Dear All,

After yet another successful and extremely enjoyable Bunts Association UK meeting, I’d like to take this opportunity, in my last year in the capacity of Secretary, to thank you all for attending and extend my thanks to the outgoing Committee Members.

We had fantastic feedback about the weekend as a whole, now all that is left to do is recognise the great job Dr. Melanta did as President over the last 3 years with the help of his wife Geetha Melanta. The organisation and publishing of the new Bunts Directory was facilitated by both of them.

For the upcoming 3 years (2009 – 2011), the new and very capable Committee Members were elected at this year’s AGM. They are as follows:

President: Ramesh Shetty – 28 Kynaston Wood,  Harrow, Middlesex, HA3 6UA

Secretary: Mrs. Sabeena Shetty – 13 Goodwood Close, Waterlooville, Hampshire, PO8 8BG 

Joint Secretaries: Mrs. Solme Shetty & Mrs. Hita Shetty

Committee Members: Mrs. Ritha Shetty, Mrs. Sujath Bail, Dr. Thimmappa Shetty, Dr.Viswajith Hegde, Mrs. Sumalini Prakash & Mrs. Asha Ballal.

May we congratulate and wish them all the best for their term.

Roshan Adappa has done an exceptional job at comparing at our meetings for the last 3 years. I hope he enjoyed doing it as much as we enjoyed listening to him.

Solme Shetty has been second to none at co-ordinating our entertainment schedule for the last 3 years and thankfully, she has agreed to stay on as joint secretary for the next term, so we have more of that to look forward to.

Nitin Hegde has been maintaining our website to a very high level and has made the overall website more secure for us to log on and keep up to date with the information he posts.

I’d like to extend a huge thanks to all of the other Committee Members who have helped organise the last 3 meetings, I couldn’t have done it without them.

Last but not least, I would like to extend thanks to my family for all of their support throughout my time as secretary, my husband Dr. Dinkar Hegde, my son Deeraj Hegde and my daughter Vandana Hegde.

Yours sincerely,

Vanamala Hegde

Former Secretary

Please note the below corrections to the recent printed Directory

1. On page 29: the photo is: Rai Santosh (R) & Lavanya (Mrs) but wongly printed as Gonsalvis Ravindra & Bhagyshree 

On page 96: Santosh & Lavanya Rai
11 Laburnum Court
Collapit Close
Harrow
HA1 4YD

2. On page 122: Mr Pathvinath Shetty's address: 954 London road and not 985.

Venue: Hilton Coventry, Paradise Way, Walsgrave Triangle, Coventry. Warwickshire.CV2 2ST
Date: Friday 19^th - Sunday 21^st September 2008
Parking: Throughout the weekend will be complimentary.

This year, the 19^th annual get together will be held at the Hilton Hotel in Coventry.

HILTON PACKAGE:

The package (for both nights) is priced at £110.00 per person (2 people sharing) twin or double room.

This includes: Accommodation on Friday and Saturday nights, Breakfast on Saturday and Sunday, Tea/coffee or soft drinks before the meeting on Saturday, Reception drink (non-alcoholic) and 3 course Buffet on Saturday night.

On Friday night, Dr. Melanta to organise.

If spare beds for children under the age of 12 are required, the hotel has a limited supply, the extra person would only be charged for breakfast.

Interconnecting rooms or a room next door will be charged at half price with 2 children under the age of 16 (over 16's are considered adult) in the room.

Single occupancy rooms will be charged at £85.00 per night plus £25.00 for the 3 course buffet.

For those who are unable to attend both nights, the charges will be as follows:

Saturday night will be charged at £140.00 per night, per room (2 people sharing) twin or double.

This includes: Accommodation, a pre dinner drink (non alcoholic), 3 course buffet and a full English breakfast on Sunday.

RESERVATIONS:

Booking telephone number: 02476 603000 - Please ask for ‘in-house reservations'

Booking Reference: GROUP BOOKING code, ‘GBUNB'

When booking, please give FULL NAME and address, in order to avoid multiple instances of the same surname. When booking, a reference number will be given and credit card details must be left as a guarantee.

