Great Indians

Women-specific business projects

2013-02-17T00:54:00.002-08:00

India’s future lies in this Hands

women-specific business projects

Source:http://www.deccanherald.com/content/309169/pink-force-drives-indias-future.html

According to international financial wizards, by 2020, women shall be the powerful engines driving the Indian economy, finds out Vimla Patil

The ‘much stronger’ factors is the increasingly visible, phenomenal growth of women-specific business projects and the entry of millions of intrepid and educated women into the small, private and public sector businesses which are flourishing like never before in India. Take the case of the Janki Devi Bajaj Puraskar (2012) winner Josephine Selvaraj. She lives in a small village near Madurai in Tamil Nadu. With her vision of being economically independent herself and providing a livelihood to rural women, she created a unique endeavour in which she created 30,000 honey bee projects to help women earn money after small investments. Accepting the award, Josephine said that her long term goal was to install honey bee boxes in every home in her state so as to help more households to earn money by selling honey as a wonderful ingredient for health. Josephine’s Vibis Natural Bee Farm in Vadipatti near Madurai has become an example for thousands of women, who not only to earn money but also pread the awareness on honey as a healthy tonic, to a large clientele.

In yet another women-specific project, Dhaniben Parmar of SEWA (Self Employed Women’s Association), a daily wage earning construction labourer in Gujarat, not only built her own home, a stable future for herself and her family, and even educated her son to become an engineer. She was a part of the self-help group Rachaita, a co-operative of women construction workers with a membership of 1000 workers who now execute contracts to build offices of multinational business houses. Rachaita is just one of the 3,200 self-help groups (SHGs) SEWA – initiated by Ela Bhatt in 1972 – which run in every sector of the informal economy in 14 states of India.

Additionally, a project that has received international acclaim is Jaipur Rugs/ Jaipur Foundation. Founded in 1978, by entrepreneur Nand Kishore Chaudhary, it is engaged in making beautiful hand-made carpets and rugs for a worldwide clientele. Starting with just two looms, the enterprise worked in tribal regions until it moved to Jaipur in 1999 to become Jaipur Rugs Company Pvt. Ltd. in 2006. Today, Jaipur Rugs has businesses in more than 30 countries with a turnover of over $14 million in 2008-09. Chaudhary was awarded the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year for the best start-up in 2010. Jaipur Rugs and Jaipur Rugs Foundation works relentlessly for the empowerment of women by improving their income-earning capacity and teaching them self-esteem and their empowered role in the family through equal wages, decision-making, and work standards. The enterprise has channelized the efforts of poor women to connect with affluent markets in India and other countries.

Urban women, with the advantage of education and better living standards, have gone ballistic in entrepreneurship and business. For example, Poorvi Chothani is the founder/managing director of LawQuest, a Mumbai-based legal consultancy company with an all-women staff! A graduate of the Pennsylvania Law School and a qualified solicitor in the UK as well as in India, Poorvi founded her company with an all-women staff for specific reasons. “I know that to be successful, women need to have flexi-schedules,” she says, “We discuss everything in our office. There is no one-upmanship. It’s a kind of sorority where every staff member can be frank about her problems and everyone works to solve it for her. I myself travel so much across the world because we specialize in global immigration, which is our USP. We deal with transactions, property and family law in addition to other kinds of Indian and international lawsuits.”

Poorvi is just one among lakhs of women who have broken all ‘glass ceilings’ to reach the top, overcoming ‘women-can’t-be-taken-seriously’ attitudes. In fact, she belongs to a huge army of educated women – as many as 150 million – who have entered the work force of India to propel the nation’s economy at an unstoppable speed. World Bank experts say that this is equally so in China - thus making India and China the fastest growing economies of the world!

It is no wonder then that the Forbes’ List of the World’s 100 Most Powerful Women for 2012 includes some of India’s leading bankers and politicians – Sonia Gandhi, Chanda Kochhar and Shikha Sharma are examples. For the first time, Fortune India ranked India’s 50 Most Powerful Women in Business in its November 2012 issue. Shobhana Bhartia, Chairperson and Editorial Director, HT Media Ltd. is one of the media personalities to make it to the top ten. Chanda Kochhar of ICICI Bank is in the first place, whereas Shikha Sharma of Axis Bank and Mallika Srinivasan of TAFE have taken the second and third place in the ranking. Kirthiga Reddy, India Head, Facebook; Lynn De Souza, Chairman and CEO, Lintas Media Group and Radhika Roy, Managing Director and Executive Co-Chairperson, NDTV Group are at number 21st, 39th and 45th spot respectively.

“This is the new India,” says Uma Shah, a top executive in a business house, “It’s a nation where women are becoming visible everywhere as power-wielders; not only in politics, but also in every business and profession. In large numbers, women are overcoming old prejudices and reaching the top in the corporate sector or starting their own businesses. They have new icons to follow. These are: Chanda Kochhar, Shikha Sharma, Naina Lal Kidwai, Renu Karnad and Meera Sanyal from the banking sector; Anu Aga, Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw, Priya Paul of Appeejay Surrendra Group, Sulajja Firodia Motwani of Kinetic Motors, Neelam Dhawan of Microsoft India, Simone Tata and the youngest of them all – 31-year-old Devita Saraf of Vue Technologies and Zenith Computers from the corporate sector – plus literally countless others who have impacted the finance, information technology, hospitality and entertainment and media industries to become successful entrepreneurs and professionals.”

According to prominent business leaders, Indian women’s contribution to the galloping Indian economy is unique in the present gloom of recession in the Western world. The US and the UK, as well as most European countries are staggering under the burden of vanishing jobs, pay cuts and rising debts and cost of living. It will take several years before any change is seen. And yet, the Forbes List of Powerful Women has repeatedly thrown up a surprising number of women in Asian and South American countries whose career success in industry, professions and entrepreneurship proves that women can bring a new hope to their nations. The epoch-making success of Indian women is a part of this new dawn of hope. Most of them are not born to riches and have created their own wealth and success by sheer dint of hard work and their expertise to balance several roles to achieve their goals.

As the second decade of the 21st century proceeds, intrepid Indian women are hitting the headlines worldwide in every human endeavour. India has every reason to be proud of its women. They are generating more wealth than women of any other emerging economy (except China). The designers of India’s economic success understand well that helping ambitious, capable women to grow and achieve their goals can enhance national growth and that it is the surest way to bring phenomenal progress to India within a short span of time.

India's changemakers

2013-02-17T00:34:00.000-08:00

TOI Social Impact Awards: An evening to honour India's changemakers

Source:http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2013-01-28/india/36595979_1_awards-function-india-social-impact-awards-ngo-category

They took the path less travelled, and on Monday it will lead a group of remarkable men and women to the stage for the second Times of India Social Impact Awards in association with J P Morgan. The awards are being given to changemakers within NGOs, corporates and the government who have quietly worked to transform the lives of millions of marginalized Indians.

President Pranab Mukherjee will be the chief guest at the awards function. Joining him, and a power-packed audience consisting of top achievers from diverse fields, will be beneficiaries of the organisations selected for the awards.

For some beneficiaries, this visit to the capital will mark the first time they have travelled beyond the boundaries of their district. Awards in 17 categories will be presented by the beneficiaries.

The awardees and beneficiaries collectively represent the very best of India in all its fascinating diversity. They range from nine-year-old Jyoti Prajapat from Ajmer district to 83-year-old Thokchom Ramani Leima from Imphal. Jyoti will join 10-year-old Ujala Kumari from Delhi to present the award for educat8ion in the NGO sector to Room to Read India, whose libraries gave both girls an abiding love for reading. Leima will take the stage with four other women members of Meira Paibi, the fearless group of women from Manipur who will share the Lifetime Achievement Award with the Naga Mothers Association. The two groups have battled social evils like alcoholism and drug abuse, and spearheaded peace efforts in the insurgency-ridden region.

Others who will present awards include Sarjubai Meena, a grandmother from Bhilwara who is known as the "woman with the turban". Sarjubai will present the award for Environment in the NGO category to the Foundation for Ecological Security, which helped her and others turn the village into a fertile, prosperous one, in which Sarjubai, a dalit woman, now feels she has earned the right to wear a turban.

Eleven-year-old twins Hiranya and Thiruvara Bhargavi who were born with cerebral palsy, will present the award for health in the Government category to the National Trust for the Welfare of Persons with Autism, Cerebral Palsy, Mental Retardation and Multiple Disabilities, whose pioneering insurance scheme helped them access life-saving surgeries.

The hunt for India's real heroes began in August last year when the Times of India invited applications from NGOs, corporates and government organisations in five categories: livelihoods, advocacy and empowerment, education, health and the environment. Online applications were accepted between October 2 and 30, 2012 through a dedicated website. A National Search Panel of eight eminent persons with long experience in the development sector was also constituted in early August, which identified 126 organisations worth consideration, who were then motivated to apply.

Facebook and Twitter pages helped answer questions about application procedures and kick-start a discussion. Finally, over 1500 entries were received, spanning the length and breadth of the country. The majority of applications were from NGOs.

The eight key parameters to evaluate the entries were significance of the issue addressed, scale, replicability, sustainability, finances, people's participation, innovativeness and promotion of equity. Every claim had to be backed up with documents and financial details had to be transparent. A specialist group consisting of philanthropy specialists from Dasra, GiveIndia and GuideStar India screened the entries and 20 sector-experts then evaluated these entries to prepare a final shortlist of 41 entries. TOI reporters conducted field visits of each entry.

An eminent jury comprising Unique Identification Authority of India chairperson Nandan Nilekani; Magsaysay awardee and National Advisory Council member Aruna Roy; former Cabinet Secretary Naresh Chandra; Magsaysay awardee and former Chief Election Commissioner J M Lyngdoh; Planning Commission member Syeda Hameed; former chairperson of Thermax Limited and Rajya Sabha MP Anu Aga; Centre for Science and Education director-general Sunita Narain and HDFC Bank chairperson Deepak Parekh spent an afternoon debating and discussing, before selecting the winners. The jury also nominated a Global Contribution to India award winner and a Lifetime Achievement award winner.

Meira Paibi Receives Times Of India Social Impact Award

Ramani draws President's attention to resolve NE problems

Source: The Sangai Express / Manipur Info Centre

New Delhi, January 29 2013: Eighty three-year-old Thokchom Ramani Leima with four other women members namely Ak Janaki Leima, L Memchoubi Devi, Y Leirik Leima and M Purnimashi Leima of Meira Paibi, the fearless group of women from Manipur today received the Lifetime Achievement Award of the second Times of India Social Impact Awards from the President of India Pranab Mukherjee.

The award ceremony was organized by the Times of India Group in association with JP Morgan at the Convention Hall of The Ashok, Chanakyapuri here.

The award was shared with the Naga Mothers' Association of Nagaland.

The two groups have battled social evils like alcoholism and drug abuse, and spearheaded peace efforts in the insurgency-ridden region.

Lifetime Achievement Award was the special award of the ceremony which was presented by the President of India Pranab Mukherjee.

