\Samvad

Pausha Shukla 3, Vik. Samvat 2077, Yugabda 5122 : 16 January, 2021:SM 2020 (For Private Circulation only)


 1. FESTIVALS: VASANT PANCHAMI 2. DR. MOHAN BHAGWAT CELEBRATES PONGAL AT CHENNAI
3. "UNTIL WE DON'T UNDERSTAND SWADHARMA, WE CANNOT UNDERSTAND GANDHIJI'S SWARAJ": DR. MOHAN BHAGWAT 4. WELLESLEY HINDU COMMUNITY ASSISTS WITH COVID RELIEF
 
5. BHARATIYA NGO DISTRIBUTES FOOD TO NEEDY IN MYANMAR 6. BHARAT SENDS RELIEF TO CYCLONE-AFFECTED PEOPLE OF FIJI
7. 16TH PRAVASI BHARATIYA DIWAS 2021 8. PRAVASI BHARATIYA SAMMAN AWARDS-2021
9. SEWA USA HONORED IN PBD AT CGI OFFICE NEW YORK 10. HSS SNY 2021 UPDATES: SUN SALUTATION IN SCHOOLS
11. GLOBAL INDIAN SCIENTISTS & TECHNOCRATS MEET 12. SEWA UK RIKSHAW RUN 2019 VEHICLES DONATED
13. RAM TEMPLE TO BE SYMBOL OF BHARAT'S SELF-RESPECT AND PRIDE: DR KRISHNA GOPAL 14. AYODHYA MANDIR WORK TO BEGIN BY JANUARY-END
15. PANGONG LAKE OPENS TO TOURISTS 16. TOP FRANCE AWARD TO IISC PHYSICIST ROHINI GODBOLE
17. EFFECTIVENESS OF BHARAT'S MARITIME PREPAREDNESS TESTED IN TWO-DAY MEGA EXERCISE 18. SWAMI HARSHANANDA PASSES AWAY
19. SHRI VISHWA NIKETAN & FOOD FOR THOUGHT  Article: A TIME FOR SELFLESS SERVICE

 1. FESTIVALS: VASANT PANCHAMI: Vasant Panchami, celebrated on Magha Shukla Panchami (16th February this year) is a festival that marks the preparation for the arrival of spring. The festival is dedicated to goddess Saraswati who is goddess of knowledge, language, music and all arts. It also marks the agricultural fields' ripening with yellow flowers of mustard crop, which is associated with Saraswati's favourite colour. People celebrate the day by wearing yellow (white), eating sweet dishes and display yellow flowers in homes. Many families mark this day by encouraging their young children to write their first words with their fingers, an auspicious start to formal education. Many educational institutions arrange special prayers or pujas.

It is celebrated across Bharat as well as in Nepal, Bangladesh and other places. In southern states, the same day is called Sri Panchami. On the island of Bali among the Hindus of Indonesia, it is known as "Hari Raya Saraswati" (great day of Saraswati).   -GoTop

