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Vrindavan Saga
Sanitation in Uganda
The Making of A Legend
Leo Tolstoy
Her reliance on children took unexpected turns
Measures of change in the ‘Pearl of Africa’
Welfare schemes for farmers
Great writer and spiritual rebel
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A Good News Weekly
Vol - 2 | Issue - 27 | June 18-24, 2018 | Price ` 5/-
NIKKEI ASIA PRIZE 2018
Nikkei PRIZE For Dr Pathak The major Japanese media house prize went to the Indian Social Reformer’s work of half-acentury in the category of Culture and Community. This award is in recognition of his tireless efforts to promote human rights and improve public health by constructing innovative toilets. Dr Pathak dedicated this award to the downtrodden
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Cover Story
June 18-24, 2018
Quick Glance Dr Pathak wins Nikkei Asia Prize for tackling India’s poor hygiene and discrimination
This was the 23rd time that Nikkei Prize was awarded
The Award was presented by President & CEO of Nikkei Inc.
Dr Bindeshwar Pathak and Amola Pathak present coffee table books ‘Narendra Damodardas Modi: The Making of a Legend’ and ‘Fulfilling Bapu’s Dreams - Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Tribute to Gandhiji’ to Japanese PM Shinzo Abe
Dr Bindeshwar Pathak presents coffee table book ‘Fulfilling Bapu’s Dreams - Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Tribute to Gandhiji’ to Sujan Chinoy, Ambassador of India to Japan
n SSB Bureau
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n a glittering and star-studded ceremony, Nikkei Inc., Japan, conferred the "23rd Nikkei Asia Prize 2018" in the category of "Culture and Community" to Padma Bhushan Dr Bindeshwar Pathak for his outstanding achievements that contribute to the region's sustainable development and to the creation of a better future for Asia.
The Nikkei Asia Prizes are given to individuals and groups in Asia that have made outstanding contributions to the region's development. This year was the 23rd time they were awarded. The Nikkei Asia Prize recognizes Dr Pathak as "An Indian social reformer tackling two of his country's biggest challenges—poor hygiene and discrimination". The Award was presented by
for science and technology. While conferring the award, the Chairman of the Award Committee Fujio Mitarai said that Dr Pathak was being bestowed the honour for “tackling two of his country's biggest challenges—poor hygiene and discrimination.” The colourful event attended by a host of dignitaries and celebrities was held on the evening of June 13, 2018, at Tokyo's Imperial hotel. While accepting this award, Dr Pathak dedicated it to the downtrodden section of the society for whom he is waging a campaign for
Dr Bindeshwar Pathak and Amola Pathak
Naotoshi Okada, President & CEO, Nikkei Inc., Dr Pathak is among the three who have been decorated with the award. The other two recipients of the 23rd Nikkei Asia Prizes are: Ma Jun, China, founding director, Institute of Public & Environmental Affairs (IPE), Winner for economic and business innovation, and Nguyen Thanh Liem, Vietnam, director, Vinmec Research Institute of Stem Cell and Gene Technology, Winner
more than five decades. “This award will be another milestone in my commitment to the service of the society in Asia in particular and the world in general,” he added. Former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Infosys Chairman Narayan Murthy are among few other Indians who have won the prize in the past. Nikkei Inc., one of the largest
Cover Story
June 18-24, 2018
The three recipients of Nikkei Asia Prize 2018: (L-R) Nguyen Thanh Liem (Vietnam), Ma Jun (China), Dr Bindeshwar Pathak (India)
Nikkei honour people in Asia who have made significant contributions to Economic and Business Innovation; Science, Technology and Environment; and Culture and Community media corporations in Japan, has been presenting the awards since 1996 in commemoration of the 120th anniversary of Nikkei Inc.'s main Japanese-language newspaper, The Nikkei. They honour people in Asia who have made significant contributions in one of the three areas: Economic and Business Innovation; Science, Technology and Environment; and Culture and Community. It aims to give light to people and organizations that contributed to the development and prosperity of Asia.
Dr Bindeshwar PathakCulture and Community
The winner of the prize for culture and community was Bindeshwar Pathak, the founder of Sulabh International of India. Pathak’s social action arose from his experience with the country’s “untouchable” castes. He once saw people rushing to save a boy who had been attacked by a bull, but as soon as they heard someone yelling that the boy was untouchable, the crowd left him to die. “This tragic and unjust incident shook my conscience to the core,” he said. Untouchables were relegated to cleaning human waste, and his concern became “how to rescue them from their inhuman occupation.” Pathak invented a composting flush toilet, known as the Sulabh toilet, for household use. Bacteria in
the soil convert human waste into bio-fertilizer containing nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium that can raise agricultural productivity. In 1977, he invented technology for producing biogas from human waste to be used for lamp fuel or cooking. Throughout India, 1.5 million Sulabh toilets have built in homes and more than 9,000 in public lavatories. These technologies are improving the lives of former untouchables, but Pathak said their benefits are not confined to India. “They can solve the problems of 2.3 billion people on the planet, especially in Africa, Asia, and Latin America where people have no access to safe and hygienic toilet facilities.”
Ma Jun-BusinessInnovation Category
Chinese environmentalist Ma Jun, who won the business innovation prize, pointed to signs of success in fighting pollution in his country. "In some of the rivers, fish are coming back for the first time in decades," he told the audience in Tokyo. As founding director of the Institute of Public & Environmental Affairs, a nongovernmental organisation, Ma has created indexes that measure the environmental conservation efforts of local and global companies operating in China. "Massive industrialization and urbanization benefit millions of
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Visiting Professor Japanese Language Akio Haga and his wife Izumi Haga with Dr Pathak during the award function
Joyous moment shared with Sulabh organisation members
people, but the environment pays a heavy price," Ma said. During his career as a journalist at the South China Morning Post in the 1990s, he realized the extent of the damage to China's environment, especially its rivers and lakes and the communities that live near them. "People must be informed first" to understand how serious the pollution is, he said. After founding the IPE in 2006, Ma created comprehensive regional maps of water pollution in China, collecting information from authorities. He then began drawing attention to factories behind global information technology brands like Apple. The institute's Corporate Information Transparency Index assesses the environmental management of these brands' supply chains in China. The index has served as a tool for
inducing companies to take action on pollution. Apple, which was placed the lowest of about 30 companies ranked in 2010, is now the top performer in the group.
Nguyen Thanh LiemScience and Technology
Vietnamese doctor Nguyen Thanh Liem, called the father of paediatric medicine in Vietnam, won the prize for science and technology in recognition of his work advancing health care for children. "We can change the lives of many children suffering from what were said to be incurable diseases in the past," Liem said, showing a video of a girl with cerebral palsy who is being treated with stem cell transplants and is now starting to walk on her own. Liem performed Asia's first laparoscopic surgery on a child. Commonly used on adults, the
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Cover Story
June 18-24, 2018
Meeting With PM Of Japan Shinzo Abe
Indian NGO Ready To Bring Better Sanitation To Asia And Beyond Sulabh International founder says it can help over 2bn people access toilets
n AKIHIDE ANZAI & NIKKI SUN (Nikkei staff writers)
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Dr Bindeshwar Pathak briefs Japanese PM Shinzo Abe on coffee table book ‘Narendra Damodardas Modi: The Making of a Legend’
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r Bindeshwar Pathak met Prime Minister of Japan Mr Shinzo Abe at a dinner for the delegates and participants of the 24th International Conference on the Future of Asia, hosted by Nikkei in Tokyo, Japan, on June 11, 2018, and on this occasion he presented PM Abe the Coffee Table book “Narendra Damodardas Modi: The Making of a Legend”. PM Abe flipped through the book, and he was delighted to see his photographs with his Indian counterpart Narendra Modi in it. The photographs capture Mr Abe’s visit to India between December 11 and 13, 2015. The visit was extremely successful in terms of strengthening the IndiaJapan bilateral partnership in
procedure involves making small incisions in the abdomen, but is more difficult to perform on children because their bodies are smaller, leaving less room to work. Having learned minimally invasive surgery from French pioneer Philippe Mouret, Liem was determined to "bring pediatric endoscopic surgery to Vietnam" to reduce the need for major procedures that leave serious
economic and political relations. While meeting the Japanese Prime Minister, Dr Pathak told him that “Prime Minister Modi holds him in great esteem and admires him deeply for his inspirational and sterling leadership.” PM Abe was also presented another coffee-table book, ‘Fulfilling Bapu’s Dream— Prime Minister Modiji’s Tribute to Gandhiji’. The first copy of the book was presented to President of India Ram Nath Kovind in a function held on 9 March 2018 at Rashtrapati Bhawan PM Shinzo Abe in his speech lauded India’s all-round development gathering pace under the inspiring leadership of PM Modi. pain and scars. In 2014, he became one of the pioneers in using stem cell transplants to treat serious disorders such as cerebral palsy. He now serves as director of the Vinmec Research Institute of Stem Cell and Gene Technology in Vietnam.
Meeting With Ambassador Of India To Japan
n Indian social reformer who has worked to end an age-old stigma associated with a lack of proper toilets says he is confident that his design can save over 2 billion people suffering from poor sanitation around the world. Bindeshwar Pathak, founder of Sulabh International, has worked for 50 years to solve sanitation problems in India. He invented a composting flush toilet that his nongovernmental organisation has installed in 1.5 million homes. The Indian government has introduced 60 million toilets of a similar design throughout the country. The government’s goal is 100% access to toilets by 2019, and Pathak said it already has achieved 85%. But his ambitions are not confined to India. “The technology is also helping other countries in Africa, Asia and Latin America,” where 2 billion people have no access to safe and hygienic toilets in their homes, he said on Tuesday in an interview on the sidelines of the Future of Asia conference in Tokyo. “The technology can help end open defecation in all continents,” Pathak said. India’s lack of proper sanitation has a long and deep connection with its caste system. The former “untouchable” caste once removed human waste by hand and suffered the stigma associated with this Dr Bindeshwar Pathak presented the Coffee Table book "Narendra Damodardas Modi: The Making of a Legend" to HE Sujan Chinoy, Ambassador of India to Japan who was present at 23rd Nikkei Asia Prize 2018 Award ceremony at Tokyo, Japan. This illustrated biography has the images and text depicting Prime Minister Modi’s life journey, his
work. Pathak has striven to eliminate this discrimination by popularizing toilets. He was awarded the 2018 Nikkei Asia Prize for culture and community in recognition of his efforts. Afghanistan, Bangladesh, China, South Africa and Ghana have also adopted the Sulabh design. However, he said, there is also demand for inexpensive waste disposal in developed countries, as people in some areas still use septic tanks. During a recent visit to the U.S., Pathak said he was asked to export his technology to build toilets in American rural areas where sewage systems are not in use. He said he has also discussed with companies in Japan, known for its high-tech toilets, for building cheap models the Sulabh way. While these countries have the technology to install modern flush toilets, the costs tend to be high. In an extreme example, one unit can cost 1 million yen ($9,000) in Tokyo, compared with only $20 for a Sulabh toilet in India, he said. “If Japan wants [the technology], certainly we can help,” he said. struggles, his achievements and his various pro-people initiatives since he took over as India's Prime Minister in 2014. Also presented Sujan R Chinoy another Coffee Table 'Fulfilling Bapu's Dream— Prime Minister Modiji's Tribute to Gandhiji'. The first copy of the book was presented to President of India Ram Nath Kovind in a function held on 9 March 2018 at Rashtrapati Bhawan.
Cover Story
June 18-24, 2018
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ACCEPTANCE SPEECH
‘My inventions were the tools of social change’
Dr Bindeshwar Pathak addressing the distinguished audience gathered at Nikkei Asia Prize 2018 in Tokyo, Japan
n Bindeshwar Pathak
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feel humbled and honoured to receive the prestigious Nikkei Asia Prize. At the outset, I would like to express my deepest gratitude to the award committee for recognising my efforts for the advancement of culture and community. It was my ardent wish to be a Professor of Sociology at Patna University in the state of Bihar. But little did I know that my destiny had something else in store. I began my career as a school teacher in the very school I studied. Later, I joined Bihar Gandhi Centenary Celebration Committee in Patna as a social worker in 1968, which was formed to commemorate the birth centenary of Mahatma Gandhi in 1969. The centenary committee assigned me a challenging task of rescuing the untouchables (human scavengers or untouchables that belonged to the lowest stratum of caste-based society) from cleaning human excreta of others, and integrating them in the
mainstream of society on a par with others, which was one of the dreams of Mahatma Gandhi. At that point, I remembered an incident from my childhood: I had once touched a woman from the untouchable community. Hence to purify me, my grandmother forced me to swallow cow-dung, drink cow urine and cleansed my body with the holy water of river Ganges on a bitterly cold morning in January. But as a social worker, I was nonetheless asked to take forward Gandhi’s mission of improving the lives of the untouchable community. So, I went to a colony where the community lived. It was in Bettiah, Champaran in Bihar, from where Mahatma Gandhi had started his freedom movement. One day, whilst working there I witnessed a harrowing incident. I saw a bull attacking a boy in red shirt. When people rushed to save him, somebody yelled that he is an untouchable. The crowd instantly abandoned him and left him to die.
