\Samvad

Shravana Shukla 8 Vik. Samvat 2078, Yugabda 5123 : 16 August, 2021:SM 3010 (For Private Circulation only)


1. FESTIVALS: SRI KRISHNA JANMASHTAMI 2. 75TH INDEPENDENCE DAY
3. DR. MOHAN BHAGWAT UNFURLS NATIONAL FLAG AT MUMBAI 4. UPARASHTRAPATI RELEASES POSTAL STAMP ON CHAMAN LAL JI
5. "WITHOUT MENTIONING CONTRIBUTION OF DALIT COMMUNITY, HISTORY OF INDIA WOULD BE INCOMPLETE”: HOSABALE 6. Appeal for HSS History — A CALL FOR INFORMATION
7. ‘SHIVSHAHIR’ BABASAHEB PURANDARE FELICITATED ON HIS 100TH BIRTHDAY 8. PROTESTS IN AUSTRALIA AGAINST ATROCITIES ON HINDUS IN PAKISTAN
9. AUGUST 14 WILL BE OBSERVED AS PARTITION HORRORS REMEMBRANCE DAY—PM MODI 10. HSS AND SEWA INTERNATIONAL ACTIVITIES
11. HOUSTON HINDU UNITY DAY FOCUSES ON DHARMA CLASSES 12. HPD’S YOUNG CADETS GET AN INTRODUCTION TO HINDUISM
13. IN ALBERTA CANADA AUGUST IS HINDU HERITAGE MONTH 14. IAC VIKRANT SUCCESSFULLY COMPLETES MAIDEN SEA VOYAGE
15. CHANDRAYAAN –2 CONFIRMS PRESENCE OF WATER ON MOON 16. BHARAT BUILDS WORLD’S HIGHEST ROAD IN LADAKH
17. SHRI VISHWA NIKETAN FOOD FOR THOUGHT
Article: AMRIT MAHOTSAV – A LOOK BACK INTO THE WAR OF BHARAT INDEPENDENCE

1. FESTIVALS: SRI KRISHNA JANMASHTAMI: Sri Krishna Janmashtami, (31st August this year ), the birth of Yogiraj Bhagwan Sri Krishna is celebrated with joy and fervour

throughout Bharat, its neighbouring countries and other parts of the world by devotees of Bhagwan Sri Krishna. During the celebrations devotees usually observe fasts, sing devotional songs in praise of Bhagwan Sri Krishna, hold ceremonies imitating Krishna Janma at midnight in temples etc.
There are several tales about the love Bal Krishna had for curd and butter and as a remembrance, ‘Dahihandi’ programs are arranged, especially in Maharashtra, where a human pyramid is made to reach a pot of milk, curd and butter which is then distributed to all as Prasad.  -GoTop

2. 75TH INDEPENDENCE DAY: Rashtrapati Ram Nath Kovind, during his televised address to the nation on the eve of 75th Independence Day, said,“ Parliament is the ‘temple of the country’s democracy’ which provides the highest forum to discuss, debate and decide issues for the well-being of people.”
He mentioned that roots of democracy were nurtured in this soil in ancient times and even in modern times Bharat is ahead of many western nations in offering franchise to all adults, regardless of any distinctions.
Pradhan Mantri Narendra Modi addressed the nation from the precincts of Red Fort on 15 August.
He lauded the medical workers, recounted the struggle of freedom fighters and said that “New India’s development is inclusive, holistic.”  -GoTop

3. DR. MOHAN BHAGWAT UNFURLS NATIONAL FLAG AT MUMBAI: RSS Sarsanghachalak Mohan Bhagwat hoisted the national flag at Raja Shivaji School at Matunga in Mumbai on the occasion of Independence Day. During the program, he kept his views on the economic independence of Bharat. Dr Bhagwat added, “We use internet and technology which does not originally come from India.
No matter how much we shout about China, everything on your phone comes from China. As long as there is dependence on China, we will have to bow down to China.”
He further said that had the feet of any foreign invader fallen on our land, the struggle would have started.
The country was attacked many times by the invaders, we gave it a complete stop on 15th August 1947. Great men who fight battles inspire. Today is the time to remember them.  -GoTop

4. UPARASHTRAPATI RELEASES POSTAL STAMP ON CHAMAN LAL JI: Hon Uparashtrapati Venkaiah Naidu released a commemorative postage stamp on swargiya Chaman Lal Ji at a program held at Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel Conference Hall – Residence of Hon Uparashtrapati on 7th August. This commemorative postage Stamp highlights the life & work of swargiya Chaman Lal Ji, renowned social worker and Sangh Pracharak.
Speaking on the occasion, Shri Naidu said that Chaman Lal Ji was a saint in true sense, who believed and practiced the philosophy of share and care. He always put nation first and self last in all of his actions. He was instrumental in initiating and fulfilling the dream project of creating a global network of the Sangh and was responsible to facilitate the Bharatiyas going abroad. The program was also addressed by Union Ministers Ashwini Vaishnaw and Devusinh Chauhan.  -GoTop

5. "WITHOUT MENTIONING CONTRIBUTION OF DALIT COMMUNITY, HISTORY OF INDIA WOULD BE INCOMPLETE”: HOSABALE - Speaking at the launch of the book ‘Makers of Modern Dalit History’ authored by Guru Prakash Paswan and Sudarshan Ramabadran on 10th August at Delhi, RSS Sarkaryavaha Dattatreya Hosabale said, “The great personalities (mentioned in the book) are not only the leaders of a particular community or a section of society but we have to declare proudly that they made history of India.”
Underlining Bharat’s history, Shri Hosabale ji said that without mentioning the contribution of the Dalit community, the political, economic, social, cultural, and spiritual history would be incomplete, dishonest, and untrue.”
Referring to the caste-based reservation as an instrument of affirmative action that has an important role in social justice and equality, he said that reservation and reconciliation (between communities) have to go hand in hand. The book “Makers of Modern Dalit History” features several inspirational Dalit leaders like BR Ambedkar, Babu Jagjivan Ram and many more who tirelessly battled divisive forces all their lives.  -GoTop

