Bharat Rakshak - 20th Anniversary Attendance Poll

[Kakarat]

As we all know BR officially celebrates 20 years next year – 01 July 2017 to be exact.

We should have an event to commemorate the date in 2017 (does not have to be on the exact date), something along the lines of a mega meet. We have all spent considerable time and energy on the site and forum and this post is just my initial thoughts on a date that we should not just let pass by. Now since BRFites are on all continents, it will not be possible to host mega meets in all these places. BRFites are welcome to hold their own meets as & when they feel - just as they have done in the past.

But back on to the mega meet. I was thinking (just my thoughts - fully open to amendment) of the following;

1) Host location should be in India for obvious reasons. This is Bharat Rakshak and I see no better way of hosting an event of this type anywhere else other than in the country we all love. My goodness that sounds so melodramatic!

2) To tie in with the first point, hosting it in India will allow us to invite respected guests to the event like retired military personnel (which has happened in previous BR meets).

3) To tie in with the second point, this meet should not be like other meets where it is a free for all discussion. This should be professionally managed. So what I mean by that is there should be a defined set of speakers (for example like BR's own think tank - Ramanaji - someone of that caliber) to talk on pre-determined topics (all BRFites should vote on what topics would like to be discussed). Free for all discussion can then be held in groups or as a whole after. There should be moderators - just like on the forum - to request invitees to not interrupt the speaker, if that happens.

4) The event should be hosted at a good venue WITH food. Not some roadside dhaba. Yes, that involves money and I will be the first to contribute. Whether you attend the event or not, if you can financially contribute, please do so. There is no minimum. Contribute whatever you can. But more on the logistics of this later. Let's not count chickens before they hatch or whatever that saying is.

5) If you are able to attend the event, please do so. Nothing worse than having a meet of this kind - and if esteemed guests show up and there is no one there. So for that - before esteemed guests are invited - we would need a confirmed head count of people. For that we need a confirmed venue. Too many variables, but just thinking out loud. We need an event planner , which I am not.

These are just my initials thoughts. But all of you should post in this thread. All of you make Bharat Rakshak. Post away! If you like the idea or don't like the idea. Or you have a better idea. Just post.

[partha]

How about inviting a prominent person to be a guest poster for a few hours answering questions of members? Like an AMA but on topics relevant to the forum.

[Kakarat]

How about inviting a prominent person to be a guest poster for a few hours answering questions of members? Like an AMA but on topics relevant to the forum.

All these are being discussed in Bharat Rakshak - 20th Anniversary

This thread is primarily to understand what members think about conducting such an event

[Philip]

When is the next Def Expo,air show? It is too late for anything this year as the festive season approaches and Christmas/New Year hols.
It requires detailed planning with eminent guest speakers from the 3 services,retd and serving if one wants it to have some real quality.Bangalore perhaps is the best venue,we've had the best meets there apart from visits to IN ships and subs at Bombay.

If this happens,there should also be a collection of the best BR writings on issues handed out to visitors,the press,etc.The aim of BR has been to make the nation aware of security,defence ,strategic and foreign affair issues which 20 years ago were hardly ever debated in the media and got limited coverage.with the public poorly informed.Today,we have several desi defence magazines,TV channels and the defence industry is the sunrise industry in the country,esp. aero-space.I suggest that Ramana and other veterans choose them.Jagan's "shooting down" of Alam's fictitious claim of 4/5 Hunters in 60 seconds whatever,is a classic!

Anyway,just a few thoughts to chew upon.

[arsimovich]

When is the next Def Expo,air show?

Aero India..14-18 Feb, 2017

[GShankar]

I think the biggest event could happen in A location in bharat. But there should be satellite events in other cities, states, countries. A wish..

In fact I'd love (PAY) to see UB and TSJ having few drinks together

[ranjan.rao]

^^^^haha...I would love to to see Rohit and Sanku discussing Arjun once again...that reminds me where is Sanku these days?? has he morphed into some other ID?
ps: Just saw he has been permanently banned....

[Rakesh]

This idea of mine - like many - died its own natural death. Oh well. I tried.

[jamwal]

Not many takers as expected ? I am interested in the logic of person who voted for last option.

[rsingh]

Make some rules for future.
- if you want to retain title "OLDIE" you have to attain at least one jirga/ year
-Moderator initiates at least one jirga/ year
Brite are all over the world. there has to be local serious jirgas (+ gupshup jirga ending with whiskey jirga;

Ready for European Jirge (centrally located in Brusselabed) Any taker? End of June '17 is perfect. BTW how many of us are here?

Actually I am realising that I can make it quite interesting. Visit to Ypres (Monument Indian solders who fought in WWI) and visit to the Bastogne war Museum (Battle of Bulge). Day (days) spiced with Belgian Beer degustation........can be fun. Transport all over Europe is cheap . Ryanair jindabad (specially for kanjoos England wallah) or just drive.

[KJo]

Back in 2002-03 etc, we BRFites would have local city meets all the time. SF, Chicago, Dallas, NYC, BLR, MUM etc. Nowadays, I don't see any posts for these meets. I have attended quite a few and met many like NRao, GeorgeJ, Sridhar etc.
One time one of the BRF owners showed up from Canada (Seetal or Jagan, I don't remember)
Is it that people don't have time or no interest anymore?

[jamwal]

Old age. Budde uncles don't have that much energy perhaps.

[svinayak]

Back in 2002-03 etc, we BRFites would have local city meets all the time. SF, Chicago, Dallas, NYC, BLR, MUM etc. Nowadays, I don't see any posts for these meets. I have attended quite a few and met many like NRao, GeorgeJ, Sridhar etc.
One time one of the BRF owners showed up from Canada (Seetal or Jagan, I don't remember)
Is it that people don't have time or no interest anymore?

There is every month mtg in west coast.
Special guest last week in SFO

Every week few people meet. Now they are chat ting on whatsapp every min and discussion are going on 24/7

[Rakesh]

Damn, no wonder this thread did not take off. I did not even think about the online social chatter that you just mentioned. The last meet I attended was in 2000 (I think)...if not earlier. I feel old. I feel depressed now

Like I said earlier, just do individual small meets or whatever works for everyone. Just don't let the date pass. That is all.

[Rahul M]

It didn't take off because I could never find it. with 2 threads there was even more confusion.

[jamwal]

It didn't take off because I could never find it. with 2 threads there was even more confusion.

Is it possible to merge with stickied thread ?

[Rakesh]

nah just delete both threads and start a new one. make that a sticky. Going from the results so far, I think a mega meet is not workable due to the fact that BRFites are all over the world. Mini-meets appears to be a more workable solution.

[BajKhedawal]

2) To tie in with the first point, hosting it in India will allow us to invite respected guests to the event like retired military personnel (which has happened in previous BR meets).

Can we have the "Dove" as the respected guest? He does do lectures now and then.

What better platform for him then BRF Jirga, and there can be no better speaker for the audience too!

I bet BRF abduls from all over will come to attend such a meet.

[kit]

am all for it ..could ask tharoor to give a talk ?

[kit]

i read 20th anniversary attendance ball .but what the heck ..need glasses i guess