June 2020 – Prem Rao : Stories from a Story Teller

Remembering Field Marshal Manekshaw

A couple of days ago we remembered a true hero, Sam Bahadur on his death anniversary. On June 27, 2008 , Field Marshal Sam Hormusji Framji Jamshedji Manekshaw passed away, aged 94 in Coonoor in the beautiful Nilgiri Hills. He had settled there on retirement from the Indian Army, close to the military cantonment of Wellington.

Sadly, when India’s first Field Marshal and perhaps greatest soldier passed away, neither the President of India, the Prime Minister or even the Defence Minister A K Antony attended his funeral . Every one had some excuse or the other. Continue reading “Remembering Field Marshal Manekshaw” →

In The News, My Take

Credibility Is The Name Of The Game

What credibility does Mr Rahul Gandhi, a leading light of the Indian National Congress (INC) and scion of the Nehru-Gandhi family have? At 50, the “youth icon” has never been a Minister in a State or Union Cabinet. But he is a law unto himself! All his power stems from who he is by virtue of his birth. That he ( born in 1970) publicly tore up an ordinance, in 2013 shaming the Congress-led Prime Minister Manmohan Singh ( born in 1932) speaks for itself. Continue reading “Credibility Is The Name Of The Game” →

"Glimpses of a Glorious Past", In The News, The Lawrence School, Lovedale

“Looking At Life” My Days At School

Speaking of my school days, you will find a number of posts of my life as a school boy in my old blog, “Looking At Life”. I don’t use that much anymore, having consolidated all my writing and blogging work in this website/blog.

A few recent events flooded my mind with many memories of my days at School. For us ” School” meant The Lawrence School, Lovedale, where I studied from 1959 to 1967.

The first was the recent passing away of Mr N S Selvapackiam. The second was the return to Facebook of Mr V M Mohanraj. The third was, in these days of Covid19 and Lockdown, the creation of an on-line Virtual School Assembly by some enthusiastic Old Lawrencians like Kartik Raghava Murty and Gul Panag. Continue reading ““Looking At Life” My Days At School” →

"Glimpses of a Glorious Past", My Take

Two Lovedale Stalwarts: Mr Prince & Mr Matthai.

I am so happy and proud that I was involved in the writing of an informal history of my Alma Mater, The Lawrence School, Lovedale. It was Wing Commander Joseph Thomas, VM, IAF retired, 10 years my senior at School, who first spoke to me about this endeavor. He introduced me to Nitya Cherian Matthai and Thomas George, both then on the School Staff who had access to the rich treasures of the School archives.

Nitya Cherian Matthai ( Class of 1977) flanked by Wg Cdr Joseph Thomas VM IAF (Retd ) Class of 1957) and Prem Rao ( Class of 1967). Picture by Beena Belliappa (Class of 1970).

Nitya, JT and Prem cropped Continue reading “Two Lovedale Stalwarts: Mr Prince & Mr Matthai.” →