6. Appeal for HSS History — A CALL FOR INFORMATION: Outside Bharat, many organizations - including HSS - have been working for the Hindu cause for a long time. Some of them are more than two generations old. A need was felt to document their beginnings, efforts and contributions before their origins fade from our memories. Ratan Sharadaji - a research scholar and author of several books - is leading a project to compile the history of HSS and Hindu organisations outside Bharat.
Considering the time frame, collection of historical incidents, individual experiences and data is little difficult and needs your support.
To take this project forward, we request you to share with the contact below any relevant memories in the form of: * Photographs * Audio/Video * Notes in diaries * Press clippings * Letters * Anecdotes etc.
You can email or WhatsApp the information or send it as a recorded audio message. If you are aware of anyone who can provide such information, please share their contacts so that they can be approached for the same.
We request you to begin sending any available content and keep sending as and when you get it.
Ratan Sharda: +91 9867021940: <rnsharda@outlook.com>;
Santosh Pillai: +91 9324331870: <santovpillai@gmail.com>;  -GoTop

7. ‘SHIVSHAHIR’ BABASAHEB PURANDARE FELICITATED ON HIS 100TH BIRTHDAY
‘मी बाबासाहेबांना साष्टांग नमस्कार करतो. I pray to God that I imbibe the ideals that Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj propagated and upheld and I convey my greetings to Purandare on him entering the 100th year of his life," PM Narendra Modi wished Babasaheb Purandare on his 100th birthday through video conference on 13th August.
RSS Sarsanghachalak Dr Mohan Bhagwat, in his video message said, "A lot of people have done research on history, but Babasaheb was the one who, through his unrelenting efforts and hard work, took Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj and his life to every household,".
Purandare, born in Saswad, near Pune, in 1922, has been honored with Padma Vibhushan in 2019. Since his childhood, he became an ardent lover and devotee of Chhatrapati Shivaji and spent his whole life in studying the life and times of Shivaji, traversed the terrain where Chhatrapati Shivaji waged battles and established Hindu Kingdom. He gave literally thousands of inspiring lectures on the life of Shivaji. He is fondly called ‘Shivshahir- - Bard of Shivaji’ for his relentless work and life devoted to this cause.
He took part in the Goa liberation movement during the struggle to free Dadra Nagarhaveli from Portugese rule, wrote and directed a magnum opus ‘Janata Raja’ – a theatrical performance of over 200 artists on the life of Shivaji. The civic reception held on the day was also addressed by several dignitaries.  -GoTop

8. PROTESTS IN AUSTRALIA AGAINST ATROCITIES ON HINDUS IN PAKISTAN: Various Hindu organizations in Australia held protest demonstrations against atrocities on Hindus and other minorities in Paksitan. Following Covid regulations, protests were organized in 3 cities viz Perth, Adelaide and Brisbane on 14th August.
In Perth, the protest was done in main CBD location. The program was for 90 minutes which included speeches from Ex army officer, Hindu Council, Bharatiya organizations etc. 40 people took part in the protest.
In Adelaide, karyakartas organized walk with posters in main CBD area. The team protested in front of South Australia Parliament as well. Hindu council of Australia is sending letters to PM of Pakistan through the local offices of Pakistan's consulate.  -GoTop

9. AUGUST 14 WILL BE OBSERVED AS PARTITION HORRORS REMEMBRANCE DAY—PM MODI: A day before he addressed the nation from the ramparts of the Red Fort on Bharat’s Independence Day, Pradhan Mantri Narendra Modi declared that August 14 will be observed as Partition Horrors Remembrance Day.
“Partition's pains can never be forgotten. Millions of our sisters and brothers were displaced and many lost their lives due to mindless hate and violence.
In memory of the struggles and sacrifices of our people, 14th August will be observed as Partition Horrors Remembrance Day," Modi tweeted.
“May the #PartitionHorrorsRemembranceDay keep reminding us of the need to remove the poison of social divisions, disharmony and further strengthen the spirit of oneness, social harmony and human empowerment," he added.  -GoTop

10. HSS AND SEWA INTERNATIONAL ACTIVITIES: Hindu Council Australia and Hindu Benevolent Fund have initiated grocery distribution activity at Harry Todd Band Hall, Jubilee Park, Parramatta NSW for anyone who is suffering because of COVID/lockdown. The affected ones can come and collect the
grocery hampers. The system is of contactless pickup but based on situation, HCA volunteers can make arrangements to deliver it also. Care has been taken that volunteers are fully vaccinated and approved by the NSW Health.
Sewa International aid to South Africa
South Africa is hit very hard by delta variant. There are about 1.2 million Bharatiyas living in South Africa for more than 150 years. Sewa International has sent Oxygen Concentrators and Pulse Oximeters from Atlanta to South Africa for Bhartaiyas affected by Covid.
Sewa Bayarea prepares learning modules
In the month of July, Sewa ASPIRE Bay Area interns under the guidance of Dr Mairal, worked to produce modules for students in grades 7, 9, and 10. The purpose of the modules is to engage students in different ways in order to enhance learning in the classroom. Designed to meet the needs of audio-learners, visual-learners, and hands-on learners, these modules bring real life scenarios to the classroom and allow students to make a difference using topics such as chemistry and biology.
Volunteers of HSS Central Pacific region came together to support local students and families affected by COVID to go back to school this summer with hope and opportunity. HSS families donated school supplies generously across the San Francisco bay area (San Jose. Sunnyvale, Menlo Park, Oakland, Stockton) and also, volunteered to help with school supplies packing.
Large turnout at SATT/Sewa TT vaccination mass site in Chaguanas
Scores of people turned up at the mass vaccination site at the Divali Nagar site in Chaguanas in Trinidad & Tobago on 8th August for their second dose of the Covid vaccine.
The Supermarket Association (SATT) ran the site in partnership with the NGO, Sewa TT.
The vaccination site catered for about 2,500 people who would have received their first dose on July 17 and 18. The staff and volunteers, including representatives from the Red Cross Society and UNHCR, also catered for people who wanted to get their first dose. The SATT/Sewa TT mass vaccination drive continues on subsequent days.
SewaTT is encouraging people to register online to avoid overcrowding for their first dose of WHO-approved AstraZeneca vaccine to be administered.  -GoTop

