\SAMVAD संवाद

श्री  विश्व निकेतन SHRI VISHWA NIKETAN

Chaitra Krishna 7, Vik. Samvat 2076, Yugabda 5121:16 March, 2020: SM 1924 (For Private Circulation Only)


We wish all the readers and their families a very happy and prosperous New Year Yugabda 5122 Sharvari Samvatsar.

1. FESTIVALS: Attukal Pongal

2. EXPERIENCING THE ESSENCE OF AYODHYA

3. SURYA NAMAKSAR YAGYA (SNY) AT ATLANTA GEORGIA AND PROCLAMATION BY DUNWOODY CITY MAYOR

4. HINDUTVA IS A GREAT CIVILIZATION : JUSTICE THOMAS

5. BHAGEERATHI AMMA AND KARTHYAYANI AMMA GET NARI SHAKTI PURASKAR

6. RSS EXEMPLIFIES HOW AN INSTITUTION IS BUILT, NURTURED AND EXPANDED

7. ANCIENT TEMPLE SITES ON SRIRANGAM ISLAND

8. SEWA INTERNATIONAL ADVISOR RECEIVES PADMABHUSHAN

9. 4TH NEW ZEALAND HINDU YOUTH CONFERENCE

10. STATUE OF MORARJI DESAI IN VALSAD

11. SHRI VISHWA NIKETAN

FOOD FOR THOUGHT

Aricle: CAA IS NECESSARY


1. FESTIVALS: Attukal Pongal: Lakhs of devotees took part in ‘Attukal Pongala': In Kerala, lakhs of women took part in the famous “Attukal Pongala,” one of the largest religious festivals of women, on 9th March. Devotees from the State and outside, converged in temple grounds, roads and bylines across the capital city and prepared 'pongala', a sweet offering, on makeshift brick stoves. Preparing 'pongala' (sweet offering) is considered an auspicious all-women ritual as part of the annual festival of the Attukal Bhahavathy Temple in Thiruvananthapuram, popularly known as the “Women's Sabarimala.” In Thiruvananthapuram, the main hub for Attukal Pongala festivity and rituals, women from neighbouring states also participated. It's also a big draw for tourists. -GoTop

2. EXPERIENCING THE ESSENCE OF AYODHYA : “Ayodhya is significant for all kind of worships. It is not only the birthplace of Shri Ram, it is also the birthplace of five Jain Theerhankars as well. Guru Nanak Dev and Guru Govind Singh also stayed in Ayodhya”, said Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) Sahsarkaryavah Dr Krishna Gopal on the second day of the Ayodhya Parva on 29th February at Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts (IGNCA) Delhi. Chairman of IGNCA Ram Bahadur Rai, social activist Nand Kumar Garg, MP from Ayodhya Lallu Singh were also present at the program.
The second edition of Ayodhya Parva was inaugurated on February 28 in the presence of Chairman of Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust Mahant Nriyta Gopal Das, Ramayana scholar Vijay Kaushal Maharaj, RSS Sahsarkaryavah Dattatreya Hosabale, General Secretary of Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust Champat Rai and scores of eminent personalities.
Mahant Nritya Gopal Das described Ayodhya Parva as a great initiative. “We are organizing this event to remember Shri Ram and His significance in the historical, cultural and spiritual evolution of our great civilization,” he said.
The mega exhibition, organized as part of Ayodhya Parva, showcased over 150 sites around Ayodhya. A book ‘Aho Ayodhya’ was also released on the occasion.
Through this cultural event, the people experienced the real essence of the holy city. The festival also had series of performances from eminent artists including singer Malini Awasthi, Kathak Dancer Anu Sinha and presentations from Awadhi folk dancers and singers. The Ayodhya Parva hosted a series of seminars and discussions on various aspects of Ayodhya and its contemporary relevance. -GoTop

3. SURYA NAMAKSAR YAGYA (SNY) AT ATLANTA GEORGIA AND PROCLAMATION BY DUNWOODY CITY MAYOR : Mayor Lynn P. Deutch, of the city Dunwoody, Georgia issued a proclamation in recognition of Surya Namaskar Awareness period January 18 to February 2, 2020. He proclaimed the period “Health for Humanity Yogathon”.
In Georgia, four separate events were held in different parts of the state. The 24-hour SNY marathon was the highlight event where over 90 participants came together to perform over 13000 Surya Namaskar in 24 hours. A three-hour SNY marathon for the Yuva of the midtown Atlanta area was held at Georgia Institute of Technology. “The Kishore and Kishoris of Georgia vibhag eagerly volunteered to perform the Surya Namaskars overnight to keep the marathon going while the elderly performed Surya Namaskar during the day time,” said Suprabha Satyanarayana, GA coordinator, Hindu Swayamsevak Sangh (HSS) USA. The Student Center Ballroom at GA Tech had 17 participants who performed over 2300 Surya Namaskars, which was in conjunction with the 24-hour marathon at Smyrna. A couple of participants performed over 250 Surya Namaskars in the allotted 3 hours setting an event record. At the Outreach event at the Ultimate Karate Fitness, Marietta 19 participants performed 95 Surya Namaskars.
A total of 55 Participants comprised of students from and staff of Balvihar, Vishwa Hindu Parisad, Cobb Chapter, performed 165 Surya Namaskars completing the four events in Georgia. Over the period of two weeks Georgia vibhag participants performed over 25000 Surya Namaskar which was tracked using the SNY web application. The proclamation by the Mayor thanked HSS for its outstanding job with helping to preserve and promote the ancient heritage and cultural values around the world.-GoTop


4. HINDUTVA IS A GREAT CIVILIZATION : JUSTICE THOMAS : Hindutva is a great civilization that has survived the test of time, said former Supreme Court judge Justice K T Thomas. “Hindutva has proved that it is relevant in changing times,” he said. He was speaking at the launch of ‘Hindutva for the Changing Times’ at the Press Club, Kottayam in Kerala on February 28. The book is written by Prajna Pravah national convenor J Nandakumar.
“No law-abiding Indian citizen can oppose to Hindutva for it was approved by Supreme Court as the very content and value system of Bharat. Meaning of 'Hind' in the slogan Jai Hind raised by the national leaders including Jawaharlal Nehru was nothing but Hindutva,” Justice KT Thomas added.
Former vice-chancellor of Mahatma Gandhi University Dr Cyriac Thomas received a copy of the book from Justice K T Thomas. Bharatiya Vichara Kendram vice-president Prof. C I Isaac introduced the book to the audience. The programme, presided over by Prof P Madhavan Pillai, was attended by several luminaries from different walks of life. -GoTop

