The senior scene

an intriguing air show are the month’s highlights from his grave!” Gurmeet sang many Rafi songs, even accepted requests. Any day surely refuses to drown into dullness in Gurmeet’s presence. A Diabetes Awareness representative, Gurmeet distributed a questionnaire that emphasised that we Indians are more susceptible to diabetes.

Next, Dr. Phakey introduced Khalid Arslan Ally, ex-Wing Commander, who factually needed no introduction thanks to his emphatic greeting of “Jai Hind!”, which is widely appreciated in ISCA circles. Khalid, right from a tender age, had a passion to draw, create paper and later wooden aircraft and gliders and fly them, a passion he has nurtured even in adulthood. In the National Cadet Corps Air Branch, from 1963-91 Khalid was with Indian Air Force. In 1977, Khalid visited Australia and carried back a mechanism that helped him fly his models. At the event, Khalid and Aaliya, his evidently competent five year old granddaughter, enthralled members with acrobatics and maneuvering of several model aircraft inside the massive hall. Khalid even owns a working model of unmanned aircraft called ‘Drones’, demonstrating its capabilites to a spellbound audience via his iPod. Curious members crowded around Khalid after the show and sought information. On behalf of Mr. Wayne Newman, owner Addies Hobbies in Carrum, Khalid presented Dr. Phakey with a model helicopter.

For more information on ISCA, please contact Dr. Phakey on 9560 9607.

Kingston Indian Senior Citizens Association

BY GEORGE THAKUR

This month, some forty-odd members of the Indian Senior Citizens Forum greeted each other briefly as the Forum was allotted just two hours for meetings. MC Andy Shome began the day by wishing Mrs. Auplish and Mr. Sandhu a happy birthday, presenting them with token gifts. He requested Coomi Patel to sing a bhajan, to which knowledgeable members sang along. Andy then introduced young Navnit Lal who, in a rich and well-controlled voice, praised the gods with Sanskrit shlokas. Before singing a gokul bhajan, Navnit professionally bowed his head to guru Deepika Shome and entered into an elongated alaap and the bhajan. He impressed all with his control over murkis while singing the sur in varied 21st century mannerisms and by imaginatively reexploring raga disciplines, to the tune of his papa Navin Lal on the khanjari and the prerecorded tanpura in the background. Next was Rang de chunariya, its lyrics philosophical