11. HOUSTON HINDU UNITY DAY FOCUSES ON DHARMA CLASSES: The Houston chapter of HSS USA held its annual Hindu Sangathan Divas conference on 31st July at the Arya Samaj of Greater Houston.
Over 120 participants from about 40 Hindu organizations in the Greater Houston area participated in the event.
Hindu Sangathan Divas (Unity Day) offered an opportunity to Houston area Hindu organizations to network with each other with the goal of synergizing the work of different Hindu organizations, exchange ideas, share material and resources.
Laxminarayan Kurella Director HSS Houston chapter made the opening presentation. He introduced this year’s theme as “Hindu Dharma Awareness” and articulated the different challenges faced by Hindu society such as “CISCO issue, Equality lab, Media Bias, California textbooks etc. and urged all participating members to discus structure of response. All participating organizations expressed thoughtful views and agreed to work together with HSS on the capacity building in their respective organization and then take collective efforts in outreach opportunities in 2022 to drive Dharma Awarness Campaign.  -GoTop

12. HPD’S YOUNG CADETS GET AN INTRODUCTION TO HINDUISM: 60 young cadets of the Houston Police Department (HPD) were introduced to the core principles of Hinduism through a series of presentations and lectures at Vallabh Priti Seva Samaj (VPSS) on 23rd July. This unique engagement with the HPD was initiated by the Hindus of Greater Houston (HGH). HGH Director Manisha Gandhi led the initiative with the keen involvement of Senior HPD Officer Danish Hussain.
VPSS Trustee and HGH Advisor Rasesh Dalal kicked off the day's proceedings with a presentation that covered many aspects of Hinduism including the customs and rationale behind each of those customs like keeping footwear outside the house, wearing gold jewellery on special occasions etc. Rasesh explained the Hindu philosophy of karma - one’s life being an eternal circle with good deeds in the current life that lead to a better re-birth in the next life. The essence of Hinduism, he added, is the same of all true religions - Bhakti and genuine compassion for all beings.  -GoTop

13. IN ALBERTA CANADA AUGUST IS HINDU HERITAGE MONTH: Alberta, a province in western Canada, has announced the month of August as the Hindu Heritage Month to show gratitude towards the works done by the Hindu community. A joint statement issued by Alberta's Minister of Culture Ron Orr and Associate Minister of Immigration Muhammad Yaseen mentioned it as an important way to show appreciation for the Hindu community and all that they do to strengthen this great province.
“Through the COVID-19 pandemic, Hindu temples in Alberta stepped up to support their members and the wider community through neighbourhood food banks. This exemplifies the generosity of Alberta’s Hindu community," the statement added. The statement added that the Hindu Heritage Month provides an opportunity to all Albertans to learn more about Hindu faith and culture as well as "celebrate Albertans of Hindu heritage and help build inclusive, welcoming communities for all".
In 2016, the government of Ontario, another province in Canada, had declared the month of November every year as Hindu Heritage Month.  -GoTop

14. IAC VIKRANT SUCCESSFULLY COMPLETES MAIDEN SEA VOYAGE: In a huge milestone for Bharat, the Indigenous Aircraft Carrier (IAC) 'Vikrant' successfully accomplished its maiden sea voyage on 9th August after it had sailed on 4th August from Kochi.
The carrier is a leading example of the nation’s quest for “Atma Nirbhar Bharat” and Bharatiya Navy’s “Make in India” initiative, with more than 76% indigenous content.  
During the maiden sailing, the ship’s performance, including hull, main propulsion, Power Generation and Distribution (PGD) and auxiliary equipment were tested. Delivery of Vikrant is being targeted to coincide with celebrations to commemorate 75th anniversary of Bharat’s independence ‘Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav’. 
With the delivery of IAC, India would join a select group of nations with the capability to indigenously design and build an Aircraft Carrier. Delivery of IAC would also strengthen Bharat’s position in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR) and its quest for a blue water Navy.  -GoTop

15. CHANDRAYAAN –2 CONFIRMS PRESENCE OF WATER ON MOON: The Chandrayaan-2 mission, whose rover had a fatal ending on the Moon, continues to lead to new discoveries. Thanks to its orbiter that is currently orbiting the Moon. The latest is the detection of hydroxyl and water molecules on the lunar surface. Researchers used the data obtained by the Chandrayaan-2 orbiter's imaging infrared spectrometer (IIRS), an instrument that collects information from the Moon's electromagnetic spectrum, to understand the mineral composition of the satellite. They analyzed data from three strips on the Chandrayaan-2 IIRS sensor for hydration, which led to "unambiguous detection of OH (hydroxyl) and H2O (water) signatures."
The research findings, published in the journal Current Science, state that hydration absorption was observed at all latitudes and surface types in varying degrees. The Chandrayaan-2 mission was launched in 2019 to explore the far side of the Moon, however, the rover part of the mission ended when it crash-landed on the surface. While the lander and rover did not survive the crash, the orbiter is still hovering above the Moon, leading to path-breaking new discoveries. ISRO is set to launch Chandrayaan-3 a successor to the second mission likely in the next year.  -GoTop

16. BHARAT BUILDS WORLD’S HIGHEST ROAD IN LADAKH: The Border Roads Organization of Bharat BRO has achieved yet another milestone by building the world`s highest road in eastern Ladakh, at a staggering height of 19,300 feet. It has built a 52-kilometer black-top road across Umlingla Pass,
breaking the previous record for a road in Bolivia linking to the volcano at 18,953 feet. The road was built at a greater elevation than the Mount Everest base camps. Besides providing access to the local population and giving a boost to tourism, the road will provide much needed logistical back up to the troops guarding the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in eastern Ladakh. The road was built at a considerably higher height than the Siachen Glacier that stands at 17,700 feet above sea level.  -GoTop


17. SHRI VISHWA NIKETAN: Pravas: Dr Ram Vaidya, sahsamyojak Vishwa Vibhag is on Europe tour. Visitors: Rohit Sharma, Alameda USA


