Bangalore: For most people, bird watching has only one meaning: Ogling pretty young things. But for 30-odd members of the Aviation Photographers of India (API), bird watching or plane-spotting is checking out bodies which are shapely, no doubt, but are huge, complete with wings and roaring engines.
This group’s sole attraction is planes and religiously on weekends, they head out to Bengaluru International Airport, early morning, to catch the mighty birds land and take off.
The group had modest beginnings with four members in 2008, with Devesh Agarwal, chairman of the Infrastructure Committee, Bangalore Chamber of Industry and Commerce, and an aviation enthusiast, as one of the founding fathers. “Devesh is the one who approached the BIAL authorities. And thanks to their supportive nature, Bangalore is the first city to have a designated plane-spotting platform,” said Siddarth Bhandary, a senior specialist with Nokia Siemens System and a member of the group.
passion for planes
One question that defies logic is what exactly drives these people to get up at unearthly hours and drive about 55-plus kilometres to reach the airport and then stand under the sun to look at planes. “Passion for planes”, pat comes the reply from Nimish Gupta, working with McAfee, another founder.
Said Bhandary, “I am both crazy about planes and photography and what better way to practise?” On the other hand, the most dedicated plane-spotter according to other spotters is Avinash BL who is a student pilot. “If given a chance, he will sit here with a tent and watch planes,” said Agarwal.
10/05/10 Gayatri Nair/Bangalore Mirror
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