Re: Register separately for Founder's - Email from Palani

Date: Mon Apr 21, 2008 11:36 pm
From: A.Palaniappan - palaniappan at karpagambal dot com
Subject: Re: Register separately for Founder's

Hi Deepak Johar,

Verifying OLs:

The need to validate membership is a pressing requirement from many OLs. We want to be very certain that no non-OL registers on the website and gains access to the details of the others. We have followed a strict policy of verifying member’s email ids through Batch Reps, in the initial days, almost unknown to the members. Wherever we were doubtful -- where the registered email id did not match with the list given by batch reps -- we marked copies of our emails to both ids. We hoped that when an OL who hadn’t registered sees an email mentioning his registration, would raise it with us or his Batch Rep.

Deepak, we can’t issue your pass only based on the photo you had uploaded. Simple, imagine this: what if, someone logs in as Deepak Johar and uploads a photo of himself and turns up at the Founder’s registration desk? The photo will match him for sure. Should we issue the pass and membership card(with his photo) to him? We need some other proof, that you are who you say you are.

Security at School:

The photo id is also a requirement from School. The School has issued photo id cards along with their invitations to Parents and others and have mentioned it as part of the rules printed on the invites. On OLA President,Bala’s insistence, the School allowed us to register guests of OLs and waived the requirement of photo ids for Guests.

The OLA clearly isn’t aware of and doesn’t have the powers to debate security arrangements being made for someone in Z-Category. We are communicating this so that you are not inconvenienced or, worse, stopped at the gate since you don’t have a photo id.

Baring very few (count them on my hands) who have raised some issues on this, everyone else has been very cooperative. After all, we don’t ask questions (about security, policy, procedure etc.) when we are asked for a photo id at airports and on trains? You can show us any form of photo id –passports, PAN cards, driver’s license, photo credit / debit cards, even Club membership cards – just about any card from a reputed / known organization that has your photo and name on it!

Some of our senior OLs, amongst others, were more comfortable in sending us their photos by courier. Jawahar (OLA VP) has very patiently scanned and uploaded each photo individually. We are doing the best we can, what more can you expect from us?

I am sure all OLs will help us make this easier for all the others.

Thanks,

A Palaniappan
Secretary, OLA
Cell: +91-98412-87747