AIBOC issued its circular No. 66 on VAGAMON CONCLAVE, the first ever conclave of the General Secretaries of the affiliates of the Confederation. We are reproducing the same here for our readers.
CIRCULAR NO:66 18TH MAY, 2010
TO ALL AFFILIATES/MEMBERS:
VAGAMON CONCLAVE
CONCLAVE OF THE GENERAL SECRETARIES OF AFFILIATES OF THE CONFEDERATION: 15TH AND 16TH MAY, 2010
15TH and 16th May, 2010 were historic days in the annals of the All India Bank Officers’ Confederation.
The VAGAMON CONCLAVE, the first ever conclave of the General Secretaries of the affiliates of the Confederation was arranged, to introspect, revisit, analyse the past, the present and to plan for the future, with regard to achievements, ideology, strategies, in a fast changing economic and financial scenario.
VAGAMON is an enchanting piece of nature, at a height of 4500 feet above Sea level. The delegates who had assembled at Kochi airport, were taken through a dream journey, through the busy markets and small towns of Kaladi (birth place of Adishankaracharya) Thodupuzha, Muvatupuzha, Valaikkulam (Pineapple city of Kerala), that exuded typical Kerala flavour. As we started ascending the ghats of Idukki, surrounded by Rubber, Tea, Pineapple estates, and Pineforests, the temperature started dipping and in a couple of hours we were surrounded by unending mountains, mist and the greenery of vast tea estates.
The delegates were housed in elevated, eco friendly, wooden cottages, built around a lake, full of swans, far away from Television, mobile signals and maddening crowds, cuddled amidst, ecstatic greenery, total solitude and silence except the melodious chirping of birds and nature.
VAGAMON provided that calm, serene and unruffled atmosphere for brain storming and an honest introspection into our past, birds’ eye view of the present and planning for future. The winding roads of Vagamon, had truly brought us to a turning point, a juncture, in the long span of 25 years of an organisation, celebrating its Silver Jubilee, where one could look back, review, rejuvenate and then traverse the terrain ahead with purpose and confidence. The Silver Jubilee Celebrations would then, be meaningful. That is exactly what VAGAMON CONCLAVE was meant for.
At the break of the dawn on 15th, amidst the green hilltop, surrounded by nature, the Conclave began with hopes and aspirations as the participants sang the National song ‘Vande Mataram’, which reverberated across the valley. Com.V.K.Prasad, Secretary of the Kerala State Unit, welcomed the participants. He said that, history was being refined in the Silver Jubilee year. Recalling the past struggles and sacrifices that have built the movement into an edifice of strength, he welcomed Com.K.S.Shetty, the President, Com.G.D.Nadaf, the General Secretary, Com.B.S.Ravindra the Co-ordinator of the Conclave and the participants from all affiliates and Sectoral Federations.
The lighting of the lamp by Com.K.S.Shetty, and Com.G.D.Nadaf, marked the inauguration of the conclave. In his inaugural address, Com.Shetty, touched upon the history of the Confederation and expressed his happiness that the Confederation is celebrating its Silver Jubilee year. He said that, the Conclave was absolutely necessary to review the path travelled and to analyse and set goals for the future. “We are all, people of varied ideology. The structural vulnerability, needs of time and the visions of the past, need a relook, re-shaping and honest introspection to take the ship forward”, he said. “This is an opportunity, an effort to understand each other without any camouflage and certainly, is not a fault finding mission. Let’s bring forth new ideas and make the event successful” he concluded and wished the conclave all the best.
Com.G.D.Nadaf, in his introductory remarks said that, times are changing and every organisation needs screening, scanning and an overhaul. “Internal wisdom is the best wisdom and hence we perceived that a conclave could be designed where in we should all come out of our roles and costumes, and take a dispassionate look at the issues, in order to arrive at creative solutions. Then we can put our collective wisdom to arrive at the conclusions and make the experiment successful”, he said. He also reiterated that, similar exercise will be conducted for the Presidents of the affiliates, as the General Secretaries and Presidents are the two wheels of an Organisation. “Let’s go out of the two day’s conclave, more enlightened and satisfied and take the movement to greater heights” he said and explained in detail the methodology of conducting the Conclave.
Com.P.V.Mathew, the General Secretary, of Federal Bank Officers’ Association and Vice President of AIBOC, proposing the vote of thanks said that “well began is half done. Therefore, let’s discuss, address the new challenges, arrive at strategies and hand over a strong organisation to the next generation”.
