Jyeshth Krishna 2, Vik Samvat 2071. Yugabda 5116: May 16, 2014

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1. FESTIVALS: 2. OBAMA CONGRATULATES MODI; INVITES HIM TO VISIT US:
3. VIVEK JYOTI – SV 150 CONCLUDING PROGRAM IN UK: 4. SARSANGHACHALAK ADVISES WOMEN STRENGTHEN FAMILIES, LEAD THE SOCIETY:
5. SUCCESSFUL ASTRA TEST GIVES BOOST TO AIR MISSILE TECHNOLOGY: 6. 3RD AUSTRALIAN NATIONAL HINDU CONFERENCE
7. INAUGURATION OF SI REHABILITATION PROJECT IN UTTARAKHAND: 8. 5th ITGF at SINGAPORE:
9. GBE: RATAN TATA RECEIVES ONE OF UK'S TOP CIVILIAN HONOURS: 10. COMTRUST EYE CAMP AT PULPALLY:
11. BHARAT TO DIGITIZE SCRIPTS: 12. YOGA BENDS THE TRENDS IN KENYA:
13. 17 BHARATIYA UNIVERSITIES AMONG ASIA’S TOP 300: 14. HINDUS OPEN GRAND BHARATIYA- STYLE TEMPLE IN GUYANA:
15. WORLD'S FIRST KABADDI LEAGUE LAUNCHED IN BHARAT: 16. 2 BHARATIYA AMERICAN WOMEN NAMED ‘CHAMPIONS OF CHANGE’:
17. BHARAT HOME TO 54 OF WORLD’S LARGEST, MOST POWERFUL PUBLIC COMPANIES: 18. PIO BECOMES DEAN OF TOP US LAW SCHOOL:
19. TIBETANS VOTE FOR FIRST TIME: 20. KEDARNATH SHRINE REOPENS FOR DEVOTEES:
 21. BHARATIYAS MAKE UP UK’S HIGHLY SKILLED: 22. BHARATIYAS, ASIANS FAST BECOMING POLITICALLY RELEVANT IN US:
23. SI APPEAL PAKISTAN: 24. GURKHA JAWAN KILLS ULTRA IN HAND-TO-HAND FIGHT:
25. IIT-GUWAHATI AMONG TOP 100 YOUNG VARSITIES: 26. PUNJAB-BORN COUNCILLOR BECOMES MAYOR IN BRITAIN:
27. SHRI VISHWA NIKETAN: Pravas: FOOD FOR THOUGHT:
Article:

MY EXPERIMENT WITH RSS - by Mohammad Azeemullah

 

1. FESTIVALS: Ganga Dussehra falls on Jyeshta Shukla 10 (8th June this year) and is also known as Gangavataran which means 'the descent of the the Ganga'. It is dedicated to Goddess Ganga and is commemorated as the day when Ganga was descended to the Earth to accomplish her mission to purge the cursed souls of Bhagiratha's ancestors. Before coming to the Earth, the Ganga was residing in Kamandal of Lord Brahma and along with her brought the purity of heaven to the Earth.

On Ganga Dussehra devotees worship Ganga and take bath in the river. Taking bath in Ganges and offering charity or Dan-Punya on Ganga Dussehra day is considered highly auspicious. It is believed that holy dip in Ganga can purge all type of sins. --top

 
2. OBAMA CONGRATULATES MODI; INVITES HIM TO VISIT US: U.S. President Barack Obama on 16th May congratulated prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi on the BJP's historic victory and invited him to visit the US.        
“The President invited Narendra Modi to visit Washington at a mutually agreeable time to further strengthen our bilateral relationship,” the White House said following the maiden telephonic conversation between the two leaders.
During the call, Mr. Obama felicitated Mr. Modi on the BJP’s success in Bharat’s historic election.
Many other world leaders including Heads of states viz Pak PM Nawaz Sharif, Bangladesh PM Shiekh Hasina and Jamaat – e – Islami ameer Makbul Ahamad also congratulated him. --top

 
3. VIVEK JYOTI – SV 150 CONCLUDING PROGRAM IN UK: “Let us read Swamiji’s life in depth, understand him and then follow his teachings.” said Swami Dayatamandaji (Chair person of SV150 UK) as he addressed the concluding function of SV150 called Vivek Jyoti. Vivek Jyoti, the official concluding function of SV150 UK was held on Sunday 13th April 2014 in Laxminarayan Mandir, Birmingham. Madhava Turumella, Vice President of Hindu Forum of Britain welcomed important leaders of the main umbrella bodies of Hindus i.e. Hindu Forum of Britain, National Council of Hindu Temples and Hindu Forum of Europe.
The 2 hour event had a variety of performances which included a classical dance-song narrative on Swamiji’s life by a talented group from Manchester, Swamiji’s Chicago speech presented by a 4 year old girl named Payal Jain, an interactive panel discussion on “What would Vivekananda Say” etc.
The chief guest was Bob Blackman MP, the Chair Person of All Party Parliamentarian group APPG for British Hindus who lauded the cultural values of Hindus and their contributions to the UK. The community can no longer be ignored or sidelined, he emphasised.
In the concluding speech, Dr Ram Vaidya (Sanskrit Scholar) explained the true meaning of education as given by Vivekananda. All round character building education was the need of the hour which would remove tensions, violence and greed in the society. --top

 
4. SARSANGHACHALAK ADVISES WOMEN STRENGTHEN FAMILIES, LEAD THE SOCIETY: Underlining the important place, participation and role of women in family system, RSS Sarsanghachalak Dr. Mohan Bhagwat categorically stated that only women can strengthen the family roots.
Interacting with a group of women representatives of various social organisations and NGOs at Reshambagh recently, he called upon them to play a more vital role in this direction. He expected them to take the initiative and play a decisive role in the decision making process in the family as the family draws its strength with the active participation of its women members. Shri Bhagwat said that the RSS wanted women to be self-reliant and assume the leadership of the society. There was an express need to inculcate good moral values amongst the family members. For this, it was imperative for the women to imbibe those values and actively transmit them to their children. He emphasised that in Bharat the honour of women was held very high since the hoary past. Even today we relate rivers, land, etc with womanhood. These are our life values. Today, we witness a devaluation of such high moral values, which calls for proper awakening and education of the menfolk.--top

 
5. SUCCESSFUL ASTRA TEST GIVES BOOST TO AIR MISSILE TECHNOLOGY:  Bharat on 4th May finally tested its first indigenous air-to-air missile 'Astra' from a Sukhoi-30MKI fighter jet, marking a significant turning point in the decade-long tortuous developmental saga of the complex beyond visual range (BVR) weapon.
The test-firing of the sleek BVR missile over the Arabian Sea off Goa is the first concrete step after several false starts and technical glitches like a defective aerodynamic configuration since the project was first sanctioned in March 2004 at an initial cost of Rs 955 crore.
Astra is to initially have a 44-km range with "high single-shot kill probability", while its Mark-II version will be able to hit enemy aircraft over 100 km away.
"Astra's successful launch from the Sukhoi-30MKI is a major step in missile-aircraft integration. This will be followed by missile launch against an actual target shortly. “said DRDO chief Avinash Chander. Only a few countries like the US, Russia, France and Israel have managed to develop BVR missiles till now. --top