2. DR. MOHAN BHAGWAT CELEBRATES PONGAL AT CHENNAI: RSS Sarsanghachalak Dr Mohan Bhagwat participated in Pongal celebrations by visiting the Sri Kadumbadi Chinnamman Temple in Ponniammanmedu on 14th January.
He accepted Poorna Kumbha respect and took part in the temple pooja, Gau Mata pooja and offered pongal pot to Surya Bhagwan. In his speech, he eulogized that Surya Bhagwan does his duty like a penance and highlighted importance of exchanging Pongal greetings with all sections of the society. He also quoted Thirukkural to say that our words should not offend any one. Shri Bala Subramanian, Former Grama Sabha President recited devotional song followed by Vote of Thanks by Varadarajan. 
Dr Bhagwat was on a 2-day tour to Tamil Nadu where he also addressed young professionals and start-up owners.
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3. "UNTIL WE DON'T UNDERSTAND SWADHARMA, WE CANNOT UNDERSTAND GANDHIJI'S SWARAJ": DR. MOHAN BHAGWAT: The Centre for Policy Studies, in association with Har Anand Publishers published the book 'Making of a Hindu Patriot' authored by Dr. J K Bajaj and co-authored by Prof M D Srinivas, on 1st January. RSS Sarsanghachalak Dr Mohan Bhagwat released the book in the presence of Minister of State for Culture and Tourism Prahlad Singh Patel and other dignitaries.
While addressing the event, Dr. Bhagwat said, “Gandhiji said that my patriotism originates from my religion. I will understand my religion and become a good patriot and inspire others to do the same."
The Sarsanghachalak echoing the thought put forth by Gandhiji added that "In order to understand what Swaraj is, we need to understand what 'Swadharma' is? Until we don't understand Swadharma, we cannot understand Gandhiji's Swaraj."
Minister of State for Culture Prahlad Singh Patel stated that the context and the timing of the book is significant and congratulated the authors about the release.
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4. WELLESLEY HINDU COMMUNITY ASSISTS WITH COVID RELIEF: HSS USA chapter at Wellesley Massachusetts donated about 2500 pounds of food at the South Worcester Neighborhood Center (SWNIC) drop-off location as part of their Nationwide SewaDiwali initiative (sewadiwali.org). Wellesley residents and local chapter members, Dr Lakshmi Thalanki and the staff of Family Orthodontics, Hudson, made notable group donations of more than 850 pounds while the Batch of ‘95 from Hostel-4 at IIT Bombay donated 550 pounds.
Michael Moore, State Senator for Second Worcester District, and local community leader Jonjy Ananth, statewide commissioner of the Asian American Commission participated at the final, December food drop-off. Moore said that he appreciated the community getting together to help each other during these challenging times. He was also all praises for the HSS and SWNIC volunteers and specially thanked two teen age students Gundu and Mamidala for being socially conscious at such a young age. Tom L'Ecuyer, Director SWNIC, thanked the HSS team for their generosity as well as his team of volunteers who worked tirelessly to feed the hungry.
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5. BHARATIYA NGO DISTRIBUTES FOOD TO NEEDY IN MYANMAR: An NGO, ‘COVID-19 Hindu families Relief Group' formed by the Bharatiya community is providing free food and medical aid to those affected due to the COVID-19 pandemic in Yangon and other parts of Myanmar.
Senior social worker Dr Ram Niwas said, "Besides helping the Bharatiyas living in Myanmar, we are even helping the locals who are in the need during this crisis," In Yangon, there are 42 townships where quarantine centers have been established. Stressing that daily wage earners are badly affected due to the COVID-19-induced lockdown, Niwas said: "We are providing Bharatiya food at these quarantine centers during the evening time. We have distributed some 32,000 food packets to date. We have even provided grocery items to some 1,500 families." 
 -GoTop

6. BHARAT SENDS RELIEF TO CYCLONE-AFFECTED PEOPLE OF FIJI: The first consignment of relief materials from Bharat for the cyclone-affected people reached Fiji on 2nd January. Another consignment also followed around 6th January.
Fiji was hit by a Category 5 Tropical Cyclone Yasa last month which caused extensive damage and destruction of critical infrastructure. The relief material sent by the Government of Bharat, consisting of shelter and hygiene kits, was to provide immediate assistance to the cyclone-affected communities.
Despite challenges posed by the pandemic, over 6 tons of relief supplies were put together in a short span of time by the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and were airlifted to Fiji with the help of Air India and Fiji Airways via Sydney, Australia.
 -GoTop