This tragic and unjust incident shook my conscience to the core. That day, I took a vow to fulfill the dreams of Mahatma Gandhi, which is to fight for the rights of untouchables but also to champion the cause of human rights and equality in my country and around the world. This became my mission. But the million-dollar question was how to rescue the untouchables from their inhuman occupation of cleaning human excreta of others. I realized to do this difficult task there was an urgent need for an appropriate, affordable toilet technology. I then assiduously started looking for a solution. In those days in India, the villages were full of stink as everyone used to defecate in the open. Women had to suffer the most. They had to go for defecation either before sunrise or after sunset. Because of darkness, they were vulnerable to snakebites and animal attacks and remained exposed to criminal assaults by anti-social elements. Children died because of diarrhea and dehydration. Girls did
not go to school as no school had the provision of toilets. In urban areas 85 per cent houses had bucket toilets cleaned by untouchables and public places like railway stations, bus stops, markets, religious and tourist places had no public toilets. Not only the foreigners but even the Indians themselves felt inconvenient if they had to attend the call of nature. Here I am reminded of a quote by Dr Daisaku Ikeda, one of the most respected Buddhist spiritual leaders from Japan, who too like me has been inspired by Mahatma Gandhi. “A great inner revolution in just a single individual will help achieve a change in the destiny of a nation and, further, will cause a change in the destiny of humankind.” My story resonates with Dr Ikeda’s quote in the sense that I could, with great will power and desire to see change, transform the lives of untouchables, who were once ostracized. Today, they sit with upper caste people and share meals with them. Change in society is possible if we ourselves become the agent of change. I have acted just like a change maker and my inventions were the tools of social change. Distinguished audience, let me confess that I am neither a scientist, nor an engineer or a technologist. But with pure application of mind and determination, I invented a number of technologies which were crucial in solving the problem of sanitation, improving the culture of sanitation and promoting hygiene and good health for most of the people of my country and particularly the former untouchables. I invented the two-pit flush ecological compost toilet popularly known as ‘Sulabh Shauchalaya’ (Sulabh toilets) for household usage. In this technology, there are two pits. One pit is used at a time, the other is kept on standby. The base of the pit is earth-based, and the bacteria present in the soil converts the human excreta into bio-fertilizer containing nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium, good nutrients to raise the productivity in the fields. This Sulabh toilet technology is also eco-friendly.
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Cover Story
June 18-24, 2018
Dr Bindeshwar Pathak with his family
Most inventions make life convenient for others, but my invention has achieved what no technology has ever done: it has redeemed the untouchables from their inhuman occupation which they practiced for 5000 years and further restored their human rights. It has made remarkable difference in the safety and security of women in public places as they could use toilets with dignity. There was a dramatic rise in the attendance of girls in schools across India as Sulabh toilets were built in schools. It further contributed in reducing mortality rates. With Sulabh toilets, I was able to bring a sea-change in the sanitation scenario across India. In 1974, I introduced the system of maintenance of public toilets on payand-use basis. At that time, it was a new concept in India but as it became popular, Sulabh Public Toilet models were built all over the country. I am pleased to inform you that the biggest public toilet in the world is now in Pandharpur, Maharashtra, which has been constructed by Sulabh with financial help from the Government of Maharashtra. It has 2,858 toilet units and nearly 400,000 (four hundred thousand) people can use the facility every day. In 1977, I invented another technology of providing energy from human waste in which the biogas
could be produced from human excreta to be used for burning lamp, cooking food, and warming bodies and converted into energy to supply street lights. The water from public toilets is also treated so well that it can be used as fertilizer and even if thrown in water bodies like rivers, there is no chance of pollution. I would like to say with a sense of great pride that we have built 1.5 million Sulabh toilets in individual houses and more than 9000 public toilets throughout the country. The Government of India has also built 60 million toilets based on Sulabh design. Now these facilities are being used by 20 million people every day. Today, these technologies are helping to end the practice of open defecation, improving the lives of untouchables and also contributing to the Government of India’s Clean India Campaign. Thus, the dreams of both Mahatma Gandhi and our Hon’ble Prime Minister Narendra Modi are being fulfilled. BBC has featured Sulabh technology as one of the five unique inventions of the world. UNDP, WHO, UNICEF, UN-Habitat and other international agencies have recommended the use of this technology. I have also worked tirelessly to rehabilitate human scavengers and bring them into the mainstream. Towards this end, I have set up skill
development training centers and have taken a number of initiatives to economically empower them. I achieved it by providing resources for upward social mobility so that such empowerment can lead to social integration based on equality. These women have been trained as beauticians, in food processing, sewing and embroidery. They have also taken courses in personality development. Earlier they earned 4 to 5 dollars a month but now with initiatives taken by me they earn 200 to 300 dollars a month. On similar lines, I have been helping widows living in India, especially in the city of Vrindavan, after a request from the Hon’ble Supreme Court of India. I took a number of measures to empower the widows and ensure that they lead a life of dignity in the final years of their lives. Now they celebrate Indian festivals like Diwali– the festival of lights, Holi– the festival of colours etc. where their participation was earlier a taboo. The Sulabh nationwide campaign trains women how to make sanitary napkins, inculcates in school children a sense of awareness for safe health and hygiene practices and teaches them dignity of labour by training them to clean toilets. Additionally, to educate people and children about the importance of sanitation, health and hygiene I have
set up a Museum of Toilets which is one of its kind in the world. I would like to point out here that our technologies have been adopted in China, Bangladesh, Vietnam, South Africa, Bhutan, Nepal, Afghanistan, Ghana, etc. In 2007, in the poor and war-torn nation, Afghanistan, we constructed 5 public toilets with biogas plants which functioned effectively even when the temperatures went down to -300 Celsius. These public toilets are still working very well. On my recent visit to the United States of America I was also requested to export our technology for building toilets in American villages that do not have sewage system and therefore use septic tanks. Besides, I can say with full conviction that our technologies can solve the problems of 2.3 billion people on the planet, especially in the three continents of Africa, Asia and Latin America where people have no access to safe and hygienic toilet facilities. I take this opportunity to extend my cordial invitation to everyone in the audience here to please come to India, visit our campus, Sulabh Gram, in New Delhi and see the work we are doing. With these words, I thank you again for conferring this prestigious award on me. This award will be another great milestone in my commitment to work for the prosperity and development of societies across Asia and the world. Thank you.
Dr Bindeshwar Pathak with his prestigious Nikkei Asia Prize 2018
International Yoga Day
June 18-24, 2018
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Living Heritage
Yog: Uniting With A Higher Reality Yog is really about trying to contemplate the mystery of Creation for one’s own self. It has no religion. That is a major misconception
n Sujit Chakraborty
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hen I was small, say about ten or twelve years of age, my mother bothered that I would remain short by height. She got father to find a Yoga school under an eminent teacher, where I would be sent daily in the evenings. Padmasana, of course, was the basic. Then came the other ones, like the back bending, spine elongating Ardhakumbhasana, Varjrasana, Mayurasana, Pawanmuktasana, and so forth. For a growing child, such rigour could be too much or the restless years. But somehow, within a few months, I got ‘hooked’ to the system, so much so that if I missed it practicing one day – maybe because of school work, maybe because we went out one evening I would feel restless till I got back to the bed where I slept, and I did the asanas. I would feel much better then. By the time I was in Class 10, though, mother was more or less reassured that my height would be fine and no one would compare me with a pigmy.
Inner Essence
But those physical movements of the body were not what Yoga was all about. No one tells you the inner truth, especially when Yoga has been packaged as an international commodity. The essence of Yoga is about Yog. Sounds childish? No. It is so profound that unless one is given to serious contemplation and a meditative frame of mind, one cannot realise what Yoga – or Yog – is. The Sanskrit word Yog literally means ‘joining with’. Yoga, or Yog, actually how it should be pronounced means joining with the Inner Reality. Now, what is an inner reality? It is the essence of the universe, of Creation, of what we loosely term as God, for the absence of a deeper term to explain the Creator.
While I was learning the physical manoeuvrings that were the Asasnas, I was also doing pretty shabbily in school, especially in math. So a private tutor was duly appointed by my father, and he was a very nice guy. So nice that he would do whatever I would tell him, which was reverse the reason he was appointed. So one day, my mother returned from the market with some bread and milk, and found me teaching him some of the asanas. He told my mother he could not deal with me, so he gave up his job. It is much later that I realised that I had only taught him motions, not the inner essence.
YOG
The inner essence of Yog is breathing….Why so?.... There are many kinds of Yog. The least, minimalist Yog is Hathyog, ‘Hath’ meaning physical’. Those are the physical exercises that one performs – whether on Rajpath of in our homes – as pure exercises. Every one of them has an impact
Derived from the Sanskrit word “yuji,” meaning yoke or union, yoga is an ancient practice that brings together mind and body on several parts of the body, like on the stomach, brain, liver, kidney, pituitary glands, oesophagus, trachea, blood circulation, and so forth. Hence, for the normal wellbeing of a human being, Hathyog is very crucial. You can easily do away with expensive gymming by doing Yog, but under proper guidance. But that, as I said, is pure physical exercise. There will be nothing unless a higher level of existence, yes, existence is sought to be achieved through control over breathing… Why so, as I asked earlier? Imagine yourself without breath for as long as a minute or so. Often, when you are exposed to the Delhi ambient air, or have taken the elevator, you feel breathless…
chocked, you would say. So what would happen if you lost your breath for more than a minute? Let me put it on a more positive note: the air that keeps you alive is also what keeps you in touch with your inner reality, or what can be summarized in three letters, GOD. Yog is the praxis of regulating your breath and focusing on it, through and during the process of undertaking strenuous physical movements of the body, so as to unite with God. That God is not a religion, neither Hinduism, Islam, Christianity or any other, but an inner quest on three basic questions: Who are you? Where have you come from? And where are you headed? Following your breath is the real Yog, uniting with the Ultimate.
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International Yoga Day
Breath and Higher
Many have sought to force down the throats of others concepts such as Surya Namaskar and Gayatri Mantra. These are higher stages of Yog, which has nothing to do with any religion, specifically not Hinduism. Surya Namaskar is a physical exercise aimed at energizing oneself from the sun. The sun has no religion. There is no, or cannot be, any life without the sun. But the conception is much broader, as said in the Gayatri Mantra. In terms of Yog, Gayatri Mantra is misconstrued as a worship of the sun…It is not. Tha Gyatri mantra, again, religion
agnostic, says that “we worship that power which has created this entire universe, from the land on which we stand, to the higher levels of the universe.” It is about billions of suns and millions of galaxies, which the world of science is still trying to come to terms with, with the God Particle (Higgs Boson) exploding on the scientific firmament as a proof of Einstein’s theory of a Unified Field, again, which has no religion attached to it. Two giant telescopes across America and on in Europe, heard the faintest of faint sounds of what they later realised were two Black Holes collapsing into each other, and they
June 18-24, 2018
Yoga May Help Reduce Symptoms Of Depression
The essence of Yoga is about Yog. Sounds childish? No. It is so profound that unless one is given to serious contemplation and a meditative frame of mind, one cannot realise what Yoga – or Yog – is
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Meditation, Yoga can sharpen your mind
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onfirming what yogis have claimed for long, research has found that meditation and breath-focused practices, such as pranayama, can work like fertiliser for the brain, strengthening our ability to focus on tasks. There is a strong connection between breath-centred practices and a steadiness of mind. The research showed that breathing -- a key element of meditation and mindfulness practices -- directly affects the levels of a natural chemical messenger in the brain called
noradrenaline. This chemical messenger is released when we are challenged, curious, exercised, focused or emotionally aroused and, if produced at the right levels, helps the brain grow new connections, like a brain fertiliser. The study found that participants who focused well while undertaking a task that demanded a lot of attention had greater synchronisation between their breathing patterns and their attention, than those who had poor focus.
f you are suffering from depression, yoga can complement traditional therapies and help reduce the symptoms of the mental disorder, researchers claim. In the study, presented at the 125th Annual Convention of the American Psychological Association in Washington DC, the team of researchers explored the acceptability and antidepressant effects of “Hatha Yoga” and “Bikram Yoga” -- also known as heated yoga -- in a series
wondered what that was…That was a one-off Enid Blyton mystery on the origins of the Universe. Yog is really about trying to contemplate that mystery for one’s own self. For the Nth time, must I stress that Yog has no religion. It is a major misconception. Yog had been devised at a time when there was neither Islam nor Christianity. Sanatan Dharm was the only existential praxis, and there was no sense of ‘religion’ in is. Hence, it is wrong to associate Yog with any religion. And it is also wrong to understand Yog as a set of physical manoeuvrings. It is all about getting in touch with yourself, your true essence.
of experiments. While 23 males participated in the twice-weekly “Hatha Yoga” classes for eight weeks, 52 women participated in the “Bikram Yoga” classes for eight weeks. Both the methods led to a significant reduction in depression symptoms as well as improved quality of life, optimism, and cognitive and physical functioning. The more the participants attended yoga classes, the lower their depressive symptoms at the end of the study showed.
Higher Reality
Yog, therefore is the attempt to unite with the causality of creation…Which is why the breath is so basic to it. Kumbhasana, Sheershasana, or whatever physical posture you take, your focus must be on the breath, the WHY and HOW of living. It is a fact that this will lead to a higher realm of your realised existence, where you are more at peace. So then? Peace, after all, is closest you can get to God, in any form, whether the Shiva Lingam or the Qaba. Yog, thus, is the basic tenet of reaching out to a higher reality.
International Yoga Day
June 18-24, 2018
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Voice of the Masters
Yoga Is As Old As India Be a part of International Yoga day to draw more and more people towards practicing Yoga
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nternational Day of Yoga is to be celebrated all over the world on 21st July. While there are numerous events happening around the world, here is a little motivation from our end to get you going! Yoga is known to be a way of life and has proven to bring multiple health benefits. So why not get inspired by what famous Yoga gurus have to say and start today?
self and hence the effort can never be fruitless.” “Master your breath, let the self be in bliss, contemplate on the sublime within you
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar
Swami Vivekanand
Each one of our Yogas is fitted to make man perfect even without the help of the others, because they have all the same goal in view. The Yogas of work, of wisdom, and of devotion are all capable of serving as direct and independent means for the attainment of Moksha. "Fools alone say that work and philosophy are different, not the learned.” The learned know that, though apparently different from each other, they at last lead to the same goal of human perfection.
Yoga teaches you how to pay attention on what you experience inside, how is the state of your mind while you practice rather than how much your body can bend and go into pretzel. While off the yoga mat, life seems to be constant struggle, here you learn how to become effortless to experience that inner peace which is your real nature.
experience that has been repeated many times and the impressions have sunk down to the bottom of the mental lake. Although they go down, they aren’t completely erased. Don’t think you ever forget anything. All experiences are stored in the chittam; and, when the proper atmosphere is created, they come to the surface again. When we do something several times it forms a habit. Continue with that habit for a long time, and it becomes your character. Continue with that character and eventually, perhaps in another life, it comes up as instinct.
