Monday, December 21, 2015

PANCHAAMRITAM 287

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PANCHAAMRITAM 287
(pancha is five in samskritam; amritam is nectar)
Amavaasya / Kali Yugabda 5117 / Manmatha Karthigai 25 (December 11, 2015)


ONE



Suman Dhoiphode (37), works at the CIP Lounge as a janitor at Mumbai’s Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport’s Terminal 2 (Maharashtra, Bharat).The lounge is accessible only to first class and business class fliers. In an exemplary show of honesty, she returned a passenger’s four diamond rings worth Rs 40 lakhs on October 28. Suman found the rings lying inside the washroom’s basin while cleaning it. She couldn’t find the passenger but reported the matter to the Airport Operator. The passenger, however, while boarding the aircraft, had realized that she had forgotten her rings in the washroom and had notified the ‘Lost and Found’ department via email. The department handed them over to the passenger in the flight. Said Suman, who has studied till Std X, “I am happy that my efforts could make someone get her valuables back. I have always been honest in my work and also teach my children the same.” Suman has a family of four with husband and two children. She has been working ever since she got married to support her family. Her husband works in a security company at Grant Road. Suman was rewarded both by the Airport Operator and SILA Group (Suman’s employer) with Rs 1,000 cash each, a certificate and a trophy on November 24. (Based on a report by Smt Neha LM Tripathi in MID DAY, November 30, 2015). Idea: Shri Vasuvaj.
TWO


Living up to her name that means light of the world, Noor Jahan has been spreading light in at least 500 homes in Bairi Dariyaon in Kanpur (Uttar Pradesh, Bharat) and its neighbouring villages for the last 10 years. A mother of seven who became a widow 25 years ago, Noor Jahan came in contact with Shramik Bharti, an NGO teaching people about the power of solar energy. An inspired Noor Jahan proposed to distribute solar lanterns in 50 houses of her village.  “I convinced people to use solar lamps as they were cheaper and safer,” she recalled. The next hurdle was how to charge these lamps. Noor Jahan formed a group that helped her set up a solar power centre equipped with solar panels. She began to rent out the lanterns for Rs 100 per month. Every evening, villagers come to collect a charged lantern and return it in the morning. From the money that she earns, Noor Jehan deposits Rs 1,700 in the centre for maintenance. (When Prime Minister Narendra Modi told the nation about her good work in his radio programme ‘Mann Ki Baat’ on November 29, 2015, it came as a pleasant surprise for 55-year-old Noor Jahan). (Based on a report in HINDUSTAN TIMES, November 30, 2015).
THREE


A group of like-minded loco pilots in Chennai Central railway station (Tamilnadu, Bharat) felt a need for an organisation to help the hundreds of destitute and orphaned people who make railway stations their home — sometimes even without food and proper clothing. D Kulararasan, a loco pilot and one of the founders of the organisation, Good Samaritan Saviours, says,  years back, when he got off the locomotive he saw a weak and malnourished woman  lying on Platform No 1.  She had raging fever and was unable to move. “I contacted an NGO, they came and helped rehabilitate her”. That was before his group was formed. “We contribute Rs 200 every month. We spend the money for rehabilitating the destitute. We help NGOs to take care of the people we rescue,” explains G Rajapandian, one of the members of the organisation. Started in 2004, the group has helped over 125 destitute and orphaned people at railway stations last year. “We began with hardly 10 people, but now we have over 50 loco-pilots in the organisation. People who see a destitute person at railway stations across Chennai and other cities give us a call,” adds G Rajapandian, another member.  “We work 102 hours a fortnight running locomotives, and hardly get time for such things. In case we need to attend to destitute people, whoever gets a two-hour break does what’s needed.  The pilot leaves after two hours and hands over to the next pilot who gets his break,” he says. Many of the rescued people have been reunited with their families. (Based on a report by Smt  Sinduja Jane in THE NEW INDIAN EXPRESS, November 30, 2015).
FOUR



Namrata Mahajan, travelling in 18030 Shalimar-Mumbai Express on November 26, 2015, tweeted to the railway ministry’s handle (@RailMinIndia) that she was travelling alone and a male passenger was harassing her. She was asked to provide her seat and coach number and her current location. At the next station, about 40 minutes later, RPF attended to her complaint. Central Railway chief PRO Narendra Patil said a senior officer, Ved Prakash, immediately noted the tweet and contacted him to take steps to address the matter.“Mahajan had not given full details of the train she was travelling in. So a reply seeking details of her train and her berth position was sent to her twitter handle. She was also asked to contact security helpline number 182, which she did after sometime and also gave details about her position via twitter,” said Patil, who had by then alerted the Divisiional Railway Manager at Bhusaval station to get ready to attend to the aggrieved passenger.  Namrata thus got swift help from Railway Minister Suresh Prabhu after she tweeted to the Ministry. (Based on a report in THE NEW INDIAN EXPRESS, November 28, 2015).


FIVE




** ‘Men of RSS have proved that there is no religious divide in the mitigation of misery. As Swayamsevaks of RSS were doing flood relief work in Villivakkam in Chennai, a Muslim who came there said, “by the abundant mercy of Allah I could rescue my family members from flood; I want to see the status of my house now. But as flood water has entered the house, I dare not step inside. Can you help me?” Immediately Swayamsevaks helped the Muslim’ (Reported THE HINDU – TAMIL of December 10, 2015).  ** A Muslim lady by name Ameena Bivi expressed through a Facebook post (@Ameena Pivi) her gratitude towards the flood relief work of RSS volunteers in Thiruvallikeni, Chennai, where she had taken refuge in a Vishnu temple along with a lot of flood hit people. DINAMALAR of December 10, 2015 carried it. Excerpts: “RSS volunteers who perform relief work in our area were like sons of God for us. They work day and night devotedly as they would if their own families were affected. They enter fearlessly in worst affected areas where even army and police would not. They help all – women, children and the aged and also salvage their properties from water. I had been believing in Islamists when they said that RSS men were saffron terrorists;  in my heart of hearts I pray to Vishnu in whose temple I have taken refuge, to forgive me for all that.”  (From THE HINDU TAMIL and DINAMALR -- both of December 10, 2015).
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