Synopsis
The recent landslide in Kerala’s Wayanad region was as much destructive as it was heart-wrenching. Visuals from the Nature’s fury, one more in many all across the country in terms of statistics, however posed very many challenges to rescue-workers from the very word ‘Go’. Aside from the state government’s limited resources, including in terms of human resources, which was often confined to the Fire Service and Police personnel, a national calamity of such a magnitude required Herculean efforts of an unimagined proportions that those initially on the site were unaccustomed to.
Pressed into service without much ado and delays, the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) began rescue work in right earnest, but even accessing the affected areas, including where not long ago stood populated villages, became near-impossible without greater resources – translating as full-fledged peace-time efforts of the armed forces. Pressed into service thus within hours, the Southern Command (Dakshin Bharat Area) of the Indian Army rose to the occasion as this part of the country at least had not witnessed before.
The Madras Sappers construction of a Bailey Bridge is now what Army folklore is now being made of, both in the affected region and outside. And this was only one of the many effortless efforts of the well-trained and equally-equipped army personnel at Ground Zero of what could be loosely termed as ‘Operation Wayanad’. It is something that every Indian should know even more about than what was shown and seen on television news channels and YouTube channels.
5:15 PM Registration & High Tea
6:00 PM Welcome Address
Mr M P Surya Prakas
Honorary Treasurer, MMA &
Executive Director, Pon Pure Chemicals India Pvt Ltd
6.05 PM
Introductory Remarks
Mr N Sathiya Moorthy
Convenor, Policy Matters - Chennai
6.10 PM
Chairman’s Opening Remarks
Mr K Mahalingam
President, Madras Management Association & Partner/Director, TSM Group of Companies
6 15 PM
Address by the Speaker
Lt Gen K S Brar, AVSM
General Officer Commanding
Dakshin Bharat Area
7.00 PM
Q&A Session
Vote of Thanks 7:25 PM
Gp Capt R Vijayakumar (Retd), VSM
Executive Director
Madras Management Association
7:30 PM
End of the Programme
Lt Gen K S Brar, AVSM
General Officer Commanding
Dakshin Bharat Area
Lt Gen K S Brar, took over as General Officer Commanding (GOC) of Dakshin Bharat Area, Chennai on 15 April 2023.
The General Officer KS Brar has an enviable career spanning close to four decades, across varied operational areas and sectors to include North East, Jammu & Kashmir, deserts and plains. His command appointments include Command of a Brigade in Jammu & Kashmir in Counter Insurgency Operations, a Sector in the UN Mission in South Sudan and an Infantry Division in the Western Sector. Before assuming Command as GOC-Dakshin Bharat Area, the General Officer was the Director General-Armoured Corps and he was driving the Light Tank, Swarm Drone and other niche technology projects for the Army
The General Officer has excelled in all courses, has two M. Phil degrees to his credit and is an IT savvy. He has the distinction of being part of the team which took the first tank to Ladakh Sector way back in 1987 and has also led a delegation to Bangladesh to conduct a Joint IndoBangladesh Seminar on UN Peacekeeping. The General Officer was conferred with AVSM, awarded twice each with COAS and GOC-in-C Eastern Command Commendation Cards.
The GOC on assuming command of Dakshin Bharat Area pledges to keep up the rich traditions of the Armed Forces and to effectively lead Dakshin Bharat Area and ensure operational readiness, judicious administration and welfare of veteran community.
Mr K Mahalingam
President MMA & Partner/Director, TSM Group of Companies
Education
1984 - Graduated from NIT Trichy in Chemical.
Engineering -Distinguished Alumni 2016.
1987 - Completed PGDM from IIM Calcutta
Key Achievements
Exceptional leader, transformation specialist, and impactful investor with over 35 years of experience
Driving force behind T S Mahalingam & Sons, turning it into one of South India's well respected automobile after-market brands.
Diversified TSM’s interests into financial services, real estate, and angel investing.
Transformer
Transformed TS Mahalingam & Sons into a prominent brand, retailing 5000 cars annually in South India.
Accelerated TSM’s growth from a single-business, single-location operations into a multi-business, multi-location organisation
Pioneer
Pioneered the distribution of third-party loan products in partnership with Citi bank, revolutionizing financial services
Co-developed brands like Autoline, Propshop, and Shelters along with Citi bank. Entered the real estate space in 2003, is today a prominent player in residential, commercial, and leisure properties with 100+ projects delivered.
Impactor
President of the REC alumni (RECAL), leading impactful projects and massive fundraising in collaboration with NIT.
President of the IIM Calcutta Alumni Chennai, enhancing the IIM Calcutta brand. Launching unique initiatives focused on imparting practical knowledge to management students in TN & beyond.
President of the Madras Management Association (MMA), India’s top management association. Member of the Chennai Angels' Executive Committee, guiding operations and ensuring compliance & corporate governance
Investor
Active angel investor, mentoring budding entrepreneurs and fostering entrepreneurship by growing the ecosystem
Recognized as a go-to person for aspiring entrepreneurs seeking guidance, support & funding.
Mr M P Surya Prakas
Honorary Treasurer, MMA & Executive Director, Pon Pure Chemicals India Pvt Ltd
M.P.Suryaprakas, is a Second Generation Entrepreneur, an Alumni of BITS Pilani and Executive Director who transformed Pon Pure Chemicals Group, one of the largest chemical manufacturing and distribution firm in India to a Global company by focusing on manufacturing and marketing speciality chemicals driven by innovation, research and product development as its core competencies. Adding to his portfolio, vooki, a leading eco-friendly brand in D2C home hygiene category in India is making the record growth rate in e-commerce and retail channels. With an annual turnover of 4000 crores, it is remarkable that with more than 1000+ employees, the company ranks top on Great Places To Work survey every year.
Mr N Sathiya Moorthy
Convenor, Policy Matters - Chennai
N Sathiya Moorthy is a policy analyst & political commentator, specialising in the study of India’s southern neighbours, namely, Maldives and Sri Lanka, and also on Indian politics and political systems, with particular reference to native Tamil Nadu. He has written extensively on these subjects, both as books and newspaper columns and commissioned articles.
Sathiya Moorthy is associated with major newspapers and TV channels, both in India and Sri Lanka and also headed the Chennai Initiative of the Observer Research Foundation since inception in 2001.
A veteran journalist and author, he is the convenor of ‘Policy Matters-Chennai’.