Other awards were presented by the beneficiaries.

Speaking at the gathering, Thokchom Ramani appreciated the organizer for recognizing the yeoman service rendered towards the people of Manipur and narrated that Manipur is suffering due to enforcement of black laws in the State in the name of insurgency and the women were the worst sufferers in the situation.

President Pranab Mukherjee addressesing the function

Sharmila has been fasting for more than 12 years demanding the repeal of black laws in the State.

She drew the special attention of the President of India for resolving the problems in the North Eastern Region.

The Meira Paibi � literally, women with flaming torches � is the largest grassroots, civilian movement fighting state atrocities and human rights violations in Manipur.

For decades, the women have faced the state's armed might and aggression with nothing more than their will and unity.

The movement by Meitei women began in the 1970s as a drive against alcoholism and drug addiction.

The women would walk in groups at night; impose fines on drunks, and burn stocks of alcohol.

Liquor was eventually banned in the state.

They are fighting against drug abuse, crimes against women, and the Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) .

In 1980, the entire state was brought under the AFSPA to counter insurgency.

As innocent young men were often arrested, tortured and killed, the women took to the streets demanding repeal of the Act.

Night after night, they patrolled the streets to prevent search operations by security forces.

Women became the wall protecting society against violence and killings.

Though Meitei society is patriarchal, the women play a central role.

The old Manipur kingdom fought many wars and men went away to fight for months.

Women did household duties and even trading in Imphal's markets.

Awards in 17 categories like education, health, environment, livelihoods, advocacy and empowerment selected from over 1500 entries from all over the country were presented in the function.

Selection of the awards was made by an eminent jury comprising Unique Identification Authority of India chairperson Nandan Nilekani; Magsaysay awardee and National Advisory Council member Aruna Roy; former Cabinet Secretary Naresh Chandra; Magsaysay awardee and former Chief Election Commissioner J M Lyngdoh; Planning Commission member Syeda Hameed; former chairperson of Thermax Limited and Rajya Sabha MP Anu Aga; Centre for Science and Education director-general Sunita Narain and HDFC Bank chairperson Deepak Parekh spent an afternoon debating and discussing, before selecting the winners.

The jury also nominated a Global Contribution to India award winner and a Lifetime Achievement award winner.

Hyderabad hosts national RTI activists’ convention

2013-02-16T19:18:00.005-08:00

Hyderabad hosts national RTI activists’ convention

Hyderabad: Hyderabad is hosting a three-day national convention of Right to Information (RTI) activists discussing from 16 - 18 February discussing an array of issues including the impact of the RTI Act on citizens.

Themed 'Transparency to accountability', the convention is being organized at APARD premises in Rajendar Nagar by National Campaign for People's Right to Information (NCPRI) and United Forum for RTI Campaign (UF-RTI).

Participating activists are discussing three vital issues: usage of the Act by citizens, the role of the government in utilizing and promoting the Act, and the appointment of information commissioners.

Speaking about the Hyderabad convention, NCPRI co-convener and prominent RTI activist Nikhil Dey told the press that they will discuss problems faced by Indian citizens while using the Act.

He said,“Discussions will also be held on the role of information commissioners and whether they are hearing cases and levying penalties,” adding, "we will also conduct social audits and discuss how these can be brought into every sphere of the government.”

The activists will also discuss working of the RTI law and examine the Act on the whole to see if it needs any changes.

“The RTI Act has received immense attention and has come under continuous attack. Our aim should be to promote and protect the Act,” said Dey.

Tea-stall owner provides free education to slum children

2013-02-15T10:11:00.003-08:00

Tea-stall owner provides free education to slum children

Cuttack: A tea-stall owner in Cuttack doubles up as a teacher to provide free education to slum children. Every morning, the tea-stall owner, Prakash Rao, serves free milk to a bunch of kids who gather near his stall. If it weren't for the 55-year-old's initiative, the young ones wouldn't have seen the inside of a classroom.

Rao, who had to quit studies in class eleven in spite of a scholarship, knows the importance of education. And that's why he pushes the slum children hard. "My father and mother both go out to work and had this school not been near our basti, I could not have studied. I enjoy coming and studying here," said Jaya, a student.

There are four government schools in a radius of 2 km from the slum, but most parents who are daily wage-earners have found it difficult to send their children to school. But thanks to Rao's school, 'Asha O Ashwan', which provides free education till Class 3, 60 children from the slum have had the opportunity to study. For those who move on from Class 3, Rao helps to facilitate their transition to government schools. Jaya and her 13-year-old sister have benefitted hugely.

Jaya's mother said, "Earlier the children used to roam around and some of them also used to indulge in crimes. But thanks to the school, all that has changed now. I can now dream of a better future for my two daughters."

With no grant from any agencies, it's not easy to cover monthly expenses which touch Rs 10,000 including salaries to four teachers. Rao foots all the bills from the mere Rs 20,000 profit per month that he earns from his tea stall.

"When I see the students changing and the parents becoming more responsible due to the school, I get immense pleasure. No juvenile law can make these changes. If only we impart moral values in these children things will change," Prakash said.

Prakash Rao also provides health services to the needy and has built a group of 50 volunteers in the city who donate blood at the time of emergency. And in his own way, Rao is helping in a new, resurgent India.

In a complex and confusing environment where many are desperately searching for happiness, people like Prakash Rao have shown time and again that happiness can be realised from simple things in life like the joy of giving and making a positive impact in the lives of others.

Pune youngsters to celebrate with a cause

2013-02-14T07:15:00.000-08:00

Pune youngsters to celebrate with a cause

While most city youth will be exchanging flowers and going on dates with their partners this Valentine's, there are a few who would be celebrating the day by bringing a smile to the faces of handicapped children and spreading awareness about women's safety.

For example, take Sanket Deshpande of Maitri Yuva Foundation. The foundation has worked with the children of sex workers and orphan children in the past.

"This Valentine's Day, 10-12 young volunteers will visit 25 handicapped children at the Savli Foundation, Kothrud. We will be distributing sweets, chocolates and flowers to the children and narrating stories to them."

Anish Natu, a second year engineering student at Sinhagad Institute of Technology and one of the volunteers in this event, said "These children are ignored by everyone. Valentine's Day is not just about going to malls or multiplexes with your girlfriend or loved one. One can go to such places on any day and not just this day. This is my opportunity to do my bit for society, however small, and I am proud to be a part of this initiative. This is a day of showing love and we are showing love for the children through this campaign."

Not just that, but a large number of youngsters are going to spend the day in raising awareness. While the world over people are taking to the streets to observe the global event of One Billion Rising (to protest violence against women), a large number of youngsters from the city are also taking part in it. Preeti Doiphode, a BA economics student at Garware College, said that Valentine's Day was about expressing love and that the violence against women had to be stopped by women themselves.

"I am participating in the OBR march on Valentine's Day as I feel women have the right to live with dignity."

A volunteer of NGO Samyak, Preet Manjusha (23), said, "I am taking part in this march to salute the feminist struggles in India and elsewhere in the world. Valentine's Day is itself about celebrating love and this is the best way of showing it. One can give flowers or chocolates on any day but this march is special."

Uday Mandake, a student at Karve Institute of Social Service said "I am taking part in this march to show my support for gender equality. This is a way of creating awareness among the youth on the need to take women's safety seriously."

Puneite who survived two blasts is now a successful lawyer

2013-02-13T08:47:00.001-08:00

.........................My elder brother left his corporate job and

started working in the social field and our parents are happy

with the decision.”

Twice lucky, lawyer Sumeet Singh deserves the title the Man who Cannot Die. Singh, who survived the German Bakery blasts in Pune, is a serial survivor of terror strikes as he had earlier escaped being a victim of Mumbai terror attacks by a whisker.

“This is the third life given by God to me. I survived not just the German Bakery blasts, but the Mumbai terror attack of 26/11 as well when terrorists in a speeding car opened fire at by-standers on the road. I was present there,” said Sumeet Singh, who is now working in Mumbai-based leading law firm as a corporate lawyer.

Sumeet, who is based in Mumbai, had come to Pune with a friend, Vinita Pathak, to judge a contest at Symbiosis Law School. They stayed with three friends, two of whom died in the blasts. Sumeet suffered high degree 30% burns on face, hands and legs. He received permanent disability and cannot hear from his left ear and still has splinters in his chest and left leg.

Sumeet recalled, “On that fateful day, we, gang of six friends ate fried chicken at an outlet and wanted to have dessert. Though we wanted to go for a drive, we cancelled the programme and planned to hang out at German Bakery as we usually met there. It was a Saturday, there was huge rush. On two occasions we went to the counter to order our desert, but in vain. We were about to leave when the blast took place. I crawled out from the spot and was burning. Later I found myself in hospital. For two months, I was in the trauma unit and some days in the ICU. In fact, my leg was about to be amputated.”

He added, “In Mumbai, in the 26/11 attack, I was returning home from office when the terrorists fired at people on the road while driving a car. I escaped from that firing, but later fell victim to the German Bakery blast. This blast not only changed my attitude towards life, but affected my family as well. My elder brother left his corporate job and started working in the social field and our parents are happy with the decision.”
Sumeet says he has picked up the pieces and is now working with a Mumbai law firm.

NGO Delhi Forum

2013-02-09T09:55:00.002-08:00

No mail for the last five years

Three villages in Odisha have got no mail for the last five years. It’s not that no one sends any letters to the inhabitants of Dhinkia, Govindpur and Paatna — the three villages in Dhinkia taluk bordering the Paradip port in Jagatsinghpur district. They stopped getting letters ever since Babaji Charan, the postmaster in Dhinkia for 28 years, was suspended on December 14, 2007.

The 65-year-old postmaster continued to work even after his suspension, and delivered the post every day for eight months till July 2008 when the postal department stopped sending him the bag of posts. Since then, no mail has ever arrived for the people of these three villages.

Charan has not committed any crime but his suspension letter notes that he has been a part of anti-government protests. His main offence is that he lived in the area required urgently by Korean company Posco to set up a steel plant and a captive power plant. The other offence of Charan and the rest of the villagers is that their main source of income is betel farming, which would be lost if their farms are acquired.

According to a recent report by a fact-finding team of two non-governmental organisations (NGOs), there are 230 cases under various sections against 2,000 people in those three villages. The report called “Captive Democracy” talks of how the three villages are like jails, since the people have not dared to step out for fear of getting arrested.

The cases range from murder and attempt to murder to dowry death and rape. In one case, a woman has been charged with rape. Manorama Kathua of Dhinkia village, who is an accused in a rape case, has 20 other cases against her. The 29-year-old has been actively involved in the resistance movement against Posco.

There is no way these people can be free, for the moment they leave the village they get arrested. And a bail costs Rs 1,500 to 2,000, says Sanjeev kumar of NGO Delhi Forum, one of the authors of the report.