Geeta Iyengar
When this body has been so magnificently and artistically created by God, it is only fitting that we should maintain it in good health and harmony by the most excellent and artistic science of Yoga.
Patanjali
Baba Ramdev
Yoga not only helps you with your physical ailments but also your mental ailments. If a person has physical problems, he is going to affect only himself, but if a person has a mental ailment, his actions are bound to affect many more. Thus yoga can be of great help here as well.
Sri Pattabhi Jois
Yoga is 99 percent practice and one percent theory. Do your practice and all is coming. Yoga is possible for anybody who really wants it. Yoga is universal…. But don’t approach yoga with a business mind looking for worldly gain.
Here is, in truth, the whole secret of Yoga, the science of the soul. The active turnings, the strident vibrations, of selfishness, lust and hate are to be stilled by meditation, by letting heart and mind dwell in spiritual life, by lifting up the heart to the strong, silent life above, which rests in the stillness of eternal love, and needs no harsh vibration to convince it of true being.
Sadhguru
Far beyond merely bending the body, the science of yoga provides the ultimate tool for enhancing human capabilities and functioning at the highest peak of body and mind. Yoga is a tool to find ultimate expression to life. Every human being must explore and know this.
Bhagavad Gita
T Krishnamacharya
If you have learnt something really well, then the way you express it will not be the same way you learned it.” “In the practice of Yoga one can emphasize the body, the mind or the
Swami Satchidananda
Yoga says instinct is a trace of an old
A lamp in a spot sheltered by the Spirit from the wind of desires does not flicker. This simile is used for the subdued mind of a yogi practicing meditation on the spirit- (6.19)
10
International Yoga day
June 18-24, 2018 Yoga Routine
The 10-Minute Yoga Solution How The Author Saved Herself With Ten-minute Yoga Routine
For author Ira Trivedi, the journey began about a decade ago when she had just returned to India from the US
Saket Suman
W
ith Prime Minister Narendra Modi pushing yoga on the global stage, the ages-old vedic practice is now gaining international recognition. However, there are many who want to practice yoga but aren’t sure how to go about it. “The 10 Minute Yoga Solution” (HarperCollins/ Rs 699/ 253 pages) by popular author and yoga acharya Ira Trivedi serves to be an apt manual for all those who are yet to foray in to the vedic practice. This book is equally significant for practitioners too as its attention to minute details involved in the practice, the nittigritties of various ‘asanas’ and, more importantly, the lessons of a master practitioner find sufficient mention in the book.
For the author Trivedi, the journey began about a decade ago when she had just returned to India from the US and was, in her own words, depressed, lethargic and had a major case of writer’s block. “I was overweight, I had bad skin and was losing hair. None of my clothes fit me and my constant state of agitation was ruining my personal relationships,” Trivedi recalls in the book. To cut a long story short, her state of being was “utterly imbalanced” when she first began her yoga practice. Today, after ten years of dedicated practice, Trivedi is at her ideal weight and has several television shows on yoga to her credit. She states that her body, hair and skin are not only under control but are “fabulous”. She has a healthier attitude towards her work and a better
control over her emotions. But not everybody has the time and willingness to dedicate oneself for yoga. As the author rightly notes in the book, one may have the desire to do yoga but it may appear like an impossible dream. Yoga classes are generally time consuming, expensive, inaccessible and often tedious. The remedy? The author impresses upon the fact that even ten minutes of yoga can result in physical, mental and, eventually, spiritual transformation and shares anecdotes from her personal life as an example to establish her point. “When I first started doing yoga more than a decade ago, the thought of being on a yoga mat for a full hour seemed tremendously boring. I needed high energy activities -running, squash, tennis, gymming -- anything that could get my endorphins spinning and the calories burning,” she notes. But all of her preconceived notions changed once she actually started doing yoga and, more importantly, she started with just ten minutes of practice every day. The transformation was “slow and subtle” but Trivedi patiently stuck
to her ten minutes routine. The ten minutes steadily grew to 20, 30 and 60 minutes a day and has today given her everything that a “back-breaking gym routine or a sweaty, tedious marathon did not”. The author uses repeated references to her personal life and succeeds in conveying the simple fact that the distance between you and yoga is only the matter of starting it and once you have started it, there can be no looking back as it naturally turns into a vital part of your life. By answering simple questions like what is asana and pranayama, the book first introduces the readers to the basics of yoga and then presents simplified elements and vivid details of the practice to help you start on your yoga journey. The book is richly illustrated and carries about a hundred images of the author in various yoga postures and asanas. Unlike her often long and winding sentences in her novels like “The Great Indian Love Story” or “There’s No Love On Wall Street”, Trivedi has this time stuck to simple language and diction, which sort of adds a realistic tone to her narrative. If you have a yearning to do yoga at some point of your life, this book is a fitting manual.
Vrindavan Saga
June 18-24, 2018
11 07
Torulata Torulata’s husband’s death was not shocking for her, but what followed was…
She relied on her children and life took an unexpected turn Quick Glance n Swastika Tripathi
S
he was 14. He was 50. She got married to him. It was like, when she tied knots, she was also making a clear foreseen deal with a long life of widowhood which was to knock on the door sooner than it actually should. And that is what happened. Torulata of Balurghat, West Bengal, has been a widow for long now. Her aged husband with time developed breathing issues and died of age. By then she had a daughter and two sons. The three children were married off in time before their father died. Torulata says that although her husband died but only after all the important responsibilities were off her shoulder. “I was aware of the huge age gap. He was suffering with breathing issues for long. I knew sooner or later he will die and I will become a widow. It didn’t come as a big shock to me. Yes, the loss was painful yet copeable. And so I did,” said Torulata. Torulata healed from her husband’s loss that easily because she was sure that her children will never let her feel the husband’s absence. They will take
care of her. Give her the comfortable life that the husband had till now. But life isn’t all that simple. They say, those you trust and rely on the most, hurt the most. That is what Torulata learnt the hard way. Soon after their father’s death, the two sons and their wives started treating Torulata as a burden. She was an unwanted person in the family because she was now a widow. On the top of all, she was old enough to be of any use to household chores, which made her an even bigger burden. Torulata was taken aback. She was shook. She thought she had many to count on, but on the contrary, there were none. The rude behavior was not all. They would beat her, curse her and would not stop till she was miserable. “I was often beaten. They had dinner together and when I asked for my share of food, I was told to make it myself. When I said I am old and need help, they said I was good for nothing, and beat me even more. My
son, daughter-in-law, grandchildren – none showed mercy.” The constant insults and physical abuses gave her bruises both physical and emotional. Torulata had heard of holy city of Vrindavan before but never in the lifetime till then had thought that she will be calling the city her home in future years. Having had enough, she decided to leave for Vrindavan. Like many other widows who come to Vrindavan, she too first went to Meerabai Ashram where she performed bhajans twice a day, in return of which she was given Rs 10 (Rs 5 for morning and Rs 5 for evening) and prasad as food. Today, Torulata lives in Tulsivan Ashram, a Sulabh International Social Service Organisation-assissted widows’ ashram, where she came two years back. She is leading a normal life here. “When I left home, I was not sure whether the step is right or wrong. I just wanted to get away from all the torture, from all the abuses. But now I am sure that it was for the
“When I left home, I was not sure whether the step is right or wrong. But now I am sure that it was for the best”
Torulata was 14 when she was married to a 50-year-old man
After the aged husband’s death, she counted on her children
The children went on to prove her terribly wrong
best. Never in my worst nightmares had I imagined that my own children will give me the scars that will drive me out of my own home. Now I am in shelter of Lal Baba (alias of Dr. Bindeshwar Pathak, founder of Sulabh foundation). I have a roof over my head, comfort in life, food for soul. Lal Baba gifts us clothes on Diwali.” “Things took some expected and many unexpected turns in life. But now it’s a straight, smooth road. Now Vrindavan is my true home and this home is very peaceful. I am glad I had the courage to come here. Life is fine now,” she smiled.
12
Sanitation
June 18-24, 2018
Uganda
Measures to combat disease Government came up with the Public Health Act of 1964, which requires every homestead to have a pit latrine
Urooj Fatima
U
ganda, the ‘Pearl of Africa’, is a small country with big attractions and even bigger aspirations. Here you’ll find the continent’s tallest mountain range and largest lake, the source of the world’s longest river, and 39 million people from more than 50 tribes. Apart from all the beautiful attraction, sanitation remains one of the key health issues in Uganda. Many people lack access to adequate sanitation facilities, propagating disease and high rates of child death (1.5 million deaths annually). In the early 1960s and the years before, many Ugandans were freely using the bush as their ‘toilet’. Others would dig holes in their gardens, where they would defecate and thereafter cover with soil or grass. When the population started growing, defecating in bushes posed a health concern to communities. Faecal matter would end up in the springs or wells whenever it would rain. This would result in diseases
like diarrhoea, attacking communities that shared the water source. It is such conditions that provoked the Government to come up with the Public Health Act of 1964 (revised in 2000), which requires every homestead to have a pit latrine, and failure to comply is an offence. The Act provides the basis for undertaking measures to prevent and address a range of diseases for the preservation of public health. For instance, Chapter 281 of the Act states that every citizen is obliged to have access to a toilet or latrine at home and the workplace. This would be strengthened with bylaws implemented in the various localities. In the past, parish chiefs would visit homesteads and arrest the family heads whose homes did not have pit latrines. Consequently, it forced people to put up rudimentary toilets using tree logs. For fear of being arrested, a family head would dig a pit as shallow as 10 feet, cut logs and lay them across the pit. He would then put up a short mud-and-wattle wall around the toilet
and thatch it with grass. However, this only went on until the late 1980s. Over the years, the population has increased; slums have emerged in various urban areas and people dispose off faeces anywhere. The inhabitants of most slums have toilets or latrines so close to their houses, while others use polythene bags, commonly known as ‘flying toilets’, in which they dispose off faecal matter which they throw on rooftops and in water channels. For the occupants of wetlands, where toilets cannot be sunk, people should construct storeyed toilets or buy mobile plastic toilets, which can be emptied.
emptied are typically done so illegally and secretively. When accessing a latrine is difficult, adults and children are forced to walk long distances, to resort to open defecation, or to resort to defecating in a “flying toilet.” One of the reasons so many latrines are abandoned in Kampala is because the owners have no financial stake in the process as the latrines were provided at no cost by local and international NGOs.
What is and what will be in Kampala
Condition in the Capital of Uganda
Over 90 per cent of Kampala residents lack access to a sewer line, which means that the majority of the city residents do not have access to flush toilets and therefore use pit latrines or resort to open defecation. It is common for latrines in Kampala to be abandoned once full because of the prohibitive cost of pit-emptying and/or the difficult logistics of reaching some latrines to have them be emptied. This has caused over 50 per cent of the latrines in Kampala to become full or overflowing. The filled latrine pits that have been
Mason-built pit latrine
Mason-built latrines, commonly found throughout Uganda, can take weeks to months to be constructed. The pit is open, meaning flies and insects can freely spread sanitationrelated disease; and odors can make using these sorts of pit latrines quite unpleasant. Some pits such as these have larger openings making them a safety concern for small children.
In the early 1960s and the years before, many Ugandans were freely using the bush as their ‘toilet’
Sanitation
June 18-24, 2018
13
“Security and Shame” for Women
I
nadequate sanitation puts a greater burden on women than men. Although there is common knowledge that the major impacts of poor and inadequate sanitation are diseases like diahorrea, women look at inadequacy beyond disease. They can also be deprived of their right to dignity, privacy and safety. Most slum dwellers rely on onsite sanitation facilities, which in most cases are located outside the house. Women, especially those living in slums, are exposed to humiliation and physical violence when travelling to communal latrines since these latrines are usually far from their homes and are shared by many people. •Most toilet facilities lacked facilities such as rubbish bins for the disposal of used menstrual pads or water for washing. This is demoralising and deprives a woman of her dignity since the toilet is
considered the most private part in such communities for women to manage their menstrual periods. • Since toilets are inadequate, people in these dwellings resort to using alternative options such as using buckets or “flying toilets” which are these plastic bags thrown from the home to dispose off waste. It is a cause of shame to many women, given the fact that they have to defecate in their homes in the presence of their families. • Women are responsible for managing scant household finances, meaning that they have to decide whether to spend money on toilets for their family or to resort to other options such as “home toilets”. Men are more likely to leave the community for work during the day and therefore have access to more or better toilets. • Men need less privacy and can urinate in the open without any sort of stigma, whereas women need a toilet both to urinate and defecate. This also meant that men needed the use of the toilet less and were not faced often with problems. Men would be able to resist potential attacks, making them less vulnerable than women travelling within the community after nightfall.
Water Condition In Uganda
F
ollowing historic conflicts, thirty years of stability have produced a steadily growing economy – yet almost four in ten Ugandans live on less than £1 a day. The Government wants to change this and make it a middle-income country as soon as 2020. But more than 23 million people still do not have clean water. Much of Uganda is open water and swampland, but this is undrinkable. Meanwhile, high demand and poor management lead to shortages of clean groundwater – facilities are under strain in towns and cities, and the springs and wells that rural communities rely on are mostly used up.
Contamination: Many people in
Uganda drink from water sources which are shared with animals, or are used for washing cars. To access clean water people frequently have to walk around two kilometres and queue for an hour or more.
Disease: 75% of diseases in Uganda are caused by a lack of clean water and proper sanitation. In Africa as a whole, 2000 children die of diarrhoea every day caused by drinking dirty water. Diseases caused by dirty water and poor sanitation kill more children every year than AIDS, malaria and measles combined.
Old five-stance latrine at Mulindwa Primary School in Kampala
Dura San Latrines
As you can see, this latrine was built with metal doors. Most of the previous latrines constructed had wooden doors which caused several unexpected issues including theft of
The two-stance DuraSan latrine at Mulindwa Primary School doors, as wood is quite expensive in Uganda. Additionally, it is difficult to find quality wood that has been properly treated/prepared, which resulted in warped and cracked doors. Metal doors are more secure, are less attractive to thieves, can be installed faster.
