Jyestha 2 Vik Samvat 2067. Yugabda 5112: May 16, 2010

1. FESTIVALS: Buddha Poornima which falls on Vaishakh Poornima (May 27 this year) marks the birth anniversary of Bhagwan Buddha. It is the same day when supreme light of enlightenment dawned on Gautama and he became ‘Buddha’ – the enlightened. The spiritual and moral forces generated by Buddha have strengthened and enriched Hinduism and helped to wean it from perversions which had set in at that time. Buddha's message has traveled far and wide and captured the hearts and minds of billions of people outside Bharat also including areas such as the present-day Syria, Egypt, Afghanistan, China, Japan and majority of the countries in South East Asia.
Buddha passed into eternity after completing his Sahasra Chandra Darshana i.e., 1000 full moon days (80th year) on the full moon day of Vaishaakha - the day of his birth as also of his Enlightenment. Pilgrims come from all over the world to Bodh Gaya to attend the Buddha Poornima celebrations. The day is marked with prayer meets, religious discourses; continuous recitation of Buddhist scriptures, The Mahabodhi Temple wears a festive look and is decorated with colourful flags and flowers. The Chinese scholar, Fa-Hien has recorded celebration of this festival.
2. TRIBUTE TO MA. SHEKHAWATJI: Former Vice-President Bhairon Singh Shekhawat passed away on May 16 at Jaipur. Shekhawat, 87, who was suffering from lung infection, died of cardiac arrest.
Born on October 23, 1923, in Khachariyawas, a small village in Sikar district, he was sworn in as the country's 12th Vice President on August 19, 2002.
Shekhawat was the only member of the Rajasthan Assembly to have won in every assembly election since 1952, except 1972 when he lost from Gandhi Nagar in Jaipur. He was also elected to the Rajya Sabha from neighbouring Madhya Pradesh in 1974. Shekhawat enjoyed the distinction of heading three non-Congress governments in the state in 1977-1980, 1990-1992 and 1993-1998.
His brainchild - the Antyodaya scheme to help the poorest of the poor, brought international accolades for Shekhawat with the then World Bank Chief Robert McNamara describing him as the Rockfeller of India.
3. A SAINT WHO LIVED TO SERVE HUMANITY: Renowned Jain saint and 10th spiritual head of the Terapanth Anuvrat sect Acharya Mahapragya passed away at Sardarshahr town of Churu district in Rajasthan on May 9. He was 90. He was taking rest in the afternoon at Terapanth Ashram when he suffered a cardiac arrest. He was in the town for chaturmaas.
Born on June 14, 1920 at Tamkor village under Jhunjhunu district of Rajasthan in a traditional family, this extraordinary boy Nath Mall – became the disciple of Acharya Tulsi from his childhood and had transformed himself into a thinker, philosopher-monk who had spearheaded the Anuvrat movement propounded by his mentor Acharya Tulsi.
He was a great practitioner of meditations, spirituality, mantras, Anekaant and non-violence and wrote extensively on these subjects. . His writings on economics provide a detailed model of economic structure which works for the benefit of each and every individual. He has given vision for a peaceful society free from evils. He has suggested conduct for people to lead a happy individual as well as a social life.
He traversed over 10,000 km on foot, covering 10,000 villages, towns and cities, and addressed many public meetings during the Yatra. He walked across the length and breadth of Bharat from Kachchh in Gujarat to Kolkata and from Punjab to Kanyakumari, and undertook travel on foot earlier under the leadership of Acharya Tulsi and later himself being the leader.
In his condolence message, RSS Sarsanghchalak Shri Mohan Bhagwat described the passing away of Acharya Mahapragya as ‘unbearable setback for the mankind’. “The RSS was always blessed with his eternal affection and love. I got the opportunity to meet him many times. I practically realized his unbiased compassion, style of finding simple but unfailing solution to the problems, capacity to lead all to the right path and his profound knowledge. The passing away of such a great personality is highly painful and unbearable for all. The memories of his life are now eternal guide to the human beings. Now, we have to depend upon on those memories. I offer my personal tribute and that on behalf of the RSS”.
4. SANSKRIT IS NOT A MERE LANGUAGE BUT A CIVILIZATION – JUSTICE (RETD) MN VENKATACHALAIAH: “Sanskrit is not a mere language but a civilization. The literature of Sanskrit should not be understood as a literature of the rituals, it is something extraordinary. The world is going to change in next ten years beyond recognition, because all branches of knowledge will coverage and the results will be spectacular. But will that change necessary be a progress? In this given situation the values in Sanskrit will provide you a touchstone to take the mankind to happiness. Extract this universal and eternal values laid through Sanskrit language. Universalisation of this language should be propagated through the International Sanskrit Book Fair”, said the former Chief Justice of Supreme Court of Bharat MN Venkatachalaiah. He was speaking at a meeting organized in Bengaluru on behalf of Sanskrit Bharati on May 7 for the preparations of the First International Sanskrit Book Fair which will be held in Bengaluru from January 7 to 10, 2011.
5. IIT BOMBAY ALUMNUS NAMED HARVARD B-SCHOOL DEAN: Nitin Nohria, a professor of business administration at Harvard Business School (HBS), has been appointed the 10th dean of the world famous institution. This is the first instance of a Bharat-born individual being appointed to the post in the prestigious institution’s 102-year history.
Nohria, 48, will take up new role on July 1. Nohria has been a professor at HBS since 1988, and is an alumnus of IIT Bombay, from where he received his bachelor of technology degree in chemical engineering. He received his PhD in management in 1988 from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s Sloan School of Management.
Nohria is a specialist in the area of leadership and business ethics. He is co-author or co-editor of 16 books. His most recent book was Handbook of Leadership Theory and Practice, brought out on the occasion of the HBS’s centennial celebrations.
He is currently co-chair of the Leadership Initiative and has previously served as senior associate dean of faculty development and head of the organisational behaviour unit.
Nohria and his wife Monica live in Lexington, Massachusetts, with their two daughters. He is the son of KK Nohria, former chairman of Crompton Greaves.
6. RSS SARKARYAVAH BHAYYAJI JOSHI STRONGLY condemned the attempts on the part of a section of the media to defame the RSS by involving its name in some destructive activities. In a statement issued in New Delhi on May 3 he said: “The news of the arrest of some of the persons by ATS in connection with blasts at several places in the past has been reported by newspapers. The newspapers have, however, also linked these incidents to the RSS. The RSS condemns this in strongest words.
“The RSS always believe in the due Constitutional process. The Sangh office bearers have relieved the individual charged in this particular incident of all responsibilities. There should be proper investigation and the appropriate legal action should be taken against the guilty, the innocent should not be harassed”.
7. DAD KILLED BY ULTRAS, DOCTOR FROM KASHMIR TOPS IAS: Dr. Shah Faisal, a 26-year-old MBBS, comes from a remote village in Kupwara district of strife-torn Kashmir and studied in a village school. Eight years ago, his father was gunned down by militants. But Dr Shah Faisal, a 26-year-old MBBS from Srinagar’s Sher-i-Kashmir Medical College, became the first Kashmiri ever to top the civil services exam.
8. TRITIYA VARSH STARTS AT NAGPUR: The annual month long third year training camp for RSS karyakartas was inaugurated by sah sarkaryavaha Dattatreya Hosbale on May 10 at Smriti Mandir Reshimbaug – Nagpur. This is the culmination of RSS training program called Sangh Shiksha Vargas which span over 4 years. Kerala has topped the list of participants with 59 shiksharthis out of total 881 from 39 provinces. Kshetra Sanghchalak of Pashchim Uttar Pradesh Darshanlal Arora is the Vargadhikari, Malwa Prant Karyavaha Ashok Sohni is Varg karyavaha while Vinodji is Mukhya Shikshak.