5. BHAGEERATHI AMMA AND KARTHYAYANI AMMA GET NARI SHAKTI PURASKAR: 106-year-old Bhageerathi Amma and 98-year-old Karthyayani Amma have been selected for this year’s Nari Shakti Puraskar. The nation's highest civilian award for recognizing the achievements and contributions of women, instituted in the year 1999 by the Ministry of Women and Child Development, is given in six institutional categories and two individual categories.
Bhageerathi Amma, a native of Kollam district of Kerala, had cleared the 4th level equivalency exam in 2019. As a rare honour for her stupendous achievement, Bhageerathi Amma had found a special mention in Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Mann Ki Baat programme in February 2020. Karthyayani Amma, who lives in Alappuzha district of Kerala, Bhageerathi Amma’s fellow learner, also bagged this year’s Nari Shakti Puraskar. She scored 98 out of 100 in the final examination, securing the first rank!
Addressing the 9th Episode of ‘Mann Ki Baat 2.0’, Pradhan Mantri Narendra Modi narrated the inspiring story of 105-year-old Bhagirathi Amma. She lost her mother and husband at a very young age. She restarted her school education at the age of 105! She started studying again! In spite of her advanced age, Bhagirathi Amma wrote her level 4 exam and then eagerly awaited her results. She scored 75 per cent in her exams and wants to continue her education. He said that people like Bhagirathi Amma are the strength of this country; a great source of inspiration for all of us.
Born in Kollam, in Kerala, Bhageerathi has six children and 16 grandchildren. She is now living a happy life with her fifth-generation descendants. Representatives of the Common Wealth had visited her house and honoured her. Her dream is to pass the 10th level examination.
Karthyayani Amma never attended school when she was young. She earned a livelihood as a cleaning employee in temples. She was married at 30, widowed early, and raised six children. Karthyayani Amma enrolled for studies in January 2018 after taking inspiration from her 60-year-old daughter Ammini Amma who recently passed a literacy mission course. Karthyayani Amma now aims at clearing the Class 10 equivalency examinations. She also aspires to acquire computer skills.
The two women from Kerala were also selected as the Commonwealth of Learning Goodwill Ambassadors. The award will be presented by Rashtrapati Ram Nath Kovind at a function organised by the Ministry of Women and Child Development on the International Women's Day. The award carries a cash prize of rupees one lakh (INR 100,000) and a citation. ( www.organiser.org) March 5, 2020 ) -GoTop

6. RSS EXEMPLIFIES HOW AN INSTITUTION IS BUILT, NURTURED AND EXPANDED: Almost 60 years ago, in 1961, my uncle Shashikant Chauthaiwale, after completion of his M.Sc. in Statistics from Nagpur University, decided to devote his life to the country as a Pracharak of RSS. He was sent to Assam immediately and since then he has become native of Assam. As a cancer survivor for the last 10 years, he is currently living in Silchar (Assam). As he has now some spare time, he was encouraged by others to write his experiences as Sangh Pracharak in Assam, the result of which is a publication of a book titled "Meri Prachaarak Yaatra" which was released on 26th February in Silchar.
Written in Hindi, this book is a personal narration of experiences, contemporary events and about the hundreds of people he met and worked with -- he must have mentioned more than 100 names in this 132-page book. There is no dramatization, no complaints or over-celebration, no self-compliments, not a word of criticism or negative comments about anyone he has interacted with, and of course, no regrets. He has no existence beyond Sangh. He winds up the description of the lives of his all eight siblings in a few paragraphs, mentioning that he could not be present during their last rites, except one.
Even today, with good air connectivity, someone in Delhi will think twice before going to Assam. Imagine 1961 when it used to take 38 hours from Kolkata to reach Guwahati. It was just a beginning of hardships of Pracharak life, that too in Assam. He reached Nougaon soon after riots between Assamese speaking and Bangla speaking natives. Later on, refugees during 1962 China aggression, emergency and ban on RSS in 1975, Assam agitation in the 1980s, communal riots are other challenging times to mention a few.
His formative years as Pracharak were under the leadership of then RSS Sar Sanghchalak Golwalkar “Guruji”. Naturally, he is referred to in this book multiple times. Two stories in this context are worth mentioning. During their meeting soon after his arrival in Assam, Golwalkar jokingly asked him if he had started eating fish. He answered in negative. Golwalkar responded by saying, “In Maharashtra, if we eat fish, it would be considered a big sin. In Assam, they think if one does not eat fish, he will be weak and sick. Both are wrong. The day you will naturally feel like eating fish, you can”.
In 1965, Golwalkar and Pejawar Swami Vishveshteerth were present in a conclave of tribals at Jorhat. At last minute, few disciples of Swami ji, without his knowledge, declared that Swamiji would not attend the conclave as the tribals are beef eaters. In response, Golwalkar argued, “Yes, they do eat beef. But they do it out of compulsion as no alternative is available. And when is the last time we have approached them? We were busy all the time in performing rituals, sitting in a glass house”. When Swamiji came to know about this discussion, he overruled his disciples and joined the conclave.
Yet another incident involving tribal children is equally insightful. In a hostel for tribal students (launched by VHP), only vegetarian food was being served. So frustrated were students for not having meat, they killed a cat, cooked and ate it, all without knowledge of the administrator. When it came to light, it was decided to serve non-veg food once a week. Commuting in the North East was never an easy affair. This book narrates several instances of him and other senior leaders of Sangh traveling in unreserved compartments of train, buses, on foot for several kilometers. Sangh in the North East was always under financial stress. There are so many instances in this book on how these difficulties were overcome with the help of local residents, hard work of Swayamsevaks, and novel frugal solutions for resource management.