HIV: 67% of the world’s HIV population lives in Africa. People with immune systems weakened by HIV are particularly vulnerable when they don’t have clean water. A study in rural Uganda found that when people living with HIV had access to safe water they experienced 25% fewer episodes of diarrhoea. Dehydration: In Uganda, children
can spend a whole day at school without a drink. The implications of this are huge as dehydration affects brainpower – and just at a time when kids are meant to be learning. Statistically, a loss of 2% of body fluids causes 20% reduction in performance in both physical and mental activities in children.
Physical danger: Children often
spend their evenings walking long distances, unsupervised, to collect water, finding themselves at risk of attack, including rape.
Development:
Women also spend precious hours collecting water when they could be using their time for essential financial gain. Girls often get to school late in the morning because they are busy collecting water, and they often don’t have time to do homework in the evening for the same reason.
23.8 million people don’t have clean water. That’s over 3 in every 5 people. 8 in every 10 people don’t have a decent toilet. That’s 31.6 million people without this basic necessity. Over 4,500 children under 5 die a year from diarrhoea. Caused by dirty water and poor toilets.
14
Environment
June 18-24, 2018
Pollution
Delhi-NCR facing major ozone spike, warns CSE Growing gaseous pollution and increased heat wave and rising summer temperature will worsen this trend Chandrani Banerjee
D
elhi and the National Capital Region has witnessed substantial ozone build-up this summer, adding to the public health risk, shows a latest analysis done by Centre for Science and Environment (CSE). CSE has analysed the real time air quality data available from close to 31 monitoring locations and reported by the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) for the summer months – tracking from February to May 2018. This shows progressive increase in ozone pollution with the onset of summer. Several densely populated areas have shown high frequency of days violating the ozone standards. With high pollution and temperature levels and growing heat stress, formation of ozone has accelerated and is frequently exceeding the standards. According to Anumita Roy Chowdhury, executive director (research and advocacy) and head of CSE’s air pollution programme, “While we know that the problem of ozone escalates during summer, the surprise this year is the number of days when the daily Air Quality Index has shown ozone also as a dominant pollutant along with the particulate matter. These are the early signs of a grave trend. Even before the health
Quick Glance CSE analysed ozone data from February to May 2018 to understand the ozone build-up this summer
Ozone data from 31 automatic monitoring stations of Delhi Pollution Control Committee was considered There were at least 23 days during this period when ozone emerged as the major pollutant
risk from particulate matter could be addressed, ozone has raised its ugly head in Delhi and NCR. The comprehensive action plan will require stringent and time-bound action to avert public health crisis.” Heat waves and stronger sunshine increase the frequency of days during summer when ozone begins to cross the standards posing public health risk. Ground level ozone is not directly emitted by any source. This is formed when oxides of nitrogen (NOx) and a range of volatile gases primarily from vehicles and other sources are exposed to each other in sunlight. Warm and stagnant air increases the formation of ozone. This is also the reason why we see high variability across the region depending on the local and meteorological conditions. Ozone is extremely hazardous for human health. All neighbourhoods in Delhi that include plush, not so rich areas and the open spaces, face risk. CSE has analysed ozone data from February to May 2018, to understand the ozone build-up this summer. It has considered ozone data from 31 automatic monitoring stations of Delhi Pollution Control Committee,
There were several days this summer when ozone has emerged as the dominant pollutant along with particulate matter in daily Air Quality Index Central Pollution Control Board and India Meteorological Department. Continuous data for 29 stations for this period has exposed worrying trends in the city. The Consistent with the earlier trends, as summer progressed from February to May this year, the number and frequency of days exceeding the ozone standard has also increased. While frequency and number of days with levels exceeding the standards vary widely across monitoring stations and locations, at least 90 per cent of the stations have recorded levels that exceeded the eight-hour ozone standard on some days at least. Most of the days the rising level at a moderate rate with only a few days in some locations like R K Puram, Pusa etc hitting the poor or very poor level. Daily Air Quality Index that depicts the leading and most dominant pollutant of the day, and is largely led by particulate matter in
Delhi and NCR, showed surprisingly that there were at least 23 days during this period from February to May, when ozone also emerged as the major pollutant along with particulate matter in the daily air quality index. It may be noted that National Air Quality Index classifies daily air quality based on degree of severity. Based on ambient concentrations of a pollutant, sub-index is calculated for each criteria pollutant. The worst sub-index determines the overall AQI for the day. Thus, on 23 days the sub index of ozone has shown it to be a dominant pollutant this summer along with the particulate matter. This can be due to the fact that particulate pollution was comparatively lower due to meteorological conditions in the city. But this also indicates ozone is the next and close threat. With large number of air quality monitors in the region this year, it has been possible to do micro
Environment
June 18-24, 2018
mapping of ozone levels across the city to understand the vulnerable areas. This shows that there are some locations where more than 50 per cent of the days during the entire period (February to May), ozone levels have exceeded the standards. These vulnerable areas include the residential areas of Patparganj, RK Puram and Nehru Nagar; and industrial areas and low income areas of Najafgarh and Sonia Vihar. “It is very starkly evident that green areas on the outskirts of the city like Dr Karni Singh Shooting Range near Asola sanctuary are most vulnerable. In Dr Karni Singh Shooting Range, ozone levels have exceeded the 8-hour average standards on 54 per cent of days in February, 87 per cent in March, 90 per cent in April, and 90 per cent in May. This is very
consistent from what we know from science. Ozone is formed in polluted areas and some of this escapes with the wind to cleaner environments at the outskirts and build up there, as it has no opportunity to further react with other pollutant to dissipate as it happens in the polluted areas in a cyclical process,” said Souparno Banerjee of CSE. Air quality monitoring in Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium ( JLN) near Lodhi Road CGO Complex and Major Dhyan Chand National Stadium near Delhi High Court have shown that the number of days with levels exceeding the standards are 47 per cent and 22 per cent of all days during the entire period, respectively. In JLN stadium, only 4 per cent of days in February had exceeded the standards, but it increased to 74 per
Global experience has shown that as the pollution from combustion sources grow, ozone formation increases and remains obstinate
cent in May. In Major Dhyan Chand stadium it increased from zero days in February to 61 per cent of days in May. However, Lodhi Road station shows low level of exceedence. Among the key NCR towns Gurugram has experienced highest number of days with ozone levels exceeding the 8 hour standard during April and May of 2018. On 57 per cent of days during this period, ozone has recorded levels higher than the standards; during May alone, 71 per cent of the days have recorded exceedence. In Faridabad, 34 per cent of days, and in Noida 26 per cent of days, have recorded exceedence. Ghaziabad, however, shows much lower number of days that have been impacted – 3 per cent. Global experience has shown that as the pollution from combustion sources grow, that are the emitters of nitrogen oxide and other volatile compounds, ozone formation increases and remains obstinate. India is also falling in that trap and needs early preventive action. Already the earlier burden of disease study from Health Effect Institute in 2017 had shown that early deaths due to ozone have jumped by 148 per cent in India. Ozone aggravates respiratory problems, especially chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). According to scientists, formation of ozone is expected to be higher in countries in tropics and subtropics and near the equator. To some extent, rising temperature is also aggravating this trend. “Our country needs to take early and stringent steps to control ozone precursors which are very difficult to control. This means stringent control of gaseous emissions from combustion sources including vehicles. Ozone precursors like nitrogen oxides, carbon monoxides and volatile organic compounds also have serious local public health impacts,” adds Banerjee. Ozone is an extremely harmful gas: just a few hours of exposure to it can trigger serious health problems. Ozone is particularly harmful for outdoor activities. This can have immediate health impact, especially among those who are already suffering from respiratory and asthmatic problems, even for short duration exposure. Ozone worsens symptoms of asthma, leads to lung function impairment and damages lung tissues. Chest pain, coughing, nausea, headaches and chest congestion are common symptoms. It can even worsen heart disease, bronchitis and emphysema.
15 07
•
During February-May 2018, at least on 23 days, ozone has emerged as the dominant pollutant along with particulate matter in the daily Air Quality Index. These are the early signs of a dangerous trend.
•
Some of the densely populated areas of RK Puram, Patparganj, Najafgarh and Sonia Vihar are more vulnerable with a high number of days violating the standards. These areas along with Pusa and Punjabi Bagh have also recorded highest levels of the season. Even Lutyen’s Delhi is affected.
•
Among NCR towns, Gurugram and Faridabad have recorded highest number of days with levels exceeding the standards
•
Ozone that escapes to cleaner environments like that of Dr Karni Singh Shooting range near Asola sanctuary has recorded highest number of days exceeding the standards.
•
High ozone level is bad news for those suffering from asthma and respiratory problems. It is dangerous if ozone increases even for short duration. No one is safe from deadly ozone pollution
•
Rising NOx levels and volatile gases in the air, primarily from vehicles and industry, form the recipe for ozone when exposed to intense sunlight and high temperature.
•
Fast track time-bound implementation of pollution source-wise comprehensive action plan to reduce the cocktail of gases from vehicles and industry that form ozone in the air.
It increases emergency hospital visits and admissions related to respiratory diseases.
16
June 18-24, 2018
“Yoga is about stilling the turbulence of consciousness” Maharshi Patanjali
VIEWPOINT
Narendra MODI
Prime Minister of India
Stretch Yourself To Get Unstressed Yoga is a symbol of universal aspiration for health and wealth being. It is health assurance in zero budgets
Beats of life
This June 21 marks the 36th Annual World Music Day
“
What is music? God’s little reminder that there is something besides us in this universe, harmonic connection between all living beings, everywhere, even the stars.” Music is the mediator between the spiritual and the sensual life.” “One good thing about music is that when it hits you, you feel no pain.” “Music expresses that which cannot be put into words, and that which cannot remain silent.” These are some of many quotes by many amazingly talented musicians who tried to describe what music is for them. 21st June marks the ‘Fête de la Musique’ or as the world knows it ‘The World Music Day’. Music is a huge part of our lives even if we chose to ignore it, from the guitar solos of BB King to the latest pop single of Beyoncé. Music has evolved in many ways in all these years. Anything that we hear and which pleases us is music. For some chirping of the cuckoo bird is music, for some it is the sound of a waterfall. The world music day celebrates this essence of music. The importance of music is far beyond words. It is the healer of souls, ends wars and it is the basis of everything. People limit music as a hobby or a pastime, disregarding its importance in their lives. Albert Einstein said, “I often think in music, live my daydreams in music, I see my life in terms of music. Had I not been a Physicist, I would have been a musician”. Human beings always find sounds that please them, to them that’s their music or like the famous quote, “music to their ears”. This World Music day let’s find That which is music to our ears, and immerse ourselves in its ecstatic nirvana.
Editor-in-Chief
Kumar Dilip Edited, Printed and Published by: Monika Jain on behalf of Sulabh Sanitation Mission Foundation, owned by Sulabh Sanitation Mission Foundation Printed at: The Indian Express Limited A - 8, Sector -7, NOIDA (UP) Published at: RZ - 83, Mahavir Enclave, Palam - Dabri Road, New Delhi - 110045 (India) Corporate Office: 819, Wave Silver Tower, Sector - 18, NOIDA (UP) Phone: +91-120-2970819 Email: editor@sulabhswachhbharat.com, ssbweekly@gmail.com
M
any countries which do not know our language, tradition, or culture, are now connecting to India through Yoga. The practice, which connects body, mind and soul, has played a big role in binding the world too. Earlier, Yoga was only restricted to saints and seers in the Himalayan mountains. Now, it has become part of every person’s life. For attaining “wellness” through yoga was more important than simply being physically fit. It is not important to perform yoga for 24 hours. 50 or 60 minutes (is fine) because it lends harmony to the body, mind and intellect. If 1.25 billion Indians and people around the world can attain this state of well-being, then humankind can also tide over problems born out of human thoughts. Just as the importance of salt is not only to lend taste to food, but also ensure well-being of the body, similarly Yoga can have the same importance as salt has in life. Yoga is about health assurance. It is not even expensive to practice. I urge everyone
to make yoga a part of their lives. # We did not have health insurance in olden times. But Yoga is a practice which gives health ‘assurance’ with zero spending #Yoga is not about what one will get, it is about what one can give up. #Yoga is also turning into a profession and is providing employment to many. #There are countries around the world which have 24 hours dedicated TV channels for Yoga. #Eminent gynecologists suggest pregnant women to practice Yoga as it helps them stay healthy. #We are disconnected from ourselves in today’s times. Therefore, Yoga helps us in reconnecting with ourselves. #I announce two awards for Yoga Day celebrations next year. One award his for those who are doing good work in the field of Yoga on international level and other for national level. #Let Yoga be popularised across the world. Let yoga teachers be produced from
We are disconnected from ourselves in today’s times. Therefore, Yoga helps us in reconnecting with ourselves
June 18-24, 2018
India. #Yoga is not just about getting rid of diseases (ailments) but it is a guarantee of wellness. #The way mobile phone has become a part of life, you can make Yoga a part of your life too. Today, Yoga has come a long way. There are various definitions, types, schools of Yoga and ways to practice Yoga that have emerged. This is the beauty of Yoga- it is ancient, yet modern, it is constant, yet evolving. The essence of Yoga has not changed. And I say this because it is of utmost importance to preserve this essence. Otherwise, we may just have to discover a new Yoga to re-discover the soul and essence of Yoga. Yoga is the catalytic agent, ushering the transformation from Jiva to Shiva. hamaare yahaan kaha gaya hai – yatr jeev: tatr shiv: jeev se shiv kee yaatra, yahee to yog hai. By practicing Yoga, a spirit of oneness is created – oneness of the mind, body and the intellect. Oneness with our families, with the society we live in, with fellow humans, with all the birds, animals and trees with whom we share our beautiful planet…this is Yoga. Yoga is the journey from ‘me’ to ‘we.’ vyakti se samastee tak ye yaatra hai. main se ham tak kee yah anubhooti, aham se vayam tak ka yah bhaavvistaar, yahee to yog hai. Many feel Yoga is a way towards Rog Mukti (eradication of diseases) but Yoga is not only about Rog Mukti, it is also about Bhog Mukti (desisting from worldly greed). Some think Asana is Yoga. Some say we cannot bend properly so we find Yoga tough. But ask yourselves- those who work in circuses are very flexible. But, is every one of them a Yogi? If only doing Asanas was Yoga then everyone working in a circus could be Yogi! But Yoga is much more. It is a blend of Gyan (knowledge), Karm (work) and Bhakti (devotion) together.” Yoga is far beyond and more important than converting dollars and pounds into rupees. It is possible to experience Yoga even in political life. Yoga gives the individual the strength to determine what the person wants to do in his or her life. In the history of our nation, there have been various types of Yoga that have been written about by great individuals and texts. Time and again, our land has been home to saints and seers who have taken Yoga to the world in an extremely scientific manner.
