Tribune News Service Chandigarh, January 6
As part of its ongoing centenary celebrations, the Corps of Signals is undertaking a motorcycle expedition that will traverse 6,150 km through 14 states over a period of 42 days.
Consisting of two officers and 13 other ranks, the “Mercury Explore Motorcycle Expedition” was flagged-off from Chandi Mandir by the General Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Western Command, Lt Gen SR Ghosh, today.
The expedition will culminate on February 14 at Jabalpur, where the corps has its training centre.
Known as “Information Warriors”, the corps is completing 100 years of its existence on February 15.
The aim of the expedition is to motivate the youth to join the Army and also to interact with armed forces veterans en route.
To add to the adventure, the expedition is planned to travel across the breadth of country from Srinagar in the North to Arunachal Pradesh in the far East, passing through some of the most rugged and difficult terrain.
Corps of Signals’ bike expedition flagged off
Showing posts with label Adventure. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Adventure. Show all posts
Tuesday, February 15, 2011
Saturday, May 22, 2010
Circumnavigating world solo, first Indian comes home today
The Hindu: Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Saturday, May 22, 2010 by S. Anandan
— Photo: Special Arrangement
Enjoying challenge:Commander Dilip Donde on board INSV Mhadei.
KOCHI: On Saturday morning, as he steers his boat INSV (Indian Naval Sailing Vessel) Mhadei to a rousing reception into the Mumbai harbour, Commander Dilip Donde will be formally christened the first Indian to circumnavigate the world solo, covering about 21,600 nautical miles (38,880 km) under sail.
Vice-President Hamid Ansari and Navy Chief Admiral Nirmal Kumar Verma will witness the historic moment from INS Delhi as Mhadei crosses the finishing line. Later, Cdr. Donde will be given a ceremonial guard of honour onboard the aircraft carrier, INS Viraat.
While the entire country is ecstatic about his feat, Cdr. Donde feels “good” about hogging the limelight. “Though it really doesn't feel like one is writing history!” he said in a chat with TheHindu from his boat.
Cdr. Donde embarked on the Navy's daunting project ‘Sagar Parikrama' in 2006. “The project has gone on for a long time and there have been many challenges, like building a boat like Mhadei in the country for the first time [It was built in Goa] and then sailing through some of the remotest seas of the world. Each phase and leg had its challenges — bad weather, equipment breakdown, extreme cold or heat, etc. Each phase was interesting, exciting and challenging in its own way,” says Cdr. Donde, who, at 42, is a bachelor.
On August 19, 2009, the 56-foot sloop set sail from Mumbai on its first voyage. The journey turned Cdr. Donde into an avid blogger as he kept his burgeoning number of admirers posted with Mhadei's progress at http://www.sagarparikrama.blogspot.com.
‘Best decision I took'
“The Navy was looking for a volunteer to take up the project. I liked the idea as it sounded exciting and volunteered without much idea of what I was getting into. Looking back, it was probably the best and quickest decision I took.”
On a solitary deck, Cdr. Donde encountered turbulent winds. He spent sleepless days and nights navigating the boat through choppy seas. When the sea was calm, he slept under star-studded skies. Close to shore, he snooped around, shooting pictures of marine life that had come calling on Mhadei.
At leisure, Cdr. Donde caught up on an interesting movie or a captivating book, chatted up acquaintances, enjoyed a delicacy or blogged at will. On the last and longest leg, he ran out of cooking gas and had to make do with canned food, resorting to innovative means of “warming things a bit using water from my heater that heats water to 60 degree Celsius, [relishing] lukewarm coffee, etc!”
On the voyage, Cdr. Donde made friends with Australian teenager Jessica Watson, who recently became the youngest person to sail around the world solo.
For a voyage to qualify as circumnavigation, it should start and end at the same port and cross all meridians (longitudes) at least once and the equator at least twice.
The distance covered should be more than the length of a meridian and the boat should not pass through any canal or straits, where use of engines or towing is unavoidable.
The boat should go round the three great capes — Cape Leeuwin (Australia), Cape Horn (South America) and the Cape of Good Hope (Africa). Mhadei has met all these requirements.
Circumnavigating world solo, first Indian comes home today by S. Anandan: The Hindu
Indian-origin scientists were part of new cell research
WASHINGTON: Three Indian-origin scientists are part of a team that has for the first time created a synthetic cell, controlled by man-made genetic instructions, which can also reproduce itself.
The 24-member team included Sanjay Vashee, Radha Krishnakumar and Prashanth P. Parmar. “We call it the first synthetic cell,” said genomics pioneer Craig Venter, who oversaw the project. “These are very much real cells.” Developed at a cost of $30 million by the researchers at the J. Craig Venter Institute, the experimental one-cell organism opens the way to manipulation of life on a previously unattainable scale, the Wall Street Journal reported.