9. HINDU – YUVA WINS AWARD: Hindu YUVA (youth of unity, virtues and action) has won outstanding new group award and diversity award. Hindu YUVA started at the University of Cincinnati, US in April 2009 has grown to more than 110 members on list and many successful events and activities across the campus.
Hindu YUVA proudly list outs few of its activities which were recognized by the ‘Student’s Activities Board’ at UC, while felicitating it with the awards: Weekly get-together—Shakha, Surya Namaskar Yagna, Speaker on Campus, Work with refugees from Bhutan, Youth camps, picnics and many more fun events.
10. BHARAT IN AN ASIAN FRAMEWORK: SUBRAMANIAN SWAMY: The Kuwait Chapter of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India (ICWAI) organized a lecture on “Bharat in an Asian Framework” by eminent Bharatiya economist, author and politician Dr. Subramanian Swamy, on May 6, at the Aerican University of Kuwait (AUK).
Dr. Swamy began his lecture by saying that Bharat has a long history of strong relations with the other countries of Asia. Bharat’s attempt to assert Asian unity was first made in 1947, when the Bharatiya Council of World Affairs organized the first Asian Relations Conference. But in the intervening forty years, until 1987, Bharat’s relations with its Asian neighbours remained at best sluggish.
Dr. Swamy elaborated by saying that much of East Asia, Taiwan, Malaysia, Singapore and others have a large Chinese population who form a powerful market savvy community that influences political policies in those countries. However, Dr. Swamy cautioned against unrealistic expectations.
Dr. Swamy said that Bharat needs to have a mindset change to emerge as a major economic power. If Bharat can make changes in agriculture and have three annual crop harvests instead of the current one, we can become the world’s leading supplier of food. Similarly, if Bharat can improve its infrastructure and have pro-business rules and regulations, it will be able to attract more trade and commerce from South East Asian countries.
The lecture was presided over by CA. M.S. Mathew, Chairman of Kuwait Chapter of ICAI.
11. MOBILES IN AMARNATH YATRA: Families back home need not worry about the well-being of their dear ones out on the long, arduous Amarnath yatra. This year, the 'network area' will follow yatris to the holy cave right from the departure point and keep them in touch with family members on mobile phones.
The Union communications ministry has got a green signal from BSNL that there will be nine towers erected in time to bring the yatra, which begins on July 1, under the mobile network.
12. TIBETAN PARLIAMENTARY DELE-GATION TO KARNATAKA: A Tibetan Parliamentary delegation headed by Deputy Speaker Mrs. Dolma Gowri returned to Dharamsala after successfully concluding visit to the south Bharatiya state of Karnataka. The delegation comprising of T.T. Karma Chophel, Ven. Lopon Sonam Tenphel, Gyari Bhutuk, Ven. Serta Tsultrim Wozer and Mrs. Tsering Youdon honoured Parampujaniya Sudarshanji, former Sarsanghachalak of Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS).
The delegation called on the chief minister S. Yeddyurappa and leaders of all the political parties in the state, including the leader of the Opposition Sitaramia, Former Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy (JD(S)), Dr. Gowda (JD(U)), M.P.Prakash, (Former Minister) and R. Deshpande, (President of Congress(I) Karnataka). The Bharatiya leaders received the delegation with great affection and expressed their support for the nonviolent initiatives of His Holiness the Dalai Lama.
13. HSS, The Hindu Student Sangam at the University of Chicago organized a ‘Yoga Retreat’ program with Professor NV Raghuram, on May 2nd 2010. The program was in two sessions; the first session was about ‘Stress Reduction using Mind Sound Resonance Technique (MSRT)’. Raghuram informed about various ongoing projects of Yoga Bharati at numerous hospitals and organizations in Bharat, Japan, Germany, Italy and USA. In Turkey hundreds of people participate in Yoga activities and follow vegetarian diet. He spoke in great detail about Yoga and its relationship with the health.
In the latter session he explained ‘Karma Yoga’ based on the teaching of the Bhagvad Gita in very simple way how one can act without being attached to the fruits of one's deeds, with many insightful stories.
14. HSS, NETAJI (IRVINE) SHAKHA CELEBRATES GURU VANDANA: The Irvine Shakha of the Hindu Swayamsevak angh (HSS) celebrated Guru Vandana (Teacher Appreciation Day) on Sunday, May 2, 2010. The event was a huge success with over a dozen teachers attending the event and the total attendee list crossing the three digit mark. The event was inaugurated by Swami Bhajanananda Saraswati, of Kali Mandir. Gnanashanmugam Elumalai ji, a HSS Karyakarta, explained that the word “Guru” is made up of “Gu” – darkness or ignorance – and “Ru” – the remover. Hence, the Guru is someone who removes the ignorance and replaces it with knowledge. The significance of Bhagwa Dwaj as the Guru of HSS was also explained.
The bala and kishore gana presented a cultural program where Sanskrit sholkas were recited in honor of the Guru. Swami Bhajananda Saraswati spoke on the importance of Guru, and on the ancient Guru-shishya tradition in Bharat.
Teachers expressed that they learned something new about the importance of a teacher in Hindu traditions, and the true meaning of the word Guru.
15. 'STARVING YOGI' astounds BHARATIYA scientists: Prahlad Jani spent a fortnight in a hospital in Gujarat under constant surveillance from a team of 30 medicos equipped with cameras and closed circuit television. During the period, he neither ate nor drank and did not go to the toilet.
The long-haired and bearded yogi was sealed in a hospital in the city of Ahmedabad in a study initiated by Bharat's Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), the state defence and military research institute.
The DRDO hopes that the findings, set to be released in greater detail in several months, could help soldiers survive without food and drink, assist astronauts or even save the lives of people trapped in natural disasters.
During the 15-day observation the doctors took scans of Jani's organs, brain, and blood vessels, as well as doing tests on his heart, lungs and memory capacity.
16. IGNOU’s GIFT TO TIHAR INMATES : free courses: The Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU), which runs a study centre at the jail to facilitate distance education, has decided to waive off fees it would have otherwise charged from inmates to pursue its courses from the next academic year.
Apart from the waiver of fees, IGNOU is also set to introduce a few additional graduate/post graduate level courses such as Masters in Social Work, diploma/certificate courses in HIV (Human Immunodeficiency Virus) and Family Education.
17. BHARAT FIGHTS PATENT CLAIMS ON TRADITIONAL REMEDIES: Bharat has challenged 36 attempts by international companies to get patents on Bharatiya traditional knowledge at the European Patents Office (EPO) over the past one year.
The applications were from the US, the UK, Italy, Spain, Germany, Denmark, Netherlands, South Korea, China, Kenya and Bharat.
While the EPO set aside two cases — on the patents of pistachio and musk melon — 11 patent applicants have withdrawn their application when offered data from Bharat’s Traditional Knowledge Digital Library (TKDL), set up after the Bharat’s long battle over neem and turmeric patent infringements.
Other patent applications before the EPO include use of Bengal gram to treat obesity and diabetes (China), turmeric, cumin, ginger and onion as slimming agents (Denmark), using aloe vera to treat obesity (Germany) and arjuna as an anti-ageing agent (Germany).