OpEd
17
OSHO Rajneesh, also known as Osho, Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh, Acharya Rajneesh, or simply Bhagwan, was an Indian spiritual guru
upfront
Returning To The Source Yoga Tries Step by Step to Penetrate the Inner Mystery
“
The whole yoga is a methodology: how to uncover it which is so hidden, how to open the doors within yourself, how to enter the temple that you are, how to discover yourself. You are there, you have been there from the very beginning, but you have not discovered it. The treasure is carried by you every moment. Every breath you take in or out, the treasure is there. You may not be aware, but you have never missed it. “You may be completely oblivious, but you have never lost it. You may have forgotten it completely, but there is no way to lose it – because you are it. So the only question is: how to discover it. It is covered; many layers of ignorance cover it. Yoga
tries step by step, slowly, to penetrate the inner mystery. In eight steps yoga completes the discovery. The beginning steps are called bahirang yoga, the yoga of the outside. Yam, niyam, asan, pranayam, pratyahar ¬ these five steps are known as the yoga of the outside. The following three, the last three – dharana, dhyan, samadhi – are known as antarang, the yoga of the inside.” Now, the sutra: Tatah kshiyate prakashavaranam. Then comes the dispersion of the
letters to the editor 2017-19
POSTAL REGISTRATION
Sanitation in Ethiopia New Models For Construction And Use Of Toilets
The Making of A Legend
Vrindavan Saga
Wangari Maathai
Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Gram Jyoti Yojana
Vrindavan Healed My Scars, Gave Me Peace, Says Pratibha
Planting Trees To Create Jobs And To Fight For Democracy
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RNI No. DELENG/201
A GOOD NEWS
| June 11-17, 2018
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WEEKLY
ISHA IS NOT JUST A YOGA CENTRE
t volunteer-based, non-profi Isha Foundation is a essential by Sadhguru. It is an organisation founded ancient wish to explore the ns resource for those who its depth and dimensio science of yoga in all n G ULAGANATHAN especially if OU can’t miss him, in you are visiting Coimbatore white bearded Tamil Nadu. The from every corner man smiles at you many bill boards are of the city. There es showing along the main thoroughfar but looking at him in different moods, and giving eyes, your you, straight in gyan on various simple advice and life. of aspects Jaggi Vasudev, He is none other thanas Sadhguru of more popularly known
Y
Quick Glance yoga coaching The foundation offers Yoga under the name of Isha
organises The foundation regularly Sadhguru Maha satsangs with
declared largest Adiyogi Shiva statue World Records bust sculpture by Guinness
GENOME
Reading an article about India’s national bird made me to get deeper understanding about the life of a bird especially about peacocks various aspects. I realize the impact of ecological
process and environment. It was such an opportunity for me reading this article and found out interesting facts. Birds actually has the ability to change our mindset of how their life are set. Knowledge about Genome made me understand the insight generic reason of why peacock fly high despite their weight. It made me to value these unique feathers of genome. This article led me to know why peacock is considered our National Bird. Gitanjali Chettri, New Delhi
Please mail your opinion to - ssbweekly@gmail.com or Whatsapp at 9868807712
cover that hides the light. The four steps have been taken. The fifth works as a bridge between the four, the yoga of the outside, and the last three, the yoga of the inside. The fifth, which is part of the yoga of the outside, also functions as a bridge, pratyahar the word means “returning to the source”- not reaching to the source, just returning to the source. The process of return has started: now the energy is no longer moving outwardly, the energy is no longer interested in objects- the energy has taken a turn, an about turn. It is turning inwards- this is what Jesus calls conversion, coming back. Ordinarily, the energy is moving outward. You want to see, you want to smell, you want to feel: the energy is moving out. You have completely forgotten who is hidden within you. You have become eyes, ears, nose, hands, and you have forgotten who is hidden behind these senses, who looks through your eyes. You are not the eyes. You have the eyes, right, but you are not the eyes. Eyes are only windows. Who is standing behind the windows? Who looks through the eyes? I look at you; eyes are not looking at you. Eyes cannot look by themselves. Unless I am standing near the window, looking out, eyes by themselves cannot look.
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Photo Feature
June 18-24, 2018
Celebrating an ancient art It was in 2015 that the United Nations has declared June 21 as the International Yoga Day after Prime Minister Narendra Modi mooted the idea in his speech at the UN in September 2014. The UN General Asssembly (UNGA) had accepted the idea unanimously. There was jubilation in India at the recognition accorded to the millennia-old discipline
June 18-24, 2018
Scholars trace back the first hint of yoga to the Indus Valley Civilisation seal showing a Shiva-like figure sitting what can be interpreted as a yogic posture. More than a millennium later, we find mendicants in 6th century Before the Common Era (BCE) wending their way across north India, looking for teachers to give them answers to the mystery of life and practising yoga to attain fulfilment and bliss
Photo Feature
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Culture
June 18-24, 2018
rabindranath tagore
Audio-visual archive on Tagore's poems to be launched Apart from the poems, the archive to span both online and offline
I
n a unique attempt to present the immortal poems of Nobel laureate Bengali poet Rabindranath Tagore to people, the first-ever audio-visual archive on his poems would be launched in the city in August, the organisers said. Titled 'Rabindrakabita archive', it would contain 3,500 of Tagore's poems recited by 245 renowned poets and elocutionists from Bengal including the world famous poet himself. Apart from the poems, the archive to be launched both in online and offline formats, would also have detailed information about the poems' origin, time and anthology and also pectoral description of the elocutionists.
"The habit of reading books is redundant among today's youths. The archive has been made so that the poems of Tagore can reach those who are habituated in reading. "Through this archive the subscribers would not only be able to find all of the Tagore's poems but would also be able to hear them recited by different elocutionists," Purnendu Bikash Sarkar, the researcher and compiler of the archive, said. "While browsing through the poems of Tagore, I found that nearly 150 of his poems are not at all recited or quoted much. "I did not want these poems to get lost in the oblivion. That's how came up with the idea of an archive of Tagore's poems," said Sarkar, who
Cinema
‘KitAab’ wins laurels on the international film festival circuit The last film of Tom Alter touched the hearts of viewers by focusing on the fading away of the culture of reading books SSB BUREAU
K
amlesh K Mishra-directed Tom Alter’s last movie, ‘Kitaab’ is winning critical international acclaim. Recently, it was screened at Bangkok’s 9FilmFest. In the sixth edition of this international film festival, ‘Kitaab’ is one of the nine finalists. In the competition category it won the Best Short Film (Sound Design) award. It also won the Best Short Film (Viewer’s Choice). It is the only film in the festival that was screened a second time on demand of viewers. The film’s first screening was n May 30, 2018, and it was screened as the closing film of the festival on demand of viewers on May 31, 2018. The film is about the growing domination of electronic gadgets like the mobile phone and consequently books disappearing from our lives.
It is interesting that at te festival many mothers broguth their children to see the film so that the children
would learn to keep away from the gagets and learn to appreciate the value of books. One such mother, Mary, said, “My two sons are so addicted to the mobile phone that I am now worried about their future. Whe In heard about this movie I brought them along. I hope after seeing the movie they will understand my concern.” The film revolves around the aged librarian, John, and the readers who are around him. The role of the librarian has been played by Alter and the readers are represented by the girl, Rhea, played by Pooja Dikshit. Rhea is the last of the visitors to the library and she becomes the last glimmer of hope for John. Grammy award-winner and music producer from New York Jet Talentino who was impressed by ‘Kitaab’ said that a film adaptation of a movie without
previously released another online archive on the songs of Tagore. He revealed it took five years to assemble the poems and complete the entire process of putting them together in the audio archive. The unique archive consists of 5,000 recitation audio files as some of the famous poems by Tagore are recited by more than one elocutionist. Dramatists Chandan Sen, Bratya Basu and poet Subodh Sarkar are among many of the popular literary faces who were part of the project. "The archive would be available for downloaded from an online app from August 28 or can also be bought from the market as DVDs for approximately Rs 1,500-2,000," Sarkar added. dialogue has a greater impact and the cinematography was amazing. This is everyone’s film, he said. Adding to Talentino’s endorsement of the movie, Japanese filmmaker Segi Ojiko said that the subject-matter of ‘Kitaab’ was of importance to world cinema and he felt that this film should be shown in every school and college. 9FilmFest director and American filmmaker Brian Bennett said that film despite being silent is making a big statement, director Kamlesh Mishra has taken up the scorned book and showed its agony is praiseworthy. Mobile phone has really taken over the precious moments of our life and we have to take up this issue seriously, and we have to return to the books. ‘Kitaab’ is being sent to the selection of the ‘Indie Short Film Festival’ in America. It is interesting to note that this film had won an award in the Kolkata’s International Cult Film Festival and it was the finalist in Feel the Real International Film Festival in the U.K. where Tom Alter was chosen the second best male actor. The film is a finalist in the Los Angeles Film Fest and it is in the run for an award. And it has been officially selected for the Rome Independent Prisma Film Festival and for the Starlight Film Award in Hyderabad.
Gender
June 18-24, 2018
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Honour
“Sundarini”, Tale Of Grit And Honour Sundarini had a very humble beginning with about a hundred odd housewives and widows Prasanta Paul
‘S
undarini Naturals’, a milk cooperative exclusively run by women from the backward region of the Sunderbans in South 24 Parganas district of West Bengal, has bagged the top honours for producing milk in the country. That it has modelled itself on the Gujarat model of the famous milk cooperative Anand, goes without saying; yet within less than four years after the Sunderbans Milk and Animal Husbandry Production & Cooperative Sangh Ltd (SMAHPCSL) has begun its journey in that remote and poverty-stricken stretch of the Sunderbans, Sundarini Naturals has snatched the first prize from hundreds of milk cooperatives across India. Instituted by National Dairy Development Board, the feather in the hat of Sundarini has been the result of tireless hardwork by nearly three thousand women of varied ages spanning across several villages in this rickety riverine region. It was on June 1 last that union agriculture and panchayat minister Purushottam Rupala handed over the top award to the SMAHPCSL authority at a glittering function at Anand in Gujarat as the Centre recognised the contribution ‘Sundarini’ made, within such a short period and declared it a role model for the milk cooperatives to follow. On the same day at New Delhi, the Federation of Indian Chamber of Commerce & Industry (FICCI) presented a cheque of Rs 25 lakh to SMAHPCSL for becoming the numero uno in India in the cooperative movement on milk and milk-based products. The award comes close on the heels the state government earning heaps of praise from the Centre in such key segments as 100-day work, Rural Awas Yojna and various other rural development programmes where participation of women is a sine qua non. However, to defeat such a developed state as Gujarat and that too in a milk cooperative model being run by women, is, indeed, an achievement that puts West Bengal ahead of many other states in women’s empowerment programme. Christened in 2015 by chief minister Mamata Banerjee who wanted to change the course of lives of hundreds
of poor women in the Sunderbans delta, Sundarini had a very humble beginning with about a hundred odd housewives and widows who trooped to the office of SMAHPCSL to get the feel of the hands-on job they were to be familiar with. Less than a month later, they fanned out across the neighbouring villages in the delta in boats and cycles to explain the `concept’ to the womenfolk so that they could turn their livelihood around. Enthused by their counselling and determined to change their lot, nearly three thousand women of this impoverished region have begun smiling again, thanks to a sizeable market `Sundarini’ brand has so far been able to capture. According to SMAHPCSL managing director Ambika Prasad Mishra, these women have been engaged in producing not only milk and other dairy products, they have also been packaging locally produced rice, dal, egg and honey. “ All the products produced here strictly follow an ethnic process. While no chemical is mixed in the milk here, not a single cow is administered any antibiotics for higher yield of milk. The fodder of the cow comprising maize, azola and a special type of grass among others, is produced in an organic manner,” he said. This apart, milk gathered from the villagers is always tested before the final production and except steel, no
Christened in 2015 by Mamata Banerjee who wanted to change the course of lives of hundreds of poor women in the Sunderbans delta plastic containers are used for storing milk. Milk thus collected, is then cooled in a scientific manner before its dispatch to the plant at Joynagar, about 14 kms, in South 24 Parganas district. Besides milk, the plant produces ghee, paneer and other dairy products which are packaged and sold under ‘Sundarini Naturals’ brand from various outlets of the animal husbandry and agriculture departments, Mishra said. Recently, the brand has opened an exclusive sales outlet at New Alipore in South Kolkata where the sale has constantly been spiralling. “The most innovative part that has fetched the brand the highest award, is the wide variety of products that are up for sale under Sundarini brand,” explained the product manager of National Dairy Development Board (Eastern Region) Sabyasachi Roy. “Milk and dairy products apart, it has been selling several other things which is a unique endeavour and with it are associated livelihood of so many downtrodden women. The choice of the award is hence, almost compelling.” The success of the Sundarini model has in fact, spurred other departments into action and the state agriculture minister Ashish Banerjee is keen to slowly replicate this model in different
agri-sectors as well. For instance, the state government which has been ramping up raw silk production in the state, is planning to add about 1,620 acres of cultivable land under sericulture production. "In 2017-18, we had extended plantation area for 1,733 acres covering all the four varieties of raw silk. The target of new area extension for mulberry is 1,000 acres, that for tasar is 400 acres, for muga it is 70 acres and 150 acres for eri in 2018-19 (FY19)," Banerjee said. About 2,577 metric tonne (mt) of raw silk including the four varieties was produced in by the seri-farmers and entrepreneurs in the state in FY 17-18. The production targets for raw silk in FY19 are 2,575 mt for mulberry, 46 mt for tasar, 6 mt for eri and 400 kgs of muga. Efforts are underway for plantation and maintenance of tasar in 83.3 acres, of mulberry in 21.33 acres and 400 mt of field channel excavation under MGNREGP, the rural job guarantee scheme, in FY 19. While the average yearly bivoltine cocoon and bivoltine silk production were around 9 mt and 1 mt respectively in 2010-11, the yearly production shot up to 288.6 mt and 36 mt respectively in 2017-18.