FOOD FOR THOUGHT: Correcting oneself is correcting the whole world. The sun is simply bright. It does not correct anyone. Because it shines, the whole world is full of light. Transforming yourself is a means of giving light to the whole world. — Ramana Maharshi  -GoTop

JAI SHRI RAM
---
AMRIT MAHOTSAV – A LOOK BACK INTO THE WAR OF BHARAT INDEPENDENCE
DATTATREYA HOSABALE

Today, Bharat is celebrating the festival of liberation from colonial dependence. Amid this series of celebrations, while the journey of 75 years of independent Bharat will be evaluated, it is also natural to remember the constant struggle and sacrifice of more than four centuries to achieve it.
The national movement against this colonial slavery in Bharat was inspired by the spirit of “self” whose manifestation was churning the whole country in the form of a trilogy of Swa-dharma, Swaraj and Swadeshi. As a result of the presence of saints and sages in the movement, spiritual consciousness was constantly flowing in the form of an undercurrent.
The spirit of “self”, which has been in the soul of Bharat since ages, manifested itself with all its might and these foreign powers had to face resistance at every step. These forces destroyed Bharat’s economic, social, cultural, and educational system; and destroyed village self-reliance. It was a totalitarian invasion by foreign powers, which Bharat retaliated in all spheres of life. The Bhartiya resistance against European powers is a unique example in world history. It was a multifaceted effort in which, on the one hand, armed resistance was being undertaken against the foreign invasion, and on the other hand, the work of social reconstruction was happening by removing the distortions in the society to make it strong.
While the kings of the princely states were resisting the British with all their might, the janjati society rose from place to place against the interference of the British in their simple life and the attack on their values ​​of life. These people who woke up to protect their values ​​were brutally massacred by the British, but they did not back down from the struggle. The nationwide war of Independence of 1857, in which lakhs of people sacrificed their lives, was a result of this.

To thwart the efforts to destroy the Bhartiya education system, institutions like Banaras Hindu University, Shantiniketan, Gujarat Vidyapeeth, MDT Hindu College Tirunelveli, Karve Shikshan Sanstha and Deccan Education Society and Gurukul Kangri rose and created a sense of patriotism among the students and youth. While scientists like Prafulla Chandra Ray and Jagdish Chandra Basu dedicated their talents for the upliftment of Bharat, artists like Nandlal Bose, Avanindranath Thakur and Dadasaheb Phalke and almost all national leaders, including Makhanlal Chaturvedi were involved in public awareness through journalism. They were awakening the country through their arts. The spiritual inspiration of many learned men like Maharishi Dayanand, Swami Vivekananda and Maharishi Aurobindo were acting as the guiding light for all of them.
While Hindu fairs being organized by Rajnarayan Bose in Bengal, Ganeshotsav and Shivaji Utsav by Lokmanya Tilak in Maharashtra were watering Bharat’s cultural roots, social reformers like Jyotiba Phule and Savitribai Phule were engaged in the creative campaign of promoting women’s education and empowering the underprivileged sections of the society. Dr. Ambedkar showed the way to organize the society and struggle for achieving social equality.
No area of ​​Bharatiya social life remained untouched by the influence of Mahatma Gandhi. While living abroad, the work of giving edge to the Bhartiya independence movement was progressing under the patronage of people like Shyamji Krishna Varma, Lala Hardayal and Madam Cama. London’s India House had become the center of activities related to Bharat’s independence. The Bhartiya War of Independence 1857, written by Krantiveer Savarkar, was very popular among Bhartiya revolutionaries. Bhagat Singh himself got it published and distributed hundreds of copies of it. The revolutionaries involved in more than four hundred underground organizations operating across the country were engaged in the campaign to free Bharat Mata by putting their lives at stake. Active in the activities of Anushilan Samiti, the revolutionary organization of Bengal, Dr. Hedgewar joined the Congress under the inspiration of Lokmanya Tilak and was elected as the Secretary of the Central Provinces. He was the Vice-President of the organizing committee of the National Convention held in Nagpur in 1920. In this session, he along with his colleagues made every effort to get the resolution of Purna Swaraj passed, but the Congress leadership was not ready for it. Ultimately this resolution was passed in Lahore after eight years.
Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose took over the leadership of the Azad Hind Fauj during the Second World War. Not only was the first government of independent Bharat formed under his leadership, but the Azad Hind Fauj also succeeded in liberating some parts of Northeast Bharat. The trial of the officers of the Azad Hind Fauj in the Red Fort filled the whole country with fury. Along with this, the rebellion made by the Navy against the British officers forced the British to leave Bharat.
The sun of freedom rose, but the eclipse of partition had fallen on it. The credit for the courage to move forward even in difficult circumstances goes to every Bhartiya who shed his blood and sweat to fulfil the national aspiration of hundreds of years.
Maharishi Arvind had said – Bharat has to wake up, not for itself but for the whole world, for humanity. His declaration proved to be true when Bharat’s independence became an inspiration for the freedom fighters of other countries of the world. One by one, all the colonies became independent, and Britain’s never-ending sun went down forever.
The Portuguese, Dutch, French and lastly the British came to Bharat. Alongside trade, all of them made constant efforts to destroy Bhartiya culture and engage in proselytization. The retaliation against colonialism had begun on the very day Vasco-da-Gama, the first European traveller, set foot on Bhartiya soil in the year 1498. The Dutch had to leave Bharat after being defeated at the hands of Maharaja Marthanda Varma of Travancore. The Portuguese remained confined to Goa. In the struggle for supremacy, the British eventually proved to be the victors who, on the strength of their devious policy, established control over a little more than half of Bharat. The rest of Bharat remained under the control of Bhartiya rulers with whom the British made treaties. After independence the union of these states emerged as the Republic of Bharat.
Bharat chose the path of democracy. Today it is the largest and most successful democracy in the world. Those who contributed to the freedom movement to protect the cultural values ​​of Bharat, also performed the duty of framing the constitution for Bharat. This is the reason that in the first copy of the Constitution, arrangements were made to keep the cultural flow of Bharat intact by displaying the image of Ram Rajya through pictures and exponents of Bhartiyata like Vyasa, Buddha and Mahavira.
This “Amrit Mahotsav of Bhartiya Independence” is an occasion to show gratitude towards patriots due to whose sacrifice, we are moving towards getting our rightful place in the world community as an independent nation. Those unnamed heroes, events left out of discussion, institutions, and places, which gave direction to the freedom movement and proved to be milestones, will have to be reviewed, evaluated, and preserved in the folk memories associated with them. They should be introduced to the mainstream so that the coming generations recon that behind the innately available freedom today, there lies a struggle of the past generations for the nation and their tears, sweat and blood of many centuries.
(The author is presently Sarkaryavah of Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh) www.vskbharat.com   -GoTop