18. IGI AIRPORT REDEVELOPED IN JUST 37 MONTHS!: The renovation-cum-modernisation work of Indira Gandhi International Airport in the run-up to Commonwealth Games in October 2010 started in February 2007 and is slated be completed by June-end.
The progress of Terminal 3 is on track despite several major challenges. Numerous encroachments, which include entire villages and industrial units, had to be shifted before work could begin. Additionally, protected wildlife species present at the site had to be relocated. The masterplan of the airport also had to undergo a redraft without any delay in the commencement of construction due to constraints placed by the orientation of the site.
19. BHARATIYA APPOINTED UN ASSISTANT SECRETARY FOR PEACEKEEPING: Atul Khare, a veteran Bharatiya diplomat has been appointed Assistant Secretary-General for UN's Peacekeeping Operations.
Khare, 51, served as Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Timor-Leste and Head of the United Nations Integrated Mission in Timor-Leste from December 2006 to December 2009.
Earlier, he had worked as Chief of Staff, and later Deputy Special Representative of the Secretary-General, with the United Nations Mission of Support in East Timor.
During his tenure with the Bharatiya Foreign Service, Khare served in France, Mauritius, Senegal, Thailand and the United Kingdom, as well as the Mission of Bharat to the United Nations in New York.
20. CRPF GOES ON WITH TRIBAL WELFARE PLANS: The Dantewada massacre and the hunt for its perpetrators notwithstanding, the CRPF has decided to continue with the launch of a community welfare schemes as part of its confidence-building measures and to win over the hearts and minds of the local tribal population.
At heart of the civic initiative is the geography and demography of the area. Only 30 per cent of the locals living in the 65 per cent forested area is literate. Besides dense forests and low-literacy level, the inaccessibility and backwardness of the area have led the Maoists to gain a grip over the tribal population.
To win back the villagers, the CRPF will organise medical camps to give free treatment and medicines to the villagers. Apart from this, plans are afoot to lace the schools and hostels with items like computers, laser printers, computer tables, colour TVs with DTH connections, radio sets, pedestal fans and solar home-lighting systems.
21. Narad Smriti Patrakarita Samman presented: Veteran journalist of Chhindawada Deendayal Verma has been honoured with the Narad Samman. Ninety-year old Verma has been active in journalism for the last 60 years. The award for best journalist in print media was presented jointly to Gopal Krishna Awasthi of Nai Dunia and Paritosh Verma of evening daily Jailok. The award for electronic media was presented to Sanjiv Chaudhari of the NDTV. The best photographer award for print media was presented to Sugan Jat of Nai Dunia. The best cameraperson award for electronic media was presented jointly to Ram Sachdev and Vinod Shrivastava. Apart from it, three readers were also honoured on the occasion.
Presenting the Samman Panchjanya editor Baldevbhai Sharma expressed concern over the degradations in media surfacing every day.
More than 200 journalists from Mahakaushal region were present on the occasion.
22. MATH WHIZ' SUPER 30 IN TIME LIST: Time Magazine has selected mathematician Anand Kumar's school - Super 30 - in the list of Best of Asia 2010. Last year, all the 30 students of the coaching institute set up by Kumar in Patna cracked the IIT-JEE examination.
"Super 30 centre has a pass rate of 100 per cent. What makes that feat even more remarkable is that these students are the poorest of the poor who would otherwise never be able to afford full-time coaching," the Time magazine said.
The institute's founder Kumar who missed a chance to study at Cambridge for lack of money gives full scholarships, including room, boarding and travel to all the students in a batch of 30 students.
Expressing happiness over the recognition, Kumar said, "It is a pleasurable moment for us as 'Super 30' has become an example of “what’'s possible when human potential is tapped." The project has won the notice of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh who met Kumar in February to hear his plan to launch a national program for talented rural children.
23. LANDSLIDE WIN FOR PIO ALLIANCE IN MAURITIUS: Mauritius ruling Labour Party steered to victory in 9th General Elections which is seen as a, Landslide Win for Prime Minister Navin Ramgoolam. Jubilant re-elected Prime Minister announced that his philosophy of "Unity, Equality & Modernity with Teamwork along with pre-election Alliance with Pravind Jugnauth & Xavier Duvall Worked and resulted in comfortable 2/3 majority”. "I have been able to rally a majority of the population. It is vote for national unity," he added.
New Government of The Republic with 25 Ministers, mix of experienced 5 seniors, others, mostly youngsters in 35 / 45’s age group were sworn in on at the State House by President Anerood Jugnauth, the architect of political alliance of keeping the PIO vote intact which left opposition, led by Paul Berenger with very little (Just 18 seats out of 70).
Mauritius is regarded as one of Afro-Asia’s social and economic success story with effective democracy and has enjoyed years of constitutional order.
24. HSS, UNC Charlotte Hindu YUVA conducted a program, named Bridging the Gap, involving Hindu dharma, Judaism, Christianity, Islam and Sikhi. The program went well; the overall sankhya for the night was about 30. There was one speaker representative from each religion.
25. IT COMPANIES OFFER DESI LURES TO GLOBAL CUSTOMERS: Downturn or upturn, customer continues to be the king and is now a pampered lot. Domestic tech providers are out to woo their global patrons with a full-fledged Bharat experience, ranging from authentic desi cuisine, culture show, sight seeing, shopping jaunts to exotic ayurvedic spa sessions and Kerala house boat cruises.
Well, all these come after a traditional welcome ceremony, headed by a decorated tusker, accompanied by flower arrangements, drum beats, art shows and a welcome thaali.
Krishna Prasad, global head (delivery) of tech firm, UST Global says: "Enterprises, big and small, take a lot of care to win the heart of their customers right from their first visit. Our client welcome ceremonies are really grand and always involve a tusker, traditional lamps, kathakali and quality hospitality."
26. SHRI VISHWA NIKETAN: Pravas: Dr.Shankar Tatwawadi, samyojak Vishwa Vibhag will be coming to Bharat for Sangh Shiksha Varg and other pravas. Visitors: Manohar Lal – Malaysia.
FOOD FOR THOUGHT: There are two ways of contemplation of Brahman; in sound and silence. By sound we go to silence. The sound of Brahman is OM. With OM we go to the End; the silence of Brahman. The End is immortality, union and peace. Even as a spider reaches the liberty of space by means of its own thread, the man of contemplation by means of OM reaches Brahman. – Taittiriya Upanishad.

JAI SHREE RAM

GETTING INDIA INTO ORBIT
Saswato R Das

US President Barack Obama wants to change the National Aeronautics and Space Administration's (NASA) priorities. According to the new budget proposed for the US space agency in February, the Obama administration wants NASA to outsource rocket development for human spaceflight to commercial companies such as Space Exploration Technologies Corporation and the United Launch Alliance, a collaboration between defence contractor Lockheed Martin and aeroplane giant Boeing. Speaking at the Kennedy Space Centre in Florida sometime ago, Obama tried to muster support for his NASA vision.
If the Obama plan gets approved by the US Congress, in future NASA astronauts will pay for orbital launches in commercial spacecraft developed by private companies. NASA's change of direction provides a big opportunity for India to step up to the plate and take leadership of manned spaceflight.
It is probably a safe bet to predict the US companies will slip in delivering spacecraft capable of leaving earth's gravity. One of the companies has already missed its initial projections. The reason is simple: such technical expertise is hard won. NASA has the expertise, but not the companies. They will need to build it up (and, realistically, it is not something that a company can easily hire away). Russia has expertise to launch crewed spacecraft, but has never sent men to the moon. Besides, its space programme is in dire straits.
