Saturday, December 24, 2011

PANCHAAMRITAM 226

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Vishwa Samvad Kendra, Chennai

PANCHAAMRITAM 226

Pancha is five in Samskritam, Amritam is nectar

Amavaasya / Kali Yugaabda 5113 / Kara Margazhi 8 (December 24, 2011)

 

ONE

People in the neighbourhood call him Kumar. He wanders about the roads, sleeps in street corners and lives on food offered by kind-hearted passers-by. On a hot Tuesday afternoon, as he lies by a gutter off Mettupalayam Road, something unusual happens. A group of men with combs and hair-styling shears arrives in a car. Before he realises it, they sit Kumar down and give him a haircut, his first in many years. He sits still as they crop his hair and trim his beard. The men dress him in a new shirt and offer him food and water. Kumar walks away, sack slung over his shoulder. He merges with the market crowd — this time, he fits in.This is what N. Deivaraj and his team wish for — that the homeless and mentally-challenged get to live dignified lives. A hair-stylist based in Tirupur, Deivaraj runs the `New Deiva City Hair Arts Trust' with his friends and relatives. The trust has been providing free hair cuts for the mentally-challenged, differently-abled and under-privileged for four years now. Deivaraj and his 13-member team seek out such people, groom them and offer them a meal. Once in three months, they travel to places outside Tirupur. The team goes around in a rented vehicle from 6 a.m. to 5 p.m., helping as many as they can. Once a week, they do free hair-cuts for children in orphanages in and around Tirupur. "Together, we've been to places such as Dindigul, Trichy, Erode, Namakkal and Karur," says Deivaraj. Deivaraj can be contacted on 94423-72611. Based on a report by Smt Akila Kannadasan in THE HINDU, December 14, 2011.

   TWO

Samaskrutotsavam 2011 was celebrated in Dundas Community Centre on November 12, 2011 by the 5 year old Sydney Sanskrit School, the first Community Language Sanskrit School in Australia and the Southern Hemisphere. Shri Cha Mu Krishna Shastry, the founder of Samaskritha Bharati the movement that saw the revival of spoken Samskrit, was invited as the guest of honour. Other distinguished invitees were His Excellency Consul General, Mr P D Fernando, Consulate General from The Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka, Ms Kesanee Palanuwongse, Deputy Consul-General, Royal Thai Government, Minister for Citizenship and Communities Victor Dominello represented by Mr Andrew Rohan, MP, Member for Smithfield, Mr Paul Lynch, MP, Member for Liverpool and Shadow Attorney General, Mr Alex Di Prinzio, The NSW Community Languages Schools Program Education Officer , Mr Vijay Singhal, Hindu Council of Australia, Mr Samba Murthy, renowned Vedantic scholar. The dignitaries applauded the unifying effect of Samskrit in the global scenario. From a report by Shri Karthik Subramanian and Smt. Priyamvada Sreenath in INDIAN HERALD, December 19, 2011.

  THREE

In his brief tenure of ten months as SP (city) and SP (traffic), Shivdeep Waman Lande made a huge fan following. The Yuvak Sangathan Lande founded in his home district Akola after joining the Indian Revenue Service in 2004, has a membership of 70,000-odd villagers devoted to the cause espoused by him. Lande donates 60% to 70% of his pay to the Sangathan which organizes mass marriages of poor girls and runs coaching classes and a hostel for students in Akola to "aid them realize their dreams". The "worse-off among them with a spark" are adopted by the Sangathan which fully finances them till they land a job. Few in Bihar know about the social activist that Lande is. This engineering grad who quit IRS to join IPS in 2006, is known more for his proactive policing. His crackdown on spurious drugs, cosmetics and edible items; his 24X7 availability on phone  and his strictness in dealing with the high and mighty violating traffic rules saw him rise and shine in the eyes of not only the youngsters but also their guardians. Ask the Maharashtrian the difference between policing in Bihar and Maharashtra, and pat came the reply: job satisfaction. "You know why? Political interference in Bihar is negligible." Lande enjoys a clean image. But marriage is nowhere on Lande's list of priorities. "My Sangathan members are like my family; I don't think I will get time off my official and social preoccupations to devote to marriage and children," he said. From a report by Shri Raj Kumar in THE TIMES OF INDIA, November 24, 2011. 

FOUR

He remained a bachelor all his life and spent his energies for social causes, leading a simple, self effacing life. In the first general election (1952), M C Subrahmanyam (12 December, 1912 - 2 May,1993) campaigned for T T Krishnamachary and during the course of his interaction with the Mambalam (Chennai, Tamilnadu, Bharat) residents, saw a dire need for a health centre there. "Without waiting for the initiative of the government, he established the Public Health Centre with the support of a dedicated band of nationalistic friends," recalls C Gopalan, an associate of MC. "For decades, it was absolutely free. Then we charged as little as 50 paise and then a rupee to help continue the service. Today, we charge just Rs 40. The hospital is run through donations from philanthropists," says T A Subramanian, honorary secretary of the PHC. The service that began in a thatched shed with a part-time doctor on September 20, 1953 is today a multi-specialty hospital with 80 doctors, including specialists, and over 200 employees, including paramedics. Little wonder, the institution is today a landmark and a household name in West Mambalam. Express News Service & www.ibnlive.com , December 13, 2011. (After reading a report about MC in THE NEW INDIAN EXPRESS on December 12, Shri Ratnavel, a senior citizen, donated Rs 25,000 to the PHC, reported TNIE of December 13).

FIVE

Shri Hariharan, a Swayamsevak, runs a provision store in Orikkai, off Kanchipuram (Tamilnadu, Bharat). Candidate of every political party distributed cash for vote during the state Assembly elections in April 2011. While all voters accepted the money, Hariharan refused to receive it. Thus he antagonized all.  Came the local bodies election in October 2011 and along with it the usual cash for vote, delivered door to door. This time over, Hariharan accepted the money. All candidates were happy. But once the polling was over, Hariharan used the money to repair an open drainage in his street. The example set by him prompted other residents of his street to say that they too would like to put the sinful money to such public purpose. Based on a report by Shri Rama. Rajasekar in VIJAYABHARATHAM, December 23, 2011.

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PANCHAAMRITAM 225

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Vishwa Samvad Kendra, Chennai

PANCHAAMRITAM 225

Pancha is five in Samskritam, Amritam is nectar

Poornoma / Kali Yugaabda 5113 / Kara Karthigai 24 (December 10, 2011)

 

Posted on December 16, 2011. Sorry for the delay.

vemONE

Reiterating the Vedic tradition that one becomes a Brahaman not by birth but by karma and jnana (knowledge), Shri Sivanandan Sharma of Karimullaikal Mavelikara is all set to become a Brahmachari in the Sringeri Mutt (Karnataka, Bharat). Fourth among the sons of Shri PR Kunjan, Sivanandan's spiritual journey started very early. After his pre-University education he studied  the Vedas, Upanishads; he obtained upanayanam from the Vedic Scholar the late Acharya Narendra Bhusan. He will shortly be initiated as a Brahmachari at the Sringeri Mutt after Sanyasa Dheeksha. (Shri Sivanandan hails from a Harijan family of Kerala).  Based on a report by Shri S Chandrasekharan in ORGANISER, December 11, 2011.

TWO

 After his retirement as Headmaster of a higher secondary school, Shri R. Ramalingam set out from his house at Chennai (Tamilnadu, Bharat). He settled down at a remote village by name Vediyappan Nagar near Thiruppathur, Vellore district. He built a house there for his residence and also a classroom. He gathered children of daily wage earners of the area and conducts free tuition for them there. He has named this Seva centre as `Kamaraj Kalai Koodam' in memory of the late leader K.Kamaraj. Ramalingam informs that it was Kamaraj who inspired him to opt for a course that will enable him to teach others. "Therefore I joined B.Ed course after my PG and now I have named this centre after Kamaraj", adds Ramalingam. In his own childhood, poor kids of his native place (Vediyappan Nagar) were denied the chance to go to school. Their plight disturbed him all through his teaching career. As a Swayamsevak, Ramalingam has given constructive expression to his thought through the free tuition centre. As told to Team PANCHAAMRITAM by Shri T.S.Ravikumar, Sangh Pracharak.         