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Education
June 18-24, 2018 Balasubramaniam
Unique School For Tribal Kids Viveka Tribal Centre for Learning, located at Hosahalli in HD Kotetaluk, Mysuru district, is aimed at bringing about a change in the life of tribals in this district Quick Glance The founder Dr R Balasubramaniam is a development activist, social innovator, writer
Some children are learning skills like tailoring and some are singing merrily
The school has open classrooms, no windows or doors but rather large square openings
n G Ulaganathan
H
ere is a school with a difference. As you enter the premises of this residential school, what strike you is the open spaces. The school follows an outdoor approach—it has open classrooms-no windows or doors but rather large square openings. And sometimes classes are held in the open. This is to make the tribal children learning here connect with nature...like they would in their forest abode. Some children are learning skills like tailoring and some are singing merrily. Nanjundaswamy, a Physical Education Teacher, says with a smile that some children are naughty. “They had put a non-poisonous snake in my pocket once.” Swami Vivekananda Youth Movement (SVYM) is a development Organisation engaged in building a new civil society in India through its grassroots to policy level action in Health, Education, Community Development & Training sectors. Viveka Tribal Centre for Learning, located at Hosahalli in HD Kote taluk, Mysuru district, is part of SVYM and is aimed at bringing about a change in the life of tribals in this district. Hundreds of tribal living on the border
of Bandipur and Nagarahole National Park are slowly moving towards civil society, thanks to the Center’s initiative. Started in 1991, the Centre for Learning is giving a new lease of life to the tribal children by bringing them into the mainstream through education and thereby making them self-reliant. The founder Dr R Balasubramaniam (Balu) is a development activist, social innovator, writer and a leadership trainer. He is a medical doctor by training, with specialisation in Public Administration from Harvard University. Inspired by the life and teachings of Swami Vivekananda, he founded the Swami Vivekananda Youth Movement at the age of 19 and went on to work with the displaced and dispossessed forest-based tribes in HD Kote Taluk of Mysore District, and this has grown to be one of India’s finest NGOs. It all started when a group of students from the Mysore Medical College conceptualised the Swami
Vivekananda Youth Movement (SVYM) in 1984 to work with the dispossessed and displaced tribals in HD Kote. A small intervention in the healthcare of the tribals soon became a full-fledged movement that reached out to the deprived section of an entire society. The basis was that without contextually relevant education, all development initiatives for the “betterment” of the tribals would not work. Balasubramaniam, CEO and President, SVYM explains, “the present education system is urbancentric and is irrelevant to tribals and the rural community. First-standard students were being taught to cross roads and reading traffic signals, which is inconsistent in a rural milieu. “The turning point came when I was taking a Kannada class on the topic ‘Jenukurubas’ and the textbook showed a semi-naked boy and gave a wrong picture of the community. We found that many topics were
Hundreds of tribal living on the border of Bandipur and Nagarahole National Park are slowly moving towards civil society, thanks to the Center’s initiative
irrelevant from a child’s point of view. The Education Act provides for innovation and does not insist that textbooks should be strictly followed. It only prescribes certain minimum levels of learning for an age.’’ Thus began efforts in innovation entailing assistance from child psychologists to devise relevant and culturally appropriate material and methodologies. And it is the novel methodologies evolved at VTCL, which has ignited a zeal for education among the first generation tribal learners. The VTCL campus at Hosahalli is a workshop that develops novel concepts in teaching. In mathematics, children are not told to just memorise numerals. Instead, teachers ask the students to bring a specific quantity of any available material from their surroundings. “A few students collect leaves, while others pick up pebbles or stones. Over time, the child recognises the value of that quantity. Later the child is taught to write the number,’’ says Shashidhar, a mathematics teacher. Students do the exercises and then give the title. When teachers ask for the reason, the student’s answer reinforces their understanding. In history, the emphasis is on local events. Geography includes the natural world around HD Kote, classification of forests, tree-types in the adjoining forests, identification of birds and animals and their classification. It is non-structured curriculum
Education
June 18-24, 2018 from Std. I-VI with no textbooks, only workbooks developed by teachers. From Std. VII, a mix of workbooks, games and textbooks is used to integrate students to the “mainstream” as they enter high school. From Std. VIII, the emphasis is on texts but the methodologies are unique. Children are never passive learners but active participants where the emphasis is on creativity, observation and problem-solving. Children are also exposed to computers to acquire skills on par with their counterparts elsewhere. Eighteen-year-old Manjula, the first girl from the Jenukurubas in HD Kote to have completed SSLC is an example of the social impact of the VTCL intervention. She is the only girl in her community to be unmarried at 18, something unheard off in tribal families, and prefers to pursue her studies. Maari and Thayamma complete the trio who are popularising the non-formal education programme “VidyaVahini” to increase literacy levels among the tribals. This is mobile education programme with a difference. Children are picked from their hamlets and brought to one of the five study centres. A vehicle equipped with audio-visual educational material
creates educational They are introduced to awareness among the the different types of village elders. School soil and are taught dropouts enhance what crops can be their learning skills grown. The students while children raise have developed a their minimum papaya farm on their literary levels and own. They are also train for formal growing jackfruit, schooling. For children mango, pomegranate in the pre-school age, and chiku. They get there are six nonlessons in nutrition formal education while eating the fruit. Balasubramaniam CEO and President centres. The children are It is a fully also taught to weigh residential school and its motto is the vegetables, price them as per the ‘the goal of education is to provide market rate and enter the figures in joyful, experiential and child-centred a ledger. This technique has helped learning, focusing on appropriate them to understand the use of maths vocal training’. in real life. In all, 295 children (Class 1 to The children are also introduced 10), belonging to various tribes to basic technology –electronics and like JenuKuruba, Soliga, Yerava, mechanics. Every Saturday a class KaduKuruba / BettaKuruba, Paniya, on cleanliness is held. A mobile Eruliga are studying in the residential health van visits the Centre once a school. Most of them are neglected, week where children undergo regular orphan children. The boys and girls health check-up. A medical store has are provided with separate hostel been set up on the premises, which facilities. provides first aid. The school has well-equipped But it is usually a challenge to get laboratories, library, indoor and the tribal children admitted to the outdoor sports facilities. school. The staff of SVYM goes in One period is set aside for search of the indigenous tribes every Agriculture for classes 5 to 10. A teacher year during March-April. Sometimes tells them how to grow vegetables. tribal children studying in the
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school accompany them, and help to convince parents. At first, the teachers win the confidence of the tribal people, and later convince them to visit a school. After a school visit, the parents are counselled and are convinced to send their wards to the school. Presently, the children from about 60 tribal hamlets are studying at the school. The entire expenditure of these children is borne by the NGO. Kumar, Principal of the tribal school for the past 18 years, says: “Bringing the children to the school and making them stay here is a big challenge. Inculcating discipline is yet another challenge. If their respect is hurt, they leave the school. If a boy decides to return to the hamlet, all the children of his community follow him. Convincing them to come back is another tough task.” Students seem to be happy. “Usually, most of our community people migrate to cities for jobs. I will take up farming. I am learning different pest control techniques and how to increase yield amongst many other things. I want to motivate my community people to engage in agriculture, and prevent migration,” says Baby, a 9th standard student, who belongs to KaduKuruba community.
Innovation
Sibling Duo Develops Customised Map Of City Bus Routes The Integrated Transit Map is uniquely designed for each bus stop and comprises a visual cognitive map n Nivedita Singh
A
Delhi-based sibling duo initially created a map of 100 bus routes in the city. They are now in the process of developing customised maps for individual bus shelters to facilitate commuters by providing details, routes and frequency of buses passing from a particular bus stop, in addition to details of the neighbouring areas. Architect Sudipto Ghosh, along with his sister and graphic designer Shimonti Sinha, working with City Wise -- a Delhi-based design and
mapping firm -- started the pro bono project about two years ago aiming to improve the experience of the commuters. The Integrated Transit Map is uniquely designed for each bus stop and comprises a visual cognitive map of all bus routes passing a particular bus stop. The Delhi Metro network and other key landmarks have also been overlaid on the map. “We wish to see Delhi as an international city. Every international city has a transit map, which facilitates not only the residents but also the tourists. Delhi does not have any such map and people are dependent on
others for information,” said Sinha. “In order to promote the public transport, we have to provide basic information to the people,” she said. Asked how relevant the map would be in comparison with those that exist, she said: “On Google Map, you can only plan your journey from one point to another. It is more for a point-topoint journey. But with our map, you can locate yourself and also see the other areas around it. You know the direction where you are heading to.” The map of 100 most frequent routes of the city -- any route where buses were stopping at an interval of 15 minutes or less was completed last year after they had worked on it for a year. The map, currently put on display at the Delhi Secretariat
bus stop on Vikas Marg, includes the routes of all public buses except the DMRC-run ones. “The map of 100 routes was published by the DTDC for the use of the general public, based on which the Delhi government asked us to design a customised bus-stop specific route map. It took us another six months,” said Ghosh. “We want all the bus stops to have this map so that our future generation will not be scared of travelling in buses. There are so many buses and such maps will facilitate the travellers.” They have an idea of making these maps available online in future. “This is a pro bono activity and as we will get the funds and support of the government, we will try to improve this further,” they said.
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June 18-24, 2018
excerpts from the book: “NARENDRA DAMODAR MODI: the making of a legend�
Welfare Schemes FOR FARMERS Neem Coated Urea When urea is coated with Neem it dissolves slowly in the soil and the nitrogen provided to the crop is of larger quantity. With this the capacity of the fertiliser is increased by 10-15 percent and requirement of Urea decreases. Since November 2015, total available urea (produced in the country and imported) is Neem coated.
Kisan Channel DD Kisan is the first TV channel of the country dedicated to farmers. The channel will give new technical information to the farmers correctly and directly. The channel has been launched on 26 May 2015.
Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchai Yojana In order to accomplish the stated goal of "Water to every farm and more crop from every drop of water," the Modi Government has laid out a plan to irrigate agricultural land with water being made available from all sources. Budget for the project is Rs. 50 thousand crore.
Water and land, both are very important for agriculture. Adequate focus should be given to these. Prime Minister Narendra Modi
This is the golden opportunity for the farmers because this channel will help in disseminating the new research and techniques directly from lab to the field.
Earlier Urea of Kisan used to be siphoned off to the chemical factories. After Neem coating, the urea is of no use other than agriculture. Because of the Neem coating, lesser Urea is required for more yield.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi
Prime Minister Narendra Modi
Cold Chain Project Cold chain is that bridge which will connect the remote area farms with the cities and people staying there. It will give a boost to domestic and international market of fresh vegetables and fruits; ensure easy availability of loan from the NABARD fund and provide concession in service tax.
If there are no warehouses, cold storages, infrastructure made available to farmers, whatever labour the farmer may do, he will not be prosperous. Prime Minister Narendra Modi
Adequate Availability of Urea Urea has been made easily available to farmers by ensuring a record production of 245 lakh metric ton in the year 2015-16. It is proposed to increase production every year.
There was a time when the availability of fertilisers was a very big problem. We have completely removed this shortage. Prime Minister Narendra Modi
Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana This scheme is meant to encourage skill development through various initiatives for agriculture and farmer welfare and training for youth and entrepreneurs of villages. Training is being imparted in organic farming, sericulture, bee farming, tractor driving, irrigation, green house, seed/cold storage and animal health.
Aim of the skill development scheme is to provide a sense of self respect to the poor. We will have to give emphasis to quality improvement, along with skill development. We have to give emphasis on entrepreneurship also. Prime Minister Narendra Modi
June 18-24, 2018
excerpts from the book: “NARENDRA DAMODAR MODI: the making of a legend�
Increase in the minimum support price of pulses and oil seeds For the welfare of farmers, the government has increased the minimum support prices of pulses and oilseeds. Crop 201617 Minimum Support Price Rs./Quintal (with bonus). Arhar: Rs. 5050 Moong: Rs. 5225 Urad: Rs. 5000 Moongfali: Rs. 4220 Soyabean: Rs. 2775 Sunflower: Rs. 3950
National Agriculture Market An integrated portal for all crops wherein farmers can show their products online and the traders can tell their price is envisioned. It will increase competition among the buyers and farmers will get the right price for their yield. By March 2018, all the 585 agriculture markets of the country will be connected with each other.
National Agriculture Market (e-NAM) will not only benefit the farmers but all the persons associated with it and consumers will also get benefitted. It is a turning point in the agriculture sector. Through it the farmers will be able to know what best price they may get for their produce. Prime Minister Narendra Modi
Black Til: Rs. 3825 Til: Rs. 5000
I call upon the farmers of the country that you should produce pulses and oilseeds also in some of the farms along with traditional farming, as this will benefit them. Prime Minister Narendra Modi
Soil Health Card Yojana With the Soil Health Card, the production capacity of the land can be easily tested and information made available for required improvements to increase yield. The best crop for a particular soil will also be identified. The free Soil Health Card can be renewed every three years. The goal is to make it available to all farmers by 2018. 2 crore and 50 lakh cards have been issued.