 
6. 3RD AUSTRALIAN NATIONAL HINDU CONFERENCE was held on 26-27 April at Parramatta, New South Wales. The conference attendees included Hindu organizations, temples Hindu associations and other community organisations.  In addition, representatives from the Buddhist and Sikh community also attended the conference.  The chief guest of the conference was Hon. Phillip Ruddock MP, the chief Government Whip of the Australian Government while several other local govt dignitaries, Bhupinder Chhibber representing the Shadow minister for citizenship and Multiculturalism and Swami Vigyananand, International Co- ordinator and Joint Secretary of Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) Bharat also participated in the conference. The theme of the conference was ‘Serving Australia Serving Community’.
The conference began with the welcome to the land by Respected Aborginal Elder Mr Brian Freeman, Wiradjuri Tradition and lighting of the lamp.  Various sessions included discussions on topics like “Australian Hindus serving at the forefront of serving the community”, ‘temples serving the community’, ‘Role played by Hindu organisations and associations in serving society’, ‘Youth development and shaping future leaders’.  --top

 
7. INAUGURATION OF SI REHABILITATION PROJECT IN UTTARAKHAND: “Development of a family, society or country starts with an empowered woman. Women are the engines for development,” said Shri Shyam Parande, International Coordinator of Sewa International while addressing a gathering of women farmers in Chandrapuri, Rudraprayag District of Uttarakhand. This was the first gathering of women drawn from 10 villages along the river Mandakini in Kedarnath valley that experienced the worst kind of disaster less than a year earlier.
A brief on the agriculture in those particular villages was presented by Shri Kailash Goswami, a Best Farmer awardee, who narrated his efforts in to be a successful farmer.
Shri Bhajjan Singh Khatri, a local social worker with rich experience in this region, narrated that it will be the initiative of the locals who would bring in development and people from outside can only guide or help. Bara Devi, President of the Federation of the Self Help Groups in that area with 191 SHGs under it helping more than 3500 women, that women in the state are in need of support and guidance in the field of agriculture and would surely benefit out of this program.  
Quality Seeds were distributed to the villagers free of cost at the end of the program. Sewa International has also started three Computer training centres in Chandrapuri, Guptakashi and Ukhimath to train the youth and all the three centres is attracting good number of youth.--top

 
8. 5th ITGF at SINGAPORE: Vivekanand Seva Sangh (VSS) Singapore is a registered non profit organization to practice and promote ‘Universal Brotherhood’.  Indian traditional Games Festival ITGF is one of the various activities of VSS with an aim to preserve traditional Bharatiya games by re introducing them to new generation of Bharatiya youth. This is usually celebrated around New Year day - Baisakhi day.  ITGF provides opportunities to create integration and harmony by bringing people together, provides opportunities for families to come together and play outdoor games like Kabaddi, kho kho etc, and generate interest among non Bharatiya people from Singapore in Bharatiya ganes and culture.
This year, ITGF was inaugurated on 27th April by Shri Bajranglal ji – Secretary VSS while Shri Inder jit Singh was the guest of honour.  Various individual and group games like Gilli danda, lemon spoon, kabaddi, kho kho, lagori, skipping rope  were demonstrated and played by various players and teams. In all, over 500 players took part in about 50 matches. The festival has become an annula feature now after it was started in 2010. 

 
9. GBE: RATAN TATA RECEIVES ONE OF UK'S TOP CIVILIAN HONOURS: Tata group Chairman Emeritus Ratan Tata has become the first Bharatiya since independence to receive the Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the British Empire (GBE), one of the highest civilian honours of the UK. Tata was presented the GBE by British High Commissioner to Bharat Sir James Bevan on behalf of Queen Elizabeth II.
"Mr Tata has been awarded an honorary GBE, one of the highest civilian honours conferred by the UK, in recognition of his services to UK-Bharat relations, inward investment to the UK and philanthropy," the British High Commission said in a statement.
Commenting on the honour, Bevan said: "Ratan Tata's leadership, vision and integrity will remain the gold standard for generations of aspirational British and Indian business people."
Queen Elizabeth II had conferred on Tata the honorary award of Knight Commander of the Order of British Empire (KBE) in 2009.
Under his leadership the UK benefited from significant inward investment from Tata companies. Tata are now the largest manufacturing employer in the UK.--top

 
10. COMTRUST EYE CAMP AT PULPALLY: Swami Vivekananda Medical Mission ay Wynad in the remote hilly areas of North Keral has been in the field of eye care for the last 10 years in collaboration with the Comtrust Eye care Society, Kozhikode.  On 2nd June 2013, the refurbished Eye Clinic was formally opened in a new form by the Hon. Minister Kum.PK Jayalakshmi.     The funding agency is Sewa International, USA.  On 1st May 2014, Comtrust Eye Care Hospital in cooperation with the Swami Vivekananda Medical Mission, Muttil and SNDP Youth Movement conducted an eye camp at Sree Narayana Balavihar, Pulpally.       
The Camp was inaugurated by SNDP Youth Movement President Shri Jaijulal Sthuthikkat after a welcome speech by Secretary Shri Saji Kodikkulath. 264 patients attended the camp in which 37 referred for cataract surgery. Spectacles prescribed for 128 persons and 10 were given other treatments.--top

 
11. BHARAT TO DIGITIZE SCRIPTS: Thousands of significant Sanskrit and Hindi manuscripts including ancient Bharatiya erotic literature written on palm leaves kept in University of the Punjab in Lahore and University of Dhaka will soon be digitized by Bharat.
Director of National Mission for Manuscripts (NMM) Prafulla Mishra said NMM will sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Iran Culture House (ICH), New Delhi, for the digitization work. ICH has already been digitizing Persian and Arabian manuscripts in Lahore and Dhaka.
"After the MoU with NMM, it will also start scanning Sanskrit and Hindi texts on our behalf. We have already completed preliminary discussions with the cultural body," Mishra said.
Mishra said there were around 9,500 Sanskrit and Hindi scripts in Punjab University, the largest and oldest seat of higher learning in Pakistan established in 1882. The collection includes around 2,000 palm leaf writings. Besides Hindi and Sanskrit, the stock includes texts in Prakrit, Telugu, Sharada, Tamil, and Nandinagari languages.
The over 90-year-old Dhaka University too has over 10,000 such texts. Some of these scripts are over 1,000-year-old while many others are of pre-independence era, Mishra said.
The NMM director said the repository of knowledge in the two varsities will be of great help to researchers. "Once scanned these texts can be made available online so that research scholars can access them," he said. The CD forms of the texts would be preserved at the National Archives of Bharat. From various parts of the country and abroad, NMM has so far digitized 35 lakh manuscripts of over 1.50 crore pages.--top

 
12. YOGA BENDS THE TRENDS IN KENYA: Yoga has grown increasingly popular among the poorest neighbourhoods in the capital city of Nairobi thanks to Paige Elenson and her partner Baron Baptiste, two American yoga teachers who established the not-for-profit organisation Africa Yoga Project in 2007.
Their goal was to create job opportunities and empower youth in impoverished areas of Nairobi. The two teachers raised $10,000 to found the organisation and train 40 Kenyan yoga instructors. Today, 72 instructors are working in poor areas of Kenya, including at schools and prisons.
Margaret Njeri is one of the teachers. She was an acrobat before starting the yoga-training programme. The young mother says earning a living as an acrobat was not easy. She sometimes even had to turn to petty crime to survive. She is now paid $100 a month to teach five classes a week in prisons, schools and other parts of the city. The rest of the time, Njeri teaches private classes to round up her salary. Thanks to yoga, she is now able to support herself and her one-year-old daughter.
Instructor Samson Muhalia, 53, says yoga has a positive impact on people. "What I really like in yoga is that it brings people together and teaches them how live together. It makes people share and discuss."--top