\Samvad

Shravana Krishna 9 Vik. Samvat 2078, Yugabda 5123 : 1 August, 2021:SM 3009 (For Private Circulation only)


1. FESTIVALS: RAKSHA BANDHAN

2. DR MOHAN BHAGWAT RELEASES BOOK ON CAA AT GUWAHATI

3. HSS USA HONORS TEACHERS IN 113 SCHOOLS NATIONWIDE

4. HSS UK HONOURS TRAFFORD TEACHERS

5. HINDU HERITAGE YOUTH CAMP 2021

6. HSS LIBERIA COVID RELIEF WITH RED CROSS

7. HSS FAMILIES IN HOUSTON DONATED BOOKS FOR KIDS

8. SEWA BY HSS DALLAS

9. HSS HIGHWAY CLEANUP ‘ADOPT A HIGHWAY’

10. SEWA INTERNATIONAL ACTVITIES

11. SEWA IN MAHARASHTRA FLOOD AFFECTED AREAS BY RSS

12. SANSKAR BHARTI SUPPORTS NEEDY ARTISTS

13. ‘MAJDOOR GHAR’ INAUGURATED IN GUNTUR

14. HOW ARUNACHAL VILLAGE ACHIEVED 100% VACCINATION

15. SIX PAKISTANI MIGRANTS GRANTED BHARATIYA CITIZENSHIP

16. RAMAPPA TEMPLE IN TELANGANA AND CITY OF DHOLAVIRA GETS UNESCO HERITAGE TAG

17. BHARATIYA STUDENTS BAG MEDALS IN MATHEMATICS OLYMPIAD

18. SHRI VISHWA NIKETAN & FOOD FOR THOUGHT

Article: REMEMBERING REVERED JAGDEV RAM UROAN JEE ON HIS FIRST DEATH ANNIVERSARY


1. FESTIVALS: RAKSHA BANDHAN: Raksha Bandhan, celebrated on Shravan Poornima will be celebrated on 21st August this year. Raksha Bandhan stirs up one of the sublime and noblest emotions in the human being – the abiding and chaste bond of love between every being, often expressed as a bond between brother and the sister. Traditionally, the sister ties rakhi – a bracelet in the form of thread or more decorative forms and sweets and gifts are distributed to mark the occasion.

The sister brother relationship highlighted by the Rakhi goes far beyond the mere personal protection of the female from a male. It implies the basic element of an amicable and harmonious social life where all members of the society look upon themselves as brothers and sisters and as children of one common motherland and one universe on a global level.
RSS Swayamsevaks celebrate the utsav in shakhas by tying Rakhi to Bhagwa Dhwaj and each other and then reach households to tie to rakhi to people in tribal, urban and rural areas alike.
HSS shakhas celebrate the utsav and swayamsevaks in many countries visit lawmakers, fire and police officials and other dignitaries to tie rakhi and convey the message of the Rakhi. -GoTop

2. DR MOHAN BHAGWAT RELEASES BOOK ON CAA AT GUWAHATI: Secularism, democracy and pluralism are inherent in our culture and people of Bharat do not need to understand the concept of inclusiveness from other nations, said RSS Sarsanghchalak Dr. Mohan Bhagwat on 21st July while releasing a book titled ‘Citizenship Debate over NRC & CAA: Assam and the Politics of History’ at Shrimanta Shankardev Kalakshetra. He added that the citizens of the great nation have been practicing the concept of ‘Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam’ since thousands of years .
Speaking about the controversies related to citizenship amendment act (CAA), he said that after the partition, the Bharatiya government successfully addressed the concerns of minorities, but Pakistan did not and it compelled hundreds and thousands of persecuted Hindu, Sikh, Jain families to leave their ancestral places and enter Bharat. The CAA rules support those refugees and it has nothing to do with Bharatiya Muslims.
The function was also addressed by Assam chief minister Dr Himanta Biswa Sarma, Guwahati University vice-chancellor Professor PJ Handique and author of the book Prof Nani Gopal Mahanta. -GoTop

3. HSS USA HONORS TEACHERS IN 113 SCHOOLS NATIONWIDE: Hindu Swayamsevak Sangh HSS USA held 99 events nationwide in 73 Cities from 24 States and 113 school districts, felicitating over 1,700 teachers and educators. More than 5,300 participants took part in these events.
To honor the teaching community for their exemplary service in educating the students, the first week in May is considered ‘Teacher Appreciation Week’ in the United States. The first Tuesday of the same week is "National Teacher Day." To celebrate the special occasion, HSS chapters organize an annual event called ‘Guru Vandana.’
This year, due to corona, most chapters organized events in a virtual setting. However, to give a personal touch, children made a gift box for teachers containing sweets, masks, and personalized handmade greeting cards. Teachers received these boxes in advance of the event. During the event, teachers were introduced to the Hindu cultural significance of Guru and Guru Vandana, followed by cultural events and speeches. Most of the teachers wholeheartedly appreciated the initiave in comments like "I love that the event was primarily presented by the kids! It was great to hear about different aspects of their culture directly from them. It was very organized and well done." -GoTop