By giving emphasis to soil health, productivity will be increased, agriculture sector will get a boost and farmers will become prosperous. Prime Minister Narendra Modi
Motivation to Agriculture in the NE States The scheme envisages branding of the produce of North-East States. The targeted budget is Rs 400 crore from 2015-16 to 2017-18. In 2015-16, eight NorthEast states were allotted Rs 112.11 crore under this scheme.
Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana For the first time, the government has come with such a crop insurance scheme in which premium has been reduced and the amount payable to the farmers has been increased. There is also a provision of compensation for the pre-sowing and postharvesting damages. The farmers will pay 2 percent for Kharif and 1.5 percent for Rabi crops and the balance will be paid by the government. Upper limit has been abolished. Now, the farmers can get the entire amount without any deductions.
North East part of India is our Ashtalakshmi and I see immense possibilities of agriculture over there.
It is my belief that inspired by the welfare of the farmers, Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana will bring a drastic change in the life of the farmers.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi
Prime Minister Narendra Modi
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Agriculture Mobile Apps These Apps will ensure that farmers have farming related information at their finger tips. Through 'Pusa Krishi' mobile app, information regarding the improved varieties and new technologies is available. 'Agri Market' App gives information about the price of the crops and 'Fasal Bima' App gives information about crop insurance. 'Kisan Suvidha' mobile App was launched on 19 March 2016 by the Prime Minister, it gives the farmers information about weather, price, seeds, fertilisers, pesticides, etc. Thousands of farmers have downloaded these Apps.
I am dreaming such a digital India in which our farmers have knowledge of the prices in the markets of the country. Prime Minister Narendra Modi
National Gokul Mission The objective of the mission is to develop animals of indigenous breed. The features of the mission include genetic development and protection of the indigenous breeds of animals and to increase the milk production. Within a span of one and a half years, 29 sectors of 27 states has produced 155 million tonnes of milk and number of Veterinary Degree Colleges has been increased to 46 from the earlier 36. Continue in next issue
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International Personality
June 18-24, 2018
Leo Tolstoy
Leo Tolstoy – great writer and spiritual rebel The correspondence between Mahatma Gandhi and the Russian savant reveals the respect each had for the other Parsa Venkateshwar Rao Jr
R
ussian writer Leo Tolstoy (1828-1910) wrote what are considered the best novels in the history modern literature: War and Peace in the early 1860s and Anna Karenina in the later 1870s and two great novellas, Death of Ivan Ilyich and Father Sergius in the 1880s. He will retain his status as a literary genius. But the more interesting aspect of Tolstoy is his religious and social views, and how he tried to live his ideals. In the process, he clashed with the established Russian Orthodox Church and he was expelled from the national church. He preached that the churches, including the Russian Orthodox Church, have abandoned, and even betrayed the teachings of “Jesus, the man”. More than religious dogma, he believed that the message of Christianity and of religion was love. It is not a surprise then that the established church was not happy with him. He had a bitter domestic battle with his wife because he distributed the land among the peasants, tried to live the life of a farmer. It was after the writing of Anna Karenina, that Tolstoy experienced a spiritual crisis. He denounced even his own literary work up to that point, and in the polemical essay of his later life, ‘What Is Art?’ he questioned the basis of art from the ear of Renaissance Europe in the 15th century. He believed that literature must tell the simple truths experienced by the farmers and everything else is fake. Tolstoy was fierce in his teaching of the simple truth of life – love. And Mahatma
Trivia
Leo Tolstoy was one of the most acclaimed Russian writers, who wrote the famous ‘War and Peace’ and ‘Anna Karenina’
•He is the author of books like ‘War and Peace’, ‘Anna Karenina’ and ‘The Death of Ivan Ilyich’, which even today are amongst the world’s top literary works. •He wrote the famous quotation, which is also the first sentence of his novel ‘Anna Karenina’, “Happy families are all alike, every unhappy
Quick Glance His biography gives detailed information about his childhood, life, works & timeline
After failed attempt at attaining education, Tolstoy tried his hand at farming Tolstoy’s novel ‘War and Peace’ catapulted him to great success
Gandhi was impressed by it. After getting permission from Tolstoy to republish the Russian writer’s A Letter To A Hindu in response to Taraknath Das in 1908 which was published in Das’ newspaper, Free Hindustan, in his own paper, Indian Opinion which he was publishing at the time, Gandhi wrote in his introduction to Tolstoy’s letter: “There is no doubt that there is nothing new in what Tolstoy preaches. But his presentation of the old truth is refreshingly forceful. His logic is unassailable. And above all he endeavours to practice what he preaches.” This led to correspondence between Gandhi and Tolstoy. In one of the letters, Tolstoy writes, “As soon family is unhappy in its own way”. •His ideas of non-violent resistance to evil inspired India’s pivotal 20th century political figure, Mahatma Gandhi so much so that Gandhi acclaimed him as the ‘the greatest apostle of non-violence that the present age has produced’. Gandhi also named his second ashram in South Africa after him.
June 18-24, 2018
International Personality
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Brief Biography Native name : Лёв Николаевич Толстой Born : Lyov Nikolayevich Tolstoy September 9, 1828, Yasnaya Polyana, Tula Governorate, Russian Empire Died : November 20, 1910 (aged 82) Astapovo, Ryazan Governorate, Russian Empire Resting place : Yasnaya Polyana Occupation : Novelist, short story writer, playwright, essayist Language : Russian Period : 1847–1910 Literary movement : Realism Notable works :War and Peace
Anna Karenina The Death of Ivan Ilyich The Kingdom of God Is Within You Resurrection Spouse : Sophia Behrs (m. 1862) Children : 14
His first written work was an autobiographical story in which he penned his fond childhood memories titled ‘Childhood’ as men love entirely in accord with the law of love natural to their hearts and now revealed to them, which excluded all resistance by violence, and therefore hold aloof from all participation in violence – as soon as this happens, not only will hundreds be unable to enslave millions, but not even millions will be able to enslave a single individual.” Tolstoy considered the issue of British rule in India with much care and came to the accurate conclusion: “A commercial company enslaved a nation comprising two hundred millions. Tell this to a man free from superstition and he will fail to grasp what these words mean. What does it mean that thirty thousand people, not athletes, but rather weak and ordinary people, have enslaved two hundred millions of vigorous, clever, capable, freedom-loving people? Do not the figures make it clear that not the English, but the Indians, have enslaved themselves.” Gandhi quotes this passage in his introduction of Tolstoy’s ‘Letter to a Hindu’, which was written to the editor of Free Hindustan, and Gandhi obtained the permission of Tolstoy to reprint it in South Africa, says, “Who can question the truth of what he says…” The Gandhi-Tolstoy orrespondence
is interesting because it is a dialogue between two individuals who fully believed that violence is sinful, that ‘non-resistance to evil’ – Tolstoy’s term – is the only way to fight for justice. Gandhi first wrote his letter to Tolstoy on 1st, October, 1909 from London, and addressed Tolstoy as ‘Sir’, and the opening sentence reads, ‘I take the liberty of inviting your attention to what has been going on in the Transvaal (South Africa) for nearly three years’ and at the end of a lengthy letter Gandhi signed off by writing ‘I have wearied you with this letter. I am aware that those who honour you and endeavor to follow you have no right to trespass upon your time, but it is rather their duty to refrain from giving you trouble, so far as possible. I have, however, who am an utter stranger to you, take the liberty of addressing this communication in the interests of truth, and in order to have your advice on problems, the solution of which you have made your life work.’ And Gandhi ended the letter, ‘With respects, I remain, Your obedient servant, M.K.Gandhi’. Tolstoy replied from YasnayaPolyana, his farm, on October 7, 1909 and simply wrote ‘M.K.Gandhi, Transvaal’ and he
Things You May Not Know About Leo Tolstoy •Tolstoy was a self-improvement junkie •Tolstoy’s wife helped get “War and Peace” over the finish line •The Russian Orthodox Church excommunicated him •He inspired a cult—and Gandhi •Tolstoy and his wife had one of the worst marriages in literary history
begins the letter saying, ‘Just now I received your very interesting letter, which gives me great pleasure.May God help all our dear brothers and coworkers in the Transvaal.’ And Tolstoy ends the letter saying, ‘I give my fraternal greetings and am glad to have come into personal contact with you.’ And he merely signs, ‘Leo Tolstoi’. Gandhi replies from London on ’1011-1909’ and says, ‘Dear Sir, I beg to tender my thanks for your registered letter…’ and he tells Tolstoy that the talks in London have failed and he and his colleagues are returning to South Africa to resume the struggle and ‘invite imprisonment’. And Gandhi also writes about his son undergoing imprisonment: ‘I may add that my son has happily joined me in the struggle and is now undergoing imprisonment with hard labour for six months. This is his fourth imprisonment in the course of the struggle.’ Gandhi ends the letter with the request ‘If you would be so good to reply to this letter, may I ask you to address your reply to me at Johannesburg, S.A. Box 6522. Hoping that this finds you in good health. I remain, Your obedient servant M.K.Gandhi.’ Gandhi writes to Tolstoy from Johannesburg on 4thApril, 1910. And he writes, ‘Dear Sir, You may remember that I have written to you from London where I stopped temporarily. As your devoted follower, I send you herewith a brief booklet which I have written. I have translated my own writings from Gujarati (my own language). What is remarkable is that my original work was confiscated by the Government of India. Therefore I was in a hurry
to publish this translation.’ And he signs off with ‘Yours respectfully, M.K.Gandhi’. Tolstoy replied on 8thMay, 1910. He says, ‘Dear Friend, Just now I have received your letter and your book, Indian Home Rule.’ And he says, ‘I have read your book with great interest because I think the question you have therein dealt with is important not only for Indians, but for the whole of mankind.’ He says that he read the biography of Gandhi written by Doke and observes that ‘…I happen to know you through that Biography which gripped me and it gave me a chance to know and understand you better.’ He says that he is not well and therefore not able to discuss all the issues raised in Gandhi’s book. He ends saying, ‘But I shall write to you as soon as I recover. Your friend and brother…Leo Tolstoi’. Gandhi writes back on 15thAugust, 1910 from Johannesburg and informs Tolstoy about the Tolstoy Farm set up by his friend Kallenbach and how the passive resisters are housed there. And he ends the letter with ‘I remain, Your faithful servant, M.K.Gandhi’. Tolstoy wrote back on 7th September 1910, and he says that he has read the articles of the Indian Opinion, copies of which Gandhi had sent him, and he writes, ‘The more I live – and especially now that I am approaching death, the more I feel inclined to express to others the feelings which so strongly move my being and which, according to my opinion, are of great importance.’ And he ends the letter ‘With my perfect esteem, Leo Tolstoi’.
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Sports
June 18-24, 2018
CRISTIANO RONALDO
To A MAN WHO LIVEs HIS LIFE FOR FOOTBALL Life without soccer seems empty for Cristiano, so he dedicated his entire life playing football
His marvelous achievements
Gitanjali Chettri
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ho can imagine that a star like ‘CR7Cristiano” would have a tormented life behind his phenomenal success in the soccer firmament. Six-feet-oneinch tall Cristiano Ronaldo started his journey from a small town Madeira at 7. Life without soccer seemed empty to Ronaldo, and he has dedicated his entire life to playing football. He proved to be one of the intense players on the field. Even though he is 33 now, his work ethic keeps him active. Ronaldo is one of the best ever when it comes to playing football. He wasn’t at his best through his playing career but he has learnt to deal with failure and consequently grew up tremendously. He was born with the required talent and mentality and he has added an incredible amount of hard work to that. He probably works harder than any other footballer. He is one of the four children of working-class parents. Although his early life was full of hardship, today he is one of the most inspiring personalities to an aspiring generation. His success can teach us a thing or two about achieving our dreams. Each one of us is endowed with a talent and Ronaldo’s was for playing football. At an early age, Ronaldo’s
passion for football was very evident. He lived and breathed football, often skipping meals to play the sport. The time he should have been completed his lessons he used to sneak out through a window with a ball and head out to the field. When asked how he came to have excellent footwork , Ronaldo answered he has been practising the techniques since he was very young. Resting on our laurels can be a tempting proposition especially when we feel that we have earned enough. However, like Ronaldo, we have to understand that reaching to the top does not mean putting a full stop to hard work. Achieving success is one thing, staying successful is something else altogether. Soccer power was not handed to him on a silver platter. In fact, rewinding
to his childhood he would say that his opportunities were very limited. It is said his family was very poor and father was an alcoholic, and they were relying on his mother’s small income. Despite the many problems, Ronaldo never let go of his dreams of playing. His struggles did not end after he turned pro. After a while, his father died and mother was diagnosed with breast cancer. He was struggling under English football club Manchester United. Nevertheless, Ronaldo never allowed himself to stray from his ambition. Ronaldo is known to be one of the fitness freaks in the world. To be a perfectly fit man did not occur to Ronaldo overnight. He is stickler for keeping himself healthy. A healthy mind in a healthy body is his credo. It is what makes him self-confident. It is to keep his confidence level that he takes care of his health and fitness. Ronaldo mentioned Sir Alex Fergusson as his mentor while playing for Manchester United. He always seeks the advice of the manager. He publically declared the important role played by the manager. When he decided to change from Manchester United to Real Madrid, he acknowledged the influence of Alex Fergusson influence on his life. A mentor provides valuable feedback, which helps to refine one’s life.
