Video Courtesy: Dr Gautham Machaiah, Head, Southern Regional Channels, Zee Group. Stills: Tarmak007 (Please note that the commentary is in Kannada. However, these are visuals which doesn't need any commentary.)
The write guy (blogger on left) & the bright guy (AVM Lamba on right.). Incidentally, AVM Lamba is turning 75 today and the birthday boy is spending a very quiet day with his family in Bangalore.
There are moments in life when you go speechless. Moments that make you think how lucky you are. Moments that will stay in your minds for ever. All these emotional packages were available in abundance at HAL Airport, when Indian Air Force veteran and seasoned pilot AVM (Retd.) Ajit Lamba took off on his 2-seater microlite with special guest(s) on board.
A background: It was in 2003 that the blogger along with journalist friends S. Seetalakshmi (now Metro Editor, The Times of India, Bangalore) and B.S. Arun Kumar (now Editor, Bangalore Beat) launched a unique program called i2eye -- with a mission to give the experience of flying to special children. We were all with The Times of India then. i2eye had the support of AVM Lamba and gave individual flights to a dozen children with various health issues. We launched i2eye in 2003, which was the 100th year of Wright Brothers' first flight. The program (i2eye) is not very active now, but all social activities are now under the umbrella Inspired Indian Foundation.
Recently, when Zee Group wanted to fly some special children (visually-impaired), the blogger was contacted to arrange an aircraft. This was for the Zee Kananda channel's Make-a-Wish program. AVM Lamba was ever ready, fighting fit even@75, when we approached him.
There were many extraordinary and emotional scenes in front of CABS hangar inside the old airport, especially when the children started to feel the aircraft parts one after the other, before the flight. The X-Air microlite named Pegasus (a birthday gift to AVM Lamba by his wife) was sitting pretty on the tarmac. DRDO, HAL and Zee Group officials ensured that everything went ahead as planned.
A very special day to remember for a long time to come. Happy B'day AVM Lamba!
(Tarmak007 thanks the special efforts of the following in gifting the priceless flying moments for the children: CABS Director Dr Christopher and his team, HAL Bangalore Complex Head D. Balasunder and his team, DRDO Southern PRO K. Jayaprakash Rao and HAL security staff.)
A background: It was in 2003 that the blogger along with journalist friends S. Seetalakshmi (now Metro Editor, The Times of India, Bangalore) and B.S. Arun Kumar (now Editor, Bangalore Beat) launched a unique program called i2eye -- with a mission to give the experience of flying to special children. We were all with The Times of India then. i2eye had the support of AVM Lamba and gave individual flights to a dozen children with various health issues. We launched i2eye in 2003, which was the 100th year of Wright Brothers' first flight. The program (i2eye) is not very active now, but all social activities are now under the umbrella Inspired Indian Foundation.
Recently, when Zee Group wanted to fly some special children (visually-impaired), the blogger was contacted to arrange an aircraft. This was for the Zee Kananda channel's Make-a-Wish program. AVM Lamba was ever ready, fighting fit even@75, when we approached him.
There were many extraordinary and emotional scenes in front of CABS hangar inside the old airport, especially when the children started to feel the aircraft parts one after the other, before the flight. The X-Air microlite named Pegasus (a birthday gift to AVM Lamba by his wife) was sitting pretty on the tarmac. DRDO, HAL and Zee Group officials ensured that everything went ahead as planned.
A very special day to remember for a long time to come. Happy B'day AVM Lamba!
(Tarmak007 thanks the special efforts of the following in gifting the priceless flying moments for the children: CABS Director Dr Christopher and his team, HAL Bangalore Complex Head D. Balasunder and his team, DRDO Southern PRO K. Jayaprakash Rao and HAL security staff.)