THREE

`Pudhiya Thalaimurai' a popular Tamil weekly and sister of a TV channel of the same name has brought out its first Braille edition last month. This facility will enable blind persons to read the magazine but once a month. For now, the weekly plans to bring out a collection of select articles from the print edition in Braille format.  Copies of the Braille edition will be sent to 100 institutions working for the welfare of the blind, according to a news item in the weekly. Team PANCHAAMRITAM  

FOUR

Popular TV presenter and Tamil stage artist Shri Varadarajan met Gujarat Chief Minister Shri Narendra Modi on 13 – 11 – 2011 at Ahmedabad. The CM enquired him whether he had any big trouble because of security personnel. Varadarajan replied in the negative. Modi informed him that all the required security checks were duly carried out, but all that was done without he (Varadarajan) even knowing it. That speaks for the efficiency of the officials here and of the diligence of the administration, added Modi. "On several occasions, the drivers of the taxis that I hired in Ahmedabad and Surat happened to be Muslims, and all of them whole heartedly expressed the opinionthat it because of Modi that they are leading a contented life. I was surprised. I saw for myself that the media and TV description are far removed from the actual fact." Based on a write up by Shri Varadarajan in THUGLAK, December 14, 2011.   

FIVE

Remya Rajan 24 and Vineetha PK, 23, two nurses from Kerala, saved eight patients in the devastating fire at the AMRI hospital in Kolkatta on December 9, 2011. Both of them died of suffocation. The mortal remains the nurses were brought to Kochi on December 11.Vineetha of Pullikal, Kothanalloor, Kottayam, had joined the AMRI a couple of months ago. She is survived by her father Kunjumon, mother Mary and sister Divya. Remya of Mecheril, Uzhavoor, Kottayam, had joined the hospital six months ago. She is survived by her father Rajappan, mother Usha and brother Rejesh. More bravehearts of the fire incident included dwellers of hutments adjoining the hospital. They broke the compound wall of the burning hospital and carried a large number of patients  to safety.  Haindavakeralm.com and NDTV.com

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Tuesday, December 20, 2011

PANCHAAMRITAM 224

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Vishwa Samvad Kendra, Chennai

PANCHAAMRITAM 224

Pancha is five in Samskritam, Amritam is nectar

Amavaasya / Kali Yugaabda 5113 / Kara Karthigai 8 (November 24, 2011)

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ONE
7 year old Venkatesh was begging as usual, dressed as Mahatma Gandhi, at a street close to Visakapatnam (Andhra Pradesh, Bharat) railway station. This was noticed one fine morning in 1997 by a traffic police inspector Shri Arjun , who had a chat for a while  with the boy. Venkatesh's mother had died. His father was a liquor addict. It was to bring up his siblings - a younger brother and a younger sister - that he begs like that. Arjun did not simply walk away after listening to the heart rending tale. He got all the three children admitted to Prema Samajam, an NGO in the city. Years rolled by. In 2007, Venkatesh scored 481 marks in the SSLC exams – he was declared class-first. His brother and sister too were class toppers that year. From DINAMANI, May 17, 2007.
TWO
Biogas plants are not a new concept to rural sector, but their big size, installation cost, need for large quantities of cattle dung, and space restriction prove a deterrent for those opting to install them. But Shakthi Surabhi, a kitchen waste based biogas plant developed by the Vivekananda Kendra Natural Resources Development Project (Vk nardep), Kanyakumari, after nearly quarter century of experiments, promises to change all that. Leftover cooked food (veg and non-veg), vegetable wastes, waste material from flour mills, non edible oil seed cakes (neem, jatropha etc) are some of the required feed materials. About 5 kg of waste is required for a 1 cubic metre plant which is equal to 0.43 kg of LPG. The unit consists of an inlet waste feed pipe, a digester, gas holder, water jacket, a gas delivery system and an outlet pipe. The advantage of Shakthi Surabhi is not just because it economizes and provides alternative fuel for cooking gas. It is also an excellent mechanism for biodegradable waste disposal. The process is hygienic and is devoid of odour and flies. The unit also helps in controlling climate change effects and arrests green house gases, and the digested outlet slurry of the unit acts as good organic manure. It is estimated that 100 cubic metres of biogas could produce 5 KW of energy to meet a 20-hour power requirement of a house. From a report in THE HINDU, July 29, 2010. (Listing Shakti Surabhi as an alternative to the now scarce LPG, AVAL  VIKATAN, a woman's magazine, in its issue of December 6, 2011 says it costs Rs 26,000 to install with no monthly recurring expenses).
THREE
"Prior to this experience of Ekal Vana Yatra in rural Rajasthan (Bharat), I connected Village to the notion of "poor", "struggling" or "underprivileged". While the villages may not have all the amenities of a large or developing city, they are rich with many things: They are rich with Happiness – everywhere we went and every place we visited I saw smiles on the faces of the children, of the Village citizens, of the elders. They are rich with Respect – for elders, for their visitors for their teachers – whom themselves each come from the villages in which they teach. They are rich in confidence – The kids greeted and talked with adults in a confident yet respectful tone. There were all mature beyond their years. They are rich in Hospitality – I felt welcomed in every village that we visited. Each went out of their way to ensure that their guests were comfortable. They are rich with Beauty – Beauty in many ways. The setting and surrounding within each village, the buildings and shelters, The  play, the smiles, the people, the respect, all beautiful! The simple lifestyle has brought about simple necessities. Education, health and well-being are clearly simple necessities. I was proud that at least for 1 day that I was living a part of the Ekal mission."  From a recent note by Shri Rodney Clark, GM, Microsoft. (www.ekal.org)
FOUR
Dharmavati Arya (22), a student of Panini Kanya Mahavidyala, Varanasi (Uttar Pradesh, Bharat), has mastered archery at national level. She was recently invited by Tata Archery Academy, Jamshedpur, for advanced training in the sport at international level. "I can hit the object with my arrow by looking at the object in the mirror (this act was practiced by Arjun of Mahabharat). "By the time girls reach 18-20 years, they know all the warfare - archery, swords, daggers, javeline, lathi, horse riding, etc. Little girls, Akriti (13) and Kasturi (14) have mastered two handed swords and knives while some of them have mastered the art of archery performing yogasans. They can also offer flower garlands to guests with a click from their bow and arrow and can produce dance drama with the sounds of their swords. Acharya Dr Priti Vimarshini, teacher of warfare, who herself studied in the same Gurukul, says: "There are several tales of self defence. Madhuri Arya, a student of the Gurukul, jumped off from a running train chasing a thief and came back safely. Similarly Dharmvati Arya has solved many cases of eve teasing on roads." Girls from different regions of the country of different caste, including dalits, and some special guests from foreign lands study here. The 40-year-old Gurukul has been imparting knowledge in Sanskrit, Astyadhyayi, Vedas, vedic hymns, Science, Indian philosophy and karmakand (performing rituals). Based on a report by Smt Swati Chandra in THE TIMES OF INDIA, November 10, 2011.
FIVE
102-year-old Thadagathi of Pudukulam village near Madurai (Tamilnadu, Bharat) was elected as a Panchayat member in the recent civic elections. As a midwife she helped women deliver babies. Thadagathi, also known as Nattathi Ammal by villagers, defeated her two opponents nearly seven decades younger to her in the polls, winning over 50 percent of the votes polled. Knocking on every door in her ward, she asked for votes and it was difficult for the people to turn her plea down. In these days of mega scams and land grab complaints Thadagathi promised people that she will not swindle public money or property. Thadagathi had come to Pudukulam village as a child bride and since then she has been there. Even at her ripe old age, Thadagathi earns her wages from the National Rural Employment Guarantee Act. While her husband Perumal is no more, Thadagathi has two sons, three daughters and 10 grandchildren. Thadagathi's elder son P. Undupandi is a construction worker while her younger son P. Karuppu is a farm worker. Her daughters are all married. www.sifynews.com October 23, 2011.
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Thursday, November 10, 2011

PANCHAAMRITAM 223

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Vishwa Samvad Kendra, Chennai

PANCHAAMRITAM 223

Pancha is five in Samskritam, Amritam is nectar

Poornima/ Kali Yugaabda 5113 / Kara Ayppasi 24 (November 10, 2011)

