Will power-Determination
                                  ( Sankalp-in Hindi )

 India's 5 th winter team had been in Antarctica from Dec 1987 to Mar1989.In this about 480 days the teams perfomance had been  unique that no other winter team in the world would have attempted to do.
            One such event is the design and execution of wintering caravan.Even though four winter teams had been there no one had made any arrangements for winter movement.Perhaps no one might have moved out of the research station.But the necessity has come now as India's second winter station "Maitri"  construction had started in Dec 1987 and has to be completed by Mar1989 before Ganesan's team moved out of Antarctica.
                              So there was a need to go to Shirmaachar Oassis hills during wintering period of 1988  which is about 85 Km away where the new station was coming up.The tracked wintering vehicles will have a speed of about 4-5 Km/hr.So about 12 to 15 hrs of drive is required .During this period if blizzard comes one has to stay put  as visibility reduces to zero.For all this there was a need to have a caravan type vehicle/trailer.
                           Explaining all these to the secretary,Department of ocean Development,New Delhi,Ganesan got special permission to modify one of the existing container to suit their requirement.
                    The project was named"Ashrey "and started in March 1988.The steel container was to be cut at different places,and 16/18 mm ply wood used for the design.The caravan is to have accomodation for 6-7 persons,a radio room,a mini kitchen,a toilet.Provision for keeping food and other items are to be made.Frozen items like mutton,fish etc can be outside of the container as the wintering temperature is always -30 -40 * c.
                       The team had worked for day and night as the Polar night was fast approaching.Once sun goes down there will be no day light for about 4 months.By 20 April 1988,the project was completed and was to be inaugurated the next day.But on the next day there was blizzard and could not be conducted.Another day was fixed and unfortunetely that day also had blizzard .
                            This time Ganesan decided to change the name of the caravan to "WILL  POWER " and requested members to suggest suitable name in any language.Accordingly name "SANKALP " was selected and a day was fixed for inauguration.
                   But unfortunetely on that day also there was blizzard and even stronger than previous days.But Ganesan did not stop.The team lifted a portable 1.5 KV generator to the container and boiled milk,did pooja and had ready made "suji halwa "as prasad.

                           To day it is almost 30 years old.Sankalp with other modifications in accordance with technological developments still going strong I believe.

                                Long live "Fikar Not Fifteen " (5 th winter team )

                   Sankalp made frequent trips to Maitri during 1988 .Here Sankalp at midway between Dakshin Gangotri and Maitri'






 

                              Wintering at Antarctica ....3
                                              A 
                             Demonstrative Performance.......

      With in  few days of isolation at Antarctica all the members of 5 th winter team realised that they are under different type of Leadership.Ganesan started inter acting with the team individually and collectivlly,both on official and personal matter.

           The wintering members are given 6 mts per month on inter national sattellitte communication net work to talk to their families.Those members who had direct telephone facilities had used this.some members contacted their friends and neighbours ant through them they spoke to their families. After a telephone conversion with their family members like wife and children  the members morale used to be high and they even shared their family news with other members.

                         Ganesan kept on observing these and maintained a confidential file on all members.The team had cook Mr.Singh from the Indian Navy. He was the youngest in the team and a bachelore.He had no telephone connection to his family members.It was about 3-4 months of wintering.Ganesan was discussing with Mr.Singh about his family and why he did not speak to his family members.

        
                      An interesting story opened.He was native of Chamb-Jaurian an remote village in Indo -Pak border near Jammu.In the 1971 Indo-Pak war Chamb-Jaurian was bombed heavily by Pakisthan and the area was captured by them.Even after the cease fire Pakisthan did not return that area to India.All those indians from that area came as refugees and Govt had allotted lands to them near Samba.Now Mr.Singh's parents are living in that small village near Samba.So he did not bother to make any arrangements for telephone conversation.He is very happy at Antarctica and hence did not worry about his family.

                After this interview,Ganesan thought for a while.Even though Singh is young and not worried about his parents After some time of loneliness  and while others talk about their family etc a depression may creep in to Singh.He being a cook this may affect his interest in his work.So Ganesan took his parents address.He being an Army officer had served in Samba area and also thoruoghly aware of the 1971 war and the massacre of Chamb-Jaurian by Pakisthan's tanks.

                  He contacted his friends in Delhi and through them came to know another close friend serving at Jammu.He got his appointment details and contacted him requesting for a help. That friend was thrilled to hear Ganesan's voice and that too from Antarctica.Ganesan gave him Singh's parents address and requested him to locate them.If they are located then on a particular date and time the complete family members must be in Jammu near the telephone on which Ganesan is now contacting them.The Jammu friend promised Ganesan to do the needfull immediately and Ganesan would contact again  to confirm these things. So Ganesan contacted Jammu friend in the evening and was very happy to know that things have moved as expected and that  Sing's parents would be there at 10.00 oclock in the morning next day.

                                          The 15 member team with col Ganesan at top.

                         Next day at 10.00 AM according to India timing  Ganesan called Mr.Singh to the radio room  and told him to speak to some friend on telephone.Ganesan contacted Jammu and his friend gave the phone to Singh's father.He was speaking in punjabi.Ganesan gave the phone to Singh.
The moment contact was established there was great outburst of happiness at Antarctica as well as at Jammu.All Mr.Singh's family members had come to Jammu.His father,mother,brothers,sisters and others.
                    Singh spoke for 23 mts on that day in the international Sattellitte communication .After the call ended Singh came out of the radio room in emotional tears  and fell on Ganesan's feet.He just could not control his happiness and  it was un believable for him.