They plan to move court to seek quashing of these cases, which they believe are false. The people have been forced into a conflict with the government since 2005 when Posco and the state signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) that allows the company 4,000 acres in the eight villages adjoining the Paradip port to set up a steel plant, a port and a captive power plant. While villages have been resisting acquisition of land, attempts to seize land are on with the police raiding the villages as recently as last week. This is despite pending environment clearances for the Posco project, and a case in the Supreme Court challenging the MoU.

A kinsman of postmaster Charan, who didn’t want to be named, says the problem can be solved if there is direct communication between the government and the people.

“If the company gives a monthly income as high and lasting as the money earned from betel vines they have been cultivating for over a century, then why would the villagers refuse?” he asks. And he gives the reason, too.

“No one trusts either the company or the government. And there is no direct contact between the people and the government.”

As for letters, pensions, and other mails, he says, people go to the sub-post office in Kujang, a good 13 km away, to collect those.

150-year-old Odia magazines, newspapers digitized by Srujanika

2013-02-02T22:47:00.001-08:00

150-year-old Odia magazines, newspapers digitized

Sourcs:http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/bhubaneswar/150-year-old-Odia-magazines-newspapers-digitized/articleshow/18311524.cms

BHUBANESWAR: Old timers looking to relive fond memories of cozy afternoons curled up with their favourite magazines and historians and researchers endeavouring to delve deeper into the rich literary heritage of Odisha can now access a host of old Odia magazines andnewspapers online.

Srujanika, a voluntary organization working towards promotion of science and digitization of rare books and documents, has accomplisheda herculean task of digitizing several rare magazines and documents, over 150 years old. The organization has compiled 61 old and rare magazines and editions of 14 newspapers published between 1850 and 1950, painstakingly gathering the material from government offices,private collectors and rare books dealers.

"We undertook this exercise to help preserve the history of Odisha. We are planning to provide the online version of these magazines to libraries and educational institutes for the benefit of scholars and researchers," said Nikhil Mohan Patnaik of Srujanika. The digital compilation of 1,30,000 pages will be released at a function on February 17, he informed.

The collection includes early editions of literary magazines like 'Prabodh Chandrika' started in 1856, 'Indradhanu' which started publication in 1894, 'Utkal Sahitya' stared in 1897, 1934 to 1951 editions of 'Naba Bharat' volumes, 'Kumkum' - a hand-written magazine published from Bombay in 1940s and more. The newspaper compilation includes editions of 'Utkal Dipika' and 'Baleswar Sambad Bahika' - the first two Odia newspapers to be ever published, along with editions of dailies like 'Asha' and 'Nabina'. The comilations include writings of noted writers like Fakir Mohan Senapati, Gopabandhu Das and Pandit Nilakantha Das, among others.

"We came across some of these magazines and newspapers while procuring old and important documents when we were working on the digitization of science writings in Odia between 1850 and 1950. Thereupon we came up with the idea of working on the compilation of old Odia magazines and newspapers to preserve and protect these documents for the future generation," said Patnaik.

Sharing other details of their effort, Srujanika members recalled encountering several dealers for whom rare books is purely a business proposition and genuine collectors who have dedicated a lifetime of work and large sections of their homes to the material. Many of them stay in remote villages and don't possess fancy degrees but have a great appreciation and respect for learning, their humble background notwithstanding.

"We want to thank all individuals who were gracious enough to share their collection with us but there are many bibliophiles who didn't want to share rare documents under their care. We failed to convince a person who has two early volumes of 'Utkal Dipika' newspaper, which chronicles history like no other document, to share it with us. We even offered him Rs 40,000 to allow us to photocopy the papers, but he did not agree," said Jiban Panda, an associate in the project.

Bapu Lonkar:The Savior cop

2013-01-25T06:09:00.001-08:00

Pune bus rampage: ‘Savior cop’ wishes to serve in police station

Source:http://www.dnaindia.com/pune/report_pune-bus-rampage-savior-cop-wishes-to-serve-in-police-station_1792520

Exactly a year ago, a daredevil police constable barged into the bus which Mane was driving and thereby helped nab the killer driver.

The constable, Bapu Lonkar, presently is assigned to the guard duty at the police commissioner’s office.

However, Lonkar wishes to get transferred to a police station during the general transfers and hopes that his role in the Mane case will help him get a desired posting.

Lonkar, who was recruited as a police constable in 2010, has not only grabbed the attention of his 550 batch mates but also the top brass police officers after his daredevil act on January 25 last year.

Lonkar was rewarded with Rs6,000 for his exemplary acts by the then police commissioner Meeran Chadha Borwankar. It is the highest amount received as award by any of his batchmates.

Lonkar said, “I still remember the incident vividly. I was on my way to the police headquarter in Shivajinagar on my motorcycle. When I reached Hotel Seven Loves Chowk in Swargate, I saw an ST bus driver driving the bus in full speed and people running helter-skelter to get out of his way. After he passed the chowk, I decided to chase the bus and thus, changed my route.”

He added, “After a short chase, I overtook the bus and asked a PMC dumper driver to park the vehicle at the centre of the road, but he was too scared. I then went to the Laxminarayan Chowk, parked my motorcycle and stood along the road. When the bus passed the chowk, I ran behind it and held the iron ladder of the bus.”

The brave cop adds, “Soon I manged to get inside the vehicle through the window. Fortunately, Mane did not see me or else he would have hit bus to a roadside pole. I slapped Mane twice and asked him to stop the bus. He asked me who I was and warned me against troubling him. I even tried handling the steering wheel but he shoved me aside and I fell inside the cabin. While Mane and I were fighting with each other, he failed to keep a track of the road and rammed against the road divider. Consequently, the bus stopped.”

“Soon, the people who were chasing him got inside the bus, caught hold of him and started thrashing him,” he added.

Lonkar’s father is a constable with the state reserve of police force. He has been staying with his parents and his younger brother at Ramtekdi in Hadapsar. Lonkar has completed his bachelors in commerce from a city-based college. He is also preparing for the police sub-inspector examination.

“I am often showered with praises. Sometimes they also call me ‘Mane’ in banter. I take it as a compliment. The top brass police officers also recognise me now and I feel good. I would like to do some executive work at the police station in the future,” said Lonkar.

According to him, he has been offered a job in the crime branch but has rejected it

District Child Welfare Committee (CWC) & Campaign Against Child Labour (CACL)

2013-01-22T08:51:00.000-08:00

14 trafficked girls return home

BERHAMPUR: The 14 girls rescued from Bhubaneswar railway station, while being allegedly trafficked to Uttar Pradesh, were united with their parents at Phulbani in Kandhamal district on Sunday.

The girls were rescued by Government Railway Police on January 15. They belong to different villages in Raikia block in Kandhamal district. Six among them were minors. The traffickers, however, managed to police the slip.

"The girls were handed over to their parents after proper counselling," said Soubhagyabati Patnaik, a member of District Child Welfare Committee (CWC). The girls were promised a monthly salary of Rs 5,000 and free accommodation at meat packing and juice preparation units in Aligarh, Uttar Pradesh, Patnaik said, adding that they did not disclose the name of the traffickers.

"With no employment opportunity in the district, the girl had agreed to the proposal," she added. To rehabilitate these girls, CWC plans to train them in spinning and 'chhatua' preparation.

The district labour office has asked the girls to get themselves registered before migrating to other states in search of work. "Illegal trafficking of teenage girls continues unabated in tribal-dominated Kandhamal and Gajapati districts. They are engaged in hazardous works and often sexually exploited," said Sudhir Sabat, state convener, Campaign Against Child Labour (CACL). Child rights activists keep a vigil on bus stands and railway stations.

"Earlier, Berhampur railway station served as the transit point and over 150 children have been rescued from the station in the last two years," he said.

The enrolment myth Busted by Pratham

2013-01-19T07:47:00.002-08:00

The enrolment myth Busted by Pratham

Source:http://www.indianexpress.com/news/the-enrolment-myth/1061528/2

The dismal picture painted in Pratham’s latest Annual Status of Education Report must provoke policymakers to urgently assess and tackle the crisis in India’s primary school education. Pratham, an NGO, has done stellar work these past years in surveying the learning outcomes in schools countrywide. Its 2012 report details a rapid decline in students’ ability to keep up with the syllabus. It has found, for example, that only 30 per cent of children in Class III could read a text appropriate for the skill set of Class I students — compared to 50 per cent just four years ago. Arithmetic skills have registered a similar decline. This slide comes against the backdrop of the implementation of the landmark Right to Education Act, with its guarantee of putting children in the 6-14 age group in school and of quality learning, encapsulated in the phrase, age appropriate mainstreaming. Clearly, success in increasing enrolment and upgrading school infrastructure is not translating into better learning outcomes.

Arguably, this may be an occasion to examine shortcomings in the RTE Act. Could it be that continuous comprehensive evaluation (CCE), enshrined in the law, with its promise of holding no child back, has led to a relaxation in classroom rigour? Interestingly, while Human Resource Development Minister Pallam Raju refused to put the blame on CCE, he did note that he receives representations from parents to roll it back. Assessment of CCE’s possibly deleterious effect should, however, be located in a wider appraisal of the curricular design. Experts contend that India’s curriculum moves too fast and is not configured to stop and carry along children who may be lagging. The system requires of the teacher that she teach to the syllabus, not to the classroom’s abilities — so she must race to complete the assigned syllabus by the schooling year’s end, whether her students have kept pace or not. Year on year, this can increase the student’s inability to measure up to age-appropriate learning. The system just races on, delivering finally to the desired level of academic achievement a small minority of students — most of them with tutoring support, as other findings by Pratham indicate.

CCE may indeed be a problem, but it would only be exacerbating an existing problem in curriculum design and teaching techniques. There needs to be a wider examination of the curriculum as well as a realisation that to slow it down does not in any way imply a dumbing down. What is unconscionable is to carry on with business as usual and take enrolment figures alone as appropriate benchmarks.

New NGO gives to needy

2013-01-18T08:28:00.005-08:00

New NGO gives to needy

Source:http://www.nst.com.my/streets/central/new-ngo-gives-to-needy-1.202497

CHARITABLE MISSION: Latest project also marks official launch of Persatuan Penganut Dwarakamai Baba KL

KUALA LUMPUR: KNOWING that the less fortunate people living on welfare will be needing a helping hand, Persatuan Penganut Dwara-kamai Baba KL, a new non-governmental body, has made it its mission to help as many of these people as it can.

During a recent charity event, 163 of the underprivileged were given goodie bags by the organisation and treated to a simple but delicious vegetarian dinner at the MJoy Convention Centre in Brickfields, here.

Dwarakamai secretary, Prakash Ramachandran, said: "We are a bhajan group under the Sai Oh Sai Enterprise. We started this association called Persatuan Penganut Dwarakamai Baba KL to collect funds for Sai Oh Sai Enterprise, to be used to help the underprivileged in society.

"Sai Oh Sai Enterprise teaches students how to sing and play classical Indian music instruments like the tabala, naal and dhol. We also conduct spiritual music classes and sell compact discs containing religious songs."

The first album, called Shirdi Baba-Faith, Love and Perseverance, was released last year. Sai Oh Sai also sells key chains, statues, calendars and prayer items for Shirdi Baba devotees.

