Beyond the Sights of Malaysia: A Note of Appreciation for Leadership and Fellowship

 

 Many of my fellow travelers have already expressed their gratitude quite elegantly through reels and social media, capturing the vibrant spirit of our Malaysia tour. However, my own comfort lies in the written word, and I felt that a simple 'thank you' would not be sufficient. While I certainly wish to thank our President, Mr. Peeyus Kottam, the KHCAA team, and Mr. Sagar of the Aditya World Tour team, a mere list of names cannot fully communicate the lasting impressions I have carried with me since our return. After four days of reflection, I would like to share what truly made this journey so significant.

In recent years, my wife Sheeba and I have begun traveling more frequently, venturing to the UK, the Schengen area, and the Middle East. However, our previous attempt to visit Singapore and Malaysia remained a 'malfunctioned' memory. Due to a sudden family emergency, we were forced to make a distress return, leaving Penang, Kuala Lumpur, and the Genting Highlands unvisited. This unfinished chapter was a significant reason for us joining this group tour. We saw it as an opportunity to finally see the sights we had missed, turning a past disappointment into a shared celebration.

Beyond the desire to see the sights we had once missed, there was a far more significant reason for joining this tour: our President, Peeyus Kottam. I first began to truly understand his character during his election to the KHCAA and the events that followed. Recently, a member of our Association remarked that he is one of the 'best peacetime presidents' we have ever had—a comment that speaks volumes and requires very little elaboration.

During our journey, as I had the opportunity to interact with him more closely, my admiration grew. I realized that Peeyus seems to possess a dictionary that lacks the definitions for 'no' or 'not possible.' The decision to organize an international tour was, in itself, a revolutionary idea; while others might have contemplated such a feat, he was the one with the courage to put it into practice.

What I find most remarkable is his approach to leadership. Rather than worrying about a predetermined result or imposing his own will, he invites the group into the discussion. By presenting challenges to his team and the members rather than simply saying 'no,' he empowers everyone to find the way forward together. This is the hallmark of a leader who doesn't just manage an organization, but inspires it.

The success of this visionary planning was best seen in the small, unplanned moments of the trip itself. A curious turn of events occurred at the Kuala Lumpur airport when our group was divided into two. Without knowing what our choice would entail, the 'swift' travelers moved toward Bus Number 1, while the more relaxed—or perhaps 'lazy'—lot of us boarded Bus Number 2. As it turned out, those numbers made a world of difference.

Bus Number 1 was led by a strict disciplinarian; a lady guide truly concerned with the order and well-being of her passengers. Meanwhile, we in Bus Number 2 were fortunate to have our great ‘Sukuettan’. He was a guide who truly 'went with the flow,' turning our transit into an experience that was as much about the enjoyment of the journey as the destination itself. I am certain many would have made different choices had they known the temperaments of the guides beforehand, for us in Bus Number 2, the experience was something truly special—a blend of laughter and ease that is difficult to put into words, but impossible to forget.

Then there was Sagar, the Managing Director of Aditya World Tours, who often appeared to be the 'punching bag' of the expedition—absorbing blows from every direction. We must remember that this was our first international tour, a group of eighty members, and perhaps most dauntingly, a group comprised almost entirely of lawyers. I found myself wondering what the experience must have been like for him. From complaints about an arrogant guide to the inevitable critiques of the repetitive Indian menu, every grievance seemed to fall squarely on his shoulders.

Yet, Sagar stood his ground with a graceful smile. Listening to his closing remarks, I realized that he wasn't just enduring the trip; he was navigating it with a sense of deep satisfaction. He looked like a man who knew he had just crossed a significant milestone. Indeed, managing such a diverse and vocal group was no small hurdle, and he cleared it with remarkable poise.

Our journey began just as the Congress 'High Command' was searching for a new leader, and we returned to the news of Mr. V.D. Satheesan’s nomination. To borrow from the social media buzz of the time: if Satheesan was the 'natural choice' and Ramesh Chennithala the 'mura cherukkan' (the customary claimant), then KC Venugopal represented the choice of the 'family'—perhaps an arranged marriage of sorts. While I am not a member of that political dispensation, I find myself wishing Mr. Satheesan success for a very specific reason: he is a leader who believes in the potential of those standing before him.

This parallel struck me as Sagar gave his closing remarks. While our President, Peeyus, was the visionary with the 'no-free' dictionary, he did not act alone. A revolutionary task involving eighty lawyers requires a team where every member's potential is recognized and utilized. Just as a leader relies on the strength of his colleagues, Peeyus’s success was bolstered by an Executive Committee whose members worked tirelessly behind the scenes. I will not name them individually, but their contributions were as remarkable and essential as the leadership that inspired this journey.

As I look back on these four days, I realize this was more than just a journey to KL or the Genting Highlands; it was a testament to what can be achieved when vision meets resilience. From the 'revolutionary' courage of our President and his dictionary without a 'no,' to the silent strength of the Executive Committee and the tireless patience of Sagar, every element worked in harmony. Whether we were finding laughter in the easy flow of Bus Number 2 or reflecting on the broader parallels of leadership in our political landscape, the experience was a profound success. For Sheeba and me, it was the perfect completion of an unfinished chapter. My thanks go to the entire team for turning a bold idea into a living memory—one that we will all carry with us long after the 'program congestion' has cleared.