The ICA General Assembly continuing during this week has spoilt Dipawali for Indian cooperators who have to tarry in Antalya, Turkey to attend programmes lined up for a four-day conference that began 9th November.
Dipawali is an important Indian festival and cooperators from the NCUI President to those of lesser ranks have no option but to miss it. If the idea of foreign jaunts excites them, the prospects of being absent during the festival make them uneasy, confided a cooperator on condition of anonymity.
Sensing the predicament of Indian cooperators IFFCO Managing Director Dr U S Awasthi wrote to ICA requesting it to keep Indian festival of lights in mind while setting the date of the meeting in the future. A beaming Awasthi informed Indian Cooperative that they have agreed to the idea and promised to adjust dates in future.
Readers would note that the ICA General Assembly last year had also clashed with the Dipawali festival. It was held in Quebec City, Canada when IFFCO Director Aditya Yadav had romped home with a huge margin in the keenly contested election to the Board of International Cooperative Alliance.
This year there is a fight for presidentship of ICA in the wake of resignation by Dame Pauline-an event which cooperators could hardly afford to miss.