Thank you, Michael. Best, v On Wed, 5 Jul, 2023, 7:47 pm Michael Gonsalves, <[email protected]> wrote:
> very well written Valmiki. cheers > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > Dr Michael Gonsalves, > Senior Assistant Editor, > Financial Chronicle, > 919, Synagogue Street, > Near Oriental Bank of Commerce, > Camp, > PUNE - 411 001 > Cell: 9890881129 > > Alternate Email: [email protected] > Website: www.mydigitalfc.com > > "He who wishes to secure the good of others, has already secured his own" > -- Confucius. > > "As a blind man has no idea of colors, so we have no idea of the manner by > which the all-wise God perceives and understands all things." -- Isaac > Newton > > "There are two ways to live your life. One is as though nothing is a > miracle. The other is as though everything is a miracleآ -- Albert Einstein > > > > > > > > > > On Wed, Jul 5, 2023 at 3:51 PM Valmiki Faleiro <[email protected]> wrote: > >> *Vice Admiral Sunil K. Damle, PVSM, AVSM, NM (G), VSM (V)* >> >> >> >> >> >> Vice Adm Sunil Damle is a highly-accomplished carrier-borne naval >> aviator, now a veteran. He is three-fourth Goan. >> >> >> >> Eons ago, his Chitpavan ancestors were offended by Goa’s Saraswats and in >> a huff, the Chitpavans left Goa and resettled in Chiplun – before becoming >> prime ministers of the Marathas and eventually ruling the kingdom as the >> Pune-based Peshwas. >> >> >> >> The Peshwas had every copy of the *Sahyadri Khand* (chapter) of the *Skanda >> Purana* destroyed in their domain. The book contained information of >> Indo-Aryan migration to Goa – and the Saraswat-inspired derogatory remarks >> of the Chitpavan community. It was left to the 19th century medico, Dr. >> Jose Gerson da Cunha, a Goan from Arpora settled in Bombay, to scour >> ancient temple records on the west coast of India, and reconstruct, albeit >> in part, the lost chapter. >> >> >> >> The future Admiral joined the Indian Navy in the flying branch, piloting >> carrier-based aircraft. Until I read Rear Adm. Peter Debrass, I thought >> that the toughest flying job was that of an air force test pilot. After >> reading Adm Debrass, I realised the difference between taking off from, >> and landing on, *terra firma* – and taking off and landing on the deck >> of a moving naval aircraft carrier! Especially at night. >> >> >> >> The carrier had a catapult to propel the aircraft into takeoff (in that >> age of subsonic flying machines) and a tailhook that was lowered during >> landing to catch one of the three steel cables strung across the flight >> deck – to stop the aircraft. If the tailhook missed to latch on to the >> first cable, it had the second one; if it missed the second one, it had the >> third one; if it missed the third one, the pilot quickly kissed the Creator >> as the aircraft plummeted in the waters in front of the carrier. (The >> catapult failed when Adm. Debrass was once taking off but incredibly >> missed the kiss of death by the skin of his teeth.) >> >> >> >> Great, but why is Adm. Damle three-fourth Goan? Right from a Sub >> Lieutenant, Adm. Damle served in the Goa Naval Area in every rank (except >> his last). Goa was, and is, home to two carrier-borne air squadrons. A >> naval command (headed by an officer of the rank of Vice Admiral) does not >> exist in Goa – else Adm. Damle might have served in Goa in that rank too! >> >> >> >> And after retiring from an illustrious flying career with the Indian Navy >> as the Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Southern Naval Command, Adm. Damle >> settled in Goa. >> >> >> >> But all these were not the reasons I sent the manuscript of my >> forthcoming book to Adm. Damle seeking his blessings and comments. It was >> because of his simplicity. >> >> >> >> I will let you into a small secret. Over time, I have come to realise >> that greater the person, the more simple he or she is. >> >> >> >> The converse is also true. Gurudas “Kaka” Singbal (now, alas, no more), >> then the Panjim bureau chief of the *West Coast Times* and I together >> went to see the IGP (there was no DGP system in Goa then). Kaka filled in >> the visitors slip and asked the IGP’s uniformed doorkeeper to deliver it to >> the boss. *‘Kam kitem?’* (what’s your work with the IGP), the doorkeeper >> asked. Kaka was a man of immense patience and humour. Keeping a stiff upper >> lip, Kaka replied, *‘Tem-i tuka sangpachem?’* (must I explain that too >> to you?) >> >> -- >> You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups >> "Goa-Research-Net" group. >> To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an >> email to [email protected]. >> To view this discussion on the web, visit >> https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/goa-research-net/CAGoMsAAmD9fYADvK9Z_C2K79msudVXhdSw9dTZ-Nv6TbE1K0cg%40mail.gmail.com >> <https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/goa-research-net/CAGoMsAAmD9fYADvK9Z_C2K79msudVXhdSw9dTZ-Nv6TbE1K0cg%40mail.gmail.com?utm_medium=email&utm_source=footer> >> . >> > -- > You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups > "Goa-Research-Net" group. > To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an > email to [email protected]. > To view this discussion on the web, visit > https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/goa-research-net/CAGuhkg5%2BH26yzTYm6OoXbQGcy8HetOkdfhLCNteFF7u5s0a1jw%40mail.gmail.com > <https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/goa-research-net/CAGuhkg5%2BH26yzTYm6OoXbQGcy8HetOkdfhLCNteFF7u5s0a1jw%40mail.gmail.com?utm_medium=email&utm_source=footer> > . > -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Goa-Research-Net" group. 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