4. HSS UK HONOURS TRAFFORD TEACHERS: HSS UK shakhas took the initiative to organize a celebration known as Shikshak Vandan Divas, translated as ‘Teacher Appreciation Day’ to show utmost praise and gratitude for the incredible and heroic efforts of teachers, especially during the pandemic period. .
Over 15 events from Cheltenham to Leeds were organized virtually , mostly in July, inviting teachers from local schools and engaging over 500 students to show their respect and appreciation. In The Sale area of Trafford Ganga Shakha/Balagokulam organized their event on 5th July attended by teachers from various schools in Trafford.
The event included recitation of Sanskrit Shlokas by the children, Yoga, fun quiz, and the insight into Guru Shishya relationship in Hindu culture.
A video with gratitude and thanks from over 40 students in various schools in Trafford was played at the event and many children presented their teachers with cards and expressed their gratitude. The teachers attending the event appreciated the efforts and many termed it a humbling experience. -GoTop

5. HINDU HERITAGE YOUTH CAMP 2021: Annual Hindu Heritage youth camp HHYC, organized under the banner of Hindus of Greater Houston, will be going offline to the joy of all. 55 HHYC counselors, most of whom are former campers came together in June to prepare for the annual event , scheduling camp activities and played games and other activities.
The directors for HHYC 2021, Shamal Shah and Ranjan Veludandi shared the feelings as , " After directing virtual camp last year, it has been an exciting experience getting to direct for in-person camp.” For 37 years, HHYC has inspired youth to expand their knowledge of Hindu concepts, culture, and rich values through programs in camp viz bhajans, yoga, games etc.
After an year of isolation, the HHYC community is counting down the days until 250 campers can come together to reconnect with friends on 8th August. -GoTop

6. HSS LIBERIA COVID RELIEF WITH RED CROSS: Hindu Swayamsevak Sangh HSS Liberia and Liberia National Red Cross Society (LNRCS) provided food and rations to several orphanages and disabled organizations in Montserrado County during the week preceding Liberia independence day, starting on 19th July. Assorted items distributed were rice, gallons of oil, cartons of biscuit and cartons of candy. The organizations who received the assistance were group of 77, United Association of the Blind, Sis Aye Home, Share cared Children Home, Khantan Children village and Antoinette Tubman Cheshire Home.
Secretary General of the LNRCS Ambullai Perry and President of HSS Liberia Rohit Suji, said, “Food is a necessity, as absolutely essential in terms of life-saving and our major concern is to provide food ration to people with special needs on this Independence Day to enable you to celebrate with your families without any worry about food in the home. -GoTop

7. HSS FAMILIES IN HOUSTON DONATED BOOKS FOR KIDS
Houston vibhag has collected over 330 gently used children's books through a book drive for the young souls in low income families. These collected books were donated to 'Books Between Kids' organization.
Books Between Kids collects these kind of books, sorts, organizes them as per reading levels and distributes to at risk kids in Greater Houston. In nine years, this organization has distributed 1.7 million books to over 500,000 children in 44 zip codes. Few of the HSS karyakartas and balas went for drop off at their facility on 21st July. Bal swayamsevaks loved the idea of volunteering at this facility to sort and organize in future and helping some kids get their reading scores up!-GoTop

8. SEWA BY HSS DALLAS: Swayamsevaks from Dallas Vibhag did volunteering shift at Metrocrest Resale in Carrollton TX. Work included sorting, bagging, shelving, stocking and moving the items and making it available for the sale. Total 8 Swayamsevaks joined the shift including 3 kishores. -GoTop

9. HSS HIGHWAY CLEANUP ‘ADOPT A HIGHWAY’: HSS volunteers in Schumburg, IL and Balagokulam Abhimanyu Schaumburg did highway cleanup as part of Adopt a Highway program on 10th July from 9-11 am. This is the second cleanup of this year where total 25 karyakartas ( including kishors) participated. This is a example of great team work by local Shakha to serve the community. -GoTop

10. SEWA INTERNATIONAL ACTIVITIES: Sewa International raises $30 million, airlifts medical equipment to Bharat: A planeload of medical equipment reached New Delhi in first week of July in continuation with Covid related assistance material sent by Sewa USA, making yet another milestone in Sewa International’s efforts to supply much-needed medical equipment to Bharat to help the country fight the COVID-19 pandemic.
Sewa International USA is procuring needed medical equipment like oxygen concentrators and also helping to build oxygen plants in Bharat. For this, Sewa partnered with Another Joy Foundation to help in transporting lifesaving supplies to Bharat. Since its inception, Another Joy Foundation has been involved in supplying medical equipment, medicines, toys, clothes, and other essential supplies to many countries around the world.
MedStar Foundation Donates PPE Worth $1.4 Million to Sewa International: MedStar Foundation USA donated over $1.4 million worth of Personal Protective Equipment and two CPAP machines to Sewa International on 9th July in an event held at the Foundation’s warehouse in Hyattsville, Maryland.
Ed Robinson, MedStar Health’s vice president of Integrated Support Operations, presented the PPE material to the Maryland Chapter coordinator of Sewa International Dr. Anita Roy. Dr. Siva Subramanian, a pediatric cardiologist at the Georgetown Medical Center Washington DC acted as liaison between MedStar and Sewa International.
“This is the largest in-kind medical equipment donation Sewa has received from a hospital system in the U.S. Sewa is sending the PPE to Trinidad and Tobago and to a few countries in South America which are experiencing the second wave of COVID-19 cases. The CPAP machines will go to India,” said Sree Sreenath, former president of Sewa International, who was present at the event.
SI appeal for Maharsahtra flood relief: Sewa International Bharat has appealed for people affected by floods in Maharashtra and urged to help us provide relief to the disaster stricken districts and people.
More details can be found at #DonateNow https://www.sewainternational.org/Maharashtra-Flood-2021
SI help reached Bangladesh: Sewa International help has reached Bangladesh. Oxygen concentrators and other medical equipments reached Dhaka and were received by Ram Krishan Mission.
Yoga by Yezidis in Iraq: A Couple of years back, Sewa International sent 5 Yezidi girls from Iraq to Nagpur for training in advance nursing. These girls after coming back started Sewa activities including Yoga and meditation classes. -GoTop