This is where India could come in. The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has proved it can launch spacecraft headed to the moon. Not only did Chandrayaan-1 reach lunar orbit, it has been a scientific success. It has spotted a lot of ice on the moon, and Indian scientists have partnered NASA counterparts in scientific experiments.
China has spotted this opportunity as well, and is itself interested in the conquest of space. Chinese astronauts have done space walks, and China is supposed to be building a heavy thrust rocket that can carry men to the moon. While officially the Chinese government has not said it will try to send humans to the moon, it seems to be investigating the possibility. Other than the US and Russia, China is the only country that has sent humans into space. Though it has not launched humans into orbit yet, India's space expertise at this point rivals China's and may even exceed it in certain key scientific areas such as lunar landers and telemetry.
If ISRO jumps into the ring, the world will see a space race between India and China reminiscent of one between the US and the Soviet Union in the midst of the Cold War. (NASA was created in July 1958 by US President Dwight Eisenhower in response to the Soviet launch of Sputnik 1 a few months earlier. In 1961, the Soviets sent Yuri Gagarin into orbit. At its peak, NASA's budget was almost 1 per cent of US GDP. On July 20, 1969, America won the race as NASA astronauts took the first human steps on the moon.)
What will India have to do to take the lead? For one, the issue has to become a national priority, with support at the highest levels. It will require a big budget, though ISRO is remarkably cost-efficient. The Chandrayaan-1 project cost just below Rs 400 crore, about $80 million, about a fifth or a sixth of what it would have cost NASA to do something comparable. With ISRO's expertise and India's existing scientific manpower, a focused effort may bear fruit relatively quickly. Arguably, the race with China will spur creativity and speed. There are a few other space hopefuls, such as Japan and South Korea, but at this point China seems India's biggest competitor.
There will be questions as to whether India can afford this. Wouldn't the money be better spent fighting poverty or building schools and dams? India's leaders will have to make the choice. There will be by-products of such a lunar effort (just as NASA research led to better sneakers, better runways, better sunglasses, better solar panels and so on). Maybe Chandrayaan-1's successors will find evidence of helium-3 which could be used to build fusion reactors on the moon, just as Chandrayaan-1 found evidence of water. A lunar effort will inspire thousands of young Indians to become scientists, bettering India's chances for leading the world in science and technology in future. And it will vastly improve India's brand in the world.
Big science projects have always faced questions. Probably one of the best answers to them was given by Robert Wilson, who went on to be the first director of Fermilab, housing the giant multimillion-dollar particle accelerator, outside Chicago. In Congress in 1969, Wilson was quizzed about the value of the accelerator to US security and asked to justify the expenditure. He responded: "It has only to do with...the dignity of men, our love of culture. It has to do with: Are we good painters, good sculptors, great poets?...all the things we really venerate in our country and are patriotic about. It has nothing to do directly with defending our country except to make it worth defending."
If India decides to take the lead in manned space flight, it is quite conceivable Indian manned spacecraft will one day ferry not only Indian but also NASA astronauts into orbit.
The writer is trained in astrophysics. -- The Times of India, May 13, 2010

Volunteerism shows the way: Infusing hope and light into lives of rag-pickers and orphans

J.V. Lakshmana Rao

Chicago: They were slum children; they were rag-pickers, they lived on pavements, they scooped leftover food from domestic and restaurant wastes; some of them were crippled, disabled and even blind; they were abandoned; they were orphans; they were destitutes; they were begging on streets, they were all street-children in Bengaluru, better known as Silicon Valley of India, and its surrounding suburbs. But their lives have begun to change. They are now on a path to progress. They are intelligent; they learn their culture; they go to school; they are well groomed; they now nurture dreams and ambitions; and they seek to live a respectable life.
Their lives had begun to change when they were picked up by volunteers of Hindu Seva Pratishthana, a non-profit service organization, which runs several service institutions to improve the lives of these neglected lot. Thirty-two such girls in the ages ranging from six years to 16 years now live in Ashakirana Nele, one of the homes run by Hindu Seva Pratishthana. Nele means shelter in Kannada. They are in the classes ranging from LKG to 10th standard. The credit for grooming these girls goes to four devoted and committed matrons, headed by Saroja. These matrons, groom the children, dress them, prepare food for them and help them in their homework and teach them samskaras – like offering prayers, chanting bhajans and respecting elders and teachers.
The Narendra Nele, a spacious building located in a timber factory, donated by a philanthropist. Forty-one boys in the age group of 5-18 years live in.
For this writer, the short two-day tour to some of the institutions in Bengaluru run by Hindu Seva Pratishthana, was a great education of how volunteerism could bring a big change in the lives of disabled and less fortunate children. This writer visited Ashakirana Nele for Girls, Narendra Nele for Boys, Aruna Chetana for Disabled Children, Vocational Training Center for the Disabled Youth, Seva Kirana Tuition Center for Slum Children, Yogashree -- a center for teaching yoga; and theYouth for Seva at Ajithashree, the headquarters of Hindu Seva Pratishthana. It also runs similar institutions in other cities of Karnataka.
Aruna Chetana in Malleswaram is a school for disabled children suffering from mental and physical retardations, behavior problems, developmental disabilities, hearing impairment, emotional problems, epilepsy, incapacities in learning, and hyperactive and deficiency in concentration. Usha Jagirdar, principal and Gayatiri Panja, vice principal, say that each disabled child is unique and needs individual attention.
The Vocational Training Center for the Disabled Youth is operated by Functional Academy Group. The teachers at the center teach various vocational courses to the disabled children and the youth depending on their physical and mental capabilities.
A visit to Seva Kirana Tuition Center for Slum Children in Anjanappa Garden Slum reveals that how the dedicated volunteer-teachers – Shivaranjani and Suhasini – work in the evenings helping the slum children. About 45 students from grade one to grade seven were huddled in a small room and these two teachers were helping each one of them to do their homework. The slum with a population of 10,000 has two such centers. At present there are 20 such centers in various slums in the city
Yogashree -- the center for teaching yoga -- has, in the past 25 years, trained at lest 25,000 people of whom, 750 have become yoga instructors. About 260 people in six batches are being trained at the center on a daily basis. It is interesting to note that about 35 students who were trained under the tutelage of Yogshree are now working as dedicated instructors at the center.
Since Hindu Seva Pratishthana’s theme is service or seva, it lays a lot of importance in volunteerism. Therefore, the Youth for Seva, a wing of Hindu Seva Pratishthana, which was formed in 2007, welcomes youngsters to volunteer their time, services and resources
Nagbhushanji and Krishamoorthyji, who accompanied this writer during the tour, say for as little as Rs. 500 a month, a donor can sponsor a child to provide good education, clothing, healthcare and other needs. It will help the children to grow into responsible citizens, stand on their own legs and help the society. Hindu Seva Pratishthana is helped by several selfless volunteers in serving several hundreds of poor and needy children.
For more information about Hindu Seva Pratishthana, please visit Web site www.nele.org.in and sponsoring a child please visit Web site
www.sponsorachild.youthforseva.org

Vaishakha 18 Vik Samvat 2067. Yugabda 5112: May 1, 2010

1. FESTIVALS: Akshaya Tritiya, Vaishakh Shukla 3 (May 16 this year) is considered one of the most auspicious days of the Hindu calendar. It is believed, any meaningful activity started on this day would be fruitful. It is also known as "Akha Teej", traditionally the birthday of Lord Parasurama, the sixth incarnation of Lord Vishnu. People conduct special Pujas on this day, bathe in holy rivers, make a charity, offer barley in a sacred fire, and worship Lord Ganesha & Devi Lakshmi on this day.
