Mysore Trip - 2008

Just found this old mail and want to save it for future. So this posting

Self, Raji, Sruthi, Sujani and Sandhya went on 13 days tour to South and returned on 31st March 2008.
Highlights of the trip :
** Enjoyed Rajadhani train journey from Delhi to Bangalore (Via Secundrabad -- Met Rama in the station)
** Savithri Athai joined us at Bangalore Station for Mysore.
** Hired Tata Sumo for further journey and started directly from station
** Seen Nimishambal Temple, Tipu Sultan's Summer Palace, Srirangapatnam
** Visited Ranganathittu -- Bird sanctuary near Mysore -- wonderful place and could see many birds during boat ride.
** Visit of Mysore palace, Zoo, Chamundi Hill, Nandi Hill, KRS
** Visited Nanjangudu Temple and shown Car festival, "Ther Vadam" etc
** Reached Wyanad -- shown Coffee plant / Tea plant / Jack fruit / banana/ paddy etc and other common plants that children not seen / not known -- Thumbai, touch-me-not etc etc.
** Had nice time around Wyanad
** On return, at Mathur had "Mathur special Vadai". Good one. Anyone know how to prepare this ?
** On return, Savithri athai came with us upto Bangalore and went to Hosur whereas we other reached Chennai
** Went to Mahabalipuram and visited relatives houses (Sorry KVS athimber -- could not make a visit due to lack of time)
** Spend some time at Beach and children enjoyed building " Manal Gopuram"
** Had rain almost in all places but could manage to see places.
** Ofcourse spend little time for shopping also at T Nagar.

We got a good driver who driven the car nicely and was with full cooperation with us. Thanks Wajeed Ahmed !

Everyone of us enjoyed the trip a lot and full of happy with the unforgettable hospitality shown by everyone during our visit at Mysore / Wyanad / Chennai.

End of Great Binding

Last week, an end came to a great binding in our life. There is an end to about 90 year old relationship with a government department. Yes, I got final settlement of Manni’s pension amount from Department of Post. The relationship started way back in 1920s when our grand father GRS joined the department and it started feeding our family regularly and with that we all grow. Before my grand father got retirement, my father joined the same department and the department continued to keep us comfortable. Before Anna get retirement, I joined the same P&T department but ofcourse it was bifurcated into two separate departments (DoT & DoP) and I became part of DoT. After retirement, Anna used to get pension from DoP and we continue to enjoy the relationship of the department. After Anna’s demise, Manni started getting family pension and after Manni’s demise in last August, the relation came to a final halt as I was paid the final and full settlement of Manni’s final pension amount. I could not able to write my emotions and feeling when I got the cheque from the Post Master.

Thanks a lot to the Department for feeding and bringing us to a well position today by playing a vital role.

During the final settlement phase we faced some procedural difficulty in closing the claim. I think it will be helpful to others to take necessary precaution on small things which is mandatory to such claims.

The Family Pension order contained the name as “R. Mythili”. The pension amount was getting created to a Savings Bank account in Post Office and that account had the name as “R. Mythily”. There was a difference of one character in the name.

Manni gave my name as her nominee about two years back but we were not made it sure entered in the pass book. Later when I went for claim, I was informed that no nomination was available in their records and I have to go through the separate lengthy process of “No nomination case”

In the death certificate of Manni, name was mentioned as “Mythili Ramachandran” and they told all of them were different and claim can not be settled. To solve this, I got a certificate to establish and stating that “R. Mythili / R Mythily / Mythili Ramachandran” are single person only and expired on 2nd Aug 2010.

Then they made physical verification and file went to CPMG’s office for sanction.

Next clarification came from them to give confirmation on death of husband as the final amount is to be paid from the SB account and always first claimant should be husband / wife. I find out Anna’s death certificate and gave it to them and next query came from them. In Anna’s death certificate, name was mentioned as “G. S. Ramachandran” and in Manni’s death certificate, husband’s name was mentioned as “Ramachandran” Again they told both these Ramachandran were different person.

I personally spoke to them and gave it in writing about Anna was receiving pension from post office only and subsequent to it, it was converted into family pension and that pension amount was only going to this SB account. Finally they agreed and paid the amount.

Even though it was a lengthy process, I understand the government’s function and these checks might be in place to protect the genuine claim. The officers involved in this process were cooperative and understand my difficulty and helped a lot to close it to their best and within their limits. Even they called me over phone to update and asked me to come to office for closure of certain thing quickly. The culture in DoP is much much better than any other departments even today.

During this process, I started looking for my accounts and investment & found in most of the cases there is no nomination available. The experience I got in Manni’s pension case made me to start correcting this. It is a must and high priority job to be completed.