 
13. 17 BHARATIYA UNIVERSITIES AMONG ASIA’S TOP 300:  Seventeen Bharatiya universities have made it to the Asia Pacific rankings of ranking agency Quacquarelli Symonds (QS) this year compared to 11 last year. Ranking agency QS released the rankings, which include Asia's top 300 universities, in association with non-profit organisation The Indian Centre for Assessment & Accreditation (ICAA) in New Delhi on May 8th. Six Bharatiya institutes have made an entry to the list. Banaras Hindu University, Panjab University, Manipal University, Amity University, Birla Institute of Technology and Science, and the Indian Institute of Information Technology made it to the Asia rankings for the first time this year.
As in the previous editions of the rankings, the Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs) led the way. IIT Delhi held on to its 38th position like last year, ahead of IIT Bombay which was placed at 41. Five other IITs featured in the top 100, led by Kanpur and Madras just outside the top 50 at 52 and 53, respectively.--top

 
14. HINDUS OPEN GRAND BHARATIYA- STYLE TEMPLE IN GUYANA: The Hindu Society of Berbice opened the multi-million-dollar Shri Krishna Mandir with a grand ceremony on 16th April at Gay Park, Greater New Amsterdam, Berbice in Guyana. The temple The edifice, which models the rare designs of Hindu places of worship in Southern Bharat, is a rarity among architectural designs in these parts of the world. President Donald Ramotar and First Lady Deolatchmee Ramotar were present as were thousands of Hindus from across Guyana. President Ramotar congratulated the Hindu Society for erecting the new structure. He said that he had to come “because of my deep appreciation of this religion and for its contributions made to the country in many, many ways.” Others spoke at the occasion were Hindu activist Mrs. Chandrowtie Maraj and Swami Aksharanandji. .--top

 
15. WORLD'S FIRST KABADDI LEAGUE LAUNCHED IN BHARAT: Kabaddi got a major facelift on 6th May with the launch of the World Kabaddi League, a personal venture headed by Punjab Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal. The league is all set for inauguration in mid-June at Thyagaraj Sports Complex at New Delhi.
The league follows the Formula 1 touring sports format and will be played across four continents starting from August to December. The official website of the World Kabaddi League (www.worldkabaddileague.net) was launched by Badal and Pargat Singh, sports administrator and Olympian. "In the northern region of the Indian sub-continent, kabaddi is an extremely popular sport and the last four kabaddi World Cups held in India bear testimony to this," Badal said.
"In its current form, the league will be played across four continents with access to nearly 200 kabaddi clubs across the world. For kabaddi, I believe this is just the beginning," he said.--top

 
16. 2 BHARATIYA AMERICAN WOMEN NAMED ‘CHAMPIONS OF CHANGE’: Two Bharatiya American women namely Manjusha P. Kulkarni and Ranjana Patel have been named as Champions of Change within the Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders (AAPI) community for their efforts to promote President Barack Obama’s controversial Affordable Care Act (Obamacare) legislation.
The purpose of the program is to honor and recognize ordinary individuals who work to promote widespread change and reform in their own respective areas of the country.
Kulkarni is the Director of the South Asian Network (SAN),  a community-based organization in Southern California that is “dedicated to advancing the health, empowerment and solidarity of persons of South Asian origin,” according to the White House. Patel is the Program Manager of the Asian Health Coalition’s partnership consortium, which works towards education, outreach, and enrollment for underserved AAPI communities across the state of Illinois. --top

 
17. BHARAT HOME TO 54 OF WORLD’S LARGEST, MOST POWERFUL PUBLIC COMPANIES: Mukesh Ambani-led Reliance Industries (RIL) leads the pack of 54 Bharatiya companies in Forbes’ annual list of the world’s 2000 largest and most powerful public companies, with Chinese companies occupying the top three slots on the list.
The Forbes ‘Global 2000′ is a comprehensive list of the world’s largest, most powerful public companies, as measured by revenues, profits, assets and market value.
The US retains its dominance as the country with the most Global 2000 companies at 564. Japan trails the US with 225 companies in aggregate. Bharat is home to 54 of the world’s biggest companies.
Reliance Industries is ranked 135 on the list with a market value of 50.9 billion dollars and 72.8 billion dollars in sales as on May 2014. It is followed by State Bank of India which is ranked 155 and has a 23.6 billion dollars market value. --top

 
18. PIO BECOMES DEAN OF TOP US LAW SCHOOL: A Bharatiya-American expert in comparative constitutional law, Sujit Choudhry, has been named dean of a top law school, University of California, Berkeley. In a statement, the University of California Berkeley executive vice chancellor and Provost Claude Steele called Mr Choudhry a “brilliant scholar, professor, and mentor,” who would inspire and lead with “big ideas” during a time of rapid change in the legal profession. The Bharatiya American called the Berkeley Law deanship the opportunity of a lifetime.--top

 
19. TIBETANS VOTE FOR FIRST TIME: Beginning a new chapter in the country's poll history, Tibetan residents in the hill town of Dharmshala in Himachal Pradesh participated in the democratic process for the first time on 7th May to elect a member of parliament. As many as 217 Tibetans had enrolled themselves as voters for the Kangra parliamentary seat.
"I am happy to have voted in Indian general elections today. It was an opportunity as well as a learning experience for me. However, my Tibetan roots and the quest for free Tibet will not change. My next target is to get an Indian passport. It shouldn't be hard now," said Lobsang Wangyal (44), a prominent Tibetan activist. "My voice will now have power and value." Officials said 150 Tibetans voted at various polling stations. --top

 
20. KEDARNATH SHRINE REOPENS FOR DEVOTEES: Sacred portals of the Kedarnath temple were reopened to devotees amid elaborate rituals about a year after the Himalayan shrine was marred by flash floods that had left hundreds of people dead and many others stranded.
Chief priest of the shrine (Rawal) Bhima Shankar Ling presided over the rituals on 4th May as its gates were opened amid chanting of Vedic hymns, Badrinath-Kedarnath temple committee CEO V D Singh told PTI over phone.
About 1,252 devotees including eight foreign nationals visited the shrine on the opening day, he said. It is the first 'Char Dham' yatra after last year's calamity. --top

 
 21. BHARATIYAS MAKE UP UK’S HIGHLY SKILLED: A new report that analyses Britain global population has found that Bharatiyas tend to cluster in the highest skilled professions in the country.
The UK’s Policy Exchange think tank presents a detailed picture of the five largest minority groups in the country – Bharatiyas, Pakistanis, Bangladeshis, Black Africans and Black Caribbeans – as part of its A Portrait of Modern Britain handbook released this week.
It also found that the Bharatiya community was the most dispersed all over the UK with most other ethnic minority communities predominantly living in three main cities of London, Manchester and Birmingham.
Also, Bharatiyas stood out for their tendency to cluster in the highest skilled professions.
“Almost all minority groups, except the Indian community, have unemployment rates double the national average... 24 per cent of Pakistani men are taxi drivers and half of all Bangladeshi men work in restaurants. In contrast 43 per cent of Indians work in the highest skilled professions,” the report found.--top