The word "Akshaya" means imperishable or eternal - that which never diminishes. Initiations made or valuables bought on this day are considered to bring success or good fortune. Buying gold is a popular activity on Akshaya Tritiya, as it is the ultimate symbol of wealth and prosperity. People celebrate weddings, begin new business ventures, and even plan long journeys on this day.
2. OPPOSE, EXPOSE VOTE BANK POLITICS—MOHAN BHAGWAT: RSS Sarsanghachalak Mohan Bhagwat strongly criticized the policy of appeasement being pursued by UPA government for vote bank politics.
Addressing the strong gathering of over 25000-uniformed RSS swayamsevaks and sympathizers at Morabadi Grounds in Ranchi on April 18, he said the Centre’s move to grant religion-based reservation was against the constitutional provisions and would further weaken the social structure of the country. He asked Dr Manmohan Singh led UPA government how a community that ruled undivided Bharat for nearly five centuries could be socially and politically weak like SCs, STs and OBCs. “If they (Muslims) are economically weak, the reservation in jobs may be given to economically backward population of all the communities and religions,” he said adding that king has the responsibility to treat all the countrymen alike without any favour.
Referring to the cross-border threats, Shri Bhagwat said Pakistan in the West, China in the North and Bangladesh in the North-East are talking in sweet tongues but are conspiring to stab in back. “The Union Government and countrymen should beware of the evil designs of these neighbouring countries. China is repeatedly staking its claim over Arunachal Pradesh and Sikkim and is talking to allow the entry of Arunachal Pradesh people without visa. Similarly, Bangladesh is claiming its ownership over 300 Bharatiya villages and is covertly promoting intrusions. Such situations should be dealt with an iron hand as any laxity on the part of the government may worsen the situation. If our enemy neighbour is resorting to bullets we must give a befitting reply instead of harping on coming to negotiation table. The Centre is talking of only those problems that make news but is not coming up with remedial measures. If we work with courage, problems could be sorted out within a short span and even the most powerful enemies could be easily defeated,” he said.
Earlier, Shri Bhagwat inaugurated the state office of Dharma Jagaran Samanway Vibhag at Lavanya Apartment, Morabadi.
3. SPARSH GANGA CAMPAIGN LAUNCHED IN UTTARAKHAND: All the major rivers on this earth need special care, because of change in ecology of this planet. These are the life lines of the various communities living on the banks of the rivers. Billions of the people’s lives depend on the major rivers of the earth. It is our moral duty to conserve the water for the sake of human being. Conserving the Ganga is important for mental peace, besides environmental concerns,” said Tibetan spiritual leader His Holiness Dalai Lama. He was launching the Sparsh Ganga campaign at Parmarth Ashram in Rishikesh on April 4. The campaign has jointly been launched by Tourism Department of Uttarakhand and the Parmarth Ashram. Yogaguru Baba Ramdev, former Deputy Prime Minister Shri LK Advani, former Chief Minister of Uttarakhand Shri BC Khanduri, Chief Minister Dr Ramesh Pokhriyal ‘Nishank’ and many other distinguished leaders were also present on the occasion.
4. THENGADIJI STOOD FOR BHARATIYA MODEL OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT — NITIN GADKARI: "ECONOMIC equality, social harmony (Samajik Samarasata) and cultural nationalism formed the base of the thought process of the late Dattopant Thengadi. He has not only propagated and preached these values, but also created institutional framework for transforming these ideals into practice. Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh (BMS), Bharatiya Kisan Sangh (BKS), Swadeshi Jagaran Manch (SJM), Akhil Bharatiya Grahak Panchayat, are some of the institutions which are instrumental in transforming economic, social, and cultural ideals preached by the late Thengadiji. He was a great thinker, expert organiser and social activist. His life was his mission,” said Nitin Gadkari, National President of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) while delivering the first Dattopant Thengadi Memorial Lecture organised by the Late Dattopant Thengadi Smriti Pratishthan, Nagpur.
The programme was held at Arvi, in Wardha District, the birthplace of late Thengadiji. Shri Madan Das , Akhil Bharatiya Pracharak Pramukh of Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) presided over the function.Well-known cardiologist of Arvi Dr Arun Pawde was present on the occasion.
5. MEDIA HAS TO PLAY A CONSTRUCTIVE ROLE—BHAIYAJI JOSHI : "The situation in the country today is that even the good things are being presented in negative manners. Dr Bhimrao Ambedkar had proposed for reservation for the uplift of the deprived and backward people, but today it has become a political tool and is being misused by some people for political opportunism,” said RSS Sarkaryavah Bhaiyaji Joshi. He was speaking at the concluding ceremony of Patheya Kan silver jubilee year in Jaipur on April 14. Patheya Kan is the fortnightly magazine which is sold more than 1.35 lakh copies per issue and there are now efforts to increase its circulation to five lakh.
Shri Bhyaiyaji Joshi also honoured two journalists—Shweta Jagaria and Sandip Deshpande with Patheya Kan Navodit Patrakar Puraskar. He also honoured the winners of essay and poem competitions.
6. DR HEDGEWAR PRAGYA SAMMAN PRESENTED: Shree Burrabazar Kumarsabha Pustakalaya felicitated Rajendra Arun of Mauritius with Dr Hedgewar Pragya Samman for the year 2010 in Kolkata on 18 April at the hands of former Union HRD Minister Dr Murli Manohar Joshi.
Eminent historian Shri Devendra Swarup spoke on the life of Dr Hedgewar, especially how he came to Kolkata to study medicine and met many revolutionaries. Uttarakhand Chief Minister Dr Ramesh Pokhriyal ‘Nishank’ shared his experience of Mauritius visit.
Receiving the Samman Shri Rajendra Arun said he was an ardent follower of Kabir and Krishna in his first life but his inner mind felt Shri Ram as soul of Bharat. He said chanting the name of Shri Ram gives endless strength in all minds.
7. SIKHS COOK UP A RESCUE PACKAGE IN TROUBLED HAITI: More than two months after the earthquake, millions of Haitians are receiving food rations from different aid organisations and the United Nations. A home-cooked meal is still a luxury, which only a handful can procure. Everyday however more than 4,000 Haitians, especially children, get a scrumptious meal prepared by a team of Sikhs as part of their traditional langar.
The cooking begins at dawn. By noon, the food is ladled into white plastic containers and taken along with books and toys to different locations.
While the UN has handed out tents and tarpaulins to one million people, the demand is still huge. More than 2,000 tents, which have been collected through a variety of charities and Gurdwaras by the Sikhs, are also on their way to Haiti.
8. AGE-OLD BHARATIYA FARMS IN AGRI HALL OF FAME: Two of Bharat's ancient farming systems, intact over 2,000 years and still relevant, have been shortlisted by the UN's Food and Agricultural Organisation (FAO) as world agriculture heritage sites, being compiled for the first time.
Koraput in Orissa and Kuttanad in Kerala are among a crowded list of the Globally Important Agricultural Heritage Systems, including South Italy's Lemon Gardens and Iran's Qashqai pastoral nomads.
Legally, the sites will have the same status and require similar protection as the UN's other well-known World Heritage Sites, such as the Taj Mahal.