7. 16TH PRAVASI BHARATIYA DIWAS 2021: PM urges youth to use technology to take forward Bharat's pride and culture across globe
Inaugurating the 16th Pravasi Bharatiya Divas convention through virtual mode on 9th January, Pradhan Mantri Narendra Modi urged the youth to use technology to take forward Bharat's pride and culture across the globe. He said, in the past years, Non-Resident Indians have strengthened their identity by showing their commitment for the betterment of the society. He added that he feels proud to hear heartwarming stories of NRIs coming forward and helping those in need.
Addressing the inaugural session of the 16th Pravasi Bharatiya Divas convention through virtual mode, External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar said, “We, in Bharat, have responded through the policy of Atmanirbhar Bharat, building stronger capacities at home to make a larger contribution abroad.”
The Chief Guest of the Pravasi Bharatiya Divas convention, President of Suriname Chandrika Persad Santokhi said that Suriname shares deep bonds with Bharat and both the countries have managed to maintain their heritage, culture and customs. The President added that Bharat and Suriname are bonded on many levels historically, religiously and culturally. He also said that Suriname, a small yet a beautiful country in South America, is ready to remove visa permits and promote ‘visa-free travel’ between Bharat and Suriname.
Rashtrapati Ramnath Kovind, while concluding the PBD-2021 said that Our diaspora is our face to the world, and champions Bharat’s cause on the global stage. It has always come to Bharat’s aid, whether it is for advocacy regarding international issues of concern to Bharat, or contributing to the Bharatiya economy by way of investments and remittances, The Rashtrapati said that we are indebted to Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee whose vision re-energised the links with our diaspora. The Pravasi Bharatiya Divas celebrations started in 2003 when Atalji was the Pradhan Mantri of Bharat.
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8. PRAVASI BHARATIYA SAMMAN AWARDS-2021: The Pravasi Bharatiya Samman Award (PBSA) is the highest honour conferred on overseas Bharatiyas. PBSA is conferred by the Hon’ble Rashtrapati of Bharat as part of the Pravasi Bharatiya Divas Convention on Non-Resident Indians, Persons of Indian Origin or an organization/institution established and run by the Non-Resident Indians or Persons of Indian Origin in recognition of their outstanding achievements both in Bharat and abroad. The Pravasi Bharatiya Samman Awards were conferred by the Hon’ble Rashtrapati at the PBD Convention in the valedictory session of the Pravasi Bharatiya Divas celebrations.
Several countries have been represented for the first time among the awardees. Dr. Mukesh Aghi, one of the awardees and President & CEO of US-India Strategic Partnership Forum, delivered the acceptance speech on behalf of the awardees. There were a of 30 eminent persons and institutions were awarded PBSA this year.
 -GoTop

9. SEWA USA HONORED IN PBD AT CGI OFFICE NEW YORK: In recognition of Sewa International’s services to the community Consulate General of Bharat awarded Sewa USA on the eve of PBD 2021. Rajesh Sharma, Rashmita Shanbhag and Mani Venkat received the award on behalf of Sewa International.
 -GoTop

