Dear Members,
It gives me great pleasure to present this report on our activities carried out throughout the year. Our work continues on many fronts, and we will highlight hereunder some of our work on the many issues that concern us.
The intention of this report is to reflect on a series of activities and events from February 2009 till date. We ought to review the work of the OBA as an organisation for the past year and a 2 months chalk out appropriate ways of confronting future challenges today.
I need to make mention of the fact that subsequent to the formation of the present OBA Executive Body in year 2008, Shri Saumar J Sonowal, selected General Secretary had to handover his charge to Shri Partha Das for professional obligation as he was transferred to Kolkata. Shri Partha Das had resumed office for a few months and I took the charge of General Secretary i/c on 8th Jan 2009 (till a full fledged General Secretary was selected) with the responsibility to coordinate and conduct the AGM 2009. The AGM 2009 has entrusted me the responsibility to discharge the duties of GS on 14th Feb 2009.
This report seeks to cover all the milestones as well as the shortcomings in the past years as well as what characterised the operations of OBA. I am hoping that at the end of this report, members will be better positioned to understand OBA better as well as the forces that tended to produce activity and change in our situation or sphere of existence that have influenced and characterised our term of office.
I have done my best to ensure that this report gives a full account of the highs and lows for honest and open debates.
Allow me to do precisely that which I have been ordered to do, which is to give an account of whether OBA has been consistent in honouring the mandate as entrusted by the constitution of OBA, SSG.
The Executive Committee has selected Shri Priyam Phukan, Shri Girija Barman, Shri Jagadish Nath, Shri Nabaneet Mahanta and Shri Ranjan K. Baruah as the Co-opted Members for smooth functioning.
In a nutshell, the reason why you are here is because you have entrusted us with the mammoth task of giving direction to OBA and we need your support in order to progress successfully in doing just that. We are a potentially big organization, which makes OBA’s work more challenging than ever, and we need to work as a team. Let distance and other barriers be a thing of the past because technology has bridged that gap and no excuse will be acceptable if we are to succeed.
ASSOCIATION WITH THE SCHOOL:
One of the main aims of OBA has been to recover the lost glory of the school. To give the school admission process a revamp, OBA have taken initiative to publish a colourful advertisement about the school admission procedure in 3 major dailies of Assam with support from DIPR, Govt. of Assam and with guidance from Shri Subash Das (259). Sri Diganta Das also provided adequate coaching for the entrance test.
A well established tradition at the SSG is the OBA Meet which had been held up for long nine (9) years for the reasons best known to the School Authority. We have taken initiative to hold the OBA Meet at SSG this year with an intention to make the event a School Calendar Event for the subsequent years. It took place this year on 8th Jan 2010 where more than 75 alumni along with their families returned to campus reconnecting with teachers while making new connections throughout the SSG. There was a special motivational session for our young generation which was addressed by Shri Monoj Bora (50), Shri Subash Das (259), Col Ajit Bora and Shri Loken Das (1704). A friendly football match and Tug of War was held between the Old Boys and existing cadets. It was a sheer moment of the past and reliving the good old days.
Chapter Events:
Much of the life blood of the Association is linked to activities and events organised by its different Chapters.
The Delhi Chapter organised a Reunion in 28th Nov 2009 at the Dhruv, the Army Aviation mess situated at the Delhi Army Cantonment area. The reunion has entrusted the members to lead the Delhi chapter.
The Bangalore Chapter had organised a Reunion on on 22nd March 2009 at HolidayVillage resort, Bangalore and constituted a committee to look after the affairs of the Chapter as follows:
Thou, Imphal and Dimapur Chapters are in place, the detailed report has not been received.
For Mumbai Chapter, efforts are on by Lt Cdr Pranab Saloi (Indian Navy) (2495) and others to form the Chapter at the earliest possible.
Amendment to the Articles of Association:
As desirous by the Chapters of OBA to accommodate them under one umbrella and to be governed by one constitution, it was utmost requirement to amend the present constitution. As per our Articles of Association, the concept of forming different chapters were missing and hence the requirement. This has led to operational difficulties especially with Chapter accounts. To address this, we propose to bring amendment and accordingly Shri Sarada Sahariah and I have made the amended Constitution available at the OBA website www.obassg.com for suggestions and remarks. Shri Ashoka Nanda Das (189) has forwarded the suggestions for the clauses to re written as follows.