 
22. BHARATIYAS, ASIANS FAST BECOMING POLITICALLY RELEVANT IN US: They are also quickly reaching the critical mass needed to be politically relevant, says the report from the Centre for American Progress and AAPI Data on how the growth of this group will affect a variety of key policy areas from immigration and education to healthcare and the environment.
With the Bharatiya-American population shooting up 76 per cent in the first 12 years of the 21st century, Bharatiya-Americans numbering 3.34 million are already the third largest Asian community in the US, after people from China and the Philippines.
The top six groups — Chinese, Filipino, Bharatiya Vietnamese, Korean and Japanese — account for 85 per cent of all residents, the report noted.
Chinese are still by far the largest group of Asian-American population with 4.1 million (22 per cent), Filipinos come next with 3.59 million (19 per cent) followed by Bharatiyas with 3.34 million (18 per cent) in the third place. The largest concentration of Bharatiya -Americans is in three States — California (19 per cent), New York (12 per cent) and New Jersey (10 per cent). Hindus (51 per cent) are in majority among Bharatiya-Americans, followed by Christians (18 per cent), Muslims (10 per cent), Sikhs (5 per cent), Jains (2 per cent) and Buddhists (1 per cent).--top

 
23. SI APPEAL PAKISTAN: A below average rainfall and a dry winter in Tharparakar District, Thar desert Sindh Pakistan has resulted in the starvation death of 140 children and left more than a million people suffering.
Sewa International’s partner organization Harey Rama Foundation of Pakistan is working to provide disaster relief to the affected residents with a long term plan to rehabilitate affected families. Your donations will provide immediate help to the victims and help reduce their suffering. For more info pl visit www.sewausa.org --top

 
24. GURKHA JAWAN KILLS ULTRA IN HAND-TO-HAND FIGHT: Displaying raw courage and nerves of steel, a 23-year-old braveheart of the Bharatiya Army, part of the Gurkha Regiment, eliminated heavily armed infiltrator in a hand to hand combat along the Line of Control in Poonch in the wee hours of 10th May. Another infiltrator was killed by the ambush near Baghialdhara nallah along the LoC in Poonch.
One Bharatiya solider was injured in the fierce gunbattle. As per to sources, "Based on hard intelligence inputs, ambush parties were deployed along the LoC in Poonch sector when movement of a group of militants was noticed on night vision devices around 2.30 am.
During the operation, Rifleman Prem Bahadur Roka Magar of Gurkha Regiment displayed nerves of steel as he grabbed an AK-47 of another Pak trained infiltrator and tried to overpower him. In the melee he dropped his own weapon and escaped unhurt.As they were grappling with each other in a hilly terrain the two were segregated due to free fall in the nearby nallah. Running for safety the infiltrator was finally neutralised by the courageous soldier with the help of live grenade, official sources said.--top

 
25. IIT-GUWAHATI AMONG TOP 100 YOUNG VARSITIES: IIT-Guwahati has made it to the top 100 list of the world's dynamic young universities - the only Bharatiya entry at 87th place.
In the ranking given by The Times Higher Education, East Asian institutions lead the 100 Under 50, with universities from South Korea, Hong Kong and Singapore claiming top-five positions. The 100 Under 50 is designed to be dynamic and forward-looking so only universities founded in 1964 or later are listed. --top

 
26. PUNJAB-BORN COUNCILLOR BECOMES MAYOR IN BRITAIN: A Punjab-born Councillor has been elected as mayor in Erewash ward in Britain's Derbyshire, a media report said.
The Conservative Party's Councillor for Wilsthorpe, Kewal Singh Athwal, became the first Erewash mayor to be elected by a casting vote at a meeting at Long Eaton Town Hall in Derbyshire. .
Athwal is the first mayor from an ethnic minority group to hold the position.--top

 
27. SHRI VISHWA NIKETAN: Pravas: Shri Saumitra Gokhale, samyojak Vishwa Vibhag returned to USA after his pravas to Australia and New Zealand. Visitors: Dr. Bhishm Agnihotri, Smt and Shri Ramesh Shah, Jagdish Sewhani, Sanjay Tripathi, Gokul Kunnath – USA. Prof Azad Kaushik – Canada, Ashwin – Mauritius Ravi Srivasta – Nigeria, Dr. Shailendra Singh – Ghana.--top

 
FOOD FOR THOUGHT: Hinduism is not bound up with a creed or a book, a prophet or a founder, but is persistent search for truth on the basis of a continuously renewed experience. Hinduism is human thought about God in continuous evolution. - Dr.Sarvapalli Radhakrishnan --top
JAI SHREE RAM
MY EXPERIMENT WITH RSS
Mohammad Azeemullah
 
This is the election time. A lot has been written about Narendra Modi and the BJP. A lot has also been said about the Congress and other secular parties.
From the point of view of Muslims, both parties have been painted in black and white terms.
Modi, if he becomes the next Prime Minister of India, will turn the country into Gujarat subjugating Muslims. Then Congress and other secular parties, being protector, will emancipate them from the devil.
Thus, Muslims seem confused and are dangling like pendulum from fear to hope and so on.
I do not endorse a particular party. Let it be upon Muslim voters to decide. However, I would like to narrate my direct experience with the RSS and its affiliate institutions.
I grew up in the background of communal violence. Being a Muslim, I used to feel that I am being targeted for my religion in India.
Media further accentuated my fear by bringing live the violence against Muslims to me...Bhagalpur, Mumbai, Gujarat, Muzaffarnagar...endless, to name a few.
The fear multiplied many folds within me. I began to view all those individuals and organizations responsible for engineering riots as hunters seeing me as their next prey.
Truly, I began to view "instigators" of violence differently...being killers and only killers. I had no option but to live in India. I could not fly. I could not escape. I accepted fear as my destiny.
The time passed by.
One evening, I received a letter of appointment from Durga Prasad Baljeet Singh College in the district of Bulandshahar. I had applied for a job at various places after having qualified the National Eligibility Test (NET) for lectureship.
My joy knew no bound. I always looked forward to future.
The next day, I visited the college. The campus truly impressed me: the physical facilities, the ambience and overall discipline were up to the mark. I decided to join, though I hesitated initially.
The college was situated on the bank of the river Ganga, in a town known as Anoopshaher. The location of the institution was symbolic - to provide modern education in the environment of spiritual liveliness.
I began to work hard. At the same time, I also carried the fear of insecurity as I was the only Muslim in the institution. Moreover, the management belonged to the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), the organization about which I had heard that it was anti-Muslim.
I was given free accommodation in the college campus. Every night I slept, I thought if any communal violence would start, I would be the first to be targeted, yet I lived.
Soon, I befriended many. The most notable ones among them were Shri Acharyaji, a lecturer of Sanskrit and a scholar in Hinduism and KC Gaur, a lecturer in Education.
We often shared the same dining hall, the same food, the same joke and the same laughter. We often played together, watched movie and had innumerable interactions every day.
The fear which I had carried for so long about certain organizations and certain individuals being 'killers' began to evaporate.
The principal of the college, Dr Dhal, after having seen my performance, said: "Mr Azeem, you have a good future here".
Within weeks, my perception about people coming from other communities changed. None of what I had feared all along ever nagged or troubled me. In fact, I began to feel more secure both physically and financially. I felt I had a rebirth.
Soon, I was elevated to be a member of the management in allotment of flats to the teachers in the college. Next my family joined me, and I began to live happily.
That was truly my first interaction with the majority community. For the first time, I realized how brotherly feeling they carried toward their fellow-workers. My religion never came in my way to ever obstruct communications with them. Surprisingly, it became an advantage to me. Being the only one from the minority community, I was shown much affection and care compared to others.
For better financial opportunities, I travelled to Libya on leave from the college. I still miss the college, the campus and the people there. I wish I have that life back to me.
Much of what creates 'fear' in individuals results from gap in communication between the two individuals and between the two communities.
We should rely on our first-hand experience before coming to a conclusion about certain individuals or organizations. My impression to paint everyone as a 'killer' was absolutely wrong.(Times of India May 7, 2014)--top