                   Ganesan consoled Singh and told him that he is under different leader and as days passed the 5 th winter team may witness  many such things.

                      Leadership and management are two different aspects.Leadership is of the spirit;its practice is an art.while management is of mind;its practice is a science.Managers are necessary;but Leaders are essential.

              The Indian 5 th winter team started realising Leadership.

                                                                                      To be contd.......

                                  காக்கை உட்கார.........பனம்பழம் வீழ.....
                                ( சில நிகழ்வுகள்........சில விளைவுகள்......)

        திருவாரூர் மாவட்டம் சன்னாநல்லூரில் பிறந்து வளர்ந்து வந்த எனது வாழ்வில் சில அசாதாரண நிகழ்வுகள் நடந்துள்ளன.அவைகள் எனது மனதில் சில உண்மைகளப்  பதிவிட்டிருக்கின்றன.

                      எண்ணங்களின் சீரமைப்பு எதேச்சையாக நடந்து எனது வாழ்க்கை சரியானதடத்தில் செல்ல உதவியிருக்கின்றன. இவைகள் இதை வாசிப்பவர்களுக்கும்  உதவும் என்பதால் அவைகளை இங்கே பதிவிடுகிறேன் 

1.கிணற்றில் வீழ்ந்தது.
                  நாலைந்து வயது சிறுவனாக இருந்தபொழுது  சுமார் 10-15 அடி  ஆழ கிணற்றில் வீழ்ந்துவிட்டேன். நீச்சல் தெரிந்திருந்ததால் மேலே நின்றுகொண்டிருந்த அண்ணனால் காப்பாற்றப்பட்டேன்.

                             இளம் வயதில் நீச்சல் தெரிந்திருப்பதும் சுறு சுறுப்பாகவும் இருப்பது அவசியம்.

2.தண்ணீர் விளையாட்டு.

                     கிராமத்து சிறுவர்களிடையே தண்ணீரில் விளையாடுவது  சர்வ சாதாரணம்.இந்த விளையாட்டு ஒரு முறை வினையாகி இன்னொரு சிறுவனை விரட்டிக்கொண்டு தண்ணீரில் சுற்றிச்சுற்றி  நீந்தி நடு  குளத்தில் அவனைப்பிடித்து தண்ணீருக்குள் அமுக்குக்கிப்பிடிக்கிறேன் .அவன் திமிரத்திமிர  அமுக்கியபொழுது  "அவன் இறந்துவிட்டால்....."என்ற எண்ணம் எழ அவனை விட்டுவிடுகிறேன். அன்று அவன் இறந்திருந்தால் ..........

                          சிறுவர்கள் சீர்திருத்தப்பள்ளியில் நான் .........

3.நாவல் மரத்திலிருந்து வீழ்தல்

                          மரம் ஏறுதல் ,உச்சி மரம் வளையும்போது அடுத்தமரத்திற்கு தாவுதல் போன்றவை எனது இளமை விளையாட்டு.ஒருமுறை நாவல் மர உச்சி கிளையில் நின்றுகொண்டு மேல் கிளையைப்பிடித்து உலுக்குகிறேன் .மரம் ஏறத்தெரியாத சிறுவர்கள் கீழே சுட்டப்பழம் சாப்பிடுகிறார்கள்.இந்நிலையில் திடீரென்று இரண்டு கிளைகளும் முறிந்து நான் கீழே விழுகிறேன் .கையில் பிடித்திருந்த கிளையை விடாததால் அது கீழே மற்றோரு கிளையில் மாட்டிக்கொள்ள நான் அப்படியே தாவிப்பிடித்து சர்வ சாதாரணமாக மரத்திலிருந்து இறங்குகிறேன்.

            அன்று நான் சுமார் 15-20 அடி  உயரத்திலிருந்து விழுந்திருந்தால் .........

4.சமையலும் நானே .....சாப்பிடுவதும் நானே.......

                    எஸ் எஸ் எல் சி தேர்வுகள் எழுதுகிறேன்.அம்மா தஞ்சாவூர் மருத்துவ மனையில்.வீட்டில் தங்கை மட்டுமே பெண்.காலை 4 மணிக்கு எழுந்து சமையல் முடித்து 5 கி.மீ தூரத்தில் உள்ள பள்ளிக்கு ஓடி காலைத் தேர்வு எழுதுகிறேன்.பக்கத்து கோவிலில் உட்கார்ந்து தயிர் சாதம் சாப்பிட்டுவிட்டு பகல் 2 மணிக்கு அடுத்த தேர்வு எழுதிவிட்டு வீட்டுக்கு ஓடுகிறேன்.தேர்வு முடிந்து வீட்டில் ஆடு மாடுகள் மேய்த்துக்கொண்டு விவசாய வேலைகள் பார்த்துக்கொண்டிருக்கிறேன்.

                         அன்று நான் தேர்வில் தோற்றுப்போயிருந்தால் ............

5.பதினாறு வயதில் கல்லூரி விடுதி வாழ்க்கை.