In the North East, several Sangh workers were killed by various extremist elements over the decades. Three Pracharaks originally from Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra and Kerala were killed. Several local workers too succumbed to terrorist attacks. In 1999, four senior workers of RSS were kidnapped in Tripura and after several months, they were declared dead by the government.
In spite of these tragedies and hardships, this book is an account of how a team of highly motivated and dedicated workers can overcome all these difficulties with smiling faces. Pracharaks, who devote their entire lives to the cause, are, of course, an integral part of this journey. But equally or more important are others who manage their family responsibilities and contribute to the work. This book is full of stories of several such workers, from someone who exchanged his new bicycle (without knowledge of spouse) with old one of Pracharak, to others who donated his living house for Sangh Karyalaya or for a hostel for tribal students. It is also a vivid account of how massive mass mobilization in favour of national integrity was carried out multiple times. It also depicts how small seeds sowed several decades ago by visionary leaders have shown results today (for example, the union for tea garden workers).
This long journey also has several instances of celebrations and laughter. Once, after a long walk in severe cold, when he and his colleagues reached army base and asked for water, an army Jawan instead offered rum to keep them warm (which was politely declined). In other instance, then RSS General Secretary H V Seshadri was so keen to watch “Ramayan” serial on DD that he entered a small house of an unknown family in a remote village (by looking at TV antenna on roof-top) and watched the episode.
In less than five years, RSS will celebrate it’s centenary. One may or may not agree with RSS ideology, but no one can deny that this living organization is a unique case of how an institution is built, nurtured, expanded, remained uncompromised on core issues, values and shows enough flexibility on other issues. It is also a touching human story of millions of workers, about whom ex-RSS Chief Deoras described as “workers whom even God will be envy of”. While complete dedication and commitment are the hallmarks of these workers, little known third characteristics are “facelessness”. This book, therefore, is not only a story of my uncle, but also it’s a tribute to all those faceless individuals.
(Vijay Chauthaiwale, in-charge of the BJP’s ­foreign affair’s department, writes about 'Meri Prachaarak Yaatra' -- a book written by his uncle Shashikant Chauthaiwale. Views expressed are personal. Www.outlook.com, March 9, 2020) -GoTop

7. ANCIENT TEMPLE SITES ON SRIRANGAM ISLAND: Srirangam Island, at the confluence of the Kaveri and Kollidam rivers in Tamil Nadu, is home to a 2,000-year-old temple complex, major parts of which are still in use today. However, much of the complex is hidden or damaged. Many older sections are buried under sediment as a result of centuries of flooding, and the complex was ransacked in the fourteenth century by the Muslim general Ulugh Khan. Recent excavations at the site, guided by geologists with knowledge of flood sediment layers, have begun to reveal what was presumed to have been lost. Researchers including geologist Mu Ramkumar of Periyar University have uncovered parts of the temple destroyed by Ulugh Khan and unearthed artifacts such as pendant lamps and statues of the deity Gopalakrishnan with his consorts. Using geophysical surveying techniques, they have also identified what they believe to be the tomb of religious scholar and teacher Sri Manavala Mamunigal, who restored the temple complex in the fifteenth century. -GoTop


8. SEWA INTERNATIONAL ADVISOR RECEIVES PADMABHUSHAN : Dr. Jagdish Sheth, Sewa International advisor and Atlanta based professor, was conferred the Padma Bhushan, for literature and education, on January 26, 2020.
Dr. Sheth has taught and done research at the University of Southern California, University of Illinois, Columbia University, MIT, and Emory University. Professor Sheth is a the recipient of all four top awards given by the American Marketing Association: the Richard D. Irwin Distinguished Marketing Educator Award, the Charles Coolidge Parlin Award, the P.D. Converse Award for outstanding contributions to theory in marketing, and the William Wilkie Award for marketing for a better society. Dr. Sheth has also received over more than 30 awards as an expert in the field of marketing, consumer behavior, and emerging markets.
Dr. Sheth and his wife, Madhuri, are also well-known philanthropists. Through the Madhuri and Jagdish Sheth Foundation and the Sheth Family Foundation, they have given generously, both in terms of financial aid and advice, to over 50 community, academic, and healthcare organizations in Atlanta and around the world. Among those owing their gratitude is Sewa International, and it was no coincidence that Jagadish and Madhuri Sheth were honored with the “Outstanding Community Services” award at the Sewa International Atlanta Chapter Fundraiser the year before. -GoTop

9. 4TH NEW ZEALAND HINDU YOUTH CONFERENCE : The one day conference was hosted by Hindu Youth New Zealand (HYNZ) and New Zealand Hindu Students forum (NZHSF) on 29th February at KPMG, Auckland. The conference had more than 120 delegates from around the World, including Fiji, Australia, Malaysia and Bharat. The conference welcomed young people of all ethnicities, backgrounds, and affiliations providing the opportunity for important discussions and networking opportunities with various young leaders.
The Minister for Ethnic Communities, Hon. Jenny Salesa inaugurated the event, which was also attended by the Race Relations Commissioner Meng Foon and National MP Kanwaljit Singh Bakshi who all addressed the young delegation. Both the Minister for Ethnic Communities and Race Relations Commissioner acknowledged the participation and contribution of Hindu Youth to New Zealand.
“There are now about 123,500 Hindus in Aotearoa New Zealand, and you are the second largest, but fastest growing community, ” said Hon’able Salesa speaking at the occasion. Minister Salesa further went on to acknowledge the participation of Hindu youth in medicine and technology as well as in a range of different workplaces throughout the country. She also encouraged young Hindus to participate in politics and state sector boards whilst opening her doors for offering mentorships and pathways for young people interested in this sector. The conference had lined up five separate panels with international guest speakers throughout the day on key topics including economy, education, politics, media, human rights etc. -GoTop