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ONE

 In a tribute to Indian soldiers, the municipality of Haifa (Israel) has decided to include the stories of their valiant efforts in liberating the city in 1918 during the First World War by incorporating them in Israeli school curricula as part of the history textbooks. Nearly 900 Indian soldiers sacrificed their lives in this region; they were cremated or buried in cemeteries across Israel. India's Ambassador to Israel Navtej Sarna released a book, `Memorials of Indian Soldiers in Israel', at a function in Haifa as part of an initiative that will spread more awareness and greater recognition for the supreme sacrifice made by these soldiers. (The Indian army commemorates September 23 every year as Haifa Day to pay its respects to the two brave Indian Cavalry Regiments that helped liberate the city. The Indian Brigade was a part of the Allied Forces sweeping northwards through Palestine in what is seen as the last great cavalry campaign in history. Captain Aman Singh Bahadur and Dafadar Jor Singh were awarded the Indian Order of Merit (IOM) and Captain Anop Singh and 2nd Lt Sagat Singh were awarded the Military Cross (MC) as recognition for their bravery in this battle. Major Dalpat Singh (MC) is known in the annals of history as the 'Hero of Haifa' for his critical role in the Liberation of the city. He was awarded a military cross for his bravery). The municipality of Haifa also announced to organise a ceremony every year to commemorate the role of the Indian army in liberating the city from Turks after almost 402 years.  http://news.outlookindia.com September 19, 2011.

TWO

Every nation has its own identity or what we called soul, and only that identity it can nurture its society. As far as the Himalayan country Nepal is concerned, that identity or soul lies in the very concept of Hinduism. When Nepal lost the Hindu statehood three years ago, it marked the decline of nationalism also. But the great Nepali citizens who bear the legacy of Buddha do not seem to be happy. A survey conducted in 2010 clearly depicted the Nepali mood. 52.2% of people participated in the survey called for the restoration of Hindu Statehood.  The signs of displeasure have becoming evident now as more and more protest symbols, that show the insecurity of Nepal citizens, appeared on the walls of Nepal streets recently. The country has its roots in Hindu culture. The great Indian King Janaka's Mythila Kingdom that mentioned in Indian Hindu scripture Ramayana now belongs to Nepal, the Kingdom of Gautam Buddha's (the founder of Buddhism) father, Kapilavasthu, is in Nepal. Along with India Nepal also shares the legacy of the grand Indian Mourya Empire. From a (November 3, 2011) report by Shri  Dipin Damodharan on http://www.groundreport.com

THREE

Foreigners flocking to Haridwar, one of the holiest Hindu holy spots, are mostly the educated, both men and women, from all parts of the globe, and have a spiritual commitment that amazes many Indians. Moscow resident Victor Shevtsov, 56, explained why Russians like him have taken to Hinduism in such large numbers." Shevtsov said : "Many Russians are coming here because they don't have answers (to their questions) in Orthodox Christianity."Here, in India and in the East, religious leaders talk to you, they answer questions." Fellow Russian Prokhor Bashkatov, a 37-year-old real estate agent, also blamed the Russian Church for his decision to embrace Hinduism. Both Victor and Prokhor have close links with Gayatri Parivar, agrassroots group that is organising a mammoth event at Haridwar, (Uttarakhand, Bharat) November 6-10, 2011 with a view to propagating the sacred 'Gayatri Mantra'. Like so many foreigners, Dasom Her, a 22-year-old South Korean whostudies here, said India, Hindu ethos and yoga had always attracted her parents, who met at a yoga class in South Korea and fell in love. When her father died, her mother decided to move to India with Dasom. "My mother decided that India is where I will learn the values of life," she added. IANS November 2, 2011.

FOUR

Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi's handling of the bureaucracy is drawing appreciation from unexpected quarters. Economist Isher Judge Ahluwalia was seen praising his governance on the sidelines of a function on urban infrastructure in Ahmedabad on October 9. Earlier, the Government of India, taking a cue from the Supreme Court, also indirectly commended the state's Public Distribution System by asking other states to emulate the Gujarat and Chhattisgarh models.  Modi shares his vision with the bureaucrats by interacting with them at the Chintan Shibir, an annual exercise in which he, his Cabinet and officers huddle together for three days. The Chief Minister even practises yoga with officers. "Modi has de-bureaucratised the bureaucracy," says T.V. Rao, who teaches at IIM, Ahmedabad. The Gujarat state government sends nearly 1,000 IAS, IPS and other officers who fan out every year in June asking parents to send their girls to school. Such efforts have brought down the girl dropout rate from 36.9 per cent to 8.12 per cent in 10 years. For Gunotsav (an annual exercise to map the standard of school education), 3,000-odd officers cover the state over two days in November. Under the Karmayogi Training Programme initiated in 2005, over 2.25 lakh state government employees have been imparted governance skills by professional agencies. Based on a report by Shri Uday Mahurkar in INDIA TODAY, October 21, 2011 (Idea: Shri  Ashok Chowgule).

FIVE

Each Ekal vidyalaya (school-at-your-doorstep for kids of remote hamlets of Bharat) comprises 30 students. (9,84,480 children learn to read and write in the 35,115 Ekal vidyalayas across Bharat). At present, the number of pass out students is much more than the present number of students studying at the vidyalayas. Even if each and every student scattered in different villages plants just one sapling, then also at least 50 saplings will be planted in each village. Thus, the students who have studied in ekal vidyalayas themselves can plant 10 lakh saplings within a year. Yes, Ekal Vidyalaya Foundation has undertaken saplings planting programme under its Swabhimaan Jaagran Abhiyaan. Central office-bearer of Swabhimaan Jaagran Abhiyaan Lalan Kumar Sharma informed that the foundation has vowed to plant 10 lakh saplings in the coming year. The drive was initiated on the occasion of World Environment Day (June 5, 2011) at Shri Santram Mandir, Nadiyad (Gujarat). Pujya Swamiji planted a neem sapling in the temple premises in presence of hundreds of karyakartas assembled from all parts of the country. Along with Swamiji, Central Incharge of Ekal Movement Shyam Guptaji also planted a sapling to initiate the movement. A variety of saplings such as medicinal herbs, fruits, vegetables, flowers, etc will be included in the drive. Saplings that will give furniture wood will also be included. This will help in the propagation of a variety of plants at various places in the country. Sharma said that in order to connect common people with this movement, Ekal Vidyalaya will create awareness about tree plantation. http://www.newsbharati.com

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Wednesday, October 26, 2011

PANCHAAMRITAM 222

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Vishwa Samvad Kendra, Chennai

PANCHAAMRITAM 222

Pancha is five in Samskritam, Amritam is nectar

 Amavaasya/ Kali Yugaabda 5113 / Kara Ayppasi 9 (October 26, 2011)

 

HAPPY DEEPAVALI!

ONE

 Chiranjeevi R.Sridhar and Sowbhgyavati S.Pradeepa were happily married on September 1, 2011 at a marriage hall in West Mambalam, a middle class locality of Chennai (Tamilnadu, Bharat). All guests who entered the hall to bless the couple were pleasantly surprised by the arrangement of portraits of over 6o freedom fighters at the entrance. The pictures of Bharat Mata and Doctorji-Shri Guruji were prominently displayed. Every guest made an offering of flowers to Bharat Mata and her beloved children while entering the hall. A tray full of flowers was kept handy. The whole idea was that of Sai Ganesh, younger brother of Sridhar. Sai Ganesh, a practicing purohit of the area, received whole hearted words of appreciation to this novel idea in the following fortnight whenever he visited families to perform pooja. Many welcomed the replacement of Jaanavaasam (bridegroom's procession to a temple) with Bharat Mata pooja; they argued that the presence of the great patriots' portraits provided the holy ambience of a temple. Incidentally, Sai Ganesh is the Mambalam Nagar Karyawah of RSS. As told to Team Panchaamritam.