10. HSS SNY 2021 UPDATES: SUN SALUTATION IN SCHOOLS: Hindu Swayamsevak Sangh HSS USA has announced the Fifteenth annual "Health for Humanity Yogathon" or "Surya Namaskar Yajna". The 16-day event, starting on 16th January, aims to create awareness about Yoga and its advantages in achieving a healthy body, mind, and spirit. Surya Namaskar integrates simple Yoga postures in 10-steps that, along with easy breathing technique, can provide immense health benefits to both the body and the mind.
The ‘Yogathon’ project, started in 2006 has seen participation from 40 states with various Yoga Centers, community organizations, schools and colleges regardless of individual faiths and beliefs, taking part in it. Community leaders and many elected officials across the nation have appreciated this initiative and encouraged their residents to participate and gain the benefits of an overall healthy lifestyle.
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11. GLOBAL INDIAN SCIENTISTS & TECHNOCRATS MEET: Bharat is blessed with a large vibrant diaspora community, including in the Science & Technology (S&T) sector. With exceptional contributions where they work, they are eager to share their knowledge, experiences, and connect Bharat to the emerging technologies for the development of Bharat. 
Global Indian Scientists & Technocrats GIST forum is an initiative to bring together such talent. As part of the India International Science Festival (IISF 2020), GIST Meet was organized with objectives to empower the rural masses through application of technologies and to develop partnerships for creating and applying S&T based solutions.
Union Minister for Health and Science and Technology Dr Harsh Vardhan, inaugurated the Meet and invited the diaspora to enthusiastically participate and contribute in the growth journey of Bharat. GIST Meet also had inspiring keynote addresses from Dr. Vijay Raghavan, Principal Scientific Adviser, Government of Bharat, Dr. Anil Kakodkar, Former Chairman Atomic Energy Commission and Dr. Raghunath Anant Mashelkar, Former Director General Council for Scientific and Industrial research CSIR. Other eminent speakers in the open interactive session were Dr. Yellojirao K Mirajkar (​Convener, GIST USA) former Consul General at New York Dr. D. M. Mulay etc.
The GIST Meet concluded after a special address by Jayant Sahasrabudhe (National Organizing Secretary, Vijnana Bharati) and concluding address by Dr. Shekhar C. Mande, Director General, CSIR.
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12. SEWA UK RIKSHAW RUN 2019 VEHICLES DONATED: Sewa International UK had organized Rikshaw Run 2019 from Kanyakumari to Karnavati (Ahmedabad) for fundraising for divyang community in December 2019. 90 riders from UK and Australia participated. The vehicles used in this program were also meant for donation to organizations working for differently abled people.
A brief ceremony was held at Keshavsrushti, Mumbai on 10th of January 2021 coinciding with Keshavsrushti's annual Sree Satyanarayan Puja for handing over the papers and keys of 24 vehicles in this Rickshaw Run to different organizations viz Saksham Tamilnadu, Arunodaya Gadag —Karnataka, Samvaedana Latur etc.
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13. RAM TEMPLE TO BE SYMBOL OF BHARAT'S SELF-RESPECT AND PRIDE: DR KRISHNA GOPAL: "The temple will be a symbol of self-respect and pride of the country”, said RSS Sah Sarkaryawaha (Joint General Secretary) Dr Krishna Gopal while briefing Press at Gandhinagar on 7th January. He was interacting at the culmination of 3-day Akhil Bharatiya Samanvay baithak (meeting of key karyakartas from various affiliated organizations) near Gandhinagar in Gujarat.
The meeting deliberated on various issues and the thrust areas considered were, social equality (samajik samarasta), promoting family values inspired by Hindu culture (Kutumb Prabodhan) and environmental protection targeting water conservation, tree plantation and avoiding polythene.
Around 150 karyakartas participated in the meeting and deliberated on various programs and activities.
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14. AYODHYA MANDIR WORK TO BEGIN BY JANUARY-END: The work on the foundation for Sri Ram Mandir at Ayodhya will start by the end of January. General Secretary of the Shri Ram Janmasthan Teerth Kshetra Trust Champat Rai said in a press conference at Kanpur on 4th January that the temple will be completed in 36 to 39 month’s time from the day construction starts.
“We had hoped construction would have started in June but the study has not been completed [even] after seven months. The results are not matching. There is sand, crumbly sand, under the ground or some old debris lying deep,” said Rai.
He also said that the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) had sent them pictures of a channel of River Sarayu under the site of construction. The first soil testing took place in February 2020. Rai stressed that the foundation work would take place only after clear results. “If there is any confusion in the results, the tests are done again. This reflects the seriousness about the foundation of the temple,” he said.
Engineers and experts from around 10 institutes, including the National Geophysical Research Institute (Hyderabad), Central Building Research Institute (Roorkee), IIT-Bombay, IIT-Guwahati and IIT-Madras, were engaged in the study, he added.
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15. PANGONG LAKE OPENS TO TOURISTS: The Ladakh administration has re-opened Pangong Lake, the region’s most prized picnic spot and one of the main theatres of the ongoing standoff between the Bharatiya and Chinese armies, for tourists from 10th January after nearly a year.
Konchok Stanzin, the elected councillor of Chushul Constituency, which is also home to Pangong lake, said “The tourists are safe to visit the area. They can only go to the starting point of the lake which is far off from that place”.
The decision to reopen Pangong came a day ahead of Bharatiya army’s move to hand back a Chinese soldier, who was apprehended by the Bharatiya side in the southern bank of Pangong Tso. The soldier had transgressed to this side.
 -GoTop