10. STATUE OF MORARJI DESAI IN VALSAD: Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani unveiled a statue of former Pradhan Mantri minister Morarji Desai on the occasion of his 125th birth anniversary at his birthplace at Bhadeli village in Valsad district on 29th February. “Gujarat is lucky to have given two great leaders to the country who also became the Pradhan Mantris - Morarji Desai and Narendra Modi,” said Rupani.
The chief minister, along with others also visited a photo gallery featuring pictures of Desai and the school where he did his primary education. -GoTop

11. SHRI VISHWA NIKETAN:Pravas: Saumitra Gokhale , samyojak Vishwa Vibhag reached Bharat for Pratinidhi Sabha baithak from Australia. Dr Ram Vaidya, sahsamyojak reached Bharat from Mauritius and Reunion Islands. Visitors: Satish Rai—Australia, Ripudaman—USA

FOOD FOR THOUGHT: The degree of freedom from unwanted thoughts and the degree of concentration on a single thought are the measures to gauge spiritual progress. —Ramana Maharshi -GoTop

JAI SHREE RAM

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CAA IS NECESSARY
Why the many arguments about its being unconstitutional don’t hold water
Harish Salve

The controversy over the Citizenship (Amendment) Act appears to simmer – and of late has led to communal riots. I have failed hopelessly to comprehend what the controversy is all about.
Illegal migrants are deported under the Foreigners Act 1946 and the Citizenship Act 1955. The procedure to identify illegal migrants in the Northeast was criticised and for good reason. But the law that requires Muslim migrants from Pakistan and Bangladesh to be deported is the law of 1946 and 1955. If the CAA goes away, Muslims from Bangladesh (and elsewhere) who are illegal migrants would be liable to be deported as would illegal migrants who are Sikh, Buddhist or Christian.
The citizenship of a country is presently based on similar principles followed in almost all countries governed by the rule of law. Citizenship is acquired by birth, descent, naturalisation or by acquisition of territories. Those who seek to enter a country without its permission are illegal migrants and are liable to be deported.
The demographic consequences of the Bangladesh war in the Northeast, leading up to the Assam Accord, resulted in enactment of the Illegal Migrants (Determination by Tribunals) Act – which made it practically impossible to identify and remove illegal migrants. This law was successfully challenged by those who claimed that it was a betrayal of the Assam Accord – the Supreme Court in Sonowal’s case, taking the government to task for its failure to identify and deport illegal migrants – it is in this case that the idea of a detention centre was mooted.
The Citizenship (Amendment) Bill 2016 was introduced in the Lok Sabha on 19 July 2016 and was referred to a joint committee of both Houses of Parliament, which presented its report on 4 January 2019, recommending the bill.
The Rules framed in 2003 provided for the creation of a national register of Indian citizens, to be written up after carrying out throughout the country a house-to-house enumeration and in which doubtful cases were to be noted separately for further enquiry. These Rules have been in place for the last 16 years but are yet to be operationalised.
I fail to understand how a law which is designed to confer the benefit on an identified class of persons, and which identification is based on a rational criterion, can be condemned as being discriminatory on the ground that the legislation could have created a wider class, arrived at by applying a broader criterion for identifying the class of those who would benefit by the legislation.
The principle of equality does not mean that every law must have universal application. The principle of equality does not take away from the state the power of making classifications. f a law deals equally with members of a defined class, it is not open to the charge of denial of equal protection on the ground that it has no application to other persons.

The Supreme Court has repeatedly held the court cannot interfere simply because other methods are also possible, even if the court thinks that they are better for India and the government must be left to determine which of many possible schemes is the best.
CAA’s avowed objective is to enable conferment of Indian citizenship upon members of minority communities who hail from Afghanistan, Bangladesh and Pakistan. Do we really need proof that minorities are persecuted in these Islamic republics? How can Parliament be faulted for coming to a conclusion that such minorities in the three named neighbours need to be protected?
Classification on the basis of religion is not per se unconstitutional – it is worth reminding ourselves that our Constitution confers special rights upon members of minority religious communities in India. If the law was broader and allowed members of all religious communities from Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan to migrate into India, we could as well do away with our borders.
An even more tenuous argument is finding discrimination as the law does not extend to every citizen of every country (or some countries) who has suffered religious persecution. The boldest lawyers have not gathered courage to advance any such argument – their disadvantage of course was that they were not TV anchors or enlightened members of civil society protesting on the streets.
The loudest criticism relates to the supposed intention of the government to throw all Muslims out of India. There is no law, rule or notification published – or even a draft circulated – that would suggest that the government has any such intent. The Prime Minister has denied it. If any procedure put in place requires Muslims alone all over India to prove their citizenship in a manner more onerous than that applicable to any other community, such a procedure would be unconstitutional.
Taking special measures to address demographic distortions caused by the Bangladesh conflict in defined geographic areas would be a class apart and to suggest that these measures could be made the template for the rest of India shows ignorance of the basics of the rule of law.
Polarisation between castes and religions is as old at least as the notion of modern India. I also find a growing polarisation between those who have enjoyed the perquisites of power over decades and between those who have replaced them. Add to this mix the fact that certain ideologies which are but dust on the bookshelves of political history in the countries of their origin continue to be romanced by intellectuals, some of whom dominate civil society and civil discourse. All this creates a fertile ground for protests and aggressive debates – and when it comes to romanticising such movements, perhaps the feeling is why let the truth spoil a good story!
— The writer is a senior advocate at Supreme Court and Queen’s Counsel for the courts of England and Wales., Times of India Edit Page 5th March 2020 ) -GoTop