This charity event was the association's fourth charity project. The first two projects were for the Thara Bhavan home based in Jalan Ipoh, here, while the third charity project was for both Thara Bhavan and the Good Shepherd Home in Hulu Kelang.

"We donated food, provisions and goody bags to various charity homes in the Klang Valley and treated them to comedic performances and classical dance music," said Prakash.

However, while the previous projects were conducted under Sai Oh Sai Enterprise, this one marked the official launching of Persatuan Penganut Dwarakamai Baba KL.

The goodie bags given away to the representatives of selected homes for the less fortunate comprised clothing items and provisions, among other necessities.

The representatives included 36 from Thara Bhavan, 15 from the We Care For You old folks' home in Jalan Meru, about 60 from Sai Ilam and Sai Home centres in Klang, and some members of the disabled community from the Independent Living and Training Centre (ILTC) in Rawang.

"While most of the recipients are school and college students aged between 6 and 18 years, our other guests from the ILTC centre were aged between 25 and 48 years," said Prakash.

"The joy on the faces of those we help brings us satisfaction that we've done some good for the community."

Among the event's guests were Shamrat Sen Gupta, who represented Federal Territories and Urban Wellbeing Minister Datuk Raja Nong Chik Raja Zainal Abidin, and businessman Datuk Sakuntala Kumar, who also presented a donation of RM2,000 to the Dwarakamai association.

Datuk Sakuntala Kumar (second from right) presenting a donation to the Persatuan Penganut Dwarakamai Baba KL association. Receiving the cheque on behalf of the organisation are (from left) Prakash Ramachandran, Persatuan Penganut Dwarakamai Baba KL chairman Thiagaraja Sangaran and treasurer Kalavathy Govindaraj. Pic by Muhamad Hamidi Samsudin

1,000 elderly off for once-in-a-lifetime pilgrimage

2013-01-18T08:19:00.001-08:00

1,000 elderly off for once-in-a-lifetime pilgrimage

Source:http://www.dailypioneer.com/state-editions/raipur/122506-1000-elderly-off-for-once-in-a-lifetime-pilgrimage.html

The elderly poor among the Chhattisgarh’s villages, towns and cities may not even have seen this coming—No it’s not about farmer loans or some other welfare schemes most have been used to expecting their entire lives.

On Tuesday afternoon, most elderly actually experienced the unbelievable —They are on a pilgrimage, by all means a free pilgrimage and were sitting happily surprised in a train which is took them to places they might have only heard in their lifetime from others and some might have even just aspired to visit one or two of them.

Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Raman Singh on Tuesday flagged off the first batch of pilgrims among the poor—all of age 60 and above who were selected to travel free of cost on Government expense to the Shirdi-Shani Signapur and Triyambhakeshwar pilgrimage circuit under the Chief Minister Pilgrimage Travel Scheme 2012 today from the Raipur Railway Station.

The Chief Minister wanted to make the event a memorable one for the pilgrims which led him to organise a function at his residence today to felicitate them before they left for their once-in-a-lifetime religious journey. Chhattisgarh is also the second State after Madhya Pradesh to have launched a pilgrimage scheme for the elderly.

The first batch of senior citizens had 653 pilgrims from Raipur and 347 from Baloda Bazar districts.

‘We are holding discussions with the Indian Railway authorities for enabling the disabled among the senior citizens to travel free of cost on pilgrimages on Chhattisgarh Government’s expense. I have written a letter to the Railway Ministry in this regard’, Singh announced this while speaking at the function organised at his residence.

He said that the elderly in all families have this once-in-a-lifetime wish to go on a pilgrimage and many times their kin are unable to fulfil their desire due to lakh of finances with them.

The pilgrimage travel scheme had been started on the second day of the auspicious Makar Sankranti festival, Singh said. “Only those families prosper which respect their elderly and this is a tradition in Chhattisgarh that family members respect their elderly,” the Chief Minister said.

Singh further said, “This is no ordinary journey. A thousand pilgrims are travelling in this trip and we hope the journey would be very joyous for them. We will come back to welcome you when you come back from the pilgrimage. We will ensure that you don’t face any inconvenience during the journey.”

An elated vegetable vendor from Raipur’s Kankalin Para in Gautam Nagar Gita Yadav while thanking the Chief Minister said she couldn’t believe about a pilgrimage travel opportunity like this.

There were others like Rajaram (65) of Budeni village in Raipur district who said that the arrangements for the travel had been so good that even his family members could have made such an arrangement.

Ganga Bai Sahu of Mohadi village and Fekan Bai of Murethi village said that going for a pilgrimage with so many people was itself joyous and an opportunity.

Those present on the occasion were- Chhattisgarh Assembly Speaker Dharamlal Kaushik, Housing and Environment Minister Rajesh Munat, MLA Devjibhai Patel, Chhattisgarh State Minorities Commission Chairman Dilip Singh Hora, Chhattisgarh Disabled Persons Finance and Development Corporation Chairman Balihar Singh, Chhattisgarh State Social Welfare Board Chairperson Ms Chinni Verma, Raipur Development Authority Chairman Sunil Soni, Raipur Municipal Corporation Speaker Sanjay Srivastava besides many other public representatives, government officers and senior citizens.

Some 75 per cent of the pilgrims have been selected from rural areas and only 25 per cent have been selected from urban areas for the scheme. They are travelling in a special train on their pilgrimage journey.

Beyond Barriers

2013-01-17T08:18:00.001-08:00

Beyond Barriers

Source:http://www.thehindu.com/life-and-style/society/mission-possible/article4298421.ece

Four persons with disability journeying across 28 states? Not just that, they have also brought out a photo book on their impressions of India

A journey across 28 states, 40 cities and nearly 19,000 km in 84 days. A daunting itinerary, but for Arvind Prabhoo, Nishant Khade, Sunita Sancheti and Neenu Kewlani, all wheelchair-users, it was a mission. The Mumbaikars needed to know how much of India is friendly to those who have trouble with mobility, how much of India is accessible to people with disabilities. They travelled, and brought out their conclusions in a photo book, aptly named Beyond Barriers.

Determination trumped difficulties, they said. Nishant loves to travel, “do adventurous things” and thought he would club it with meeting NGOs and assessing famous places for accessibility. Barriers, yes, but there is beauty too! He would make it, if Arvind would go with him. “I was excited, fully charged,” he said. Seen from a wheelchair, “India looks incredible!” He loved the monuments, the roads, the authentic food, the Northeast.

A source of inspiration

The book was for a “life-time remembrance.” And it just might motivate friends! “It’s designed by me,” he said. “It will captivate readers. Look at the cover. I'm inside a Pajero, not aware the tyres are resting on the boat while crossing Majuli, Assam.” The enthusiasm stands on tough truth. “India is inaccessible,” he remarked. “People should know what ‘accessibility’ means.” The Centre and the state governments could allot 3 per cent of the budget for making places disabled-friendly, it’s a one-time investment. “How can incredible India be for “we people” unless it's barrier-free?”

Arvind was an avid traveller before a spinal cord injury put him in a wheelchair. A different level of planning was needed now. Much discussion with Nishant preceded his decision to road-tour the length and breadth of the country. “Planning had to be meticulous. Along with proper accommodation, choosing tourist destinations was important. We discussed safety, emergency medical aid, hygienic food/water supplies, maintaining healthy day-to-day practices, high levels of motivation and single-pointed determination to realise our goal.” No matter what, the journey would be completed, and “should any of us need to withdraw, the others would carry on. Except for rapid development and lack of awareness of disability in B/C-grade towns we really had no misgivings.”

But “the journey was arduous, the challenges enormous, but we completed the tour,” Arvind said. The coffee table book (published by Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Smarak Samiti, Mumbai) has pictures speaking of the adventures. Inspiring more like them would be its primary reason. “We completed the journey without a whiff of illness,” he bragged. “Standing testimony to our planning and pre-tour preparation.”

Dream come true

Exploring the country was a 10-year dream for Nirmala Kewlani and Sunita Sancheti. “I couldn’t join family vacations because none of the tourist destinations or hotels is accessible to people with disabilities (PwDs),” said Nirmala. “So when Arvind and Nishant mentioned their plan, we grabbed the opportunity.”

Her parents thought it was a crazy idea, worried about her health and safety. “I was unsure of the Northeast,” she admitted, and about the inaccessibility of places, toilet needs on highways, being away from work for three months, different climatic conditions, food, raising funds, booking guest houses...” but it was a dream come true, and “I would leave my comfort zone and soar high in uncharted skies” to meet people, experience cultures. They clicked pictures and had a budding photographer-friend accompanying them. “Through this book we want to relive our memorable moments with family and friends.”

Great tuning among members was a major highlight. “We planned the trip ourselves and didn't give up in spite of challenges like climate, fatigue and missing our families,” she said. “Our caretakers looked after us like rock.” There are indelible memories: “doing garba in Ahmedabad among 500 people with disability, visiting Akshardham, Jagannath Puri, Tirupati temples, the beautiful monasteries in Leh-Ladakh, Pangong Lake, Vishakhapatnam, Kanyakumari, Auroville, being stuck for three hours in the car on the Majuli islands, celebrating my birthday in Leh….”

For Sunita it was all about exposing the lack of tourism infrastructure for PwDs. “They are never part of Indian tourism,” she said. “There is no understanding that PwDs would like to explore our beautiful country.” It had to be the road because that's how 70-75 per cent of people prefer to travel as per a Government of India study. The observations would go into a book and a report. “Travel websites are not disabled-friendly, don’t give information about accessible tourist places or hotels,” she said. “Public places and public transport — inter/intra-state — have to be accessible.” But the roads in Lucknow are fine and Gujarat's very good. Leh-Ladakh are developing tourist places for PwDs; NGOs are doing a lot of work. “Accessible places should mention it on their websites. Disabled tourists from home and abroad will bring economic benefits to the country,” she said.

WHAT CAN BE DONE

* Sensitise, train government agencies, disability commissioners, state tourism boards, NGOs to accessibility norms.

* Create facilities such as restrooms along the highways.

* Ensure accessible public transport, sidewalks and lifts.

* Make educational institutes and government offices accessible.

India Media Centre (IMC)-Odisha's Hope

2013-01-16T07:41:00.003-08:00

Bonded labor in Brick kilns: NHRC seeks report from Odisha chief secretary

Source:http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/delhi/Bonded-labor-in-Brick-kilns-NHRC-seeks-report-from-Odisha-chief-secretary/articleshow/18037466.cms

NEW DELHI: Taking serious note of bonded labor practice in different brick kiln in Odisha, the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has directed the states chief secretary to submit a report within four weeks.

Acting on a complaint of rights organization 'India Media Centre' (IMC), the NHRC also issued notice to special secretary of state home department to reply in this matter. On behalf of IMC, the petitioner Akhand alleged that two child bonded labors were killed in a major fire in Durga Brick Industries at K. Nuagaon of Ganjam District in Odisha on January 20 last year. Their parents are also working as bonded labor in the brick kiln. Two younger children were also severely injured in this fire. No action was taken by the police and local administration though the brick kiln industries was running illegally, he has alleged.