11. SEWA IN MAHARASHTRA FLOOD AFFECTED AREAS BY RSS: Several parts of Maharashtra including Mahad and Chiplun area of Konkan, hilly areas near Mahabaleshwar and cities like Kolhapur in western Maharashtra were badly affected by incessant rains and floods with swollen rivers and discharges from the dams. Over 100 people succumbed to the incidents of landslides, the worst being witnessed at Taliye – dist Raigad where over 40 people lost their lives and about 30 missing ( presumed to have succumbed ) in a landslide. Shops and houses in Mahad and Chiplun were in neck deep water for hours.
RSS swayamsevaks, under the banner of RSS Jankalyan Samiti – Maharashtra Prant immediately started relief activities in the form of supplying fresh food packets, bottled water, medicines and other essential items. Several youth teams from adjoining areas of Mumbai, Navi Mumbai, Pen, Panvel stayed put for days doing works like clearing the debris, repairing damaged electrical equipments, sanitization and distributing relief material. Swayamsevaks in Satara district and nearby areas reached to remote villages in Koyna dam area carrying relief material on foot for several kilometers. (For more info, Visit https://www.facebook.com/rssjankalyan/) -GoTop

12. SANSKAR BHARTI SUPPORTS NEEDY ARTISTS: Keeping in mind the struggle of artists of various art genres, Sanskar Bharti, Delhi province, hosted a virtual fundraising concert, titled 'Peer Parai Jaane Re', on 9th July in which eminent artists of the country from diverse art fields like literature, music, dance, and cinema participated to raise funds for needy artists. 
Renowned actors such as Akshay Kumar, Anupam Kher, stand-up comedian Kapil Sharma and singers including Daler Mehndi, Mika Singh, Sonu Nigam, Kailash Kher appealed for help to Covid-hit artists and gave inspiring speeches.  
Stalwarts from classical music and dance including Pandit Birju Maharaj, Amjad Ali Khan, Sonal Mansingh, Hariharan, Shankar Mahadevan, Anup Jalota, Anuradha Paudwal, Hansraj Hans and Vasifuddin Dagar also participated. 
Summing up, campaign president and MP Hansraj Hans said: "Peer Parai Jaane Re is the biggest campaign in recent years to help the artists in this covid crisis and we want to give assistance to the artists at all levels.”  -GoTop

13. ‘MAJDOOR GHAR’ INAUGURATED IN GUNTUR: ‘Majdoor Ghar’ was inaugurated in Guntur on 23rd July on the occasion of founding day of Bharatiya Majdoor Sangh. B. Surendran, Akhil Bharatiya Organizing Secretary of BMS attended the event as Chief Guest. Surendran said that the Majdoor Sangh office should function as an information center.
Jupudi Haimawati, BMS Secretaries Radha Krishna, Sama Balireddy attended the programme along with other office bearers. -GoTop

14. HOW ARUNACHAL VILLAGE ACHIEVED 100% VACCINATION: The remote New Tupi village under Longo administrative circle in the state’s Tirap district achieved the commendable feat on 8th July after 100% of the villagers falling under the 45 years and above category were inoculated with the first dose of COVID-19 vaccine.
New Tupi, which has around 80 households, is around 15 kms from Khonsa, the headquarters of Tirap district. The 15 km journey, however, takes anywhere between 1.5 to 2 hours, depending on weather conditions and the rough terrain. Tireless efforts of the medical team, local leaders and most importantly the ASHA workers and one to one counseling helped to alleviate fears and doubts about vaccination before the entire village was fully inoculated. -GoTop

15. SIX PAKISTANI MIGRANTS GRANTED BHARATIYA CITIZENSHIP: Six Pakistani migrants, living in Madhya Pradesh for decades, were granted Bharatiya citizenship on 6th July under the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA). Madhya Pradesh Home Minister Narottam Mishra said these migrants were victims of religious persecution.
Among the six who were granted Bharatiya citizenship, Nandlal and Amit Kumar are residents of Bhopal while Arjundas Manchandani, Jairam Das, Narayan Das and Saushalya Bai are from Mandsaur.
Manchandani said, "We are happy that the government has provided us citizenship. I was neither an Indian nor a Pakistani for the last 31 years, but now I am an Indian citizen". -GoTop

16. RAMAPPA TEMPLE IN TELANGANA AND CITY OF DHOLAVIRA GETS UNESCO HERITAGE TAG: Dholavira- a Harappan era city located in Gujarat's Rann of Kutch was added to the list of World Heritage Sites by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) on 27th July.  
This comes two days after the Kakatiya Rudreshwara (Ramappa) Temple in Telangana got inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.  
With this development, Bharat has 40 world heritage properties overall, which include 32 cultural, 7 natural and one mixed property. It should be noted that Italy, Spain, China, Germany and France are the only other countries that have 40 or more World Heritage sites. 
Rudreswara temple, situated at Palampet in the Mulugu district of Telangana was constructed in 1213 AD during the reign of the Kakatiya Empire by Recharla Rudra, a general of Kakatiya king Ganapati Deva. The Harappan city of Dholavira, is one of the very few well preserved urban settlements dating from approximately 3rd to mid-2nd millennium BCE. It is the sixth largest of more than 1,000 Harappan sites discovered so far. -GoTop

 

17. BHARATIYA STUDENTS BAG MEDALS IN MATHEMATICS OLYMPIAD: Bharatiya students have secured one gold, one silver, and three bronze medals in the 62nd International Mathematical Olympiad (IMO), which Russia hosted from July 14 -24 and three Silver and one bronze at the 32nd International Biology Olympiad (IBO) hosted by Portugal from July 18 to 23. In all, 619 students from 107 countries participated in the IMO and 304 students from 76 countries in IBO. Both the contests were held online.