Com. B.S.Ravindra, Co-ordinator of the programme then took over. His team comprising of Com.V.K.Prasad, Com.P.V.Mathew, Com.Y.Sudarshan and Com.K.Nagaraja Shastry have been working on the project for over two months. Right from designing the content for discussions, to identifying the calm and serene location and arranging all the intricate needs of the wonderful Conclave were co-ordinated to perfection.
Later, the participants were classified into five groups, Ganga, Sindhu, Brahmaputra, Kaveri and Krishna. The brain storming exercise was divided into 3 spheres – namely, Perception, Introspection and Future. Various critical, interesting and thought provoking subjects were given under the three heads, for discussion. The groups got together and formulated their views on the various topics given to each of them after thorough interaction. Finally the group views were presented by the group leaders and the issues were thrown open for discussion. Com.K.S.Shetty and Com.G.D.Nadaf, moderated the entire discussions.
The subjects were of such importance and relevance, that it generated immense heat and discussion, free and frank, unbridled exchange of ideas. The entire process of presentation by the group and discussions and the interaction in an open forum took two days. Finally out of the ‘Churning’ of the ideas, common views and opinions emerged, which were consolidated by the President and the General Secretary of the Confederation and proposed as the historical “VAGAMON DECLARATION”, by Com.G.D.Nadaf, seconded by the participants and unanimously adopted by the Conclave.
Another important feather in the cap was the adoption of the “Vision, Mission and Value Statement - 2010”. This was thoroughly debated and adopted. Com.G.D.Nadaf read out the statement which was very well received and appreciated by all the participants. The Vagamon declaration and adoption of the Vision, Mission and Value Statement, was the highlight of the two days programme, as it reaffirmed the commitment of the Confederation towards what it has been strongly believing and doing over the past 25 years.
During the course of the two days, a small committee comprising of Com.V.K.Prasad, Com.B.S.Ravindra, Com.Suprita Sarkar, and Com.Harvinder Singh was formed to give suggestions for strengthening and reactivation of the State Units. They submitted their report to the General Secretary of the Confederation, for further action.
Later, in the evening of 16th May 2010, the Valedictory programme was conducted. The President and the General Secretary distributed participation letters and mementos. Com.Harvinder Singh spoke on behalf of the participants and expressed his happiness that the purpose of the Conclave has been achieved. Feed back given by the participants reflected the enormous success of the Conclave in strengthening the movement further. The suggestions made by the participants will be looked into positively. Com.B.S.Ravindra, who co-ordinated the entire programme, conveyed his thanks to the President, General Secretary, and to all the participants with special mention to Com.P.V.Mathew and Com.V.K.Prasad for their help in identification of the place and arrangements for successful conduct of the programme. He requested all the General Secretaries of affiliates to conduct the Silver Jubilee Programme at the affiliate level, in a grand manner, to spread this message of trade unionism.
Later, Com.G.D.Nadaf gave his views on the programme and thanked the Comrades of Kerala State Unit, headed by Com.P.V.Mathew and Com.V.K.Prasad. He also thanked Com.B.S.Ravindra and his team for the excellent co-ordination of the historic Conclave. In his presidential address Com.K.S.Shetty said that “this Conclave was major step towards honest introspection and organisational resurgence. Quoting Martin Luther King, he said that we have to keep moving, scaling greater heights.
Com.Suprita Sarkar, proposed vote of thanks in his usual flamboyant style. He felt that a similar exercise is necessary at the affiliate level. He showered his praise on the leadership of the Confederation and the Kerala State Unit for the excellent arrangements.
As curtains came down on the historic Conclave…….. the participants came out……. more enlightened, more united and stronger together than ever. The beauty of Mother Nature at the misty Vagamon, the flavour and fragrance of the tea gardens and the vast, unending greenery all over, undoubtedly gave the deliberations an aroma of freshness and the whiff of the mountain breeze brought with it, green and creative ideas and resolutions known as the ‘VAGAMON DECLARATION’ – strengthening further the roots of the movement.
As the participants parted to say good bye to the heights of Vagamon, it was with a steel resolve to scale greater heights, and to take the organisation to another horizon.
We compliment all the participants, who unmindful of the comforts involved themselves with zeal and enthusiasm in the entire exercise to lay the road map for the future generation. We thank the Kerala State Unit for providing us a beautiful place for holding a historic Conclave in a scientific manner. We are grateful to all those who have assisted and helped us to achieve this landmark.
With greetings,
Sd/-
(G.D. NADAF)
GENERAL SECRETARY
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