• He received bravo award • 3 Ballon d’Or award holder • Ronaldo became the only 50 goal scorer in UAEFA • The only player playing under -16, under-17 and 18 • First player in England to grab all four main PFA and FWA award in 2007 • Ronaldo broke the record of 100 goals in league in shortest time possible Ronaldo knows that he has room to improve and correct his mistakes. Real Madrid did not win since 1959 but entry of Ronaldo changed that . It scored a historic win in the Champion’s League in 2018. Over the past eight years Cristiano achieved incredible things for Real Madrid, and winning trophies became a kind of emotional habit, especially in the past two years. Off the field Cristiano Ronaldo is known to be very fashionable. His passion for fashion has made him open his own fashion boutique called CR7, and he invested million dollars in the venture which he has made from football. Ronaldo is very generous. Being from an underdeveloped family he understands the suffering of people. Ronaldo’s mother Dolores Aveiro survived breast cancer and he thanks the helping cancer centre that cured his mum, adding $1.20 million to their centre as an offering. The superstar is doing more than his fair share of charity work. He is a tattoo free as Cristiano is a regular blood donor and helped 9-year-old boy cancer patient in donating blood. When he isn’t busy he tries to make the world better.
(Lovely Professional University, MA Mass Communication 2nd year)
Entertainment
June 18-24, 2018
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Pran
Villain Of The Millennium Nearly 5 years past the death of the legendary actor Pran, let’s take a moment to commemorate his journey Abhishek Lakhera
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here’s hardly any Indian Bollywood fan that is unknown to the catchphrase “Barkhurdaar” in the Indian cinema. Well the super-villain, the epitome of anti-heroism, the person who made the viewers fall in love with the character of the villain rather than the hero in a film, was an actor who himself had a very filmy life and overcame a huge struggle in his career to become the first choice of every filmmaker for a negative character and was paid more than the hero to do the role. Pran was one of seven siblings who were born into the family of a wealthy civil contractor in Old Delhi. After he completed school Pran wanted to become a professional photographer. Not many know this but the first role that Pran ever played was the role of Sita in a local Ramlila where actor Madan Puri played Ram. Ever since he got into his teens, Pran was very fond of shayari and a huge fan of Mir Taqi Mir. There was always this strange aura around him that interested people. It was around this time when one day he met writer Mohammed Wali in a paan shop that he frequently went to. Wali used to work for famous director Dalsukh Pancholi and thought that Pran fit the bill of one of the main characters, and asked him to do the role. This is when he was first seen in the Punjabi movie ‘Yamla Jatt’. During his initial years of acting, Pran kept his profession a secret as he knew that his father won’t approve of it. He kept it so secretive that when his first interview appeared in a newspaper he asked his sister to hide the newspapers from his father
so his secret is not out. “He never wanted to live in Mumbai, but he couldn’t return to Lahore after partition”, his daughter, Pinky Bhalla, said in an interview. According to Pran, the most valuable thing he lost during the partition was his dog. So when he became popular he got three dogs and named them Whiskey, Bullet and Soda. On being asked in an interview that why does he always play negative roles Pran said, “mujhse gaane gaaye nahin jaate the! Well, I mean those songs that are sung around trees with the heroines!” Pran said that he enjoyed the image he had made for himself and wanted people to acknowledge him as an antagonist because it would do better for his work, “bad nahi badnaam hone ka shauk hai” as he used to say. Pran was always super-passionate about his work and he put it above the money he was making from it. His love for acting was such that he signed ‘Bobby’ with a signing amount of Re.1 as he was aware of Raj Kapoor’s low budget. Off-screen, Pran was a completely different man. He was a very humble and down-to-earth person in his real life. He used to work for various social organisations and even had a football team named the Bombay Dynamos Football Club. Pran was always very particular of his look in the movies. He used to add his personal touches and gestures to the characters which took his performance to another level. He modelled himself after many real-
He enjoyed the image he had made for himself and wanted people to acknowledge him as an antagonist
life personalities such as Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, Adolf Hitler, Sam Pitroda and Abraham Lincoln among others in many films to give his performance a distinctive touch. It is not known to many that superstar Amitabh Bachchan owes his career to Pran. Pran acted with Amitabh in 15 films like Zanjeer, Don, Amar Akbar Anthony, Kaalia and Sharaabi. It was Pran who
recommended Amitabh Bachchan to Prakash Mehra for Zanjeer, which was the first breakthrough of Bachchan’s career. When it came to awards Pran never had enough of those. He got the Dada Saheb Phalke Award which is the highest honour in the industry. He was also honoured by Filmfare magazine’s Lifetime Achievement Award in 1997 and the “Villain of the Millennium” by Stardust magazine three years later. Always seen with a lit cigarette in his mouth and a supercilious grin on his face, the most versatile actor died at the age of 93 leaving the whole Hindi film industry in mourning.
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Literature
June 18-24, 2018 Inspirational
The Seasons of Life
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here was a man who had four sons. He wanted his sons to learn to not judge things too quickly. So he sent them each on a quest, in turn, to go and look at a pear tree that was a great distance away. The first son went in the winter, the second in the spring, the third in summer, and the youngest son in the fall. When they had all gone and come back, he called them together to describe what they had seen. The first son said that the tree was ugly, bent, and twisted. The second son said no – it was covered with green buds and full of promise. The third son disagreed, he said it was laden with blossoms that smelled so sweet and looked so beautiful, it was the most graceful thing he had ever
seen. The last son disagreed with all of them; he said it was ripe and drooping with fruit, full of life and fulfilment. The man then explained to his sons that they were all right, because they had each seen but one season in the tree’s life. He told them that you cannot judge a tree, or a person, by only one season, and that the essence of who they are – and the pleasure, joy, and love that come from that life – can only be measured at the end, when all the seasons are up. If you give up when it’s winter, you will miss the promise of your spring, the beauty of your summer, fulfilment of your fall. Don’t judge a life by one difficult season. Don’t let the pain of one season destroy the joy of all the rest.
Untold tales from Mahabharata The story of five golden arrows
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s Kaurawas were losing the battle of Mahabharata, Duryodhana approached Bhisma one night and accused him of not fighting the Mahabharata war to his full strength because of his affection for Pandavas. Bhisma greatly angered, immediately picked up 5 golden
arrows and chanted mantras declaring tomorrow he will kill 5 pandavas with the 5 golden arrows. Duryodhana not having faith in his words asked Bhisma to give custody of 5 golden arrows saying that he will keep them and will return them next morning.
The Mahabharat is one of the two major epics in Sanskrit of ancient India. It contains over one lakh couplets and is thrice as long as the Bible. However, only a fraction of the narration actually deals with the main story with the rest containing additional myths and teachings. It clearly states: “what is found here may be found elsewhere but what is not found here cannot be found elsewhere.” Take a look at some untold and unknown stories from this great scripture…
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A flash back
ong back before the Mahabharata war, Pandavas were living in exile in a forest. Duryodhana placed his camp on the opposite side of the pond where Pandavas were staying. Once while Duryodhana was taking bath in that pond, the heavenly prince Gandharvas also came down. Duryodhana picked a fight with them only to be defeated and captured. Arjuna saved Duryodhana and set him free. Duryodhana was ashamed but being a Kshatriya, told Arjuna to ask for a boon. Arjuna replied he would ask for the honour gift later when he needed it.
Events
June 18-24, 2018
events & more...
ACROSS
1. What did the Norse call the fiery region to the south of their world? 4. Who will avenge Óðinn after he has been killed by the Fenris Wolf? 9. What innocuous item kills Balder? 11. What was the name of the heavenly home of the gods? 14. What did the Norse call their epic poems? 15. Who keeps the apples of youth? 16. Who was the Norse god of agriculture and fertility? 17. What were the dwarfs before Óðinn gave them human form? 19. What was Elli really? 20. What is ‘Skíðblaðnir’?
D-1 Below Reliance Fresh 110091, Acharya Niketan, Mayur Vihar Phase 1, New Delhi
SSB crossword no. 27
events
Taaleem 2018 - The Theatre Certificate Course Venue: Saptakk Kala Kendra
DOWN
Thu, 14 Jun 12:00PM - Sat, 30 Jun 9:00PM
SOLUTION of crossword no.26
Reboot : Happiness Venue :REBOOT WELLNESS,
String Art Workshop Venue:Hookkapani Baithak
AB-12, Safdarjung Enclave, Community Center, Block A 1, Nauroji Nagar, Safdarjung Enclave
#7 Nathupur Road, Dlf 3, Near Neelkanth Hospital, Walking From Gurudronacharaya Metro Station, Gurugram 27 Jun 2018: 5:30Pm - 7:00 Pm
Fresh Faces by Manish Tyagi Venue: Canvas Laugh Club, The People and Co., Ground Floor, Cyberhub, Gurgaon
Tue, 19 June 8:00 Pm- Tue, 26 June 8:00 Pm
1.Tarapur 2.USA 3.Methane 4.Japan 5.Pallavas 6.Silicon 7.Jamuna 8.Punjab 9.Liver 10.Prithvi solution of sudoku-26
Sat, 30 Jun 12:00PM - 3:00PM
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11.Hawkins 12.Lead 13.Mercury 14.Rice 15.Sugar 16.Zinc 17.Football 18.Fiji 19.Calcutta 20.London
2. Who is the ‘trickster’ god? 3. What was the first living thing, according to Norse myth? 5. What was the first animal, created to accompany and nourish Ymir? 6. Which god, according to Skaði, has the most beautiful feet? 7. What does Odin use to form the first two humans? 8. What might you call Bifröst? 10. What texts are the main sources of Norse mythology? 12. What did the Norse call Earth? 13. How many mothers does Heimdall have? 18. What pulls Þór’s (Thor’s) chariot?
sudoku-27
Best In Standup with Sourav Ghosh, Anirban Dasgupta & Vaibhav Sethia Venue :Canvas Laugh Club,
The People and Co., Ground Floor, Cyberhub, Gurgaon
Wed, 27 June 8:00 Pm- Sun, 01July 8:00 Pm
on the lighter side by DHIR
Please mail your solution to - ssbweekly@gmail.com or Whatsapp at 9868807712, One Lucky Winner will win Cash Prize of Rs 500/-. Look for the Solution in the Next Issue of SSB
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Newsmakers
June 18-24, 2018
unsung hero
Kalpana Kumari
Bihar Girl Aces NEET Medical Entrance Scoring 691 out of 720 marks, Kalpana Kumari secured 99.99 percentile in NEET 2018
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ihar girl Kalpana Kumari topped the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (NEET) for admission to medical and dental colleges. Scoring 171 of 180 marks in Physics, 160 of 180 in Chemistry and 360 of 360 in Biology she secured 99.99 percentile with 691 marks of 720. Kalpana, who is a resident of Shivhar district in Bihar, came to Delhi to prepare for the examination. Kalpana said that she had been hardworking from the start and used to study for about 12-13 hours a day while she was preparing for NEET. Sharing her success mantra, Kalpana said that she studied NCERT books and her coaching material carefully. She also appeared for several mock tests.” Mock tests, she said, are
extremely important. She feels that students must keep give mock tests to gauge their performance from time to time, this would help them not make the same mistakes again. Kalpana is also waiting for the result of AIIMS 2018 as she aspires to study in AIIMS. “One can easily crack NEET or AIIMS examination if their concepts are clear,” said Kalpana. The second position was jointly bagged by Telangana’s Rohan Purohit and Delhi’s Himanshu Sharma with 690 marks. The third rank was shared by Aarosh Dhamija from Delhi and Prince Chaudhary from Rajasthan, both of whom scored 686 marks. This year, the maximum number of students who cleared the exam came from Uttar Pradesh.
Women In Bihar Village Build Road In 72 Hours After the government failed to help them, the women took to build the road themselves and completed it in a time of mere 3 days
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aving dealt with the government’s incompetence and disinclination for about a decade the women in a small village of Bihar, manned themselves up to build a road. Residents of a small village in Bihar’s Banka district had to face severe hardships to commute from one place to another due to lack of proper roads. Eventually, the villagers decided to take the burden upon them to build the road. With spades, shovels and baskets in their hands, more than 200 women took to the streets and dug the ground to construct a two km-long road within 72 hours, elating dozens of villages that lie in the route. The task which the government was unable to do for decades was achieved by the villagers in a matter of three days. “It was really painful during the rainy season
when we weren’t able to reach even the local primary health centre barely 2.5km away owing to wet mud spread all over,” said Rekha Devi, a local woman. According to her, there was a large death toll, especially of pregnant women, failing to get proper medical attention in time due to lack of proper roads. The local landlords initially turned down the offer to part with their private land but on constant persuasion by the women they were finally convinced. Honouring the willpower of the local women the local administration announced to turn the unpaved road into a proper road. “The construction of the road was not possible without acquiring private land but the women did what we couldn’t,” said Kundan Kumar, the local district magistrate.
d e m a N d l o r 4-yea ’ a i d n I f O r o th ‘Youngest Au The little master wrote a book ‘Honeycomb’ at the age of 4
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Ayan Gogoi
t this early age when children hardly know how to write a word or two, this young exuberant kid already holds a record for his excellent writing of a book about bees. Ayan loves to learn a new thing every day, his amazing grasping power propounded him to write. This genius began his writing when he started to feel his desire of love for words, colours, sound, and taste with his yearning observation. The young author writes about anything and everything that catch his fancy eyes ‘I see what is happening around and write about it’ says Ayan. The four-year-old considers his grandfather as his role model. His grandfather inspires him with great ideology. Gogoi, a retired bank officer considers his kid would build up something great in future. “He is a wonder-kid, I remember once he had seen a rainbow and composed a poem out of seven colours,” said Gogoi. “This ‘Honeycomb’ is not intricate of the hexagon and sweetest nectar but much more alive story than that consisting of colours and creativity,” said Joan Leotta, writer and story performer from North California. The India Book of records has bestowed him the title on Gohain, a student of St Mary’s school North Lakhimpur for his ‘Honeycomb’ published this year, the young author was also awarded a plaque and a certificate on January, the book priced 250 comprising 30 anecdotes.
RNI No. DELENG/2016/71561, Joint Commissioner of Police (Licensing) Delhi No. F. 2 (S-45) Press/ 2016 Volume - 2, Issue - 27 Printed by Monika Jain, Published by Monika Jain on behalf of SULABH SANITATION MISSION FOUNDATION and Printed at The Indian Express Ltd., A-8, Sector-7, NOIDA (U.P.) and Published from RZ 83, Mahavir Enclave, Palam-Dabri Road, New Delhi – 110 045. Editor Monika Jain