-GoTop


18. SHRI VISHWA NIKETAN: Pravas: Dr Ram Vaidya vishwa vibhag sahsamyojak is touring Switzerland and other Europe countries. Visitors: -GoTop


FOOD FOR THOUGHT: A truthful man is treated as reliable as the mother, as venerable as the guru (preceptor) and as beloved as the one who commands knowledge. — Bhagwan Mahavir -GoTop

JAI SHRI RAM
---
REMEMBERING REVERED JAGDEV RAM UROAN JEE ON HIS FIRST DEATH ANNIVERSARY
Vivekanand Nartam

Revered Jagdev Ram Uroan Jee left for heavenly abode exactly a year ago on 15 July 2020 at Akhil Bhartiya Vanvasi Kalyan Ahram’s (ABVKA) National Office at Jashpur, his workplace at least for a half century. While we remember him on his first death anniversary, it’s very important for us as a nation to remember his journey and legacy. He remained National President of ABVKA for twenty five years after inheriting the mantle from his master revered Vanvyogi Balasaheb Deshpande Jee. He truly lived up to the trust and confidence with which the baton was passed on to him by his master. Though he belonged to a poor janjati family in Komdo village in Jashpur Nagar district of today’s Chhattisgarh state, he did not confine himself to the worries of hearth and home. He remained unmarried and dedicated all his life for the cause of janjati community of Bharat.

Jagdev Ram Uroan Jee was born on 8 October 1949 to Aghnu Ram and Buchhubai. He was the eldest of four daughters and three sons of his parents. He started attending RSS Shakhas, the morning and evening gatherings of swayansevaks (volunteers) at his early age. He did his Master of Arts (M.A.) and acquired a degree in Physical Education. Having come from janjati community himself, it was quite easy for him to get a government job in those days and start a normal family life but he chose to live the life of a hermit.
The far-flung and inaccessible areas of today’s Chhattisgarh and Jharkhand primarily inhabited by janjati community had remained much underdeveloped. Poverty, illiteracy due to lack of schools and immense scarcity of health facilities were all pervasive in the region. The situation was rendered a fertile ground for evangelical missions who were fervently carrying on with their activities of converting janjatis into Christian fold taking advantage of their poverty and innocence. It was in this backdrop that Pt. Ravi Shankar Shukla, the then Chief Minister of Central Provinces (today’s Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh) visited the region in the late 1940s. In this visit, he was welcomed everywhere but was shown black flags and asked to go back when he reached Jashpur. His experiences in this visit exposed him to unimaginable backwardness and massive conversion so prevalent among people. This made him think to assuage sufferings and anguish of people by coordinating with revered Thakkar Bappa, a well known Gandhian who had extensively worked in the janjati areas. Very soon social welfare department was established and Balasaheb Deshpande Jee joined the same in 1948. After Thakkar Bappa’s death in January 1951, he found it difficult to carry on with janjati development activities due to administrative pulls and pressures. This made him think that there was a need to carry on with his developmental projects for janjati communities in the area independently leading to the establishment of Vanvasi Kalyan Ahram on 26 December 1952.
In 1977 at Surat Meet of Vanvasi Kalyan Ashram, Babasaheb Deshpande Jee decided to expand the organization's activities all over Bharat. Thus Vanvasi Kalyan Ashram became Akhil Bhartiy Vanvasi Kalyan Ashram. Since then Shri Jagdev Ram Jee started travelling with his mentor. In 1985, he was made the member of ABVKA's National Committee and further in 1987 Vice- President, Babasaheb being the President. Two years before passing away in 1995, Balasaheb nominated Jagdev Ram Jee .as the National Working President of ABVKA at its Cuttack National Convention in 1993. The relationship between Balasaheb and Jagdev Ram Jee is embodied in the Guru-Shishya tradition of Bharat like that of Swami Ramkrishna Paramhans and Swami Vivekananda.
Since the time Jagdev Ram ji became president of ABVKA, he played an important role in developing the plant of Vanvasi Kalyan Ashram sown by his master Balasaheb into a banyan tree. At present ABVKA is the largest organization in Bharat working for the overall development of janjatis that covers aspects such as education, health, sports, village development, skill development, youth development, women empowerment, self help groups, protecting janjati constitutional rights and so on all over Bharat. The organization that was started with its first project having only 13 janjati children enrolled to be educated with hostel facilities today has 20,000 projects in 323 districts with footprints in more than 52,000 villages. His life was one of devoted to the cause of janjatis of Bharat and he lived to see that happen. He was staunch believer that the janjatis are very much integral part of Bharat’s socio-cultural fabric from time immemorial. Therefore, he travelled tirelessly from north to south and east to west invoking the thought that we all are one and our destinies are intrinsically interwoven. His contributions in the successful organization of Shabri Kumbh in the Dang District of Gujrat in 2006 in which hundreds and thousands of janjatis from all over Bharat participated are immense. Similarly, he exuberantly participated along with the ocean of janjati people from all over the country in Ardha Kumbh Mela at Ujjain and Mahakumbh Mela at Prayag.
Jagdev Ram Jee was equally concerned about reinvigorating cultural heritage of janjatis. For example; he started Rohtas fort pilgrimage located in the Son River Valley, in the small town of Rohtas in Bihar. The Oraon janjati owes their origin to this fort and surroundings. People from Assam, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, Bengal etc. are participating in this pilgrimage for many years now. It was in his leadership that ABVKA made rapid strides and became more vocal in the public discourse by bringing in ‘Vision Document’ for socio-economic-cultural development in 2015. He was very crucial in bringing the final draft of the document in consultation with activists, policy makers and academician from across the country. He remained at the fore front in bringing various issues with regard to various issues of janjati community to the notice of constitutional authorities and policy makers and insisted on their timely resolution.
Despite being such a man of stature, his demeanor was that of simplicity, care, affection and compassion towards everyone he met. It’s because of these traits of his personality, he could easily connect with thousands karykartas, men, women and children alike. He certainly is the strongest pillar of ABVKA that has grown leaps and bounds in every nook and corner of the country. He lived and dedicated all his life for the cause of janjatis but his legacy is not confined to a particular community. Moreover, thoughts and deeds of great men must not be kept limited to a particular segment of society. The impact of their life’s work is pan national, across all communities. Therefore, their legacy must be re-invoked and presented to this and coming generations so that we learn to trade the path that men like Jagdev Ram Jee have created for us to follow. ( Vivekanand Nartam is Assistant Professor at Shyamlal College, University of Delhi, https://www.newsbharati.com/Encyc/2021/7/15/Jagdev-Ram-Uroan.html-GoTop