SHRI VISHWA NIKETAN vishwav@bol.net.in http://shrivishwaniketan.blogspot.com



\SAMVAD  श्री विश्व निकेतन SHRI VISHWA NIKETAN

Phalgun Shukla 6, Vik. Samvat 2076 Yugabda 5121: 1March 2020

1. FESTIVALS: VARSHA PRATIPADA 2. MAHA SHIVARATRI CELEBRATED WITH TRADITIONAL FERVOR, GAIETY IN SRI LANKA
3. SRI RAM MANDIR : MAHANT NRITYA GOPAL DAS ELECTED AS PRESIDENT AND CHAMPAT RAI AS GENERAL SECRETARY 4. RADICALISM DISTURBING WORLD PEACE, ONLY BHARAT HAS SOLUTION: SHRI MOHAN BHAGWAT
5. RSS ORGANISES UNIQUE ' MAHAKUMBH' IN AYODHYA 6. IDSA RENAMED AFTER MANOHAR PARRIKAR
7. PM MODI INAUGURATES ONE OF THE BIGGEST MEGA-KITCHENS IN BHARAT 8. YOGA NOT RELIGION, BUT SCIENCE
9. DEMOCRACY BEST FORM OF GOVT: BHAYYAJI 10. OVER 90 LAKH PEOPLE IN BHARAT LEARNT SANSKRIT
11. BHARAT CANNOT BE UNDERSTOOD THROUGH FOREIGN EYES 12. CELEBRATING ‘SHAKTI’
13. EKAL PARIVARTAN KUMBH 14. WORLD'S FIRST YOGA UNIVERSITY OUTSIDE BHARAT TO START CLASSES IN THE US LATER THIS YEAR
15. YOGA: THE DAWN OF A NEW AGE IN TRINIDAD 16. PIO RISHI SUNAK NAMED NEW FINANCE MINISTER OF UK
17. TAMIL TEMPLE BEGUN IN WEST JAKARTA AFTER 60 YEARS 18. THOUSANDS OF JAPANESE MAKING A SMOOTH TRANSITION FROM ZEN TO JAIN
19. FIIDS EVENT AT VIRGINIA- HOW TO COUNTER ANTI GOI POLICIES (CAA/NRC, ARTICLE 370) 20. JUDGE SRI SRINIVASAN BECOMES FIRST PIO TO LEAD FEDERAL CIRCUIT COURT
21. OBITUARY  22. SHRI VISHWA NIKETAN & FOOD FOR THOUGHT:
Article:

PADMA SHRI S RAMAKRISHNAN AND AMAR SEVA SANGAM DIVINE INTERVENTION FOR DIVYANGS

 

1. FESTIVALS: VARSHA PRATIPADA: Yugadi Chaitra Shukla Pratham - Vikram Samvat 2077 –Sharvari Namsamvatsar -Yugabada 5122 starts on 25th March this year. The first day of the year according to the National Calendar of Bharat recalls the inspiring occasion when the invading Shakas—the barbaric hordes from Central Asia descending on Bharat like locusts during the first century AD, were vanquished by the great emperors Shalivahana and Vikramaditya. The day falls in the middle of spring – Vasanta Ritu – when the Goddess of Nature gets bedecked as a divine bride. The day is celebrated as Varsh Pratipada, Ugadi, Gudi Padwa, Navreh etc. in different parts of Bharat.
As a happy and meaningful coincidence, Dr. Keshav Baliram Hedgewar, the great founder of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) was born on this very day of Yugadi (of 1889). RSS shakhas begin with Adya Sarasanghachalak Pranam on this day before Dhwajarohana. -GoTop

2. MAHA SHIVARATRI CELEBRATED WITH TRADITIONAL FERVOR, GAIETY IN SRI LANKA: In Sri Lanka, the festival of Maha Shivaratri was celebrated by Hindus on February 21 with traditional fervor and gaiety. People were seen queuing up outside temples to offer their prayers and rituals to Lord Shiva. There are five Shiva temples in different parts of the country which are associated with the Ramayana period and these temples are attractions of thousands of devotees. Government and business offices observe the holiday on the occasion. -GoTop

3. SRI RAM MANDIR : MAHANT NRITYA GOPAL DAS ELECTED AS PRESIDENT AND CHAMPAT RAI AS GENERAL SECRETARY :
Mahant Nritya Gopal Das was elected President and Vishwa Hindu Parishad’s Champat Rai as General Secretary of the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Tirtha Kshetra Trust at its first meeting in New Delhi on February 20. The meeting, held at the residence of senior lawyer K Parasaran, also elected Pradhan Mantri Modi’s former principal secretary Nripendra Misra as the head of the temple construction committee of the trust. It was also decided to open an account in Ayodhya’s State Bank of India branch for donations for the Ram temple construction. Swami Govind Dev Giri of Pune was appointed as treasurer of the trust. The Trust has seven members, five nominated members and three trustees. -GoTop

4. RADICALISM DISTURBING WORLD PEACE, ONLY BHARAT HAS SOLUTION: SHRI MOHAN BHAGWAT: Problems such as radicalism and climate change are disturbing peace across the world and the solution is only with Bharat as it has got the experience to think holistically and address these issues, RSS Sarasanghachalak Mohan Bhagwat said in Ranchi on February 20 addressing the 'Metropolitan Meeting' there. Calling upon RSS members to connect with people irrespective of their caste, language, religion or region, Dr Bhagwat said that Bharat's characteristic is to fasten everyone with one thread on the principle of 'VasudhaivaKutumbakam' (the world is a family). "We believe that the world has made us and we have to give back to it and we look at the world with gratitude," Shri Bhagwat added. -GoTop

5. RSS ORGANISES UNIQUE ' MAHAKUMBH' IN AYODHYA : RSS for the first time organized a unique record-breaking event in Ayodhya where 101 Shakhas were conducted at the same time on the banks of the river Sarayu. Thousands of RSS Swayamsevaks were part of this mega event in Ayodhya. The 101-Shakha event was organized to showcase the importance of Shakha in nation building. The shakhas were conducted for one hour where the Swayamsevaks played traditional games, performed Yoga and exercises, and participated in intellectual discussions. Addressing the Swayamsevaks, Mithilesh Narayan, Bauddhik Pramukh of Eastern UP Region of RSS, said that the Swayamsevaks of the Sangh work with a common goal which is to attend shakha every day and take inspiration from the same Shakha and work for building a strong nation brick by brick. -GoTop

6. IDSA RENAMED AFTER MANOHAR PARRIKAR: The Union government has decided to rename well-known think tank Institute for Defence Studies and Analysis (IDSA) as ‘Manohar Parrikar Institute for Defence Studies and Analysis’.
“The decision has been taken to honour the commitment and legacy of the late Manohar Parrikar. It will align the vision and aspiration of the premier defense institute with the contribution of the former Defense Minister and Padma Bhushan awardee,” the Defence Ministry said in a statement on 18th February. -GoTop