Kuttanad, an idyllic farm belt hugging Kerala's backwaters, is the only place where large-scale cereal farming takes place below the sea level. Situated in Alappuzha district, it is the rice bowl of Kerala.
Koraput has been identified as one of the centres of origin of rice itself, the staple food of more than half the world's population. Koraput's tribals have cultivated 79 different species of cereals, pulses and millets, one of which is unique, the FAO brief states.
9. UNEARTHED: 2,000-YR-OLD STUDY CENTRE: Archaeologists have unearthed the remains of an ancient Buddhist study centre at Telhara village in Bihar’s Nalanda district. The centre is believed to be nearly 2,000 years old.
A 34-metre-long prayer hall, residential cells for monks, images of Buddha, pottery and a stone plaque were among the discoveries made during excavation at the 40-foot high Bulandi mound over the past four months. A brick-paved floor has also been discovered more than 15 feet below the prayer hall.
The prayer hall is dotted with Buddha statues. Archaeologists believe this could be the same prayer hall Chinese traveller Hiuen Tsang mentions in his accounts.
Tsang, who toured Bharat in the 7th century, has written about a three-storeyed monastic building at ‘Teliadhaka’, which is identified as present-day Telhara. He also wrote that the monastery was home to nearly 1,000 monks at the time.
10. HINDU YOUTH AUSTRALIA INSPIRE THE NATION: The 1st Australian Hindu Youth Conference (AHYC) was hosted by Hindu Youth Australia (HYA), the youth wing of Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP), on the 10th and 11th of April, 2010 at the University of Western Sydney, Parramatta Campus.
The theme of the conference was "Developing Leadership amongst Australian Hindu Youth"
The event marked one year since the formation of HYA and served as a platform for community spokesman, youth volunteers and keynote speakers and various political leaders to drive leadership as the main theme.
Also present were Senator Concetta Fierravanti-Wells, Ms Julie Owens MP and Mr Anthony Roberts MP .
Officials from VHP included Swami Vigyanananda (Joint General Secretary – International Coordination) as well as Mr Brij Pal Singh (President of VHP Australia). Aboriginal Elder, Uncle Max Harrison blessed the conference and welcomed all delegates to the land of Baramada (Parramatta – Head of waters).
Sydney Veda Patsala
“Pyramids have been eroded by desert wind, the marble broken by the earthquake and gold stolen by robbers while the veda is recited daily by unbroken chain of generation travelling like great waves through living substance of mind,” said Swami Vijnananand, Joint General Secretary, Vishwa Hindu Parishad on the second anniversary of Sydney Veda Patasala celebrated in a grand manner at the Crestwood High School, Baulkham Hills, Sydney on April 17, 2010 where more than 200 people attended to hear, participate and appreciate the unique “Vedic Chanting” programme.
Sydney Veda Patasala is a unique school of its kind in the world. Managed by Vishva Hindu Parishad of Australia Inc. (i.e., World Hindu Council of Australia Inc.), the school is involved in preserving and promoting the “Vedic Chanting” which is considered as the outstanding oral cultural tradition and declared by UNESCO as “World Intangible Cultural Heritage”.
Swami Vigyananand acknowledged the selfless commitment of the teachers in promoting and preserving this ancient knowledge and wisdom. The Liverpool City Council Mayor, Clr. Wendy Waller praised the Hindu’s contributions and stated that the Hindu Australian community has been an integral part of the Australian community for more than 150 years. The Hills Shire Deputy Mayor Clr. Mike Thomas stated that there are more than 5,000 Hindus living in the Shire Council. During his speech he said “I am impressed by the Hindu Society initiative, and community participation in revival of this outstanding oral tradition.
11. SEWA ACTIVITIES IN HARIDWAR KUMBH: The Mahakumbh in Haridwar was unique this time. The devotees for the first time had the glimpse of the sewa activities being undertaken by Sangh swayamsevaks in remote areas of the country. The swayamsevaks run more than 1.60 lakh service projects.
The Rashtriya Sikh Sangat organised 15 camps at Neeldhara, Chandi Tapu. It served meals to more than 3000 devotees everyday and 10,000 on peak days at the Langar Mata Gangaji. They also organised a medical camp and Shahid Pradarshani (martyrs exhibition). The arrangements were also made for drinking water and lodging. A team of five doctors and 15 nurses treated about 1000 patients at the camp from 8 am to 9 pm every day. On the days of Shahi Snan, the number of patients increased upto 3000 per day.
The Vishwa Hindu Parishad had made special arrangements for providing meals to over 1000 devotees every day. The camps were also organised by Dharmayatra Mahasangh, Akhil Bharatiya Vidya Bharati Shiksha Sansthan, Dharma Raksha Manch, Bhaurao Deoras Sewa Nyas, etc.
12. BANGLADESH CELEBRATES BENGALI NEW YEAR: Bangladesh on 14 April celebrated Pahela Baishakh, first day of the Bangali New Year with fervour and gaiety even as the elite Rapid Action Battalion troops kept a sharp vigil against any possible terror attack. The New Year revellers, donned their traditional Bengali attire and joined in the festivity.
Men in pyjama and panjabi, women in white and red saris along with children in colourful attires streamed through Dhaka streets as dozens of cultural groups performed at different parts of the city amid an unprecedented security.
Thousands of people thronged the city’s Ramna Park where leading cultural group Chhayanaut artistes sang a traditional song Esho hey Baishakh, composed by Rabindranath Tagore to welcome the day. The students of the Institute of Fine Arts, Dhaka University brought out a procession called Mongol Shovajatra in the morning to welcome new year.
As the tradition goes, people are supposed to pay off all the loans and old dues with the customers are to be settled. On this day, businessmen purchase new accounts books and prepare new accounts called haalkhata.
13. GURU VANDHANA, “REVERANCE TO THE TEACHER”: took place for the first time in the history of one of America’s Top Universities, Case Western Reserve University. The event honored Professor of Mathematics, Christopher Butler. Guru Vandhana is a concept, an idea that is as old as humanity itself. If looked at from the literal definition, the “Gu” in Guru means Darkness/Ignorance, and “Ru” means Light. The Guru is the One who dispels the darkness of ignorance and bestows upon him or her knowledge. From a spiritual prespective, the word Guru is "one who is beyond attributes and forms". Gu stands for Gunaatheetha - one who transcends the three Gunas (Satva, Rajas and Thamas); Rustands for Rupavarjitha - one who is formless. The One who is beyond all attributes and forms is none other than the Supreme Self (the Brahmam) who is resident within each of us. Only God can be regarded as One who is beyond attributes and forms. “Guru Brahma, Guru Vishnu, Guru Devoh, Maheshwarahah. Guru Sakshat Parabrahama, Tasmay Shri Guraveh Namah,” Guru is Brahma, who is the Creator of the universe. Guru is Vishnu who is all pervasive and is also the Doer in the universe. Guru is Maheshvara who commands and ordains everything in the universe in the right manner. Guru is not one who merely teaches. A real Guru is Omnipotent, Omniscient and Omnipresent, He is God Himself.
With such a beautiful, inspiring, and revered concept of Guru, the Hindu YUVA at Case Western Reserve University chose Guru Vandhana to be one of their Cultural events of the year, a tradition that they hope to continue every year honoring all those Educators and Teachers that impart knowledge on the student. The event took place in Adelbert Hall/College, the Administrative Building of Case Western, which included students, faculty, the local Bharatiya community, as well as members from Undergraduate Indian Student Association, Muslim Students Association, Undergraduate Student Government, Satrang Graduate Students Organization, Art of Living Foundation etc,.