TWO

Two students, Gyumer Bapu and Tadar Chachumy, both Swayamsevaks of Nyopin Shakha (400 KMs from the state capital Itanagar) in the Kurumkme district of Arunachal Pradesh (Bharat), were waiting at a bus stop. They noticed two Vanavasi (tribal) women nearby crying pitiably. The non tribal Swayamsevaks learnt from them that a relative of theirs had died at a place 8 KMs away and they could not transport the body as they could not find a a vehicle for that. It was already late in the evening and night was approaching. They had to hurry up but found no way out. Then and there, the Swayamsevaks resolved to help them. They both reached the place where the body was kept, carried it on their shoulders and began walking. It was raining. The night was dark. The path was hazardous as the area was mountainous. But nothing deterred their resolve. They continued to walk and handed over the body to the grief-stricken tribal women. This indicates the narrowing gap between tribals and non tribals atleast as far as vigilant Hindus are concerned.  By Shri Sudheer Joshi from Itanagar.

THREE

Shri Moolaram Bishnoi of Jodhpur (Rajasthan, Bharat), went to a State Bank of India ATM to withdraw Rs 5,000. Once he pressed the button, currency notes cascading out of the ATM non stop. They stopped only when his hands were full with Rs 20,000.He was shocked at what happened. He did not know how to return the excess amount to the bank. But as a Swayamsevak he was aware that Shri Shyam Manohar, the Saha Prant Karyawah of Jodhpur prant, works in a bank. Quickly Moolaram met Shyamji, who helped him to formally return the excess amount to the bank. That is how ordinary people add value to the Bhagavad Gita's teaching of `non coveting' by living it. By Shri S. Sambamoorthy from Gorakhpur.  

FOUR

Robert Hooke is said to have discovered the plant cell in 1665 after a series of examinations under a coarse, compound microscope. However, an ancient Indian text had revealed the fact much before Hooke. Indian botanists claim that there are references of a similar concept in ancient Indian manuscripts and that a Rigvedic Maharishi, Parashara, had given a detailed description of this. Dr Sâ€Ë†Sundara Rajan, botanist and Sanskrit scholar, quoting Parashara's Vrukshayurveda, says:â€Ë†"In the leaf, there are innumerable components. It has a boundary, a colouring matter, a sap inside and they are not visible to the naked eye." Rajan said he had presented the findings before the International Botanical Congress in Sydney in 1981 and had convinced botanists from several countries that the discovery was made by Parashara long before the Western world. A botanist from New Zealand, he said, had questioned:â€Ë†"Do you mean Indians discovered microscope?" In his reply, he had said:â€Ë†"I have no proof to claim that. But the fact that Parashara, in his description has used the expression `not visible to naked eye', suggests that he had used some magnifying technique to discover matter in the leaves." From a report by Shri Chethan Kumar, Bangalore, in DECCAN HERALD, Oct 21, 2011. (Idea: Shri Lakshminarasimhan Krishnan).

FIVE

A teacher, a postman, a grocery store owner and an ayurvedic healer: This is the team that inspired the reforestation of 700 hectares and creation of 20,000 ponds over the last 30 years. Sachidanand Bharti, the teacher, was an active participant in the Chipko Andolan during his days as a student.  The team owes its success to the community in the 136 villages of Dudhatoli region in Pauri Garhwal, Uttarakhand (Bharat), which is a 300 square kilometre forest. None of them depend on the organisation for their salary. The forest is actually there because of the thousands of women who took up the responsibility of their forest. When a village's forest was destroyed, women had to go to another village to collect fuel wood and fodder. If they were caught by that village's people, they were summoned before the Panchayat there. Besides paying fine for the `crime' of stealing from another village's forest, they also had to bear the public insultThe women here go about safeguarding the forest carrying a pole with bells tied on its top. Once done, they leave the pole in front of another woman's house which signifies that it's her turn next. This pattern has gone on for 30 years without fail and without any expectation of money. In 1999, a World Bank team visited Dudhatoli. Impressed by their work, they offered them a loan of Rs. 100 crores for village needs apart from afforestation. The team refused the offer. They belive that money will destroy the work. Based on a report by Smt Ravleen Kaur in THE HINDU, October 22, 2011.

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Tuesday, October 11, 2011

PANCHAAMRITAM 221

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Vishwa Samvad Kendra, Chennai

PANCHAAMRITAM 221

Pancha is five in Samskritam, Amritam is nectar

 Poornima / Kali Yugaabda 5113 / Kara Purattaasi 24 (October 11, 2011)

ONE

Kalyana Raman Srinivasan was born and brought up in a small village called Mannarakoil in Tirunelveli district of Tamil Nadu (Bharat). His father was a Tahasildar there.  But the sudden death of his father at the age of 45 changed everything overnight.  Kal was 15 then. His mother got a pension of Rs 420 a month. The family moved from the rented house to a hut. They had to sell the plates to buy rice to eat; his mother used to give rice in his hands. The first turning point in life was after his 12th standard. He got good marks in both the engineering and medicine entrance exams, and for engineering, he got admission at the Anna University in Chennai. He used to live on day scholars' lunch boxes and also use to fast. His first job was with Tata Consulting Engineers (TCE) Mumbai. He stayed at Dadar Railway Station as he knew no one there. Soon, he was in Chennai with Tata Consultancy Services (TCS). Within a few months, he was sent to Edinburgh, UK. From Edinburgh, his next stop was the United States. In 1992, he went to the US as an entry level contractor with Wal-Mart. In two years, he was a director running a division.    When he left Wal-Mart after six years, he was a man running the information systems for the International Division of the retail giant. In 1998, he joined drugstore.com Online Pharmacy as the chief information officer and in 2001 at the age of 30, he was the CEO of the company. In October 2007, GlobalScholar was launched targetting both teachers and students by acquiring four companies that were into education. Today, 200 people are working for GlobalScholar in Chennai and 150 in the US. In the current year its tunover will be 150-160 crore (Rs 1.5-1.6 billion).  (Kal Raman is in India now for the Kumbhabhishekam of the temple at his village Mannarkoil. "It is taking place after 500 years. It is the culmination of two-and-a-half years of work. I have spent more than one and a half crore rupees (Rs 15 million) to renovate the temple and do the Kumbhabhishekam. More than anything else, I have given jobs to all my friends in the village who are masons and carpenters." Other than this, he has also adopted all the orphanages around his village and he takes care of around 2,000 kids, some of whom are physically handicapped. "I do not do this as charity; it's my responsibility. I am giving something back to the society that fed me, taught me, and took care of me and gave me hopes." From an email circulated in an egroup.

TWO

Sahakar Bharati is the 24 year old all India cooperative movement endeavouring to rejuvenate the nation. To enhance qualatative growth of co-operative movement, Sahakar Baharati has dedicatedly performed with a motto of " Bina Sanskar, Nahi Sahakar" and has engaged in building the team of socially devoted co-operative activists. Recognising its valuable contribution, the United Nations Organisation (UN) has authorized Sahakar Bharati to organize an international conference in February 2012 to mark the International Cooperative Year. Sahakar Bharati will be convening the meet on February 9 and 10, 2012, with help from the government of Madhya Pradesh. Over 200 delegates from several countries are expected to participate in the conference. PATHIK SANDESH, Jullandhar, September 2011.

THREE

For some of the 105 women cadets from the Officers Training Academy (OTA), Chennai, who were inducted into armed forces in September 2011, like Ganeve Lalji, daughter of Colonel S S Lalji, it was a matter of keeping their family tradition alive. "She is the third generation army officer in our family. Even though we don't have a son, we are proud to have her," said Major General Lalji D Singh, her grandfather who retired from services in 1993. "I wish I would be alive to see the fourth generation don the olive green," he said with a grin. They were part of the 370 cadets who took part in the passing out parade that marked the culmination of the initial part of the officers' training before moving on to join operational regiments across the country. "A lot of the women cadets were earlier working in the corporate sector," said OTA sources. Some were engineers, some specialised in information technology while some others had Masters in Business Administration, the sources added.Lt General V K Ahluwalia, General Officer Commanding-in-Chief Central Command, who reviewed the passing out parade, told reporters that now more and more youngsters were coming forward to join the forces. "Who said the youth of the country are not interested to join the armed forces? There is a huge demand but then our selection process is tough as we don't want to compromise on quality," he said. Based on a report in THE SUNDAY INDIAN EXPRESS, September 18, 2011.