Shri Vishwa Niketan Delhi

vishwav@bol.net.in

Vaishakh Shukla 2, Vik Samvat 2071. Yugabda 5116:May 1, 2014



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1. FESTIVALS: Hindu Samrajya Divas 2. HSS HINDU YOUTH CONFERENCE 2014:
3. EVERY MEDICO SHOULD SPARE AT LEAST 10 DAYS FOR VANVASIS—DR KRISHNA GOPAL: 4. TCS JOINS TOP 10 GLOBAL IT SERVICES COS CLUB:
5. BHUMI PUJA PERFORMED FOR INTERNATIONAL SREE KRISHANA KENDRA, IN KERALA: 6. BHARAT BECAME 3RD-LARGEST ECONOMY IN 2011 FROM 10TH IN 2005:
7. BHARATIYA-AMERICANS FORM THIRD LARGEST ASIAN POPULATION IN US: 8. BHARAT SUCCESSFULLY TEST-FIRES INDIGENOUS  AKASH MISSILE:
9. TEST-FIRE OF PRITHVI MISSILE DEFENCE VEHICLE A SIGNIFICANT STEP: 10. SHRI RAM-HANUMAN JAYANTI SHOBHA YATRA HELD AT NEW DELHI:
11. I AM PROUD TO BE A HINDU: NARENDRA MODI: 12. I HAVE COME TO BHARAT TO SHOW MY CHILDREN THEIR ROOTS, SWRAJ PAUL:
13. NOKIA NAMES RAJEEV SURI AS CEO: 14. WHITE HOUSE NAMES BHARATIYA -AMERICAN "SOLAR CHAMPION OF CHANGE":
15. JUSTICE LODHA IS BHARAT'S NEW CHIEF JUSTICE: 16. SHRI VISHVA NIKETAN: Pravas:
FOOD FOR THOUGHT:  
Articles:

VANVASIS RESHAPING THEIR DESTINY

PARADOX IN NEHRUVIAN SECULARISM


1. FESTIVALS: Jyeshtha Shuddha 13 is the day on which great Hindu King Shivaji was coronated.  It is known as ‘Shivrajyabhishek divas’ and in Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh; it is celebrated as Hindu Samrajya Divas (June 2 this year). 

Shivaji as a teenager had taken the pledge to establish Hindavi swaraj and not his own kingdom. He had also declared that it was the will of God that the goal would be accomplished. On his royal seal, he had declared that this auspicious raja mudra of Shivaji, the son of Shahji, would grow like the moon on the first day of Shukla Paksha and be venerated by the entire world.
The grand function took place in 1674 atop the 5,000-ft high Raigadh fort in Maharashtra. He became thereafter a full-fledged chhatrapati—a Hindu emperor in his own right. Swami Vivekananda once remarked that Shivaji was an ideal Hindu king born to establish Dharma on the lines of Shri Ram and Sri Krishna.
It is in remembrance of this histroric feet which has inspired Hindus since then that the day is celebrated as utsav in RSS shakhas and also public functions are held to mark the occasion.--top

 

2. HSS HINDU YOUTH CONFERENCE 2014: A 2 -day Hindu Youth Conference was held on April 5th-6th at Arsha Vidya Gurukulam in Saylorsburg, Pennsylvania in US, in which 29 working professionals and students from various universities like Pennsylvania State and Massachusetts, Universities at Drexel, Rutgers, Boston, Columbia etc. participated.
Activities like Scavenger Hunt, “Minute to win it” challenges, khel sessions, and a very energetic Holi celebration were highlights of the conference. Overall, the varg was filled with laughter, enthusiasm, and a feeling of togetherness. It ended on a high note with concluding remarks by Yellojirao Mirajkar, highlighting the universal and all-inclusive principals of Hinduism. --top

 

3. EVERY MEDICO SHOULD SPARE AT LEAST 10 DAYS FOR VANVASIS—DR KRISHNA GOPAL: Bhoomi Pujan ceremony for a project of Vivekananda Health Mission was held at Jubli Village of Dehradun recently in the presence of Swami Padmanabhananda of Shivananda Ashram, Rishikesh, RSS Sahsarkaryavah Dr Krishna Gopal and vice president of Akhil Bharatiya Vanvasi Kalyan Ashram Shri Kripa Prasad Singh. Swami Padmanabhananda blessed the team of medicos for their proposed services to the Vanvasis of Uttarakhand. He appreciated the medical services being rendered by the Vivekananda Medical Mission and the Vanvasi Kalyan Ashram in remote areas of the country. He said Narayan (God) lives in huts of Vanvasis. Samanwaya Ashram was established by Swamiji for the same cause, he said.
RSS Sahsarkaryavah Dr Krishna Gopal appreciated the initiative of doctors and said the project was a dire need for the area. Dr Krishna Gopal appealed to all the doctors of the country to spare at least 10 days in a year for the Vanvasis, as it would support the dreams of Dr Hedgewar —service to needy is service to God.--top

 

4. TCS JOINS TOP 10 GLOBAL IT SERVICES COS CLUB: This is a landmark for Bharatiya IT. The countrys largest IT services provider, Tata Consultancy Services (TCS), has broken into the league of top 10 global IT services companies, moving from the 13th position in 2012 to the 10th spot in 2013.
Twelve years ago, when TCS revenues were about $1 billion, then CEO S Ramadorai had laid out a vision to be among the top 10 by 2010. It has taken a little longer, partly because of the global financial slump of 2008-09, but the company has now got there, and considering the pace at which it is growing compared to its global counterparts, the ranking could get better fairly quickly in the years to come.
TCS is estimated to have IT services revenues of $10.1 billion (out of its total revenues of about $12.5 billion).IBM ($54.4 billion), Fujitsu ($32.1 billion), Hewlett-Packard ($29.2 billion) and Accenture ($25.4 billion) lead the list.--top

 

5. BHUMI PUJA PERFORMED FOR INTERNATIONAL SREE KRISHANA KENDRA, IN KERALA: Bhoomi Pooja for International Sree Krishana Kendra (ISK) was performed on April 16 by His Holinees Jayendra Sarwswathy of Kanchi Kamakodi Peedam and the construction will start right after. The ISK is a re-creation of the age old concept of Vrindavana village, in central Kerala on the slopes of the Western Ghats, about 5kms off Kochi-Thrissur National Highway near Kodakara. During the ceremony, Swamy Athmasvaroopaanada assorted waters collected from 43 rivers from across Kerala to Ganga jal and sprinkled in the sacred land. Incarnation of Dwapara yug Vrindhavana to present Kalyugha was started out by worshiping Gomatha under the guidance of Vezha parambu Chithrabhnu Nambuthiri padu and Kaimukku Vaidhikan Sreedharan Namboothiri. The public function was inaugurated by Kochi Devasaom Ombudsman; Justice R Bhaskaranan. He had remarked the project to be a milestone in the history of Bhalagokhulam during the inaugural speech. While addressing the function Balagokhulam chief mentor M A Krishnan had emphasized the potential impact of ISK in the society and the transformation. P.E.B Menon, Prantha Sanghachalak of RSS also called ISK project as another milestone in Sangh history of Kerala
Bharathiya Vichara Kendram director P Parameshvaran, former Centeral Minister O Rajagopal, RSS Prantha Karyavaha P Gopalan Kutty, Kaliyan silks managing director T.S Pattabhi raman, Jayalekshmi Silks director Narayana Kammatha were also present for the inaugural function. A centre devoted to informal and formal education on Sreekrishna’s life, teachings and actions would resurrect our value systems.
It is in this perspective that Balagokulam (a nationwide cultural organization, registered in 1974, engaged in inspiring children with human values and cultural activities through weekly classes) has initiated steps to establish International Sreekrishna Kendram (ISK), as a unit under Bala Samskara Kendram (a Public Charitable Trust, registered in 1988).--top