14. SAPTAKAM, BHARATIYA SANGEET GROUP IN FINNLAND received an invitation from Finnish Daycare in Tampere, Finland, to conduct an Bharatiya Music Session for all the kids in this Daycare.
Saptakam took this opportunity in a true sense of Giving Back to the Local Society and also as an attempt to share Bharatiya Cultural Values. This session took place on Friday, 16th Apr 2010 at 10.30 to 11.00 AM in this daycare.
It was attended by around 150 kids belonging to different age groups in the daycare and also all their teachers.
Bharatiya Classical Music, as per the scientific experiments has nice effects on the mind and especially it is good for the Kids in order to improve thier Concentration and Creativity.It was indeed a pleasure to sense interest the Finnish Society has for Bharatiya Music.
15. HINDU RIGHTS AROUND GLOBE: The annual Hindu human rights report was released by the Hindu American Foundation (HAF). The 194 page report, now in its sixth year, entitled “Hindus in South Asia and the Diaspora, A Survey of Human Rights 2009,” is the only such report released internationally. “This annual report documents human rights violations of Hindus throughout South Asia and in countries that do not share values of democracy, pluralism and freedom,” said U.S. Congressman Ed Royce (R-CA) after reviewing the Foundation’s report. “By spotlighting which nations do not live up to these standards, nonprofit organizations like HAF stand up for the basic dignity and human rights for all people of faith and for free thought.”
Islamic Republic of Pakistan
In 1947, Hindus were approximately 25% of the population of Pakistan. Now, Hindus constitute less than 1.6% of the population. Pakistan officially and routinely discriminates against non-Muslims through a variety of discriminatory laws, such as blasphemy laws. On March 24, 2005, Pakistan restored the discriminatory practice of mandating the inclusion of religious identity of individuals in all new passports.
School textbooks continue to promote Islam and hatred and intolerance towards non-Muslims, including Hindus.
Islamists continue to extend their influence throughout the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA), and other parts of the North West Frontier Province (NWFP).
Recurring reports point to an alarming trend of Hindu girls being kidnapped, raped, held in madrassas (Islamic seminaries) and forcibly converted to Islam.
Poor Hindus continue to be subjected to inhumane conditions through the bonded labor system.
HAF Recommendations
Pakistan should remove all blasphemy laws. Those imprisoned under blasphemy laws should get their day in court within a period of two weeks. Long imprisonments without court appraisal constitute human rights abuse.
Pakistan should reverse the 2005 decision mandating religious identification in passports.
Pakistan should set up a Human Rights Commission and a National Minorities Commission to monitor the human rights condition and to enable minorities to enjoy the rights provided to the majority population.
Pakistan should reform its education system in order to remove inaccuracies about other religions and promote tolerance and pluralism.
The United States should demand that Pakistan stop supporting and financing all Islamic militant groups operating in the subcontinent. The United States must end all military assistance to Pakistan.
The United States should continue dialogue with Pakistan on the issues of human rights and religious freedom and dispatch a fact-finding committee organized by the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) to Pakistan.
16. KUMBH-INSPIRED BOOMBA MELA A BIG HIT IN ISRAEL: As pilgrim activities at Haridwar came to a spectacular climax this month, tens of thousands of Israelis gathered on the coast of the Mediterranean to celebrate one of the biggest New Age festivals that, amazingly, has its roots in our very own Kumbh Mela.
Founded in 1999 by a group of Jewish visitors after they got inspired by Bharat’s ‘Pitcher Festival’, Boomba Mela has become a hugely popular unorthodox celebration of the intermediate days of Passover held on Nitzanim Beach in Southern Israel near Ashkelon and Ashdod. Held at the beginning of April this year, the three-day carnival reportedly had over 50,000 youth and middle-aged couples learning yoga, Om meditation and learning Hinduism from ‘imported’ Bharatiya Gurus as semi-clad sages with long dread-locks (akin to the various Hindu akharas or sects) bellowed Namah Shivayah and Aum in loud speakers.
Thousands of Israeli teenagers and couples attended yoga classes and listened to Hare Krishna sermons. There was such a rush for savoring rice and lentils at the Bharatiya dhaba (makeshift restaurant). Men and women dressed in Bharatiya attire with smeared foreheads sauntered on the beach as others danced, sang and meditated.
17. COUNTRY'S FIRST INDIGENOUSLY-BUILT STEALTH WARSHIP COMMISSIONED: Its a lean, mean fighting machine. But what makes it capable of delivering the killer punch is its stealthy nature to catch the enemy completely off-guard. Bharat's stealthiest warship till now, the 6,200-tonne frigate INS Shivalik, with a lethal mix of weapons and sensors, was commissioned by defence minister A K Antony at the naval dockyard in Mumbai on April 29.
With a crew of 30 officers and 250 sailors it's Bharat's first indigenously-designed and manufactured stealth warship, even though it has Israeli and Russian missile systems like Barak, Klub and Shtil, and American LM2500 gas turbines.
"She is not invisible to enemy radars...after all, she is 6,200 tonnes of steel. But stealth is all about hitting someone before he hits you. The aim is to ensure shorter ranges at which you can be detected, not invisibility,'' he added.
18. IN 15 YEARS, BHARATIYA COMMUNITY TO BE ONE OF LARGEST GROUPS IN AUSTRALIA: Bharatiya migrants will be one of the largest communities in this country in the next 15 years when Australia-born families will become a minority group, Australia-based Daily Telegraph reported quoting figures from demographic consultants Macroplan Australia.
Outnumbered by a surging wave of migrants from Europe and Asia, especially from Bharat and China, Australians will become a minority group in their own country within 15 years.
It said most migrants came from Britain (14.2 per cent), followed by New Zealand (11.4 per cent), Bharat (11.2), China (10.5) South Africa (5.3) and the Philippines (4.1).
19. VISA-ON-ARRIVAL SCHEME A RUNAWAY SUCCESS: Recent restrictions in tourist visa procedures appear to have done little to dampen the spirits of foreign tourists.
The visa-on-arrival scheme extended to five countries over a period of one year has proved to be a runaway success with as many as 1,793 visas issued so far. The most number of tourists have come from Singapore, followed by Finland and New Zealand.
Tourism minister Kumari Selja said introduction of the scheme had already sent a positive signal about Bharat's intention to welcome foreign tourists. "Eighteen countries have been granted the facility of long-term visa by Bharat.
The scheme has contributed to an increasing number of foreign tourist arrivals to Bharat in the last one month adding forex earnings of more than Rs 5,500 crore in March this year.
20. CHINA GETS READY TO DECLARE LOVE FOR TAGORE: The Chinese seem to be falling in love with Rabindranath Tagore all over again. The Bharatiya Nobel laureate is to be feted through busts, books and films in the country which he visited twice in the 1920s and, amid controversy, left an influence on the literature of the time.
While a statue of the poet is being put up in Shanghai, a major project of translating his complete works in 28 volumes has been undertaken by a government-run publishing house. Besides, Tagore's birth anniversary will be celebrated in the presence of an international audience at the Bharatiya pavilion during the World Expo in Shanghai on May 10.
The programme includes the screening of a documentary film on Tagore's 1924 tour of China and distribution of a booklet on his impact in China.
Visitors at the World Expo will be shown a documentary produced by Bivash Mukherjee discussing why Tagore's journeys to Chinese cities in 1924 and 1929 resulted in both controversies and a fan following for the poet.