FOUR

Making a breakthrough in drug research to improve the quality of life of people suffering from Alzheimer's disease, an Indian scientist has discovered an anti-Alzheimer's drug that has been extracted from citrus fruits. Dr Mahaveer Golechha, senior research fellow, Department of Pharmacology, AIIMS, has been awarded the prestigious Alzheimer's Drug Discovery Foundation's, USA Young Investigator Scholarship Award. Golechha, who hails from a small town in Rajasthan, said that he choose his research on Alzheimer's because he felt that not enough research has been conducted on the subject. "This drug Naringin is a bioflavonoid. Naringin exerted its effects through multiple mechanisms, like anti-oxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anti-apoptotic. This drug has been discovered from citrus fruits," added the doctor. So far a total of 24.3 million people have been suffering from Alzheimer's worldwide and 4.6 million new cases are being diagnosed annually. This work has been published in the Biological and Pharmaceutical Bulletin, an international journal of Japanese Society of Pharmacology. DAILY PIONEER, September 21. 2011.

FIVE

As our country deals with the rapidly progressive threat of an epidemic of A(H1N1) flu, it is useful to remember that the A(H1N1) virus is spread mainly from person to person through coughing or sneezing by infected persons.The Centre for Disease Control in the U.S. has made the following recommendation: Individuals who do not have any symptoms should avoid close contact with sick people, should avoid touching their eyes, nose and mouth (because this can help the virus spread), and should also clean their hands frequently. There is another precaution that is applicable particularly in India that has not been highlighted so far, either in the media or in the recommendations of the health authorities, the avoidance of shaking hands when greeting other people. Shaking hands is a Western form of greeting that, with increasing globalisation and westernisation has been widely adopted in India, especially in urban areas. Today, shaking the hand of another person can mean that you are picking up the virus from that person's hand and exposing yourself to the risk of being infected with a virus that can be lethal. Therefore by folding our hands and saying "Namaste," the risk of person-to-person transmission of the virus can be eliminated. (The writer, Dr. Gautham Suresh, is Associate Professor of Pediatrics, Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Centre, Lebanon, NH, USA) From the Open Page column of  THE HINDU, August 23, 2009. Read the following news as well: (The President of the USA Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama follow the practice of bumping fists instead of shaking hands when greeting others. This is a method to avoid contracting the flu virus. Nathan Wolfe, a virus expert of the Stanford University, California, has said that flu can be avoided if you do not shake hands but, instead, greet the other person in some alternate manner, preferably by touching the elbow, taking a bow of tapping fists. Handclasp can invite trouble in the form of flu. http://www.allvoices.com/contributed-news/10571432).

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Thursday, September 29, 2011

PANCHAAMRITAM 220

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Vishwa Samvad Kendra, Chennai

 PANCHAAMRITAM 220

Pancha is five in Samskritam, Amritam is nectar

  Amavaasya/ Kali Yugaabda 5113 / Kara Purattaasi 11 (September 28, 2011)

 

ONE

Smt Shakuntala Meena, 25-year-old Pradhan of Sapotra Panchayat Samiti in Karauli district (Rajasthan, Bharat), ensured unhindered access of the rural populace to the National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (NREGS) and check corruption in its implementation ever since it began in her block. Shakuntala had ensured appropriate use of the sanctioned funds to provide employment to the poor people and brought about transparency in the scheme's execution. She also got the Bajna Panchayat Secretary suspended for preparing fake muster rolls and defying the guidelines that no machines could be brought to work and only human labour had to be used. When she received reports that the people in Chandelipur village were being dissuaded from filing applications, she instructed the Panchayat Secretary to be present in panchayat samiti and receive applications. As a result, 45 persons were provided employment in the village in May this year. In another village, Kanarpura, the clever tricks of bureaucrats were thwarted to give work to those submitting applications in June.  THE HINDU, Aug 18, 2007.

TWO

Tumbang saan —in this Indonesian village near the heart of Borneo's great, dissolving rainforest, Udatn is regarded as a man of deep spiritual knowledge. He speaks the esoteric language of the Sangiyang. His is a key role in the rituals of Kaharingan, one of a number of names for the ancestor-worshipping religion of Borneo's indigenous forest people, the Dayak. The world's most populous Muslim-majority country is no Islamic state, but it is a religious one. Every citizen must subscribe to one of six official creeds: Islam, Roman Catholicism, Protestantism, Buddhism, Confucianism or Hinduism. Kaharingan, like dozens of other native faiths, does not officially exist. Even in this village, a frontier where land clearing and mining is fast erasing ancient forest, people have long seen their faith under threat from officialdom. "When I was in school I was a Catholic," said Shri Udatn. "For us, if someone wanted to keep going to school then they had to convert to another religion." Now, however, things are changing, and the missionaries are being held at bay. That is because villagers have seized on a strategy being used by many Dayak: Most of the people of Tumbang Saan are now followers of Hinduism, the dominant religion on the distant island of Bali. Few here could name a Hindu god or even recognize concepts, like karma, that have taken on popular meanings even in the West. But that is not the point. In a corner of the world once famed for headhunters and impenetrable remoteness, a new religion is being developed to face up to an encroaching modern world and an intrusive Indonesian state. The point, in short, is cultural survival. "The Hindus have helped us," said Mr. Udatn. "They're like our umbrella." Based on a report in www.nytimes.com September 25, 2011. Also THE INTERNATIONAL HERALD TRIBUNE, September 25, 2011.

THREE

R Kavitha, an employee of Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) who lost her bag, sent an email complaint to Selaiyur assistant commissioner of police Dhanraj on Tuesday (September 27). On Wednesday, the police called to say they found her bag. Kavitha had left the bag behind while she was loading luggage onto the car from her house in Rajakilpakam near East Tambaram. The abandoned baggage containing 20 sovereigns of gold and a laptop was recovered by another software engineer, R Madhusudan, who worked for CSC Computers. He found the bag containing the valuables lying on the road near Rajakilpakkam and handed it over at the local police station. On Wednesday, Kavitha and Madhusudan were called to the Greater Chennai police commissioner's office in Egmore (Tamilnadu, Bharat), where the recovered valuables were handed over to Kavitha in front of assistant commissioner of police (PRO) A D Mohanraj. Kavitha commended Madhusudan and the police personnel for retrieving her missing valuables. THE TIMES OF INDIA, September 29, 2011.

FOUR

It was her sheer determination and hard work. Smt Fathima M, a middle-aged farmer in Pathiyarakkara near Vadakara (Kerala, Bharat), lives on the banks of Murad river. For the past five years, she has been engaged in the cultivation of arrowroot(koova) and is earning rich profits. Her success has added sweetness because the place is commonly known as non-conducive for cultivating most of the agriculture products other than coconut, owing to its closeness to sea and the presence of salt in the soil. Fathima narrates her success story: "I tried orchid and mushroom cultivation. Owing to the presence of salt in the soil, it did not click. Later, I happened to read an article about the arrowroot cultivation. I started doing it in a small part of land five years ago. It yielded 50 kilograms of arrowroot in the first year itself." At present, she is cultivating in five acres of land and produces more than 500 kilograms of arrowroot powder per year. She has also become an entrepreneur by starting a firm Reem Arrowroot Products to market the powder and is earning more than Rs 2 lakh every year. Fathima does not use pesticides and is practising organic farming.  "As the arrowroot is considered as a medicine our main objective is to provide the best quality products for the people", she adds. Based on a report by Shri Sam Paul A in THE NEW INDIAN EXPRESS, September 29, 2011.

FIVE

As our country deals with the rapidly progressive threat of an epidemic of A(H1N1) flu, it is useful to remember that the A(H1N1) virus is spread mainly from person to person through coughing or sneezing by infected persons. Sometimes, people may become infected by touching a surface or object with flu viruses on it and then touching their mouth or nose. Therefore, the Centre for Disease Control in the U.S. has made the following recommendations to prevent the spread of this illness: Individuals who do not have any symptoms should avoid close contact with sick people, should avoid touching their eyes, nose and mouth (because this can help the virus spread), and should also clean their hands frequently by washing with soap and warm water for 15 – 20 seconds, or by using alcohol-based hand wipes or gel. There is another precaution that is applicable particularly in India that has not been highlighted so far, either in the media or in the recommendations of the health authorities, the avoidance of shaking hands when greeting other people. Shaking hands is a Western form of greeting that, with increasing globalisation and westernisation has been widely adopted in India, especially in urban areas. Today, shaking the hand of another person can mean that you are picking up the virus from that person's hand and exposing yourself to the risk of being infected with a virus that can be lethal. Therefore by folding our hands and saying "Namaste," the risk of person-to-person transmission of the virus can be eliminated, says Dr. Gautham Suresh, Associate Professor of Pediatrics, Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Centre, Lebanon, NH, USA in an Open Page write up in THE HINDU, August 23, 2009.