Indian-origin scientists were part of new cell research
Saturday, May 22, 2010 by S. Anandan
Enjoying challenge:Commander Dilip Donde on board INSV Mhadei.KOCHI: On Saturday morning, as he steers his boat INSV (Indian Naval Sailing Vessel) Mhadei to a rousing reception into the Mumbai harbour, Commander Dilip Donde will be formally christened the first Indian to circumnavigate the world solo, covering about 21,600 nautical miles (38,880 km) under sail.
Vice-President Hamid Ansari and Navy Chief Admiral Nirmal Kumar Verma will witness the historic moment from INS Delhi as Mhadei crosses the finishing line. Later, Cdr. Donde will be given a ceremonial guard of honour onboard the aircraft carrier, INS Viraat.
While the entire country is ecstatic about his feat, Cdr. Donde feels “good” about hogging the limelight. “Though it really doesn't feel like one is writing history!” he said in a chat with TheHindu from his boat.
Cdr. Donde embarked on the Navy's daunting project ‘Sagar Parikrama' in 2006. “The project has gone on for a long time and there have been many challenges, like building a boat like Mhadei in the country for the first time [It was built in Goa] and then sailing through some of the remotest seas of the world. Each phase and leg had its challenges — bad weather, equipment breakdown, extreme cold or heat, etc. Each phase was interesting, exciting and challenging in its own way,” says Cdr. Donde, who, at 42, is a bachelor.
On August 19, 2009, the 56-foot sloop set sail from Mumbai on its first voyage. The journey turned Cdr. Donde into an avid blogger as he kept his burgeoning number of admirers posted with Mhadei's progress at http://www.sagarparikrama.blogspot.com.
‘Best decision I took'
“The Navy was looking for a volunteer to take up the project. I liked the idea as it sounded exciting and volunteered without much idea of what I was getting into. Looking back, it was probably the best and quickest decision I took.”
On a solitary deck, Cdr. Donde encountered turbulent winds. He spent sleepless days and nights navigating the boat through choppy seas. When the sea was calm, he slept under star-studded skies. Close to shore, he snooped around, shooting pictures of marine life that had come calling on Mhadei.
At leisure, Cdr. Donde caught up on an interesting movie or a captivating book, chatted up acquaintances, enjoyed a delicacy or blogged at will. On the last and longest leg, he ran out of cooking gas and had to make do with canned food, resorting to innovative means of “warming things a bit using water from my heater that heats water to 60 degree Celsius, [relishing] lukewarm coffee, etc!”
On the voyage, Cdr. Donde made friends with Australian teenager Jessica Watson, who recently became the youngest person to sail around the world solo.
For a voyage to qualify as circumnavigation, it should start and end at the same port and cross all meridians (longitudes) at least once and the equator at least twice.
The distance covered should be more than the length of a meridian and the boat should not pass through any canal or straits, where use of engines or towing is unavoidable.
The boat should go round the three great capes — Cape Leeuwin (Australia), Cape Horn (South America) and the Cape of Good Hope (Africa). Mhadei has met all these requirements.
Circumnavigating world solo, first Indian comes home today by S. Anandan: The Hindu
Indian-origin scientists were part of new cell research
WASHINGTON: Three Indian-origin scientists are part of a team that has for the first time created a synthetic cell, controlled by man-made genetic instructions, which can also reproduce itself.
The 24-member team included Sanjay Vashee, Radha Krishnakumar and Prashanth P. Parmar. “We call it the first synthetic cell,” said genomics pioneer Craig Venter, who oversaw the project. “These are very much real cells.” Developed at a cost of $30 million by the researchers at the J. Craig Venter Institute, the experimental one-cell organism opens the way to manipulation of life on a previously unattainable scale, the Wall Street Journal reported.
Indian-origin scientists were part of new cell research
Thursday, June 25, 2009
Romance of Photography: Digital Divide
Long back in 1958 with my first face to face with my future wife, the ice, during the first awkward moments between the two strangers, was broken with my handing over one black and white print after another, from my collection, to her. Each photo as it passed hands, the hands, at time, touching inadvertently, introduced the family and me to her, in pictures and in steps, one at a time. Each print, exchanged bringing us one step closer with her finally becoming my stand-in model.
