The success of the Alicante trip arranged by I for India emboldened us to push the limits even further... and thus was born the B-for-Boat Cruise following the same naming tradition.
The tickets for the boat cruise were sold out in 2 days flat. The expectations became bigger, Cruise boat was booked, only to be cancelled and even bigger boat was booked to accommodate the 220 plus patrons.
Day: 3-May-2015. Sunday. Forecast: Early morning showers. Mildly windy with ominous clouds overhanging.
As the 220+ people gathered around Westminster Pier in London, the team got around welcoming them, checking the tickets and accommodating last minute changes. It was a fantastic time for recognising familiar faces, hugs & laughs, recalling past memories and getting introduced to new people.
The boat “Golden Sunrise” arrived at 5.45 pm. The folks made their way into a floating world of DDLJ (Dine-n-Dance Laughs and Jokes), their escapade for the next 4 hours !
Sathish Duraisamy (Director, I for India) profusely thanked everyone for their really overwhelming support, introduced key members (Sriv Venkatesh, Sridhar Balachandar, Ramki Krishnamoorthy, Karthik Raghavan and Sharath Kumar Sekar) and the Sponsors (Allied Financial Services, BFC Exchange, Dosa & Dosa) for their much appreciated generosity.
... and then all heaven broke loose… Music - Lights - Start Sound !
The whole boat rocked its way to some fantastic Bollywood numbers and Kollywood “dapang-kuthhu”. Exhilarating, only barely begins to describe it when you are lost in the mood and the beats take over your soul. Kids and grown-ups alike (both, indistinguishable then) were on the dance floor, hopelessly lost to the music and the ambience. One couldn’t ask for more.
Even the Brrrrillliant Brrrritish weather played along… not a single drizzle of rain and the sun kept peeping through the clouds ! Earthlings too have their advantages.
No Indian gathering is complete without food… and man, was there tonnes to go around. Not just in quantity but in variety. Dosa & Dosa had done a splendid job that even the fussiest of eaters couldn’t resist tucking in. The flavour and choice of dishes, left everyone wanting for more… and more.. and then some more.
While the boat meandered its way down the Thames into unchartered seas, the foot tapping and gyrating continued with added josh! Some of them stepped into the open areas to fill their lungs with fresh sea air. It was an evening to celebrate.. , it was an evening to remember...
But as all good things must come to an end (Really? Must they?), the evening drew to a close. A vote of thanks by Sriv Venkatesh was followed by active feedback from the guests. The guests Srini Balaji, Rajee Vijay and Rakesh Gupta spoke about their experience. The Team took away some valuable points while also relishing the accolades that came pouring in.
As they all reached the drop off point, the guests all walked away heavy-heartedly, reluctant to leave while some others had to be forcibly pushed out. Everyone wished that the day could have been a few hours longer … just for today, just on 3-May-2015.
The Team were extremely thrilled and humbled by the outcome! The Proof-a-Pudding was the heartfelt appreciation from every single attendee. It was a grand feat that left an even stronger resolve to ensure many more such events are organised..
...after all, “We can only set the scene, You make your own memories !”
The photos of the event are attached below.
One of the patrons Raj Muthu made a small video of the event and asked this be shared with everyone ...
Video Link