16. TOP FRANCE AWARD TO IISC PHYSICIST ROHINI GODBOLE: Prof Rohini Godbole from the Centre for High Energy Physics (CHEP) at the Indian Institute of Science (IISc) Bengaluru has been awarded the “Ordre National du Mérite”, or the National Order of Merit, considered among the highest distinctions bestowed by France.
“I’m still a bit hazy because this is like our Padma awards, which is not a small gesture and it’s come as a total surprise. I’m very happy,” Godbole said. IISc, while congratulating Godbole, said she has been recognized for contributions to collaborations between France & Bharat and her commitment to promoting enrolment of women in science. Godbole was awarded the Padma Shri by the Bharatiya government in 2019.
A renowned Bharatiya physicist and academic, Godbole has worked extensively on different aspects of particle phenomenology over the past three decades and was involved in research in a collaborative effort between French ‘Centre national de la recherche scientifique’ CNRS and IISc, named the Indo-French Laboratory in Theoretical High Energy Physics (IFLTHEP).
 -GoTop

17. EFFECTIVENESS OF BHARAT'S MARITIME PREPAREDNESS TESTED IN TWO-DAY MEGA EXERCISE: Bharat's preparedness to deal with all possible challenges in the maritime domain, including contingencies from peace to war-time, was tested in a two-day multi-agency military exercise, January 12-13, that covered the 7,516 km-long coastline and exclusive economic zone.
The second edition of exercise 'Sea Vigil' particularly focused on the efficacy of the measures initiated to plug gaps in the coastal security set up following the Mumbai terror attack in 2008.
The exercise involved deployment of the entire coastal security apparatus and more than 110 surface assets of the Bharatiya Navy and the Coast Guard participated in the exercise that was billed as Bharat's largest coastal defense drill.
"The conceptual and geographical expanse of Sea Vigil included the entire coastline and exclusive economic zone of the country and contingencies from peace to war-time were exercised. In addition, mitigation measures, on shore, in case of any breach in coastal security were also validated," the Navy said in a statement.
In addition to assets of the Bharatiya Navy, a large number of platforms of the Marine Police and the Customs Department were also deployed during the second edition of the mega drill.
 -GoTop

18. SWAMI HARSHANANDA PASSES AWAY: The Bengaluru head of Ramakrishna Ashram, Swami Harshananda, passed away due to a cardiac arrest at the ashram on 13th January noon. He was 91 years old, and was suffering from age-related illnesses.
Swami Harshananda was a mechanical engineer from the University Visvesvaraya College of Engineering, and joined the Ramakrishna Mission in 1954 where his guru was Swami Virajananda, the sixth president of the Bengaluru branch of Ramakrishna Mission.
He worked in Bengaluru, Mysuru, Mangaluru, Allahabad and Belur Mutt in West Bengal (headquarters of the Ramakrishna Mission). He was a polyglot and an expert in Sanskrit, Kannada, Telugu, Hindi, Bengali and English, sources said, adding that he has several books to his credit, including ‘A Concise Encyclopedia of Hinduism’.
 -GoTop

19. SHRI VISHWA NIKETAN: Pravas: Visitors:


FOOD FOR THOUGHT: We have no enemy — neither in this world nor in this nation. There are people who might be considering us as their enemies. Our job is to not get affected by them and instead take them also along with us. This, in reality, is the ‘Hindutva’.  - Dr. Mohan Bhagwat, P.P. Sarsanghachalak, RSS (Yashaswi Bharat) 
 -GoTop

JAI SHRI RAM

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A TIME FOR SELFLESS SERVICE
CAMILLE HUNTE


SewaTT is ‘Express’ Community Group of the Year 2020...
Sewa International TT (Sewa­TT) represents what a non-governmental organisation really should be.
This is according to Sewa­TT chairman Revan Teelucksingh, who said yesterday he was humbled that the organisation’s efforts at bringing aid to those in need is being recognised with the Express newspapers’ Community Group of the Year award.
The award, which is in its 42nd year, is presented annually to the group or organisation which has made a significant contribution within its communities or nationally.

