Weekend trip to Bangalore

It is going to be quite a good weekend. I will be driving to Bangalore. Tomorrow we will start at 6 am from the campus. We expect to reach there in after noon. I will come back the next day, Sunday.

In short I will be away from campus for two days. Happy weekend!

Appointment of PG CC-GCU

We need to appoint a PG student as the Chief Coordinator (PG) for Guiding and Counselling Unit (GCU). In one of the meetings when CC was being appointed I had suggested appointing a separate CCGCU for PG students as there problems are different and are usually difficult to comprehend for a UG CCGCU. The point was well taken by DoS and the Chairman GCU.

Yesterday Chairman GCU and myself had a discussion and we decided to go ahead with the process of appointing CCGCU and Counselors for PG students. I will have to suggest some names for this. I have already communicated this to the PG students. I would like to complete this process by mid-June (17th June).

Students arrive from Germany

Yesterday all students (exchange) returned from Germany after stay of almost ten months. They arrived here by Lufthansa flight no 758. Viraj got down at Mumbai. Rest including Sameer, Sachin, Rohit came to Chennai. I reached airport at 11 pm. After some time found Ravi and Arora also. They were there to receive Rohit. We hired two Temp Travellers to reach the campus. It was about 2 in the morning that all got settled down at various places as no hostel rooms were arranged for the poor guys. They all had to knock their friends' doors at midnight. It was not a very good welcome that institute could have given if it had a better academic section.

No contact with other manufacturers

So far no wheel chair manufacturer, except Calladai, has resplonded to my querry. In fact I keep getting calls from Calladai once in a while. Today morning also I received a call. The student concerned is out on vacation and it is possible to take any decision only after he tries his hands and find it satisfactory. Any way I have told this to Calladai today.

Yesterday I had a word with DoS about this. I informed him that Calladai has employed some 38 handicapped persons out of total some 45 persons. It is managed, surprisingly well, by a person who walks with artificial legs. Both of us have certainly inclined towards Calladai. Still I feel that I should get some information about the prices offered by some other manufacturer. I will the information hopefully this week itself.

Dinner at Shriram's house

Shriram called and asked if I could join him for the dinner at his home. For me there can not be any better invitation. I readily accepted it. Makarand also was to join us. Then I called Makarand and we decided to go together. We reached Shriram's home at eight pm. Didn't have much difficulty in getting there. It seems that I am getting well familier with roads in Chennai. Mr Gadgil of L&T also was invited for dinner. It was indeed a previledge to have dinner with him. The menu contained Aamras-PoLie... and there were other items also but for me this was what I would long for. Shriram's parents are very much hospitable and lovely. We had a very good time.

Visiting cards

Received an email from Office of DoS saying that my visiting cards are ready.

Then in the afternoon, Prof Ganesan introduced me to Mr Venu Gopal, Sr Mgr of an event management company. Mr Venu Gopal had come to check the possibility of getting some venue for the Ford India's event comprising of test drive with rally drivers (one of them is Mr Nanjappa), exhibition of its cars/SUVs and a music show. Considering the endangered animals residing in our campus, I thought it was never going to be a good idea to give venue for them. Again considering the brand value associated with the institute's name it would not be wise idea. He anyway during discussion mentioned about partial sponsership for some of our events. I requested Prof Ganesan to forward his letter to DoS. I called DoS and informed him about Mr Venu and later directed Mr Venu to DoS.

Then met Cocurricular Adviser to submit bills and decided to reach Office of DoS. Collected the visiting cards and had word with DoS both about Calladai Motors and about Mr Venu's proposal. His views concurred with those of mine.

Submitted bill for repairs of Pentax Cameras

As decided, I had called Cocurricular Adviser but he did not lift the phone. Any way it was difficult for me too to meet him Saturday morning. Then I called him in the afternoon and took appointment of 4 pm.

His first sentence was, "I didn't know that, like BTechs, PhD Scholars are also irresponsible!" I replied, "You have the right to say that". Then he said in a changed tone, "Good... that you don't deny it.. good." :)

Anyway coming to the point; I submitted the cash reciept of Rs 4050 for camera repairs to him. He has said that it would take three weeks to pay additional Rs 550 back to me as he will be away for two weeks and can pay me only after he comes back. It is anyway all right to me.