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 3rd, 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 25th 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.