He further stated before the commission that there are thousands of bonded labour working in the different brick kilns in Odisha. "These bonded labors are working with their whole family. Their children are deprived from education and health facilities. These children are employed in the kilns from very early age. The entire family has to accomplish their commitment of making 1.5 lakhs or more bricks for which they had taken advance from the labor contractor, the middlemen between the laborers and the brick kiln owners. Lesser the brick molded, lesser is the in the weekly food allowance laborers get from the owners," he alleged.

"We have requested release of all these bonded labor working in brick kilns in all the 30 district of Odisha, adequate compensation to the victim's family and legal action against the accused," said Mr. Nishikant Mishra, the counsel of the petitioner.

Shivajirao Adhalrao Patil -Daily-wage labourer to a MP

2013-01-16T07:02:00.002-08:00

“I had begun to feel that I had the potential to be much more than a peon”

Source:http://www.dnaindia.com/pune/report_from-slums-to-parliament_1789512

It’s difficult to believe, but the life of Shirur Lok Sabha MP and businessman Shivajirao Adhalrao-Patil could inspire a Bollywood movie script.

One of the five children in a small farmer’s family, Adhalrao studied till VII in a small village Landewadi in Pune district.

Division of land between his father and uncles forced Adhalrao’s father to move to Mumbai where he attended night school and sold vegetables during the day.

After his father decided to return to their ancestral village, Adhalrao started living in a Ghatkopar slum.

He did several odd jobs- a newspaper vendor and a door-keeper – before landing a job as a peon in Zenith Electronics in 1974 for a salary of Rs90 per month. Despite a peon’s job, he took keen interest in reading, a habit which developed his interest in the import of electronics, company management etc.

During this job, he joined a typing class and a spoken English class which was supported by the owner of company Rajkumar Saraf.

His new skills helped him get a job as a sales executive. Working as a sales executive for two months, Adhalrao gained the confidence to start a business of his own. He thus started his company Elmatronics Devices and became an entrepreneur.

Adhalrao worked as salesman, mechanic, innovator and proprietor as well as delivery boy for his own company. He would visit big companies, travel on foot and take stock of the market situation. He used to provide spares for machines and alter the parts to suit the needs of the customers.

Soon, the popularity of entrepreneur Adhalrao grew and he expanded his business outside Mumbai to Pune, Vadodara, Kota and other regions. After settling in the trading business of electronic items, he decided to venture into something new, which thereby resulted to the formation of a new company- Dynalog in 1983. It manufactures microprocessor trainer system. Since then, the company’s business has been appreciated globally and grown by leaps and bounds.

At the same time, Adhalrao’s ties with political leaders helped him enter politics. He got elected as the Lok Sabha MP from Khed constituency twice.

But the success has not changed the simple at heart Adhalrao.

“I still love cooking. Potato vegetable made by me is my family’s favourite. I still go on a vacation for four days a year with the colleagues in my company and their families,” he said.

From slums to Parliament

Source:http://www.moneylife.in/article/i-had-begun-to-feel-that-i-had-the-potential-to-be-much-more-than-a-peon/11587.html

His life story almost sounds like an absurd daydream, not merely because he rose from a daily-wage labourer to a Member of Parliament. But because he did it by mastering Information Technology and turning entrepreneur at a time when the country was barely aware of integrated circuits and microprocessors. That is Shivajirao Adhalrao Patil's incredible story of achievement and self-belief. His firm Dynalog started out by producing manuals for microprocessors and went on to build industrial computers and later supply components and assemblies for India's missile programme. Dynalog's profitability gave him resources for social work at his hometown of Landewadi in Pune district and got him elected to the Lok Sabha. Ironically, it is as the people's representative that he feels bitter that his efforts at social development are frustrated by dirty politics and mindless rivalries. Patil narrated his amazing story with both passion and objectivity to MoneyLIFE editors Sucheta Dalal and Debashis Basu

ML: We believe that you come from a very humble background. Can you tell us something about your childhood?

SP: I was born at a place called Landewadi in Ambegaon taluka of Pune district near a place called Mancher. This was in 1956. My family was into agriculture but since it was a very small landholding, my childhood was one of struggle. Going to school was also an issue. There was resistance from my family; they wanted me to earn money instead. When I was in the sixth standard, they wanted me to drop out and work on the farm.

ML: You went to a school at Landewadi?

SP: Yes. From the very beginning, I was very fond of reading and studies. After my first standard, I got a ‘double promotion’ to the third standard, because the teacher thought I was good enough for that level. Since I was very interested in studies, I did my schooling up to the seventh at Landewadi and then did my eighth and ninth standard at Mancher. I had to travel by bus if I could get a concession pass; but if I didn’t have the money to buy a pass, I would walk five kilometers.

My father wanted me to join him in Mumbai. He used to go to Mumbai at least four months in a year, during the mango season to sell Alphonso mangoes. Sometimes, he just went to Crawford Market, bought a few boxes and sold them on a retail basis at Ghatkopar. At other times, he sold vegetables, fruits or lemons. Since he insisted on my joining him in Mumbai, I agreed, on the condition that he would allow me to study in a night school. We used to stay in one of the slums at Ghatkopar’s Golibar Road.

ML: Did you have any brothers and sisters?

SP: Yes, I had one older brother in the military; he later joined the post office as a clerk. Another brother worked at the family farm and I was the third child. So, in Mumbai, I worked with my father during the day and went to night school at Ghatkopar East. After two-three years, my father decided that he wanted to go back to Landewadi. But I refused. I said I have been here for two years; let me make my career here. So I stayed back and tried to carry on the business of selling fruits and vegetables. But I didn’t like carrying boxes around and trying to sell them.

ML: So where did you stay after your father left?

SP: My father had sold our little hut when he left. So, initially, I stayed with a friend. But since he had a family, it really meant sleeping in the open and leaving in the morning as soon as I had bathed. I had nothing, just one set of clothes and a little bedroll. One always slept in the open and, during the monsoons, we found shelter in some under-construction building nearby and slept there. This was during 1971-73, when I was around 15.

ML: How did you earn money then?

SP: After my father left, I did a variety of odd jobs. I worked as an usher at cinema theatres, as casual labour at a textile mill at Rs seven for a 12-hour shift. I have worked at Crompton Greaves as gate-labour -- they used to pay Rs10 a day -- and, sometimes, as a railway porter. I also got into bad company, since there was nobody to guide me those days… I didn’t work until I ran out of money and then went back to a daily labour job. Then, my brother, who was in the post-office, found me a job at Zenith Computers at Walkeshwar. This was an assured job as a peon and gave me Rs125 per month. Once I settled down there, I started studying again. I joined Vivekanand night classes in Dadar. I also learnt typing and English conversation. I used to do three classes at a time - every evening - one hour of typing, then an hour of English conversation and then the night school. In that way, I completed my 11th standard and passed with a first class.

Zenith Computers used to sell the latest technology integrated circuits (IC) and chips for computers. I was around 18 and got very interested in what they were doing. I used to read all the manuals and literature. I worked for three years at Zenith and, since the office was very small - just eight-ten employees - I got to work in every department. As a peon, I worked with accounts, with marketing, purchase and the technical people. If someone was absent, I would help out wherever needed. I became an all-rounder.

ML: You learnt all this on the job?

SP: I had become quite the favourite there. For instance, if the marketing manager was absent, there wasn’t a problem because I knew his work. But if I was absent, they were stuck. Meanwhile, having finished my 11th standard, I joined a correspondence course at the Shivaji University for my graduation. It was a pre-degree arts course.

In the three years that I was with Zenith, I would do everything -- from bringing tea for the marketing manager and cleaning his table, to dictating correspondence when he was absent. Sometime then, I began to realise that there is no future in it for me. There were regular increments, which were undoubtedly good, but no promotion and, therefore, no future.

ML: Did you work directly with Raj Saraf (owner of Zenith Computers)?

SP: Yes, absolutely. It was a very small office those days (Zenith Computers is now a listed company with Rs300 crore turnover). He used to have a second-hand car those days, where if he braked hard, his foot got tangled in the wires! He was a very generous man and encouraged me a lot. He gave me money for my exam fees and tuition fees for college -- well beyond my salary. His moral support was very encouraging. But still, I had begun to feel that I had the potential to be much more than a peon.

At that time, a few new companies had begun to enter the business of trading in electronic components -- other than the shops at Lamington Road. Although the products were required by a wide spectrum of industries using electronic equipment, few people understood the business. Then, in 1977, I saw an advertisement. This was by a family called Gupta who had come from America to start an electronic trading business. I applied for the post of a clerk and was called for an interview. After a detailed interview -- where they asked me a lot of technical questions -- I was told that I had been appointed as a Sales Executive. I said: “But I have applied for the job of a clerk”. They looked at my application form again and, finally, said, “Since you have answered all the questions, why don’t you join as a Sales Executive”?

They asked me about my salary expectations and after some discussion, offered me Rs1200 per month. My last salary at Zenith was Rs250.

I went back to Mr Saraf and told him that I was leaving for better prospects. He said: “if salary is the only issue, I will pay that much”. But I said that I have already committed to join the other company and left. Within three months of taking up the new job, I realised that I had little support from the company. I was buying parts on my personal credit -- because everybody knew me from my Zenith days -- they didn’t know the new company. The sales were also based on my previous contacts -- All India Radio, Glaxo and Doordarshan -- just about everybody who needed electronic components.

I then realised that I don’t really need the company to be able to do the business; so in three months, I decided to strike out on my own. I went to the owner of the business and told him about my decision. He tried to persuade me and offered to increase my salary to Rs2000. I said, “No, Rs 1200 was not a small amount for me, but I want to try my luck and see if I can succeed”.

ML: Where were you living those days?

SP: I still lived in the slum with a friend but it changed after I started my own business. It was a very large slum near Dharavi. Since I was the only person buying an English newspaper in the slum, the paper vendor was curious about me and we got to know each other. One day, he told me that someone in a nearby building was looking for a paying-guest to share his apartment. I moved there in 1978, and started my business with Rs3500 in the bank. I used to give the address of my paying-guest apartment for my business.

ML: Wasn’t it a problem getting a phone, etc.?

SP: Yes, but it didn’t matter because I wasn’t expecting anyone to call me. My schedule those days was to get out of the house very early and go from one company to another on a door-to-door basis. Once I picked up enquiries for a specific part, I would go to Lamington Road in the evening to check the sources. The problem those days was availability of electronic components and parts. There were thousands of components in a machine but they were not easily available. What I did was to look for alternatives -- for instance, if a television has a particular transistor, say the SL 100 which was made in Russia and was not available -- I would look through the data books and manuals to find an alternative component made by another company or another country. In 99% of the cases, the trick worked and I was able to supply the part. Most shop-owners at Lamington Road did not know this strategy -- of finding alternatives, even though the technical journals were available with them. That is how I started serving the industry. I then worked on my Zenith contacts at Kota, Ahmedabad and Baroda.

