Some of you have heard from us before. For those who haven't, we are organizing an M Batch reunion in Pune in Dec 99. We have had 3 planning meetings, the last of which was on 03 Feb 99. We have received feedback from all three Service reps, doctors in Civvy Street, and from overseas. The firmed up dates are 21, 22, 23 Dec 99 giving time for people to get back home for the 1st of Jan 2000 (Arrival 21Dec & Dep. 24 Dec)

The three day affair will start with a 'Millennium Medical Update' and teachers' felicitation on the 27th followed by lunch at a suitable venue. A Variety Entertainment program in one of the college auditoriums (hosted by the M batch extended family) in the evening with a slide show with old photographs from college. Dinner will follow. Day two will start with a Memorial function early in the morn, followed by a Class photograph, Debate and/or a Cricket/football match (families participating), lunch at a to-be decided venue. There will be a banquet in the evening, probably by the poolside in a 5 star hotel. Day three will be a trip to Mulshi (or equivalent), lunch there, and back by 6 PM. That evening will be an opportunity for smaller groups to get together for their own private freak-outs. The next morning, we break. . We also plan to bring out a Souvenir where we would like to devote a page to each of us, giving our 'then and now' photographs, our accomplishments and so on. We would like to give away a whole lot of memorabilia, which you can look at, till we meet again after 25 more years. Of course these things are still tentative and we urge you to give your suggestions now.

Besides onions there are a lot of things that are expensive these days but we are pegging the Reunion expenses at Rs. 7.5 – 8 lakh (L batch spent 7.5 lakhs). We planned a contribution of Rs 2000/- per head. We had a mother and father of a row about what to charge NRIs. Every one has been charging them separately in $. Some of us felt that it is not fair to ask different groups to pay differently. Well guys, money may not make the sun rise and set, but it sure makes the world go round. So if we want to have a ball, we need the cash. That means that each of us needs to get in Rs 15,000. By way of donations (are the rich guys listening?) advertisements, and sponsorships. We are presently planning to allot targets to people in different cities and hoping that we will make it. We've opened a bank account with local contributions. Very shortly, (that means in a month) we will send you all letters appealing for advertisements /sponsorships. Please send in your advice on the ads, wording of the appeal etc immediately so we can prepare the letters soon.

The first step is to get 120 addresses. We have only 40 as of now. We have an email link with some guys. May I have any address of any one you know pronto (that means send the addresses and then read on…)? If you know a telephone number, please call up and get the address. Then mail it to me. I can't afford to call up on STD leave alone ISD. But it is still nice to have the number.

Hey guys! You know what? L batch had a reunion with 73 chaps. One of them said, "with your batch spirit you will be lucky to have 50 guys". I don't like to hear that about us, so let us prove them wrong.

So please invest in some time and effort and write as soon as possible. Send me
1) all the addresses you have.
2) suggestions on any and all things.
3) your tentative acceptance that you will be here with the family.
4) any ideas about raising the money. My address is on top. InterFPO address is SSQ, 2Wg AF, C/O 56APO.
I am waiting…

(Wg Cdr Pooshan D Navathe, AFG 1543) speaking for Kumud, Shekhar, Garde, PK, Bipin, Hemant, Ravi and Uday