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Monday, September 12, 2011

PANCHAAMRITAM 219

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Vishwa Samvad Kendra,Chennai

PANCHAAMRITAM219

Pancha is five inSamskritam, Amritam is nectar

 Poornima/ Kali Yugaabda 5113 / Kara Aavani 26(September 12, 2011)

ONE

The judiciary has enhanced the anti-corruption fightof the state Government of Bihar by confiscating the multi - storied edifice ofIAS Shiv Shankar Verma who was suspended by the Vigilance department on hisdisproportionate income. The Special Vigilance Unit raided Verma's house on 6thJuly, 2007 and found the entire movable and the fixed properties mounting to Rs1.43 crores, that made up the largest share of his unaccounted income source. Theillegal and unaccountable property of the official has been confiscated by thecourt and handed over to the HRD ministry of the state. The Chief Minister ofBihar Nitish Kumar decided to open up a school for the poor children in thispalatial house on Bailey Road, Patna (Bihar, Bharat). http://headlinesindia.mapsofindia.com/state-news/bihar    August 22, 2011.

TWO

Dr. Meera Krishna is the project coordinator for theSiruvani branch of Chinmaya Organisation for Rural Development (CORD). A fewyears ago, illiteracy, poverty and alcoholism prevented development of any kindat Thennamanallur, Coimbatore district, (Tamilnadu, Bharat). Most houses didnot have toilets. Women rarely stepped out of their homes. But things changedonce Meera set up a CORD office in the village. "I've always wanted to serve ina rural set-up," says 48-year-old Meera. "After 16 years of practice inChennai, we moved to Coimbatore for my daughter's education. She studied at theChinmaya International Residential School in Siruvani." Meera passed by Thennamanallurwhenever she visited her daughter. She thought it was a perfect place for herclinic. "I volunteered here for a year," she says, till CORD identified her in2006. Meera has been on her toes ever since. "It's all about bringing peopletogether. Self Help Groups (SHGs), magalir mandrams and farmers' clubs havebeen formed. So far, we have 19 SHGs and three farmers clubs in Thennamanallurpanchayat", says Meera. Through CORD, Meera has also facilitated additionalincome generation activities for the women. In Puthur, for example, Angathalmakes winnows and Devi makes paper covers. Old Kannamal and Palanichamy mixphenyl. A shop in Thennamanallur is dedicated to products made by the women.They sell homemade pain balms, handmade sanitary napkins, paper bags, paperpackets, wire baskets and vegetables straight from farmers. With the loans fromlocal banks, over 170 families have built toilets at home after Meera told themabout the importance of hygiene. (Email - cordsiruvani@gmail.com From THE HINDU, July 21, 2011. (Idea: Dr.M.Jayaraman)

THREE

Shri Mohammed Ansari, an Amdavadi (Ahmedabad,Gujarat, Bharat) auto-rickshaw driver, on Saturday (September 9, 2011) morning,returned a bag containing Rs 20 lakh worth of diamonds to the trader who hadforgotten it in his three-wheeler without checking the contents. He was laterfelicitated by the trader and police. Ansari has to feed his family of eight.On Saturday, his first customer was Rupesh Jain, a diamond trader from Jaipur,who had come to the city to meet his ailing mother. He hired Ansari from theKalupur railway station to a private hospital in Thaltej. "Ansari hadloaded Jain's bag into his rickshaw and driven off assuming that the passengerwas already in the backseat. However, Jain was left behind at the station withhis other luggage and the diamonds in the rickshaw. "Ansari realised hismistake when he reached Dilli Darwaza and drove back to the railwaystation," said D S Patel, inspector of Kalupur police station. By then,Jain had reached the police station and narrated his tale of missing diamonds.When the complaint was being recorded, Ansari came there. Jain rushed to thebag and was overwhelmed to see the diamonds still there. THE TIMES OF INDIA, September 11, 2011. (Idea: ShriRaghuraman).

FOUR

Smt Rajalakshmi Parthasarathy, better known as Mrs.YGP, began her career 50 years ago and is still going strong. The concept ofcontinuous assessment was practised in the schools she founded much before theCBSE implemented it recently. You can be forgiven for being acutely embarrassedwhen a well-dressed young man falls at your feet with the greeting "Sri GurubyoNamah" on a sidewalk in New York. But for Mrs. YGP it was a moment of joy. Shesaw in that spontaneous gesture, the success of what she had set out to do 50years ago, under the temporary roof of her terrace. Here was her student,western in dress and location, but Indian in speech and manner. Her school washer answer to the irony of Indians abandoning their pre-independencenationalism for unrestrained Westernisation. She retained English as the mediumbut the message strongly reflected Indian mythology, Vedic scriptures,traditions and values. The suspension her son suffered for carrying an idol tohis school only firmed up her resolve. Her school walls echo with the Bhakti ofclassical music, dance and drama along with Baa, Baa, Black Sheep. It was hercrusade for the "Indianisation of our children."Based on a report by Smt Geeta Padmanabhan in THE HINDU, September 10, 2011.

FIVE

The Council for Scientific and Industrial Research(CSIR) has prepared patent formats of nearly 900 yoga asanas (postures), toprevent European and Americann companies involved in fitness-related activitiesfrom claiming them as their own. These asanas will all be included in thedigitalised Traditional Knowledge Library (TKDL), set up by CSIR to collect andrecord traditional treatment therapy knowledge. Medicines and yoga asanasregistered with it enjoy the status of being patented. "Video recordingsof the asanas are also being made and recorded to prevent them from beingstolen," said TKDL director Dr VK Gupta. The CSIR began the project in2006. These 900 asanas have been collected from Patanjali's classic work onyoga, as well as other ancient classics like the Bhagwat Gita. Gupta said anumber of countries had already laid claim to around  250 of these postures. Some foreign companieshave even patented some of them. Foreign companies have been selling some ofthe yoga postures as therapies to relieve stress or backaches."How cansomeone else patent these asanas which are a part of our traditional treatmenttherapy knowledge? They should not be allowed to use them for commercialpurposes," Dr Gupta said. www.hindustantimes.com June 7, 2010.

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Monday, August 29, 2011

PANCHAAMRITAM 218

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Vishwa Samvad Kendra, Chennai

PANCHAAMRITAM 218

Pancha is five in Samskritam, Amritam is nectar

Amavaasya/ Kali Yugaabda 5113 / Kara Aavani 11 (August 28, 2011)

ONE

Lieutenant Commander Firdaus Darabshah Mogal of the Indian Navy made the supreme sacrifice off Mumbai while trying to save the life of six sailors under his command and has been awarded the Shaurya Chakra posthumously. On August 29 last year, while his submarine was on its way for a deployment, a defect was observed. The submarine decided to surface to attempt external repairs. Three sailors led by the engineer officer were on the casing for defect rectification when a strong wave swept two of the sailors and the engineer officer overboard. One sailor was badly injured. Mogal immediately realised the gravity of the situation and personally proceeded to rescue the injured sailor. On reaching the injured sailor, Mogal realised that the sailor was completely immobilized due to his leg injury. Displaying an unparalleled feat of heroism and fearlessness, , the officer carried the sailor from aft casing to the bridge, with complete disregard to his personal safety. Now Mogal dived into the sea to save the other five sailors and escorted them safely to the ladder of the submarine. However, before he could climb onto the ladder after completing the rescue act, a strong wave swept him away. He suffered serious head injuries. The officer later succumbed to his injuries. (Shaurya Chakra is the third highest peacetime gallantry award after Ashok and Kirti Chakras).  DAILY PIONEER, August 14, 2011.