I called these companies and they would send me a list of components that they were stuck for and which were not available in India. I then studied the journals during the night, figured out alternatives and took samples to them. This was a value addition that people really appreciated. Jyoti Ltd. was one company that really supported me; it used to be in technology at that time. Similarly, Instrumentation India Ltd., in Kota, was a government company that supported me a lot. Whenever I went to Kota, their engineers and research scientists used to sit with me to discuss which is the best component to be used while designing a product -- say a temperature controller or data acquisition system. For instance, which IC should they use in a specific amplifier or timer that would be commercially viable and also regularly available for the next 10 years. So they told me their requirements and I would suggest commercially viable options to them, which they appreciated.

ML: You were working alone all this time?

SP: Yes, mainly alone. In fact, there is another story behind that. Just before I decided to start out on my own, I had applied for several other jobs. In fact, it used to be my hobby to keep applying for various jobs -- that of a ticket-checker at the Railways or a peon at Canara Bank, etc. On 15th August 1978, the very day that I wanted to start my business -- fortunately or unfortunately -- I received three appointment letters. One as a peon at Canara Bank, the second as a clerk at Raj Khosla’s office and the third one from another company, whose name I don’t remember now. I was really confused and couldn’t decide what to do. Here I was, starting on my own and I was going to turn down three steady jobs. It was very confusing and a difficult choice. I thought about my options through the night and decided that I would start my own business. I could always do a job; but if I wanted to get into business, I would only get one opportunity. It was now or never. At that time, I had about Rs4,000 in hand and was earning over Rs1,000-1,200 every month and I was risking that. The first month, I really didn’t get good business. But, at the end of the month, I had earned Rs500 and thought it was a good start. From then onwards, there was no looking back. At the end of the year, I had earned nearly Rs60,000 and I thought I am in business. That was in 1978-79.

ML: How did you earn money then?
SP: After my father left, I did a variety of odd jobs. I worked as an usher at cinema theatres, as casual labour at a textile mill at Rs seven for a 12-hour shift. I have worked at Crompton Greaves as gate-labour – they used to pay Rs10 a day – and, sometimes, as a railway porter. I also got into bad company, since there was nobody to guide me those days… I didn’t work until I ran out of money and then went back to a daily labour job. Then, my brother, who was in the post office, found me a job at Zenith Computers at Walkeshwar. This was an assured job as a peon and gave me Rs125 per month. Once I settled down there, I started studying again. I joined Vivekanand night classes in Dadar. I also learnt typing and English conversation. I used to do three classes at a time – every evening – one hour of typing, then an hour of English conversation and then the night school. In that way, I completed my 11th standard and passed with a first class.

Zenith Computers used to sell the latest technology integrated circuits (IC) and chips for computers. I was around 18 and got very interested in what they were doing. I used to read all the manuals and literature. I worked for three years at Zenith and, since the office was very small – just 8-10 employees – I got to work in every department. As a peon, I worked with accounts, with marketing, purchase and the technical people. If someone was absent, I would help out wherever needed. I became an all-rounder.

ML: Did you learn all this on the job?
SP: I had become quite a favourite there. For instance, if the marketing manager was absent, there wasn’t a problem because I knew his work. But if I was absent, they were stuck. Meanwhile, having finished my 11th standard, I joined a correspondence course at the Shivaji University for my graduation. It was a pre-degree arts course. In the three years that I was with Zenith, I would do everything – from bringing tea for the marketing manager and cleaning his table, to dictating correspondence when he was absent. Sometime then, I began to realise that there is no future in it for me. There were regular increments, which were undoubtedly good, but no promotion and, therefore, no future.

ML: Did you work directly with Raj Saraf (the owner of Zenith Computers)?
SP: Yes, absolutely. It was a very small office those days (Zenith Computers is now a listed company with Rs300 crore turnover. – Editor). He used to have a second-hand car those days, where if he braked hard, his foot got tangled in the wires! He was a very generous man and encouraged me a lot. He gave me money for my exam fees and tuition fees for college – well beyond my salary. His moral support was very encouraging. But still, I had begun to feel that I had the potential to be much more than a peon.

At that time, a few new companies had begun to enter the business of trading in electronic components – other than the shops at Lamington Road. Although the products were required by a wide spectrum of industries using electronic equipment, few people understood the business. Then, in 1977, I saw an advertisement. This was by a family called Gupta who had come from America to start an electronic trading business. I applied for the post of a clerk and was called for an interview. After a detailed interview – where they asked me a lot of technical questions – I was told that I had been appointed as a sales executive. I said: “But I have applied for the job of a clerk.” They looked at my application form again and said, “Since you have answered all the questions, why don’t you join as a sales executive?” They asked me about my salary expectations and after some discussion, offered me Rs1,200 per month. My last salary at Zenith was Rs250. I went back to Mr Saraf and told him that I was leaving for better prospects. He said: “If salary is the only issue, I will pay that much.” But I said that I have already committed to join the other company and left.

A Tribute to Women Legends of Odisha

2013-01-13T06:11:00.000-08:00

Khimji's '2013' Calendar: A Tribute to Women Legends of Odisha

Source:http://indiaeducationdiary.in/Shownews.asp?newsid=18724

Bhubaneswar: Odisha is no longer back as far as the craze for innovative and out of box calendar like Kingfisher calendar or Dabboo Ratnani’s calendar on New Year. Extending its warm wishes on the arrival of New Year Khimji Jewellers, Odisha’s and Eastern India’s leading jewellery and fashion house, has come up with unique concept in its Tabletop Calendar figuring six legendary women of Odisha on its leafs.

Dedicating this year’s Calendar to the vibrating leading women embodiments of strength and courage and their undeniable contribution for the state and the nation, Khimji has featured those renowned women in shining pages of its 2013 Tabletop Calendar. January and February months of the Calendar feature the Ramadevi Choudhuri who was a famous freedom fighter and a social reformer who was actively participated in the freedom struggle and inspired the women in Odisha to step into the public sphere. March and April months of the Calendar feature the first woman legislator Sarala Devi who was received Odisha Sahitya Accademi Award for her contribution to Odia Literature. In the month of May and June calendar feature the Odishi dancer Sanjukta Panigrahi who received the prestigious Padma shri Award in 1975 and Sangeet Natak Akademi Award in 1976 in recognition of her achievement as an outstanding exponent of Odissi. July and August feature the first woman director Parbati Ghosh who enriched her immensely contribution to the Odia Film Industry in the country. September and October months feature an eminent author and novelist Dr. Pratibha Ray who enriched the modern Odia literature by receiving the prestigious Jnanpith Award recently. In the end of the year November and December months of the calendar feature an exemplary social activist Padma Shri Tulasi Munda who won the Odisha Living legend Award for excellence in Social Services.

Speaking upon this thematic and trendsetting Calendar, Mr. Mitesh Khimji, Director, Khimji Jewellers says, “Khimji being into Jewellery trade, this year Khimji Foundation has come up with such innovative concept to dedicate this year tabletop calendar to such invaluable personalities of the nation. By dedicating this year calendar, Khimji salutes the women who have ensured that Odisha is not just a dot on the world map but a state with a soul and voice. Khimji celebrates their outstanding achievements and pays a glowing tribute to all the women to whom we owe the success and progress of our society.”

Happy Birthday Swami Vivekananda

2013-01-12T05:42:00.000-08:00

"My faith is in the younger generation, the modern

generation, out of them will come my workers. They will work

out the whole problem, like lions,"

“When I Asked God for Strength

He Gave Me Difficult Situations to Face

When I Asked God for Brain & Brown

He Gave Me Puzzles in Life to Solve

When I Asked God for Happiness

He Showed Me Some Unhappy People

When I Asked God for Wealth

He Showed Me How to Work Hard

When I Asked God for Favors

He Showed Me Opportunities to Work Hard

When I Asked God for Peace

He Showed Me How to Help Others

God Gave Me Nothing I Wanted

He Gave Me Everything I Needed.”

― Swami Vivekananda

Annapurna Maharana: End of an era in Odisha

2013-01-11T21:17:00.001-08:00

Annapurna Maharana: End of an era in Odisha

Source:http://www.dailypioneer.com/state-editions/bhubaneswar/121545-annapurna-maharana-end-of-an-era-in-odisha.html

Freedom fighter Annapurna Maharana, better known as Chuni Apa, died on December 31 last at her residence in Cuttack at the age of 96 years, where Mahatma Gandhi was staying during his visit to Odisha.

Gandhi held a meeting in the river bed of Kathajodi and the stage was set by Annpurna and her family members, including her parents Gopabandhu Choudhury and Rama Devi.

Their native village was Khirasha in Jagatsinghpur district and they belonged to a Zaminadar family, which had much name and fame then. The entire properties of her family were invested for freedom movement, while her parents lived like ordinary people. At the age of 13, Annapurna left the traditional education and joined the Banar Sena, which aimed at achieving the freedom of India.

During her involvement in the freedom struggle, Chuni Apa had spent nearly six months in the jails of Cuttack and Jajpur. Within the jail precincts, she firmed up her determination to serve the poor and sacrifice her life for the freedom of the nation and upliftment of the downtrodden and the marginalized sections of society. She had no definite academic qualifications, but she was a prolific writer. She along with her brother Manmohan Choudhury joined the Sarvodaya movement inspired by the ideology of Mahatma Gandhi and Vinoba Bhave. Just after independence of India, Basic Schools were opened to provide education and train the pupils to manufacture indigenous products without depending on foreign goods. A basic school had been started at the writer’s village and named as Uradhi-Kranti Maulika School.

The pioneer of basic education in Odisha was late Sarat Chandra Maharana, the husband of Chuni Apa. The writer had the opportunities to meet Chuni Appa and her husband at Kanakpur. During that time, Sarat Chandra Maharana was going for inspection of a school. The village of the writer is very close to Kanakpur. The spinning of cloths by Charakha and cleaning of village were taught to the students in the school every Saturday. The writer was frequently meeting Chuni Apa after shifting to Cuttack as a student.

Chuni Apa was a lady of indomitable spirit and courage. She preferred to marry Sarat Chandra who did not belong to her cast when the feeling of cast was very acute. If we see Chuni Apa’s family, we find that they were broadminded people and stayed above narrow social trends. Her uncle Nabakrushna Choudhury, who was the first Chief Minister of Odisha, had also married Bengali girl Malati Devi, a veteran political as well as social reformer and a student of Shanti Niketan.

Chuni Apa married Sarat Chandra in 1942. She with her mother Rama Devi and aunt Malati Choudhury took the leadership during the Sal Movement (Laban Satyagraha) at Kujang at the call of Mahatma Gandhi, which was a defining movement of banning of foreign salt and goods besides heralding civil disobedience. Chhuni Apa was involved in services for Harijans, propagation of indigenous products, prohibition of intoxicants, popularisation of basic education and Khadi, village sanitation and brotherhood irrespective cast, creed and religion, among others.