7. PM MODI INAUGURATES ONE OF THE BIGGEST MEGA-KITCHENS IN BHARAT : Pradhan Mantri Narendra Modi inaugurated Shri Kashi Vishwanath Anna Kshetra alongwith multiple other projects in Varanasi on February 16. The kitchen has joined the list of mega-kitchens of Swarna Mandir, Shirdi Sai Trust, Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanam, Akshay Patra, etc. To begin with, Shri Kashi Vishwanath Anna Kshetra has a capacity to feed 5,000 devotees every day. -GoTop

8. YOGA NOT RELIGION, BUT SCIENCE : UpaRashtrapati M Venkaiah Naidu said that yoga is not a religion or a political activity, but a science and should be practised for the betterment of an individual. “The world needs more happiness and that is exactly what Lord Shiva teaches us. Adiyogi is the one who first transmitted the yogic science to humanity,” he said on February 21, speaking at the Mahashivaratri festival organized at Isha Yoga Centre at Coimbatore, where the 112 feet tall statue of Adiyogi formed the background. Adiyogi is an inspiration and representation of Yoga, which is not a belief, but a technology to transform oneself, UpaRashtrapatiji said. -GoTop

9. DEMOCRACY BEST FORM OF GOVT: BHAYYAJI : RSS Sarakaryavah Suresh 'Bhayyaji' Joshi said that although democracy has its flaws, it is the best form of government. He was speaking at the inauguration of a new building of a co-operative bank in Nagpur on February 21. “In our democracy, the government has huge powers and this power is created by the society. If we look at the ruling patterns across the world, democracy has the least number of flaws...It is not that democracy does not have flaws but it is the best system,” he said. “If the common man is awakened, then democracy also succeeds,” he added. “Constitution has given us rights, but the duties of the people have not been elaborated very well in this written Constitution,” he said. Leader of Opposition in Maharashtra Legislative Assembly, Devendra Fadnavis, was also present on the occasion. -GoTop

10. OVER 90 LAKH PEOPLE IN BHARAT LEARNT SANSKRIT: Rajata Mahotsava, a Silver jubilee event to commemorate 25 years of Samskrita monthly Sambhashana Sandesha’ published from Bengaluru was conducted on 15th February. Janardhan Hegde, Editor of the magazine spoke on how the idea of Samskrita language to be spoken by common people had to be initiated not merely by propagating that the language was easy to speak and understand but was in effectively reaching people’s hearts and convincing the ease in learning of the language by practice. Satyanarayana Bhat, Akhila Bharatiya Mantri of Samskrita Bharati said over 90 lakh people in Bharat have learnt Samskrita through various shibirs conducted by Samskrita Bharati. -GoTop

11. BHARAT CANNOT BE UNDERSTOOD THROUGH FOREIGN EYES : A three-day discussion on media, social media and films was organized by Prerna Media, an organization inspired by RSS ideals of Bharatiyata and its rejuvenation, and Gautam Buddha University (GBU) at Greater NOIDA on February 7-9. About a thousand participants from print and electronic media, media students and teachers, film personalities and writers deliberated on how best the media can be brought closer to Bharatiya culture. Inaugurating the discussion, RSS Akhil Bharatiya Prachar Pramukh Shri Arun Kumar asked the audience not to read Wikipedia and other foreign sources if they wanted to understand Bharat and its culture. These foreigners were themselves groping in the dark about Bharat. And they even have tried to malign Bharat.
GBU Vice Chancellor Prof. Bhagwati Prakash called for retention of elements of Bharatiya heritage in the field of mass communication. Chief editor Panchjanya Shri Hitesh Shankar recalled many illustrious journalists who worked during freedom movement to arouse the awareness of the nation to fearlessly face the colonialist tormentors. A highlight of the program was a festival of short films (of 2-10 minutes duration) on subjects like patriotism, Bharatiya culture, swachchhata, tree plantation, national reconstruction, great personalities of Bharatiya history etc. More than a hundred entries were received of which 3 were awarded cash prizes and citations. Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla advised the media to realize that in the interest of democracy, a free, fair and impartial media is indispensable. -GoTop

12. CELEBRATING ‘SHAKTI’ : Dedicated to the theme ‘Revering Womanhood’ the six-day 11th Hindu Spiritual and Service Fair (HSSF) was organized in Chennai from January 28 to February 3. This annual service fair is being organized for the last ten years and provides the Hindu spiritual and voluntary organizations all across the country to showcase their activities and exchange experience in different spheres of life. It had just 30 participants in 2009 and now more than 300 Hindu spiritual organizations and communities across 10 states participate in it. This year’s Fair was unique as it focused on the matrishakti with the theme ‘Revering Womanhood’. It was inaugurated by Mata Amritanandamayi. She stressed on gender equality. She said: “In Vedic and post-Vedic times, women were viewed with great respect and reverence.” -GoTop

13. EKAL PARIVARTAN KUMBH: With the call that ‘each one teach five persons’ and each village make at least three surrounding villages equally self-reliant and literate, 3 day Ekal Parivartan Kumbh-2020 began on February 17 at Lucknow.
Over a lakh persons from across the country and also over a dozen foreign countries including the US, Australia, New Zealand, Dubai, Nepal etc. joined the Parivartan Kumbh. Inaugurating the Swaraj Senani Sammelan noted saint Pujya Govinddev Giri Maharaj, Didi Maa Sadhvi Ritambhara and Pujya Balaknath Maharaj called upon the people to be the change agents in their villages and shun the mindset of depending upon governments agencies for everything. Founder member of Ekal Shri Shyam ji Gupt also shared the dais. -GoTop

