Namaskar, I Col. P. Ganesan born in a village called Sannanallur, located at Thiruvarur district in Tamilnadu and studied in Board High School at Nannilam.
Then I studied at Annamalai Polytechnic in Chettinad. After completing my studies, I joined in PWD as an engineer in 1961. After the end of the 1962 War with China, I joined in Indian Army as Lieutenant in the year 1963.
Indian Army had long back set up Dakshin Gangothri a research lab in Antarctic at South Pole Region. There are Fifty Two countries doing research like us. I was selected from Indian Army to head a group of thirteen defence personnel in 1987 and we returned to India after serving 480 days over there. The group was named as Indias Fifth Winter Group. That was an important experience in my life.
South Pole is terrifically filled with ice and an extreme cold continent in the world. It is a wonderful world of its own. Every day we saw a surprise during our service over there. The maximum thickness of ice extending down is approximately 5000 meters below. We could see the soil beyond this depth only. We could never see milk, curd, and vegetable in our daily food during this period of 480days. Even in this situation also we happily served our duties there adhering to army's disciplines in full length.
In Army, we have to be always young, active and brisk. I used to run 20kms daily, at times even my Jawans would not run this distance. I worked hard continuously.
Once I tested my physical stamina to its maximum capacity by running 20km at a stretch, subsequently playing basketball for about 1.5 hours and then swimming 5 km all in the same day. I practiced all these three activities together in a day continuously for five more months. Because of this intense training, I was able to get awards from Indian Army as the best sports person in Swimming, Basketball and Running.
Thousands of Soldiers are getting trained at Army's MEG Training Centre at Bangalore. In this Training Centre I served as a Training Officer for three years.
When I got an opportunity to head the research group for South Pole, I went to my native village Sannanallur and took some soil from there and sprinkled it at South Pole. Similarly, when I left the South Pole, I was thinking of bringing something from there. Finally I decided and brought five stones each weighing one ton which was frozen some 500 million years back.
I have kept the five stones in different places of Tamil Nadu and created an Inspirational Park around it. On seeing the stone if a person realizes that if it can be brought from South Pole crossing many oceans like South Pacific, South Atlantic, Indian and Arabic Oceans travelling some 15000 kms in last century itself beyond a remote village in Tamil Nadu, then it will leave a message of the person that on aspiring anything strongly, man can achieve any toughest goals and targets as thoughts can only determine a person's life.
I had kept one stone in MEG Training Centre at Bangalore. On seeing this stone the soldiers who join Army, will be proud of Indian Army. Hence I kept it there.
I had kept the second stone in the Ten Acre area in Peralam at Thiruvarur district where Vedhathri Maharishi's ashram located.
I had kept the third stone in my native place Sannanallur village.
I had kept the other two stones in my residence at Anna Nagar.
Indian Army is a wonderful Organization. It is better if people join the army only after understanding it completely. After joining, few persons ran away from the Army as they were unable to withstand the challenges faced there. Those who are proud of their job and want to serve the nation will happily carry out their duties. To bring clarity on this part, I have written a book called "Army Calls" (Tamil-Ranuvam Azhaikiradhu)
I am personally aspiring that every Indian youngster must serve our Army at least for a period of three years. If we achieve this wish, then we can bring a great change in our nation.
Within a year of my service into Army we had faced a war in 1965. We had to go well with in the Pakistan west territory during the war till Sialkot and attacked them. That was a wonderful experience.
The Second War was in Dakka in the year 1971. We fight against both east and west Pakistans and won the war. During that war only East Pakistan became liberated as Bangladesh. Any war brings either victory or defeat to a side. But fortunately I was always along the victory side of the two wars which I participated.
In today's society, it looks like people are largely greedy with self-centered mind. So the mindset has to be changed at broad level. If this is not possible at this level, any political laws or leaders cannot bring a change to our nation. Individual people have to be changed. Patriotic education has to be taught in our schools. Then only any transformation can happen meaningfully.
Ask any Educational Institution about the goals of learning/educating a person; they will say that educating is to eradicate the ignorance of mankind. In reality Man possesses great powers by nature. But he is covered with ignorance. On removing the cover of ignorance, he realizes that he is a yogi.
So to remove the ignorance of people I will work towards it to remove the same to the maximum extent.
Apart from this, the Inspirational Park built in my land at the native place is somewhat different. I wanted to bring a huge awareness in the village.
I plan to start a Polytechnic in the name of my parents "Pavadai Deivanai". I want to give Scholarships to at least 4-5 poor students on yearly basis and thereby improve their life standards to higher levels. This Training goal is that our rural people shall get a name and fame in the global level. If same wave length of peoples joins the hands in this task, it can be started soon.
India is a great country. It was guiding other nations even before few hundreds of years. Hiuen Tsang travelled for so many months from China to touch and worship the Indian soil. People across the world studied in Nalanda University in India. If young Indians realize the olden glories of India, and start working hard to regain the reputation of it, definitely India will progress in the world center.
Secondly man's ability is beyond measurements. Those who strive hard will only succeed. Inferiority complexes are to be eliminated from mind. Each one has a unique skill which they must realize it to explore to their benefit. There cannot be external hindrances exist to human's activities. All these exist in our thoughts only. If we keep our mind strong and assured while carrying out our duty, no can stop our progress to victory. My best wishes to all readers during this Independence Day.