She was trustee of the Kasturba Trust for some period and took a major role in the famine of 1966 in Kalahandi district. She also worked as a volunteer during the distribution of relief to the affected people in 1967 floods in Odisha. Her contribution during the 1999 Super Cyclone was invaluable. She along with brother Manmohan worked hard to bring smile in the faces of the victims.

A few days after the Super Cyclone in Odisha, the writer received a message from Chuni Apa through Abhay Singh, a well-known environmentalist and social activist to meet her immediately. She and her brother had read a few articles published in several dailies on the Super Cyclone and its aftermath in the coastal region by the writer. Chuni Apa and Monmohan Choudhury used to encourage the writer to write on environment.

Chuni Apa and Monmohan directly supervised the relief distribution in Goda panchayat of Ersama, where the writer also did his precious little to help the affected people. The villages were inaccessible. In the face of all odds, Chuni Apa, Manmohan and their team did a lot to reach out to the people in distress.

Chuni Appa was most affectionate and affable. She arranged conferences for the spread of Sarvodaya movement nationwide. She got many awards and recognition including Utkal Ratna and International Rotary Award, among others.

Lal Bahadur Shastri:who epitomised honesty and sincerity in public life.

2013-01-11T08:20:00.003-08:00

Has the nation forgotten Shastri? Is Shastri, who epitomised honesty and sincerity in public life, relevant today?

Source:http://www.rediff.com/news/2004/oct/06spec1.htm

Seven miles from Kashi in Uttar Pradesh is Mughalsarai. A hundred years ago, Lal Bahadur, India's second prime minister, was born there on October 2, 1904, the same day as India's greatest statesman Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi, born 35 years before Shastriji.

Though his parents Sharada Prasad and Ramdulari Devi were Srivastavas, Shastri dropped his caste identity in his early years. In 1921, inspired by Bal Gangadhar Tilak and Gandhi, he cut short his studies to join India's freedom movement.

Later he joined the Kashi Vidyapeeth and earned the epithet 'Shastri' by obtaining a degree on philosophy.

He won the hearts of Indians when he showed exemplary courage in taking quick decisions as prime minister June 1964 to January 1966) during the India-Pakistan war in 1965. His leadership in war was an answer to that most often asked question at that time: 'After Nehru, who?'

But his untimely death on January 10, 1966 in Tashkent, in suspicious circumstances, deprived him the chance for history to sit in judgement.In a haphazardly taken decision, the central government has formed a committee to celebrate Shastri's life and work in the year of his centenary.

Has the nation forgotten Shastri? Is Shastri, who epitomised honesty and sincerity in public life, relevant today?

Anil Shastri, one of the late prime minister's six children and member of the Congress party, recounts memories of his father.

On the Congress treatment of Shastri

I don't think India has forgotten Lal Bahadur Shastri. Whatever he did is remembered even today. I must say since Sonia Gandhi has taken charge Shastriji's portraits are displayed in all the annual sessions of the party.

Many people have observed that there was a conspiracy to underplay Shastri's legacy within the Congress. This serious charge is untrue for the simple reason that due to his untimely death his contribution to the nation was confined to those 18 to 19 months when he was PM.

Nehru ruled the country for 17 years, Indira Gandhi for 16 years and Rajiv Gandhi for 5 years. Obviously the Nehru-Gandhi contribution is unparalleled because nobody got this opportunity. And remember Shastriji considered him as a protégé of Pandit Nehru. He was never outside the sphere of the Nehru ideology which is the Congress ideology.

Our nation is going to celebrate his birth centenary throughout the year. The committee is formed under the chairmanship of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.

Even in Tashkent, Uzbekistan, celebrations have been organised on a big scale. E Ahmed, minister of state for external affairs, was in Tashkent to participate in the celebrations.

Shastriji who represented a certain value system is more relevant today than before because a majority of us today have no value systems. I feel difficult to contest elections. I feel a little out of place but for my lineage I have survived in politics.

His father

I still miss him although I was just 16 years old when he died. If he would have lived 10 more years he would have done much more for the country.

He was down to earth. A real son of the soil. His grounding was from the grassroots level. He was a practical man too. He strongly believed the laws of the land should be changed because the British formed them to rule over India.

He did make an attempt by constituting the administrative reforms commission and made Morarji Desai its chairman. But after he died the idea was shelved.

The most cherished memory I have is the verses of Guru Nanak, which were displayed on his table. As Nehru kept Robert Frost's lines -- 'Miles to go before I sleep', on his desk, my father kept Nanak's quotes in Gurmukhi.

When translated into English they mean -- 'O Nanak! Be tiny like the grass, for other plants will whither away, but grass will remain ever green.'

When under the PL 480 programme, America was going to send inferior quality of wheat to India, he opposed it. He asked the nation to go hungry once a day than accept poor quality food from US.

Before making this announcement he asked my mother not to cook evening meals. He himself followed what he recommended.

The 1965 war with Pakistan

He appeared very modest but was a man of steel. He had the ability to take quick decisions. It was demonstrated on August 31, 1965. On that day he came home for an early dinner. One of his secretaries told him that the three chiefs of the defence services had come to see him. He immediately left for his office next door at 10, Janpath.

The three chiefs visited him to inform him that the Pakistan army had crossed the international border with 100 battle tanks in the Chamb sector of Jammu. They told him that in a short span of time the Pakistan army would cut off Kashmir from the rest of India.

Without losing time he asked for the opening of a new front including Lahore. Retaliate with full force, he said. What I remember is that the historic meeting lasted less than five minutes. Arjan Singh, the then chief of the air force was present. He is the only surviving member from that meeting.

He told them, "Be prepared for war." He called Defence Minister Y B Chavan and informed him of the decision. He responded positively and expressed his support. He didn't wait for international reactions. The next day, newspapers reported that the Indian army was marching towards Lahore. It was a big morale booster for the country.

During those tense days, in his address to the nation from Red Fort on Independence day, he said: "Hathiyaron ka jawab hathiyaron se denge. (Force will be met with force.) Hamara desh rahega to hamara tiranga rahega. (Our flag will survive only if our country does)"

On Shastri and the Nehru-Gandhi family

Pandit Nehru was very found of him. Shastriji was around 15 years younger but he trusted him fully. In 1956, when a train accident killed 144 passengers near Ariyalur in Tamil Nadu, Shastriji resigned. Panditji refused to accept the resignation but he prevailed upon Panditji to accept it.

On the following day in Parliament, Nehru said no one could wish for a better comrade than Lal Bahadur. A man of the highest integrity and devoted to ideas is called Lal Bahadur, said Nehru.

Once he was sent to Kashmir by Nehru to help resolve the theft in the Hazaratbal shrine. Nehru asked him whether he had enough woollens for the trip.

"Are you aware Kashmir must be having snowfall at this time?" asked Nehru.

Shastri showed him the jacket he was wearing and Nehru immediately gave his own mink overcoat. My father was short in stature so he told Nehru the coat was quite long. But Nehru said woollen overcoats were always longer. That no one would know it was a borrowed one.

On his return from Kashmir when father went to him to return the overcoat, Nehru asked him to keep it. The next day newspapers reported: Nehru's Mantle Falls on Shastri.

Shastriji and Indiraji also enjoyed a close relationship. She had the highest personal regard for him. After Nehru's death in 1964, the Congress chose him as a consensus candidate. He did make an attempt to persuade Indira Gandhi to take over as prime minister. He went to see her and asked her to become prime minister.

She put her foot down and said no. "You become PM and I'll totally support you," she said. When he was PM he would drop by at 1, Safdarjung Road (Indira Gandhi's home) without intimation just to chat with her.

Remembering Lal Bahadur Shastri

“The preservation of freedom, is not the task of soldiers alone. The whole nation has to be strong. We all have to work in our respective spheres with the same dedication, the same zeal and the same determination which inspired and motivated the warrior on the battle front. And this has to be shown not by mere words, but by actual deeds.”- Lal Bahadur Shastri.

Remember the slogan “Jai Jawan Jai Kisaan?” However, do you know who created this slogan? It was coined by our very own Lal Bahadur Shastri. The second Prime Minister of India. Today is his 47^th death anniversary and to remember and pay homage to this pioneer of Independent India. We will also revel in some of the memories that best establish him as an ideal patriotic individual. On first looking at Lal Bahadur Shastri he may come across as an ordinary old man to many. However, his actions spell courage and his soft-spoken simple nature dictates the true spirit of freedom. Being a prominent crusader of the freedom struggle, Lal Bahadur Shastri had pre-dominantly occupied the hearts of Indian people, even before he became a part of politics.

Although, Shastriji looked his age amongst his friends who belonged to the same age group, his sense of morality and ethics were far developed than his counterparts. As a child Shastriji was extremely fond of mangoes. While walking on the roads of Mirzapur, Shastriji and his uncle came across an old man selling mangoes. The man appeared distressed; and he offered to sell 100 mangoes for 1 anna. Instead of taking advantage of the poor man’s situation, the young Shastri offered to take only 50 mangoes for an anna. When questioned by his uncle on his impulsive behavior, Shastri said that the family needed only 50 mangoes and taking 100 mangoes for 1 anna was an unfair trade.

Even as a child, Lal Bahadurji was against the caste-system. When he was in 6^th standard, his name was registered in the school records as Lal Bahadur Varma. To avoid caste differences and discretion, he insisted no dropping his caste surname ‘Varma’ and with his family’s approval he managed to accomplish this feat. The title ‘Shastri’ was bestowed upon him in the year 1925 after the successful completion of his degree in Shastras. His far-sighted approach and courage supported the Indian troops during the 1965 Indo-Pak war. He was the first man to receive the highly prestigious Bharat Ratna award after his death. He resided at ‘Vijay Ghat’ which is situated close to his idols Mahatma Gandhi and Jawaharlal Nehru’s cremation area.

His sudden death still remains a never-ending mystery. Both his family members and the media still continue to target the government authorities with their unanswered questions. However, all their questions are still met with immediate silence. Shastriji may not be alive, but he continues to live in the hearts of his followers.

No Place To Go..................

2013-01-11T07:17:00.001-08:00

No Place To Go..................

Source:http://www.orissa-online.com/2012/08/stations-of-refugees/

The major railway stations of the state are fast turning into a shelter for the mentally challenged and abandoned, who arrive on trains from Bihar, Orissa and other northern states.

In fact, the railway police has handed over around 150 women and children and double the number of men so far this year to charitable institutions across the state after finding them roaming around in stations or travelling ticketless on long distance trains from destinations like Bhubhaneswar and Patna.

“On Monday alone, four women were found at the south railway station and sent to the Capurnam charitable trust. Such people are mostly found on long distance trains that end here like the Patna Express and the Ernakulam-Guwahati Express.

They travel in general compartments, often without food and in unhygienic conditions. Since TTE examination is not mandatory in the general class, it’s hard to spot them at the place of boarding, ” says a railway official.

A total of 46 women and 32 children were found by the railway police from the Ernakulam south railway station this year.