 

6. BHARAT BECAME 3RD-LARGEST ECONOMY IN 2011 FROM 10TH IN 2005: In a matter of six years, Bharat emerged as the world's third-largest economy in 2011 from being the 10th largest in 2005, moving ahead of Japan, while the US remained the largest economy closely followed by China, latest figures have revealed.
Asia and the Pacific, including China and Bharat, account for 30 per cent of world GDP.
China and Bharat make up two-thirds of the Asia and the Pacific economy, excluding Japan and South Korea, which are part of the OECD comparison. Russia accounts for more than 70 per cent of the CIS, and Brazil for 56 per cent of Latin America. South Africa, Egypt, and Nigeria account for about half of the African economy," said the report.
"At 27 per cent, China now has the largest share of the world's expenditure for investment (gross fixed capital formation) followed by the US at 13 per cent. Bharat, Japan and Indonesia follow with 7 per cent, 4 per cent, and 3 per cent, respectively," the report said.
China and Bharat account for about 80 per cent of investment expenditure in the Asia and the Pacific region.--top

 

7. BHARATIYA-AMERICANS FORM THIRD LARGEST ASIAN POPULATION IN US: Bharatiya -Americans numbering 3.34 million is the third largest Asian community in the United States, after China and Philippines, a report said. The Bharatiya -American population shot up 76 per cent in the first 12 years of the 21st century, a report on demographics of the Asian-American population released by the Centre for American Progress said.
While the Chinese-Americans form the largest group of Asian-American population with 4.1 million (22 per cent), Filipinos-Americans are placed second with 3.59 million (19 per cent) followed by Bharatiya-Americans with 3.34 million (18 per cent).
Bharatiya -Americans grew 76 per cent from 2000 to 2012, compared to Filipino-Americans who expanded by 52 per cent in the corresponding period.
The top six groups — Chinese, Filipino, Bharatiya , Vietnamese, Korean and Japanese — account for 85 per cent of all Asian-American residents. Japanese-Americans — who were once in the top two Asian-American communities — have seen a decline in population share. They form the smallest of the top six groups.
The largest concentration of Bharatiya -Americans is in three States - California (19 per cent), New York (12 percent) and New Jersey (10 per cent). Hindus (51 percent) are in majority among Bharatiya -American, followed by Christians (18 per cent), Muslims (10 per cent), Sikhs (5 per cent), Jains (2 per cent) and Buddhists (1 per cent).--top

 

8. BHARAT SUCCESSFULLY TEST-FIRES INDIGENOUS  AKASH MISSILE: Bharat on April 23 test-fired its Akash surface-to-air missile from the Integrated Test Range of Chandipur in the coastal district of Balasore, Odisha, an official said. The indigenously developed missile, with a 27-km range has an effective ceiling of 15km. "It was a trial by the Indian Air Force," test range director M V K V Prasad told.
The 700-kg all-weather missile can carry a 60-kg warhead at speeds of up to Mach 2.5. It can operate autonomously and simultaneously engage and neutralize different aerial targets.
It can be launched from static or mobile platforms, enabling flexible deployment by the armed forces.
Developed by DRDO, Akash is being produced by Bharat Dynamics Limited as the nodal production agency with the involvement of Bharat Electronics Limited and a large number of other industries.--top

 

9. TEST-FIRE OF PRITHVI MISSILE DEFENCE VEHICLE A SIGNIFICANT STEP: In a significant milestone in the direction of developing a two-layered Ballistic Missile Defence system, Bharat successfully carried out its maiden Prithvi Defence Vehicle (PDV) test-fire on April 27th,  meeting the mission objectives.
“The PDV mission is for engaging targets in the exo-atmosphere region at more than 120 km altitude,” the Defence Research Development Organisation (DRDO) said in a statement after the trial conducted on the Odisha coast.
“Both the PDV interceptor and the two-stage target equipped with motors were specially developed for the mission. The target, developed to mimic a ‘hostile ballistic missile approaching from more than 2,000 km away,” was launched at 0907 hrs from a ship in the Bay of Bengal,” it said.
“In an automated operation, a radar-based detection and tracking system detected and tracked the enemy’s ballistic missile. The computer network with the help of data received from radars predicted the trajectory of the incoming ballistic missile,” it said.--top

 

10. SHRI RAM-HANUMAN JAYANTI SHOBHA YATRA HELD AT NEW DELHI: The procession of Shri Ram-Hanuman Jayanti was arranged on April 15th with great zeal under the guidance of Indraprastha Vishva Hindu Parishad by Hindu Parva Samanvaya Samitee and other religious, cultural, social & educational institutions of Delhi.
More than hundred Jhankis (tabloids) & Bhajan Mandalis were decorated by devotees. Jhanki of Bhagwan Shri Ram & Hanuman showing crushing the demons was worth seen. Office bearers of the different institutions were seen with saffron turban (Bhagva shafa) in an open jeep preceeded by the Shri Hanuman Dhwaja (flag) and followed by well decorated 21 horses and 51 odd Bajarang Dal youths riding on bikes with band parties playing Sri Ram Dhun, singing and dancing.
Flagging off the yatra, the International secretary general (organization)-VHP shri Dinesh Chandra said that the sixteenth Lok Sabha will serve the nation like Hanuman ji who solves every typical problem of the society. We expect that the sixteenth Lok sabha will protect & promote our cultural & religious heritage and solve every internal & external problem of the country.
Dr. Surendra Jain, the national secretary-VHP, ex President of VHP shri Vishnu Hari Dalmia, and orther saints and dignatories ignited Lamps to inaugurate the procession.--top

 

11. I AM PROUD TO BE A HINDU: NARENDRA MODI: In an interview to PTI, BJP’s PM candidate Narendra Modi said, "I would like to see myself as a Bharatiya first and foremost, I am a Hindu by faith and I am proud of the faith I belong to. I love my country. So you can say that I am a patriot." Modi's interview came at a time when polling on 349 seats was over with 194, including Varanasi, still to go.--top

 

12. I HAVE COME TO BHARAT TO SHOW MY CHILDREN THEIR ROOTS, SWRAJ PAUL: It was an emotional homecoming for leading NRI industrialist Lord Swraj Paul to his childhood schools and his birthplace in the city here.
Overwhelmed with nostalgia, Lord Paul, a prominent peer in Britain, visited his alma maters Doaba Primary School and Doaba Secondary School and thanked his parents for having admitted him into these institutions which shaped his life ahead.
The noted industrialist, accompanied by his son Angad, daughter Anjali, daughter-in-law Michelle and three grandchildren took a tour of the three places and offered floral tributes on the statues of his parents.
During his time spent at his alma maters, Lord Paul visited the classrooms, interacted with students, got pictures taken with them and and also introduced his grandchildren to them. --top

 