Phone between: Monday - Friday (08.30 - 18.00).  ** Book early to avoid disappointment **

It is with great sadness we inform all our members about the demise of Mrs.Shashikala Adyanthaya, wife of Dr. Mohan Adyanthaya, on 25th April 2008 in Glasgow after a brief illness.

Mrs.Shashikala Adyanthaya, popularly known as ‘’Chechakka’’ to almost everyone, had been an inspiration to our Bunt community in the UK and North America. Her quiet sense of humour, sustained and wonderful hospitality, humble nature and the charming smile had been her great strength to be a perfect role model for all of us. She was a remarkable lady and it was a great privilege for many of us to know her. She will be sadly missed by all of us.

Our thoughts go to her loving husband Dr. Mohan Adyanthaya, daughter Shammi, son-in-law Hardeep, two grand children and all members of her family at this immensely sad time.

The funeral arrangements has been finalised and will be held on Saturday, the 3rd May, details of which are here below.

1. From 8.30am to 10.30am- To assemble and Pay our last respects at Thomas Curt Hall. Boness Road.Grangemouth.FK3 8AF.
 
2. From 11.00 am to 12 noon-Cremation Ceremony at Falkirk Crematorium.Dorrator Road.Camelon.Falkirk.FA2 7YJ.

3. From 12.30 pm Meeting and Refreshment will be held at Dr.Dinkar and Vanamala Hegde’s Residence at Avonshore.Abbots Inch Road.Grangemouth.FK3 9UX.

Hello everyone,

We would like to start by extending our gratitude to everyone who attended the Bunts Sangha and made once again a thoroughly enjoyable occasion.

Dr Roshan Adappa MC conducted the meeting professionally.

This year the programme started with a dinner and dance on Friday night in Coventry . Around 30 members attended and a bus had been organised to take everyone to the venue. Good food was accompanied by Bollywood karaoke with most of our members giving their own version of the classics. This was followed by dance session.

On Saturday the programmes started at 3.30 pm with a prayer by the young Kavya Verma. The General body meeting started with the Presidents address and report by the Secretary. There were votes taken on proposals by members. Resolutions passed were

1. Term of President and Secretary to be for 3 years (constitution to be changed)

2. Format of the entertainment programme to remain as before with no changes.

Nominations were requested for President and Secretary to take over as of next year. The nominations are to be sent to the President or Secretary before the next meeting.

The general body meeting was followed by our cultural programme

The entertainment section began with a prayer dance by Mrs Suchita Shetty. This was followed by an excellent Sitar recital by Mrs Malini Baikady. There was a skit -reverse swayamvara- produced and directed  by Mrs Prabha shetty and performed by the Midlands group. Comedy sequence Mr Prakash Shetty and group and directed by Mrs. Veena Shetty visiting from Madras. The audiences were entertained by folk dances from different parts of India by Mrs Chandra Shetty and group.  Sanjay Shetty gave a fantastic Kathak performance. There were also excellent dance performances by Santhosh, Rajesh, Santhosh and Lavanya, Arun and Saritha and a mixed Bollywood dance by Prathvi. Leena and her group amazed us with, ‘Salaam - e - Ishq' dance.  The, ‘Vote of Thanks', was given by Mrs. Asha Shetty. Thank to Mrs. Solme Shetty for co-ordinating entertainment programme.

Following an excellent dinner, the DJ had the dance floor grooving with some of our excellent dancers both young and the not so young until a reluctant closing time of 01:00. Many members then flocked to the bar area to take part in an Antakshari session and keeping the barmen busy.

Sunday morning was about last minute socialising and nursing hangovers. A Committee meeting brought an end to our Annual Get Together in which accounts were gone through. Discussion was held regarding what went well throughout the weekend and how things could be further improved. Our thanks go to all the members for making it another great meeting.

We are still awaiting photos from the photographer. Portrait copies of photos please contact the photographer directly. Details will be posted on website soon. Next year's event is from the 19^th - 22^nd of September 2008 at the same place and venue. Please make a note of the dates. Have a fantastic Christmas & New Year.

Yours faithfully,

Dr Melanta (President)

&

Mrs. Vanamala Hegde (Secretary)

P.S: Thanks to all who helped me over the weekend.