As the women are particularly vulnerable to attacks, they are quickly shifted to organisations like Shanti Bhavan. “Often they speak their local language and are completely out of their senses. Some murmur abuses while others laugh or even spit on you,” recounts one officer.
Most children found on the trains are usually runaways who don’t want to go home. Many are from Orissa and of all ages, some being as young as nine, and others 18.

“We produce them before the child welfare committee and then try to locate their guardians or child helpline centres nearest to their homes,” says Father Gilton, director of the Kochi centre of Childline India.

But as this is usually a long process, only four of the 20 children who have arrived so far this year on trains have been returned to their guardians, while the others have been sheltered at various rescue centres in Aluva and Kochi.

Even in August, the Childline was sent two children by the Railway Protection Force of the Ernakulam South. “One of the boys named Ganesh had escaped from the Juvenile Home in Coimbatore and fled again from the Ernakulam General hospital where he was being treated,” says a Childline official. Some children who are deaf and dumb, however, continue to remain in its care.

Many are fighting diseases

Many of the abandoned who arrive at railway stations across the state are elderly men and women, fighting chronic diseases, who have been forced to board the trains by relatives, say charitable institutions which take them in.

“Most of the people who the railways bring to us are elderly. It takes days or even months for them to open up and talk about the trauma they have suffered. When they do begin to share their experience they tell us they were forced to board trains with no destination in mind by relatives,” says Sister Juliet Joseph, director of Capurnam Charitable Trust, which has given shelter to around 300 women, mostly elderly, over the past nine years.

One of the women who came to the trust was Swapna, 45, of Bihar, who was forced to board the train by her cousins.

“She was found lying near the Pullepady overbridge two months ago, suffering from an infectious disease. We admitted her to the Chithra hospital where she is now under treatment. At first she was very reluctant to speak but our counsellors managed to get some information out of her after some effort,” says Sister Juliet.

What they learnt was heart-rending. The woman revealed she was put on the Patna-Ernakulam Express by her cousins as they wanted nothing to do with her on account of her chronic illness.

Thrown off train by TTE, sick farmer dies on platform

2013-01-11T07:13:00.001-08:00

Thrown off train by TTE, sick farmer dies on platform

Source:http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2013-01-15/aurangabad/36353770_1_train-ticket-examiner-government-railway-police-tte

AURANGABAD: A train ticket examiner allegedly made a seriously ill farmer and his wife get off the reserved compartment of the Manmad-Secunderabad Shirdi express at Lasur station in Maharashtra, where the farmer died. The couple did not have valid tickets. B A More, the TTE, neither informed his seniors nor the railway control room about his action.

The government railway police in Aurangabad have registered a case of accidental death while the divisional railway office has initiated an inquiry. On Friday, Bhimrao Raut (65) and his wife Yamunabai (60) had gone to Shirdi for treatment. On Saturday, after treatment, the couple bought tickets for the unreserved bogey at Manmad station. "Raut was ill and could not walk up to the bogey. They boarded the 11th coach of the train," Santoshkumar Somani of the Marathwada Railway Pravasi Sena said.

Yamunabai noticed that Bhimrao's health had started deteriorating. The other passengers called the TTE, Somani added, who allegedly forced them out of the train at Lasur station for not having valid tickets. Bhimrao passed away on the platform soon after, Somani said.

Railways to pay Rs 4 lakh to youth pushed from running train by TTE

Source:http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/industry-and-economy/logistics/railways-to-pay-rs-4-lakh-to-youth-pushed-from-running-train-by-tte/article4298106.ece

UTTACK (ODISHA), JAN 11:

The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has directed the Railways to pay Rs four lakh as compensation to a youth who had been pushed from a running train by a Travelling Ticket Examiner (TTE) in August 2009.

The youth, Benudhar Bhoi of Odisha’s Sambalpur district, lost his right leg and had to stay in hospital for over three months.

Holding the incident as a violation of Human Rights, the Commission held the TTE responsible for ruining the future of the 25-year-old youth and ordered the Railways to pay the compensation to him within six weeks, according to the communication received by lawyer Prabir Das who had moved the NHRC on behalf of the victim.

The Commission has also sought a compliance report from Chairman of Railway Board with a proof that the amount is duly paid to the victim within the stipulated period.

Benudhar was travelling in Santragachhi-Puri Passenger train from Balasore to Cuttack when the TTE pushed him from the running train for travelling without ticket. Doctors at SCB Medical College and Hospital here had to amputate his leg in order to save his life.

The Railways had refused to pay any damages to the victim saying he was travelling without ticket and ticketless passengers are not entitled to any compensation.

A departmental enquiry had given clean chit to the TTE saying the ticketless traveller was asked to alight from the train at the next station but he (Benudhar) tried to get down from the running train and sustained injuries.

However, a GRP enquiry had prima facie found that the TTE had actually pushed Benudhar from the running train and accordingly a charge sheet was filed.

Based on the GRP enquiry, the NHRC observed that the incident was a violation of human rights of an individual by a Government servant and according to the provisions of the Protection of Human Rights Act-1993 the victim is entitled to compensation.

Free bus service for cancer patients in Haryana

2013-01-11T06:20:00.003-08:00

Free bus service for cancer patients in Haryana

Source:http://zeenews.india.com/news/haryana/free-bus-service-for-cancer-patients-in-haryana_818630.html

Chandigarh: Haryana government has decided to provide free travel facility to cancer patients in state roadways buses.

About 50,000 cancer patients travel in the buses for treatment facilities every year, state Health Minister Rao Narender said in a release today.

It has come to notice that a cancer patient usually has to visit hospitals on an average 15 times in a year for treatment and they have to spend hefty amount as travelling expense, he said.

Keeping this in view, the state government has decided to provide free travelling facility to such patients in state-owned buses, he said.

A provision of Rs 5 crore has been made for this purpose.

Such patients could avail this facility on the basis of an identity card issued by the Civil Surgeon of the district. This card would be valid for maximum 15 visits (to and fro) or for one year.

After the expiry of validity, the patient would have to submit the identity card in the office of Civil Surgeon and thereafter, a new one would be issued, he added.

The office of the Civil Surgeon would be required to maintain complete record in this regard and on the basis of it, the reimbursement would be made to transport department by the Health Department.

It's time to pay back, says Odia diaspora

2013-01-09T07:19:00.000-08:00

It's time to pay back, says Odia diaspora

Source:http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/bhubaneswar/Its-time-to-pay-back-says-Odia-diaspora/articleshow/17950238.cms

BHUBANESWAR: Odias, settled across the globe, need to come together and contribute towards the state's progress. Members and delegates at the three-day 'Biswa Odia Samaj Sammilani' (world Odia meet) on Tuesday unanimously voiced their concern over poverty ofOdisha and agreed it is time to pay back to the state.

Shreekanta Nayak, convener of the meet and chairman of National Council of Asian Indian Associations, said, "There are more than 96 lakh Odias settled outside the state. Majority of them are working as migrant labourers, but more than one lakh are well established too. We are urging those one lakh non-resident Odias to contribute to the state's progress."

He added, "Odisha badly needs attention in three sectors - agriculture, education and health care. But first of all we have to create good human beings, who would be the torchbearers of the change we desire. We must realize that we have to contribute before we consume. The bottom line is economic empowerment can only come through quality education."

Elaborating the bottlenecks, Nayak said, "We have to stop being hostile to each other and contribute without any agenda. There has to be more political willingness and cooperation fromthe administration side as well. Without any blame game, we must do whatever we can without waiting for others. We have to be the change, we want to see around."

Dr Debadutta Das, Justice Ombudsman, Internal Court of Justice, UNHCR, admitted, "We lack unity and sincerity to develop our state. Despite our rich natural resources, Odisha has unfortunately not been self sufficient in sectors where it should have been long back. Women education and child care are two major areas which need immediate attention."

Industrialist Premananda Mohapatra and retired superintending engineer Tarakant Mishhra, however, were positive about the much-awaited change.

SWARAnandwan:A helping hand, please

2013-01-05T19:44:00.001-08:00

Anandwan Mitra Mandal, Nashik has organised a Mega show of 'SWARAnandwan' at Nashik's Dadasahib Gaikvad Sabhagruha on 7th Jan. 2013 at 5 pm to support the cause of Maharogi Sewa Samiti, Anandwan. Swaranandwan is world's first therapeutic theatre started by cured leprosy patients for challenged (socially and physically) souls. It was inaugurated by His Highness 'The Dalai Lama' in 2002 during his visit to Anandwan. Till date It has successfully performed 1500 shows in Goa, A.P. and Maharashtra. The 'specially abled' children of Swaranandwan look forward to showcase their talent before Nashikkars for third time. Most Welcome. please contact me on +919822466734,

Kaustubh Amte:+919922550006,

Thanks for ur greetings,

Dr Vikas Amte

Chief Functionary,

Secretary,

Maharogi Sewa Samiti, Warora

Anandwan

A beautiful event for a noble cause.
We have planned for four shows of a beautiful Audio-Visual event named “Swaränandwan” established by Late Baba Amte’s Maharogi Sewa Samiti, Anandwan. This is done on behalf of (i) Maharogi Sewa Samiti, Warora, (ii) Prism Foundation, Pune, (iii) A school run by Jnyana Prabodhini Sholapur at Harali; in the earthquake affected backward area of Osmanabad district and (iv) Rural College at Winzar at the foot of Räjgad fort. Brief details about the orchestra and about the four organizations are :

On one hand the artists of the orchestra are blind / deaf and dumb or having some or the other challenge but at the same time the quality of the show is very good. It is an unique effort by some socially / physically challenged persons for some other socially dedicated institute.
On seeing the details, you will also appreciate that all the four institutions are a need of our society and are doing very good work. It is the responsibility of the society to support them financially.
Purpose of the events is raising funds for the four organizations. At the same time it is more important that the maximum number of people witness this beautiful presentation. We, therefore, have kept cost of tickets at the bear minimum just to cover the expenses; At the same time, we have made an appeal to all to donate for the noble cause, while buying the tickets itself or after seeing the show. Rates of tickets are Rs.100, 200, 300, 500, 1000 and more

Physically challenged children and leprosy patients from the ashram are in the city to perform in aid of more than 5,000 residents.

Physically challenged children performing at Swaranandwan

The programme they present, ‘Swaranandwan’, has been organised by Anandwan ashram, Chandrapur, and Anandwan Mitra Mandal, Dombivli. Participants include visually challenged and speech and hearing impaired children and leprosy patients.

Dr Vikas Amte, Baba Amte’s son and secretary of Anandwan’s Maharogi Sewa Samiti, said, “We need the help of donors, social activists and people.

Organisers say

Sadashiv Tajane, a physically challenged resident of Anandwan ashram and the event manager said, “Our kids are very talented, besides people come forward to donate in the name of Baba Amte. We have received a good response so far. I wish we receive donations to suffice the needs of the ashram and other projects.”

Sudhir Kadam, another physically challenged person who is the event presenter said, “We are getting a good response but I have seen very few youngsters at our events. They must be thinking that our programmes are boring. They can come forward and join our cause only if they attend our event and see what we are doing. I appeal to people to help us.”