EXTRACT OF SPEECH BY COL OF THE REGT ON THE OCCASION OF THE LAUNCH OF THE REGIMENTAL OFFRS ASSOCN WEBSITE.

WE CELEBRATED THE BICENTENARY OF THE CENTER LAST YEAR, AND IT IS WITH IMMENSE PRIDE I CAN SAY, THAT, AS A REGT WE HAVE INDEED COME A LONG WAY.

IN KEEPING WITH THE MODERN TIMES, WHEN DISTANCES ARE GETTING SMALLER AND THE INTERACTIONS TOO FREQUENT, I FELT THE NEED TO IMPROVE OUR DIMENSION OF COMN BOTH WITHIN, AND OUTSIDE THE REGT IN A MUCH SIMPLER WAY, RATHER THAN RESORTING TO THE CURRENT PRAC OF POSTING NEWS LETTERS SO THAT OUR ASSOCN MEMBERS ARE ABLE TO KEEP A TRACK OF THE ACTIVITIES OF THE REGT.

WITH THE PC PENETRATION HAVING INCREASED MANIFOLD, ALMOST IN ALL THE HOMES IN THE COUNTRY AND ABROAD, IT STRUCK ME THAT IT WOULD BE EASIER TO COMMUNICATE WITH THE MEMBERS AND OTHER OFFRS OF THE REGT THROUGH THIS ELECTRONIC MEDIA.

THE SOLUTION WAS TO HAVE A WEB SITE WHICH WOULD HIGHLIGHT THE HISTORICAL ASPECTS OF THE REGT, THE CURRENT ACTIVITIES UNDERTAKEN, AND A METHOD WHICH WOULD PROVIDE A COMMON PLATFORM FOR INTERACTION AMONGST US ALL.

ACCORDINGLY, I RECIEVED VOLUNTEERS TO UNDERTAKE THIS TASK OF DESIGNING A WEB SITE FOR THE REGIMENTAL ASSOCN. STARTING FEB THIS YEAR, THIS TEAM OF PROGRAMMERS AND ANIMATION GRAPHIC EXPERTS HAVE COME UP WITH A SITE THAT IS RATHER QUITE UNIQUE, INNOVATIVE AND IMAGINATIVE IN IT’S CONTENT AND FORM. THE AIM OF THIS SITE IS: -

(A) TO HIGHLIGHT THE PROUD AND RICH HISTORY OF THE   REGIMENT

(B)  CONVEY A TRUE PICTURE TO THE WORLD TO COUNTER   MALICIOUS PROPAGANDA

(C) INSPIRE YOUNG MEN WHO MIGHT BE INTERESTED IN   BEING A PART OF THE REGIMENT

(D) TO REMAIN CONNECTED WITH THE SERVING/RETD MARATHA OFFRS AND MEN, LIVING IN INDIA AND ABROAD, AS WELL AS WITH OTHERS ASSOCIATED WITH THE REGIMENT.

I MUST ALSO ADD THAT THE SITE HAS BEEN DONE TOTALLY FREE OF COST AS A SERVICE THE REGT. TO THAT EXTENT, I MUST THANK THIS TEAM OF PROFESSIONALS, WHO OUT OF SHEER LOVE FOR THEIR COUNTRY AND A RESPECT FOR THE INDIAN ARMED FORCES, HAVE SPENT A LOT OF THEIR OWN TIME AND ENERGY, IN MAKING THIS SITE A REALITY.

I CAN WELL IMAGINE THE AMOUNT OF CO-ORDINATION CARRIED OUT AMONGST YOU, THE EFFORTS UNDERTAKEN TO ACQUIRE THE DATA FROM THE CENTER AND THE TIME SPENT ON YOUR MACHINES TO INTEGRATE THE SAME IN A PRESENTABLE MANNER. I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A SPECIAL MENTION OF DR. SHIVSHANKAR SASTRY AND MR. SACHIN P. KESHAVAN, WHO HAVE GONE OUT OF THEIR WAY TO MAKE THE SITE TO WHAT IT IS TODAY. ON BEHALF OF THE MARATHA REGT, I THANK YOU GENTLEMEN FOR ALL YOUR EFFORTS, WE AS A REGT SHALL REMAIN OBLIGED TO YOU ALL.