Brig Lakshman Singh
Dear Lakshman,
What a wonderful expression of your romantic sentiments. You triggered my own moments with Veera in the early years which culminated in our marriage in 1956. (You remember that we had celebrated our Golden Anniversary worldwide in 2006, especially in New Delhi and Lucknow.) But the romance has not ended. It must continue despite the enforced changes due to the "progress" of mankind. You and I are partially responsible for these changes which are excellent in some respects, and not so in other. But C' est la vie! If I expound on this subject, I shall need to write another book.
Speaking of the book, I hope that you have enjoyed reading my book as well as the "Summary". I shall certainly look forward to receiving your book when Ashok comes here next month. Why don't you come along with him too? We shall have BBQs, wine, and fresh fruits from my garden.
Going back to the romance of photography, Kodak just announced that they will stop manufacturing their Kodachrome film later this year. There goes another nail in the coffin of the romantic photography. However, FYI (and as Ashok has known) I am still hanging on to my old Olympus film camera and using it for shooting all types of events all over the world. All my children and grandchildren own digital cameras except for me. Sooner or later I shall have to give in and get a suitable but simple to use digital camera. I shall try to discover my own finesse of romance of using it. Let us face it, romance is embedded in every human being's psyche. How to exploit it for progeny and pleasure is usually a personal attribute and secret!
Keep up the romance all the time, all of you!
Arjun Saxena
Brig Lakshman Singh
Dear Lakshman,
What a wonderful expression of your romantic sentiments. You triggered my own moments with Veera in the early years which culminated in our marriage in 1956. (You remember that we had celebrated our Golden Anniversary worldwide in 2006, especially in New Delhi and Lucknow.) But the romance has not ended. It must continue despite the enforced changes due to the "progress" of mankind. You and I are partially responsible for these changes which are excellent in some respects, and not so in other. But C' est la vie! If I expound on this subject, I shall need to write another book.
Speaking of the book, I hope that you have enjoyed reading my book as well as the "Summary". I shall certainly look forward to receiving your book when Ashok comes here next month. Why don't you come along with him too? We shall have BBQs, wine, and fresh fruits from my garden.
Going back to the romance of photography, Kodak just announced that they will stop manufacturing their Kodachrome film later this year. There goes another nail in the coffin of the romantic photography. However, FYI (and as Ashok has known) I am still hanging on to my old Olympus film camera and using it for shooting all types of events all over the world. All my children and grandchildren own digital cameras except for me. Sooner or later I shall have to give in and get a suitable but simple to use digital camera. I shall try to discover my own finesse of romance of using it. Let us face it, romance is embedded in every human being's psyche. How to exploit it for progeny and pleasure is usually a personal attribute and secret!
Keep up the romance all the time, all of you!
Arjun Saxena
Sunday, June 21, 2009
Romance of Photography down the Century
It started with the advent of Polaroid film and cameras which produced instant colour prints, a case, of wonder and amusement. And then came the earlier digital cameras expensive and with not so good resolution. However, the down slide had started. The film camera were loosing the battle slowly albeit surely. Earlier one bought the film, loaded the camera, over time exposed the 8, 12, 20 or 35 exposures of the 120, 620 or 35 MM film, every time struggling to find the right combination of the shutter speed, lens aperture and the depth of field; all depending on the ASA or the DIN rating of the film and the light conditions of the day and time.
And then came the ‘Aim and Shoot’ camera first the film and later the digital, taking out the drudgery from picture taking as also the creativity. I do recall, me back in 1952’s and 53’s, moving up and down the mountain trails of Nanital and surroundings, with my Franka Solida or the Agfa Silette, both loaded with black and white 200 ASA film, looking through the view finder, not at the lcd screens of today, seeking for a picture and not just a photo.
Pushing the exposed film roll across the counter of the Photo Shop for developing and printing, waiting anxiously with anticipation till the next evenings for the wallet with the negatives and the prints, holding the prints like a hand of playing cards, looking at one at a time; at times with dismay at the blotched result and others with excitement at the Gem in my hand: that was Romance of Photography.
Today with every thing ‘instant’ with click, view, save, delete there is no anticipation left nor any suspense felt for the expected and the unexpected, especially with the advent of the camera in phone now all and sundry have become photo artists: the romance is truly dead. Long back in 1958 with my first face to face with my future wife, the ice, during the first awkward moments between the two strangers, was broken with my handing over one black and white print after another, from my collection, to her. Each photo as it passed hands, the hands, at time, touching inadvertently, introduced the family and me to her, in pictures and in steps, one at a time. Each print, exchanged bringing us one step closer with her finally becoming my stand-in model.
Possibly in present scenario, I would have been sitting at my PC, the digital pictures appearing in a slide show, with her standing by the side, disinterested, unfocused eyes drifting around and away from the fleeting images hardly making any impact emotional or otherwise with little chance of a romance budding. With her gone and no model at hand I keep looking at my three film cameras lying desolate and unused with my Nokia camera phone in hand. Click View and Delete; the romance of photography as also the literal is truly dead; right and proper, at least for me.
