Hyderabad,
1^st January 2020: Safilguda
Buddies, is a group of childhood friends hailing from families which built
their homes in the early 70-80s, in the than remote Safilguda. They were bosom
buddies as they grew up together, hanging around in the lanes and by lanes of
the dusty and lazy colonies of Safilguda, more than four decades ago. But due
to professional commitments, settled down in different parts of India and
abroad and the friendships were relegated with time. It was a chance meeting of
some of them around six years ago, which revived their nostalgic childhood
memories and the long forgotten friendships. Slowly but steadily the group has
grown into a 70 odd friends, with more adding every other day, as they
re-establish the contacts. A Sourya Chakra Awardee Capt. Sai Kumar; Mr
Narayana Prasad, a IT professional settled for over two decades in USA; Mr Varadarajan, a IT professional
settled in Australia and Mr Pramod
Iyengar, Entrepreneur, shared the details, today at Taj Mahal Hotel, Malkajgiri.

Safilguda
Buddies, as they grow older, with most in their 50s and
60s, saw the need to be in touch and formed a formal group in 2014. The group
made a humble beginning with 13 members on 3^rd, September, 2014 and
are now 71. They formed a Whatsapp group to bring in more proximity. The group,
which is a mini- India, has members from all castes, religions and regions.
They along with their families have strengthened the bonding further and are
more like an extended families.

Several of them continue to live in the colonies
and meet frequently to celebrate every festival and happy tidings, at each
other’s homes, they are always a phone call away in moments of despair too.
There are around 38 friends who for professional reasons settled across India
and abroad in countries like USA, Canada, Australia, Muscat and Dubai. The
group hosts a Biennial Reunion for all of them to meet and rekindle their
friendships and past memories.

A
couple of friends met accidentally after decades. It brought immense happiness
and that sowed the seeds to form a group and bring back those who had left in
pursuit of career, far and wide, on a single platform. It met with huge success
and we all relive our days of yore, says Mr Pramod Iyengar. As kids we together used to watch movies in the defence grounds in
the neighbourhood by spending 10 to 15 paisa. We intend to get more of our
friends settled elsewhere into this group and make Safilguda Buddies a 150
members strong group. Today   

Mr
Narayana Prasad said, though
I live in New Jersey my heart is always here at Safilguda, always hungry to
know what is happening in Safilguda. My buddies from Safilguda Buddies group, bridged
this gap, make me feel homely with their constant posting of pictures, videos
and information on the happenings here, any post in this group is a priority
for me over every other and my bonding with all my childhood friends is as
strong as it was earlier though I am several thousand miles away, all because
of this group.

Capt.
Sai Kumar said, because
of the Safilguda Buddies group, we meet every other day for some or other
occasion here, today too we are all here to join in the 25^th Wedding
anniversary celebrations of our friend from USA, Mr Narayana Prasad. We also take
up community initiatives like Swatch Bharat to keep our surrounding clean,
always there to help one another for any personal and community related issues
affecting us. We as kids used to play cricket and other games in these lanes
and by lanes, even today we continue that tradition and join in playing games
along with families.We all joined hands recently to get the Safilguda gate reopened,
which caused enormous distress for all of us. 

The Group is proactively involved in bettering the civic amenities in the colonies and in addressing the plaguing problems faced by the residents. Frequent meetings of Colony Residents with Government Officials and Political leaders are organised to reach out the grievances of the community and to resolve the common public issues, amicably.

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