14. WORLD'S FIRST YOGA UNIVERSITY OUTSIDE BHARAT TO START CLASSES IN THE US LATER THIS YEAR : Admissions for the post graduation course in the US along with research in the ancient Bharatiya practice will begin in April. The Vivekananda Yoga University (VAYU) has established its initial campus in Los Angeles with a budget of $5 million. Sree Sreenath, a Professor from Case Western University, has been named its president and Bharatiya yoga guru H R Nagendra as its chairman. The announcement by the university came within three months of receiving official recognition from the Bureau for Private Postsecondary Education, California to offer yoga-based higher education programs in November 2019.VAYU is said to be the brain child of Dr. Nagendra, a former scientist from NASA, who has been working on converting yoga into a socially relevant science for the last four decades. The university will help thousands of yoga teachers in the US whose yoga education was limited to 200 or 500 hours of certificate programs to progress further into university-based higher education, said Prem Bhandari, a member of the VAYU board of directors. -GoTop

15. YOGA: THE DAWN OF A NEW AGE IN TRINIDAD : The idea of yoga as a treatment modality is known in Trinidad & Tobago. In January, a local social workgroup called SEWA TT – a major stakeholder in social work began an initiative called ‘The Stop Diabetes Movement’ (SDM) in partnership with the Swami Vivekananda Yoga Anusandhana Samsthana (S-VYASA) university located in Bangalore, Bharat.
In collaboration with Shri Chinmay Supur (head of academic development and research at VYASA NorCal) , SEWA TT conducted a 9-day yoga workshop at the NCIC Nagar in Chaguanas. This workshop saw the training of 11 yoga instructors in the yoga protocols for chronic disease patients. This workshop was completed at the end of January and these very instructors will conduct a once-weekly yoga programme that will run for three months on three sample groups. These groups will be diabetics, pre-diabetics, and normal individuals. It is hoped that after 3 months, data would be available in a T&T population that supports yoga as an essential modality of treatment among chronic disease patients in T&T that yields better outcome. -GoTop

16. PIO RISHI SUNAK NAMED NEW FINANCE MINISTER OF UK :Bharatiya-origin politician Rishi Sunak was appointed as the U.K.’s new Finance Minister on February 13 by Prime Minister Boris Johnson in a Cabinet reshuffle. Sunak joins Home secretary Priti Patel on the top government bench as the Chancellor of the Exchequer. The 39-year-old is set to move into No. 11 Downing Street, next door to the Prime Minister’s Office as he takes charge of the second most important government position as the Finance Minister. The MP for Richmond in Yorkshire, married to Infosys Co-founder Narayana Murthy’s daughter Akshata, first entered the U.K. Parliament in 2015 and has fast risen up the Conservative Party ranks as a staunch Brexiteer who had backed Johnson’s strategy to leave the European Union (EU). The U.K.-born son of a pharmacist mother and a National Health Service (NHS) general practitioner (GP) father is an Oxford University and Stanford graduate. -GoTop

17. TAMIL TEMPLE BEGUN IN WEST JAKARTA AFTER 60 YEARS : Jakarta Governor Anies Baswedan, attended the laying of the first stone of a house of worship for Hindus, especially ethnic Tamils, who are on Jalan Bedugul, Kalideres, West Jakarta, on February 14. The event was attended by Bharatiya Ambassador to Indonesia, Pradeep Kumar Rawat, and various parties from the ranks of the DKI P rovincial Government and interfaith leaders."Our waiting is very long, we have been fighting for almost 60 years. Today, that (house of worship) was realized, " DPP Chairperson Gema Sadhama, AS Kobalen said with tears in his eyes. Anies then gave the highest appreciation to the Hindu Tamil community in Jakarta. "Earlier the speech from Kobalen told the process of waiting for the Hindu community to have a house of worship. And today, the wait got the answer. The next phase is to build ,” Anies said. -GoTop

18. THOUSANDS OF JAPANESE MAKING A SMOOTH TRANSITION FROM ZEN TO JAIN : Wrapped in white loin cloth, they chant the navkar mantra, follow dietary self-abnegation, wake up with the sun, consume only warm water, meditate for hours in derasars (Jain temple) and dine before the sunsets. Thousands of Japanese are turning to Jainism. Apart from living like astute Jains, their calendars are marked for an annual pilgrimage to Bharat where they spend weeks studying Jain script under the learned monks. The charming Naganoken town, home to the seventh century Zenko-ji temple with a hidden Buddha, sees hundreds of Japanese nationals travel to Palitana and Shankheswar to embrace Jainism every year. Just a month ago, 2,500 Japanese travelled to Tharad in Northern Gujarat and spent a week there with the disciples of Jayant Sensuriswarji Maharaj Saheb. The Japanese follow the eight-day holy festival of Paryushan too. -GoTop

19. FIIDS EVENT AT VIRGINIA- HOW TO COUNTER ANTI GOI POLICIES (CAA/NRC, ARTICLE 370) : On the background of debates around Bharat’s recently announced Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) and abolition of article 370 of Bharat’s constitution, Foundation for India and Indian Diaspora Studies (http://FIIDS-usa.org) hosted a panel discussion on the issues and the crucial role of Bharatiya Americans. The panel included Nissim Reuben (AJC), Senge Sering (Gilgit Baltistan Analyst), Sant Gupta (political analyst) , and Dr. Vijay Sazawal (ex-President of Indo American Kashmir Forum). The panel was moderated by Nar Koppula, a founding member of the Washington DC-based US-India Security Forum (USISF). Dr. Vijay Sazawal, a Kashmir born policy analyst observed that the constitutional provision under which Kashmir trifurcation was done, has been used by the Government of Bharat in past in the case of SC/ST provision and hence there is a precedent that will stand in any judicial scrutiny. A Gilgit-Baltistan activist Senge Sering stressed that Bharat not only has a legitimate right on the Gilgit-Baltistan region but also should protect the region being exploited by China under China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC). Bharat-born Nissim Reuben mentioned that Bharat is right on actions but short on building right perception.
In his closing comments, Khanderao Kand, the director of FIIDS, emphasized that the CAA should have been named as Neighbour Persecuted Religious Minority Refugee Act.  -GoTop