Brig Lakshman Singh (Retd)
Saturday, June 20, 2009
A ghost story for the brave hearts
Dear Friend,
One of the shortest ghost stories of our childhood was about a paranoid traveller who checked the cupboard, then looked beneath the bed, closed the window then bolted the door. He got into the bed and as soon as he blew out the candle, a voice said, loud and clear, "Now we are locked in this room for the night!"
But the story which Talat Zamir has sent in is far more scary. And to make things worse, she tells me that it is a true incident, which happened to some one she knows.
Please proceed further only if you are not suffering from any heart related ailment.
Maj Gen Surjit Singh (Retd)
This happened about a month ago near Lonavala.
A guy was driving from Mumbai to Pune and decided not to take the new expressway as he wants to see the scenery. The inevitable happens and when he reaches the ghats his car breaks down - he's stranded miles from nowhere.
Having no choice he starts walking on the side of the road, hoping to
get a lift to the nearest town. It's dark and raining. And pretty soon he's wet and shivering. The night rolls on and no car goes by, the rain is so heavy he can hardly see a few feet ahead of him.
Suddenly he sees a car coming towards him. It slows and then stops next to him - without thinking the guy opens the door and jumps in.
Seated in the back, he leans forward to thank the person who had saved him - when he realizes there is nobody behind the wheel!!!
Even though there's no one in the front seat and no sound of any engine, the car starts moving slowly. The guy looks at the road ahead and sees a curve coming. Scared almost to death he starts to pray, begging the Lord for his life. He hasn't come out of shock, when just before he hits the curve, a hand appears through the window and moves the wheel!
The car makes the curve safely and continues on the road to the next
bend. The guy, now paralyzed in terror, watches how the hand appears every time they are before a curve and moves the steering wheel just enough to get the car around each bend.
Finally, the guy sees lights ahead. Gathering his courage he wrenches open the door of the silent, slowly moving car, scrambles out and runs as hard as he can towards the lights. It's a small town.
He stumbles into a dhaba, and asks for a drink, and breaks down. Then he starts talking about the horrible experience he's just been through.
There is dead silence in the dhaba when he stops talking .....
.....and that's when Santa and Banta Singh walk into the dhaba. Santa points and says "Look Banta - that's the weird guy who got into our car when we were pushing it "
......Just a Stress Buster:-)
One of the shortest ghost stories of our childhood was about a paranoid traveller who checked the cupboard, then looked beneath the bed, closed the window then bolted the door. He got into the bed and as soon as he blew out the candle, a voice said, loud and clear, "Now we are locked in this room for the night!"
But the story which Talat Zamir has sent in is far more scary. And to make things worse, she tells me that it is a true incident, which happened to some one she knows.
Please proceed further only if you are not suffering from any heart related ailment.
Maj Gen Surjit Singh (Retd)
This happened about a month ago near Lonavala.
A guy was driving from Mumbai to Pune and decided not to take the new expressway as he wants to see the scenery. The inevitable happens and when he reaches the ghats his car breaks down - he's stranded miles from nowhere.
Having no choice he starts walking on the side of the road, hoping to
get a lift to the nearest town. It's dark and raining. And pretty soon he's wet and shivering. The night rolls on and no car goes by, the rain is so heavy he can hardly see a few feet ahead of him.
Suddenly he sees a car coming towards him. It slows and then stops next to him - without thinking the guy opens the door and jumps in.
Seated in the back, he leans forward to thank the person who had saved him - when he realizes there is nobody behind the wheel!!!
Even though there's no one in the front seat and no sound of any engine, the car starts moving slowly. The guy looks at the road ahead and sees a curve coming. Scared almost to death he starts to pray, begging the Lord for his life. He hasn't come out of shock, when just before he hits the curve, a hand appears through the window and moves the wheel!
The car makes the curve safely and continues on the road to the next
bend. The guy, now paralyzed in terror, watches how the hand appears every time they are before a curve and moves the steering wheel just enough to get the car around each bend.
Finally, the guy sees lights ahead. Gathering his courage he wrenches open the door of the silent, slowly moving car, scrambles out and runs as hard as he can towards the lights. It's a small town.
He stumbles into a dhaba, and asks for a drink, and breaks down. Then he starts talking about the horrible experience he's just been through.
There is dead silence in the dhaba when he stops talking .....