TWO

The Economic Times has been running a series of features since July 18, 2011 on dalit entrepreneurs. Many came from lower middle class families, got a decent education, and then made good. But others came from labourer families, and their rise is especially heartening. (1) Shri Bhagwan Gawai worked as a construction labourer as a boy in Mumbai. But he completed school and college, and then joined HPCL. He always got good appraisals but these were tampered with by caste-conscious colleagues, so he was denied the promotions he deserved. He sued HPCL on grounds of discrimination, and won. Later HPCL posted him in Dubai. There he acquired Arab friends who became his partners in a new trading business. This business now has a turnover of a whopping $20 million. He has also brought 30 dalit entrepreneurs together under a holding company, Maitreya Developers. (2) Shri Sushil Patil's father was a labourer in an ordnance factory, who educated his son. He had to plead with the college dean to waive the last year's fees, which he could not afford. The investment paid off. Sushil was employed in various firms, but then decided to start his own business, with the help of small loans. He failed in a series of ventures. But he persevered, and ultimately set up a firm, IEPC, providing engineering procurement and construction services. This now has revenues of Rs 280 crore per year. (3) Shri Ashok Khade's father was a cobbler, working under a tree in Mumbai. Ashok went to college and then joined Mazagon Docks. He acquired skills in offshore maintenance and construction. Today, his company DAS Offshore is a major offshore services company and he now plans a jetty fabrication yard that will employ 2,500 workers. He does not believe in caste reservation—only 1% of his workers are dalits.

THREE

A 38-year old mother of three from Iraq, Smt Wizdan, recently received a peripheral stem cell transplant at Sri Ramachandra Medical Centre, Chennai (Tamilnadu, Bharat), as treatment for her cancer — Hodgkin's Lymphoma. Wizdan was diagnosed with Hodgkin's and had received several cycles of chemotherapy and radiotherapy in various countries over the last two or three years. That is when she decided to head to India and examine different treatment modalities. High dose chemotherapy followed by a rescue with stem cells infused into the bone marrow turned out to be the best option for her, according to Anita Ramesh, of the medical oncology unit, SRMC. This involves drawing stem cells from the patient's own blood, storing it, and then re-infusing the stem cells back to the body, where they reach the bone marrow and start cleansing the system. Wizdan underwent chemotherapy to destroy the diseased lymphoma cells. The stem-cell preparation was later injected through her vein into the blood stream, and they homed in on the bone marrow to replace the cells destroyed by the chemo. Six weeks after the procedure, the stem cells had achieved their task – regeneration, and she was discharged, Dr. Anita said. She has been advised to get local follow-ups done at home, and come back after a year to SRMC for a check up. From a report in THE HINDU, July 20, 2011.

FOUR

The 10-day Ganesh festival (beginning on September 1, 2011) will, for the first time, have 280 girls from Stds VIII and IX serving as purohits. The girls, along with 70 boys, are being groomed in performing puja to install the idol of Lord Ganesha in homes across Mumbai Central. The 350 children from Abhyudaya Nagar, Kalachowkie, for the past month have been practising the mantras and rituals for the big day. The puja classes are conducted every weekend for an hour. There are seven batches of 50 children each. The children are from the nearby Shivaji Vidyalaya, Ahilya Vidyalaya and the King George School at Hindu Colony, Dadar. The idea was the brainchild of Naresh Dahibawkar, the president of the Brihanmumbai Ganesh Utsav Samanvay Samiti (BGUSS). "There are only 3,000 purohits across the city. This year, we expect around 2.2 lakh Ganesha idols to be installed in houses and sarvajanik mandals in Mumbai. People often have to wait for a purohit, but he already has many commitments," said Dahibawkar. "Since we run a coaching class and knew of children who were learning Sanskrit, we asked them if they would be interested. We received an overwhelming response from girls," said Kailash Kadam, in charge of the training programme. The academy even roped in a professional purohit to teach children the right intonation and the correct way to perform the rituals. THE TIMES OF INDIA, August 18, 2011.

FIVE

`Lanjam Thavirtthu, Nenjam Namartthu' (Reject bribes, hold your head high), says a board hanging above Madurai District Collector Shri  U.Sagayam's chair in his modest office. That's the code he lives by, even if politicians are incensed they cannot bend him their way—he's been transferred 18 times in the last 20 years—and has made enemies of both superiors and subordinates. Two years ago, as district collector of Namakkal, he voluntarily declared his assets: a bank balance of Rs 7,172 and a house in Madurai worth Rs 9 lakh. Once, when his baby daughter, Yalini, who had breathing problems, was suddenly taken ill, he did not have the Rs 5,000 needed for admitting her to a private hospital. At that time he was deputy commissioner (excise) in Coimbatore and there were 650 liquor licences to be given out. The going bribe for each was rumoured to be Rs 10,000. His years as a collector—he has slept overnight in village schools many times—have convinced him to better the lot of villagers by strengthening the village administrative officer (VAO) system. Many VAOs have never visited villages and often stay miles away from where they should be, in cities. In Namakkal, his action against errant VAOs had them ganging up with politicians to get him transferred. Over 5,000 villagers protested, saying they wouldn't let Sagayam go. The politicians had to retreat.

http://www.outlookindia.com (August 22, 2011)

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Saturday, August 13, 2011

PANCHAAMRITAM 217

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Vishwa Samvad Kendra, Chennai

PANCHAAMRITAM 217

Pancha is five in Samskritam, Amritam is nectar

Poornima/ Kali Yugaabda 5113 / Kara Aadi 28 (August 13, 2011)

ONE

"I deem it as a real honor and privilege that I am invited to preside over this highly venerated function, Guru Pooja. You know from my name that I am a Christian. I was born in that and I practice that religion. I am a Church-going Christian. But my advantage is that I learnt many things about the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh. I developed an admiration for this disciplined core of this country as early as 1979 when I was posted as Additional District Judge of Calicut. The Principal District Judge was Mr. A.R.Sreenivasan. Anyone who knew him will agree that his honesty was hundred percent, his integrity was transparent, his scholarship was unparalleled and his commitment to the country was unquestionable. Above all, the discipline he followed in his life was also very admirable. On his retirement, I took over as the Principal District Judge. But immediately Mr. A.R.Sreenivasan became a member of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh. We used to communicate and converse many things. That occasion gave me the advantage of jettisoning many things which the smearing and simmering propaganda made by interested persons outside about the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh. Such notions could be eliminated from my mind. I became a real admirer of this organization".

Shri K.T.Thomas, former Judge of  the  Supreme Court of India, while presiding over the RSS Guru  Pooja function at Kochi, Kerala, on August 1, 2011. (www.haindavakeralam.com)

TWO

Saraswati Shishu Vidya Mandir schools run by the Shiksha Vikas Samiti, a wing of Vidya Bharati, in Odisha (Orissa, Bharat) continued to perform exceptionally well in the matriculation examinations in the State. The Shishu Mandir students excelled in the State High School Certificate Examinations this year by notching up 52 ranks in the top 100 list, including top position. Sarthak Pradhan, a student of Bolangir Shishu Mandir topped the exams in the State. The Vidya Bharati schools recorded pass percentage of 98.13 which is much higher than the overall pass percentage of the State, which is 66.75 per cent. Out of 174 Vidya Mandir schools, 94 schools recorded cent per cent result. Addressing a function to felicitate toppers ,School and Mass Education Secretary Smt Aparajita Sarangi lauded the efforts by Shiksha Vikas Samiti and said Saraswati Shishu Mandirs have made great contribution in imparting quality education in the State. A report by Shri Samanwaya Nanda in ORGANISER, July 24, 2011.

THREE

"It was while working in a branch of a bank in Trivandrum (Kerala, Bharat) that I met Shri Kolappan, to whom the bank had loaned Rs 5,000 to buy a bullock-cart. On the day we gave him the loan, I told him to be regular in repaying Rs 200 every month. He looked at me for some time and then said: "Sir, even if my children or I have to starve, I will remit Rs 200 every month on this day." It struck me as coming from the depths of his heart. A month later Kolappan came to the bank Rs 200. This happened every month and each time he would approach my table after having deposited the amount, show the counterfoil and wait for my acknowledgement before slowly shuffling out. After about a year or so, Kolappan came to the bank with his wife; he asked whether the bank could give a loan to her for buying a cow. I had no apprehension of the repayment. I was proved right. Kolappan came to the bank every month But about an year later, as I was in my new branch which was in the same city, Kolappan walked in one day and handed over to me a marriage invitation of his elder daughter. He now owned three bullock-carts and his wife's dairy farm had six cows. He had fixed his daughter's alliance with a man of means as the family was in a comfortable financial position. He thanked me for the initial loan. It was then that I realised that each one of us can become an instrument of change, even if it is in a small way. That small deed can make a large difference to the lives of many, as in the case of Kolappan. Based on a `first person account' by Shri K Shankar in THE NEW INDIAN EXPRESS, July 22, 2011.