20. JUDGE SRI SRINIVASAN BECOMES FIRST PIO TO LEAD FEDERAL CIRCUIT COURT: Sri Srinivasan, a prominent Bharatiya-American judge, has created history by becoming the first person of Bharatiya descent to lead a powerful federal circuit court, considered next only to the US Supreme Court. Judge Srinivasan, 52, became the Chief Judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the DC Circuit. An Obama appointee who has already been considered for a Supreme Court seat twice, donned the mantle of the chief judge of the DC federal court circuit on February 12. Born in Chandigarh, and raised in Lawrence, Kansas, Sri Srinivasan received a B.A. from Stanford University, a J.D. from Stanford Law School, and an M.B.A. from the Stanford Graduate School of Business. -GoTop

21. OBITUARY: Shri Raghoonath Deeal ji who was Ma. Sanghachalak of HSS Mauritius passed away on 27th February morning and antim sanskars were held the same day afternoon. He was 71.
Deeal ji was among the first few swayamsevaks when Shri Madhavda Banhatti started sangh work in Mauritius and continued to work for a long time until a few years back when he became ill and almost confined to home. He was also well versed with Ramayan recitation, had given lectures and written several short plays.
Om Shantih Shantih Shantih -GoTop

22. SHRI VISHWA NIKETAN: Pravas: Saumitra Gokhale , samyojak Vishwa Vibhag will reach Bharat for Pratinidhi Sabha baithak from Australia. Dr Ram Vaidya, sahsamyojak will reach Bharat from Mauritius and Reunion Islands.


Food for Thought: Works are not done by merely having a desire. Even the Almighty had to take avatar and get work done through human power only. —Dr. Keshav Baliram Hedgewar.  -GoTop

JAI SHREE RAM

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PADMA SHRI S RAMAKRISHNAN AND AMAR SEVA SANGAM
DIVINE INTERVENTION FOR DIVYANGS

Hailing from Aayakudi, Tirunelveli, Shri S Ramakrishnan, son of Shri Sivasubramanian and Saraswathi Ammal, did his schooling at various Government schools from his hometown. During his engineering studies, he attended a selection interview for naval officers in Bangalore. In a physical test, he injured his neck following a fall and incurred cervical spine injury. He lost sensation and muscle power below his neck.
In the International Year of the Disabled, on June 15, 1981, Shri Ramakrishnan established an organization for persons with disabilities. In memory of his doctor late Retd. Air Marshal, Dr.Amarjit Singh Chahal, the organization was named as ‘Amar Seva Sangam’.
With the kind heart of well-wishers and divine blessings, Amar Seva Sangam came to public light with expansion. Famous writer Sivasankari brought the life story of Shri Ramakrishnan to the public society through her writings in Ananda Vikatan. In 1992, Shri Sankar Raman, a Chartered Accountant from Chennai affected by muscular dystrophy joined hands with Shri Ramakrishnan with a dream to build a ‘Valley for the Disabled’, where people with disabilities could be educated and empowered.
Smt. Sulochana Srinivasan from Mumbai helped ASSA through fundraising. Gerhard Fischer, German-India consulate general, visited ASSA and rendered his help in setting up a full-fledged physiotherapy centre. Another pillar of strength to Amar Seva Sangam is Mrs. Sulochana Krishnamurthy, President of Handi-Care International, Canada, a Canadian disability charity in fundraising and knowledge sharing.The funds are used for a wide variety of activities of the Sangam. Starting from a donation of Rs.6 lakhs in 1992, she has been gradually increasing her support year by year and during the year 2018-19 she raised an amount of Rs.112.60 lakhs for ASSA. The total contributions From Handi-Care International up to March 31, 2019 is Rs.635.03 lakhs. She also arranges placement of volunteers from various universities of Canada to visit and render their services to the Sangam.
S Ramakrishnan Amar Seva
Dr. Dinesh Krishna, who is based out of Canada is an assistant professor at the University of Toronto and an award-winning educator. He is a physician in Canada with a clinical focus on emergency medicine and rehabilitation medicine. He is also the Director of Handi-Care Intl. Dr. Krishna who is a consultant Rehabilitation Director at Amar Seva Sangam helped conceptualize the mobile Village Based – Early Intervention (mVBRI-EI) program in 2014 and has been instrumental in obtaining funding and providing support for communications, monitoring, evaluation and research and scale-up for this program. He was recently awarded the prestigious MIT (Massachusetts Institute of Technology) Solver Award.
Looking at the resounding success of the pilot project: “mobile based Village Based Rehabilitation Initiative”, the Canadian donor, Grand Challenges Canada, through the concerted efforts of Dr. Krishna, accepted to support the Sangam for scale up of the program, which is now spread across 8 Blocks in Tirunelveli/Tenkasi districts. Dr. Krishna is also instrumental in organizing the stupendous tasks involved in holding an International Conference on Early Intervention for Children with Developmental Delays in Chennai on 14th & 15th February 2020 by bringing in the global experts in the field.
The core activities of the Sangam include: Rehabilitation centre, Spinal cord nursing centre, indoor vocational training centre, typewriting, computer, two-wheeler mechanism, cell-phone, domestic appliance, winding, gold assessor, screen printing training, etc. Goshala with 40 cows was initiated; Solar pump with 80 kilowatt, physiotherapy, nursing training centres. Early Intervention Rehabilitation were also initiated in the campus.
Amar Seva Sangam Activity
Seva activities were conducted not only inside the premises but also outside the campus. Census for physically challenged persons were conducted in four blocks. Initially with reference service, tuition centres and self-help groups expanded to 19 blocks. Sub-centres were created. Amar SevaSangam has been working in many villages and the Tamilnadu Government encouraged the vision by giving Rs.2.36 crore for expanding the activities in 23 blocks. Japan Government helped in constructing four buildings and a stroke patient centre.
In a milestone achievement, ASSA conducted a national seminar highlighting the difficulties and issues faced by disabled persons. In 1995, the bill and ‘Persons with Disabilities Act, 1995 was passed. This act advocates and propagates ‘Sarva Shiksha’ for all, placement in Central-State Governments and in society.  — Vishwa Samvad Kendra Chennai, 3 Feb 2020. -GoTop


Shri Vishwa Niketan  vishwav@bol.net.in