13. NOKIA NAMES RAJEEV SURI AS CEO:  Nokia named the man who led a turnaround at its main telecoms network business as its new chief executive on April 29, boosting investors' confidence in the future of the company following the sale of its once-dominant handset arm.
"Mr. Suri has done a very commendable job in turning around NSN, in our view. Thus, we see the market being positive about his appointment," JP Morgan Cazenove analysts said.
Suri, a 46-year-old Bharatiya national, was widely expected to lead the company after the sale of the handset business.--top

 

14. WHITE HOUSE NAMES BHARATIYA -AMERICAN "SOLAR CHAMPION OF CHANGE":  White House has named Bharatiya -American professor Rajendra Singh as one of ten "Solar Champions of Change" who are taking the initiative to spur solar deployment across America.
Rajendra Singh is D Houser Banks Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering and director of Clemson University's Centre of Silicon Nanoelectronics in South Carolina.
Singh devoted his doctoral thesis research to solar cells in 1973 during the Arab oil embargo and in the last 40 years he has served as a visionary leader to advance the technology of photovoltaic (PV) module manufacturing. "The vision I had in 1980 is happening only now, 30 years later," Singh said.
To transform global electricity infrastructure, Singh is providing leadership to use photovoltaics as the source of local direct-current electricity in the US and emerging and underdeveloped economies.
He is also actively involved with civic groups to bring legislation and regulations in South Carolina that will lead to the growth of solar-generated electricity, the university said.--top

 

15. JUSTICE LODHA IS BHARAT'S NEW CHIEF JUSTICE: Justice Rajendra Mal Lodha was on April 27 sworn in as the chief justice of Bharat. He was administered the oath of office by President Pranab Mukharjee. He will preside over the Supreme Court for five months as his term will end Sep 27, 2014.
Chief Justice Lodha succeeds Chief Justice P. Sathasivam. A law graduate from Jodhpur, Lodha practised law in the Rajasthan High Court and dealt with constitutional, civil, company, criminal, taxation, labour and other matters. --top

 

16. SHRI VISHVA NIKETAN: Pravas: Shri Saumitra Gokhale samyojak Vishwa Vibhag will return to US after his tour to Australia and New Zealand. Dr.Ram Vaidya sahsamyojak returned UK from European Shibir at Hamburg, Germany.--top

FOOD FOR THOUGHT: The secret of health for both mind and body is not to mourn for the past, not to worry about the future, or not to anticipate troubles, but to live in the present moment wisely and earnestly.  ~ Gautam Budhdh
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JAI SHREE RAM

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VANVASIS RESHAPING THEIR DESTINY

Chaitram Pawar
In the election period every section of the society is seen pushing its agenda and trying to get its demands accommodated in election manifestos. The political parties also waste no time in making promises, without bothering whether they could be materialised or not. But Baripada Village of Maharashtra is a different one. None from this village expects anything from the political parties or government agencies. Rather they have made the government agencies to come to them to learn how they reshaped their destiny.
Baripada, which faced severe scarcity of food, water, forest cover and employment till early 1990s, is now writing new story of development and self-reliance. About 10 to 15 people from other villages come to this village everyday to know how the villagers have done a wonder. A professor from Germany is staying in the village for some time to study this model of development based on local know-how.
$img_titleMost of the farming in the village is based on cow and no hybrid seed is used. The indigenous seeds give astonishing output here. This can be a good case study for the ‘scientists’ who are mad after hybrid seeds and now even want permission for trails of poisonous Genetically Modified (GM) crops.
The revolution here began with curbing deforestation of 450 hectare of forest near the village in 1993 by contributing Rs 3 by every family and shramdan. Illegal cutting of trees had turned the hill near the village almost barren. A mechanism was created declaring punishments to those who cut the trees and awards to those who prevent it.
Two most elderly persons were appointed watchmen to check deforestation. 50 acres of the forest land was set aside for grazing. As a result thick forest started surfacing within two-three years and in1997-98, the Forest Department came to the village with an award of rupees one lakh to the village. The Department also legitimised their informal village protection group under its Joint Forest Management Scheme.
The second step which too proved equally revolutionary was curbing water scarcity. The work began by constructing small check dams. So far, 480 check dams have been built. The experiment not only proved beneficial for storing water for future use but also curbed soil erosion. Later the villagers dig 5 km long and one meter deep canal for recharging ground water level. The entire work was done through shramdan. The result of all these activities is that the village which used to fetch drinking water from 3km in early 1990s now supplies water to five surrounding villages. Steps were also taken for financial empowerment of people. The experiment of Self-Help Groups (SHGs) proved highly beneficial. Five SHGs are involved in rice marketing alone. The latest drive is for alcohol de-addiction. The families which fed themselves by preparing and selling country-made alcohol were requested to shift to fishing. As a result alcohol production has completely been curbed. Now work has begun for biodiversity conservation. The people also initiated a plant diversity register process in October 2004 to monitor the plants found in their forests.
They have identified 14 different sites from the forest and initiated vegetation mapping through a 100 sq m quadrant. A group of UN Development Programme (UNDP) is to visit the village shortly to study the biodiversity conservation work. The integrated development process has multiple facets. Night schools were stated for adult illiterates and the primary school was reopened. An absent student is fined Re 1 per day, while the teacher is fined Rs 51 per day for absent. Festivals are celebrated together and the village organises marriages together to save money. Sports competitions are also held, not just to enjoy games but also to disseminate the message of self-development in surrounding villages. As a result similar experiments have begun in around 20 nearby villages.
This small village, with just 108 Vanvasi families and 785 population, is located at the border of Maharashtra and Gujarat and is about 97 km from Dhule district headquarter. The brain behind the whole revolution is a post graduate youth of the village Chaitram Devchand Pawar, who instead of doing any job in city, chose to stay in the village and organised the villagers for self-development. “We cannot draw desired results as long as we continue to depend upon government for help every time. The best option is to start self and create the situation when government runs after you,” says Pawar.
When asked about the motivation he received for this wonder, Pawar says, “After completing my graduation I was preparing to shift to a city for job. But Dr Anand Pathak, who runs Vanvasi Kalyan Ashram health centre in a nearby village, reminded me of my duty to my village. The same day I dropped the idea of shifting to city and decided to stay in the village only.” Later Pawar also joined the Kalyan Ashram work and is now president of its Devgiri Prant unit.
Apart from Kalyan Ashram, Janseva Foundation also extends full cooperation to the villagers in cultivation updates on rice, potato, wheat, vegetable and other cash crops.
The Foundation also helps in undertaking community-based development activities like building improvised toilets, setting up kitchen gardens that uses recycled water, etc. Apart from an example of integrated village development, Baripada shows how the Vanvasi Kalyan Ashram is changing the mindset of people in Vanvasi areas across the country motivating them to be the creator of their own destiny. (Organiser Weekly, April 27, 2014)--top

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PARADOX IN NEHRUVIAN SECULARISM