FOUR

India is the fifth most powerful country in the world, says the latest national security index (NSI) designed by the country's foremost security and economic experts. A part of India's National Security Annual Review 2010, the NSI 2010 placed India fifth in the hierarchy of top 50 nations identified on the basis of their GDP. According to Foundation for National Security Research director Satish Kumar, who edited the national security review, the NSI is based on an assessment of defence capability, economic strength, effective population, technological capability and energy security of the top 50 countries. The US is at the top of the list on the basis of these criteria followed by China, Japan and Russia. A report by Shri Sachin Parashar,  THE TIMES OF INDIA, April 13, 2011.

FIVE

The transformed face of Idkidu village in Dakshin Kannada district (Karnataka, Bharat) indicates the gravity of the efforts which RSS karyakartas put in for its development. Idkidu has now become an ideal village. RSS karyakarta Shri K S Vishwanath vowed to transform the face of Idkidu village. The development work was initiated in 1989, the birth centenary year of Adya Sarsanghchalak Dr Hedgewar (RSS Founder). Four RSS shakhas run in village. Villagers come together to celebrate all the major festivals. Surya High School has become a value education centre. Students create awareness about avoiding use of plastic in the surrounding locality. One who collects more than 10 kg plastic waste is awarded with free stationery. There are three co-operative milk schemes in Idkidu village which is the highest milk producer in the district. Financial status of the village has now elevated that has resulted in improvement in the nourishment of children. Gobar gas plants have been set up in 100 houses because of which the expenses on LPG have been saved and firewood consumption is also lowered. From the new wewbsite  www.newsbharati.com.

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Saturday, July 30, 2011

PANCHAAMRITAM 216

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Vishwa Samvad Kendra, Chennai

PANCHAAMRITAM 216

Pancha is five in Samskritam, Amritam is nectar

Amavaasya/ Kali Yugaabda 5113 / Kara Aadi 14 (July 30, 2011)

 

ONE

Threat to natural resources and livelihood of Mendha villagers led to the emergence of "Mawa Mate, Mawa Raj" concept. These four words mean "in our village we are the government" in Gondi dialect. Keeping with the objective of the independence struggle people of this village decided to have Gram Swaraj (village democracy) based on Gram Sabha (village assembly). One can gauge the power of Mendha's Gram Sabha from the fact that when P C Alexander, the then Governor of Maharashtra was to visit this village in December 2000, the collector took permission from the Gram Sabha for his visit. Mendha is situated in the Dhanora tehsil of Gadchiroli district (Maharashtra, Bharat), a Naxal-infested area. Over 80 per cent of the village is forest. 450 persons live in this village. Mendha became the first village in the country where standing natural forests are the village's asset (as a result of their sustained peaceful struggle for over 24 years). So, every villager earns an income of Rs 5,000 to 10,000 per bamboo cutting season – as against mere Rs 400 as wages when the Forest Department was the owner. Gandhian Mohan Hirabai Hiralal of Vrikshamitra, a non-governmental organisation (NGO), played a crucial role in bringing the villagers together. Based on his experience in Mendha, Mohan Hirabai quotes Mahatma Gandhi's book Hind Swaraj saying, "Parliamentary democracy is a prostitute which is infertile," as it goes to the powerful and seeks status quo. It is only participatory democracy which can redeem the status of the citizens of our country, he added. If every Indian village follows Mendha form of governance then Gandhi's and Vinoba's dream of an ecologically rich and democratic society can easily be realised. Based on a report in HINDI VIVEK, Mumbai, July 2011 and website http://india.indymedia.org.

TWO

Two decades ago, an old couple, the owners of over 100 acres of land costing some crores, used to live happily on that land with some 200 dogs. They served the dogs as a service to Almighty. After the demise of the husband, the old lady handed over the papers to a karyakarta and she left for heavenly abode in a week with the satisfaction in her heart that she has handed over the property to a correct person. A team of karyakartas started working day and night to turn the dream of the noble lady into reality. Now the dream has come true as Maitreyi Gurukulam. The Gurukulam is situated in a serene atmosphere in Moorkaje village, 4 km off Vittla, Bantwal taluka, Dakshin Kannada district (Karnataka, Bharat). Gurus sit on the platforms and the shishyas sit on the floor, right beneath the huge `cool' green trees. The oral tradition is practiced flawlessly in a modern world where no one understands a concept unless it is presented through visuals. Most of the girls come from rural areas. The admission is open to all Hindu girls above 10 years of age without any consideration for caste and class with only 20 students per batch. The first phase consists of six-year course and the admission to the higher course is given on the successful completion of the first phase. Hindu tradition does not approve commercialization of education, medicine and food; the three essentials in life. Maitreyi Gurukulam being true to tradition, does not charge fees from the students. The project is run under the aegis of a local Trust that is a part of Hindu Seva Pratisthana, Karnataka.www.newsbharati.com

THREE

Indian Navy ship, INS Godavari, deployed in anti-piracy escort operations, has successfully foiled a bid by Somali sea pirates to seize a Greek merchant vessel MV Elinakos in the Gulf of Aden between Yemen and Somalia. INS Godavari readily responded to a distress call from MV Elikanos while escorting four ships in the piracy-hit Gulf of Aden on July 16, 2011 morning, and promptly launched the anti-piracy escort operation. Indian Navy ship deployed a helicopter a mission to locate the skiff used by the eight Somali pirates and also sent a team of Marine commandos to board the pirate boat. However, the Somali pirates abandoned MV Elikanos, the Greek vessel, on seeing the fast approaching naval craft. The German warship Niedersachsen was assisted INS Godavari in this anti-piracy operation. INS Godavari has provided safe escort to 219 ships from various countries in the piracy-hit Gulf of Aden since it started anti-piracy operations since May 25. Last month, INS Godavari escorted MV Islamabad, a Pakistani vessel with 38-member crew.  From a report in  http://breakingnewsonline.net, July 20, 2011.

FOUR

The number of volunteers registered with Sathya Sai Baba's organisation to render from menial to clerical service exceeded six lakh. Baba's entire work rests on this devoted cadre. A serving IAS officer would give up his job and join him as his clerk; a young IT professional would forgo his fortune, start cleaning the bhajan hall; a businessman heading a billion dollar firm would leave his business and look after one of Baba's projects. A count of less than 1/6th of the total volunteers (91,753 to be precise) shows this telling break-up — doctors 3,173; engineers 9,760; lawyers/chartered accountants 3,521; professors and teachers 18,226; farmers and workers 41,295; industrialists 11,350; bankers 3,606; judges 71; legislators 167; journalists 261. His trusts have a corpus of several hundreds of crores of rupees. But never did he ask for donations; and he never hesitated to reject the wrong donors. Donors recount how Baba accepted their offerings after making them wait for months to test their sincerity to give. He kept all the money he received in trust for the poor and the needy in his times and in future. Even the undeposited cash and gold in his personal chamber — the Yajur Mandir — made their way to the trusts after him. Shri S Gurumurthy in THE NEW INDIAN EXPRESS, July 11, 2011.

FIVE

It happened a fortnight ago. Smt Shanti of Sembedu village near Vellore (Tamilnadu, Bharat) was returning from Bangalore on a bus. She saw the conductor asking two girls to get down, as they were travelling without tickets. Moved by the girls' plight, Shanti, stopped the bus, got down and boarded it again, this time, along with the two girls. She took them to her village and offered them shelter for several days. However, being the wife of a daily wage labourer addicted to alcohol, Shanti couldn't offer shelter to the the girls, aged nine and two, for long and handed them over to the Collector, requesting him to take care of them by arranging for their education and stay. Abhinaya, the elder of the two girls, refused to go back to her home in Bangalore, as she and her sister were being ill-treated by their stepmother."When Shanti akka took me and my little sister Anusha, I was happy that I got rid of my step mother who was torturing us badly," said Abhinaya. Collector Nagarajan handed over them to the district child welfare committee. From THE NEW INDIAN EXPRESS, July 26, 2011

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