It’s a landmark day for us when we are launching our new interactive website. We are privileged to have with us the first advertiser on our website Shri Purshottambhai Gandevikar of M/S Gandevikar Jewelers Vadodara. We are happy that Shri Gandevikar who happens to be our member, has kindly agreed to launch our website. Our web site has been redesigned nicely by M/S Celestia Solutions of Pujer Complex, Vadodara in a short period.

From 2002 to 2008 we have tried our best to translate objectives into reality. Our association is meant for the welfare of members who miss their children and experience a sort of loneliness in the midst of plenty. It has a social purpose as well as a purpose to be of help to all who need it. I feel that first three years were years of formation and rest of consolidation
Over the years we have created a social bond and have tried to be of help as much as we could. However we are missing something very important to tie these bonds and in spite of our best efforts we are unable to attract many parents of NRI to become our members. It needs a deep introspection to find out reasons of our shortcomings in our efforts to draw them to our association.
I wish to get views of as many members as possible on this very important concern so that we move forward to achieve our objective of welfare of as many parents of NRIs as we can.
We wish to organize interesting talks on
1. Health issues
2. Travel and its problems
3. Rights of Senior citizens as consumer /customer in international travels
4. Problems of small errands for lonely and aged parents
5. Security issues when we are in India and when we are abroad.
6 Debate / Talk on “whether Parents should go and settle with children living abroad or should continue to live in India”
I request all the members to help us in organizing interesting talks / debates etc.
It is an experience and observation that when we go out on one day picnic we not only enjoy but we get to know better all the members who are in the trip.
We also plan to have short one/ two /three days trip to some good place of tourist interest.
We need to restart our ‘Otla Parishad’ or ‘Gup Shup’ or fortnightly informal meeting so that we meet often and think about doing some good activities.
We need a good office accommodation, so that we can start a regular office where office bearers and members can meet on regular basis and streamline our office records and office work. I need help of all the members to get good office accommodation at reasonable and affordable rent.
We need funds to do and expand our activities. So far we have not approached our NRI children but instead we wish to request our members to help us to collect funds.
I will welcome any suggestions and comments on my above mentioned views.
I wish all the Members and their families a Very Happy New Year

Madhusudan Brijlal Mehta

President
November 16, 2008
Vadodara