Dr S Gurumurthy
Bharat’s culture is ‘Sanatan’ or it is ever surviving, eternal. This culture or ‘samskar’ is nothing but our enlightened way of living. Culture resonates Bharat’s soul. The people of Bharat from the days of Valmiki, Vyasa and Valluvar (who wrote Ramayana, Mahabharata and Thirukkural) lived upholding this culture. They understood it as core values of our society. They might have been ruled by different kings and monarchs that made no difference to them. These values descended from great saints, were practiced and passed from generation to generation. Today we are a republic. Under the present republic, we are more responsible to uphold our national culture, because there is no king to protect it.
This culture, a refined way of life, unifies the country. It is a well oriented, time tested social force. We can draw immense strength from it. In fact it protects our people and the nation. Many alien onslaughts might have dented us, but could not destroy us. Bharat would surge again. That is how Bharat proceeded to transform all intrusions and its after effects. It is only a matter of time.
Today our republic might have undergone many changes. It is all apparent, may seem to be permanent. But not so. The core values do not change. The strength is within. The nation will rebound.
One may ask what are the characteristic qualities of our culture? Our culture is truly based on love and not hatred. It is a nascent, uncontaminated strong surge of pure love from heart. It has immense energy to uplift the whole humanity.  Yes, our Scriptures are universal and they are inspirational across the globe for lasting peace and happiness of mankind.
The British Imperialism led by people like Macaulay tried to corrupt Bharat culturally, through their education system, but left behind a language that was enriched and exquisitely handled by Bharat’s own tongue. It gave wings to Swami Vivekananda, Rabindranath Tagore and Naipaul. Thus republic of Bharat is all absorbing, as it is deeply rooted in our culture.  It can absorb any amount of shocks, it will again bounce back.
When Parsees and Jews lost their nation, and became despondent in many countries, Bharat received them with open heart, gave them shelter. Today they enjoy stability, peace and happiness and stand one with us. But it is a paradox that Muslims continue to be defiant.
Muslims in Bharat – a paradox
Historically the Muslim leaders in Bharat never tried to comprehend national realities that could help see their futures in togetherness with country’s mainstream. Islam spread in Bharat under Muslim invasion, through onslaughts on Hindus and Hindu temples and through forceful conversion. It was effectively restricted by many Hindu kings. Later under British rule Muslims considered themselves as minorities.
Though Muslims knew that at a point of time, under historic compulsion, the Mughal invaders changed their religion by force and latter through the country repulsed  and dethroned the Mughals, they continued their allegiance to those handful of Mughals; forgetting their parentage and centuries old ancestry and love for motherland that provides them bread and butter. Those are inseparable realities, which could help Muslims see their future in togetherness. Hamid Dalwai, the noted Muslims reformist thinker, who pondered deeply over the need for democratic policies for Bharatiya Muslims says, Muslim leaders failed to align fully with Hindus during freedom movement and rather they initiated policies of separation. The British through their divide and rule policy damaged Hindu–Muslim relation resulting in Partition. Their separatist thinking bolstered in post-Independent period resulting in many riots. Secularism, a new word added in our Constitution, in now used as a bunch of ideas to keep Muslims away from country’s mainstream. The Muslims also see the Constitution, as an agreement to put up their stay in independent Bharat as minorities along with mainstream. This thinking, with secularism, nourished historical separation.  In our democracy, under the opportunistic political process of forming governments, political parties started appeasing Muslims. To further their vote bank policies, secularism became a political tool. They addressed secularism where even Hindus should not talk about their culture and tradition that unifies the nation. If they do so they are branded as communal. By these political processes, in the long drawn separation, Muslims failed to see their roots in Bharatiya soil. Their claim for special status and privileges as minorities prevented them from becoming full citizens in a thriving democracy.
There is famous story of a lame and blind man. The lame man asks the blind that he will sit on his shoulders and show him the path. The blind man, who cannot see the path, agreed to carry the lame and move forward to make a living. In the same way, in our secularism, the minorities who refuse to see their footings in our soil, want to sit over the shoulders of majorities and want to realise their own dreams. The majority too, keeping their eyes closed to their national realities, agreed to carry the unnecessary burden. This is our present condition of secularism in Bharat. In the long run will it not destabilise our country?
As Bharat’s republic still searches for maturity, the mainstream too especially the modern educated citizens also should see their identity, their roots in their own country. Thereby they get their grip to help Muslims to end our separations and see reasons. As we all know, there cannot be further partition, Muslims must understand their national realities and end their egoistic separation. They should pick up their antecedents in Bharatiya soil and try for national harmony, just as the Syrian Christians did in Kerala. They must understand the soul of Bharat’s republic is love and not hatred. Mere change of faith need not alienate them from their motherland, or accepting Bharat as their motherland in no way deters their faith. Bharat upholds ‘Sarva Dharma Sama Bhav’, signifies - ‘Treat all religions with equal respect’. This is Bharat’s secularism, discovered thousands of years back. And till today Bharat has lived up to it. Because of this our republic has embraced all diversities. Bharat is a great country, and every Bharatiya should be proud of this uniqueness. In affirmation, our former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi said Bharat’s Tradition is eight thousand years old.  In the same vein, when asked by young school students, why Bharat should spend so much to go nuclear, when country is reeling under poverty, our farmer president Dr Abdul Kalam, a Muslim by birth, the scientist behind Pokhran test, replied; ‘Bharat is poor because we failed to safe guard our frontiers for three thousand years ‘These are golden words to be chipped in every text book.
A Lasting Remedy
Nehruvian secularism is a western idea born out of battles between church and state in Europe. In Bharat we never had such a dirty history.  Just as Satyameva Jeyate, Serva Dharma Samabhav should be adopted as Bharat’s secularism by Parliament. This will put an end to communal politics in Bharat. This motto should be written in golden letters in both houses of Parliament, state assemblies and other Government offices. Our politicians have spoiled our democracy. We should convert their crocked mind to conscious mind and refine our democracy. Our modern youths, who don’t see the values of our culture that holds humanities together must be educated. BJP wants to uphold these Bharat’s cultural values and hold all its citizens and strive together to remove poverty and miseries. As BJP has mentioned ‘Hinduthwa’, it means as a political party, it gives importance to our rich culture and true secularism, as Hinduism stands for and wants to strive an inclusive approach in solving Bharat’s problems. Narendra Modi’s Patna speech, soon after the bomb blast in the venue, touched the very crux of problem. He asked the two communities to choose; they could either fight each other or together they could confront that shaming course called poverty. MJ Akbar, who recently joined BJP, addresses this very point of historical separation. How long this can continue? He asks? Our republic needs a proper direction. For that it should listen to its inner voice, firm its roots in its national ethos, gain grip and grow like a strong banyan where all can take shelter and live happily.
Bharatiya Muslims should also watch the developments taking place in our neighbouring states. In Pakistan, a similar situation exists, but at an advanced stage. When they declared Pakistan as an Islamic state, Muslims thought there will be stability and peace. But the fundamentalist and Muslim fanatics, through guns, are dictating every section of the society, the government journalist and civilians to bow to their dictates. Thus taking their country centuries back. Today the intelligentsia in Pakistan started feeling that by Islamisation, they have lost their national base, and it is time to find their roots.  Some in Government want to find the same in Indus Valley Civilizations and take pride in the findings of Mohan-jo-daro and Harappa, now in their side.
In East Pakistan the same unstable situation led to their departure from the West Pakistan. They established Bangladesh, by re-embracing Bengali culture and language. They have come half way in search of stability and peace. They even adopted Rabindranath Tagore ‘Hamar Sonar Bangla’ as their national anthem and want to be friendly with us.
Thus mere change of faith or division of of a nation on religious lines in no answer to religious sentiments. Maharishi  Aurobindo saw Pakistan as an unstable state and the formation of Bangladesh, a first step towards stability. In the same perspective, in the long run, a loose  understanding of Unified Bharat, is in the vision, through the inclusive all embracing philosophy of Bharat; may be the dream of Akhand Bharat getting realised; where everyone, the Hindu, Muslims, Parsees, Christians can seek their destiny together. There will be no Kashmir problem or export of terrorism and real issues like poverty, education and development can be addressed. (Organiser Weekly, May 4, 2014) --top