21. C K PRAHALAD: GURU OF POVERTY AND PROFIT DIES AT 69: Internationally renowned management guru Coimbatore Krishnarao Prahalad, popularly known as CK, passed away in San Diego after a brief illness. He was 69.
The man who called attention to the "fortune at the bottom of the pyramid" died at the top of his game. A professor at the University of Michigan, Prahalad was considered one of the world's top 10 management thinkers. His theory about the fortune at the bottom of the pyramid is followed by many corporations in emerging markets. He is survived by his wife Gayatri and two children.
22. BUDDHIST MONK FROM BHARAT PROMOTES HINDU CONFERENCE IN NEW ZEALAND: The 3rd New Zealand Hindu Conference will be held on 15th & 16th May 2010 at the Hindu Heritage Centre, Mangere, Auckland. The theme of the conference is "Sustaining New Zealand through strengthening bond amongst communities".
The focus of this conference is networking, whether it is with Maori community, general public, government agencies, Hindus from various countries, the different schools of thought of Dharma, with Hindu organisations, associations and institutions.
Ven. Dr. Bhikkhu Bodhipala, a well respected teacher of Vipassana (Buddhist Meditation) who belongs to Theravada tradition from Bharat, is in New Zealand promoting the 3rd New Zealand Hindu conference. He has been visiting Buddhist monasteries and meditation centres around major cities and promoting meditation techniques and Hindu conference.
Although born as a Protestant Christian, Ven. Dr. Bhikkhu Bodhipala embraced Buddhism in 1977 under the preceptorship of (Late) Ven. E. Nandiswara Nayaka Thera, the then Secretary General of Maha Bodhi Society of India, Kolkata. After his retirement from Government service he was ordained a Bhikkhu under the preceptorship of Ven.Dr.Rastrapala Maha Thera, internationally reputed teacher of Buddhist Meditation.
“I was influenced by the teachings of Swami Vivekananda and Paramahansa Yogananda, and then came in contact with Buddhist teachers” ” said Ven Dr Bhikkhu Bodhipala.
23. PREEYA MOHAN GETS DE LA RUE SCHOLARSHIP: Twenty-one-year-old Preeya Mohan, an economics and finance graduate from the University of the West Indies (UWI), is the new De La Rue scholarship winner for 2009/2010.
She is an active member of the Hindu Swayamsevak Sangh (HSS), a non-profit organisation for building good character among youths.
24. KANCHI SEER OPPOSES RELIGIOUS CONVERSION: Sri Jayendra Saraswati has taken a serious view of what he termed forcible conversions of people in the war-torn Sri Lanka, and is staying in ‘close touch’ with the happenings in the island nation.
According to the pontiff, the aftermath of a war is always conducive to conversion, particularly to Christianity because the Biblical themes of persecution and exile instantly resonate with them. He is going to oppose “forcible conversions and proselytizing by force, allurement or by fraudulent means,” anywhere because it is against the grain of Hindu ethos.
In an exclusive interview, the pontiff said he was going to sensitize Hindus on Bharatiya spirituality and to achieve that end he would organise a padayatra of madhathipathis and sadhus soon.
25. SHRI VISHWA NIKETAN: Visitors: Smt. & Shri Shamkant Shet – USA, Shri Navinchandra Joshi & family UK, Reena Ishwar – South Africa. Pravas: Dr.Shankar Tatwawadi, Vishwa Vibhag Samyojak, is in Canada & USA.
FOOD FOR THOUGHT: Do not put the key to your happiness in someone else’s pocket….. Everyone points to the other man, who, according to him, is happier. But the only one, who has the courage to declare that he is truly happy, is he who has relinquished all his passion and hungers from within. – Swami Chinmayananda.

JAI SHREE RAM

ENCYCLOPEDIA OF HINDUISM

An 11-volume “Encyclopedia of Hinduism” was launched by His Holiness the Dalai Lama, Yoga Guru Swami Ramdev, NDA working chairman L K Advani and others at a function that drew a galaxy of spiritual gurus and leaders from the BJP and VHP on April 4 at Rishikesh.. The ambitious project was conceptualised by Swami Chidanand Saraswati over two decades ago and some 10,000 people are believed to have pitched in, directly or indirectly, towards completion of this magnum opus.
Advani, who blogged on the need to accord “due place to traditions in the contemporary discourse”, said the encyclopedia would in a way result in the “resurrection of India’s swabhiman (self-esteem)”. Before him, a number of speakers had lamented about the “lack of any authoritative primary source” on Hinduism in the country.
In a speech laced with his trademark humour, the Dalai Lama stressed that Bharat’s tradition of plurality, harmony among various faiths and non-violence “should now be a lesson for the rest of the world”. Drawing examples from other parts of the world, he stressed that people of different faiths had lived together in harmony here for the last 3,000 years and the encyclopedia would further strengthen the culture of debate and dialogue in the country.
The Encyclopedia of Hinduism has aptly been termed, “The Project of the Third Millennium.” Under the divine vision and guidance of Bharat’s leading saint, H.H. Pujya Swami Chidanand Saraswatiji, the Encyclopedia will mark the first time in history that the vast panorama of Bharatiya culture is encapsulated in one complete work.
Bharat’s cultural heritage is multistranded and complex, forming an intricate tapestry of wisdom, insight and tradition. The timeless truths are available and beneficial to people of all religions, all faiths and all walks of life. Hinduism is not a dogma, but rather a way of life that brings depth, richness, integrity, understanding and meaning to our daily lives.
To encapsulate an entire cosmos in a literary portfolio is an enormous task. Nevertheless, under the divine inspiration of H.H. Pujya Swami Chidanand Saraswatiji, the India Heritage Research Foundation has undertaken the divine and momentous challenge of publishing the first, complete, authentic multi-volume Encyclopedia of Hinduism. This project provides the first thorough and comprehensive compilation, integrating the vast ocean of knowledge, history and experience that is Bharatiya culture.
Despite the influence of Hinduism across the globe, this spiritual tradition is widely misunderstood in the West. It has become imperative to provide an authentic, objective, scholarly, standardized and comprehensive source of reference and information.
The Encyclopedia will provide a better understanding of Hindu traditions, deepen inter-cultural dialogue and serve as a standard reference for students, teachers, seekers and anyone interested in the world’s oldest living tradition. The Encyclopedia includes approximately 7000 articles, ranging in length from 250 to over 5000 words, covering the depth and breadth of Hindu culture, tradition and civilization. The articles span twelve main subject areas: art, Hinduism in global context, history, historiography and geography, language and literature, philosophy, polity, religion and spirituality, sciences, social institutions and movements, spiritual disciplines, scholarship in Hindu studies and role of Hindu women.
The Encyclopedia has been prepared by over 1000 scholars all across the globe. Headquarters for EH were located at the University of South Carolina, Columbia where all articles from all satellite offices around the world were sent for approval and editing. Final operations of editing and review shifted to Bharat in 2003 under the guidance of Chief Editor Dr. K.L. Seshagiri Rao and Executive Editor Dr. Kapil Kapoor and Executive Editors in USA and Bharat,
Highlights of EH: First comprehensive Encyclopedia of Hinduism in history. Extensively researched & documented. Authentic, authoritative & illuminating. 12 main subject areas, 11 Volumes. 7500 original entries.Approx. 6 million words.Thousands of Illustrations. Cross referenced. Complete Index & Glossary.A product of the cooperative research of more than 1000 international scholars of Hinduism.