion and passion of India. With our national side finishing the year on such a high, we Pune tablers could not be left far behind Saturday, the 27th of Dec played host to the day night 8-8 (8 over’s/ 8 a side) cricket tournament hosted by Pune Mid-Town Round Table 65. The cool winter evening coupled with the warmth of the spirit of tabling was the perfect combination to close a great year of tabling. The event was enjoyed by PRT15, PURT 144, PSRT 177, PHRT 182 and keeping in mind the extension of the organization, prospective and twinklers were also invited to the tournament thus comprising a total of 6 teams. The venue for the event was the very exclusive Go-Sports Academy with its lush green turf and bright halogens. After a few warm up over’s shared by players of all the teams the event got underway just as the sun was setting at 6pm. With the ground being large enough, we could accommodate 2 matches simultaneously. The first match between host table 65 and this year’s area AGM hosts PSRT 177 went down to the last ball where a risky second run helped seal the win for the hosts. On the other hand, PURT 144 was seen struggling against a very dominant PRT 15 with some of its highly experienced players bowling a fine length and batting superbly as well. The next rubber of the qualifying round saw table 177 bounce back against PHRT 182 and table 144 beating the united team. The final round of qualifying matches saw host table 65 not taking any chances and with a premium effort with fielding and bowling, restricted PHRT 182 to a very small score while getting them all out. PRT 15 too made easy work of getting past the united team and sealing a place in the semi finals. By now the winter chill was in the air and after a brief pause for some hot soup, cold drinks, brief meetings and fun filled commentary, the tournament was ready for the next level. The first semi final was played between PRT 15 and PMRT 65; the second one being played between PSRT 177 and PURT 144.
For the second time, brilliant bowling and fielding ensured that 65 kept the scoring of PRT 15 in check and with regular wickets it was only a matter of time before they were totally on top of the game. The relatively small total posted by 15 was achieved by PMRT 65 whilst losing only a single wicket towards the end with couple of over’s to spare. The second semi final was a much closer fought competition with table 177 tipping 144 to seal a place in the finals. With the close knit encounter in the first round between tables 65 and 177, all eyes were on the final with the expectation of another close match. Another brief refreshment/ dinner break of about 20 minutes and both captains were out in the middle for the final toss. The toss was won by Neelesh Khandelwal, the captain of PMRT 65 and he chose to field just as the team had done for the rest of the tournament. Though some of the teams were already out of the tournament, one could see some of their players stay back and enjoy all the arrangements made for the evening. By now it was close to 11pm and the temperature was clearly into single digits. The spirit of young tabling could be seen with twinklers of 65 doubling up as cheerleaders with pom-poms and slogans. Table 177 started very well and with some steady batting the made a respectable score of 49 off of the stipulated 8 over’s. As PMRT 65 came out to bat, one could see the confidence mustered by 177 owing to a good performance by their batsmen. Though they were not to be put down easily, a steady start with some calculated shots by the openers of 65 made sure no wickets were lost. From the 3rd over though, the batsmen put the pedal to the metal and with ample cheering they gained the confidence to bat through the innings. Finally PMRT 65 made it through very cleanly and proudly lifted the trophy. All in all it was a successful event enjoyed by the tabling families. 2008 has been a mixed year for the most of us and it was nice to see so many tablers come out and enjoy the game in its true spirit.

BYRT 201 Round Table Golf Classic