President's Letter 2009

Dear Friends

It gives me a great pleasure to write to you after a gap of three years.

It is traditional that after every reunion the President does address all the members by a letter.

During my term as President though I did write the traditional President's Letter after every reunion, but no one received that for reasons I would not like to go into. I would like to apologise for having missed out on that.

Before I go on I would like to thank you all for your very kind support during my term as President. I would also like to congratulate the newly elected committee and wish them well and assure them of my support. My thanks to our Patron Shri Anantbhai Shah, who not only attended, but addressed the AGM, and also for his generous donation on the occasion of the wedding of his daughter. On the behalf of all the members we would like to wish the newly wedded couple the best of luck and a very long happy married life.

That reminds me of our tradition that any members celebrating any happy events may it be a marriage or birth of a grand child have been donating some thing to JDA UK. Shri Anantbhai our proud patron has revived the tradition by his donation.

It would be interesting to see the JDA UK as past present and future.

PAST

It was in 1993 that some brain child in West Midlands decided to start an association for all the doctors who have graduated from Jamnagar M P Shah Medical College and that so the birth of the JDA UK. Most of the reunions were held in Midlands as that was the convenient central location for people from up and down the country. There were however two reunions in South Wales when I was settled in SW. Both this events were a great success and well attended. Within no matter of time we had nearly 100 doctors as members of JDA UK. Those were the days when most of us were fresh to this new environment and the talks at the reunions rotated around settling down jobs cars and houses and children.

PRESENT

As time passed, our talks in the reunions changed to the health and children in university and grand children and the ill health that various members were going through. Members became busy in their own circles and some groups went in hibernation which has resulted in the dwindling attendance at the reunions. I firmly believe that if you can not change the circumstances change the way of thinking.

Very sadly in the recent months we have been faced with the tragic loss of a few members amongst them being one of the founder member of JDA UK Dr Nalu Vaghjiani and the ex-president Mr Batuk Kamdar who had always been a pillar of strength for JDA UK and another active member Dr Ramesh Patel. Not to forget Dr C J Patel who has always been the life in any reunions. They are being very much missed by us all. May God give strength to their families to face the sad loss in the family?

It is when we read the obituaries of our own colleagues' one wonders what the life is all about. We have now reached a stage in life when any of us could be next in the list of the obituaries. Is it then worth going in hibernation from JDA UK? I think not. I therefore I urge those who have gone in hibernation to come forward and support the JDA UK and improve the attendance at the reunions. This in my opinion is the best way to pay our personal tribute to those who have departed.

Would not have Nalu wished that the JDA UK grows and grows and grows? It is a thought that I would leave with the individuals.

FUTURE

There have been times when some senior members have thought that JDA UK will now soon end. Having seen the spirit of all those who attended I can assure you that this organisation will continue. Just wait till you here about the Friday Club brain child of Dr Dhebar, then you will feel as I do that JDA is here to continue. Having venues closer to most of the doctors and having venues which are much cheaper has not improved the attendance. Hence the future venues are going to be 5 star grade as the general census has been that these days all doctors can certainly afford to pay for that as this occasion comes just once in a year. I am sure we can do this for our Alma Matter

To thee we give allegiance, to you JDA UK

To thee we sing our praises, as we gather here again.

Alma Mater hail to thee Our university.

Our loyalty to Meghji Pethraj We remember from days of old.

To thee we give allegiance to

To thee we tum our hearts and voices JDA UK

And to thee we give our allegiance

We pay tributes to the parted ones That we stand untied ones

JDA UK

With this little poem I end my Presidents letter

Dr Lalit Nirmal