.....and that's when Santa and Banta Singh walk into the dhaba. Santa points and says "Look Banta - that's the weird guy who got into our car when we were pushing it "
......Just a Stress Buster:-)
Wednesday, January 28, 2009
Travel and Adventure: Jaipur- Land of Palaces
Dear All,
Views of Capt Deepak Sikand who stayed at Devi Niketan Villa Jaipur are placed below. You may like to stay there whilst at Jaipur.
Regards
Cdr Sharan Ahuja (retd)
Member Core Group IESM
My dear Sharan,
We have just returned from a short holiday at Jaipur. We stayed at Devi Niketan B&B run by Admiral Madhvendra Singh. The arrangements were superb. The Admiral personally interacts with each guest and attends to each detail. What you get is a 5 star comfort at affordable price. True value for money and a great experience. Recommend it to anyone visiting Jaipur.
Capt Deepak Sikand (Retd)
View of Devi Niketan
Devi Niketan
Devi Niketan is a family owned and operated Heritage Hotel which was inaugurated on 22 Feb 08. It stands on a big plot with large, lush green lawns in front and rear of the building. A double storied heritage house, it is part of the 140 acre estate of the former ruling family of Chomu. It was built in the 1930s by Thakur Devi Singhji, the ruler of Chomu, for his sixth son, Lieutenant K Bhagwati Singh. A grateful son named the building after his father. Thus was born “Devi Niketan” which continues to be a prominent landmark in Jaipur.
Adjacent to Devi Niketan is “Govind Niwas”, the residence of Admiral Madhvendra Singh and his wife Kumu, who own and run “Devi Niketan”. Govind Niwas too stands on a big plot with plenty of greenery. Taken together the two properties stand on a two acre estate which gives a feeling of space and tranquility - even though it is surrounded by a bustling city. With twenty five varieties of indigenous trees on campus, it is no wonder that you can still hear the calls of Peacocks, Partridges and Lapwings, as also the cooing of doves on most days – something rare for most Indian cities. In addition you may see or hear many other bird species that frequent the garden.
Devi Niketan
Views of Capt Deepak Sikand who stayed at Devi Niketan Villa Jaipur are placed below. You may like to stay there whilst at Jaipur.
Regards
Cdr Sharan Ahuja (retd)
Member Core Group IESM
My dear Sharan,
We have just returned from a short holiday at Jaipur. We stayed at Devi Niketan B&B run by Admiral Madhvendra Singh. The arrangements were superb. The Admiral personally interacts with each guest and attends to each detail. What you get is a 5 star comfort at affordable price. True value for money and a great experience. Recommend it to anyone visiting Jaipur.
Capt Deepak Sikand (Retd)
Devi Niketan
Devi Niketan is a family owned and operated Heritage Hotel which was inaugurated on 22 Feb 08. It stands on a big plot with large, lush green lawns in front and rear of the building. A double storied heritage house, it is part of the 140 acre estate of the former ruling family of Chomu. It was built in the 1930s by Thakur Devi Singhji, the ruler of Chomu, for his sixth son, Lieutenant K Bhagwati Singh. A grateful son named the building after his father. Thus was born “Devi Niketan” which continues to be a prominent landmark in Jaipur.
Adjacent to Devi Niketan is “Govind Niwas”, the residence of Admiral Madhvendra Singh and his wife Kumu, who own and run “Devi Niketan”. Govind Niwas too stands on a big plot with plenty of greenery. Taken together the two properties stand on a two acre estate which gives a feeling of space and tranquility - even though it is surrounded by a bustling city. With twenty five varieties of indigenous trees on campus, it is no wonder that you can still hear the calls of Peacocks, Partridges and Lapwings, as also the cooing of doves on most days – something rare for most Indian cities. In addition you may see or hear many other bird species that frequent the garden.
Devi Niketan
Saturday, March 22, 2008
Adventure Activities
Fascinating and exhilarating adventure activities such as Trekking, Kayaking, rock climbing, rappelling and paragliding.The above pictures tell the story of the activities at the camps.
Report My Signal Readers looking for family adventure are sure to find it a well deserved dream vacation destination, with off season discounts. Plan ahead and book for group tours and adventure.
Colonel's Resorts
Contact Details
Col JP Singh (Retd)
Colonel's Resorts
V.P.O. Bir, Tehsil Baijnath, District Kangra (H.P.) 176077 Tel: 01894-268453 Mobile: 9417207541
Chandigarh
2271-B, Sector 47-C, Chandigarh(U.T.) 160047 India Tel: 0172-2633541, Mobile : 9417207541
375/2, Sector 44-A, Chandigarh(U.T.) 160044 India Tel: 0172- 2602272, Mobile 9417036795
email: colonelsresort@hotmail.com
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