SewaTT, a relatively new organisation in operation for just seven years, has no doubt impacted thousands of lives not only locally but across the region. It has truly lived up to its name “sewa”, which comes from the Sanskrit word meaning “selfless service” and represents the act of performing charity work without any expectation of recognition or acknowledgement in return. Since 2013, this is what SewaTT has been striving to do.
The organisation is completely run by a network of volunteers and financed solely by public donations. It receives no Government assistance, but each year is able to raise hundreds of thousands of dollars in donations and relief items, which are distri­buted to those in need.
Volunteers receive no salary or stipends and often use their own resources to help others, meaning that 100 per cent of funds donated to the organisation is used to provide aid.
Rising to the challenge
Speaking with the Express yes­ter­day, Teelucksingh said the organisation started as a group of young professionals who recognised a need for better coordinated natural disaster relief, as well as health support.
The organisation has since branched out to organising blood donation drives, as well as provi­ding food, books, clothing and other relief items to those in need locally, as well as sending disaster relief items to other Caribbean islands.In 2016, 2017 and 2018, SewaTT responded to severe flooding which occurred in areas of North, Central and South Trinidad by coordinating the provision of meals, groce­ries, cleaning supplies, health care and laundry services to people who had been severely impacted.
Additionally, in 2017, the organisation arranged the donation of basic necessities to citizens of Dominica who experienced the devastation of hurricanes Maria and Irma.
In 2020, SewaTT rose to the challenge yet again, taking a leading role in providing relief to those impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic. Teelucksingh said the pande­mic created an even-greater need for the organisation’s services as many families struggled to meet their basic needs during this time. SewaTT partnered with a number of supermarkets, implementing a system where members of the public could purchase “food packs” at subsidised prices to donate to needy families.
Covid relief
Through SewaTT’s efforts and the generosity of donors, 6,100 families benefited from food support while another 805 relief kits were provided to families with special needs during the Covid-19 “lockdown” period.
Financial support was also provided to families whose needs exceeded food support while some 3,000 individuals were assisted with the means to fill out and print grant application forms.
Front line medical staff were also in receipt of aid, with SewaTT having provided hundreds of meals to medics during the period of restaurant closures.
The organisation also stepped in to help pupils who did not have the means to participate in virtual classes by donating refurbished tablets and laptops to underpri­vileged pupils. Additionally, the NGO embarked upon a mask donation drive, producing and distributing 22,000 reusable masks to members of the public, 3,800 masks to the Prison Service, and donating 41,800 surgical masks to health workers across T&T.
Meanwhile, the group continued to provide upport to its usual clients, inclu­ding distributing meals to the Court Shamrock Homeless Shelter.
Great opportunity
The organisation’s chari­table activities in 2020 are too numerous to list, but Teelucksingh said 17 major projects were undertaken invol­ving a network of 400 volunteers and 17,792 volunteer hours, which benefited some 57,218 people.
SewaTT has already set a 2021 goal of ramping up its diabetes prevention programme, which Teelucksingh says has been a success thus far. It is a partnership with the Indian High Commission in promoting yoga as an adjunct therapy in the control and management of diabetes.
Teelucksingh said while SewaTT does not perform charity for recognition, he was grateful the organisation’s efforts were appreciated and considered for the Express award.
“It is wonderful. I think it is one of the most prestigious recognitions that we could get because we have not been recognised much for the work that we do. This is a big thing for us because it will expose us to more volunteers. This recognition is a great opportunity for us to reach more volunteers to continue doing the work that we do,” he said.
Teelucksingh encouraged those who want to become involved to sign up on the SewaTT website, sewatt.org.  (31 December 2020 www.trinidadexpresss.com)  -GoTop


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