Article 8. Quorum of the General Body Meeting:
Minimum one 100 members of OBA need to be present to make the quorum instead of Minimum one third of the members of OBA need to be present to make the quorum.
The AGM 2010 needs to accept the amendments and adopt the constitution.
Community Services:
Medical & Health Camps:
OBA has organized four (4) medical and health camps at Ulubari, Nalbari, Narengi and Darrang, where all together more than 1000 beneficiaries were given free quality medicine and health check up by medical professionals of our associations. Shri Girija Barman & Shri Nupur Kalita deserves a Special mention for taking all the pain to organize these camps.
We salute you all, the members behind all these camps and the professionals, who have stood to their commitment to selfless service to the community and through OBA. We thank you for all for your affinity and wonderful support.
Our aim is to get feedback to offer programmes and services which respond to the needs and interests of alumni and also match them with those of their alma mater. In the year ahead we look forward to initiating more programmes and services which respond to these needs and interests of Alumni. Pride and commitment to SSG are feelings shared by many of our alumni, who continue to distinguish themselves locally, nationally and internationally as great global citizens.
Blood Donation Camp by OBA:
To commemorate the 15th Aug 2009, OBA had organized a Blood Donation Camp at Dr. B. Baruah Cancer Institute by its members. The camp was successfully concluded with OBA members donating 23 units of blood to the institution.
OBA Activities:
Abhiruchi Sports Day 2009: As an sports event, for the 1st time OBA have participated in the Abhoruchi Sports Day 2009 with about 25 members participation.
School Raising Day 2009 at Guwahati:
12th Nov 2009 has marked the celebration of School Raising Day at Hotel Ambarish, Guwahati with a discussion followed by a contributory dinner.
Future programmes:
OBA have initiated the process to have a plot of land of its won at Guwahati with the help of Sri Subash Das (259) and its in the pipeline. Once the plot is allotted, we would request all to put our hands together to bring up the desired infrastructure. We look forward to grow with every passing day with all your support and help.
I extend my sincere thanks to:
First and fore most, let me thank you all for the support you have given to us by participating in the events that we have organized.
My special thanks to Sri Monoj Bora, Sri Subash Das, Sri Ashokananda Das, Sri Sarat Oza, Sri Diganta Baruah, Sri Ratul Bora, Sri Nupur Kalita, Sri Amar Jyoti Kakati, Sri Rupanka Goswami, Sri Utpal Bayan, Sri Diganta Das, Sri Monoj Bhattacharjee, Shri Girija Barman, Sri Anirban Baishya, Sri Pranab Das, Sri Runjun Gogoi, Sri Abhijyan Prasad, Sri Jagadish Nath, Sri Nabaneet Mahanta, Sri Ranjan K. Baruah and Sri Ranjan Gohain being in the forefront at all of our events.
CONCLUSION:
From the report itself, it is safe to conclude that there is still a long way before us, and this way it is not only long but difficult as well. The past years have not been a smooth sailing; we are limping but still committed. The support that we have received from individual members of the association has added a greater value in reenergizing our souls and minds. The encouragement that we received from you as the members has sustained our ability to endure.
No matter how distance and our professions have separated us today, we remain common in that we are academic products of Sainik School Goalpara and being an SSGian to me, qualify as a truly capable person to bring “Everything is Possible”.
We hope that whatever questions you may want to pose will be constructive and value adding.
We are optimistic that the interrogation of the report will be objective and may this piece of an account be a guiding document for the future of OBA.
Last but not least, thanks to all the dedicated committee members for their enthusiasm, support, new ideas and most of all, their time.
To Conclude, I, on behalf of OBASSG pay my homage to all those who have left us for heavenly abode in the previous year and offer my sincere condolences to their family members. May their souls rest in peace.
Long Live the Spirit of SSG. Long Live OBA, SSG
Thank you.
Diganta Gogoi
General Secretary.
Old Boys Association, SainikSchool Goalpara.
È: +91-9435047990
E-mail: diganta1282@gmail.com, diganta@obassg.com